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

Sleeping 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 pah±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)

Nature 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.

Sleepless 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 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.

Mataji 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)

Real 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.

Illness and Vipassana

He was asked, “How does one deal with illness using Vipassana?” He explained thatillness 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.

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)

Gift 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.

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)

New 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)

Recuperating 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.

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

Buddha : 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 honor 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.

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)

Coast 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 the teachers responsible for spread of Vipassana in People’s Republic of China (Mainland China).

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

Visit 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)

Siddhartha’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.

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)

Myanmar 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.

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)

Sangha 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.

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

Khanti (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)

Dhamma 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.

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

Like 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.”

Be 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.”