205S.N. Goenka Tour of the West (April 10 to August 15, 2002)

206“Peace in the world cannot be achieved unless there is peace within individuals”

1 Table of Contents

Report April 10 – May 2...... 11 Day One (April 10) ...... 11 Island of Dhamma...... 11 Day Two (April 11)...... 11 Monuments of Dhamma ...... 11 Day Three (April 12) ...... 12 Child and the Charcoal...... 12 Day Four (April 13)...... 13 Mataji’s Role...... 13 Day Five (April 14) ...... 13 The Householders and the Monks...... 13 Day Six (April 15) ...... 14 Price for the Priceless Dhamma ...... 14 Day Seven (April 16) ...... 14 Spreading the Word...... 14 Day Eight (April 17)...... 14 Be Careful with Dana Money ...... 15 Day Nine (April 18) ...... 15 Across the Atlantic...... 15 Day Ten (April 19)...... 15 Meeting Organizers ...... 15 Day Eleven (April 20)...... 15 May All Beings Be Without Fear ...... 15 Day Twelve (April 21) ...... 16 Spirituality in Business: Modern Change Agents and Their Responsibility ...... 16 Day Thirteen (April 22)...... 17 A Businessman’s Story ...... 17 Day Fourteen (April 23)...... 17 Spirituality for All...... 17 Day Fifteen (April 24)...... 18 A Long Journey ...... 18 Day Sixteen (April 25) ...... 18 Noon Interviews ...... 18 Day Seventeen (April 26) ...... 18 Boston, Boston ...... 18 Day Eighteen (April 27)...... 19 Herd of Bison (Wild Buffalos)...... 19

2 Day Nineteen (April 28) ...... 19 Vipassana Day ...... 19 Day Twenty (April 29)...... 20 Yoga and Vipassana ...... 20 Day Twenty-One (April 30)...... 20 The Course for Businesspeople and Administrators ...... 20 Day Twenty-Two (May 1) ...... 21 Professionals Serving Vipassana ...... 21 Day Twenty-Three (May 2)...... 21 The Mundane and the Supramundane ...... 21

Report May 03 – May 20...... 23 Day Twenty-Four (May 3) (Lenox, Mass.) ...... 23 Businessman’s Morality ...... 23 Day Twenty-Five (May 4) (Lenox, Mass.) ...... 23 Selfless Love...... 23 Day Twenty-Six (May 5) (Lenox/VMC, Mass/Flanders, New Jersey) ...... 24 Pleasant Surprise...... 24 Day Twenty-Seven (May 6) (Flanders, NJ / Rutgers University, NJ)...... 24 You are the Future...... 24 Day Twenty-Eight (May 7) (Flanders, NJ / Manhattan / Queens, NY)...... 24 India and China...... 24 Day Twenty-Nine (May 8) (Queens / Manhattan, NY / Flanders, NJ) ...... 25 Blind Faith, Faith and Interfaith...... 26 Day Thirty (May 9) (Flanders, NJ / Pennsylvania) ...... 26 Annenberg Centre, Penn ...... 26 Day Thirty-One (May 10) (Coatsville / Lincoln University / Unionville, PA)...... 27 Maintain the Purity of the Technique...... 27 Day Thirty-Two (May 11) (Coatsville PA / Ashland, VA)...... 27 The Dhamma Caravan ...... 28 Day Thirty-Three (May 12) (Ashland, VA / Charlotte, NC) ...... 28 Keep Walking, Keep Walking...... 28 Day Thirty-Four (May 13) (Charlotte, NC)...... 29 Inspiring the Meditators ...... 29 Day Thirty-Five (May 14) (Charlotte, NC / Atlanta, GA) ...... 29 Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta ...... 29 Day Thirty-Six (May 15) (Atlanta, GA) ...... 30 Jesus: A Prince Among Saints ...... 30 Day Thirty-Seven (May 16) (Birmingham, AL) ...... 30 Prisoners All...... 30 3 Double Responsibility...... 30 True Correction...... 31 Opening the Mind, Opening the Heart...... 31 Prisoners Within and Without the Walls of Prison...... 31 Day Thirty-Eight (May 17) (Birmingham, AL / Houston, TX) ...... 31 Houston : Airborne Again...... 32 Day Thirty-Nine (May 18) (Dhamma Siri, Kaufman, TX / , TX)...... 32 Dhamma Siri (Wealth of Dhamma) ...... 32 Addiction...... 33 Day Forty (May 19) (Dhamma Siri, Kaufman, TX / Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park, TX)...... 33 Farewell to Dhamma Siri...... 33 Day Forty-One (May 20) ( / Capulin, NM)...... 34 Just as in the Sky Different Winds Blow...... 34

Report May 22 – June 5...... 35 Day Forty-Three (May 22) (Capulin, NM / Boulder, )...... 35 Sleeping Volcano ...... 35 Day Forty-Four (May 23) (Boulder / Denver, Colorado) ...... 35 Nature plays anicca...... 35 Sleepless in Failure, Sleepless in Success ...... 35 Mataji keeps busy ...... 36 Day Forty-Five (May 24) (Boulder, Colorado)...... 36 Real Safety Is Inside...... 36 Illness and Vipassana ...... 36 Day Forty-Six (May 25) (Boulder, Colorado) ...... 37 Gift of Dhamma Surpasses All Gifts ...... 37 Day Forty-Seven (May 26) (Boulder, Colorado / Manhattan, New York)...... 38 New York : The Modern Day Savatthi of the World ...... 38 Day Forty-Eight (May 27) (Manhattan, New York) ...... 38 Recuperating from Travel ...... 38 Day Forty-Nine (May 28) (United Nations, New York) ...... 39 Buddha : The Super-scientist of Peace ...... 39 Day Fifty (May 29) (New York/San Diego, ) ...... 40 Coast to Coast ...... 40 Day Fifty-One (May 30) (San Diego, California)...... 40 Visit to Laboratory...... 40 Day Fifty-Two (May 31) (Orange County, California)...... 40 Siddhartha’s Journey...... 40 Day Fifty-Three (June 1) (Azusa, California) ...... 41 Myanmar Monastery ...... 41

4 Day Fifty-Four (June 2) (Azusa, California)...... 42 Sangha Dana...... 42 Day Fifty-Five (June 3) (Azusa, California / Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California) ...... 43 Khanti (Tolerance) ...... 43 Day Fifty-Six (June 4) (Azusa, California / Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California) ...... 43 Dhamma Mahavana ...... 43 Day Fifty-Seven (June 5) (Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California)...... 44 Like a Mother Hen Looking After Her Chicks ...... 44 Be a Lotus...... 44

Report June 6 – June 16...... 45 Day Fifty-Eight (June 6) (Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork / Saratoga Springs Campground, Saratoga, California) ...... 45 Saratoga Springs ...... 45 Day Fifty-Nine (June 7) (Saratoga Springs Campground/Cupertino, California)...... 45 Peace amid Chaos...... 45 Weekend Spirituality ...... 45 Day Sixty (June 8) (Saratoga Springs Campground/Berkeley/ Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Oakland, California) ...... 46 Silicon Valley Professionals...... 46 Mental Pollution in Office Space...... 46 Not Just To Quench The Thirst Of Curiosity...... 47 Mind-washing ...... 47 Day Sixty-One (June 9) (Oakland / Jain Temple, Milpitas / Hayward / Petaluma, CA) ...... 48 Vira and Mahavira: A Warrior and A Great Warrior...... 48 Day Sixty-Two (June 10) (Santa Rosa, CA) ...... 49 Suffering Defined ...... 49 From Cruelty to Compassion ...... 50 Goenkaji, Start a Vipassana Centre Here! ...... 50 Day Sixty-Three (June 11) (Santa Rosa, CA / Albion, CA)...... 50 Training Under Sayagyi...... 50 Aware Outside, Aware Inside...... 51 Supernatural Powers ...... 51 Day Sixty-Four (June 12) (Albion, CA / Fort Bragg, CA /Albion, CA)...... 52 From Gross to Subtle...... 52 Day Sixty-Five (June 13) (Crescent City RV Park, Crescent City, California)...... 52 Minor Accident, Major Delay...... 52 Ancient Tree, More Ancient Tradition ...... 53 Day Sixty-Six (June 14) (Glenyan Campground, Ashland, ) ...... 53 Towards Warmer Climes...... 53 Day Sixty-Seven (June 15) (Ashland, Oregon) ...... 53

5 Within This Fathom-length Body ...... 53 Day Sixty-Eight (June 16) (Ashland /Portland, Oregon)...... 54 Long Days, Short Nights ...... 54

Report June 17 - June 30 ...... 54 Day Sixty-Nine (June 17) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA)...... 54 Grove of Dhamma...... 54 The First Dip in the Ganges of Reality Inside...... 55 Day Seventy (June 18) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA / Portland, Oregon / Dhamma Kuñja, WA) ...... 55 Noble Silence...... 55 Ashoka: A Bright Shining Star in the Galaxy of Great Kings...... 55 Everyone Has a Seed of Enlightenment ...... 56 Escape Is No Solution...... 56 Day Seventy-One (June 19) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA / Lacey, WA)...... 56 Know Thyself ...... 56 Posture While Meditating...... 57 Instant Justice...... 57 Day Seventy-Two (June 20) (Seattle) ...... 58 Recipe for Success : Recipe for Misery ...... 58 Recipe for Happiness : Recipe for More Success ...... 58 Proper Donation...... 58 Meditation and Cult...... 59 Day Seventy-Three (June 21) (Seattle, WA)...... 59 Knock Out Punch ...... 59 Dhamma in Town Halls...... 59 Outer Shell and Inner Essence ...... 60 Day Seventy-Four (June 22) (Seattle, WA) ...... 60 Dhamma Prison ...... 60 Neither Mahayana, nor Hinayana: Dhammayana...... 61 Day Seventy-Five (June 23) (Seattle, WA / Vancouver, BC, Canada) ...... 61 Gurudwara in Canada...... 61 Day Seventy-Six (June 24) (Vancouver, BC, Canada)...... 62 No Guru This...... 62 The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck...... 63 Deep Surgical Operation ...... 63 Day Seventy-Seven (June 25) (Vancouver, BC, Canada)...... 63 Broadcasting Dhamma ...... 63 Eight-fold Noble Path ...... 64 Suññat± (shunyat±) ...... 65 Day Seventy-Eight (June 26) (Vancouver, BC, / Victoria, Canada) ...... 65 D±na of Food ...... 65 Day Seventy-Nine (June 27) (Victoria, BC, Canada)...... 66 6 What Goenkaji Does on a Scheduled Rest Day ...... 66 Day Eighty (June 28) (Victoria, BC / Chilliwack, BC, Canada)...... 66 Ambitious Plan...... 66 Day Eighty-One (June 29) (Chilliwack, BC / Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt, Canada)...... 67 Fragrance of Dhamma ...... 67 Day Eighty-Two (June 30) (Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt, Canada)...... 67 Peace First : First Nations ...... 67

Report July 1 to July 11 ...... 69 Day Eighty-Three (July 1) (Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt / Golden, Canada)...... 69 In to the Nature...... 69 Day Eighty-Four (July 2) (Golden / Calgary, Canada) ...... 69 Rockies ...... 69 Day Eighty-Five (July 3) (Calgary, Canada)...... 70 Stampede...... 70 Committed Relationship: The Doors are Closed ...... 70 Meditation Vs. Vipassana ...... 71 Eyes Closed...... 71 Breath: Bridge to the Unknown...... 71 Peace within First ...... 72 Day Eighty-Six (July 4) (Calgary / Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)...... 72 The Northern Point of the North American Tour...... 72 Day Eighty-Seven (July 5) (Edmonton / High River, Alberta, Canada) ...... 73 Success Without Dhamma Means Ego and Intolerance ...... 73 Mosquito Menace...... 74 Day Eighty-Eight (July 6) (High River, Alberta, Canada / Whitefish, Montana) ...... 75 Rockies Again ...... 75 Deer Park ...... 75 Day Eighty-Nine (July 7) (Whitefish / Missoula, Montana)...... 75 Open Sky...... 75 Day Ninety (July 8) (Missoula, Montana) ...... 76 Rain and Sunshine...... 76 Day Ninety-One (July 9) (Missoula / Billings, Montana) ...... 76 Mind Matters Most ...... 76 Day Ninety-Two (July 10) (Billings, Montana / Bismarck, North Dakota) ...... 77 Staying Together ...... 77 Day Ninety-Three (July 11) (Bismarck, North Dakota / Minneapolis, Minnesota) ...... 78 Longest Distances and another Flat Tire...... 78

Report July 12 to July 28 ...... 79 Day Ninety Four (July 12) (Minneapolis, MN)...... 79 7 Twin Cities...... 79 Craving : A Bottomless Bucket...... 79 Anicca to Anatta : A natural progress ...... 79 Day Ninety Five (July 13) (Minneapolis, MN/, IL) ...... 79 Why Vipassana Centers?...... 79 Day Ninety Six (July 14) (Chicago, IL)...... 80 Sthitaprajña : From a Distant Dream to a Real Possibility ...... 80 Field Museum...... 81 Day Ninety Seven (July 15) (Chicago, IL) ...... 82 Separation...... 82 Day Ninety Eight (July 16) (Chicago, IL)...... 82 Essence of Buddha Dhamma ...... 82 Contradiction in Terms...... 83 Day Ninety Nine (July 17) (Chicago, IL / Madison, Wisconsin / Chicago, IL)...... 83 Vipassana Center ...... 83 Vipassana for Leaders...... 84 Universal Remedy for Universal Misery...... 84 Defiling Impulses...... 85 Day Hundred (July 18) (Chicago, IL / Brighton, Michigan)...... 85 Healthy Habit...... 85 Day Hundred and One (July 19) (Brighton, Michigan / Toronto, Canada) ...... 85 Second Time into Canada ...... 85 Day Hundred and Two (July 20) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) ...... 86 Auspicious Day...... 86 Buddha’s Teaching in India: Centuries of Darkness and Misinformation ...... 86 Day Hundred and Three (July 21) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) ...... 88 Diversity of Toronto...... 88 You Make Your Future! ...... 88 Day Hundred and Four (July 22) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)...... 89 Diversity of Toronto...... 89 Ageing ...... 89 Death and Dying...... 90 Real Strength ...... 90 Success...... 90 Yours to Discover : Ontario and Vipassana...... 90 Day Hundred and Five (July 23) (Toronto/Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) ...... 91 Secluded Campgrounds ...... 91 Day Hundred and Six (July 24) (Ottawa, Canada)...... 91 The Wheel of Dhamma Rotates - Meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada...... 91 Day Hundred and Seven (July 25) (Ottawa / Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada) ...... 92 Into the Francophone region ...... 92 8 Day Hundred and Eight (July 26) (Dhamma Suttama/ Montreal/ Dhamma Suttama—Quebec Province, Canada) ...... 93 First Course in North America ...... 93 Wandering Teacher : Focussed Attention ...... 93 Distributing Peace ...... 93 Women in Dhamma...... 93 First Be a Good Human Being ...... 94 Biggest Advertisement: Word of Mouth ...... 94 Day Hundred and Nine (July 27) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada)...... 94 In the Service of Dhamma ...... 94 Dhamma Service is Essential for Progress on the Path of Dhamma...... 95 Day Hundred and Ten (July 28) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada) ...... 95 To Ask Questions About Dhamma...... 95

Report July 29 to August 15 ...... 96 Day Hundred and Eleven (July 29) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada/Boston, Mass., USA)...... 96 Back to USA...... 96 Day Hundred and Twelve (July 30) (Boston, Mass., USA)...... 96 Caravan Crew...... 96 John Hancock Center...... 96 Charity ...... 96 Spiritual Attainments...... 97 Day Hundred and Thirteen (July 31) (Boston, Mass., USA) ...... 97 Kresge Auditorium, MIT...... 97 Day Hundred and Fourteen (August 1) (Dhamma Dhara, Shelburne Falls, Mass. USA) ...... 98 VMC: Twenty Years of Service...... 98 Dispersed Crew ...... 98 Day Hundred and Fifteen (August 2) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA) ...... 98 Meeting Meditators ...... 98 Day Hundred and Sixteen (August 3) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA)...... 99 One Day Course...... 99 Packing...... 99 Day Hundred and Seventeen (August 4) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA) ...... 99 Remembering Goenkaji...... 99 Day Hundred and Eighteen (August 5) (Manhattan / Queens / Manhattan, New York, USA)...... 100 Monkey Mind ...... 100 Day Hundred and Nineteen (August 6) (Manhattan, New York, USA)...... 100 Exhibition Gallery in the Global Pagoda...... 100 Day Hundred and Twenty (August 7) (New York, USA / London, UK / Brussels, Belgium)...... 100 India’s Role in the Spread of Dhamma ...... 100 Day Hundred and Twenty One (August 8) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)...... 101

9 Arrival in Europe ...... 101 Day Hundred and Twenty Two (August 9) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium) ...... 102 Violence vs. Firm Discipline ...... 102 Not my Centres...... 102 Infirm Body, Firm Mind ...... 102 How Will Vipassana Last? ...... 102 Day Hundred and Twenty Three (August 10) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)...... 103 Biggest Course Outside of South Asia...... 103 Day Hundred and Twenty Four (August 11) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium) ...... 103 European Union—Unity Among Meditators ...... 103 Day Hundred and Twenty Five (August 12) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium / Vught, Netherlands / Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)...... 104 Spirituality in Business but no Business of Spirituality...... 104 Day Hundred and Twenty Six (August 13) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium / , Germany / Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)...... 104 Congress Hall, Cologne...... 104 Day Hundred and Twenty Seven (August 14) (Dhamma Pajjota, Dilsen, Belgium) ...... 105 Another Ten Day Course Begins ...... 105 Day Hundred and Twenty Eight (August 15) (Dhamma Pajjota, Dilsen, Belgium)...... 105 Meeting at European Union ...... 105 Chocolate Icing on the Dhamma Tour Cake...... 106

10 Article I. 0Report April 10 – May 2

Day One (April 10)

Section 1.01 8Island of Dhamma “Jarapi dukkha, jarapi dukkha. Old age is misery, old age is misery”, Goenkaji said as he came out of his car at Dhamma Dipa, the Vipassana Centre in Hereford, which was the first stop of his gruelling four month tour of the West. He didn’t look miserable though. He was smiling. And before others could ask him about his journey he asked those waiting to welcome him to the centre, “Are you all happy?” He answered himself, “You must be. You are staying on the Island of Dhamma— Dhamma Dipa.” Goenkaji and Mataji were travelling for more than sixteen hours before they arrived at Dhamma Dipa.

Day Two (April 11)

Section 1.02 9Monuments of Dhamma It was a cold but sunny day in the U.K.. Many meditators and their families met with Goenkaji in the afternoon. The early spring at Dhamma Dipa had produced full blooms on both of the twin cherry trees in front of the female dormitory. In his concluding address to the annual meeting of the assistant teachers of Europe Goenkaji said, “All of you are representatives of Dhamma. People will look at your life to judge Vipassana. “Two qualities are rare in human beings: pubbak±r² (those who serve others selflessly) and kataññ³, katavedi (grateful). “Pubbak±r²—helping others without expecting anything in return; without expecting money or name or fame. You are here to serve others. “Sometimes, you may not expect money or name or fame but you expect respect. Or you develop arrogance. This is very harmful for you. “A branch of a tree that bears fruit comes down due to the weight of the fruit. Similarly a person who develops pañña (wisdom) becomes more humble. “You got this technique because the Buddha discovered it after developing so many paramis over such a long time. Then you got it in its purity due the fact that the Sangha preserved it in its purity through the millennia in Myanmar and because Sayagyi U Ba Khin, my teacher, had such a strong volition that Vipassana should go to India and then spread round the world. “When I expressed my doubt to my teacher after he asked me to teach Dhamma in India, ‘Sir, how can an ordinary householder like me, an ordinary businessman like me teach Dhamma? And that to in a country where hardly anybody knows me?’ Sayagyi U Ba Khin laughed aloud and said, ‘Don’t worry. You are not 11 going, I am going.’ Since my first course every time I teach Anapana, I start by saying, ‘O teacher, I am teaching Dhamma on your behalf’. Again when I teach Vipassana, I say ‘I am giving Dhamma as your representative’. You all are also representatives of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. “I started the Global Pagoda project in Mumbai in India not only to have a huge meditation hall along with an educational display but also as a memorial to the Buddha, as a symbol of gratitude to Myanmar, as a symbol of gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The pagoda will also play an educational role and help in informing people of the truth about the Buddha for centuries. “The Buddha said—Sukh± sanghassa s±maggi, samagg±na½ tapo sukho. Happiness it is when meditators gather together and happiness it is when they meditate together. You are all meditating together here—such great happiness. The Global Pagoda will provide this opportunity to thousands of meditators. “More importantly, you should all understand that each one of you is a monument of Dhamma. Each one of you is a memorial to Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Every single meditator is a memorial. Each meditator should become a lighthouse of Dhamma. This will happen only when you apply Dhamma in life.”

Day Three (April 12)

Section 1.03 10Child and the Charcoal Goenkaji was interviewed in the morning by local BBC Radio station and then the World Service of BBC Radio. Following these interviews he spent the rest of the day meeting individual meditators, trusts and assistant teachers. In the evening he gave a public talk at the Shire Hall in St Peter’s Square in the nearby town of Hereford. The hall was filled to its capacity and meditators were asked to go to an adjacent room in order to make space for non-meditators (those who had not yet taken a Vipassana course). In his talk, Goenkaji explained the simple, universal nature of the technique of Vipassana and how it benefits one and all as it makes one aware of what is happening deep inside about which one has so little knowledge. He gave the example of a child and burning charcoals. The child out of ignorance feels that the burning coals are red toys. Its mother protects the child by preventing it from approaching them. However, when the mother is not around, the child tries to play with the charcoals. The moment he touches them, he withdraws his hands because they burn him. An ignorant child soon learns that these are burning charcoals that harm me if I touch them but we grown-up people think of ourselves as very knowledgeable but we still make the same mistake. Out of ignorance we keep on generating defilements such as anger, hatred, fear, jealousy, lust and we keep on burning inside. With the practice of Vipassana we learn to be aware of what happens inside and by repeated observation and awareness and by repeated practise we learn to come out of the defilements that burn us. Local newspaper reporters interviewed Goenkaji after the talk. They were curious to know about this new mental training technique that was taught at a centre in their area. One reporter asked Goenkaji, “For those who believe in God Almighty, it is the God Almighty who is going to give them good qualities; to make them compassionate etc. You, on the other hand, ask the individual to take the responsibility to purify his/her own mind. Why not just pray to God Almighty to do it?” Goenkaji smiled and answered, “God helps those who help themselves! Learn to help yourself in the right way by not corrupting your mind and you will find that you are getting help from every direction.”

12 Day Four (April 13)

Section 1.04 11Mataji’s Role Meditators from all over Europe came to Dhamma Dipa to join the one-day retreat. Goenkaji gave Vipassana to more than 400 meditators. This was followed by private interviews with meditators and a couple of journalists. One of the journalists asked Goenkaji why Mataji also willingly accompanies him and helps him on all his arduous journeys. Goenkaji told the journalist that it is because she has benefited and wants to share the benefits with others. She helps in creating a helpful atmosphere by practising metta while Goenkaji answers questions from the audience or while he gives a Dhamma talk. So many spiritual gurus have misused their position in the past to exploit their female disciples. Her presence alongside Goenkaji has always inspired confidence in women. When some women in India don’t feel comfortable talking to Goenkaji about their personal problems due to modesty, they go to her. She helps in many ways. She looks after Goenkaji’s needs and assists him. Her working together with Goenkaji also helps dispel a big misconception in the mind of many (especially in India) that the Buddha’s teaching is not suitable for householders.

Day Five (April 14)

Section 1.05 12The Householders and the Monks The tradition for which Goenkaji carries the torch today is primarily a householders’ tradition. So many of the Vipassana meditators wanted their families to meet Goenkaji and many who have young children also wanted their children to meet Goenkaji. On this morning Goenkaji met the families of Vipassana meditators. But the big event of the day was a Sangha Dana. The Sangha is the repository of Dhamma. It kept the Dhamma as a living tradition through the last two millennia. The purity of the teaching, purity maintained by some bhikkhus in a chain of teacher and disciple, has ensured that the teaching has kept its universal application and universal appeal even today. Those who benefit from Vipassana feel gratitude to the Sangha for that. They also feel respect for the Sangha that has renounced everything to dedicate their lives to practicing the Buddha’s teaching. Venerable monks were invited to Dhamma Dipa where they were first served food and then given other requisites. Hundreds of lay people were present to take the opportunity to earn merits by serving the monks. Goenkaji then spoke to the gathering. In his talk he said he was attracted to the teaching because of his saintly teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin, because it gives result here and now, because of the non-sectarian nature of the Dhamma, and because he found nothing objectionable in the teaching of the Buddha.

13 Day Six (April 15)

Section 1.06 13Price for the Priceless Dhamma When Vipassana started taking roots in U.K., Birmingham had a small but dedicated group of students. Goenkaji had accepted an invitation to talk at the University of Birmingham during this tour. He travelled to the University to give a talk at the Avon Room there. He exhorted the audience as he always does in his discourses to give a trial to this benevolent technique. He said that there is no price for the teaching or for the lodging and board at the Vipassana courses but that, nevertheless, “You have to pay the price. Ten valuable days of your invaluable life!” It was almost nine when Goenkaji left Birmingham. He arrived in London after twelve in the midnight. Mrs and Mr Harshadbhai Patel, at whose house he was going to reside during his stay in London, were waiting with their sons to receive Goenkaji and Mataji. It had been one more long day on the tour.

Day Seven (April 16)

Section 1.07 14Spreading the Word Today, Goenkaji appeared on the Jimmy Young Show on the BBC. The host was interested in knowing about effect of Vipassana on prisoners and on professionals. Goenkaji gave a short talk in the studio but many comments and emails continued to come in as the show continued. In the evening he gave a public talk at the Kadwa Patidar Centre in Harrow, London. He had spoken at the venue last time he visited U.K. The audience was multiracial and multiethnic. There were many people of Indian origin. Goenkaji spoke for thirty minutes each in English and Hindi. In these talks Goenkaji remarked that religion without spirituality is like an empty container; like a light- house that has no light. He pointed out that so many conflicts are due to attachment to the outer shell of religion while ignoring valuable inner core. Dhamma is a way of how not to harm oneself and how not to harm others. It is a way out of misery. He gave the example of Duryodhan from the story of Mahabharata. Duryodhan used to say, “I know quite well what is right but what to do, I don’t have propensity for it and I know quite well what is wrong but what to do, I have propensity for it.” We all are like Duryodhan. We know at the intellectual level what is right but still we keep on repeating the same mistakes because our mind is not under our control, because it is not pure. A saint is a saint—whether Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Christian or Jewish. A Muslim saint of Punjab said, “Unless you know yourself, you cannot know the God Almighty.” All saints have been teaching people to live a peaceful and happy life. The Buddha gave a practical path to achieve this. Modern science is researching the truth outside. However, the Buddha said that within this fathom-long body you find the truth—the cause of our misery and the way out of misery.

14 Day Eight (April 17)

Section 1.08 15Be Careful with Dana Money Goenkaji gave Vipassana on a one-day course at the Kadwa Patidar Hall. He spoke to trustees, teachers and senior Dhamma workers in the evening. In his talk, he emphasized that we must be careful with the expenses at our centres. Even if one centre gets big donations we should still be careful with the expenses as extravagant expenses or buildings in one centre are likely to be copied by other centres. The teachers and trustees should try to get the essential facilities first. Every trust should try if possible not to get in debt. One should be even more careful with dana money than with one’s own money.

Day Nine (April 18)

Section 1.09 16Across the Atlantic Goenkaji and Mataji flew to New York. They were received by a few meditators at the airport in New York. The members of the party were accommodated in different buildings and it took some time for everyone to settle down for the evening.

Day Ten (April 19)

Section 1.10 17Meeting Organizers Goenkaji dealt with pending correspondence that had accumulated over the previous fortnight. There were many messages from all over the world to which he responded. In the evening, he gave interviews to organizers of the Spirit in Business conference and some other meditators. Bennet Miller a Vipassana meditator and an award winning film-maker who has undertaken to capture the tour on film met briefly with Goenkaji. Eilona Ariel of Karuna Films was also present for the meeting.

Day Eleven (April 20)

Section 1.11 18May All Beings Be Without Fear A one-day course was organized at Borough of Manhattan College. Hundreds of meditators gathered there on this rainy day for a one-day meditation session. Goenkaji gave Vipassana and then went to visit ground zero in lower Manhattan, which was within a few minutes drive of the venue for the one-day course. Goenkaji practised metta-bhavana and chanted (in Hindi), “Is Mahanagar ke saare prani sukhi surakshit hoy re.” (lit. May all beings of this great city be happy and secure.)

15 Day Twelve (April 21)

Section 1.12 19Spirituality in Business: Modern Change Agents and Their Responsibility In the morning Goenkaji gave the Keynote speech at Spirit in Business conference in the Sheraton New York in Manhattan. He first explained what is spirituality and then went on to explain why spirituality is so important for the businesspeople. “At one time kings had most of the power and were the biggest influence on society. Now the politicians, administrators and businesspeople have that position. Good and bad qualities percolate from the top. Therefore it is very important that the businesspeople live a moral and righteous life; for their own good and for the good of others. “For a religion, spirituality is a must but for spirituality, organized religion is not a must. Spirituality doesn’t require the sectarian crutches. But for any religion a base of spirituality is mandatory. Without it an organized religion is lifeless. It is like an empty vessel studded with precious stones, which may look beautiful from outside but from which the nectar of spirituality has drained out. It is like a huge magnificent lighthouse from which the light is missing and which is engulfed in darkness itself. How can it show the right path to people? “Buddha taught how to develop the four sublime qualities of karuna, mudita, upekkha and metta When one sees a miserable person, instead of thinking that it’s his own doing or his own karma, one generates compassion—karuna. When one sees a successful person, instead of developing jealousy one develops sympathetic joy—mudita. When one faces an adverse situation, instead of losing the balance of the mind one remains calm and equanimous—upekkha. And one feels selfless love for every being everywhere— metta These are the qualities of a spiritual person. “Every businessman should try to develop these qualities for his own good as well as for the good of others.” Goenkaji narrated his own story of how he came in contact with Dhamma and expressed joy that so many from the next generation of business people are showing keen interest in spirituality. Josh Baran, a renowned publicist, interviwed Goenkaji briefly. He brought up the question of celibacy among the Christian priests and the current media attention alleged misbehaviour of priests within the church. Goenkaji said that Vipassana is a tool that has helped many to live a celibate life naturally since Vipassana helps one to face lust without suppressing it or without giving it a free licence; by taking out lust at the root level. Goenkaji said that every Catholic priest should aspire to imbibe the qualities of Jesus in his life— Vipassana is a tool that makes it easy to do so. He gave press interviews in his room later. A Dutch Television Station also interviewed him. The questions were about the technique of Vipassana.

16 Day Thirteen (April 22)

Section 1.13 20A Businessman’s Story When Goenkaji and Mataji arrived in New York, it was very warm and humid, almost oppressively so. However, the temperature soon started dropping drastically and it became very cold. Goenkaji’s residence was close to the Central Park and he took his morning walk in the Park in spite of the cold weather. Later in the day he went to the Sheraton and gave interviews to various media personnel. In the afternoon he gave a talk on Vipassana and Anapana to the conference participants. The room where gave the talk was full with people. After talking about the Vipassana courses, Goenkaji told his own story—how Dhamma brought so much harmony in his life, how his relations with his workers improved and how he started sharing his profits with them. Vipassana helped him to face the vicissitudes of life. When the businesses were nationalized in Myanmar instead of feeling depressed and dejected, he felt joy that now he could give more time to Dhamma. He came home on the day when the businesses were suddenly nationalized, and started working on an article on Dhamma that he was writing. He felt carefree. He saw for himself how the biggest loss could not shake him. Dhamma gave him strength to remain unshaken in the face of ups and downs of life. Following his talk, some of his students from the 70’s who have started teaching on their own also came to pay respect to him. He was happy to see them again and happy at their worldly success.

Day Fourteen (April 23)

Section 1.14 21Spirituality for All On the last day of the conference, again Goenkaji talked about spirituality in Business. He said, “In my part of the world in the past if a natural calamity such as famine etc. befell a state, people would often blame it on the king saying that since the king was immoral the subjects have to face the consequences. The king would then undertake to live an upright and righteous life. “It is said, ‘As the king is so the subjects will be’. Therefore the leaders of the society have a greater responsibility. They also have greater opportunity to influence the people. “When I started taking first serious steps on the path of Dharma, I learned from experience that spirituality is not a domain of any particular class of society. A priest and a labourer; an academician or an illiterate person; a billionaire or a poor person all could be equally spiritual. “No other people have to interact with society as much as businesspeople and political leaders. Businessmen have to deal with staff, factory labour, customers, government agencies etc. As they become more spiritual their behaviour becomes gentler and they start winning over people. Business requires sharp minds able to take quick decisions. When the mind is calm and unperturbed, it takes better decisions. “Spirituality and good business go hand in hand. Both contribute not only to the well-being of owners, shareholders, staff and customers but, equally important, also to the real happiness of the businessman himself. “A businessman is always in a relentless race to earn more and more money. At some point he also starts feeling that now along with money he must also start earning name and fame. And with this desire he or she starts giving money in charity. Such charity cannot give you joy. How to give donations is a sublime art. True charity is done without expecting anything in return. One gives away money or serves others to deflate one’s ego; not to inflate one’s ego. The whole attitude should be how to serve more and more people. That is all.” 17 Day Fifteen (April 24)

Section 1.15 22A Long Journey Unforeseen delays including those due to traffic jams made the trip from New York to the site of ten-day Executive meditation course at the Eastover Resort in Lenox, Massachusetts a long one. The motor home in which he would travel throughout North America couldn’t arrive in time at the meeting point at the Welcome Centre of state. All had to get out in the open from their cars and eat lunch there. Eventually the motor home broke free from the traffic jam and reached the Welcome Centre around 3 pm. Goenkaji had left New York in the morning but did not reach the Eastover Resort until late evening. It was a tiring journey that involved a lot of packing and unpacking; unanticipated stops on the road and by the end of the day everyone was feeling quite tired. However, Goenkaji had to get ready quickly to give Anapana on the course in which many business leaders and administrators had joined. After Anapana was over, the students left the hall and there was a brief metta session for all the volunteers serving the course.

Day Sixteen (April 25)

Section 1.16 23Noon Interviews It was a sunny day but it was still cold. Goenkaji took his morning walk as usual. Throughout the tour, usually one or more of the senior meditators, assistant teachers or teachers accompany Goenkaji and Mataji on some of the morning and evening walks. This gives Goenkaji an opportunity to inspect the facilities at the centres and to discuss Dhamma activities in the respective areas with the senior people there. Day one of the course is hectic as students are still settling in. John and Gail Beary were assisting Goenkaji in the capacity of teachers on the course. Many assistant teachers and Dhamma workers had worked hard to put together this temporary course site. Goenkaji decided to continue his usual custom of giving private interviews to students at noon. Year after year throughout whether he is staying at centres or at temporary campsites, he is available at this time to meditators who come and meet him in groups or privately to clarify their practice or to seek his guidance on organizational matters.

Day Seventeen (April 26)

Section 1.17 24Boston, Boston Goenkaji and Mataji travelled for three hours to reach Boston where a public talk was scheduled. They travelled in the motor home but had to be seated all the time while travelling because the vehicle swayed too much. It stopped only once to allow Goenkaji to stretch a bit.

18 The vehicle was parked in a garden parking lot and it was two in the afternoon before Goenkaji could eat his lunch. Local meditators brought food for Goenkaji and Mataji and all those travelling with them. The discourse at the auditorium of Brookline High School was attended by quite a few parents of young meditators who wanted their parents to listen to Goenakaji in person. It was good for the parents and other relatives to listen to this simple practical wisdom. Some of the parents who had not taken a course came backstage after the talk to meet Goenkaji. After the talk one of the questions was, “I am a Vipassana meditator. How should I attract parents to Vipassana?” Goenkaji answered, “By your own example. Be a good son, be a good daughter. Be a good human being. When your parents see that you are leading a peaceful and happy life they will certainly be attracted to Dhamma. The peace and harmony in you will attract them to Dhamma. You must make sure that you serve your parents. It is your first Dhamma, your first duty.” Later, Goenkaji ate dinner in the vehicle before starting the return journey. It was 12.30 in the night when he arrived back at course site in the Eastover Resort.

Day Eighteen (April 27)

Section 1.18 25Herd of Bison (Wild Buffalos) In view of the long travel (about three hours each way) and his inability to stay over at Boston the previous day, Goenkaji could not be present at the one-day course in Boston. What was a loss for Boston meditators was a gain for meditators in Eastover course. He gave private interviews to many students on the course during the afternoon. Old students in the area around the course site also continue to meet him. Some of them travelled hours just to meet him for a few minutes. The evening saw a herd of bison coming out near the course site to graze. These quiet, huge animals looked so ancient due to dark hair on their body. Goenkaji was out on his evening walk after a private interview at the time. Someone informed him that these animals were very common all over the country at one time and were killed in such large numbers that their sighting is not common these days. If Goenkaji had never seen this animal before, he got an addition to the list of ‘all beings’ that he wishes well in his metta practice!

Day Nineteen (April 28)

Section 1.19 26Vipassana Day Whenever Goenkaji is at a centre or on a course site, he teaches Vipassana himself on the morning of the fourth day of the course. He kept that practice in Eastover too. Throughout the tour, those meditators who have taken many courses but have not earlier participated in a course in which Goenkaji is present have an opportunity to learn Anapana or Vipassana from Goenkaji himself either in a one-day course or a ten-day course. On a ten-day course a student works on Anapana meditation for more than three days to calm down the mind enough to be able to practise Vipassana meditation. Hence there is some anticipatory excitement on Day 4. When a new student learns Vipassana a window to the truth inside opens for him. As Goenkaji says, “One takes a dip in the Ganges of Dhamma for the first time in life.” What a fortune when a meditator does it in the presence of the principal teachers, Goenkaji and Mataji.

19 Day Twenty (April 29)

Section 1.20 27Yoga and Vipassana Goenkaji’s health was a major concern during form the planning stage of the current tour. Today his assistants felt that they may have to cancel an interview, as the schedule was getting busier and busier with new engagements being added on the way. However, Goenkaji insisted on keeping the appointments to which he had committed earlier. Rich Balow a reporter for the Boston Globe came to interview Goenkaji. Noon interviews with students in the course were followed by a brief meeting with the Dhamma workers. In the evening Goenkaji gave a talk at the Kripalu Yoga Centre which is the largest yoga centre in the U.S. In his talk, he said that the ancient country of India had given two invaluable gifts to the world—yoga and Vipassana. Yoga has been used around the world by people from all religious and socio-cultural backgrounds for physical health. Vipassana is also being increasingly accepted around the world by people from diverse backgrounds. Both the techniques don’t involve any conversion from one organized religion to another organized religion. He also answered many questions from the audience. When someone asked him about the necessity of doing a full ten-day course, Goenkaji laughed and said that this is the age of instant products and instant spirituality but it needs continuity of practice to work at the deepest levels of mind. One gets results immediately and at all times but one has to work sincerely for it. Another person asked about the importance of meditating together. Goenkaji replied that it was important to meditate alone and it was also important to meditate in a group. Both have their advantages. When one takes a serious long retreat, solitary meditation is essential and it is great happiness to meditate once in a while with big groups. Every word of the Buddha is based on truth that can be experienced. When the construction of Global Pagoda at Essel Plateau at Gorai in Mumbai is completed, it will seat about eight thousand meditators and we will have further experience of the words of the Buddha when he said that it is great happiness when meditators get together and great is the happiness when they meditate together—Sukh± sanghassa s±maggi, samagg±na½ tapo sukho.

Day Twenty-One (April 30)

Section 1.21 28The Course for Businesspeople and Administrators No sooner had Goenkaji returned from the meditation hall after giving private interviews to meditators than the phone rang. It was the reporter from Wellness magazine from . Goenkaji is scheduled to

20 give a talk at the Wellness centre later in the tour. The magazine wanted to carry an interview with Goenkaji in their magazine before that. The reporter talked to Goenkaji on phone for almost half an hour. In the late afternoon, a staff photographer from the Boston Globe came over to take Goenkaji and Mataji’s photographs as well as photographs of the hall that was used as a meditation hall for the course. The course attracted a fair amount of curiosity in the press because so many influential businessmen, high level professionals and administrators had come to the ten-day residential course. More than hundred had joined the course and were working very seriously. The day before a reporter had asked Goenkaji whether he changes the format and content of the courses to suit diverse populations such as prison inmates, businesspeople etc. that he offers courses for. Goenkaji said that the format and the content was the same for all. “The Buddha’s teaching is universal. It is equally applicable to all. Human beings are human beings. They become miserable because of the unwholesome habit pattern of the mind and when they start observing the truth inside they start coming out of that unwholesome habit pattern.”

Day Twenty-Two (May 1)

Section 1.22 29Professionals Serving Vipassana Dr. Paul Fleischman, a renowned psychiatrist and a Vipassana teacher, has been entrusted by Goenkaji to make guidelines as to how Vipassana organization can serve those who have mental problems. He and his wife Susan (also a Vipassana teacher) came to meet Goenkaji and sought his guidance on various issues involved. He later had a meeting with Thomas Crisman, an attorney specializing in Intellectual Property Rights and a Vipassana teacher, about organizational matters.

Day Twenty-Three (May 2)

Section 1.23 30The Mundane and the Supramundane Goenkaji had been on the road for more than three weeks now. He has to take time for mundane things like getting a hair-cut. However, busy the schedule may be, these mundane matters have to be taken care of. One of the difficulties of those who organize Goenkaji’s tours is that these things take time but don’t show on the tour programme! Goenkaji had just finished an interview on telephone with “the Straight” before he left go get a hair cut and he came back just in time for the noon interviews for which many meditators were waiting in the meditation hall. In the evening the owner of the resort where the course was organized came to meet Goenkaji along with her daughter and one of the managers. At 9 pm Goenkaji went to the meditation hall again to answer questions from meditators. The noon interviews are private—others students don’t have opportunity to listen to Goenkaji’s answers to various questions but when Goenkaji answers questions at the end of the day, other meditators are allowed to stay in the hall. All meditators stayed on in the hall to listen to Goenkaji’s answers to various questions. Questions varied. Some sought guidance about how to apply Vipassana in life and some asked questions about the technique. One meditator, who had done a ten-day course earlier and had come again, said, “I have benefited a lot from Vipassana. In the past I was used to sleeping late in the morning. But now I get up early every morning to mediate. Am I getting addicted to Vipassana?” Goenkaji laughed and said, “One calls 21 something addiction when it is harmful. Your regular practice is helpful for you therefore it is not an addiction. Don’t worry. Keep on meditating every day and keep on living a happy life. When you find that your practice is becoming weak join a retreat. You may even join as a part-time student.” Another meditator asked about religious fanaticism and terrorism and whether it was because of the certain religious teaching. Goenkaji answered that when some so-called followers of a religion go astray and indulge in inhuman acts, they bring a bad name to their religion.

22 Article II. 1Report May 03 – May 20

Day Twenty-Four (May 3) (Lenox, Mass.)

Section 2.01 31Businessman’s Morality This was the ninth day of the course. Meditators were meditating seriously. John and Gail Beary were assisting Goenkaji in running the course. Throughout the day the meditators could meet the Bearys. At noon they could come and seek private interviews with Goenkaji. Sometimes, a student facing difficulties was brought to Goenkaji to seek his guidance. At 9pm again Goenkaji gave an open question and answer session in the meditation hall. The day before he had instructed in reply to a question that they should always try to be with sensations even while performing activities of daily living. A meditator asked whether they should try to be aware of sensations while working in the outside world. Goenkaji said, “No. At this stage you meditate morning and evening. You may also maintain awareness of sensations during leisure time but while you are working or doing any activity that requires concentration of mind, give full attention to the task at hand. Otherwise you will be distracted from your work. During the day, when you realize that some defilement is empowering you then for just a few seconds you observe sensations with open eyes understanding that both the sensations and the defilement are impermanent. Soon your mind will become calm and you can continue the task at hand.” A businessman said that in business one has to speak half-truths and sometimes even a lie. Goenkaji replied, “It is our greed that makes us believe that one cannot be totally honest in business. If one practises Vipassana, one realizes within that honesty is really the best policy. And as one becomes an honest businessman, the word spreads around and one gets more business. It also helps to improve the overall atmosphere in the business world. “Once a lawyer joined a course under Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The lawyer liked Vipassana but thought that he had to lie to defend his clients. Sayagyi told him not to lie and instead to defend only such cases where he was convinced that the defendant was innocent. (It is true that the decision of guilt is not made by lawyer but he can certainly refuse to tell lies knowingly in the court just to defend his client.) The lawyer accepted Sayagyi’s advice. Initially he had some difficulties and his business suffered for a brief period. But he was a happier person. Soon, however, the word spread about his honesty and he started getting more cases than he could handle. He even earned the respect of the judges.

Day Twenty-Five (May 4) (Lenox, Mass.)

Section 2.02 32Selfless Love Goenkaji taught mett± meditation to the students on the course. The practice of mett± meditation is the logical conclusion of Vipassana meditation. Mett± is selfless love or compassionate goodwill. It is the development of good-will toward others. When the old habit of egoism is gone even to some extent good will naturally flows from the depths of the mind. True love 23 doesn’t expect anything in return. “It is always one way traffic. You just give without expecting anything in return”, Goenkaji says. This good will springing from a pure mind creates a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere for the benefit of all. After the metta, Goenkaji returned to the meditation hall at noon to meet with meditators alone and in groups. In the evening he met with individual meditators at his residence. After the taped video discourse at night Goenkaji again found time to give a brief talk to the participants of the course. He emphasized that unless a real change starts coming in one’s life, Vipassana cannot be said to have helped one. He also reminded the participants that because they occupy an important position in society, they have a responsibility to be a positive influence on society.

Day Twenty-Six (May 5) (Lenox/VMC, Mass/Flanders, New Jersey)

Section 2.03 33Pleasant Surprise Goenkaji left Eastover Resort in the morning. Just before he left, he was able to meet with a few students from the course. Students in the course at Dhamma Dhar± were in for a pleasant surprise. Though originally Goenkaji was scheduled to go directly to New York/New Jersey, he decided to go to VMC where an English/Hindi ten- day course was in progress. It was the ninth day of the course. Goenkaji answered questions from students for about an hour in the Dhamma Hall. He then had lunch, followed by a meeting with two meditators who wanted to know more about the significance of the Global Pagoda project. Goenkaji mentioned that it is easy for people to come together for sensual entertainment but difficult to come together for spirituality, for true purification of mind. Even when they gather in the name of spirituality they usually gather due to religious fervour and all religions are not included. The Global Pagoda will offer an opportunity for people from different religious backgrounds to come together and work towards peace and harmony. Goenkaji reached Flanders Motor Home Park in New Jersey after 10 pm.

Day Twenty-Seven (May 6) (Flanders, NJ / Rutgers University, NJ)

Section 2.04 34You are the Future Goenkaji travelled an hour from the Motor Home Park to give a speech at the Livingston Student Centre of Rutgers University. The audience included students and academics. During the question and answer session, Goenkaji emphasized how important it is for young people to embrace rational, logical, scientific spirituality that is devoid of blind faith and fanaticism. He met some people from the audience after his talk. He reached Flanders after 10 pm.

Day Twenty-Eight (May 7) (Flanders, NJ / Manhattan / Queens, NY)

Section 2.05 35India and China India and China are two great ancient countries where the Buddha’s benevolent teaching played a major role in their glorious history. Goenkaji feels sorry that both lost the essence of the teaching of the Buddha. It is his dream that the original teaching of the Buddha spreads in both these countries as well as the United States, the most powerful country today. The Indian and Chinese expatriate population in the U.S. has an important role to play in the spread of Vipassana in their countries of origin. Although the

24 idea of meditation may be foreign to the general population of the U.S., many will be attracted to the practical teaching of the Buddha which is universal, non-sectarian, pragmatic and gives results here-and- now. On May 7 Goenkaji devoted his morning to Indian expatriates and most of his evening was spent with the meditators of Chinese origin. Goenkaji was invited to the ITV studio, a TV station dedicated to people of Indian origin in Manhattan for an interview. Ashok Vyas was the host. Goenkaji explained how this invaluable treasure of India was lost to the country and how it is now spreading again around the world giving wonderful results. After the interview Goenkaji travelled to Queens, NY near the New York Vihara where his Motor Home was parked. In the evening Goenkaji went to the Dhamma House in Queens where regular group sittings and one-day courses are held. A number of Chinese Vipassana students live nearby. Goenkaji arrived at the end of the group sitting and took questions from meditators. One meditator wanted to know why there were restrictions on Reiki practitioners taking more than one Vipassana course. Goenkaji explained, “Reiki or similar healing practices do help people and I have nothing against them. But when such practices are mixed with Vipassana there is danger of harming oneself and harming others. All such practices attempt to alter reality by means of calling on some external force or auto-suggestion (e.g., self hypnosis, etc.). This prevents the practitioner from observing the truth as it is. Therefore they are fundamentally at odds with the objective observation of reality that is Vipassana. “The purpose of Dhamma is to make one strong and independent. When one depends on an external force, he/she gets weakened. It makes one addicted to a pleasant sensation of which he has no awareness, much less equanimity. One makes subtle but strong saªkh±ras (karma) of craving and of moha (ignorance). “Reiki practitioners can take only one Vipassana course and then have to choose one practice—either Vipassana or Reiki. This restriction is not based on speculative reasoning alone but on actual experience. I had to take this strong step reluctantly because of experience of many cases around the world where mixing Reiki and Vipassana harmed Reiki practitioners to the extent that some of them became mentally imbalanced. Many, many Reiki practitioners started distorting the practice of Vipassana, harming their patients or students, harming themselves and confusing the new students of Vipassana. “We have a responsibility towards the well-being of Vipassana students who come to courses. Even if only a few are in danger, we have to be careful. Anyway, they have learned Vipassana and we have warned them. Now if they continue to practice both, they are free to do so on their own. But we certainly don’t want to encourage the risk.” Goenkaji usually does not go to restaurants but when he is travelling sometimes circumstances force him to do so. He took dinner in a nearby Chinese restaurant. Most of the meditators accompanying him were of Chinese origin but Dhamma is truly universal—there were many others who joyfully joined the small group comprising every race and many nationalities.

25 Day Twenty-Nine (May 8) (Queens / Manhattan, NY / Flanders, NJ)

Section 2.06 36Blind Faith, Faith and Interfaith Vipassana doesn’t advocate blind faith but real faith that comes from one’s own experience of truth within. This is a big strength on the path of Dhamma. True faith is always accompanied by discretionary wisdom and keeps one in on the right path. Faith is often also used as synonym for religion or philosophy. The Sangha of bhikkhus is seen by some as a sectarian entity. A practitioner of Vipassana knows that he or she has received this invaluable jewel because it was preserved by a chain of bhikkhu-teachers through the millennia in its pristine purity without giving it a sectarian color. We are so grateful to the Sangha. Such a Sangha inspires confidence. In Buddha’s teaching saddh± means faith or confidence—confidence that one develops in the teaching of the Buddha from one’s own experiential wisdom. Goenkaji served food to the Bhikkhu Sangha headed by Ven. Piyatissa in the New York Vihara in Queens. So many meditators from diverse backgrounds joined the Sangha-dana. People from India, , Myanmar, Cambodia, China, , Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Thailand, , European countries and North America took the opportunity to serve the bhikkhus. Later on the bhikkhus were given their requisites in donation. At the end Goenkaji gave an inspiring address. He recounted how the silent file of bhikkhus with their eyes downcast going out for the alms in the morning in his motherland, Myanmar, always gives him so much joy. Some private meetings with assistant teachers on organizational matters followed. In the evening he gave a talk at the Interfaith Centre in Manhattan. This Centre has worked for many decades to bring together people of different faiths. It was hence very appropriate that Goenkaji spoke there. Reverend Dean Morton introduced Goenkaji and requested him to give a talk on Dharma and Business. Goenkaji explained how success and failure, profit and loss are part of business and how they cause misery if one hasn’t learned to maintain equanimity. He also explained how Vipassana transcends sectarian barriers. After the talk Goenkaji was interviewed by the press and then returned to Flanders around 11 pm.

Day Thirty (May 9) (Flanders, NJ / Pennsylvania)

Section 2.07 37Annenberg Centre, Penn Zellerbach Theatre in the Annenberg Centre at University of Pennsylvania hosted Goenkaji’s talk on the evening of May 9. Steve Gorn introduced Goenkaji. “Vipassana is a simple, practical way to achieve real peace of mind and to lead a happy, useful life. Vipassana enables us to experience peace and harmony: it purifies the mind, freeing it from suffering and the deep-seated causes of suffering. The practice leads step-by-step to the highest spiritual goal of full liberation from all mental defilements.

26 “Usually when one is faced with difficult situations say for example when one is angry, most of the time one is not even aware and continues to burn. Even when one realizes one is angry one mostly tries to deal with it by turning one’s attention to some other thing. One may turn to intoxicants or sensual entertainment. Someone may do better and recite something or pray or just do something simple such as counting numbers or get involved in some other activity. All this is running away from the problem. We must learn to face the problem rather than running away from it. “But how to face anger? It has no shape or form. A Vipassana meditator finds out that every defilement that arises in the mind arises with sensations on the body. When anger arises, there is so much burning inside. He learns to observe this burning sensations or any other sensations that one feels at that time. He doesn’t dwell on the cause of anger. He just accepts that there is anger and understands with experiential wisdom that the sensation is impermanent and so also the anger is impermanent. “Thus one has learned to face the problem. And as we keep on observing sensations with an equanimous mind, defilements start getting eradicated from the root.” Goenkaji travelled an hour after the talk to reach the KOA campground at Coatsville, PA. There was a soft drizzle when the motor homes arrived there. Some meditators from the caravan took refuge in the wood cabins at the edge of the campsite. This was the first day that all the support group of meditators had travelled together with their motor homes and campers.

Day Thirty-One (May 10) (Coatsville / Lincoln University / Unionville, PA)

Section 2.08 38Maintain the Purity of the Technique There is a strong team of meditators in this area, including a large expatriate Cambodian community, which is engaged in Vipassana activities. There was a one-day course at the Rivero Hall in Lincoln University. Goenkaji gave a brief speech at the one-day course, “One of the most important reasons why Vipassana was lost in the country of its origin was that people started adding something to it. The Buddha’s teaching is paripuººa½—it is complete, there is no need to add anything to it. It is parisuddha½—it is totally pure, there is no need to remove anything from it. “At the Vipassana centers, we must take care that we teach nothing but s²la (morality), sam±dhi (concentration of mind) and paññ± (purification of mind). If we start any other activity that looks quite harmless, soon that particular activity will become very important and Vipassana will be relegated to a secondary position. “Now that the Buddha’s teaching is arising again, let us keep it in its pristine purity so that it helps more and more people around the world for centuries to come.” In the evening Goenkaji gave a talk at the Unionville High School Auditorium. asked Goenkaji what his comments were on love at first sight. Goenkaji laughed and said, “Why only at fist sight? There should be love at every sight. But it should be pure love. Pure love is full of compassion. It is totally free of lust.”

27 Day Thirty-Two (May 11) (Coatsville PA / Ashland, VA)

Section 2.09 39The Dhamma Caravan Many meditators had expressed the desire to join the group of vehicles travelling with Goenkaji and Mataji. The tour organizers carefully selected a few based on their utility on the tour. Some are official tour members and some are allowed to join as additional independent vehicles to support the group. They are assigned various duties such as kitchen, laundry, driving, vehicle maintenance, recording Goenkaji’s public talks and talks to meditators, distributing literature, logistics of various events, coordinating with local organizers etc. This group of seven vehicles (some motor homes and others are truck campers) forms the Dhamma Caravan that will take Goenkaji around North America to spread the munificent message of Dhamma. All have volunteered their time for weeks and some for the whole tour to look after Goenkaji and to support his Dhamma Messenger activity in various capacities. Those who must leave in the middle will be replaced by other Dhamma workers. Most of the Caravan Dhamma Workers are assistant teachers or very senior meditators. The Caravan left Pennsylvania around 10 am and reached its destination at 6 pm. Goenkaji agreed to give a live telephone interview on a Houston radio talk show called “The Open Forum” immediately after his arrival at the campsite. He gave the interview and answered questions from the radio show audience from about 6.30 to 7 pm. Goenkaji has missed many of his evening walks during the past month due to public talks and other engagements. But it had not yet become dark and today he could walk at his leisure. These walks are very important part of his daily routine and help him to stay healthy and fit. Others in Dhamma Caravan sat a group sitting together as there were not many pressing jobs for them and they all could afford to take one hour off at the same time.

Day Thirty-Three (May 12) (Ashland, VA / Charlotte, NC)

Section 2.10 40Keep Walking, Keep Walking The Dhamma Caravan had to cover more than three hundred miles today to reach Charlotte. The distance seemed more daunting as the motor homes cannot drive at same speed as cars. As the vehicles sped on the Interstate 85 South, Goenkaji found time read and write. Vast expanse of green trees on either side of the road was interspersed with beds of colourful flowers and at times lakes. Some of the caravan members started getting a bit tired of the long journey. Goenkaji sat absorbed in his work. Last week when he was returning from a public talk and he was still on the road even after 11 pm, he could be heard chanting

Chala sadhaka chalata rahe, desh aur pardesh; Dharma-charika se katen sabake manake klesh.

Keep going, o meditator, keep going, in the country and abroad by the teaching of Dhamma, may people come out their malady.

28 By the evening the caravan was at the Charlotte Hindu Centre. The meditators from the caravan and local meditators meditated together from 9.30 to 10.30 pm after taking care of all mundane activities such as parking, connecting vehicles to electrical and water supplies etc.

Day Thirty-Four (May 13) (Charlotte, NC)

Section 2.11 41Inspiring the Meditators Goenkaji’s arrival rejuvenates Vipassana activities in any area he visits. Wherever he goes the meditators in that area come together. They get to know each other better and they start meditating together. They become inspired to put in more effort on the path of Dhamma. It gives them an opportunity to serve in different capacities at the various organized events. As Emperor Ashoka wrote in one of his edicts, “To do good is difficult. We have to do good in many different ways.” Serving in various capacities complements our practice of meditation. And so it happened in Charlotte. More and more meditators started to come forward. It was a joy for all to realize that there were so many meditators in their area. One long lost meditator was a physician who had taken a ten-day course in 1971. He had called up the local contact and told him that he heard somewhere that Goenkaji was coming to Charlotte. He was excited that Goenkaji was coming to his area. He was able to meet with Goenkaji after the public talk in Charlotte and told him that the Vipassana course he took so many years ago had had a life-transforming effect on him. There was another woman who had taken a course in 1973 who brought her fifteen year old son to listen to Goenakji’s discourse. The meditators in Charlotte found it very encouraging that there were more meditators in the area than they had previously known. They are now planning more non-centre courses in their region. As there is no Vipassana center nearby they are thinking seriously about establishing one in the area.

One meditator brought his son to Goenkaji’s talk. He had been trying to convince his son to give Vipassana a try for a long time but had not succeeded as yet. After the talk, for the first time his son said that he would take a Vipassana course.

Day Thirty-Five (May 14) (Charlotte, NC / Atlanta, GA)

Section 2.12 42Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Goenkaji and Mataji left the Charlotte Hindu center in the morning. The Caravan reached Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, in the evening. Since the Caravan Volunteers are usually new to the area, local meditators meet them at the highway exits or at a nearby rest area to take them to their stop for the day. Every time the Caravan reaches its destination it takes some time to set up the vehicles and to find out what facilities are available. Most of the large vehicles need to have electrical, water and sewer connections. All vehicles need electrical hookup to charge their mobile phones, two-way radios, and batteries for the various cameras used to document the trip. Communication between vehicles is achieved by the two-way radios or cell phone, though mobile phone service is spotty in more remote parts of the country. Email connection is usually available at the RV Park offices. At the Stone Mountain Family Campground the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. Goenkaji took a long walk on the winding pathways of the campground. Mataji visited some of the Motor Homes in the Dhamma Caravan to see their facilities. 29 Day Thirty-Six (May 15) (Atlanta, GA)

Section 2.13 43Jesus: A Prince Among Saints In the morning Goenkaji granted a telephone interview to James Shaheen of Tricycle magazine. Goenkaji explained that the Buddha’s discovery that sensation is the key to liberation from all misery has been forgotten and that there is a need to go back to the actual words of the Buddha to clarify our practice. Later in the morning many meditators came from Atlanta to see Goenkaji at the Stone Mountain Park. They sat quietly outside the Motor Home. Goenkaji and Mataji came for a short Metta session and a few words of encouragement to the assembled meditators. Afterwards they were invited to lunch by the meditators in the Caravan. There was an abundance of food prepared by the local meditators and there was plenty of food for all. In the evening Goenkaji gave a talk at the Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church at the Emory University. “Jesus Christ is a prince among saints”, he said. Jesus had love and compassion for the very people who tortured him to death. This indeed is a sign of a true saint. Goenkaji said that Vipassana would help one to imbibe the qualities of Christ in one’s life. Vipassana practice involves nothing but the truth that one experiences from moment to moment. Quoting the Bible he said, “You shall see the truth and truth will make you free.” Many questions came from the audience about the theory and the practice of Vipassana. Answering a question that why does one need Vipassana when one is already happy, Goenkaji said, “Don’t you want to be be happier”? Then he went on to explain how one is not aware of one’s misery. It is like a piece of charcoal that remains hot though it appears cool because it is covered with ash; so also people fool themselves and don’t recognize their impurities, dissatisfactions, frustrations, anxieties, fears and attachments. How can one be happy when the mind is continually defiled by impurities such as anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, anxiety and greed? Vipassana doesn’t just make you aware of these impurities but it starts eradicating them. The next stop on the tour was Birmingham, Alabama. Since he was scheduled to visit Donaldson Correctional Facility at Birmingham the next morning Goenkaji decided to make the three hour journey in the night, after the public talk. The caravan left Atlanta at 10 pm and reached Birmingham at 1 pm.

Day Thirty-Seven (May 16) (Birmingham, AL)

Section 2.14 44Prisoners All

Donaldson Correctional Facility at Birmingham is a maximum security prison. It held its first Vipassana course in January this year. Goenkaji visited the facility on the last day of the second course there. He was welcomed at the gates by Dr. Debra Marshall the prison psychologist who had taken a ten-day course earlier at VMC, Mass.

(a)

(b) 201Double Responsibility 30 First Goenkaji went to the prison gymnasium, which had been transformed into a temporary Meditation Hall for both the courses. Students from both the first and second courses were meditating there. Goenkaji expressed joy at being able to visit the meditators in prison. He gave a short talk at the end of the group sitting. He said that in addition to working for their own liberation if they practice regularly they would fulfil two more responsibilities. First, they will be a good example for fellow inmates so that they would also be inspired to give a trial to Vipassana. Second, it will make the Vipassana program in Donaldson Facility a success, which in turn will make the government take notice. This will give inmates of other prisons of the USA a chance to learn Vipassana. A successful Vipassana program in the prisons of USA will make it easier to implement it in other countries as well.

Section 2.15 45True Correction

After the brief talk to meditators Goenkaji met with prison officials including Director of Programs (Dept. of Corrections) Dr Cavanaugh, prison warden Mr. Bullard, Deputy Commissioner Mr Hardison and Dr Marshall. Ms Phillips of Lion Heart Foundation also joined the meeting. Goenkaji expressed appreciation for the initiative taken by these officers to organize Vipassana courses in the Donaldson Facility. Criminals are sent to prison with the aim of correcting their behavior but after spending time in the punitive and crime infested environment of prison they often come out as hardened criminals. For a prison to become truly a correctional facility the inmates should be given tools to reform themselves in order to become honourable members of the society.

(a) 202Opening the Mind, Opening the Heart Dr. Marshall described the previous week as a ‘sensational’ week in the prison. She asked three meditators to talk about their experiences in the Vipassana course. Leon Kennedy sat his first course in January and served this one. He described his experience of sitting the course as opening the mind and that of serving as opening the heart. Eli Crawford said that Vipassana meditation was very much needed in the prison and he was very thankful for receiving this invaluable gift. Rick Smith said that he had been incarcerated for 22 years. He had plenty of time to deal with many issues and had forgiven all. But he said that he was never able to forgive himself. He kept running away from himself all these years. Finally Vipassana forced him to face his inner self; to look inward. It was the most difficult task he had ever undertaken but in Vipassana also gave him unparalleled courage and immense clarity to come to terms with the present reality.

(b) 203Prisoners Within and Without the Walls of Prison Goenkaji then gave a brief talk to meditators, prison staff and some selected inmates who had not yet taken a Vipassana course. He said that people both within the walls of the prison as well as outside the walls are prisoners of their unwholesome habit patterns. All keep on reacting with negativities such as anger, fear, hatred, jealousy, greed etc. Vipassana liberates one from the prison inside. After Goenkaji’s inspiring address, inmate meditators asked him questions about their practice. It was touching to see how the Dhamma had reached these people in the most unlikely place and had comforted them.

Day Thirty-Eight (May 17) (Birmingham, AL / Houston, TX) 31 Section 2.16 46Houston : Airborne Again. Goenkaji and Mataji had travelled by road since their arrival in the USA. Air travel has become increasingly difficult for them. However, they decided to brave it for Houston, the fourth biggest city in the USA. He flew in from Birmingham on a morning flight that landed late due to bad weather. He travelled an hour to get to his residence in the city. Immediately on arrival he met with some local expatriate Indians. Among the guests were Mrs Najma Heptullah, the deputy chairperson of the upper house of the Parliament of India and the Consul of the Indian Consulate in Houston. In the evening he was interviewed for a radio show. Later he gave a talk at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. The hall had 800 chairs. As more people than expected turned up to listen to Goenkaji, the curtain wall at the back of the hall had to be removed to increase the space and additional chairs were added. In his talk Goenkaji explained how it was necessary to take a ten-day residential course to learn the technique of Vipassana. In Vipassana continuity is the secret of success. One starts with observation of breath, which is strongly related to the mind and mental impurities. Once the mind is concentrated to some extent it becomes sharp enough to feel sensations first under the nostrils above the upper lip and later throughout the body. One soon realizes that one generates craving and aversion in response to sensations. Unless one learns to remain equanimous while being aware of sensations, one cannot uproot the impurities in the mind. Just as a poisonous tree keeps sprouting again if its roots are not cut, one cannot eradicate impurities unless one works at the level where they arise and multiply. After the talk Goenkaji travelled to the Southwest Vipassana Center, Dhamma Siri. He and Mataji took dinner in the car on the way. They reached Dhamma Siri at 1 am. The caravan had driven for about twelve hours from Alabama to reach Dhamma Siri so that Goenkaji and Mataji could get back into their Motor Home to retire for the night.

Day Thirty-Nine (May 18) (Dhamma Siri, Kaufman, TX / Dallas, TX)

Section 2.17 47Dhamma Siri (Wealth of Dhamma)

There were heavy rains in both Houston and Kaufman the previous day but on May 18 the skies were clear and there was bright sunshine.

Goenkaji used his morning walk to look at the facilities of Dhamma Siri. There were many more Dhamma workers at the center than during Goenkaji’s last visit. At 11 am he met with two senior assistant teacher couples that continue to serve on many courses in spite of their advanced age and attendant illnesses. He enquired after their health. Then Thomas and Tina Crisman, teachers in-charge of Dhamma Siri, introduced the new board of trustees to him. The trust is composed of mainly young people. Thomas said, “Goenkaji, this is the future of Dhamma Siri.” Goenkaji remarked, “Yes, it is good to see that young people have come forward and are taking more and more responsibilities.” After the meeting with the trust,

32 he gave private interviews to many meditators who had come to the center from near and far. He retired for lunch after 1 pm. In the evening he came to the Dhamma Hall again for a question and answer session.

Section 2.18 48Addiction Goenkaji again met with meditators individually and in groups at Dhamma Siri in the morning. In the evening he gave a public talk at the beautiful Sara Ellen & Samuel Weisfeld Center in Dallas. Goenkaji explained how one keeps on reacting to the sensations without being aware of it. The Buddha defined ignorance not as the lack of knowledge of scriptures or philosophical beliefs but as the lack of awareness of what is happening inside; the lack of awareness of the impermanent, unsatisfactory nature of everything in the field of mind and matter—things over which one has no control. An alcoholic thinks that he is addicted to alcohol but actually he is addicted to the sensations that he feels when he takes alcohol. When one learns to be aware of the sensations one can observe the sensations when craving arises without giving into the impulse. Thus one starts coming out of addictions. Goenkaji added that one is not only addicted to intoxicants, one is also addicted to various defilements of the mind such as fear,depression,anger etc. Whenever these defilements arise in the mind, a biochemical flow starts in the body and one gets into a vicious cycle of reactions. Vipassana helps one come out this blind reaction. However, one has to work seriously to learn the technique of Vipassana. To a question whether a teacher was necessary to learn Vipassana, Goenkaji replied that in Vipassana there is no gurudom; one is cautioned not to be in the clutches of a guru. But to learn the technique properly one is advised to learn from an experienced teacher in a residential course. After that one is one’s own master and continue to practice on one’s own.

Day Forty (May 19) (Dhamma Siri, Kaufman, TX / Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park, TX)

Section 2.19 49Farewell to Dhamma Siri The Caravan left the center around 11 am. Meditators lined up along the driveway to pay respect to Goenkaji and Mataji as the Dhamma Caravan left the center. In the two days he was there, Goenkaji had met all those who wanted to see him. Tears rolled down Mataji’s eyes as she bade farewell to the meditators. This was Goenkaji and Mataji’s first stay at a center in North America during the Meditation Now tour, 2002. *** The long journey to Boulder began. It would take the Caravan three days to reach Denver. In the evening the Caravan stopped at the Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park. One of the Dhamma Workers in the Caravan bought a picture post-card to send to her grandson. It was a picture of a father and a son driving a 33 truck. The father was telling his son, “Son, the sun has rise and the sun has set and it is still the Texas state!” And so it was for the caravan. Texas is a large state and even after travelling for such a long time, they were still in Texas.

Day Forty-One (May 20) (Texas / Capulin, NM)

Section 2.20 50Just as in the Sky Different Winds Blow A strong wind was blowing as the Caravan started its journey across the vast plains of the Texas Panhandle and New . It stayed with the Caravan almost throughout the day. Sometimes it was dusty, sometimes it was clear. Mostly it was fierce, though sometimes it was gentle. Usually it blew from the sides making the motor homes sway a lot and forcing the drivers to reduce their speed. Sometimes it blew from behind and seemed to help the Caravan move faster. Because of the flat landscape the sky seemed to stretch on forever into the horizon and the wind shook everything that came in its way. But the wind never shook the equanimity of the intrepid drivers! The meditators were reminded of the Buddha’s words: yath±pi v±t± ±k±se, v±yanti vividh± puth³; puratthim± pacchim± c±pi, uttar± atha dakkhiº±. Saraj± araj± capi, s²t± uºh± ca ekad±; adhimatt± paritt± ca, puth³ v±yanti m±lut±. Tathevimasmi½ k±yasmi½, samuppajjanti vedan±; sukhadukkhasamuppatti, adukkhamasukh± ca y±. Yato ca bhikkhu ±t±p², sampajañña½ na riñcati ‚01. tato so vedan± sabb±, parij±n±ti paº¹ito. So vedan± pariññ±ya, diµµhe dhamme an±savo; k±yassa bhed± dhammaµµho, saªkhya½ nopeti vedag³

Just as in the sky different winds blow from east and west, from north and south, dust-laden and dustless, cold or hot, fierce gales or gentle breezes—many winds blow. So also within the body arise sensations, pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. When a meditator, striving ardently, does not lose his constant thorough understanding of impermanence even for a moment, such a wise person fully comprehends all sensations. Having thus comprehended sensations, within this life he becomes freed of all defilements. Such a person being established in Dhamma after death attains the indescribable state beyond the conditioned world because he knows sensations thoroughly (their arising and passing away and also the state beyond the sensations.)

The Caravan finally reached the Capulin, NM RV Park by 7:30pm. The owners of the park said that the strong wind was very unusual for this time of year.

As the Caravan settled in for the night and the meditators retired to their beds, the wind was still shaking the motor homes.

34 Article III. 2Report May 22 – June 5

Day Forty-Three (May 22) (Capulin, NM / Boulder, Colorado)

Section 3.01 51Sleeping Volcano

In the morning an enthusiastic Caravan volunteer took most of the crew and Goenkaji and Mataji to the nearby Capulin Volcano for their morning walk.

The volcano was dormant. All remembered Goenkaji’s simile of sleeping volcano when he describes anusaya kilesa.

In the darkness of ignorance one forms a behaviour pattern where one keeps reacting with craving and aversion towards bodily sensations. One becomes a slave of one’s behaviour pattern and keeps reacting to sensations at the deepest level. The anusaya kilesa is a sleeping volcano of the latent habit pattern of blind reaction to sensations. The Buddha’s discovery helps a meditator to come out of this blind habit pattern. Because other meditation techniques ignore sensations, they do not go to the root of the defilements of craving and aversion and hence cannot eradicate them. In no other technique is the way to eradicate the latent tendencies of craving, aversion and ignorance so clearly spelled out. Buddha said, “Sukh±ya, bhikkhave, vedan±ya r±g±nusayo pah±tabbo, dukkh±ya vedan±ya paµigh±nusayo p ah±tabbo, adukkhamasukh±ya vedan±ya avijj±nusayo pah±tabbo.” –Eradicate the latent tendency of craving using pleasant sensations (by equanimous observation of the pleasant sensations and understanding their changing nature), eradicate the latent tendency of aversion using unpleasant sensations and eradicate the latent tendency of ignorance using neutral sensations.

Then the long journey across the planes of Mexico and into the mountains of Colorado began. The wind continued to be strong. Every now and then horses, cows and wild deer could be seen on either side of the road.

The Caravan reached Boulder, Colorado in the evening. All vehicles were parked in the compound of a meditator couple’s house. Goenkaji met local assistant teachers and hosts briefly. The wind continued to be strong and it was impossible for Goenkaji and Mataji to take their evening walk out in the open.

Day Forty-Four (May 23) (Boulder / Denver, Colorado)

Section 3.02 52Nature plays anicca

The evening the Dhamma Caravan came to Boulder, it was bright, sunny and windy . The grounds where the motor homes were parked were a lush green. That night it snowed and the next morning it was white everywhere. Every tree and every twig of every tree was covered with snow. By early afternoon the snow melted and it was again green all around.

Section 3.03 53Sleepless in Failure, Sleepless in Success Goenkaji was invited to speak at the Economic Club of Denver which met at the Westin Hotel in downtown Denver. The organizers were worried because Denver is at a high altitude and one of previous

35 invited speakers Ms. Benazir Bhutto (ex-PM of Pakistan) had suffered from some respiratory trouble. However, Goenkaji didn’t have any breathing difficulty when we reached Denver. Goenkaji spoke about his own experience before and after Vipassana. Before he started practising Vipassana he was an ambitious and miserable businessman. He used to become so unhappy if he lost a business opportunity or a contract. The misery was greater if the contract went to his competitor. He began to suffer from insomnia. Well, it was not only when he failed that he became miserable. When he succeeded in getting a big business deal he again suffered from sleeplessness because he became so excited! He would stay awake making plans and building castles in the air about his future business plans. Goenkaji was very successful in his business but brought so much misery on himself. And he did not keep this misery to himself. He was a very angry person and his wife (Mataji) and children would often face his ire for no fault of theirs. We all suffer from this difficulty to a lesser or greater extent. In Vipassana he found a tool that not only helped him to become a peaceful and happy person but also made him a much more efficient businessman as well as an effective administrator. His sharp and balanced mind made quick and correct decisions. And after hours of work, he still felt fresh. Goenkaji ended his talk by exhorting the business executives to give this non-sectarian technique a trial for ten days.

Section 3.04 54Mataji keeps busy Because of the long driving days, Mataji had some free time to do some sewing work. She also washed her sarees that could not be washed in a washing machine. A meditator offered to take care of all the work that she was doing but she refused. She explained that it is a good habit to stay active.

Day Forty-Five (May 24) (Boulder, Colorado)

Section 3.05 55Real Safety Is Inside The question about how to deal with terrorism was bound to come up after the September 11 attack on the Twin Towers. This question came after Goenkaji’s talk in the huge ball-room of the Westin Hotel in Westminster that was filled to its capacity with people from the Boulder and Denver area. He explained that it is the responsibility of every government to look after the security of its people. As responsible citizens we all must help in this task to the best of our ability. However, while the government is trying to make our lands safe, we must address the issue of fear within ourselves. Because the biggest safety is the safety inside. The biggest security is the security inside. Earlier in the talk Goenkaji explained how basic human values are an essential part of every religion and how without this universal spirituality a religion becomes an empty vessel out of which the nectar has leaked.

Section 3.06 56Illness and Vipassana He was asked, “How does one deal with illness using Vipassana?” He explained that illness is as much a part of human existence as birth, old age and death. One must seek proper treatment for one’s disease. Vipassana may help in some diseases directly if the disease is psychosomatic. Even when the illness is purely physical, Vipassana is a big help as one it trains one to maintain equanimity in the face of unpleasant sensations. One faces the illness bravely. There are many cases when a serious Vipassana meditator facing pains of terminal cancer takes pain killers as long as the medicine doesn’t affect the alertness of the mind but refuses medicines that cause sleepiness. The meditator knows that death is imminent and wants to stay awake and alert to face death with equanimity. Vipassana makes one courageous.

36 One person in the audience wanted to know whether good deeds of this life go with us to the next life. Goenkaji explained how one is born every moment and how one dies every moment. Life is a stream or a flow of consciousness. This flow continues from one life to the next; and so do the wholesome or unwholesome deeds performed by us.

Day Forty-Six (May 25) (Boulder, Colorado)

Section 3.07 57Gift of Dhamma Surpasses All Gifts Regular group sittings as well as one-day courses have been held in Boulder for the last few years. The local organizers planned a one-day course during Goenkaji’s stay in Boulder. Since the venue for the course had a limited capacity organizers had to close down registration for the course well in advance. That day Goenkaji had a busy morning schedule and therefore decided to go to the one-day course site only to answer questions from meditators on the course. On the way to the course site Mataji suggested that Goenkaji could take his lunch later so as to enable him to give Vipassana after the question and answer session. Goenkaji’s assistants were hesitant but the issue was decided when Goenkaji said that the gift of Dhamma is the greatest gift and therefore he wanted to take the opportunity to teach Anapana or Vipassana whenever time and health permitted. He decided to give Vipassana to the one-day course students. There were many very old students on the course. Some had learned Vipassana from Goenakji more than thirty years ago. Goenkaji answered questions from the meditators. One woman narrated how she had been suffering from depression for a long time and how Vipassana had helped her to come out of it to a large extent. Goenkaji explained how to keep working at the level of sensations with the understanding that both the sensations and the depression are impermanent. Another student asked whether vedan± meant physical sensations or mental feelings. Goenkaji explained that physical sensations are very important in the practice of Vipassana. Though one feels sensation on the body it is the mind that feels it. In Buddha’s teaching vedan± is mainly bodily sensations. One practical advantage of this is that one has a much clearer hold on reality when one is practising with physical sensations which are always tangible. Bodily sensations also have the advantage of always being present. One feels sensations because of contact of various sense doors with their respective objects. Sense doors may not come in contact with their respective objects all the time except in case of body sense door where touch is always there. Therefore k±ya samphassaj± vedan± ie sensation produced by touch is always present. It allows us to work continuously which is so important in Vipassana. One student wanted to know whether they should observe sensations on the surface of the body or whether they should also try to feel sensations inside the body. Goenkaji answered that one should continue to be aware of sensations on the surface unless one naturally feels sensations inside. But one should not try to penetrate inside to look for sensations unless one has uniform subtle sensations throughout the body. Another student asked “How can constant awareness of sensations get rid of sa½sk±ras/saªkh±ras?” It is just like a fire that uses fuel to keep burning. As long as one keeps on giving fuel to the fire it will keep burning. However, if one stops giving fuel to the fire, it has to use the old fuel to keep burning. Eventually the fire dies out. The stream of consciousness continues on the strength of saªkh±ras. In other words, the cycle of life continues on the fuel of saªkh±ras. One develops new saªkh±ras in response to (as reactions to) the sensations. Awareness of sensations with equanimity means that one is not making new saªkh±ras. When one stops making new saªkh±ras, the stream of consciousness starts using up old saªkh±ras. This is how saªkh±ras are eradicated. 37 A meditator commented that there is an apparent contradiction between effort versus effortless observation. Goenkaji said that one must make efforts on the path of Dhamma but one should do so without generating tension. One should keep checking whether one is becoming tense. In the beginning one finds that one keeps on generating tension in an effort to work hard but slowly one learns to maintain constant awareness and alertness with a relaxed mind. There should be no effort to create or generate sensations but there has to be effort to maintain continuous awareness of sensations with equanimity. Thus it is an effortless effort. Many students practice both yoga and Vipassana. Goenkaji was asked which one to practise first in the daily routine. He said that it was an individual’s choice. Yoga and Vipassana are compatible, even complimentary. However he cautioned Vipassana meditators not to mix meditational aspect of yoga with Vipassana. Just as one should not add mantra with the practice of Pranayama. As often happens whenever Goenkaji is around, some students meet him just to express gratitude to Goenkaji. He simply replies, “Thank Dhamma.” Sometimes he adds, “Thank yourself for taking time to practise and to make effort on the path of Dhamma. But don’t develop ego ‘look how I work so hard and I have progressed so much on the path’”. After the question and answer session, Goenkaji gave Vipassana.

Day Forty-Seven (May 26) (Boulder, Colorado / Manhattan, New York)

Section 3.08 58New York : The Modern Day Savatthi of the World Once again Mataji packed the bags for Goenkaji’s visit. She made sure that he had everything that he needs for this important visit—books, medicines, proper clothes, toiletries and other items of daily use. It took eight hours for Goenkaji and Mataji to reach the apartment in Manhattan from their motor home in Boulder! There was the hour and a half long drive to the Denver airport, extended time through the airport security, a four hour flight to New York and then another hour to get to the apartment in Manhattan. This was the first time since starting their journey in the motor home that Goenkaji had left it for an overnight stay elsewhere. Savatthi was the most populated city of India at the time of the Buddha. It was the capital of the mighty Kosalan empire and also the biggest commercial centre in the country. Today New York is often referred to as the financial capital of the world. It also has the headquarters of the United Nations. This great city that had taken into its fold people from all over the world was badly scarred by the terrorist attack on September 11. It was only appropriate that Goenkaji made a third visit to New York during his current trip to speak at the official Vesakha celebrations at the United Nations.

Day Forty-Eight (May 27) (Manhattan, New York)

Section 3.09 59Recuperating from Travel This was a rare day on the tour. There was no public engagement. Goenkaji met with people including his assistant teachers and old students. He gave guidance on administrative matters. He used the time available to deal with messages from various centres and teachers from all over the world. He was able to take his walk both in the morning and evening—something that was not always possible due to his busy schedule on the tour.

38 Day Forty-Nine (May 28) (United Nations, New York)

Section 3.10 60Buddha : The Super-scientist of Peace Goenkaji gave the keynote speech at the Celebration of the International Recognition of the Vesakha at the United Nations, which honours the birth, enlightenment and final passing away of the Buddha. This year the event was hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations. Ambassadors of the Permanent Missions of Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Myanmar spoke briefly before Goenkaji’s keynote speech. The talk, entitled, "Buddha, the Super Scientist of Peace", was given at the Dag Hammerskold Library Auditorium to an audience of Ambassadors, other U. N. dignitaries and associates, venerable monks and a few Vipassana meditators. Putting the teaching of the historical Buddha in modern perspective, Goenkaji said, “The world is afflicted with the malady of hatred, anxiety and fear. It needs a remedy from an extraordinary physician. The Buddha was such an extraordinary physician, a great physician of peace and happiness. His teaching of peace and harmony is as relevant today as twenty-six centuries back, when he set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, the Wheel of Peace. Rather, it is more relevant today. We have gathered here this afternoon to honour the teaching of this outstanding person in human history. Let us see how his teaching uproots the negative emotions that are at the root of cruel violence and how these can be changed to positive compassion. Most of the time blind beliefs and strong attachment to one’s views cause negativity, which in turn produces such atrocities.” He emphasized that there has to be peace within individuals for peace in the society. There has to be peace within for peace outside. He explained how the Buddha had discovered the roots of misery and the way out of it. “When one is working with sensations, one is working at the depth of mind. Whatever arises in the mind is accompanied by sensations on the body—Vedan±samosaraº± sabbe dhamma. Even a thought that arises on the mind is accompanied by a sensation on the body— Vedan±samosaraº± saªkappavitakka. This was a great discovery of the Buddha… Another great discovery of the Buddha was that we generate taºh± in response to the vedan± (sensations)…” Goenkaji explained further, “…When one observes sensations objectively, one starts coming out of ignorance. By understanding the impermanent nature of sensations, one generates paññ± in response to vedan±. This is the law of nature. Dhamma niy±mat± is the law behind the natural order of phenomena. Buddha or no Buddha, Dhamma niy±mat± remains. The law is eternal. This is the bold declaration of a supreme scientist… Just as whether there is a Newton or no Newton, the law of gravity remains true. Newton discovered it and explained it to the world… Buddha says, ‘I have experienced this Law of Nature, the Law of Dependent Origination, within myself; and having experienced and understood it I declare it, teach it, clarify it, establish it and show it to others. Only after having seen it for myself, I declare it.’” The talk was extremely well received by the entire audience. They responded with sincerity, respect and appreciation. Afterwards at a reception at the United Nations Penthouse, many of the diplomats came to meet Goenkaji and enthusiastically expressed their understanding and agreement with Goenkaji's address. Many diplomats had heard about Vipassana from their friends and relatives. One ambassador came to Goenkaji and said that he wasn’t aware that Goenkaji was going to speak at the Vesakha celebration and hence had not informed his wife who was a Vipassana meditator about it. He joked that he would have to face his wife’s displeasure for not having informed her. He was pleasantly surprised to see Goenkaji listed as the keynote speaker when he read the programme just before the event. He told Goenkaji that he would take a ten-day course soon. The Indian Ambassador (of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations) also came and talked to Goenkaji after the talk. 39 Goenkaji returned late that evening to their apartment. They were tired but satisfied that there were signs that the world was taking heed of the eternal teaching of the Buddha.

Day Fifty (May 29) (New York/San Diego, California)

Section 3.11 61Coast to Coast Goenkaji flew early the next day from New York to San Diego. While Goenkaji and Mataji were in New York, the tireless Dhamma Caravan crew drove the motor homes from Boulder, Colorado to San Diego. They arrived just in time for Goenkaji’s arrival at the motor home park. In the evening, he met with the teachers responsible for spread of Vipassana in People’s Republic of China (Mainland China).

Day Fifty-One (May 30) (San Diego, California)

Section 3.12 62Visit to Laboratory Goenkaji often talks about how a meditator’s laboratory is within the framework of his or her body and mind. Within this corporeal structure one has to work to understand the interaction of mind and matter; how mind influences the matter and how matter influences the mind. While in San Diego Goenkaji had to go to a conventional laboratory. He went to a pathology laboratory to check his blood sugar level to make sure that his personal glucometer was giving the correct readings. Later the same morning, he talked to the producer of a National Public Radio show to discuss the interview they planned to air in a couple of days. In the evening, he gave a public talk in the Montezuma Hall at San Diego State University. He emphasized that all the expatriates who have come to the USA recently must be faithful to this country. They should make sure that none of their actions are in any way harmful to the people of this country. To a question as to why Buddhism was driven out of India, he replied, “Because it became Buddhism!” There are a few people who use the word “Buddhism” to mean the Buddha’s teaching without any sectarian connotation but for the majority Buddhism is an organized religion. Goenkaji explains how India forgot Buddha because his practical teaching of Vipassana was corrupted and ultimately lost.

Day Fifty-Two (May 31) (Orange County, California)

Section 3.13 63Siddhartha’s Journey The Dhamma Caravan left San Diego in the morning to travel to Irvine where Goenkaji gave Vipassana on a one-day course. The course was organized in a Mormon Church. He gave Vipassana and answered questions from meditators. One meditator asked if there was any role of prayer in Vipassana. Goenkaji replied that if you pray to get something from an invisible being, you are only increasing your dependence. If, on the other hand, you practice properly on the path of Dhamma, whatever invisible beings are there are bound to be happy. Therefore it is important to walk on the path of Dhamma. Another student wanted to know about one’s progress in meditation and about various attainments. Goenkaji replied that the main yardstick of progress on the path of Dhamma is whether your life is improving for the better, whether you are living a more peaceful and happy life.

40 In response to a question on Kundalini, Goenkaji explained that after the Buddha’s practical teaching was lost in India there was still talk about some of the experiences one has in Vipassana. There was a some talk about sensations. So new practices started in an effort to get sensations. These attempts could enable them to feel sensations only on certain points, called chakras, on the spinal cord where one feels sensations easily. But there was no understanding of the impermanent nature of these sensations and no effort to maintain equanimity. Therefore these practices did not eradicate the saªkh±ras, rather they reinforced the conditioning of cravings. Goenkaji reassured one meditator, who was apprehensive about the effect on the mind while serving extremely sick people all the time, that serving sick people is part of Dhamma and strengthens one’s practice. As long as there is base of compassion and loving-kindness you will derive immense strength from your service. When a student came and said, “Thank you for your teaching.” Goenkaji quickly corrected her, “Not my teaching. It is the Buddha’s teaching”. In the evening he gave a public talk at the same venue. This talk was simultaneously translated into Chinese. Goenkaji told the story of the Bodhisatta who went on to become Gotama the Buddha. Siddhartha had learned various absorption practices (sam±dhis) after he left home to search for a way out of the suffering inherent in existence. All these practices, which merely concentrated the mind using one object or the other, gave him some calmness and some purity of mind. The ascetic prince found that in spite of the highest levels of absorptions (sam±dhis) he still was not able to remove the impurities lying deep inside. He then practiced various severe austerities including fasting that made his body a mere skeleton with the belief that torturing the body would purify the mind. He found that this extreme of self-mortification didn’t help to eradicate impurities in the mind. Therefore after six years, he stopped these severe austerities and, through the practice of Vipassana that he himself discovered, he attained enlightenment. We are all fortunate that this path, Vipassana, is available to us in its pure form because it was preserved in its pristine purity in Myanmar. Let us all use it to get liberated from the bondage of the defilements. After the public talk the Caravan travelled to the Burmese monastery in Azusa and reached there around midnight.

Day Fifty-Three (June 1) (Azusa, California)

Section 3.14 64Myanmar Monastery The volunteers in the Dhamma Caravan felt very much at home in the Burmese monastery. The venerable monks there were extremely hospitable. The Burmese lay people who support the monastery were also very helpful. Goenkaji paid respect to the Sangha in the morning during his morning walk. In the evening he gave a public talk at the Wadsworth Theatre in Brentwood in Los Angeles. He explained how Vipassana is an art of living a happy and peaceful life, good for oneself and good for others. The lively talk had the audience laughing from the very beginning. Later on as Goenkaji started explaining how Vipassana is a pure science of interaction of mind and matter, the audience listened in rapt attention in all seriousness. The mood, as it happens in most talks, became light again during the question and answer session. They wanted to know the place of sex in married life. Goenakji replied that physical relations with a single partner is not breakage of precepts and not harmful. However, if one keeps changing partners looking for more and more sensual pleasure one gets engulfed in the fire of passion and remains agitated and miserable all the time. 41 Someone asked, “If I don’t react then how can I have any fun in life?” Amid laughter in the audience Goenkaji replied that it is all right to have fun in life. But make sure that you are really enjoying life. For this it is important that you have no attachment to enjoyments; that you don’t become miserable when you miss them.

Day Fifty-Four (June 2) (Azusa, California)

Section 3.15 65Sangha Dana A Sangha Dana was planned by U Tin Htoon on behalf of Goenkaji and Mataji. Expatriate communities from various South Asian countries came together to organize this event. It was a gigantic task to bring together venerable bhikkhus and bhikkhunis from different traditions. U Tin Htoon with the help of Henry Kao and many other selfless volunteers worked hard for this auspicious event. On the day of the Sangha Dana, the venue was filled with more than a thousand people. Goenkaji and Mataji offered food and requisites to the Sangha. Ven. Piyananda, the president of Southern California Buddhist Council, gave an introductory speech wherein he informed the audience that he had taken his first ten-day course with Goenkaji in 1973. Goenkaji gave a Dhamma talk later on. Goenkaji expressed joy at the opportunity to see and pay respect to monks from various traditions—a rainbow spectrum. Goenkaji said that these were branches of the same tree, they all get nutrition from the Buddha Dhamma the essence of which is paµicca-samupp±da (dependent origination). Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Noble Path accepted as basic, principal teaching of the Buddha by all. These are acceptable not only by the Buddhists but by all the people of all the faiths. Morality, concentration of mind and purity of mind is common to all faiths, all religions. For morality, one pointed concentration of wholesome mind kusala cittassa ekaggat± is necessary which means the mind should be free from craving and aversion. The Buddha gave a simple technique wherein one concentrates one’s mind on the in-breath and out-breath keeping one’s attention at the tip of the nose (n±sikagge) or just below the nostrils above the upper lip (uttaraoμμhassa vemajjhappadese). When one practices thus mind becomes sharp and starts feelings sensations in this area. As a meditator starts observing the realities within he discovers realities that the Buddha discovered. The cause and effect relationship was an unparalleled discovery of the Buddha. Imasmi½ sati ida½ hoti, imasmi½ asati ida½ na hoti. If this (cause) is present then that (result) comes, if this (cause) is not present then that (result) doesn’t come. In dependent origination, the Buddha explains sa¼±yatana paccay± phassa, phassa paccay± vedan±, vedan± paccay± taºh±--dependent on the six sense doors contact arises, dependent on contact sensations arise and dependent on sensations craving and aversion arise. Goenkaji also talked about how there is revival of interest in the Buddha’s teaching in India. In the evening he met with Mr. Hover and his wife who had come to Myanmar Monastery in Azusa to see Goenkaji. Mr. Hover was one of the earliest western student of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Goenkaji was very happy to see his old friend. They talked for a long time.

42 Day Fifty-Five (June 3) (Azusa, California / Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California)

Section 3.16 66Khanti (Tolerance) It was a very busy morning. Goenkaji had to leave the monastery early in the morning to meet Ven. Daw Dhammethi in another monastery. She had hosted the first Vipassana courses that Goenkaji taught after he returned to Myanmar in 1990 after a gap of twenty years. The meeting was interrupted by a phone interview which was aired live on National Public Radio in Philadelphia. He returned to the monastery where the motor homes were parked only to be greeted by Ms Hillary McGregor and Bob, a correspondent and a staff photographer respectively for the LA Times. Ms McGregor interviewed Goenkaji in his motor home for an hour as he travelled to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Her article “Driven to Enlighten” appeared in the LA Times two days later on June 5. Goenkaji visited the Museum of Tolerance not only because it is an issue for which he has been working tirelessly for a long time, but also because he wanted to see for himself how museums use modern technology for educational purposes. The exhibition gallery in the Global Pagoda will be a powerful tool to educate millions of visitors every year about the truth about the Buddha and his teaching. Although Goenkaji, Mataji and the other meditators accompanying him knew the gruesome details of holocaust, they were deeply touched by the immensity of this man-made tragedy again when they saw the museum. Tolerance is one of the p±ramis necessary to attain the final goal of full liberation. Tolerance of different cultures, languages, faiths, ethnic backgrounds; tolerance for actions of others that one finds disturbing and above all tolerance of views that are different from one’s own view is important to keep peace in human society. Such tolerance comes naturally when there is love and compassion in the mind. From the Museum of Tolerance the Dhamma Caravan left for Dhamma Mah±vana near North Fork. It reached its destination just before midnight.

Day Fifty-Six (June 4) (Azusa, California / Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California)

Section 3.17 67Dhamma Mahavana Dhamma Mah±vana was the second centre to host the Dhamma Caravan. Goenkaji’s motor home was parked on the sh±nti paµh±r (peace plateau). He went to Fresno in the evening to give a public talk. Goenkaji explained about the misery we all face in different forms—The misery of disease, old age and death; the misery of losing near and dear ones in wars and natural calamities; the mental trauma in survivors that refuses to heal; the misery of being anxious due to the threat to one’s safety and to the safety of one’s loved ones. He talked about the senseless killings happening in different parts of the world. Innocent citizens including women and children are being killed—not because of any personal enmity but merely because they belong of the attachment to a particular religious denomination or ethnic community. Is there a way out of this suffering? Certainly. Vipassana helps one to find peace within oneself in a world that is tormented by terrorism and war on the one hand and the tendency to delude oneself in sensual entertainments.

43 Day Fifty-Seven (June 5) (Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork, California)

Section 3.18 68Like a Mother Hen Looking After Her Chicks During Goenkaji’s extensive travels whenever he spends time at a centre, he meets with the trust members, enquires after various projects and guides Dhamma workers in their meditation practice. A Dhamma teacher should look after his disciples with as much care as a mother hen looks after her chicks. Today was the opportunity for Goenkaji to check on various projects at Dhamma Mah±vana and give proper guidance. The trust reported on the rapid strides it was taking in the spread of Dhamma. Goenkaji met with the trust as a group and also met with Dhamma workers individually. Among those who met him were meditators who had been serving in various capacities for many years and who were now afflicted with some incurable diseases, there were meditators who were facing family or financial difficulties, there were many who were good health and were doing well in business. But whether the meditators were facing some serious problems or whether they had come just to pay respect, all reported how Vipassana has helped them to be brave and calm through the thick and thin of life. They were all smiling. Goenkaji went to the beautiful meditation hall to answer questions from the students of the three-day course in progress. One student asked how she could differentiate between strong determination and attachment. Goenkaji asked her to always have a strong determination when she was doing something that was good for her and good for the society. “But if you fail, smile! If you get upset when you fail in your determination, then you are attached to it.”

Section 3.19 69Be a Lotus One student asked him how she could remain unaffected by the polluted atmosphere in the West where there were endless distractions. Goenkaji said, “Like a lotus flower that doesn’t allow the very muddy water in which it grows to stick to it and blooms in all its beauty and glory.”

44 Article IV. 3Report June 6 – June 16

Day Fifty-Eight (June 6) (Dhamma Mahavana, North Fork / Saratoga Springs Campground, Saratoga, California)

Section 4.01 70Saratoga Springs Though the Dhamma Caravan would have liked to stay at the center longer, the Caravan left for the next destination which was in Saratoga. Goenkaji’s mission is directed towards spreading Dhamma as widely as possible. Before leaving the center Goenkaji met a few old students. The Caravan ate lunch on the way and reached the next campground in the evening.

Day Fifty-Nine (June 7) (Saratoga Springs Campground/Cupertino, California)

Section 4.02 71Peace amid Chaos By mid morning, a huge crowd of close to 300 children and teenagers descended upon the campground where the Caravan was staying. There was a lot of loud music, screaming children and blaring announcements over the microphone throughout the day. The small area where the Caravan was parked remained an oasis of peace in the cacophony.

Section 4.03 72Weekend Spirituality In the evening Goenkaji gave a public talk at the Flint Theatre in De Anza College in Cupertino. A lively session of questions and answers followed the talk. One question that comes up often is why there aren’t shorter meditation courses and why don’t you charge money like other meditation teachers do.

Goenkaji explained why he does not give shorter courses and why there is no charge for the meditation course. “Dhamma is invaluable. The moment you attach a price tag to it, it gets devalued. ”

The Buddha had said, dhammena na vanim care—Don’t make a business of Dhamma. In business the customer is always right. Because people want shorter courses, some teachers may decide to arrange and teach short courses without any regard for the proper atmosphere and proper training that a new person needs to undergo. In such courses people dabble at the superficial level of the mind. No doubt there are some benefits but one doesn’t learn to observe the reality at the depth of the mind. A three-day course is too short a time to reach the depth of mind. Goenkaji said that in the past he had tried to give short 3-day courses of Anapana but found that these were not really benefiting people. Continuity of practice is essential in Vipassana. Short courses don’t offer that opportunity. Those who get some benefit may become complacent thinking that now they have understood the whole technique and that there was no need to go any further. Thus the shorter courses became barriers for them to get to that depth of mind where impurities arise and multiply. There are some who after doing short courses think that this is all there is to the technique and therefore are put off from experiencing Vipassana.

45 “I want people to really benefit. I want them to come out all their misery. Therefore the course has to be long enough to really get to the depth of the mind. Traditionally, until about a century ago, Vipassana was taught in six-week retreats but in these modern times the courses were shortened. When the duration was reduced to ten days it was found that people still got an outline of the technique but if it was reduced further they didn’t even get an outline. I don’t want people to waste their time. Human life is so invaluable.” Happiness is a serious matter. We spend years and years in school and college studying things that often have little relevance to our lives but we are so reluctant to take even ten days from our lives to look at ourselves to learn to live a happy and harmonious life. A man in his twenties asked whether it was not more important at his age to focus on achieving success in his career, getting married etc than striving for the experience of nibb±na (nirv±ºa)? Goenkaji explained how v±ºa (b±na) means fire and nibb±na is the total extinguishing of the fire of mental impurities that make us miserable all the time. Goenkaji asked, “Why do you want to burn?” He then added that career would be more successful and family life more peaceful if there was less fire! Goenkaji keeps on explaining how Vipassana doesn’t make one inactive but still some people are afraid that they will lose their drive and ambition if they practice Vipassana. Goenkaji explained again how Vipassana makes a person very active and dynamic but at the same time happy and peaceful. One question was “Are the gods (devas) real?”. Goenkaji replied, “Of course they are real. Everyone can become a god. You can become a god if you acquire divine qualities of selfless love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.”

Day Sixty (June 8) (Saratoga Springs Campground/Berkeley/ Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Oakland, California)

Section 4.04 73Silicon Valley Professionals The Silicon Valley Indian Professionals Association sponsored Goenkaji’s talk at Hewlett Packard on June 8. The talk was in the morning. The hall was full to its capacity with mostly young computer professionals from Silicon Valley.

Section 4.05 74Mental Pollution in Office Space Goenkaji explained the importance of mental balance and mental cultivation for every section of society but especially so for business people. When one is successful from a worldly point of view, that is when one has a lot of money and fame, one tends to become ego-centred. This in turn makes one short- tempered. One cannot tolerate anything that happens against one’s wishes. Such a businessman remains angry and makes the atmosphere at the office very tense. The employees work out of fear and often their talent is not fully utilised. Goenkaji said this was what was happening to him and his staff before he started practicing Vipassana. When Vipassana was suggested to him at a cure for migraine, he faced two big barriers— 1. He thought that this practice was Buddhism and he remembered the words “swadharme nidhanam shreyah, para-dharmo bhayavahah” (“Better to die in one’s own religion than to go to any other religion”). When his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, compassionately explained that Vipassana is nothing but sila, samadhi and pañña, he was reassured. In fact, Goenkaji was already giving so many discourses on the Gita ideal of sthitaprajña (one established in wisdom) yet he was unable to realize it for himself. He would often say tearful prayers to request more wisdom. His devotional fervor would give him a relatively calm

46 mind for some time. But then again the old habit pattern of anger and ego would dominate him. He started seriously searching for something that would take him to the ideal of sthitaprajña. 2. He was a very busy person and found it difficult to spare ten days of his life to learn this technique. When he started practising Vipassana he learned how we make the atmosphere around us tense by generating defilements in the mind. This is mental pollution. Once the mind starts getting purer, the interaction with employees and colleagues changes. There is genuine warmth and goodwill. If there is mental pollution in the office atmosphere, then one burns oneself and burns others—the creative ability of the employees is stunted; the productive energy is wasted due to negative emotions. Goenkaji asked the young professionals to be really selfish. To be really selfish one must look after one’s own peace and happiness. When one is peaceful, all others around become peaceful and happy. Then one finds that one’s peace and happiness helps one’s business career as well. Vipassana results in a sharper mind, making one more adept in solving technical and administrative problems. There were many questions from the young computer professionals, many of whom had heard for the first time how simple, rational, logical and scientific this ancient teaching from India was. They asked questions about effect of Buddha’s teaching on India, why India lost it and how it compared with other meditation techniques they had heard about. Some of them met with Goenkaji at the end of the talk and promised to give a trial to the practical teaching of the Buddha.

Section 4.06 75Not Just To Quench The Thirst Of Curiosity Berkeley has a reputation for a vibrant and active student community and student activism. Goenkaji has given talks there More than ten years ago, Goenkaji gave some public talks there and many people gathered to hear him today as well.

Goenkaji explained that Vipassana is a process of exploring the truth within, exploring the mind-matter phenomenon. But it is not just to quench the thirst of intellectual curiosity. It was a Berkeley scientist who had made a big contribution to the understanding of how everything in the material structure is mere wavelets, mere vibrations and that there is no solidity in it at all. The Buddha proclaimed this truth more than 2600 years ago. The difference is that the Buddha discovered it without any scientific instruments, when he explored the reality within to find a way out of all suffering. Vipassana is that path out of all suffering. It is self-realization through self-observation. It is the experiential understanding of how one generates misery and how one can come out it.

When one had craving for something that is pleasant, there is inherent aversion to something that is unpleasant. When one has aversion to something that is unpleasant, there is inherent craving for something that is pleasant.

Section 4.07 76Mind-washing

Later on he answered questions from the audience and gave private interviews. Somebody questioned, “Is this brainwashing?” and Goenkaji replied, “No. It is mind-washing. It purifies your mind and makes you happy and peaceful.” Don’t get brain-washed! Believe your own experience. And keep working on purifying your mind to live a better life.

47 After the talk as Goenkaji and others went up the mountains to the beautiful Anthony Chabot Regional Park a few wild deer and other animals crossed their path. It was quite late and everyone was tired. They had to start early the next day to go to the Jain Temple in Milpitas where Goenkaji was scheduled to give a public talk in Hindi.

Day Sixty-One (June 9) (Oakland / Jain Temple, Milpitas / Hayward / Petaluma, CA)

Section 4.08 77Vira and Mahavira: A Warrior and A Great Warrior The Jain temple hall was full with Indian expatriates. Some of them had heard Goenkaji’s talks before but only in English. They were looking forward to hearing from him in Hindi. Goenkaji explained the word Dharma (Dhamma in Pali). Dharma is nature of things. It also means the laws of nature which when followed makes one happy and peaceful and helps one to generate nothing but love and compassion for others. All vocal and physical violence starts with violence in the mind. The nature of violence is that whenever the mind generates violence one becomes agitated and distressed. The nature of non-violence is that whenever the mind generates non-violence one experiences immense peace and happiness. This requires hard work. One has to work hard to liberate oneself from the bondage of defilements that time and again makes the mind violent. One who liberates oneself from the bondage of defilements is a v²ra. And one who liberates oneself and also helps others to become liberated from the bondage of defilements is called a mahav²ra. The discourse lasted more than an hour and there were many questions from the audience. To questions about philosophical beliefs in India, Goenkaji remarked that everyone in India is a philosopher but what is the use of all the philosophies if one’s life doesn’t reflect one’s talk? He also clarified how various misconceptions about the Buddha have harmed Indians. We all believe that the corporeal structure is impermanent (nashvar sharir) but actually there is so much attachment to the body that body has become “I”. This is deh±tma buddhi. Similarly one may accept that mind is impermanent but actually there is so much attachment to it. This is citt±tma buddhi. Without understanding what the Buddha really taught, Indians have maligned his teaching and stayed away from it saying he doesn’t believe in Soul; or saying that he doesn’t believe in God. Another misconception in the minds of many Indians is that the Buddha was n±stika. Goenakji explained what was the original meaning of n±stika. One who doesn’t believe in karma and its fruit is a n±stika. When one looks within one can see for one-self how one forms karma. For centuries people have been afraid of the Buddha’s teaching. Now they are finding out that it is not something to be afraid of but something that helps one come out of fear; something that makes one fearless. Goenkaji knows about the unfortunate reluctance to give trial to this wonderful technique that originated in India and made India a world teacher in the field of spirituality. He knows it from his own resistance over fifty years back towards the Buddha’s teaching and the resistance that Indians had when he started teaching Vipassana in India thirty-three years back. From Milpitas Goenkaji went to Hayward where about four hundred meditators had gathered for a one day course. One meditator wanted to know about the milestones in meditation. Goenkaji explained that the one should give importance only to the present moment. Equanimity is the only yardstick to measure one’s progress on the path of Dhamma. To a student who complained of lack of concentration, Goenkaji 48 advised the practice of more Anapana. One meditator was worried about her livelihood. She said that while she doesn’t do anything wrong in her company, the company is involved in certain practices that are not completely healthy. Goenkaji told her that if she is not involved personally in any unwholesome practices then she should not feel guilty about something over which she has no control. Almost everyone who takes a ten-day course benefits to some degree and agrees that Vipassana is helpful. But it is difficult to keep the daily meditation practice at home after the course is over. And without continued daily meditation morning and evening, one doesn’t get the optimum benefit from Vipassana. Therefore one-day courses and group sittings are very important. They are like “charging the batteries”. One gets continued strength and inspiration to maintain daily practice when one joins group sittings and one-day courses. The Dhamma Caravan drove from Milpitas to Petaluma. The KOA camp was near the venues of the one- day course and the public talk the next day.

Day Sixty-Two (June 10) (Santa Rosa, CA)

Section 4.09 78Suffering Defined At Sonoma State University, Goenkaji gave Anapana at the one-day course in the morning and a public talk in the evening. When the hall filled up to its capacity and people were still coming in, Vipassana meditators kindly gave up their places in the hall and went to the lobby where the discourse was going to be relayed via closed- circuit TV so that non-meditators were able to listen to Goenakji in the hall. Whenever a public talk hall fills to its capacity, meditators give up their places so that those who have not yet tasted Dhamma, get an opportunity to listen to Goenkaji in person and be inspired to take a ten-day course. Goenkaji explained how the Buddha’s teaching is as relevant today as in the past—because there is as much misery today as in the past; because human beings generate misery the same way today as they used to do in ancient times. We all suffer. Life starts with crying. Anyone who has been born is bound to encounter the sufferings of sickness and old age. Throughout life, one encounters things that one does not like, and is separated from things that one likes. Unwanted things happen, wanted things do not happen, and one feels miserable. Even the most powerful person on the earth cannot ensure that only wanted things will happen or that unwanted things won’t happen in his/her life. The Buddha went to the root of the problem and discovered the solution for liberation from all misery. He realized that we keep reacting to the pleasant and unpleasant sensations with craving and aversion. One remains agitated and miserable due to these mental impurities. Reciting a word or and chanting can help calm the mind, but only for some time and only at the surface of the mind. Actually one is running away from the problem. One is not facing the impurity that has arisen. When one keeps on repeating a word or a mantra, the vibrations of the word or the mantra envelope the practitioner while deep inside the habit pattern of craving and aversion continues unabated. It is like singing a lullaby to put a baby to sleep. Hence this is not a lasting solution to the problem. Someone may recite the name of a god or a goddess in the hope that he or she will be pleased with the recitations of his/her name. One doesn’t understand that the god or the goddess, if he/she really has 49 created the laws of nature, would be more pleased if one obeys those laws! The law is that if one defiles one’s mind with any impurity such as anger, hatred, lust, jealousy etc. one becomes unhappy then and there. On the other hand, if one purifies the mind, remains equanimous, generates love and compassion one remains happy and peaceful. In the beginning of his first course, Goenkaji expected to be taught the recitation of the Buddha’s name and when that didn’t happen, thought, “What is the use of watching the breath and watching the sensations?” Soon it became clear to him—as it becomes clear to all Vipassana meditators—that breath and sensations are closely related to the mind and mental impurities. One starts understanding the law of nature of how one keeps generating misery for oneself and spreads this misery all around.

Section 4.10 79From Cruelty to Compassion As usual, there were questions from the audience about terror and terrorism and how Vipassana can help. Gonekaji gave the example of Angulimala at the time of the Buddha. This terrorist had killed 999 human beings, and that too without any weapons of mass destruction. He kept a garland made from the fingers of his victims—therefore the name Angulimala (literally, garland of fingers). How cruel, how inhuman! When he was looking for his thousandth victim, he came across the Buddha. The Buddha didn’t change him with mere sermons. Angulimala learned the same technique, worked hard, and became an arahat, a very saintly person. When this same Angulimala, now a monk, went around for alms people recognized him as the murderer of their loved ones. They hit him with sticks and threw stones at him. Blood oozed from the wounds on his body but his mind generated only love and compassion. It was not only Angulimala who got converted in this way. So many contract killers and murderers at the time of the Buddha and after the Buddha came out of violence. Today Vipassana is bringing similar results among the criminals in various prisons in India, USA and other countries.

Section 4.11 80Goenkaji, Start a Vipassana Centre Here! Someone from the audience requested Goenkaji to start a Vipassana center in Santa Rosa. Goenkaji laughed and said “I don’t start centres. The meditators do.” It is the local meditators who start a centre in any area. Usually the first step in this direction is that the Vipassana meditators in an area come together regularly for weekly group meditation and one-day courses. Then they start organizing ten-day courses under the guidance of an authorized assistant teacher. Once an area hosts a few ten-day courses, and gather enough financial and human resources, the local meditators start looking for a suitable place for a centre. Guidelines for running non-centre courses, establishing a trust or developing a center are available on the www.dhamma.org website. Santa Rosa has many Vipassana meditators and there is a lot of enthusiasm for Dhamma. Let us hope a centre arises there soon, along with many other places around the world!

Day Sixty-Three (June 11) (Santa Rosa, CA / Albion, CA)

Section 4.12 81Training Under Sayagyi In the morning Goenkaji gave an interview to New Dimensions Radio. He explained how in spite of coming from a staunch Hindu family, and prejudice against the teaching of the Buddha, he was attracted to Vipassana. He meditated under the guidance of his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, from 1955 to 1969. This long and intimate training has kept him in good stead throughout his mission of spread of Dhamma. Sayagyi often used to say about Vipassana—“It is very easy and yet it is very difficult. It is very difficult and yet it is very easy.” It is easy in the sense that is simple to follow and practice. But it is difficult

50 because our mind is distracted by so many negativities all the time so we need to have strong determination to continue on the path of Dhamma. Sayagyi authorized him to teach Vipassana and entrusted him with the task of taking Vipassana to its homeland and then spreading it all over the world.

Section 4.13 82Aware Outside, Aware Inside Explaining the benefits of a ten-day course, Goenkaji said that while one feels somewhat rejuvenated even if one goes away on holiday to a resort or beach for some time, but it is because one has actually distracted oneself from the problems that one faces in life. Coming back home one is subjected to the same tensions and strains and one continues to react in the same deleterious manner as before because there is no way to cope with them. Vipassana offers that tool. One remains fully aware of the world outside and yet one remains aware of one’s own mental state inside. The modern world offers many sensual pleasures and one takes these fleeting pleasures as happiness. One craves for more and more. The more one is attached to the sensual world the more one becomes fearful and insecure about losing them. As the Buddha said—K±mato j±yat² soko, k±mato j±yat² bhaya½. From craving arises grief, from craving arises fear. Therefore all the sensual entertainments that are available to the modern man has made him even more fearful. Vipassana helps one to see the fleeting nature of all worldly pleasures and how they inevitably lead to suffering. One has to learn this from experience. As long as one depends solely on intellect one cannot understand Dhamma. Because the intellect has limitations but experience has no limitations. Therefore experiential wisdom is of utmost importance. It alone can give true understanding and true happiness. The interviewer asked, “When does this process of suffering start? At birth?” Goenkaji replied that every moment one is taking a new birth. Every moment if one is ignorant one generates a new impurity. Therefore rather than going into the hypothetical question of when it all started, one should give importance to the present moment that one is facing. The flow of consciousness continues from moment to moment and at each moment one needs to be aware to avoid generating new saªkh±ras.

Section 4.14 83Supernatural Powers The interviewer wanted to know whether some of Goenkaji’s students have developed any supernatural powers. Goenkaji replied that he has found that supernatural powers can be harmful. One develops ego and attachment to the powers. And one forgets the main goal of purification of mind. As long as the mind is defiled by impurities such as anger, hatred, fear, ego, jealousy, lust, greed etc. even if one has some special abilities one remains a miserable person. Again, when the September 11th incident was brought up by the interviewer Goenkaji explained how those who indulge in violence in the name of religion do not really understand their own religion. Goenkaji reminded the interviewer that “Salaam walekum”, the customary greeting in most Islamic countries, means “May peace be with you”. After the interview, the Dhamma Caravan set off for the next destination, Albion, on the Mendocino coast. Slowly they moved on the windy roads through the beautiful hills of Sonoma county into Mendocino. It was a narrow single lane road. The slowly moving Caravan had to stop on the shoulder of the road many times to allow other vehicles to pass. Finally it reached the Pacific Coast. After driving for some time along the spectacular coast, the Caravan stopped at a campsite on a small beach. Soon a blanket of fog rolled in from the sea and it became very cold. Goenkaji met with the local meditators, including trust members and assistant teachers, at the nearby residence of a meditator. When he returned it was so cold and foggy that he was unable to take his evening walk. 51 Goenkaji had been in this area over 20 years ago when he conducted non-center courses.

Day Sixty-Four (June 12) (Albion, CA / Fort Bragg, CA /Albion, CA) Eagles Hall In the morning Goenkaji and Mataji took their morning walk in the beautiful estate gardens maintained by a meditator. Mataji was delighted to see the huge roses of every hue and scent. Goenkaji gave a talk at the Eagles Hall in Fort Bragg in the evening. It was a very old wooden building that looked stark and unwelcoming in the morning but by the time of the talk meditators had meditated there for an hour. Chairs were put out for the audience. The black Halloween decoration on the stage that nobody had bothered to take down was covered with some white, gold and light blue drapes. The high rickety steps on which Goenkaji needed to climb to reach the stage remained the only challenge. Small wooden blocks placed on the steps solved the problem. The arrival of a group of virtuous venerable monks and nuns from a nearby monastery made the atmosphere in the hall auspicious. They were respectfully escorted to the front row. Goenkaji explained that Vipassana is a journey within. In Vipassana one learns how peace of mind is lost the moment one starts to react with craving and aversion. There is ignorance when there is a lack of experience of the reality within. There is no moment in life, in any posture and any position, when there is no sensation. And if there is ignorance then one keeps on reacting with craving and aversion to these sensations.

Section 4.15 84From Gross to Subtle One starts the work of eradicating this habit by learning to concentrate the mind. The mind becomes sharp if the area of observation is small. To investigate the mind-matter phenomenon the mind needs to be sharp. The sharper the mind, the deeper it penetrates. However, as one starts observing the breath, the mind wanders away. One may get upset but is told, “Just accept, ‘my mind has wandered away’ and come back to the awareness of breath. Keep trying patiently and persistently”. As the mind becomes calm, the breath becomes shorter and shorter. As the breath becomes shorter and shorter, the mind becomes subtler and subtler. Goenkaji talked about the process of investigation of the truth inside. As one keeps on observing the truth inside, one progresses from gross realities to subtler realities. This journey of gross to subtle takes one to the experience of all the ultimate realities. There are four ultimate realities: r³pa (matter), citta (mind/consciousness), cetasika (mental concomitants) and nibb±na. After the talk, Goenkaji met with the venerable monks and nuns. They expressed their pleasure at meeting Goenkaji and were grateful for his teaching. One of the monks mentioned that his first experience of meditation was with Goenkaji. After meeting with the monks and nuns, Goenkaji and Mataji met with others from the audience. One small child offered a flower to Mataji.

Day Sixty-Five (June 13) (Crescent City RV Park, Crescent City, California)

Section 4.16 85Minor Accident, Major Delay The Dhamma Caravan’s next destination was Ashland, Oregon but it was not possible to cover the distance in one day. Thus it was decided to stop at a campground on the way along the Pacific Coast. The decision proved wise as within about half an hour after starting the journey the rear tyres of Goenkaji’s motor home were punctured by sharp rocks by the side of the road along a sharp turn. Luckily, the driver 52 was able to manoeuvre the motor home into a large turnout, and the whole caravan was able to gather there to help. Some crewmembers made phone calls to locate new tyres. Another crewmember made tea for every one. This caused a delay of more than two hours. There were a couple of experienced mechanics among the crew and they quickly changed one tyre and extracted a piece of the muffler system, which was damaged in the accident. As the motor-home was stranded on the roadside, Goenkaji continued his reading. A senior teacher accompanying the Caravan in a car seized the opportunity to seek Goenkaji’s guidance on various issues pertaining to Vipassana activities in his area. After a delay of more than two hours the Caravan continued on its way until it was met further on the road by the repair vehicle, which brought another tyre.

Section 4.17 86Ancient Tree, More Ancient Tradition Along the way the Caravan took a small detour so that Goenkaji and Mataji could experience a “Drive- Through” tree. Because the motor homes could not actually drive through the tree, Goenkaji disembarked and walked from the parking lot to visit the 2400 year old Chandelier Tree. Its trunk had a diameter of about 31 feet. Goenkaji lovingly touched its trunk: the pure tradition of Dhamma that is more than 2600 years old had come from the other side of the earth and touched a tree that probably took birth at the time of Emperor Ashoka who spread the message of Dhamma far and wide. The Caravan continued its journey through the Redwood forests. The tall trees standing silently on either side blocked almost all sunlight but they seemed so gentle and benevolent. Redwood trees are among the most ancient on earth. Everyone in the Caravan felt a lot of affection welling up in their hearts for these trees. When the Caravan reached the Crescent City RV Park at 8pm that evening, everyone was ready to go to bed.

Day Sixty-Six (June 14) (Glenyan Campground, Ashland, Oregon)

Section 4.18 87Towards Warmer Climes A light, misty rain confined Goenkaji and Mataji to the motor home in the morning. The Dhamma Caravan began its journey around 11 in the morning to go to Ashland, Oregon. For the last few days the weather had been quite cold with a biting wind but as the Caravan moved towards Oregon, it started getting warmer and for most part there was bright sunshine. The Caravan reached the Glenyan Campground in Ashland in the evening. Those volunteers who didn’t have place to sleep in the motor homes pitched their tents, as they always did, in the vicinity of the motor homes. They were not unhappy about the discomfort; rather they knew how difficult the journey must be for their Teacher to have undertaken at such an advanced age and they felt fortunate to have been able to help in the mission of their Teacher.

Day Sixty-Seven (June 15) (Ashland, Oregon)

Section 4.19 88Within This Fathom-length Body The small town of Ashland has many old meditators. They had organized a one-day course at the Hidden Spring Wellness Center. Goenkaji went there to answer questions from the students on the course. In the evening, Goenkaji gave a public talk to a capacity crowd at the Unitarian Church.

53 The truth of suffering and the way out of suffering has to be realized within the framework of the body, within the mind-matter phenomenon. Within this fathom-length body one finds the source of misery and the way out of it. Craving and aversion have become a deeply ingrained habit pattern of the mind. One is unhappy when one doesn’t get what one wants. When one does get what one craves for, then the attachment to it makes one want it more and more; makes one worried and fearful at the possibility of losing it. Thus one remains miserable whether one doesn’t get what one craves for and also when one gets what one craves for. When one looks within, one learns at the experiential level that every physical or vocal action that harms others starts with an impurity in the mind making one agitated and miserable. Thus one understands that one should live a moral life not only for the benefit of others but also one’s own peace and happiness. Just as when one washes hands by rubbing them against each other, wisdom purifies morality and morality purifies wisdom.

Day Sixty-Eight (June 16) (Ashland /Portland, Oregon)

Section 4.20 89Long Days, Short Nights During the planning stage Ashland had seemed an insignificant, small stop on the road. The response of not only the old students who came to the one day course but also of the general public who flocked to the Unitarian Church to listen to Goenkaji’s lecture the previous night had surprised everyone because Ashland is a small town. There is an active regional committee of committed old students who organize regular group sittings, one- day courses and non-center ten-day courses in the area. They came to meet Goenkaji at the campground and he met them in small groups in his motor home. Three Caravan members spent the whole previous day doing some maintenance work on Goenkaji’s motor home. When they retired at night there was still about an hour’s remaining work. While Goenkaji met the local Dhamma workers, they finished their work and were ready for departure when Goenkaji finished the interviews. It was after eight in the evening when the Dhamma Caravan arrived at the RV park south of Portland. Everyone had had a long day both literally and figuratively. As the Caravan moved northward, the summer days became longer and longer. There was still plenty of light even at nine in the night.

Article V. 4Report June 17 - June 30

Day Sixty-Nine (June 17) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA)

Section 5.01 90Grove of Dhamma It had been raining for the last few days wherever the Dhamma Caravan went. This morning was no exception as it was raining when the Caravan started its journey towards Dhamma Kuñja. It reached the centre at 1 p.m. Kuñja means grove. Goenkaji gave this name to the centre because of the beautiful groves of pine trees there.

54 A ten-day course was in progress at the main centre property when the Caravan arrived. Two one-day courses had also been organized for the next two days for which huge tents were put up at the front of the property to accommodate all the visitors including the one-day course students. In this way the ten-day course was left undisturbed by the events on the rest of the property.

Section 5.02 91The First Dip in the Ganges of Reality Inside On the fourth day, Vipassana day, of a ten-day course, Goenkaji says in his evening discourse, “Today most of you have taken the first step on the path of Vipassana. Most of you, for the first time, have taken a dip in the Ganges of Dhamma within, in the Ganges of reality. “Otherwise, from the time you have taken birth, with open eyes you started seeing things outside, outside, outside. All the time the objects outside have been so predominant for you. You never cared to know what is happening inside. Even if you tried to meditate with closed eyes, you worked with these outside objects—things, which you have read, which you have heard, which you have seen. You contemplated all these. You never tried to observe the reality as it is. The reality as it is, within the framework of the body, is constantly changing. There is no stationary object on which you can keep your attention fixed. It is very helpful to know that everything is changing. Now you are becoming aware of this within the framework of the body. This is what the Buddha called in the language of those days: nicca½ k±yagat± sati.” New students on the ten-day course in Dhamma Kuñja were fortunate to learn Vipassana from the master himself. Because Goenkaji arrived by 1pm, he was able to give Vipassana in the late afternoon that day. After teaching Vipassana Goenkaji met with the trust members of Dhamma Kuñja. They had many questions about the ongoing construction at the centre. Goenkaji emphasized the need to use donation money carefully.

Day Seventy (June 18) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA / Portland, Oregon / Dhamma Kuñja, WA)

Section 5.03 92Noble Silence It continued to rain at Dhamma Kuñja. In the morning Goenkaji gave a telephone interview for a radio station in Mendocino, CA The radio station requested that he use a land telephone line as the voice quality on mobile phones is not always good so Goenkaji left his motor home and gave the interview in the small house at the entrance to the centre. One question the interviewer had was about silence on a Vipassana course. Wasn’t it difficult? A participant in a Vipassana course is expected to maintain noble silence for the first nine days of the course. During these first nine days, no communication is allowed among the students but every student is free to talk to the assistant teachers for any clarification of the technique. No reading or writing is permitted. This allows the student to work seriously and continuously with the least distraction. In the beginning some of the participants may have some difficulty but later on they start enjoying the silence.

Section 5.04 93Ashoka: A Bright Shining Star in the Galaxy of Gre at Kings. In the interview Goenkaji gave the example of Ashoka to show how the Buddha’s teaching has the potential to help the whole world. Ashoka had a huge empire that extended from modern day Afghanistan to Bangladesh. After he started following the Buddha’s teaching, he promoted Vipassana in his empire on a mass scale. During his reign of more than twenty-five years different sects lived together peacefully. There were no communal riots. There were no foreign invasions. In fact, he assured his neighbours in his 55 famous rock edicts that he had no imperial ambitions and his only wish was that they follow Dhamma which he often referred to as the righteous living. Ashoka once went away for more than three months to practice meditation seriously. He went to modern day Rajasthan, which was more than a thousand miles away from his capital, Pataliputra (Patna). It was a testament to his efficient Dhammic administration he had created that his empire remained secure, safe and peaceful during the entire time that he was away.

Section 5.05 94Everyone Has a Seed of Enlightenment To another question Goenkaji replied that everyone has the potential to become fully enlightened but one has to work seriously on the path of Dhamma. During the ten-day course a beginning is made. Every moment of awareness with equanimity is an enlightening moment. As we gather more and more such moments we inch towards the goal of full enlightenment. After the interview, Goenkaji answered questions from students on the one-day course in a huge tent that was set up as a temporary meditation hall for his visit.

Section 5.06 95Escape Is No Solution In the evening Goenkaji went back to Portland where a huge crowd gathered to listen to his practical wisdom at the Smith Memorial Centre Hall at Portland State University.. When one doesn’t get what one wants one becomes miserable and even when one does acquire something that one wants, one starts craving for more. There is desire to retain it and to multiply it. One may have many material comforts, name, fame, power but it comes with anxiety about losing these very things. One wants to keep holding on to these things. One faces misery in one form or another. One distracts oneself with this sensual pleasure or that sensual pleasure. One may pray. Or one may practise meditation techniques that concentrate the mind on some object or the other. This diverts attention away from the reality of the mind-matter phenomenon. But as the Enlightened One found out, escape is no solution. Vipassana is not mere concentration. It is awareness of all that happens in the mind-matter phenomenon especially sensations, which are meeting point of the mind and the body. Vipassana is to face the reality pertaining to defilements that make us miserable. In the question and answer session, someone asked about death. Goenkaji replied that if one learns the art of living a happy and peaceful life then one automatically learns the art of dying peacefully.

Day Seventy-One (June 19) (Dhamma Kuñja, WA / Lacey, WA)

Section 5.07 96Know Thyself Rain ceased and there was bright sunshine from the early morning. There was a second consecutive one- day course at Dhamma Kuñja. The students of this course were told at the time of registration that Goenkaji will not come for any session during their course. But Goenkaji decided to give Vipassana and also to answer their questions. He gave personal interviews after that. In the evening he travelled to St. Martin’s College in Lacey to give a public talk. The talk was organized in the college basketball stadium. When Goenkaji gives a public talk the audience usually becomes absolutely silent maintaining an almost pin-drop silence. People listen in rapt attention. This stadium must not have witnessed such a big gathering of people that kept absolutely quiet for such a long time.

56 In the beginning of the tour, there were problems at some venues with the audio system. But as the tour progresses, the local organizers, along with the Caravan members have taken great efforts to ensure that the audio system in every public talk venue works well. This has resulted in noticeable improvement in the sound quality during Goenakji’s talks. At St. Martin’s, Goenkaji said that the purpose of Vipassana is to generate, uphold and enhance human values. Spirituality is to live a happy and harmonious life. The understanding was limited to two dimensions of sense doors and sense objects before the Buddha. He discovered the third dimension of sensation to give a complete picture of our existence. Narrating how he came in contact with the Buddha’s teaching, Goenkaji said that his migraine was a blessing in disguise as it became the incidental cause for his meeting Sayagyi U Ba Khin for the first time. When he took his first course he realized what sages all over the world meant when they said, “Know thyself.” Before Vipassana, he would often think, “What is this ‘know thyself’? Of course, I know myself. I am Goenka. S. N. Goenka!” After Vipassana he understood the true meaning of “Know thyself”. In Vipassana, one understands oneself not just at the intellectual level but also at the experiential level. One understands what this mind-matter phenomenon that one keeps calling “I” or “mine” truly is.

Section 5.08 97Posture While Meditating People often think that the cross-legged posture is the only posture used for meditation. This is one of the reasons why they are hesitant to take a Vipassana course. It is true that sitting cross-legged offers stability to the body and one can maintain this posture for a longer time. Hence it is suitable for meditation. But one can sit in any posture that keeps one comfortable for a longer period of time. If someone has some disease or disability due to which one has to use a back-rest or one has to sit in a chair, then one can be provided with these aids during the course. Vipassana is not a physical exercise. One doesn’t practise Vipassana to torture oneself but to train one’s mind. Hence there is no insistence on any particular posture. It is important, however, that one keeps one’s neck and back straight no matter what posture is chosen. Even after one adapts a seemingly comfortable posture, some discomfort may be experienced because of the nature of purification process. When an old saªkh±ra of aversion comes up on the surface it manifests as an unpleasant sensation on the body. A painful sensation is not always because of a saªkh±ra coming up on the surface but it could be because of some other reasons such as one’s posture or the weather or diet or disease. Whatever the cause of a sensation, one has to observe it with equanimity so as not to form new saªkh±ras.

Section 5.09 98Instant Justice Goenkaji said that Vipassana makes one realize the law of nature within oneself. The law is that a pure mind is full of love and compassion. A pure mind is naturally happy and peaceful, while a defiled mind remains agitated and miserable. When one breaks the law of a state, one gets punished. Sometimes one may escape punishment even after breaking the law of a state. But the law of nature is always operative and inescapable. When generates any defilement in the mind such as anger, hatred, ill-will, jealousy etc one becomes unhappy and miserable then and there. One of the questions at the end of the talk was about combining Hath Yoga and Vipassana. Goenkaji replied that a Vipassana practitioner might practice Hath Yoga as long one practises only the ±sanas (postures) and pr±º±y±ma. One should not, however, mix any meditation practice from Yoga with Vipassana.

57 One meditator wanted to know how to differentiate between an injurious pain (i.e. pain that indicates some physical illness/damage) and a painful sensation due to saªkh±ras. Goenkaji replied that observing sensations equanimously doesn’t mean that one doesn’t use one’s common sense to seek medical treatment. However, whether the pain is due to disease or not, it is important that we maintain equanimity. Even when the pain is due to a physical ailment, if one reacts with aversion then one is making new saªkh±ras thus generating misery for oneself. The ideal way is to maintain equanimity towards this pain while seeking proper medical treatment. Sensations that we feel could be due to past saªkh±ras (during meditation, this is the case most of the time), atmospheric condition, food, posture, physical disorder etc. In every case, a meditator is careful not to make new saªkh±ras. After the talk Goenkaji ate his dinner in the motor home in the parking lot. Then the Caravan drove for two hours to reach the compound of a meditator couple’s house where it was planned to stay for next three days.

Day Seventy-Two (June 20) (Seattle)

Section 5.10 99Recipe for Success : Recipe for Misery Goenkaji was invited to give a talk to the business people at the Rainier Club in the morning. It was hosted by Gair Crutcher’s family. Her late father was a member of the club and the talk was organized in memory of her father. The sky was clear and Mt. Rainier could be seen clearly in all its beauty and majesty as Goenkaji was driven from his motor home to the Rainier Club in downtown Seattle. The room was full with invited guests from the business community. In his brief address, Goenkaji talked about his own life before and after Vipassana. He told them how worldly success at an early age made him so tense and miserable He would often smile in social situations, maintaining a façade of politeness even when he was extremely angry inside. Then this anger would explode once he reached home and his family members bore the brunt of it and suffered as a result. Talking about his life before Vipassana, Goenkaji said that he was a bad example of a CEO. He used to believe that he was successful because his employees were afraid of him. He was a total terror to his staff and felt that if he made his employees fearful he could get more work out of them.. He didn’t know that life could be better. He didn’t know that he could work more and in a more efficient manner. At times when he realized how miserable he was, he would cry in his prayer room in front of the idols of gods. But going out into the world, he would again be angry and miserable.

Section 5.11 100Recipe for Happiness : Recipe for More Success Vipassana taught him self-awareness. This inner awareness brought him in touch with the truth outside which led to more outer worldly success. More importantly he became aware of the truth inside and it began to give him immense peace and happiness. After he started practicing Vipassana, his whole attitude changed. He started to regard his staff as collaborators in his business. He began to really care for their welfare. His business increased. His turnover increased. He became more successful. But above all, he became more peaceful. The Buddha’s teaching brought light into his life.

Section 5.12 101Proper Donation He explained how even a meritorious deed such as a donation becomes corrupt when one’s volition is not right. One gives big donations to show to the world that one is a big philanthropist. One is more 58 concerned about getting name and recognition through one’s donations. When one learns to give donation properly, the only volition is to help others without expecting anything in return.

Section 5.13

Section 5.14 102Meditation and Cult In the question and answer session, Goenkaji was asked how to judge a particular teaching and teacher because meditation is often associated with various cults and gurus that exploit their followers. Goenkaji assured the audience that Vipassana was not a cult and that there was no scope for blind obedience in Vipassana.  Vipassana is not a cult and it has no characteristics of a cult.  There is no coercion to join or pressure to remain a meditator.  One is asked to judge the technique for oneself after giving a fair trial to it in a ten-day course.  There is no fee charged and no question of financial exploitation by a guru.  Neither the Principal Teachers and teachers nor the assistant teachers get any remuneration for their service.  All donations are entirely voluntary without slightest coercion.  There is no blind adherence to a philosophical belief.  Participants in a Vipassana course are encouraged to return to the society and to fulfil their duties in the society in a more responsible manner.  There is no effort to create a closed commune that is shut of and separate from the society in general.

Day Seventy-Three (June 21) (Seattle, WA)

Section 5.15 103Knock Out Punch Lucia Meijer was the director of the North Rehabilitation Facility (NRF—a low security jail) in Seattle when she started implementing Vipassana there about five years ago. Since then she has taken many ten- day courses and now gives a lot of Dhamma service at Dhamma Kuñja. She drove Goenkaji and Mataji to NRF on the mett± day of the ten-day course in progress there. Goenkaji took questions from the participants as well as from the jail staff. One inmate asked, “This is a hypothetical question. But still… suppose I am boxing. I don’t have any aversion towards my opponent. And I have an opportunity to deliver a knockout punch and I can deliver it with all love and compassion. What should I do?” Goenkaji laughed and answered, “Give a knock-out punch to your mental defilements and live a happy life!”

Section 5.16 104Dhamma in Town Halls Buddha, the Enlightened One, travelled throughout Northern India teaching Dhamma for forty-five years. He often spoke at the town halls in various places. Since then Dhamma teachers have followed his good example and have travelled far and wide teaching Dhamma in all sorts of different places. Goenkaji is speaking at various popular venues in different towns in North America during the MeditationNow tour. This evening Goenkaji gave a public talk at the Seattle Town Hall.

59 Section 5.17 105Outer Shell and Inner Essence He explained how all religions teach living a moral and upright life and how a moral life and purity of mind is the common essence of all religions. (Sayagyi U Ba Khin used to say, “Purity of mind is the greatest common denominator of all religions.”) It is inner essence of all religions. Various rites, rituals, ceremonies, festivals, dogmas and philosophical beliefs are the outer shell of all religions. Unfortunately, most of the so-called followers of religions ignore the inner essence and give importance to the outer shell. This attachment to the outer shell causes conflict. In Vipassana one finds the common essence of all religions. It is a scientific way of observation, that is, objective observation without allowing our beliefs or past experiences to colour the observation. A ten-day course is the beginning of this scientific process of self-awareness. As one starts the work of investigation inside, one soon realizes that one remains unhappy because one generates defilements in the mind. All defilements such as anger, hatred, jealousy, ego, fear, lust etc are products of craving and aversion. One needs to work patiently and persistently. And one keeps on checking whether it is helping in daily life.

Day Seventy-Four (June 22) (Seattle, WA)

Section 5.18 106Dhamma Prison In his public talk in Ashland, Oregon Goenkaji had explained that a spiritual prison of ten-days is necessary to learn Vipassana as one needs to practice continuously to learn the technique properly. Sometimes, inmates of a worldly prison get lucky and they get Vipassana in the prison. The North Rehabilitation Centre in Seattle is one such jail where Vipassana has helped so many inmates. “It was almost as if I was here by divine appointment,” said one ex-inmate while speaking during Goenkaji’s visit to NRF again on the last day of the course for ‘graduation’ of the inmates. Many former inmates also came to give an account of their experiences. One ex-inmate put the practical nature of Vipassana tersely and beautifully when he said, “It works if you work! Try it.” Goenkaji gave a brief talk. Often in life one feels that one is alone and helpless. But once one learns Vipassana one gets two great friends, Anapana and Vipassana, that give you constant company. These friends help one in keeping in touch with oneself. Time and again research has shown that merely taking the criminals off the streets and putting them behind bars has neither reduced crime nor helped with recidivism. Prisons are often called correctional facilities in USA. Goenkaji told the inmates, “No one else can correct you… you have to correct yourself.” It was a joyous moment for these inmates to meet Goenkaji. They took advantage of the opportunity to ask him questions. One asked what the “S. N.” in S. N. Goenka stood for and what it meant. “S. N.” stands for Satya Narayan. Literally it means, “Truth (is) God”. Another prisoner asked where power came from and Goenkaji replied that it comes from within. When one has eradicated all the negativities from the mind, one becomes the most powerful person on earth. Echoing Goenkaji’s statements about one’s influence on others, an inmate said, “When you shine, people around you shine”.

Section 5.19

Section 5.20 60 Section 5.21 107Neither Mahayana, nor Hinayana: Dhammayana Goenkaji was invited to speak at the Evergreen Buddhist Temple in Kirkland, WA. His talk was simultaneously translated into Mandarin by an old student. Sakyamuni Buddha discovered the practical teaching of Vipassana that made him enlightened and which he distributed freely to many during the forty-five years after his enlightenment. To a question whether Vipassana is closer to Mahayana or Hinayana, Goenkaji explained that Vipassana is neither Mahayana nor Hinayana, it is Dhammayana. Sakyamuni Buddha didn’t teach either Mahayana or Hinayana. He taught Dhammayana. Later on different branches developed but the fundamental teaching of the Buddha such as the Four Noble Truths, Tilakkhaºa (Three characteristics: impermanence, suffering and non-self), Noble Eightfold path and Paticcasamupp±da (Dependent Origination) are common to all the different schools of Buddhism. These schools are like different branches that take their nutrition from the same basic teachings of the Buddha of which Vipassana is the quintessence. All followers of the Buddha accept the law of cause and effect. This was his great discovery. In Vipassana, one experiences how cause and effect work, how when there is a cause, there is an effect and then this effect becomes the cause for the next effect. Thus the chain of misery continues. The Buddha found the link, sensations, where this cycle of cause and effect can be broken. Vipassana is a training to break the cycle of misery at this crucial link of sensations by systematically learning to observe sensations, remaining equanimous with the understanding of their impermanent nature. The practice of Vipassana was preserved in Myanmar (Burma) by a chain of teachers. Goenkaji learned Vipassana from Sayagyi U Ba Khin who belonged to this distinguished chain of teachers. Sayagyi had immense gratitude towards India from where Vipassana had originally spread to Myanmar. He used to say that so far as the greatest spiritual treasure of India—Vipassana—is concerned India had become bankrupt. He wanted Vipassana to spread to India and from there to the rest of the world. But he couldn’t go to due to some technicalities and therefore sent his chief disciple, Goenkaji, to India. During the question and answer session a question about the Bodhisatva vow came up. Goenkaji explained that a Bodhisatva (Bodhisatta) vow is taken in front of a Samma Sambuddha. The Samma Sambuddha checks to make sure that the person who is taking the vow is sincere and has all the requisite qualities and determination to strive for the Buddhahood. Only then does he pronounce this person as a Bodhisatva. Whether someone has taken the Bodhisatva vow or whether one is practicing to become an arahat, it is important to make all efforts to purify the mind. This is essential to accumulate the requisite paramis, whether one is to become an arahat or a Bodhisatva. Therefore rather than wasting one’s time in speculations one must practice to purify the mind.

Day Seventy-Five (June 23) (Seattle, WA / Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Section 5.22 108Gurudwara in Canada Goenkaji travelled from Seattle to Vancouver. Because of the delay at the border crossing, it was 4 pm when he reached Vancouver. That evening he gave a public talk in Hindi to a crowded hall at the Guru Ravidass Community Centre Gurudwara. Goenkaji has great reverence for Guru Nanak Dev and often quotes him during his ten-day course Hindi discourses. During his childhood Goenkaji studied in a Khalsa school from the age of eight to sixteen. Most of his schoolteachers were Sikhs. Sometimes he would go to the sangat in the local gurudwara (Sikh temple) and 61 listen to Guruwani (verses from Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs). He remembered so many of those verses when he learned Vipassana. The practice of Vipassana clarified the meaning of those verses. He explained how the Sikh Gurus had broken down the abominable caste system. Then he quoted the Buddha, “Just as the waters of different rivers after merging into the great sea have no separate identity, there is no division of class and caste among those who follow Dhamma.” Goenkaji pointed out that one important contribution of Guru Nanak Dev to Indian spirituality was that not only did he show by his own example that a householder can be a great spiritual person, but he also established a tradition of householder spiritual teachers. He recounted how one of his schoolteachers had explained the meaning behind the five items (kakkas) that each Sikh is supposed to carry on his person—Long hair and beard so that all look similar and that there is quick identification of all as brave warriors; a comb to care for one’s hair so that one keeps hair clean and doesn’t look like a matted hair ascetic; a sword to fight against injustice; an undergarment as a reminder that power comes with the responsibility not to take advantage of women and a steel bracelet to remind one not to harm innocent people, women and children. The bracelet is to remind him of his responsibility the moment he raises the sword. Guru Nanak Dev was very careful that his followers did not get intoxicated with power, money, fame and success. This is where Vipassana helps. It brings purity of mind and protects one from these intoxicants. Commenting on how so many so-called spiritual traditions hanker after power, Goenkaji said that Dharma is not for power, it is for purity. Such was the response of the audience that in spite of the long travel day, Goenkaji’s talk and question and answer session lasted more than two hours.

Day Seventy-Six (June 24) (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Section 5.23 109No Guru This In the morning Goenkaji went to IT Productions’ studio in Vancouver. He was interviewed by Ms. Sushma Dutt. She asked him about all the adulation and admiration that comes his way because he is a renowned Guru. Goenkaji said that the adulation and admiration was inconsequential and that he didn’t consider himself a Guru in the sense of a Guru who will liberate you if you surrender to him. The attitude of such a Guru is that the followers are weak and therefore they must depend on him for liberation. Such a Guru often exploits his followers. Goenkaji described his role and that of any Dhamma teacher as more of a guide who has experience on the path of Dhamma and who has benefited from it. Therefore he is merely showing it to others. [Goenkaji keeps saying that a Dhamma teacher is a giver-of-the-path (m±rgad±t±), not the giver of liberation (muktid±t±). This is what the Buddha declared about himself. Tumhehi kicca½ ±tappa½, akkh±t±ro tath±gat±. One who has walked on the path and become liberated will show you the path but you have to walk it yourself; you have to work yourself. Before he passed away the Buddha exhorted his followers to make an island of oneself, to seek refuge in oneself, not to seek refuge in anything else; to make an island of Dhamma—the Law, to seek refuge in the Dhamma and not to seek refuge in anything else. Attad²p± viharatha attasaraº± anaññasaraº±, dhammad²p± dhammasaraº± anaññas araº±.] He was asked about his relations with Sayagyi. Wasn’t he devoted to his teacher? Goenkaji was impressed by Sayagyi’s saintly nature right from the first meeting. But it turned into a teacher-disciple relationship only after he took a ten-day course under Sayagyi’s guidance. As he walked further on the path of 62 Dhamma, his respect for Sayagyi increased and he developed an immense sense of gratitude for Sayagyi. Respect and gratitude for one’s teacher are natural. A real teacher becomes happy not when his disciples worship him but when they follow his teaching.

Section 5.24 110The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck Many years ago when there were only a few hundred Vipassana meditators around the world in this tradition and the courses taught by Sayagyi U Ba Khin were small, he declared confidently that the clock of Vipassana had struck. This was evident this evening when Goenkaji gave a talk at the Plaza of Nations in Vancouver. The huge crowd gathered there showed that a wave of interest in Vipassana is spreading. This was Goenkaji’s first visit to Vancouver. The audience listened with rapt attention as he spoke eloquently on the waterfront. He explained that though Vipassana is widely known as a meditation technique it was actually an objective observation—observation in a special way. While all meditation techniques strive for concentration of mind using some object or the other that doesn’t change, Vipassana is observation of the changing nature of the body and mind. Other meditation techniques lack any awareness of the reality about the mind-matter phenomenon that one keeps calling “I” or “mine”. Vipassana is awareness of the mind-matter interaction at the experiential level, that is, at the level of sensations. It is self-awareness within the framework of the body.

Section 5.25 111Deep Surgical Operation Goenkaji calls the ten-day Vipassana course a deep surgical operation of the mind. It reaches the depths of the mind where defilements arise, multiply and where they can be eradicated. One starts with the observation of the breath as it is. When the mind is sharp enough to feel the sensations one moves on to Vipassana where one feels sensations throughout the body and learns not to react to them with craving or aversion. It is easy to have intellectual understanding but one needs to practice seriously to gain experiential wisdom.

Day Seventy-Seven (June 25) (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Section 5.26 112Broadcasting Dhamma Goenkaji has been interviewed by a number of radio stations since his arrival in North America. In Vancouver, he was interviewed by Rafe Mair on CKNW. Goenkaji explained how the Buddha discovered this technique twenty-six centuries ago, exploring the reality within the framework of the body. Rafe asked whether family members saw changes in Goenkaji after Vipassana. “Well, of course, the results are here and now.” Rafe wondered how it was possible to do his job, as a radio talk show host dealing with controversial issues and people, and not get angry. How could he articulate his concern without anger? Goenkaji laughed and replied that when the habit of blind reaction goes away, there is positive action. One is more effective in articulating one’s concern. When necessary Vipassana helps one to take a strong physical or vocal action without getting generating anger. Vipassana doesn’t make one inactive. One becomes more active but the habit of blind reaction goes away.

63 Section 5.27 113Eight-fold Noble Path That evening Goenkaji went back to the Plaza of Nations to give a Dhamma talk to the expatriate Chinese community that is showing increasing interest in Vipassana—the quintessence of Sakyamuni Buddha’s teaching. Goenkaji described how Vipassana is the Noble Eightfold Path. On every ten-day course one takes refuge in the triple gem and follows five precepts scrupulously. This is s²la, which includes: 1) Samm±-v±c±—Right Speech, purity of vocal action. 2) Samm±-kammanta—Right Action, purity of physical action. 3) Samm±-±j²va—Right Livelihood. In a course one is leads a noble life like a monk or a nun, accepting whatever is provided by grateful old students. One also learns how to make one’s livelihood better; how to abstain from livelihood that harms others when one returns home after the course. One trains one’s mind to remain focused on one point, without craving or aversion, and one starts developing sam±dhi which includes: 4) Samm±-v±y±ma—Right Effort. 5) Samm±-sati—Right Awareness. Awareness of the reality of the present moment. Of the past there can only be memories; for the future there can only be aspirations, fears, imaginations. One starts practising samm±-sati by training oneself to remain aware of whatever reality manifests at the present moment, within the limited area of the nostrils (below the nostrils above the upper lips or at the tip of the nostrils). One must develop the ability to be aware of the entire reality, from the grossest to the subtlest level. Soon one develops awareness of sensations throughout the body. 6) Samm±-sam±dhi—Right Concentration. Mere concentration is not the aim of this technique. Concentration has a base of purity—one is aware of the present reality within oneself. Continuity of awareness from moment to moment is samm±-sam±dhi. Goenkaji explained that he knew from his own experience that adding a word or visualization would make it very easy to make the mind concentrated. Still Sayagyi asked him to watch mere breath because the aim is not only to concentrate the mind but also to purify it. Then one learns paññ± to be able to penetrate to the depth of the mind to enjoy real happiness. 7) Samm±-saªkappa—Right Thoughts. It is not necessary that the entire thought process be stopped before one can begin to develop wisdom. Thoughts remain, but the pattern of thinking changes. Instead of thoughts of craving, aversion, and delusion, one begins to have healthy thoughts of love and compassion, thoughts about Dhamma and the path to purification of the mind. 8) Samm±-diµµhi—Right Understanding. This is real paññ±, understanding reality as it is, not just as it appears to be. Similarly Tilakkhaºa (Three Characteristics) of impermanence, suffering and non-self are not Buddha’s philosophical beliefs but the nature of all compounded things. The three characteristics are experienced by each one who starts taking steps on the path of scientific exploration shown by the Buddha. The Buddha used to say that he was above all philosophies. Hence these three characteristics should not be taken as Buddhist philosophy. The Sakyamuni Buddha discovered and proclaimed the truth that is applicable to one and all. It is not merely for the Buddhists. Mere belief in anatt± (non-self) doesn’t stop one from reacting with aversion to unpleasant sensations and with craving to pleasant sensations. It is the investigation of the reality within that reveals to us that everything in the field of mind and matter is ephemeral and without any essence. If 64 it is “I” then I must have mastery over mind and matter. But one finds that one has no control over these phenomena. Out of ignorance one remains deluded that one of the five aggregates is the soul or the ‘I’. Anatt± is not a philosophy but an experiential knowledge.

Section 5.28 114Suññat± (shunyat±) Suññat± (shunyat±) has two meanings: One, at the worldly level it means that everything in the field of mind and matter is devoid of any lasting essence or substance which one can hold on to and say that this is ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘my soul’. Two, one may refer to the experience of nibb±na as Suñña. Goenkaji ended his talk by making a humble request to the followers of different branches of Buddhism and also people from different religious backgrounds to learn the practical aspect of the Buddha’s teaching.

Day Seventy-Eight (June 26) (Vancouver, BC, / Victoria, Canada)

Section 5.29 115D±na of Food Throughout this long tour of North America, expatriate Indian meditators have cooked Indian vegetarian food for Goenkaji and Mataji. This ensures that they eat the food that they are used to and they can continue to spread the message of Dhamma without compromising their health as they rush from place to place. Today Goenkaji and Mataji met with and thanked the expatriate Indian meditators who cooked food for him during his stay in Vancouver. When Goenkaji and Mataji meet these women they call them Annapurnas (literally, one who gives food). Annapurna is a common name of women in some parts of India. These meditators not only cook for Goenakji and Mataji but also for the Caravan members who travel with them. Many of these selfless servers don’t even ask for private interviews with Goenkaji because they don’t want to take his precious time. In countries that have traditionally been followers of the Buddha, people serve food for these members of the Sangha who have left the householder’s life. Goenkaji often relates what a wonderful sight it is in Myanmar to see a line of bhikkhus, very early in the morning, going on alms round with measured steps and downcast eyes. The householders understand that the bhikkhus have dedicated their lives to the highest endeavour that a human being can undertake—liberation from all suffering. Therefore they feel great joy in serving food to these bhikkhus. The joyful volition with which they serve is actually the merit they earn. This is bound to give wonderful fruits in the future also. This is true about any wholesome deed that one performs. The merit one earns is not a matter of belief. It actually comes from the joy that one derives and peace one feels when one performs these selfless acts. These meditators’ service of providing healthy food for Goenkaji and others in the Dhamma Caravan has been valuable for Goenkaji’s mission of spreading the message of Dhamma in North America. After taking leave of the small group that had come to see Goenkaji in his motor-home, the Dhamma Caravan took the ferry from the Tsawwassen BC Ferry terminal to the Swartz Bay BC Ferry Terminal on Vancouver Island. The local students rented the conference room on board for Goenkaji and the caravan crew to use so everyone gathered there when the ferry departed. Some went out from time to time to enjoy the beautiful scenery outside with the snowy mountains in the distance. Two of the female Caravan members took Mataji out on the bow to watch as the ferry threaded its way through the small islands. Goenkaji remained inside, absorbed in the commentary on Mangala Sutta that he was reading.

65 On arrival at Vancouver Island, the Dhamma Caravan drove to the Westbay Marine Village and RV Park. It was sunny and cool. That same evening Goenkaji gave a public talk in Victoria at the Conservatory of Music—a beautiful hall in a gorgeous stone church. Goenkaji explained that the sensation is the junction from which two paths start: first, the path of misery if one reacts with craving and aversion towards these sensations and second, the path of liberation from misery if one maintains equanimity with the understanding of the impermanent nature of sensations. He told the story of the first group of Christian missionaries who joined a Vipassana course a few years after Goenkaji started teaching in India. An elderly Mother Superior was part of this group. She came to Goenkaji at the end of the course and said, “Goenkaji, you are teaching Christianity in the name of the Buddha!” Goenkaji smiled and said that he taught the law of nature that is same for everyone. The misery is universal and the way out of misery is also universal.

Day Seventy-Nine (June 27) (Victoria, BC, Canada)

Section 5.30 116What Goenkaji Does on a Scheduled Rest Day That night it started to rain and continued for the entire morning. The day was scheduled to be a rest-day for Goenkaji but this is how the events unfolded: He had to go get a haircut in the morning. He had not been scheduled to go to the one-day course but he decided to go to give Vipassana at the Victoria Truth Centre where the one-day course was being held. After giving Vipassana he returned to the RV Park. In the afternoon Mrs. Ellaichidevi Agrawal, teacher of Vipassana and Goenkaji’s younger sister, arrived from India to join the Dhamma Caravan. The Caravan crew greeted her enthusiastically. Everyone was happy that Mataji would have another person with whom she could speak in Hindi. Goenkaji met a few meditators on his evening walk. After tea Mataji, Mrs Ellaichidevi, some of the Caravan crew and some local students went to see the famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria. While the others were at the gardens, Goenkaji gave two interviews on phone to journalists from Missoula, Montana. Then he gave an interview to Bennett Miller, the documentary filmmaker travelling in the Dhamma Caravan. It was past 8 pm, still there was plenty of light outside. The rain continued unabated. Goenkaji decided to take his exercise inside the motor home.

Day Eighty (June 28) (Victoria, BC / Chilliwack, BC, Canada)

Section 5.31 117Ambitious Plan The Dhamma Caravan got a bit of a late start and made it just in the nick of time to catch the eleven o’clock ferry back to the mainland. The plan was to visit a nunnery of bhikkhunis from Hong Kong in Chilliwack before heading through the mountains to Dhamma Surabhi that evening. After crossing over on the ferry, the caravan stopped for lunch. It continued to rain. Travelling was slow because of rain and the heavy holiday weekend traffic. 66 Goenkaji reached the Po Lam nunnery at seven in the evening. He was greeted by nine bhikkhunis who live there. The senior nun was an old student of Vipassana. All the rest of the nuns were planning to attend a ten-day course in Vipassana in September. Goenkaji presented books to the nuns. Since it was still raining, it was decided to stop in a RV Park in Chilliwack.

Day Eighty-One (June 29) (Chilliwack, BC / Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt, Canada)

Section 5.32 118Fragrance of Dhamma The Dhamma Caravan left Chilliwack around 10.30 am to travel to Dhamma Surabhi (lit. frangrance of Dhamma). It was still raining in Chilliwack and the caravan crew had grown a bit tired of rain especially because some members had to sleep in soggy tents the night before and there was no dry place to set up the dining tables. When the volunteers from Dhamma Surabhi phoned and told the crew that it was sunny at the centre, the news was greeted with joy. The Dhamma Caravan began to weave its way up the mountain range, coming across areas of snow among the deep green trees and nestled into rocky crevices. Then suddenly it became sunny. The beautiful mountain road took the caravan to the scenic centre that had just finished its first phase of development. Like the other centres visited by the caravan, the centre complex could not accommodate the students who had come for the scheduled one-day course, so tents were put up for use as temporary Dhamma hall and as dining halls. When the caravan arrived at one in the afternoon, Goenkaji decided to go directly to the temporary Dhamma hall of the one-day course for a question and answer session. One student asked what was the place of reading Dhamma literature in one’s practice. Goenkaji replied that it is very beneficial to read Dhamma literature as one gets inspiration and also clarification for one’s practice. However, he warned that if one is reading translations of Pali rather than original Pali then there could be confusion sometimes due to erroneous translation. It was almost 2pm when he finished answering questions from students. In the evening a freelance reporter recorded an interview with him for a radio station. Then he met with students for private interviews. Then the teachers-in-charge of Dhamma Surabhi took Goenkaji and Mataji on a tour of the building that houses all residences, kitchen, dining hall and meditation hall. Then they walked outside for some time to see the plans for further expansion of the center. Dhamma Surabhi is nestled comfortably in the woods along the slopes of a valley with a clear water mountain stream running alongside the property. A brief meeting with the trust followed.

Day Eighty-Two (June 30) (Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt, Canada)

Section 5.33 119Peace First : First Nations The natives of Canada before the European settlers came there are often referred to as the First Nations. The Grand Chief for the Cold Water people, his wife and daughter, his father (an Elder for these people and an Elder with the Upper Nicola People) came to meet Goenkaji in the morning. The Chief explained how his father and grandfather taught him a meditative life, how solitude has been important for him and how living peacefully with others is an important part of the First Nations people. Goenkaji explained to 67 him how peace within puts us in perfect harmony with the nature. He also explained how Vipassana cures various addictions and how it helps one come out of all defilements such as anger, hatred, fear etc. He exhorted the visitors to give the technique a try so that they can have a better understanding of their own ancient culture as well as a powerful tool to make them strong enough to preserve it. He also told the Chief how Maoris in New Zealand have been benefiting from Vipassana. Even in New Zealand, it all started when a couple of prominent members of the Maori community joined a Vipassana course. They benefited from it and the word started spreading among that community. Immediately after the meeting with the First Nations was over, a business reporter for the Chicago Tribune sought an interview on the phone. Goenkaji explained how Vipassana helps one to seek balance in life even when one is striving to excel in business. The reporter wanted to know what was wrong with charging money for Dharma teachings. Goenkaji replied that Dharma was priceless and that putting a price-tag on it would devalue it. Moreover when a Dharma teacher starts charging money for his teaching then money becomes the motive behind his teaching. It is no longer a selfless service out of love and compassion. There is a profit motive. This is fine in business but in Dharma it is a poison that kills the very essence of Dharma. Goenkaji again gave some private interviews before winding up a long morning session. In the early evening again he met individual meditators. That evening a ten-day course was starting at Dhamma Surabhi. The course was full. Goenkaji gave Anapana to the students from 9 to 10 pm. Metta session with Dhamma workers and some phone calls further detained him so that he could not retire to his motor home until after eleven.

68 Article VI. 5Report July 1 to July 11

Day Eighty-Three (July 1) (Dhamma Surabhi, Merritt / Golden, Canada)

Section 6.01 120In to the Nature

Goenkaji’s maiden visit to British Columbia generated much more interest in the general public than local meditators had hoped for. It also brought most of the local meditators together.

It was interesting and inspiring to see so many people gathered to hear the profound and yet simple wisdom of Vipassana. It is easy to incite the passions of the masses with inflammatory speeches or religious fervor but it is not so easy to teach people to quietly look within. Dhamma is simple and logical and it is also serious and profound. The clock of Vipassana definitely has struck in this area.

Meditators serving on the Dhamma Caravan felt so pleased with the response to Goenkaji’s visit. Dhamma Surabhi was living up to its name. Surabhi (fragrance) of Dhamma was spreading all over B.C.

The Caravan left the pretty Cold Water Valley in the morning. The mountains were covered with lush green trees of pines, giant cedars and firs on both sides of the road. As the Caravan climbed through the Canadian Rockies it came across one breathtaking view after another. The air was pleasantly cool. Green forests on either side produced a meditative atmosphere. Every now and then treeless, rocky mountaintops raised their heads and there was still some snow on all of them. In the Glacier National Park the snow flowed in rivulets down the mountain gorges.

This day was devoted entirely to travel. There were no events that day to push the Caravan to reach its destination. After a hectic program from San Diego to Dhamma Surabhi, the crew was able to sit back and relax a little bit. After passing through the Glacier National Park, Goenkaji was able to get down from his motorhome to walk in the quiet cool mountain air.

It was after 9 in the evening that the Caravan reached Golden, a sleepy little town. It was quite late in the night when the caravan crew finished setting up. After that they meditated in small groups in their tents, pop up trailers, motor homes etc. The last group finished its sitting at about one in the morning.

Day Eighty-Four (July 2) (Golden / Calgary, Canada)

Section 6.02 121Rockies

The night was short and daylight broke early. The Caravan crew was rewarded with a beautiful view of snowy mountains in the distance and the sound of the the Kicking Horse River nearby. Because of the previous late night it was hard for everyone to get going again, even though there were many miles to cover to the next destination. Some crew members decided to take advantage of the clean cool mountain air to jog, walk or bike. One crewmember headed towards the lone Internet café close to the park to get news for Goenkaji. The Caravan had been isolated from big towns for a long time and it was important that he had news from the Vipassana organizations worldwide as well as from the mundane world.

The Caravan finally rolled out of the park around eleven. On this stretch it encountered some of the most beautiful scenery on the tour. There were turquoise mountain lakes, verdant trees, clear creeks and 69 inviting rivers all along the way. The Caravan stopped at the famous Lake Louise, a serene glacier lake, for lunch. On this journey the Caravan encountered the Rocky mountains in all their grandeur—sometimes covered with soothing green trees, sometimes austere bare steel gray mountains with or without snow but always grand.

The Caravan skirted one huge steel grey mountain in Banff that looked an epitome of solidity and stability. A crew-member recollected the Dhammapada verse:

Selo yath± ekaghano, v±tena na sam²rati; eva½ nind±pasa½s±su, na samiñjanti paº¹it±.

(Just as a solid rock that doesn’t get shaken by the wind, just so a wise person is not affected by praise and criticism.)

It looked as if the mountains were unending on either side of the road, but in the late afternoon suddenly the Caravan hit the plains before Calgary. The Caravan reached the KOA RV Park around six in the evening. However, the sun continued to be as relentlessly intense as on an Indian summer afternoon.

The Caravan crew was busy with various mundane activities when someone saw Goenkaji walking on his own up a steep slope just after 9 pm.

Day Eighty-Five (July 3) (Calgary, Canada)

Section 6.03 122Stampede

That weekend Calgary was hosting their annual fair and rodeo show called the Calgary Stampede. Although most beings run in a stampede from birth to death, there are a few who do want to get out of this cycle of misery. A Vipassana meditator realizes that there is no greater stampede than the stampede of thoughts in the mind.

In the morning an enthusiastic group of local meditators including trust members and assistant teachers came to the RV park to meet with Goenkaji and ask him questions.

Section 6.04 123Committed Relationship: The Doors are Closed

Because one of the requirements for a long course is that one is either single or is in a committed relationship, one of the students asked what a committed relationship is. Goenkaji answered that a committed relationship means a lifelong commitment. It means that the doors are closed.

In the evening Goenkaji talked at the Metropolitan Centre in downtown Calgary. In anticipation of a large crowd, the organizers had made arrangements for a simulcast of Goenkaji’s talk in an adjacent room for those who could not find a seat in the main hall. When it became clear that there would be an overflowing crowd, old students were asked to go watch the talk next door, giving non-meditators the opportunity to listen to Goenakji live in the main hall. Even this smaller room filled up and some had to stand.

Section 6.05

Section 6.06 70 Section 6.07 124Meditation Vs. Vipassana

Goenkaji explained that although this technique is commonly described as Vipassana meditation, usually meditation means concentration on a stationary object. Vipassana is different in that one observes the reality inside as it manifests itself from moment to moment and which is constantly changing. In this sense Vipassana is unlike all other meditations.

Section 6.08 125Eyes Closed

Then he described what is practised in a ten-day Vipassana course. One sits down in a comfortable posture. One keeps the eyes gently closed because the eyes have no function in the awareness of breath and sensations. If the eyes are open then the mind is bound to be distracted. Therefore during a meditation sitting one meditates with the eyes closed.

Section 6.09 126Breath: Bridge to the Unknown

It is easier and faster to concentrate the mind if, along with awareness of respiration, one starts repeating a word, a mantra, a god’s name, or if one starts imagining the shape or form of a deity. But in Vipassana, one is required to observe bare respiration, as it naturally is, without regulating it; no word or imagined form may be added.

These are not permitted because the final aim of this meditation is not mere concentration of mind. Concentration is only an aid, a step leading to the higher goal of total purification of mind thereby attaining liberation from all misery.

Using an imaginary object or an outside object of attention—a word or form—does not help one to discover the subtler truths about oneself. To penetrate to a subtler truth, one must begin with truth, with an apparent, gross reality such as respiration. Breath has the advantage of always being available—from birth to death.

Vipassana is a path from the known to the unknown. The respiration acts as a bridge from the known to the unknown, because respiration is one function of the body that can be either conscious or unconscious, intentional or automatic. One practices awareness of natural, normal breath. And afterwards one starts experiencing still subtler truths about oneself. Every step is a step with reality; to discover subtler realities about oneself, about your own body and mind.

One is asked to observe only the physical function of respiration, but at the same time, one starts observing the mind, because the nature of the breath is strongly connected to one’s mental state. As soon as any impurity, any defilement arises in the mind, the breath becomes abnormal—one starts breathing a little rapidly, a little heavily. When the defilement passes away, the breath again becomes soft. Thus the breath is strongly related to the mind. and can open the door to the reality pertaining to the mind-matter phenomenon.

The next step is the awareness of sensations. Vipassana is the objective observation of sensations without identifying oneself with the sensations.

Section 6.10

71 Section 6.11 127Peace within First

Calgary had recently hosted a Summit of G8 nations. In his talk, Goenkaji explained that there cannot be peace in the world if there is no peace within each individual. After all, society is made up of individuals.

Goenkaji told the audience that intellectual understanding is for mere inspiration. Real results come only from actual practice. Therefore he urged the audience to spare ten days to learn this wonderful technique. He said, “Practice it, see the results for yourself and only then accept it!”

After the talk Goenkaji gave an interview to Shaw TV. Afterwards he met with about 90 students from the SHAD program in which some of the brightest high school students throughout Canada are brought together. It was encouraging to see that these bright intelligent teenagers had the opportunity to learn about Vipassana at such an early age.

Day Eighty-Six (July 4) (Calgary / Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

Section 6.12 128The Northern Point of the North American Tour

It was a hectic day. The Caravan got ready early for its journey to Edmonton, the capital of Alberta (The Wild Rose Province)).

In the initial planning stages of the tour, there was some hesitation about including Edmonton on the tour as it meant that the Caravan would have to go northward from Calgary and then again go south to Calgary.

However, the enthusiastic turnout of people at the evening public talk in the beautiful Edmonton City Hall showed that Edmonton merited a visit from Goenkaji.

Every time one defiles the mind one becomes a miserable person. Sometimes, one can divert one’s attention when any defilement arises by reciting a name or imagining a shape. But this is not the reality. Those who explored the entire field of mind and matter and became fully enlightened understood that diverting the attention, although it appears to push out the negativity, actually only suppresses it. Whatever negativity - anger, hatred, ill will, passion, or fear - at the surface level of the mind seems to have disappeared, but it has actually been pushed deep inside.

Deep inside it keeps rolling and multiplying. You are not free from your misery. Escape is not a solution to the problem. Instead these enlightened people realized that the negativity has to be observed. Whenever any negativity arises, it should not be suppressed nor given a free license to express itself at the vocal or physical level. The middle path is just to observe it. Observe it objectively. Then the impurity becomes weaker and weaker, and passes away.

Although a good theoretical solution, it is very difficult to practise. When negativity arises, it overpowers you so quickly. Even if one wanted to observe the negativity, how can one observe abstract negativity? Even if you sit to meditate, you can't observe it. Suppose anger has arisen: the first difficulty is that you are so overpowered that you don't even remember that you should observe the anger.

You need a private secretary to remind you whenever anger comes. This private secretary will only work an eight-hour shift, and you have no contract with your anger only to come when your private secretary is

72 on duty! You may need three private secretaries or four or five private secretaries. Well, assume that every moment you have a private secretary nearby. And when anger arises, the private secretary calls out: "Look, sir: anger! Observe the anger!" The first thing you will do is to shout at him or slap him: "You fool! Are you here to teach me? I know what to do!" Anger is anger, after all! Suppose you behaved properly, and thanked him: "You were kept for this purpose. You advised me well. Now I must observe my anger." How will you observe it? Anger has no shape or colour. If you try to observe it with closed eyes, you will only observe the object of your anger, the person or the incident, which made you angry. It keeps repeating itself in your mind, and stimulating your anger, making it worse. You are not observing anger.

This is why enlightened people taught observation of respiration and sensations. They realized that mind and matter are totally interconnected. They are two sides of the same coin. As soon as anger, passion, fear, or any negativity arises in the mind, two things start happening at the physical level—the first at a gross level, the second at a subtler level.

At a gross level, the breath loses its normality. It becomes fast or hard or irregular. When the impurity abates, again it becomes normal. Something else starts at a subtler level, at the sensation level. It might be palpitations, heat, perspiration, or tension etc.

While it is very difficult to observe abstract anger or passion, one can observe the respiration or sensations on the body. With practice, even an ordinary person can develop this ability. In this way objective observation of any impurity becomes easy. Then you are not diverting your attention to something else. You are facing the problem: neither running away from it, nor suppressing it.

It is a wonderful solution, but requires practice. Mere sermons don’t help. Even a child knows that anger, hatred, fear etc are not good for one’s happiness. One has to practise. There is no magic or miracle. The old habit pattern of the mind is to focus on the apparent cause of the misery outside, never trying to understand the process inside. Vipassana helps you with this, which is far more important than anything outside.

After the public talk, Goenkaji was interviewed for the TV show “Image India” by Mr. Sharma.

Edmonton was the northernmost point on the North America tour. Even at 10pm. There it was still light outside. As Goenkaji was driven back from the public talk, three huge rainbows appeared on the horizon. One was very prominent and bright, and two were somewhat hazy. They were so big that they looked like huge shafts arising from ground. They faded towards the top. None in the Caravan crew had seen such big rainbows. Just then someone saw the other end of two rainbows on the left side, which also looked like shafts arising from ground. Before the appearance of the rainbows, two of the Caravan crew were discussing with a local meditator whether that area was known for the Northern Lights. After the appearance of the rainbows, everyone agreed that the rainbows were almost as good as the Northern Lights.

Day Eighty-Seven (July 5) (Edmonton / High River, Alberta, Canada)

Section 6.13 129Success Without Dhamma Means Ego and Intoleranc e

In spite of the previous late night, Goenkaji was ready early the next morning for a talk to business people at the Telus Centre in the University of Alberta. 73 The talk was co-sponsored by the Canadian Center for Social Entrepreneurship. Goenkaji told the audience that before he learned Vipassana, success in his worldly life made him very egocentric. He became very intolerant and angry as a result of this strong ego. He then explained how everything changed after he received the gift of Vipassana.

He remarked jokingly to a question that Dhamma is not a credit business. It is a cash business. One gets the results here and now. And one’s credit also builds up as one accumulates good merits.

Answering another question, he said that honesty is the best policy. However, one’s greed makes on blind to even one’s own welfare.

With Vipassana one becomes very soft deep inside but one can still take tough action outside.

He recited one of his favorite little poems:

It is easy enough to be pleasant when life flows along like a sweet song; but the man worthwhile is a man with a smile when everything goes dead wrong!

In the end he thanked the audience for sparing more than an hour to listen to him. He reminded them that the talk was only for intellectual understanding and that they had to spare ten days to learn this technique to get the actual benefits from it.

After the talk, Goenkaji and Mataji met with the local meditators at a roadside rest area just outside Edmonton.. Goenkaji answered their questions about administrative matters, to the possibility of starting a new center and questions about their practice.

In the afternoon the Caravan left Edmonton for a campground south of Calgary.

Section 6.14 130Mosquito Menace

In the Tipitaka (the collection of the discourses of the Buddha and some of his chief disciples) one finds mention of ¹a½samakasav±t±tapasar²sapasamphass±na½ (contact with gadfly, mosquito, wind and reptiles). Although a monk’s robes protect him against such a contact, he is expected to develop tolerance for these things when he can’t avoid them. The mosquitoes are less of a problem for today’s meditator who lives and meditates in a more protected environment. The Dhamma Caravan had to face the mosquito menace every now and then at different campsites. But the campsite where the Caravan arrived that evening was a den of the fiercest mosquitoes that the Caravan had encountered so far. If the stinging mosquitoes are common at the time of the Buddha and today, the wonderful Dhamma is also the same at the time of the Buddha and today. That night the Caravan crew set up the meditation tent and some members that were too busy to make it to the tent in time sat their second sitting in the documentary filmmaker’s motor home past midnight.

74 Day Eighty-Eight (July 6) (High River, Alberta, Canada / Whitefish, Montana)

This morning Goenkaji had a brief meeting with a local assistant teacher couple before the Caravan departed for the next destination back in the USA.

Section 6.15 131Rockies Again

From Edmonton past Calgary the Caravan travelled on a long, flat stretch of plains. The Rocky Mountains could be seen on the right in the distance. After some time they disappeared from view and those not familiar with the geography of the area thought they had said goodbye to the Rockies for good. However, after travelling for some time on the plains the Caravan again faced Rockies ahead. For lunch the Caravan stopped at a rest area surrounded by mountains that still had some snow on them.

The border crossing, unlike on the way from Seattle to Vancouver, was a small, quiet place where a lone vehicle was waiting in front of the Caravan to get into the USA. The immigration officer was gracious. She wished Goenkaji and Mataji a joyous trip of the USA and the Caravan headed for a meditator’s property near Whitefish, Montana.

(a) 204Deer Park

The Caravan left the main road for a windy dirt road until it reached a long, pretty meadow. This property was an ideal place for a recluse. A meditator had been living there alone for years. The house had a meadow in the front and a meadow in the back, with low-forested hills behind. What it lacked in material comfort was more than made up by simple, genuine hospitality, a meditative atmosphere and bountiful nature. There were deer playing on the meadow behind the house. They were oblivious to the largest number of human visitors the property had received in a long time. The property reminded some of the description of the Migad±va (Deer park) in Sarnath where the Buddha set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma.

One more mundane thing that all the Caravan crew was happy about was the telephone connection even in that remote place. Most could connect their laptops to the Internet and get their mail.

Unfortunately the terrain was too uneven for Goenkaji to walk outside.

Day Eighty-Nine (July 7) (Whitefish / Missoula, Montana)

Section 6.16 132Open Sky

Montana is called the “Big Sky” state. The Buddha had said, samb±dho ghar±v±so raj±patho, abbhok±so pabbaj± (a householder’s life is difficult—a path full of dust, while monk-hood is like an open sky). Now a Dhamma teacher who teaches the householders how to remain clean in the dust of the worldly life was travelling in a remote sparsely populated state that not many would have even imagined that he would visit.

All the newspapers in Missoula carried news of Goenkaji’s arrival and articles on Vipassana. In Missoula the Caravan stayed on the property of a meditator’s mother who had not only kindly allowed the Caravan the use of her property but had also offered the use of her house while she herself stayed away in a friend’s 75 house. All were touched by her gesture especially because of the inconvenience at her advanced age. The Caravan had received a request from a prominent local TV news channel for an interview with Goenkaji. Therefore as soon as the Caravan arrived on the front lawn of the house, the TV crew was waiting. The journalist had time for only one question to Goenkaji before she rushed to deliver the tape to the news producer. That night many of the crew and local students gathered in the house to see Goenkaji on the 10 o’clock news.

The Caravan crew were greeted warmly and fed sumptuously by the huge team of local Dhamma workers. They delighted in watching the Osprey eagles who had built a nest for three young ones on a telephone pole at the corner of the property. A herd of cows and one new calf lived in the field at the entrance and charmed the crew each time they passed by. The famous Montana mosquitoes kept the Caravan company but did not trouble them too much. .

Day Ninety (July 8) (Missoula, Montana)

Section 6.17 133Rain and Sunshine

It rained in the morning and then there was bright sunshine in the late afternoon and evening.

A tent was set up on the neighboring property of a local assistant teacher for meditators who had come to meditate for the one-day course that day.

In the morning Goenkaji gave Vipassana and also answered questions from the students.

In the evening he gave a public talk at the Music Recital Hall of the University of Montana. Again there was an attentive crowd that hung onto every word of Goenkaji.

He told them about the misery that is apparent to everyone and the misery that is underlying the attachment to the five aggregates. While talking about apparent misery he described old age. How one’s senses deteriorate, how one walks with a stick, how there are wrinkles on the face and all over the body. For most, even the thought of death is horrible.

In describing the solution to the problem of misery, Goenkaji explained that the observation of mental impurities eradicates them. Breath and sensation are intimately connected to mental defilements—they are the two sides of the same coin. Therefore one can observe breath or sensations and thus face the mental impurities and eradicate them.

The local meditators served punch and cookies to the audience after the talk.

Day Ninety-One (July 9) (Missoula / Billings, Montana)

Section 6.18 134Mind Matters Most

In the morning, Goenkaji gave an interview over phone to Minnesota Public Radio.. He explained that at the base of any unwholesome vocal and physical action there is an unwholesome mental action. And for every mental action there is sensation on the body at the same time.

76 Manopubbaªgam± dhamm±, mano-seµµh±, mano-may±.

Mind precedes everything else. Mind is most important. Mind matters most.

Manas± ce paduµµhena bh±sati v± karoti v±. Tato na½ dukkhamanveti cakka½'va vahato pada½.

Whoever with the base of an unwholesome mind, performs any action vocal or physical, then misery will keep following him, like the cart wheel follows the foot of the draught horse.

Manas± ce pasannena, bh±sati v± karoti v±. Tato na½ sukhamanveti, ch±y±'va anap±yin².

Whoever with the base of a pure mind, performs any action, vocal or physical, then happiness keeps following him, inseparable like his own shadow.

The interviewer was curious to know about Vipassana courses for business executives and for prisoners.

Today was the first of the three long travel days.

The Caravan set out just before eleven in the morning.

It made an uneventful journey through the vast plains of Montana to a motor home park in Billings.

Day Ninety-Two (July 10) (Billings, Montana / Bismarck, North Dakota)

Section 6.19 135Staying Together

One of the challenges on these long stretches of travel is to keep the Caravan vehicles together. Sometimes some vehicles go ahead and some lag behind. This may cause confusion especially if the distance is too great for the walkie-talkies or the cellular phone signals are weak making communication difficult. Usually, there is good discipline and coordination among the drivers of various vehicles of the Caravan.

Today the Caravan survived a minor confusion, when communication between vehicles was broken before lunch, and got together at a rest area for lunch. The expert cook and his efficient assistant made sure that the food was served as quickly as possible to Goenkaji and Mataji. Other crewmembers cooked for the Caravan and made sure that the Caravan crew ate without any delay.

When Goenkaji and Mataji learned that there was some likelihood of delay, they decided not to stop for tea. Thus the Caravan could travel continuously and reach its destination by 8 pm. The Caravan had entered the Central Time Zone.

77 Day Ninety-Three (July 11) (Bismarck, North Dakota / Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Section 6.20 136Longest Distances and another Flat Tire

Today was the longest distance the Caravan travelled while Goenkaji and Mataji were in the Caravan. It had travelled further when Goenkaji and Mataji were not present at that time in the Caravan—once when he flew to Houston for a public talk and the second time when he flew to New York to deliver the keynote speech at the official Vesakha celebrations of the United Nations.

The Caravan had to reach the next destination in time because the campsite closed its doors at 9 pm. There was some apprehension about whether the Caravan could make it in time.

The drivers again applied themselves. Only absolutely mandatory stops were made. Minor delays on the road such as fuelling stops at gas stations were either minimized or eliminated. At times, the Caravan was split into two groups of vehicles. But the crew had learned from its communication problems the day before and kept in close contact. In the afternoon the pop-up trailer, which was carried by the kitchen motor home, had a flat tire. Fortunately, a kind driver on the road pointed it out otherwise it might have gone unnoticed for some time. With close radio contact, the Caravan crew was once again able to gather to help quickly change the tire. The Caravan was soon on the road again.

Goenkaji was briefed about correspondence on the road. He gave instructions and clarifications in response to questions from all over the world about administrative issues as well as meditation.

All the vehicles reached their destination almost at the same time. The local meditators came with food for Goenkaji and Mataji as well as the crew. That evening Goenkaji and Mataji had the opportunity to walk at their leisure for the first time in three days.

78 Article VII. 6Report July 12 to July 28

Day Ninety Four (July 12) (Minneapolis, MN)

Section 7.01 137Twin Cities The twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis have a strong group of Dhamma-workers who have been serving on non-center courses in the area for years. They took the opportunity of Goenkaji’s presence in their area to gather at the campground and seek his guidance on various matters related to the practice and Dhamma service.

They wanted to know whether they were ready for a Vipassana center. Goenkaji encouraged them to find a suitable place for a center or at least for a Dhamma house which they can, later on, convert into a full- fledged center.

Section 7.02 138Craving : A Bottomless Bucket. In the evening Goenkaji gave a public talk at the Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minnesota. He described how trying to fulfill craving (taºh±/trishº±) is like trying to fill a bottomless bucket with water. He explained the cause of craving and that it can be eradicated.

Section 7.03 139Anicca to Anatta : A natural progress Goenkaji emphasized the actual experience of anicc± (impermanence) at the level of sensations as the way to come out of all misery. When one develops awareness of sensations, their characteristic of impermanence becomes obvious. Then this experiential wisdom of anicc± (impermanence) leads to the next logical step of understanding of suffering. That which is impermanent cannot be the cause of lasting happiness. And that which is impermanent and suffering cannot be regarded as “I” or “me” or “mine”. Goenkaji explained that anatt± (non-self) is not a philosophical statement on presence or absence of “soul” but that it is the truth of the mind-matter phenomenon that one refers to as “I”, “me” or “mine”. With the practice of Vipassana one realizes how this entire phenomenon is essence-less or ephemeral. One has no control over it. It keeps on changing all the time. Experiential wisdom of anatt± (non-self) is the logical conclusion of the understanding of anicc± (impermanence). As much as one gets established in the experiential wisdom of anicc± (impermanence), that much closer one gets to the wisdom of anatt± (non-self).

Day Ninety Five (July 13) (Minneapolis, MN/Chicago, IL)

Section 7.04 140Why Vipassana Centers?

Today Goenkaji left early to go to the one-day course. The Dhamma Caravan then proceeded on to an RV park near Chicago. The park was full of people who had come to enjoy the summer. Usually campgrounds are quiet places at night but this one was noisy and boisterous. The management of the campground over-booked that night, so the places that were reserved for the Caravan had been allotted to some other people. The Caravan had to park on the grass at one end of the park. Most of the Caravan vehicles didn’t get water or electricity hook-ups. But with the openness of the grassy area, the Caravan was able to form a buffer for Goenkaji and Mataji’s vehicle. There were hordes of mosquitoes swarming in the area and to add to the discomfort of the Caravan crew, the showers and restrooms were far away. In that 79 uncomfortable situation, the crew took comfort in the thought that they were staying there just for a night. Actually there was a nice meadow with a creek running close by but it wasn’t comfortable to stay there. Someone has commented how nature is beautiful but not always comfortable.

The youngest meditator in the Caravan assists the cook and serves meals to Goenkaji and Mataji. He devised a simple non-violent method to catch mosquitoes and flies using a cup and a paper so that they were not hurt. He would then take them out and release them. His face shone with happiness that he was able to tackle the problem without killing.

The discomforts brought home the somber realization as to how fortunate it is to have Vipassana centers where comfortable accommodations and halls/cells for meditation are available. Truly it is a greatly meritorious deed to help build proper, secure, comfortable (but not luxurious) places for meditation so that one can meditate with the least hindrance. When An±thapiº¹ika donated the Jetavana to the Sangha as a dwelling and meditation center, the Buddha approved the donation with these words:

(A proper meditation center) protects one from cold and heat. It keeps out wild animals, reptiles and fleas. Gives shelter during winter and rains. When sun and wind are fierce it affords protection. One remains at ease and comfortable to practice concentration and Vipassana.

Gifts of Viharas (meditation centers) are praised highly by the Buddha. Therefore a wise person knowing his own welfare gets comfortable dwellings built for the ardent meditators. Such a wise person provides food, water, clothes and a resting place. In such places, one learns Dhamma to liberate oneself from all misery. As awareness about Vipassana is spreading in North America and elsewhere in the world, there is more and more demand for courses and for centers. In North America, most centers and non-center courses have a waiting list. Therefore more centers are crucial to the spread of Dhamma to more and more suffering people. On his evening walk, Goenkaji gave instructions on the formation of a new trust for Vipassana in prisons of North America. As Vipassana is proving its efficacy in American prisons and hence gaining more acceptability there is need to have a separate organization for Vipassana activities in prisons. Donations from other charitable organizations will be accepted by this trust as prisoners generally are not in a position to give donations; and the government and society in general have a responsibility towards supporting such benevolent programs. Goenkaji has made this policy specifically for North America where ATs and Dhamma workers have to travel by air. Creating necessary facilities and providing food is also expensive. The courses themselves will be offered free of charge as in all places all over the world. Goenkaji made it clear that in keeping with principles laid down by him, he doesn’t want the assistant teachers and Dhamma workers involved in this activity to receive any money other than out of pocket expenses such as travel expenses.

Day Ninety Six (July 14) (Chicago, IL)

Section 7.05 141Sthitaprajña : From a Distant Dream to a Real Pos sibility

80 Once again Goenkaji had to hurry in the morning to get to the venue of his first talk in the Chicago area. The talk was at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago. Initially he had planned to speak in Hindi but a large number of expatriates from South India had turned up (who didn’t understand Hindi) and therefore he was requested to speak in English. He told the audience that he was brought up in a devout Hindu tradition wherein he learned to recite Gita at an early age. The part of Gita that appealed the most to him was the Gita ideal of sthitaprajña (one established in wisdom). He often gave lectures on Gita and talked a lot about sthitaprajña— v²tar±gabhayakrodhah etc etc. He recounted his frustrations at finding himself not getting any closer to the ideal in spite of all his devotion and tearful prayers. When he took a Vipassana course, he felt that the ideal was now within his reach. He had found a path that had the potential to make anyone who walks on it become a sthitaprajña. Our mental defilements keep us miserable. We don’t realise how, when and where mental defilements arise and multiply. The Enlightened One discovered that we start generating defilements at the level of sensations and in reaction to these sensations. Once one learns to observe the sensations with equanimity, understanding their true nature of impermanence (anicc±) then the old stock of mental impurities start to pass away. It is important that one learns to be aware and alert when defilements (such as anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, greed, ego etc) arise. If one starts observing sensations immediately then the defilement loses its strength and becomes weaker and weaker and passes away. If a poisonous snake coming out of a hole is caught before it emerges completely, it is not dangerous. But if it is allowed to come out, then it becomes dangerous and is difficult to contain; similarly if one becomes aware of sensations the moment a mental defilement arises in the mind then it cannot overpower one. But if one lacks awareness of sensations then it becomes stronger and stronger, and one is overpowered. It was after two in the afternoon when Goenkaji finished his lunch. The caravan had to travel to another campground closer to Chicago and then to the Field Museum, the venue of the public talk that evening. No sooner had he reached the campground than he had to leave for the evening talk.

Section 7.06 142Field Museum Goenkaji spoke at the James Simpson Theatre, Field Museum in the evening. Goenkaji emphasized that Vipassana is not a devotional or emotional game. It is not merely an exercise to quench the thirst of intellectual curiosity. It is a serious undertaking to face our mental impurities and eradicate all misery. It takes hard work. It takes continuous work. A ten-day residential Vipassana course is designed to offer a congenial atmosphere for this crucial task. He explained what is taught in a ten-day course of Vipassana. The first part of meditation is awareness of natural breath. The Enlightened One gave us a wonderful object of concentration. Breath is also a tool with which to explore the truth about oneself. One observes the natural respiration without adding any word or visualization to it. Just as when one doesn’t interfere with the flow of a river while sitting on the bank of the river, one doesn’t interfere with the natural flow of respiration. It seems such an easy task; yet one finds out when one joins a ten-day course that it is so difficult, so difficult. One hardly observes a few breaths and the mind wanders away. One thinks, “This is such an easy task and yet I am not able to do it”. One feels frustrated. Then the guide tells you just to accept that the mind has wandered away and to bring it back to the breath. One has to work patiently and persistently. Two important aspects of the practice are to remain with the reality of the present moment and to maintain continuity of practice. One keeps one’s awareness on a narrow area below the nostrils above the upper lip so that the mind becomes sharper and sharper, subtler and subtler. When the mind becomes sharp and subtle it is able to feel subtle sensations. A gross mind usually feels only the gross painful sensations such as pressure, pain, 81 tension, burning etc. It is only with the continued efforts that one develops the faculty to feel subtle sensations. When one is ignorant, one keeps on reacting to these sensations with craving when they are pleasant and with aversion when they are unpleasant. In a Vipassana course one is trained not only to feel the sensations but to maintain one’s equanimity, understanding their impermanent nature. Whenever Goenkaji talks the audience listens with rapt attention and the talk is usually quite serious as Goenkaji explains the scientific nature of Vipassana and the nature of Vipassana course. However, the question and answer session always brings out the humorous side of Goenkaji. He makes the audience laugh with his wise, witty and mostly brief answers that clarify doubts from audience. One question that brought peels of laughter from audience was “Your ten-day Vipassana course sounds very serious to me. Can you suggest something that is shorter, lighter and easier?” Goenkaji replied, “O, you have started bargaining! I come from a business community and I did the same with my teacher.” Then he went on to explain how when he met his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, before his first course, he requested Sayagyi to teach him and then allow him to practice at home. When Sayagyi explained that it was necessary to stay in a residential facility for ten days, Goenkaji said that he would stay for a day at the center and then would practice at home. Sayagyi explained how the same technique used to be taught in a six-week course traditionally but was shortened to a ten-day course. If one tries to teach it in shorter time, then one doesn’t even get an outline of the technique. Vipassana is a middle path. One neither tortures oneself in the false hope that it will somehow purify the mind, nor does one indulge heedlessly in sensual pleasures thereby becoming a miserable slave of mental defilements. One avoids both extremes. It is a serious practice but it doesn’t take away the joy of life. In fact, after learning this art of living, one finds that one is fulfilling one’s worldly responsibilities with much greater joy than before. Goenkaji cautioned the audience that the discourses give only an intellectual understanding of Dhamma, which is good for inspiring one to practise. It is an essential first step but one cannot get real benefit without experiential wisdom that comes from actual practice.

Day Ninety Seven (July 15) (Chicago, IL)

Section 7.07 143Separation For the first time since the beginning of the tour, the crew was separated for a day. Goenkaji went to the Arya Samaj site where a one-day course was organized. Mataji was taken to meet the late Dr. Om Prakash’s daughter. Dr. Om Prakash was a close friend of Goenkaji and was a Vipassana teacher. He was the doctor who had warned Goenkaji that he would become an addict of morphine if he continued to take it regularly for his migraines and had urged Goenkaji to find an alternative treatment or medicine abroad. When he saw how calm and peaceful Goenkaji’s mother was in spite of the pain of terminal cancer, how she continued to meditate till the last moment of her life and how she passed away so peacefully in a fully aware and alert state of mind, he was deeply impressed. He decided to learn Vipassana. Immediately after that he took a Vipassana course with Sayagyi U Ba Khin and became an ariya (a noble person; a person who has experienced nibb±na). Three teachers from the crew went with a local meditator to look for a suitable site for a prospective center.

Day Ninety Eight (July 16) (Chicago, IL)

Section 7.08 144Essence of Buddha Dhamma

82 This morning was a bit of respite for Goenkaji and the crew. Some crewmembers even took advantage of a nearby lake to swim in the morning. Goenkaji met with the families that were playing host to the Dhamma Caravan—cooking food for them and looking after their other needs. Goenkaji visited a Burmese monastery in Chicago in the evening. His usually happy face was beaming with even more joy at being with people from his motherland. The expatriates from Myanmar were so happy and proud to see Sayagyi Goenka take this invaluable jewel from Myanmar round the world increasing the prestige of Myanmar in the eyes of people everywhere. The Vihara hall was jammed with people and they spilled outdoors where a few speakers were set up. In his informal talk, Goenkaji explained how the Buddha taught nothing but s²la, sam±dhi and paññ±. The Buddha defines his teaching as:

Sabba p±passa akaraºa½ kusalassa upasampad± sacittapariyodapana½ eta½ buddhanas±sana½

Abstain from all sinful, unwholesome actions, perform only pious wholesome ones, purify the mind; this is the teaching of Enlightened Ones.

Goenkaji explained how the Buddha talked about pariyodapana½ that is to purify the totality of the mind. This is very important. It is easy to bring calm to the surface of the mind. But time and again the sleeping volcano of impurities (anusaya kilesa) arises and one reacts in the same old deleterious manner, continuing the cycle of misery. As long as one has anusaya kilesa one has not addressed the root of the problem. It is only when one works at the level of sensations that one starts eradicating one’s anusayas. The Buddha said, “Sukh±ya, bhikkhave, vedan±ya r±g±nusayo pah±tabbo, dukkh±ya vedan±ya paµigh±nusayo pa h±tabbo, adukkhamasukh±ya vedan±ya avijj±nusayo pah±tabbo.” –Eradicate the latent tendency of craving using pleasant sensations (by equanimous observation of the pleasant sensations and understanding their changing nature), eradicate the latent tendency of aversion using unpleasant sensations and eradicate the latent tendency of ignorance using neutral sensations.

Section 7.09 145Contradiction in Terms At the end of the talk, someone asked a question about Buddhist philosophy. Before replying to the question, Goenkaji said that (though it is used for conventional purposes) the term “Buddhist philosophy” is actually a contradiction in terms. Buddha was above all philosophies, above all theories and speculations because he understood and experienced the truth in its totality. What he taught was not based merely on speculative reasoning. One proposes theories (unsubstantiated hypotheses) when one doesn’t know the truth. The Buddha discovered the truth and therefore what he taught was neither a theory nor a philosophy. It is the Law—it operates independent of even the Buddha. Goenkaji then expressed his gratitude to his motherland for the invaluable jewel of Dhamma.

Day Ninety Nine (July 17) (Chicago, IL / Madison, Wisconsin / Chicago, IL)

Section 7.10 146Vipassana Center

83 Goenkaji started his day early, as he planned to visit a property that was offered as a donation to start a Vipassana center. In his life, Goenkaji has looked at hundreds of properties for prospective centers. That experience as well as his intuitive wisdom of what is suitable for a center was available to the local trust to see if the proposed property could work as a center. It was about a two and a half hour drive to the property. Goenkaji says:

“The establishment of centers marks a new stage in the spread of Vipassana. It is important to understand their significance. “Centers for Vipassana meditation are not clubs designed for the enjoyment of their members. They are not temples in which to perform religious ceremonies. They are not places for socializing or entertainment. They are not communes where members of a sect can live in isolation from the outside world, according to their own particular rules. “Instead, centers are schools, which teach one subject: Dhamma, the art of living. All who come to these centers, whether to meditate or to serve, come to receive this teaching. They must therefore be receptive in their attitude, trying not to impose their ideas, but rather, to understand and to apply the Dhamma that is offered.”

After spending some time at the property Goenkaji ate his lunch and then left for Madison, Wisconsin.

Section 7.11 147Vipassana for Leaders That evening the title of his talk at the Fluno Center at the University of Wisconsin was “Benefits of Vipassana for Leaders and Society.” Goenkaji spoke to a select audience that included professors, scientists, doctors, accountants, businesspeople and nuns. Goenkaji said that leaders should lead their own mind on the right path before trying to lead others. Whether one is a leader or follower, everyone needs Vipassana. But if leaders learn and practice it then others follow automatically. He explained that the Buddha was a scientist—a super-scientist of spirituality. The Buddha explored the field of mind and matter, and experienced the truth that everything arises and passes away throughout the field of mind and matter—that even the subtlest particle is mere oscillation. Oscillation is going on even in inanimate objects where no mind is involved: sabbo loko pakampito, the entire universe is vibration. He discovered this truth by exploring the mind-matter phenomenon within, without the aid of any instrument. Every practitioner of Vipassana can experience the truth of anicca within. Awareness of sensations with this understanding starts the process of eradication of saªkh±ras. The mind starts becoming more and more peaceful. A peaceful and sharp mind grasps situations quickly and clearly. It is able to go to the depth of the problem immediately and find the proper solution.

Section 7.12 148Universal Remedy for Universal Misery When someone generates negativity such as anger, hatred, ill-will, passion, fear, ego etc. one becomes tense and miserable. This applies to everyone. When someone generates anger, one cannot label it as a Christian anger, or a Jewish anger, or a Hindu anger, or a Buddhist anger, or a male anger, or a female anger, or an American anger or a Russian anger. And the misery that one experiences because of this negativity cannot be labeled as a Hindu misery or a Muslim misery, or Christian misery, or a Jewish misery etc. Misery is universal. The malady is universal. The remedy has to be universal. The Buddha gave us the breath as an object of concentration, which is universal. One cannot label breath as Hindu breath, or Muslim breath, or Christian breath, or Jewish breath etc. 84 And when one purifies one’s mind then the peace and harmony one experiences cannot be labeled as Hindu peace, or Muslim peace or Christian peace or Jewish peace etc. Happiness is also universal.

Section 7.13 149Defiling Impulses Whenever any defilement arises in the mind it comes with a flow of bio-chemicals that defiles the whole being. This intoxicating flow is called ±sava. The oozing from an ulcer or an infected wound is called an ±sava. Also, at the time of the Buddha and even today, in Indian languages alcoholic drinks are sometimes referred to as ±shrava (±sava). A meditator realizes that every defilement such as anger, fear, greed etc. creates a flow like the pus flowing from an infected wound, and it has an intoxicating effect that prevents one from seeing reality as it is. An arahat has no mental defilements and hence no more defiling impulses (no ±savas)—he is referred to as an±savo. Earlier in the report of this tour it was mentioned how throughout the tour some very old students of Goenkaji had an opportunity to meet him after several years. Today again some very old students who had taken courses with him 25-30 years ago came to see him. Later on he met with the Chicago trust again to discuss issues related to establishing a center in that area. He emphasized need to put aside one’s views when one gives Dhamma service. He ate dinner and the Caravan started its journey towards Chicago again. It reached the campsite at 3am.

Day Hundred (July 18) (Chicago, IL / Brighton, Michigan)

Section 7.14 150Healthy Habit The next stop for the Caravan was a Christian retreat center near Detroit, which had been rented by the local organizers for a one-day course as well as a resting place for the Caravan. When Goenkaji reached this site in Michigan he found a crowd of meditators waiting for him. They were mostly young people. It was heartening to see so much enthusiasm for Dhamma among the younger generation. Although Goenkaji had been on the road for many hours, he decided to meet the students waiting for him immediately. They all gathered in a hall where he answered their questions. Only after just one non-center course there, they were already enthusiastic to get a center. They wanted Goenkaji’s guidance. One student asked whether one could get attached to Vipassana because one wants to practice regularly and one repeatedly takes a Vipassana course every year. Isn’t it addiction? Goenkaji explained how visiting a hospital when sick or taking medicine cannot be called undue attachment or clinging. It is necessary when one has a physical disease. Similarly everyone has mental suffering because of mental defilements and Vipassana is needed because it keeps the mind healthy. Just as one cannot say that one is getting attached to eating food daily or to taking a bath daily, one cannot say the same about practicing Vipassana daily or taking a ten-day course. One is said to be “addicted” to something when one is forming a habit that is deleterious to one’s physical and mental health. If one has to call Vipassana a habit, then it is a healthy habit.

Day Hundred and One (July 19) (Brighton, Michigan / Toronto, Canada)

Section 7.15 151Second Time into Canada

85 Local meditators in Michigan had organized a one-day course though they were told earlier that Goenkaji might not be able to teach any session on the course. To their pleasant surprise, Goenkaji decided to give Anapana to the students on the one-day course before leaving for Toronto. In the afternoon the Dhamma Caravan crossed into Canada for the second time during the Meditation Now tour of North America. On the way to Toronto, Goenkaji and Mataji visited a site that local meditators were considering for a center. They looked at the whole site carefully. They reached the quiet and secluded Glen Rouge campground outside of Toronto just before midnight. The campground had a river running on one side and was surrounded by protected forests. In the coming days, the caravan crew would see many joyful black squirrels and fearless big raccoons on the campgrounds. There was a beautiful trail in the nearby woods to walk or jog on. Though swimming in the river was a tempting proposition it was unlikely that anyone would do so; more because the schedule was too busy to have any time for it than because there were notices asking campground residents to avoid swimming in the river. But the only thoughts the tired crew had on arrival were of getting into bed immediately after hooking up the motor homes and pitching tents.

Day Hundred and Two (July 20) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Section 7.16 152Auspicious Day It was a hot and humid day. The crew (most of whom had visited Mumbai several times) was reminded of summer in Mumbai. One local meditator remarked that he had specially ordered the weather to make the Indian guests feel at home. There was festive mood in the morning at the Cardinal Carter Academy where a Sangha D±na was organized. It was Goenkaji’s wish to give Sangha D±na wherever possible during the tour. More than fifty monks and nuns graced the occasion to give an opportunity to the lay people to earn merits. After the Sangha D±na, Goenkaji addressed the gathering of lay people in the auditorium. The Venerable Sangha was also present on the stage. Ven. Vimala gave a short speech in which he said that Goenkaji was a rare master in the 2600-year history of the spread of the Buddha’s teaching. While there have been many great masters after the Buddha who continued to spread the Buddha’s wisdom, most of them were monks. Ven. Vimala further praised Goenkaji saying that he was a great master who had crossed the boundaries of race, religion and nationality to touch the heart of hundreds of thousands of people with his gentle and compassionate wisdom. He expressed a wish to hear more about Goenkaji’s efforts in bringing the Buddha’s teaching back to India.

Section 7.17 153Buddha’s Teaching in India: Centuries of Darkness a nd Misinformation In his speech Goenkaji told the audience how he was full of doubt about the Buddha’s teaching before he joined his first Vipassana retreat. Sayagyi U Ba Khin, his teacher, explained that the Buddha taught nothing but s²la, sam±dhi and paññ±. In the course, Goenkaji found that it is such a rational, scientific and universal teaching that it gives result here-and-now. He found nothing to object to in the practical aspect of the Buddha’s teaching. Still, due to strong mental conditioning against it, Goenkaji wanted to find out whether there was any flaw in its theory. Bhadant Anand Kausalyayan was an erudite scholar monk from India who stayed in Goenkaji’s house whenever he visited Myanmar (Burma). He once gave a copy of Dhammapada’s translation to Goenkaji. Such was Goenkaji’s prejudice against the teaching of the Buddha that for three years it lay on Goenkaji’s

86 table but he didn’t open it even once. Now he started reading it and was so thrilled by its content. As he studied more and more texts from Tipitaka (translations in the beginning and later on in the original Pali) Goenkaji discovered how flawless even the theoretical aspect of the Buddha’s teaching is. All his doubts went away. For centuries there has been enormous ignorance and tragic misunderstanding in India about her greatest son, the Buddha. As the Buddha’s teaching returns to India, Goenkaji is trying to dispel some of the misunderstandings that have been unfortunate for India.

One of the reasons why India lost the Dhamma was because Buddha was portrayed in literature as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, thus affecting the very fundamental aspect of Dhamma—the very liberation of the Buddha; his declaration that this was his last life “aya½ antim± j±ti, natthid±ni punabbhavoti”. Moreover, the Buddha was erroneously stated to be an incarnation of m±y±-moha (lit. deception- delusion), the bad qualities of Lord Vishnu.

Another reason was that Buddha Dhamma was alleged to be a branch of Hinduism, thus relegating it to a secondary position.

Unfortunate fallout of the loss of the Buddha’s teaching from India has been the rampant casteism that has undermined not only the unity of the country but also the very dignity and self-respect of individuals from so-called lower castes.

Fortunately, Goenkaji has been able to convince the Hindu leadership about these errors. Many Hindu leaders now acknowledge these beliefs as false and are magnanimously accepting the historical truths about the Buddha. Now four Shankaracharyas and many other top Hindu religious leaders have been persuaded to agree to this. Goenkaji doesn’t believe in quarreling. He follows the Buddha’s advise—

Viv±da½ bhayato disv±, aviv±dañca khemato; samagg± sakhil± hotha, es± buddh±nus±san²

Seeing danger in arguments and quarrels, Goenkaji persuades others with gentleness and without quarreling. Citing his own example, he said that no amount of discussion or argument would have convinced him about the benevolent nature of the Buddha’s teaching. It was the actual practice that convinced him. It is the actual practice that gives benefits. Lastly he expressed his deep respect and great gratitude towards Sangha who preserved Paμipatti (practice) and Pariyatti (theory) through the millennia, “Otherwise I would have never received these invaluable jewels.” After the Sangha D±na, Goenkaji gave personal interviews. When Goenkaji left the venue he was tired but very happy that he and so many others had the opportunity to see such a large congregation of Sangha and to give Sangha D±na. In the evening he was interviewed by Ms. Tynette Devaux for Buddha Dharma magazine. He told her that even the word “Vipassana” was lost in India and that when he heard the word from Sayagyi during their first meeting, he went back and checked his Hindi and Sanskrit dictionaries for Vipassana or Vipashyan± (the Sanskrit/Hindi word for Vipassana). He couldn’t find the word in either dictionary. Ms Devaux wanted to know in what sense Vipassana is called scientific. The definition of science is the objective observation of data and its application. Vipassana is objective observation of data pertaining to the mind-matter phenomenon at the experiential level. One important criterion of a scientific experiment is that it is reproducible. Vipassana has given consistent results over the millennia to whoever has practiced it—results that are concrete, tangible, here-and-now.

87 Goenkaji explained that one is asked to observe five precepts during the course because one cannot undertake the task of self-exploration when there are giant waves at the mental level. When one breaks any of the five precepts one creates huge disturbances in the mind and therefore cannot practice Vipassana properly. Goenkaji sometimes gives the example of giant waves in the sea during monsoon that stop the work of exploration of oil near Mumbai. And as one learns to observe the reality within one understands that one cannot break any of the precepts without generating misery for oneself. Talking about anicca, Goenkaji said that it is not a philosophy but a reality of existence. To a question about what is karma (kamma), Goenkaji said that every reaction is karma. The seed is present reaction, it makes you miserable here and now; and the fruit it brings will also make you miserable. There is so much talk about karma but so little understanding. There is so much discussion as to how the present situation is the result of past karma but so little effort to stop the habit of creating new karma in the present moment. Vipassana focuses on not generating new karma (saªkh±ra or kamma). The law of nature is such that when one stops generating new karma, the old one starts coming to the surface and starts getting eradicated. She wanted to know why Goenkaji doesn’t use the word “Buddhism” to describe his teaching. Goenkaji said that though it is used popularly to denote the teaching of the Buddha, he doesn’t want to use it because it has a sectarian connotation and he is convinced that the Buddha never taught any ‘ism’. VRI has put more than 15000 pages of the Tipiμaka (the Buddha’s words) and 35000 pages of the commentarial literature on a CD with proper search facility. Throughout this vast literature the word Buddhist or Buddhism (Boddha or Bauddha) is not used at all. Even the other traditions didn’t refer to the Buddha’s teaching as Buddhism or Buddhist for about 500 years after the Buddha. Goenkaji speaks out of his own conviction borne of his experience of the practical teaching of the Buddha and the study of the Buddha’s words that the Buddha’s teaching is universal and non-sectarian. The Buddha was not interested in sects, nor was he teaching any philosophy. She also asked Goenkaji about importance of and need for monastic training in Dhamma. Goenkaji said that it is a precious opportunity to utilize the invaluable Dhamma and the invaluable human life. He added that the decision to become a monk should not be impulsive but should come from proper understanding and serious commitment. Proper training of monks in Vinaya by senior monks ensures that the Sangha maintains its discipline and purity.

Day Hundred and Three (July 21) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Section 7.18 154Diversity of Toronto On his North American tour, so many meditators had the opportunity to meditate in the presence of Goenkaji. His travel had taken the Ganges of Dhamma to their doorstep and everywhere they took full advantage of it. Meditators in Toronto had organized a one-day course. Goenkaji gave Vipassana and answered questions from the students on the course. In the evening he gave a public talk at the same venue, which had hosted the Sangha Dana. So many people showed up that more than two hundred people (mostly meditators) had to go to two other halls where simulcast arrangements of had been made. Goenkaji expressed joy at being in a city that has been recognized by the United Nations for its multiethnic and multicultural nature.

Section 7.19 155You Make Your Future! In his talk, Goenkaji emphasized that one has to take responsibility for one’s own happiness. One becomes miserable because one generates defilements in the mind. He said, “No outside power has defiled

88 your mind. You are responsible for your defilements. And by eradicating them you can create a happy future for yourself. You make your future!” Goenkaji exhorted the audience to give the technique a trial for ten days. At the end of the ten-days one is free to accept or reject the technique. Goenkaji explained that purity of mind is accepted and preached by all religions. The qualities of a pure mind are summarized beautifully in a Hindi verse composed by Goenkaji.

Let there be compassion on seeing the miserable, sympathetic joy on seeing the happy; let one be equanimous in adversity, and in all situations let one have selfless love for all.

Many expatriate Indians had come to the talk and some of them had kindly given up their places in the main hall for others. Therefore Goenkaji met with them at the end of the talk and answered their questions in Hindi. He told them that for centuries false information had been spread against the Buddha’s teaching and that India had suffered because it lost the Buddha’s teaching. He refuted, one by one, the various misconceptions about the Buddha such as the erroneous idea that the Buddha’s teaching is pessimistic, that it made India a weak country, that it was merely a branch of Hinduism, that the Buddha was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Goenkaji met with the Sri Lankan Consular General who expressed appreciation for Goenkaji’s work and promised to take a ten-day course.

Day Hundred and Four (July 22) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Section 7.20 156Diversity of Toronto

This morning was reserved for media interviews. First he was interviewed for the national public television (PBS) for a documentary. Goenkaji stressed that tolerance is the essence of every religion. Merely visiting temples, churches, mosques or synagogues and thinking that one is a religious person is deluding oneself. Merely performing rites and rituals doesn’t make one a religious person. Tolerance, love and compassion make one truly holy and religious.

Vipassana is a way to make one truly holy. It is self-correction through self-examination and self- introspection.

Section 7.21 157Ageing

Goenkaji was asked about ageing. He said that old age is misery but that old age in itself doesn’t make one unhappy. If there is wisdom coupled with the wealth of life experience then old age becomes a golden period where one can look at things with serenity and understanding. Such old age is a source of joy for others too.

Goenkaji said, “I am ageing happily. There is decaying every moment, birth and death every moment. But I remember how miserable I was when I was thirty. Now almost fifty years later I find myself a lot happier and healthier. Old age suits me well. I have more wisdom and I have so much happiness. I travel around the world to distribute happiness. I am meeting old students who are serious practitioners of Vipassana and I also meet people who have never heard the word Vipassana.” 89 He added, “The more happiness I distribute, the happier I get!”

Material possessions are ephemeral. Hence happiness borne of material pleasures is fragile. On the other hand no one can rob the happiness that comes from wisdom.

When asked about the realities of the outside world as opposed to the emphasis on the reality within in Vipassana, Goenkaji said that it is important to be aware of the outside reality for the worldly life. But this is only half of the truth. The other more important reality is the reality inside. Therefore if one is aware of the truth outside and the truth inside then one is aware of the totality of truth.

Section 7.22 158Death and Dying

The interviewer asked Goenkaji about death and dying. Goenkaji replied that one can learn the art of dying only when one has learned the art of living. One is dying every moment and one is born every moment. The flow of mind and matter continues from moment to moment. When one learns this then one is ready for the continued flow even after the conventional death. One worries about the future and becomes fearful. The best way to be ready for the future is to be ready for the present.

Section 7.23 159Real Strength

He was asked what the real strength in life is. He replied that there is no strength in life like strength of a pure mind. Nothing can shake one when one has that strength. A person is truly powerful when he or she is not disturbed by things around him or her.

Section 7.24 160Success

The interviewer asked Goenkaji to give his definition of success. Goenkaji said that before Vipassana he thought that success was being one inch taller than others “but after Vipassana I discovered that true success is being happy. I consider myself successful when I see how much I have come out of misery; and also when I serve and see so much change in others.” He said that there was also a big difference in the way he gave donations. Before Vipassana, it was with the intention of getting name and fame. After Vipassana, he started giving donations out of compassion; in order to help others. He also understood that a donation given out of selfless love and compassion is more effective.

Section 7.25 161Yours to Discover : Ontario and Vipassana

After the PBS television interview, a journalist and a photographer from the Toronto Star, the biggest newspaper in Canada, came to the campground to interview Goenkaji. The license plate of vehicles in the province of Ontario have the motto, “Yours to Discover”. One of the qualities of Dhamma is Ehi Passiko, which also has the same meaning “Come and See” or “Yours to Discover”. Dhamma invites one to come and see. As Goenkaji keeps saying in his public talks—come and give a trial for ten days. When the journalist was told this, he was quite amused and impressed. In fact, he put it in his article. He was also happy to know that Goenkaji liked the multiethnic culture of Toronto.

In the evening Goenkaji met with the Toronto trust and others who came to the campground from surrounding areas.

90 Day Hundred and Five (July 23) (Toronto/Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Section 7.26 162Secluded Campgrounds

It had been raining since the arrival of the Dhamma Caravan, and the weather had become cool. The Dhamma Caravan had an isolated area at one end of the campground, which was surrounded by woods with a river flowing on one side. All were pleased by the privacy and atmosphere there.

The Caravan left in the morning for Ottawa, the capital of Canada. It was evening by the time they reached the campground in Ottawa. It was again a beautiful secluded area in the middle of gentle, benign woods. An entire area of the campground was reserved for the Caravan. Hence the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. As in Toronto, the local meditators had put up a big tent for meditation and meetings on the campground. A canopy was put up as well, to make a makeshift dining room.

There were many meditators waiting for the Caravan. Goenkaji decided to meet them immediately on arrival. After spending some time with them, he took a walk with the local teacher. Then he had a meeting with Ron Graham, a very old meditator, about the next day’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada.

Day Hundred and Six (July 24) (Ottawa, Canada)

Section 7.27 163The Wheel of Dhamma Rotates - Meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada

This was an auspicious full moon day. On this day about 2600 years ago the Buddha pointed out the path out of misery and the door to liberation was thrown open. The Middle Path (majjhim± paµipad±) was proclaimed by the Teacher of teachers.

This teaching is making a comeback again after a gap of many dark centuries. Today also turned out to be an eventful day. In the morning Goenkaji met with Mr. Jean Cretien, the Prime Minister of Canada, for half an hour. The Prime Minister had recently hosted a G-8 Summit near Calgury and was very busy with the multifarious responsibilities as the head of a nation and one of the most prominent and influential heads of the states around the world. Mr. Cretien had kindly decided not to take any phone calls during the interview nor did any assistant or secretary disturb them during the meeting. In the quiet atmosphere, they were able to talk on a wide range of topics. The Prime Minister expressed pride in the liberal, tolerant, multicultural and multiracial atmosphere of Canada. For a long time Canada has accepted immigrants from all over the world with open arms. It is similar to Vipassana in that both involve a multiracial, multiethnic and multi-religious population. Goenkaji told him about the practical, pragmatic and non-sectarian nature of Vipassana as also the experience of Vipassana in the State Governments of India; the potential of Vipassana in bringing about peace and harmony in today’s society. The Prime Minister expressed his concern over the First Nations (native citizens of Canada). Goenkaji gave the example of the Maoris in New Zealand. Some of the Maoris have started taking part in Vipassana courses and it has helped them to come out of alcohol dependence which is a significant problem facing the native communities around the world. The specialty of Vipassana is that it helps them without disrupting their native culture. Often Goenkaji has given the

91 simile of sugar and milk while explaining how Vipassana sweetens the culture where it goes without disrupting it. They also discussed the Vipassana program in prisons. Goenkaji told the story of Tihar experience. He narrated the story of how it all began when he conducted a course in Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram and Vinoba Bhave, a close disciple of Gandhiji, challenged him about the efficacy of Vipassana. The meeting between these two elders, Goenkaji and Mr. Cretien, was described by a mutual friend as a meeting between a master of political art and a master of the art of living a happy life. It clearly showed that the voice of Vipassana is now heard at the highest echelons. Goenkaji, who has been practicing Vipassana for more than forty years, told Mr. Jean Cretien, who has been an MP for about forty years, about Ashoka who promoted the Dhamma with the practice of meditation (Vipassana) in his vast empire that spread from present day Afghanistan to present day Bangladesh. Many different sects lived so peacefully in his empire, just as the multicultural population does in today’s Canada. After returning from the meeting with the Prime Minister, Goenkaji was interviewed for the local news TV channel. Later on he met two serious old students who had flown in from Israel to meet him and to seek his blessing for their marriage. An expatriate Indian couple came to pay respect to their teacher on the occasion of Guru Purnima, literally, the full moon day of the teacher, so named because the Buddha gave his first discourse—the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta (Discourse on the Turning of Wheel of Dhamma) on this very day in Sarnath. In the evening, Goenkaji gave a public talk at Carleton University. Again, as the hall started getting full, many Vipassana meditators gave up their seats for people who had not heard Goenkaji before. Fortunately, a simulcast was arranged in another hall where they could listen to their teacher on the Full Moon Day of the teacher’s teacher. Goenkaji explained that the Buddha taught what misery is, what the cause of misery is, what the cessation of misery is and what way is leading to the cessation of misery. The Ambassador of Myanmar and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka came to listen to Goenkaji. After the talk they met him and expressed their appreciation for the historic work Goenkaji was doing by taking the treasure of the Theravadin countries to the world.

Day Hundred and Seven (July 25) (Ottawa / Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada)

Section 7.28 164Into the Francophone region This morning, Goenkaji met with a bhikkhu who had travelled from Toronto to meet with him. This delayed the departure of the Caravan from Ottawa. The Caravan then entered Quebec, the French- speaking province of Canada. So far throughout its very long journey the Dhamma Caravan rarely became stuck in traffic jams but crossing through Montreal proved to be different. The Caravan was advised to take an alternate route to Dhamma Suttama and it was a real treat for the crew. The beautiful countryside of Quebec on the way to Dhamma Suttama and the pleasant cool of the evening washed away the weariness of the travellers. There was still daylight when the Caravan reached Dhamma Suttama in the hilly countryside where one could hear the cows mooing across the street from the center. The local meditators had cleared a small area in the woods on the center property to make a place for the Caravan. This clearing will be used as a parking lot in the future.

92 Day Hundred and Eight (July 26) (Dhamma Suttama/ Montreal/ Dhamma Suttama—Quebec Province, Canada)

Section 7.29 165First Course in North America When Goenkaji came to the West for the first time on his Dhamma D³ta mission, his first stop in the Americas was Montreal. Therefore Montreal has the honour of being the first place to host a ten-day Vipassana course in the Americas. To reach Montreal, Goenkaji had to undertake the almost two-hour journey from Dhamma Suttama where he had given Vipassana to the one-day course in the morning. The peace-loving citizens of Canada continued to throng to his public talks in large numbers. Montreal was no exception. Many Vipassana meditators gave up their places in the hall at the University of Quebec so as to give non-meditators an opportunity to listen to Goenkaji’s discourse. A bus-load of meditators coming from Dhamma Suttama couldn’t reach the talk in time due to a traffic jam and were disappointed, but when they learned that their places were used by non-meditators they became happy. They would have the opportunity to seek guidance from Goenkaji about their practice when they saw him back at the centre. Most of the people of Quebec speak French and therefore Goenkaji’s talk was translated into French by Roger Gosselin (who along with his Iranian wife Mersedeh were among the earliest assistant teachers appointed by Goenkaji). Goenkaji explained what a participant in a ten-day course practices. He explained that most of the time a student is expected to meditate in a sitting posture with the back and neck straight so that the mind remains alert and attentive.

Section 7.30 166Wandering Teacher : Focussed Attention As he often does in his public talks, Goenkaji describes how a meditator discovers to his surprise that he or she lacks enough concentration for the seemingly easy task of watching the breath. One observes hardly a few breaths and the mind wanders away. Such a fickle mind, such a wandering attention! Goenkaji has been wandering as far as possible but his focus throughout these extensive travels has always been the spread of pure Dhamma for the benefit of many, for the welfare of many. Just as the Enlightened One exorted the first bhikkhus who learned Dhamma from him to wander far and wide to spread the Dhamma, Once the mind is concentrated it is able to feel different sensations in the body. Awareness of sensations and equanimity towards them are two important basic aspects of Vipassana. Understanding the impermanent nature of sensations helps one to maintain equanimity and as one maintains equanimity the impermanent nature becomes more and more apparent to a meditator.

Section 7.31 167Distributing Peace Goenkaji was asked why he is touring North America. He replied that Vipassana has given him so much peace and happiness that he wants to share this peace with as many people as possible. This is the quality of Dhamma: Ehi Passiko.

Section 7.32 168Women in Dhamma He was asked whether there were any female teachers in Dhamma, Goenkaji said that it makes no difference whether someone is a man or a woman. Dhamma is for all. There are many female teachers in Vipassana and pointing towards Mataji he said that one was sitting next to him. We see so many examples in the Tipiμaka (the words of the Buddha) where both lay-females and bhikkhunis not only had high attainments in Dhamma but also taught Dhamma—that too not only to 93 laywomen but also to men. One such shining example was Dhammadinn± bhikkhuºi who was approached by her former husband, Vis±kha (not to be confused with Vis±kh± the foremost laywoman disciple of the Buddha), and asked questions about Dhamma. The bhikkhuºi answered all those highly technical and profound questions and finally when Vis±kha asked her about still higher truths, the bhikkhuºi told him that even if she answered his question, he would not understand it because he had not experienced higher stages of nibb±na. Later he goes to Buddha and narrates the incident. Buddha praises the bhikkhuºi as having great wisdom and adds that she had answered the questions exactly as he, Buddha, would have answered.

Section 7.33 169First Be a Good Human Being Goenkaji says in his talks that it is important that one becomes a good human being. He asks, “If one is not a good human being, how can one be a good Christian or a good Muslim or a good Hindu or a good Jew? Vipassana teaches one to be a good human being and thereby one becomes a good Christian, a good Muslim, a good Hindu or a good Jew.”

Section 7.34 170Biggest Advertisement: Word of Mouth Answering a question, Goenkaji said that Vipassana has spread for mostly through word of mouth. When someone benefits from the technique then he or she naturally wishes that others also learn it. To another question asking whether one can attain supernatural powers and perform miracles with the practice of Vipassana, Goenkaji replied that the biggest miracle is liberation from misery. The Buddha used to say that there are mundane or ordinary abhiññ±s and there is a supra-mundane abhiññ±. Ordinary miracles are levitation, walking on water, divine eye, divine ear, reading another person’s mind etc. But he said that these are useless and cannot make one happy. The only true supra-mundane miracle is when one eradicates defilements and liberates oneself. The same person also asked Goenkaji whether one is able to communicate with guardian angels if one learns Vipassana. The reply was, “Learn to communicate with yourself first, for that is more important!”

Day Hundred and Nine (July 27) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada)

Section 7.35 171In the Service of Dhamma The Caravan crew had hoped that Goenkaji would get some time here for his writing work and correspondence and perhaps rest a bit. But again the morning turned out to be very busy. There were many people who wanted to see him. The interviews that started in the morning continued after lunch and just when Goenkaji finished his last interview he received an overseas phone call. This meant that he did not rest until 4 p.m. Goenkaji sets an example of always being available in the service of Dhamma. Today was no exception. This was an old students’ day at Dhamma Suttama. Therefore in the evening Goenkaji decided to go meditate with the old students. He then gave them a brief talk on Dhamma service. In his talk he told them that he meditated under the guidance of Sayagyi U Ba Khin for fourteen years before he was appointed teacher by Sayagyi and authorised to teach. He would often go to the center and serve in whatever capacity he could. When the time came for him to start carrying out the wishes of his respected teacher, he humbly expressed some doubts about his ability. Sayagyi told him that he had given so much service in various areas including acting as Sayagyi’s interpreter for the Hindi speaking meditators. Sayagyi assured him that along with other things, all his service had earned him many p±ramis and that it would give him immense strength. And this is what Goenkaji discovered when he started teaching.

94 Section 7.36 172Dhamma Service is Essential for Progress on the P ath of Dhamma Goenkaji explained that the service one gives at Vipassana courses or centers actually helps one’s progress on the path. The volition to give Dhamma service is a natural outcome of one’s progress in Dhamma. Without Dhamma service, one’s practice remains weak. Dhamma service affords one an opportunity to practice, in a conducive atmosphere, what one has learned while sitting a Vipassana course. One learns to serve without ego and to deal with students on the courses and with co-workers with love and compassion. One spends time with other meditators and thus one gets good Dhamma company. One’s understanding of Dhamma deepens. One gets the opportunity to clarify one’s doubts. And most importantly one gets so much sympathetic joy seeing students on the courses meditating so seriously to come out of their misery. What could be a greater joy than to see a student join a course with so much melancholy on the face and then to see his/her face glowing with joy at the end of the course. A few years ago, Goenkaji had said that ideally one should join at least one ten-day course and serve at least one ten-day course every year. However, one may serve even part time or one may come for a day or two to help the upkeep of the center. One may serve as a host of a group sitting or one may give service in managing one-day courses. There are many ways to serve!

Day Hundred and Ten (July 28) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada)

Section 7.37 173To Ask Questions About Dhamma The one-day course at Dhamma Suttama offered one more opportunity for meditators in Quebec to come to the center. Since there is limited accommodation many drove for hours to get to the center and then went back home in the evening. Goenkaji’s morning again started with a flurry of interview appointments. Two journalists from a major French daily in Quebec came to interview Goenkaji. Then Goenkaji went to the tent that functioned as a larger meditation hall during his visit. He answered questions from students. In the evening he again gave private interviews before going to the meditation hall tent where he talked to the trustees and assistant teachers. He emphasized the need to expand the capacity of the center as demand is growing. He looked around the center and gave guidance on how to expand.

95 Article VIII. 7Report July 29 to August 15

Day Hundred and Eleven (July 29) (Dhamma Suttama, Quebec, Canada/Boston, Mass., USA)

Section 8.01 174Back to USA The tour’s second leg in Canada came to an end today. The Dhamma Caravan left Dhamma Suttama and travelled a short distance through the windy roads of Quebec countryside dotted with gentle hills, rolling meadows and quaint little towns. The Caravan entered the US through a small entry post within a half hour of leaving Dhamma Suttama. It continued its way through the green mountains of Vermont and reached the KOA campsite in Littleton in the evening. This was the last ‘travel day’ of the tour.

Day Hundred and Twelve (July 30) (Boston, Mass., USA)

Section 8.02 175Caravan Crew Since there was no scheduled event in the morning, Goenkaji decided to use the time to meet some of the volunteers on the Caravan. Some of them had never sought any interview with him though they were with the Caravan for weeks. He met with them individually. They had an opportunity to express their gratitude in person and sought guidance on their practice. Goenkaji expressed joy and appreciation for the selfless service they had rendered.

Section 8.03 176John Hancock Center Throughout the tour Goenkaji had talked to many business people. Today again he talked to an audience of invited businesspeople at the John Hancock Center. Goenkaji explained that as one becomes more and more successful and acquires more and more material wealth, there is more and more attachment. Material comforts and sensual pleasures lead to fear of losing them. Thus one lives a life full of anxiety and fear. He then went on to narrate his own story and how Vipassana changed his life.

Section 8.04 177Charity He also talked about how to give donation properly. For any donation to contribute to the peace and harmony of an individual and that of the society, the volition behind the donation has to be that of compassion and goodwill. When one earns money there is tendency to develop a big ego. And as long as there is ego, there is no peace. On the one hand a householder has to earn money. On the other hand, the money tends to generate ego in you. This is why a good meditator understands that one is not only earning for one’s own maintenance and the maintenance of all those who depend on one but one is also earning for others. Others have a share in one’s earning. Then the ego becomes less and less. A donation is given according to one's own capacity. It is immaterial whether one gives less or more. One gives with a pure mind, not expecting anything in return. Donation becomes impure when one expects something in return.

96 The charity that comes with the volition to serve others, with the wish to see others come out of their misery helps one on the path to real peace. Because a business person earns more, it is all the more important for him or her to use part of this earning for the benefit of society.

Section 8.05 178Spiritual Attainments At the end of the talk, Goenkaji’s was asked about his spiritual attainments. He replied that his life should reflect his attainments. If one’s so called spiritual attainments do not translate into actual upright behaviour in life then they are useless. When one looks for a particular experience in meditation instead of checking whether it has really made one a happier and more peaceful person, then one misses the whole purpose behind Vipassana. Attachment to these experiences in meditation generate ego and bring further misery.

Day Hundred and Thirteen (July 31) (Boston, Mass., USA)

Section 8.06 179Kresge Auditorium, MIT Again in the morning, Goenkaji spent time with the Caravan crew that had served him during the tour. In the evening he spoke at the Kresge auditorium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Goenkaji expressed joy that he was speaking in the great city that has so many world-renowned educational institutions. He explained that Vipassana is a scientific way of understanding yourself. At the end of the talk he was asked about miracles and meditation. Goenkaji replied that the greatest miracle is when a miserable person comes out of misery. All other miracles are irrelevant. Another question was about modern scientific discoveries and the Buddha’s insights into material phenomena. Goenkaji replied that the Buddha certainly knew a lot more than he actually taught. The Buddha discovered so many truths on his journey of exploration of the mind and matter phenomenon. But he taught only that which was relevant to liberation from misery. Once while travelling through a big jungle with the Bhikkhu Sangha, the Buddha took a handful of leaves in his hand and said that what he knows can be compared to all the leaves in the big jungle and what he teaches to the handful of leaves in his hand. But he teaches only this much because this is all that is necessary and relevant for liberation from suffering. Goenkaji was also asked why he doesn’t speak much about advanced stages of meditation in his public talks and even during his ten-day courses. Goenkaji replied that theory and practice must go hand in hand. Intellectual knowledge of the so-called higher stages of meditation would not only be useless to someone who has no such experience but also an obstacle to this progress. Goenkaji said that the Dhamma is like a great ocean that slopes slowly from the shore and becomes deeper and deeper as one goes further from the shore. The Dhamma is also profound and deep as one progresses more and more on the path of Dhamma. After the talk The Caravan drove to Dhamma Dhar±, the Vipassana Meditation Center in Shelburne Falls. They reached there after 1am.

97 Day Hundred and Fourteen (August 1) (Dhamma Dhara, Shelburne Falls, Mass. USA)

Section 8.07 180VMC: Twenty Years of Service Dhamma Dhara, theVipassana Meditation Center in Shelburne Falls is popularly knows as VMC among meditators here. It was the first center established in North America and has been serving people for the last twenty years. The meditators and especially all those Dhamma workers who have served there in the last twenty years were very happy that Goenkaji was visiting the center on its twentieth anniversary. When the center was purchased there were many young and enthusiastic meditators who volunteered their time and skills to build the center. Some of them were present during Goenkaji’s current visit. Goenkaji gave the concluding session of metta practice to the thirty-day course in the morning. Then he met with many meditators from the course at noon. In the evening he meditated in the central meditation cell of the beautiful and quiet pagoda. It was a great opportunity for many to be able to meditate in the presence of their teacher in one of the oldest meditation pagodas in the tradition. All felt refreshed in spite of the long work-day and stifling heat throughout the day. One of the participants in the sitting was a meditator who had given a lot of service at the VMC and who was dying from cancer. He and his meditator wife had earlier met Goenkaji and told him that they remained joyful and equanimous in the face of impending death. Goenkaji was happy to see a shining example of the courage and equanimity one derives from Dhamma.

Section 8.08 181Dispersed Crew Because the center was packed with meditators, the Caravan crew dispersed and had to be accommodated in different places. Some stayed in the houses of other meditators adjacent to the centre. Some tried to finish various tasks before the end of the tour, some took a well-earned rest and some took the opportunity to meditate as much as possible at the center.

Day Hundred and Fifteen (August 2) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA)

Section 8.09 182Meeting Meditators Goenkaji spent most of the day meeting meditators and answering their questions. He also walked around the property with the local teachers. It was a nostalgic walk for Goenkaji and Mataji as they remembered the various stages of development of this first center in the West. At noon, he gave a question and answer session in the Dhamma hall that was full with meditators. In the evening he met with the trustees and senior Dhamma workers along with assistant teachers. He emphasized that the assistant teachers and teachers have more experience in Dhamma work and the trustees should listen to their advice. He asked assistant teachers and teachers to be actively involved in all major decisions in the center, especially when there is a lot of expenditure involved.

98 Day Hundred and Sixteen (August 3) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA)

Section 8.10 183One Day Course Meditators came from all over the continent for the opportunity to meditate with their Teacher in a one- day course at VMC. Goenkaji gave Anapana and Vipassana to the students of the one-day course. Later in the evening he again met meditators.

Section 8.11 184Packing Mataji had a big job at hand as she started packing for their departure the next day to New York. The motorhomes would not be used on this final leg of the North American part of the tour as Goenkaji and Mataji would be staying in an apartment. Goenkaji continued with his work while she was packing. She finished most of the packing today. Some volunteers took care of packing the kitchen equipment, the books and other things that the Caravan had carried throughout the tour. Some of the volunteers who had earlier left the Caravan due to other responsibilities came back to VMC and joyfully met with the volunteers who had taken over their duties.

Day Hundred and Seventeen (August 4) (VMC, Shelburne Falls, Mass., USA)

Section 8.12 185Remembering Goenkaji Goenkaji gave a talk in the Helen Hill Hills Chapel in the Smith College in Northampton in the evening. When Goenkaji came to the U. S. in the year 2000, he had given a talk at the same venue. Goenkaji talked about how he came to Dhamma; how he was full of doubts about the Buddha’s teaching in the beginning and how he was convinced of its benefits by practice and how all his doubts were dispelled when he read the words of the Buddha. There were many questions after the talk. One question was about how Goenkaji would like to be remembered by the future generations. He replied, “Why remember me? Remember the teaching of the Buddha. That is all that matters.” After the talk was over Goenkaji returned to a parking lot where his motorhome was parked. He ate his dinner—the last meal he would eat in this motor home. This was the last time the two main vehicles of the Caravan were together. Most of the other vehicles had already separated. The motor home that housed their kitchen was taken back to VMC. It was quite late when Goenkaji’s motor home started its journey to New York. It reached Manhattan around 3 am. It was almost 4 am before the necessary things were moved from the motor home and the apartment was set up properly. Goenkaji’s “car house”, as he called his motor home, left immediately back to Dhamma Dhar±.

99 Day Hundred and Eighteen (August 5) (Manhattan / Queens / Manhattan, New York, USA)

Section 8.13 186Monkey Mind Goenkaji gave a public talk in the Sheraton Hotel, Queens in the evening. There is a vibrant expatriate Chinese meditator community in Queens. They had organized Goenkaji’s talk in the same venue during Goenkaji’s visit in the year 2000. The talk was translated into Mandarin. In a Vipassana course Goenkaji narrates how the mind is so fickle. It keeps jumping from one object to another all the time like a restless monkey jumping from one branch to another. In this talk Goenkaji again explained that we have a monkey mind and that we can train it using awareness of breath. The mind becomes progressively sharper as one keeps one’s attention on the area below the nostrils and above the upper lip. A sharper mind is able to feel subtler realities in this area. Later on a meditator is taught to be aware of all the sensations throughout the body. Goenkaji answered questions from the audience at the end of the talk and then met with some of the meditators as well as their family members afterwards.

Day Hundred and Nineteen (August 6) (Manhattan, New York, USA)

Section 8.14 187Exhibition Gallery in the Global Pagoda The remaining crew members hoped that this would be relatively free day but Goenkaji had other plans. Goenkaji set out in the morning to look at the Museum of Natural History to see how information could be made available to people using modern technology. This was in a way an educational tour for Goenkaji wherein he learned about displays in modern museums. The exhibition gallery in the Global Pagoda will give historical information about the Buddha and his teaching. It will help remove many misunderstandings that the people of India have about the Buddha and his teaching. Goenkaji is looking for effective ways to do this. He already has an outline of the contents in the gallery but wants to use the most effective ways to present it to people. He saw in the Museum of Natural History how various dioramas are displayed. He also saw the modern interactive ways of educating people. He then decided to visit the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration where he saw how a serious subject matter is explained. Again he was interested in novel ways of presenting information to people. Centuries of false propaganda had given a bad name to the Buddha’s teaching. The Global Pagoda will be a focal point of correcting that misinformation. It was late in the evening before he returned to his apartment.

Day Hundred and Twenty (August 7) (New York, USA / London, UK / Brussels, Belgium)

Section 8.15 188India’s Role in the Spread of Dhamma Goenkaji took the opportunity to give a Sangha D±na at the New York Vihara, which was kindly made available by Ven. Piyatissa Mahathera. So many meditators took the opportunity to visit the Vihara and to 100 serve virtuous monks even though it was a working day and it was arranged on short notice. Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi Mahathera had kindly consented to be present at the Sangha D±na. Goenkaji, Mataji and so many Vipassana meditators felt so happy to serve the monks. The ambassadors of the permanent commissions of Myanmar and Sri Lanka also took the opportunity to come and join in this meritorious deed. Ven. Bodhi Mahathera gave a short speech at the end of paritta chanting. He said that the mankind is facing two extremist evils. The first, rampant materialism, is pushing mankind to hedonism. Corporate greed and materialism are causing an expanding gap between the rich and the poor, thus further destabilizing human society. The second evil, religious fundamentalism, is eroding the values of tolerance and mutual understanding and leading to fanatical outbursts of violence, often taking as its toll the lives of many innocent people. The Mahathera said that the message of the Buddha-Dhamma is needed today. He expressed appreciation for the work of Goenkaji. He added that Goenkaji taught in a way that is acceptable to people in modern society, especially those who don't already have devotion to the Buddha. Goenkaji's emphasis on experiential wisdom strikes a chord in the mind of today's scientific and rational generation. This has enabled him to take the Buddha's teaching to people of various religious and ethnic backgrounds all over the world. "Most importantly", the Mahathera added, "Goenkaji's efforts and success in the revival of the Buddha's teaching in India are extremely valuable. The world looks upon India as the home of spirituality. For the followers of the Buddha, India has even more significance. Unfortunately, in the last millennium India suffered both in the field of spirituality and material progress. Goenkaji's early success in bringing Vipassana to all sections of the Indian society is a good sign. It is important for India to become strong in Dhamma so as to be the driving force behind the revival of the Buddha Dhamma around the world." Goenkaji spoke after Ven. Bodhi Mahathera. He thanked the Sangha for giving him the opportunity to serve them and expressed gratitude to the Sangha for preserving pariyatti and paμipatti. He echoed Ven. Bodhi Mahathera's sentiments on the relevance of the Buddha's teaching in today's world. Immediately after the Sangha D±na at the New York Vihara, Goenkaji and Mataji were taken to the airport. Only a few of the Caravan crew were there to bid them goodbye. They flew out in the early evening for Brussels via London.

Day Hundred and Twenty One (August 8) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.16 189Arrival in Europe Goenkaji and Mataji had agreed to stop in Europe on the way back from America. They arrived in the Brussels airport on the morning of August 8 and were taken to Dhamma Pajjota. The torrential rain the day before had failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Dhamma workers who had arrived from all over Europe. As Goenkaji’s car drove in, they were seen painting the road-front building, cleaning the campus etc. Goenkaji’s residence was on the top floor of the three-storey building at the centre. This building serves as the residential building for the students as well as for assistant teachers. Goenkaji has difficulty climbing steps due a knee injury that he suffered several years ago. Whenever he stays in a building where there is no elevator, a stair-lift is installed temporarily. In Dhamma Pajjota, a Scalamobile (a chair operated by another person that lifts [or lowers] it from one step to the next) was hired for Goenkaji. A local assistant teacher took on the responsibility of operating the Scalamobile.

101 Large dormitory tents had been erected at the Centre to accommodate the students arriving from all over Europe and beyond. There were no formal engagements on this day.

Day Hundred and Twenty Two (August 9) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.17 190Violence vs. Firm Discipline Goenkaji gave a press conference on the morning of August 9. Print media and television reporters had come to Dhamma Pajjota. When asked about the purpose of his tour Goenkaji said that it was to take the message of Dhamma to the maximum number of people. He gets to meet and inspire his students in different parts of the world but more than that he gets an opportunity to attract non-meditators to Vipassana through his public talks and media interviews. He said that he was happy to see that the Buddha’s pragmatic teaching is gaining increasing acceptance in the West. He emphasized that only a healthy mind can bring peace to the world. One journalist asked the difference between violence and strict disciplinary action. Goenkaji explained that one can take a very strong physical and vocal action if necessary but with the base of compassion. When one lacks compassion, one’s actions become violent and ineffective.

Section 8.18 191Not my Centres When asked about ‘your centres’, Goenkaji was quick to correct the reporter. “Vipassana centres are not my centres. They belong to the Vipassana meditators. They build them and run them as per the principles of Vipassana laid down by me.”

Section 8.19 192Infirm Body, Firm Mind Answering a question about his own advanced age and hence of death, he said that the body is bound to become old, decayed and frail; it is bound to get afflicted with various sicknesses but the mind remains healthy with the practice of Vipassana. Talking of fear, he said, “When one lives in the present moment, one becomes fearless.” In the television interview he exhorted viewers to come and give Vipassana a try. “Don’t be afraid. Come and see for yourself. It is not a cult or a ‘foreign’ faith. It is a simple mental exercise that keeps the mind healthy and happy.”

Section 8.20 193How Will Vipassana Last? One reporter asked him whether he is worried that Vipassana won’t last for a long time after him. He said that he has no such worries. As long as the purity of the technique is maintained and Vipassana centres operate on a non-commercial basis, Vipassana will certainly last. The Buddha’s words will act as a guiding beacon whenever there is doubt. The practice matches the words of the Buddha. He warned that merely reading the words of the Buddha is not going to help as without actual practice one can easily misinterpret them. In the evening he gave an evening public talk in the nearby city of Hasselt at the Cultural Centre there. The talk, entitled “Inner Peace for a better World”, attracted a houseful crowd. Goenkaji’s talk was translated into Dutch by a meditator.

102 Even the word “Vipassana” is new to most of the world but now people are slowly understanding that is beneficial, non-sectarian, giving results here-and-now, involving no conversion from one organized religion to another organized religion. As usual the talk was followed by a lively question and answer session.

Day Hundred and Twenty Three (August 10) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.21 194Biggest Course Outside of South Asia A one-day course was scheduled at Dhamma Pajjota. The Meditation Hall, a large tent, accommodated about 800 students from 20 different countries. This was the biggest course ever held outside of South Asia. Goenkaji came into the Hall to give Vipassana. At the same time as the course was going on a film crew from Reuters arrived to film the day’s events. It recorded some scenes of the one-day course throughout the site. Goenkaji gave an interview with the film crew, as did the conducting teacher and four students. Immediate response from the Reuters work followed later in the day with a three-minute slot on the 7 p.m. news of a national Belgian TV station. It was the second item on the news and showed the Dhamma Pajjota site and extracts of an interview with the conducting teacher, another assistant teacher and a student. A big contingent of French meditators including expatriate Cambodians had hired a bus to come to Dhamma Pajjota from Paris. The Cambodian community of meditators had prepared sumptuous Cambodian food for meditators on the one-day course, which was supplemented by delicious food prepared by meditators in Dhamma Pajjota. Their service was obviously much appreciated! During the lunch break Goenkaji gave an hour for questions and answers with the students. For most of the students this was the first chance to meet with Goenkaji and to meditate in his presence. The one-day course came to a happy conclusion with a tea and delectable pies baked in a nearby bakery by meditators. The day remained sunny and warm. Though meditators spoke different languages, communication didn’t seem a problem as they talked to each other at the end of the course and later on. Many meditators stayed on for the entire weekend at the centre.

Day Hundred and Twenty Four (August 11) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.22 195European Union—Unity Among Meditators Sunday was reserved for various trusts and groups of meditators from around Europe (and Israel) to meet with Goenkaji. This was a chance for both the countries with centres and those beginning to develop courses, like Serbia and Scandinavia, to discuss their problems and responsibilities with him. Goenkaji said that each of the European countries should have a legal organization and each country should have a Vipassana centre. He said that if founding a Vipassana centre was beyond the current means of the trust, they should make an effort start a Dhamma House. He praised the unity shown by meditators. Dhamma Pajjota in Belgium is a wonderful example of meditators transcending national and linguistic boundaries to come together for the Dhamma. When the centre was bought most of the seed money came from the German meditators and now most of the Dhamma workers at this centre are Dutch.

103 As Goenkaji keeps saying—true spirituality always unites people. Dhamma Pajjota is a shining example of what Goenkaji says. The students staying at Dhamma Pajjota volunteered to take care of all the tasks that needed to be done. Because of their service the centre management had hired the tents but had not hired anyone to help to erect and take the tents down. This was done by meditators and saved precious d±na money. In the evening Goenkaji gave an interview to a magazine columnist and also met with some of the teachers who had come from different European countries. Around 10.30 pm he met with the building committee including two meditator architects to review the proposed building plan of the centre.

Day Hundred and Twenty Five (August 12) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium / Vught, Netherlands / Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.23 196Spirituality in Business but no Business of Spirituality Goenkaji had been invited to be the keynote speaker at the Spirit in Business Conference Vught in Netherlands. This conference followed a similar conference in New York. Also present were about twenty- five meditators from the business world from Europe. Most of the meditators who took an active part in the conference were young entrepreneurs. Goenkaji spoke for half an hour; followed by another half an hour of questions and answers. After his address, Goenkaji met with a journalist from a Dutch newspaper. Goenkaji emphasized the role of spirituality in business. He often says, “There should be spirituality in business but we should not make a business of spirituality.” It was decided that there would be a course at Dhamma Pajjota next year in May for business people and leaders of society. Goenkaji returned late in the evening to Dhamma Pajjota.

Day Hundred and Twenty Six (August 13) (Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium / Cologne, Germany / Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium)

Section 8.24 197Congress Hall, Cologne In the morning Goenkaji gave interviews to a newspaper in Belgium, a leading financial newspaper, a Hindu newspaper and a political newspaper from Holland. In the evening Goenkaji went to Germany by car to give a talk at the Congress Hall in Cologne. The hall was filled to its capacity. The building was 555 years old. The caretaker informed organizers that the building was originally built as a marketplace but once completed it started being used as an assembly hall. It was used for the coronation ceremony of an emperor and as the emperor’s court about 500 years ago and had recently held the meeting of the European Council. It is close to the Rhine and within walking distance of the famous Cologne Domes. The talk was titled, “Ethics and Mindfulness in Business” Goenkaji said that Vipassana is mindfulness of the truth inside. Greed is the root cause of all business malpractices including corporate scams. Profiteering comes out of greed and greed comes from lack of awareness of the truth inside.

104 There were many questions at the end of the talk. Goenkaji answered as many as time permitted. Then he moved to the room where a press conference was organized. There were many questions. One journalist was keen to know why Goenkaji had a strict policy of not charging for his courses though it would give him financial resources to spread Vipassana far and wide. Goenkaji said that it looked like a good argument superficially but any such venture is bound to harm the Dhamma. When money is involved, sooner or later profit becomes the most important motive and one starts making compromises to please ‘customers’. The Buddha had strongly warned against making a business of Dhamma. Goenkaji returned to Dhamma Pajjota after midnight.

Day Hundred and Twenty Seven (August 14) (Dhamma Pajjota, Dilsen, Belgium)

Section 8.25 198Another Ten Day Course Begins Many requests for media interviews kept coming from Belgium as well as from the neighbouring countries so in the morning Goenkaji gave interviews. There were reporters from a financial daily and a magazine for engineers in Germany. In the evening Goenkaji gave an interview to the Network television that had come to the centre to report on Goenkaji’s visit. Two prison directors from Holland joined this course. The TV was keen to know about role of Vipassana in prison reforms. Goenkaji took a brief tour around the centre. Later on Goenkaji gave Anapana instructions to the students who had joined the ten-day course that day. It was appropriate that his last formal engagement of the tour was an Anapana session to begin a ten-day course since it is through a ten-day introductory course that a person first learns Vipassana. In last thirty- three years, Goenkaji has given hundreds of ten-day Vipassana courses and perfected the structure of the course giving gradual instructions and evening discourses through his experience of hundreds of thousands of students. It has been tested throughout the world in diverse cultural backgrounds, in diverse socio- economic groups and in different religious groups and has proved useful in every situation. Thus for an universal technique taught by the Buddha, Goenkaji used a ten-day course format that was used by his teacher and teacher’s teacher; and proved that it works so well all over the world to bring Dhamma to the suffering humanity.

Day Hundred and Twenty Eight (August 15) (Dhamma Pajjota, Dilsen, Belgium)

Section 8.26 199Meeting at European Union Goenkaji met Commissioner for International Trade of the European Union Mr. Pascal Lamy on the last day of his European stop on the "Meditation Now" tour 2002. Goenkaji left the beautiful Dhamma Pajjota at 6.15 am and went straight to the airport. After checking in his luggage he went to the European Union (EU) Headquarters in Brussels. It was a holiday and the streets and offices were deserted but the Security Office at the EU was informed and was waiting. A security officer escorted Goenkaji quickly to the Office of the Commissioner for Trade. Mr. Lamy welcomed Goenkaji and thanked him for taking time to visit the EU Headquarters. He congratulated Goenkaji on the success of his tour in the West and told him how appropriate it was that this method of mental culture (Vipassana) was finding wider acceptance in the West. Mr. Lamy had

105 already studied some of the literature that he was given earlier by a Vipassana meditator. He asked Goenkaji various questions on spirituality in general and Vipassana meditation in particular. Goenkaji explained the universal and practical nature of the technique. To his question as to whether religious people are more attracted to Vipassana or non-religious ones Goenkaji said, "Both". The religious people find elements of their own religion in Vipassana as morality, mastery over the mind and the purity of the mind are common denominators of all the religions. On the other hand because of the scientific and practical nature of Vipassana, non-religious people find it equally acceptable. Goenkaji explained the technique of Vipassana to Mr. Lamy. Breath is a universal object of concentration that is non-sectarian and is intimately related to the mind. In a Vipassana course one progresses from the observation of breath to the equanimous awareness of sensations (which are also universal and non- sectarian) which are the key to our misery and happiness. Goenkaji explained in detail how Emperor Ashoka changed from “Ashoka the Terror” to “Ashok the Benevolent” due to the Buddha's teaching. He said he hoped that the leaders of the modern society would accept Vipassana, which in turn would help the society in general. The meeting was scheduled for thirty minutes but Mr. Lamy asked if the meeting could go on. Since Goenkaji had checked in his luggage at the airport he could stay a little longer. Mr. Lamy then asked Goenkaji about the socio-economic and business situation in India and in Myanmar (Burma). Goenkaji told him that he was not involved in politics or business any more and that his entire focus was spirituality. However, he praised Mr. Lamy's efforts to help the “Least Developed Countries” and his "Everything But Arms" initiative. Mr. Lamy commented, as the meeting ended, that Goenkaji's approach of helping the individual to create a better society and the Western world's efforts to provide better conditions for humanity were complimentary. He wished peace and prosperity for the countries of India and Myanmar. The meeting that was scheduled for thirty minutes lasted about sixty minutes. In the end, Goenkaji was escorted to the gate of the building by the Chief of the Cabinet of Commissioner for Trade. He reached the airport in time to catch his flight. Mataji was waiting there along with the meditators who had brought Goenkaji's party to the airport.

Section 8.27 200 Chocolate Icing on the Dhamma Tour Cake Even as a man overcome by hunger and exhaustion may get a meal with honey, wherever he would bite into it, he would find it satisfying and of delicious flavour; similarly the Buddha’s words are truthful, sweet, agreeable to the ear, salutary and auspicious. Goenkaji is an ardent practitioner and a prudent master of the Buddha’s teaching. Based on the experiential wisdom borne of nearly half a century of serious practice, the experience of more than three decades of teaching Dhamma to diverse populations and fine oratory, Goenkaji’s Dhamma talks made this tour a sweet cake—everywhere along the tour those who listened to him got a taste of the benevolent Dhamma and they were gladdened in heart. Each one of his Dhamma discourses on the tour had the ability to generate confidence towards Dhamma in the minds of those who didn’t have trust and to increase the trust of those who already had trust in Dhamma. During Goenkaji’s visit Dhamma Pajjota, a young centre in Belgium, hosted the biggest Vipassana course outside of South Asia. The public talks drew enthusiastic response and the media showed so much interest that it became difficult have enough time to satisfy their need for interviews Goenkaji. Belgium, the little country famous for its chocolates, was the last stop on the four-month tour. It turned out to be the chocolate icing on the “Meditation Now” tour cake.

106