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 "My Mother's Death in Dhamma"            -S.N. Goenka. (In 1985 Goenkaji was asked by a student whether it is possible to feel sensations at the time of death. In reply, he related the following story about his adoptive mother’s death.) I was one of six sons. I was adopted at a young age by my uncle and aunt, Mr. Dwarkadas and Mrs. Ramidevi Goenka, who at the time had six daughters but no son. My adoptive mother was a devoted student of my teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin. She had made great progress in her seven years of practicing Vipassana under Sayagyi’s guidance, and Sayagyi was quite fond of her. She was the only student of Sayagyi's to die in his presence as far as it is known. In 1967 when my mother was about 70 years old, she was diagnosed as having an advanced stage of liver cancer. We in the family did not know how long she had suffered because she had never complained. It was only one week before her death that she spoke mildly about some pain sh...

 "Each morning, the light of the sun dispels the darkness of the night. It makes no difference which part of the world it is shining upon, or in which season or year; whether in the past, present or future, the darkness vanishes automatically with each sunrise.  Similarly, the light of Vipassana dispels the darkness of ignorance and of misery regardless of the time or the place.  All around the world today the darkness of suffering is painfully apparent. People everywhere are eager to find an answer to the misery in their lives. Thus it is no wonder that the light of Vipassana--the light of wisdom--has proven itself of such relevance to the modern world. When we generate vibrations of negativity--anger, hatred, ill-will, animosity, ego, etc.--the atmosphere around us becomes charged with these vibrations. This pollution, although invisible, causes so many problems in human society--tensions, stress, strain, conflicts. Misery, nothing but misery.  🌷Vipassana is the w...

 🌷 Group Sittings🌷 Over the years, Goenkaji has always encouraged group sittings for those students who live near one another and who can get together.  For those students who have been able to experience the strength of these sittings it has been very helpful to their practice.  Some students have even organized their lives so they can live in an area and sit with others to experience the strong Dhamma vibrations that group sittings bring. The Dhamma vibrations that are generated at these sittings can help a student throughout the whole next week until he can charge his batteries again. It is because of this that the Newsletter would like to publish the places where group sittings are held throughout the world. Where there are not group sittings, students are encouraged to start them so they can also receive these benefits.

 🌷Good wishes for a Happy New Year 🌷 (Discourse given on Oct 25, 1995 to old student meditators in the Jamanabai High School, Mumbai) My dear Dhamma sons and daughters, On the occasion of Deepavali—New Year’s day, let us firmly resolve once again to walk on the path of Dhamma. Let us not just discuss it, nor debate about it, but let us walk on the path of Dhamma step by step. All of you have been practicing Vipassana; some of you may have done only one course, others may have done more than one. However many courses you have attended is not as important as whether you practice Vipassana for one hour in the morning and evening. If you don’t, you have to make a strong resolve to do so. Just as two meals a day are necessary for the body to keep it strong and healthy, practicing Vipassana in the morning and evening is equally as necessary for the mind. However, meditators who practice in the morning and evening have to be careful to see whether it has become a mere mechanical ritual ...

In Vipassana centers from purchase of land to construction of centers, and then their total operation is done by donation of only Vipassana mediators. Every center has monthly expenses like payment of salaries to employees, electricity bills,and day to day expenses, which are met only by the donations given by the vipassana meditators So the mediator brothers and sisters are requested to generously donate to the Vipassana centers. Sabka Mangal ho

 Information  Vipassana Centres where seats are usually available  in the future courses are (1)Dhamma pubbja (Churu Rajasthan) (2)Dhamma maroodhara(jodhpur, Rajasthan) (3)Dhamma pushkar(Pushkar,Ajmer, Rajasthan) (4)Dhamma guna(Guna,pagara,MP) (6)Dhamma Upavana(Bara Chakia, Bihar) (7) Vijayarayai Vipassana centre (A P) (8)Dhamma Rata(Ratlam, MP) (9)Dhamma garh(Bilaspur) (10)Dhamma madhuvan(Sriganganagar, Rajasthan) (11)Dhamma avasa(Latur, Maharashtra) (12)Dhamma Narmada(Jhagadia, Bharuch, Gujarat) (13)Dhamma bhavan(Vadodara, Gujarat) (14)Dhamma Aranya(Chaksu, Jaipur) (15)Dhamma Nilay(Jamdoli, Jaipur) Website vridhamma.org Sabka Mangal Ho

 🌷Interview with Vipassana Teacher Shri Satya Narayan Goenkaji.🌷 (Colombo, Sri Lanka, 18th May, 2006) 1) For you, what is the significance of the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi? Goenkaji : It is very important. Because the first Buddha Sasana of 2500 years ended 50 years ago. And now the second Buddha Sasana has started. This is the fiftieth year of the second Buddha Sasana. A very important period, where the Buddha’s teaching will again arise and spread around the world.  2) There are various beliefs as to how long the Buddha Sasana will last. In Sri Lanka it is believed that it will last for 5000 years, and others believe  that  it  will  last for 10,000 years. What is your opinion on this?  Goenkaji : Well,  so  long  as  it  is  working  now,  why  worry  about the  future?  It  gives  results  here  and  now  and  that  is  more important  for...

 🌷How to Apply Vipassana in Student Life.🌷                     -S. N. Goenka.  Here are a few words to help you understand how to apply the wonderful technique that you have learnt here in your day-to-day life. If you can't apply it in your day-to-day life, it is futile to spend ten days in a course like this. This is not a rite or a ritual; it is an art of living.  One learns how to live peacefully and harmoniously within and how to help others to live in peace and harmony.  🌷How can we use this technique for this purpose?  As students, you are very fortunate that the leaders of your institute have understood the efficacy of this wonderful technique and have given you an opportunity to learn it.  This technique will help you not only in your student life but also after completing your studies. You may become an executive or a chief executive officer or the owner of a particular business.  Now, as a ...

 📜How to Untie Knots "It’s possible that there may be only a few minutes in the hour where you are wide awake, sharp, and your mind is penetrating, but these are very valuable minutes. Don’t discount them. Use them wisely and don’t fret about what you think has been lost. You were working during the entire meditation period, although it might not have been what you expected. If your schedule doesn’t demand that you be somewhere right after sitting and at that point your mind is clear, then sit a while longer than an hour.  Every moment you sit on the cushion is valuable if you bring your mind back to the object of meditation without reacting. Then you are doing the right thing. ... One more thing: there are some people who have exactly the opposite experience. They find that the first ten minutes of the hour they are very sharp, very alert and then they drift into this fog where they don’t even know which end is up. It does not matter. Continue to sit, complete the hour. Ther...

 🌷Q: Why is vegetarian food helpful for meditation? A: When you eat meat or something, then this being - animal or fish or whatever it is - for its whole life was generating nothing but craving, aversion, craving, aversion.  After all, human beings can find some time when they can come out of craving and aversion. These beings cannot come out of it. So every fibre of their body is vibrating with craving and aversion.  And you yourself want to come out of craving, aversion and you are giving an input to all of that. So what sort of vibrations you will have. That is why it is not good.

 🌷 Insomnia🌷 1. How to deal with insomnia? Vipassana helps you. When a Vipassana student can't sleep properly, if he or she lies down and observes respiration or sensations, sound sleep comes.  Even if they don't get sound sleep, the next day they will get up feeling very fresh, as if they have come out of a deep sleep. Practice Vipassana even when lying down. Try, and you will find that it is very helpful. 2.  Que: For the past ten to twelve years, I haven't been able to sleep properly. Ans: Vipassana will solve this problem, depending on how properly you work. If you come to Vipassana with the sole aim of getting sound sleep, then it's better you don't come!  You should come to Vipassana to come out of the impurities of your mind. There is a great disturbance because there is so much negativity in the mind, so much worry. All these worries, negativities and impurities will start getting eradicated by Vipassana, and you will start getting very sound sleep. ------...