Meditation Now: Inner Peace through Inner Wisdom (S.N. Goenka North American Tour 2002)

S.N. Goenka Tour of the West
Report June 17 - June 30

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

Grove 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.

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.

The 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)

Noble 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.

Ashoka: A Bright Shining Star in the Galaxy of Great 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 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.

Everyone 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.

Escape 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)

Know 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.

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.

Posture 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.

Instant 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.

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)

Recipe 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.

Recipe 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.

Proper 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 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.

Meditation 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)

Knock 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!”

Dhamma 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.

Outer 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)

Dhamma 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”.

Neither 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)

Gurudwara 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 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)

No 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±  anaññasaraº±.]

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 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.

The 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.

Deep 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)

Broadcasting 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.

Eight-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 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.

Suññat± (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)

D±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 T erminal 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.

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)

What 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)

Ambitious 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.

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)

Fragrance 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)

Peace 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 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.