The Essence of Compassion

S.N. Goenka

(The following is a translation of an article by S. N. Goenka. It has been adapted for the Newsletter.)

Compassion (karuṇā) is a very noble state of the human mind. Like selfless love(mettā), sympathetic joy(muditā) and equanimity(upekkhā), compassion is also a brahmavihāra (sublime state of mind).

Merely discussing compassion or praising it is far away from the practice of true brahmavihāra. It is good to accept compassion at the intellectual level as an ideal sublime state. But this is also far away from true brahmavihāra.

Brahmavihāra means the nature of a brahma (the highest being in the order of beings). It is the practice of superior qualities, the practice of Dhammic qualities. Only when the mind is suffused and overflows with such brahmic qualities can we call it brahmavihāra.

The mind can overflow with compassion as well as mettā, muditā and upekkhā only when the mind is completely free from all defilements at the deepest level. This purity of mind and the resultant sublime states born out of it is the fruit of practice of Dhamma.

What is the meaning of living a Dhamma life? It means living a life of morality (sīla), that is, to abstain from performing any vocal or physical action that will disturb the peace and harmony of others and harm them.

In order to live a moral life, it is necessary to have complete mastery over one’s mind. For this, it is necessary to practise concentration of mind (samādhi) with a neutral object of meditation. A neutral object of meditation neither generates rāga (attachment) nor dosa (aversion). It is based on direct experiential truth and is free from ignorance.

However, it is not sufficient to concentrate one’s mind with the help of such a neutral object of meditation. It is necessary to develop wisdom (paññā) at the depths of the mind on the basis of direct experience and to become established in this experiential wisdom. By this practice it is possible to eradicate the habit-pattern of the mind of reacting blindly with craving and aversion.

As we gradually learn to recognize and weaken this habit of blind reaction, the old accumulated defilements are eradicated and new ones do not arise. Ultimately, the mind is completely freed of all defilements and becomes pure. Then the mind is naturally filled with the brahmic qualities of mettā, karuṇā, muditā, and upekkhā.

As long as the old stock of defilements is present in the mind and new defilements are added to it, it is not possible for thebrahmavihāras to arise in the mind. Ego plays a role in the arising of all defilements. As long as the mind is ego-centred, self-centred, one may talk about the four brahmavihāras and praise them highly, but one is not able to cultivate them.

The more the mind becomes free from defilements the more the development of the four brahmavihāra. When a meditator is fully liberated, he dwells continuously in the pure brahmavihāras. Therefore, for development of the brahmavihāras of mettā, karuṇā, muditā, and upekkhā, it is absolutely essential to become established in sīla, samādhi and paññā. 

One-day course with Goenkaji on Sharad Purnima

A one-day course has been arranged within the main dome of the Global Vipassana Pagoda on 23 October 2010, Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. Goenkaji will be present during this course. Registration for this course is compulsory. Contact: Mobile: 98928-55692, 98928-55945;

Tel: (022) 2845-1182, 2845-1170 (11 am to 5 pm).

Registration email: global.oneday@gmail.com

Online registration: www.vridhamma.org

 

Dhamma Service at Global Vipassana Pagoda

The Global Vipassana Pagoda is implementing various beautification projects and requires service from Vipassana meditators in the following areas. Benefits: Opportunity to contribute to this unique project, regular meditation practice, right livelihood, good remuneration package, meals for all, and accommodation for deserving candidates.

P.R & H.R. Manager: A graduate with at least 8 to 10 years of experience in P.R. activities to lead a team of Tourist Guides. Will also be responsible for H.R. & other administrative matters.

Purchase Officer – Purchase activities for projects with cost and inventory control experience. Working knowledge and familiarity of the Mumbai industrial market with minimum experience of 5 years.

Electrician with Electronics – ITI with ‘C’ license and 10 – 12 years experience of trouble –shooting at project sites, motors & control circuits, electronic controls and telecom operations.

Project Manager – Graduate in Civil Engineering with 10 to 15 years of experience in projects & building construction.

Housekeeping & Security Supervisor – 6 to 8 years experience in housekeeping and security management. Ex. Servicemen with security management experience will be an added advantage.

Fitters – ITI Fitter with 10 to 15 years of experience in civil construction equipment maintenance, fabrication and other assembly work.

Plumbing & AC Mechanic –ITI Plumber with 10 to 15 years experience in large, multipurpose complexes and in repairing servicing & installing AC units.

Tourist Guide – 3 to 5 years of experience as guide with any national monument or tourist group.

Junior Architect – GDARCH / BARCH, min 5 years experience, capable of handling independently on site, experience in trouble shooting at site projects, coordinating with consultant and Government Bodies.

Driver – 8 to 10 years of experience with valid license. Need a reference. Good remuneration package, food for all, and accommodation for deserving candidates.

Contact – Manager, GVF, Global Vipassana Pagoda, Next to Esselworld, Gorai Village, Borivali (W) Mumbai 400 091. Tel: (022) 2845-1181, 2845-1204; Email:- gvf.hrdept@gmail.com, Website:- www.globalpagoda.org

(Meditators wishing to serve at Dhamma Pattana centre should contact Ms. Priti Dedhia, Mobile: 92223-34524(12 noon to 6 pm), Email: priti.dedhia@gmail.com)

AT Training Workshops in 2010

West: Dhamma Pala, Bhopal: 12-10 to 16-10

South: Dhamma Setu, Chennai: 27-10 to 31-10

Nepal: Dhamma Janani, Lumbini: 27-10 to 31-10

Assistant teachers are requested to contact the above centres for registration and more information.

 

Workshop for Dhamma Serversat Dhamma Giri

Workshop is from 3 to 4 Dec 2010. Applications should include your full name, age, address, phones, email, number of courses done, and number of courses served.

Pilgrimage to the Buddha Sacred Sites

IRCTC, the tourism arm of Indian Railways, in the year 2007, started running a fully airconditioned special train named the Buddhist Circuit Special Tourist Train, touring the Buddha Sacred Sites: Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sravasti, Rajgir and Kushinagar. Complete details can be viewed on www.railtourismindia.com/buddha

This is an excellent opportunity for Vipassana meditators to do the pilgrimage in a safe, reliable and comfortable manner without the bother and hassle of organizing multiple ticketing, local transport at different destinations and hotel stays.

Global Vipassana Foundation (GVF) has negotiated a special discount of 15% with IRCTC for the benefit of Vipassana mediators.

IRCTC & GVF has additionally agreed to structure in two slots of group meditation for the Vipassana meditators, subject to the number of meditators being not less than ten. The first, GS under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya and the second GS at Kushinagar. The group sittings will be scheduled for after the close of visiting hours to the temple so as to provide a quiet environment for group meditation. This would be subject to no other engagement happening on the particular day in the temple premises.

The circuit of the Buddhist Circuit Special Tourist Train starts and ends at Delhi. The forthcoming schedule and tariff appear below:

	Starting	Ending
Sept 2010	25Sept	2 Oct
Oct 2010	16& 30Oct	23 Oct & 6Nov
Nov 2010	13& 27Nov	20Nov & 4Dec
Dec 2010	11& 25Dec	18Dec & 1st Jan
Jan 2011	8& 22 Jan	15Jan & 29Jan
Feb 2011	12& 26Feb	19Feb & 5March
Mar 2011	12& 26Mar	19 March & 2 April

Class	Rack Rate		15 % Discounted Rate
	Rs	USD $	Rs	USD $
First AC Coupe	55272	1176	46981	1000
First AC	48650	1050	41353	893
2T AC	41650	875	35403	744
3T AC	34650	735	29453	625

Registration: Visit www.railtourismindia.com/buddha or contact: Hemant Sharma, Mobile: 97176-44798, Izhar Alam, Mobile: 9717635912,IRCTC, Ground Floor, STC Building, 1-Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi -110001. Tel: [91] (011) 23701100, 23701101, Email: arunsrivastava@irctc.com

Children’s Courses in Mumbai Schools

Vipassana Research Institute has again started a program to teach Anapana to the BMC schoolchildren. About 8000 students appearing for the SSC examination next year will be taught Anapana. The first phase may start from 1 July. The schedule is available online at www.vridhamma.org

There is a great need for Dhamma servers to work in these courses. Meditators who have done at least three ten- day courses and are 20-50 years old are welcome to serve in these courses. They must have the aptitude and a desire to work with children. Training will be provided for the same.

Those wishing to serve should send an email to cc@vridhamma.org giving their name, age and number of ten-day courses completed.

Second Vipassana Centre in Tamil Nadu

The second Vipassana centre in Tamil Nadu is coming up near Chettiyapatti, Gandhigram. Pujya Guruji has named it Dhamma Madhurā (Sweetness of Dhamma). Dhamma Madhura will be able to comfortably accommodate 100 students for Vipassana courses

The land is 4 kms. from the main road. It is situated 10 km near Dindigul city, about 51 kms. from Madurai. Sirumalai hills is close to the land. Donations are eligible for tax exemption under 80G in India. (Bank details: Vipassana Meditation Centre Madurai, State Bank of India, Ac. No. 31262542660, SBI branch IFS Code: SBINOO12764, SBI Swift code: SBININBB454)

For more details, contact: Mrs. Renuka Mehta, Madurai, Cell: 94437-28116, 89034-28116, Mr. Lalji Vora, Cell: 98430-52465, Mr. B. Vinayagam, Dhamma Setu, Chennai, Cell: 94440-21622,: Mr. Bharat Shah, Kovai, Cell: 98423-47244, Mr. Mahesh, Cell: 98434-51153. Email: madhura.dhamma@gmail.com

 

First Tamil Vipassana Course in Sri Lanka

A ten-day Vipassana course in Tamil was successfully organized at a rehabilitation centre in the northern Sri Lanka. The course was conducted by Tamil-speaking assistant teachers from South India. Fifty-five inmates participated and all of them completed the course. The participants were very grateful for this opportunity to learn Vipassana and wish to continue their meditation practice. One student said that among the many programmes for rehabilitation, he had found this course to be the most useful. Some of them wanted their relatives also to attend a course. The officials at the rehabilitation centre were very co-operative and plan to send some of their personnel to Dhamma Sobhā to sit a course. They have given permission to conduct another ten-day course at the rehabilitation centre for 75 inmates.

 

Children’s Courses in Mumbai

To serve children's courses in Mumbai, call 98200-22990.

Date	Venue	Age	Registration
12-9	Ulhasnagar	9-16 years	9 and 10-9
19-9	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	16 and 17-9
17-10	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	14 and 15-10
21-11	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	18 and 19-11
19-12	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	16 and 17-12

 

Course Timings: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Registration: 11 am to 1 pm

Course Venues: Ghatkopar (W): SNDT School, New Bldg., Cama Lane, Opp. Vidyut Soc. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505.

Ulhasnagar: Guru Nanak School, Kurla Camp, Ulhasnagar-4. Tel: (0251) 252-2693.

NB Please: *bring cushion, *register on specified phone numbers, *inform in advance if unable to attend after registration, *arrive on time for the course.

Residential course for children in Mumbai

From 9 to 11-11-2010 for VIII and IX class students only.

Registration: Tel 2501-1096, 2516-2505 from 15-10 onwards

 

Notice: Dhamma Thaḷi, Jaipur Vipassana centre needs a centre manager, a female course manager, a house keeping manager (with expertise in plumbing and electrical work) and other servers. Contact: 96104-01401 or dhammathali.jpr@gmail.com.

Dhamma Padhāna: European Long Course Centre

Discussions about building a long-course centre in Europe began in earnest in 2005. Progress has been quite fast and in late March this year Dhamma Padhāna held its first course with accommodation for 60 students and servers.

Courses of ten days duration or fewer were held at first, and on 6 July 2010, a 20-day course started. The course ran very smoothly without any disturbances, and was followed on 31 July 2010 with a 30-day course.

The 30-day course also ran very smoothly and ended happily at the end of August. All the students expressed their deep appreciation for the chance to practise Dhamma so quietly and seriously in such ideal facilities.

Some suggestions for small improvements were made, and these are being sent to the concerned committees for consideration. However, the overwhelming feedback from students was of joy at having such a wonderful long-course facility here in Europe.

All the Dhamma Padhāna trustees and committee members have worked hard for years to make this centre a reality, and the result is deeply satisfying.

During the course, all were reminded again and again of the amazingly generous gift of the Dhamma Dīpa trustees, in donating half of their much-loved centre to the European Long-Course Centre. The gift of this peaceful, protected, beautiful land has provided a remarkably secure foundation for Dhamma Padhāna. Without the support and protection of Dhamma Dīpa the long-course centre would not be able to provide this wonderful atmosphere for the meditators to work in.

Local meditators around the Dhamma Campus (Dhamma Dīpa and Dhamma Padhāna) also have provided a wonderful support to Dhamma Padhāna, and their good will is invaluable.

All the servers and long-term servers at Dhamma Dīpa have provided essential support to Dhamma Padhāna, and of course the generous donors and those kind meditators who have lent money to the centre have also fulfilled an essential part in the establishment of this centre.

May all those who have supported this centre and all those who meditate here be peaceful, be happy, be liberated.

 

Vipassana Websites

Vipassana introduction: www.dhamma.org

Course schedules of Vipassana centres worldwide, application form for ten-day courses, etc.

Dhamma Giri: www.vri.dhamma.org

Indian Vipassana centres and schedule of courses, etc.

Pali Tipiṭaka Website: www.tipitaka.org

The Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana Tipiṭaka with commentaries, subcommentaries and related Pali texts in Roman, Devanagari, Cyrillic, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Myanmar, and Sinhala scripts. More scripts will be added in future.

Prison Courses Website: www.prison.dhamma.org

Information about Vipassana courses in prisons.

Global Vipassana Pagoda: www.globalpagoda.org

Updated information about the Global Vipassana Pagoda.

Online Vipassana Newsletters and Archives

For complete archives of the VRI Newsletter in English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam, visit:www.vridhamma.org/Newsletter_Home

 

 

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Ācaryas:

Mr. Ashok & Mrs. Uma Kela, Bhopal

To serve Dhamma Mālavā, Indore

Senior Assistant Teachers

Mrs. Sumedha Varma, Pune

To help area teachers in Pune

NEW RESPONSIBILITIES

Ācaryas:

Ms. Gayatri Balkrishnan, Igatpuri

To serve Dhamma Ketana, Kerala

Senior Assistant Teachers:

1. Mr. Sachin Natu, Pune

2. Mr. Ram Swarup Bharati, Guna

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Assistant Teachers:

1. Mr. Narendra Bharwada, Surat

2. Ms. Kanmanee Phoophakdee, Thailand

3. Ms. Anna Forsyth, New Zealand

4. Mrs. Kulwadee (Lee) Acers, USA

5. Mrs. Cailen Richardsen, USA

6. Mrs. Rashmi Shanker, USA

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Children’s Course Teachers:

1. Mrs. Manjula Savla, Kutch

2. Mr. Chaganlal Bhimani, Kutch

3. Mr. Bharat Jadeja, Kutch

4. Mrs. Maniben Patel, Kutch

5. Ms. Meriben Vania, Kutch

6. Mrs. Kasturben Patel, Kutch

7. Mrs. Kantaben Patel, Kutch

8. Mr. Gautam Parekh, Mumbai

9. Mrs. Roopal Prashant Sarkar, Mumbai

10. Mrs. Lee Soo Kyung, Korea

11. Mrs. Hwang Ok Ja, Korea

12. Ms. Kobkaew Manomaipiboon, Thailand

13. Ms. Bangon Laosatiankit, Thailand

14. Ms. Janlanee Laosatiankit, Thailand

15. Ms. Supaporn Pholdee, Thailand

16. Ms. Suphap Vetkama, Thailand

17. Ms. Christine Herz, Germany

18. Ms. Virginie Breton, France

19. Ms. Branka Kostic, Serbia

Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television

UTV Action TV channel is telecasting Goenkaji’s discourses every Monday to Saturday, from 4.45 am to 5.45 am.

 

DHAMMA DOHAS