On Dhamma Service 

Question: What is the most important quality needed while serving the Dhamma?

Goenkaji: If you don’t have mettā, it is better that you don’t give Dhamma service. Sometimes a Dhamma server shouts like a policeman or a policewoman at students who do not observe the rules, and this is totally wrong. Every Dhamma server is actually a representative of the Dhamma; students watch their behaviour and if they are just as arrogant as others, the students will lose confidence in the Dhamma.

Therefore Dhamma service is a great responsibility. If someone cannot work with mettā in a humble way, it is better to refrain from taking this responsibility.

Question: Why is abstaining from sexual misconduct and intoxicants so important for a Dhamma server?

Goenkaji: They are important in order to progress in Dhamma. All the sīlas are important for a Dhamma server, but these two are the most important.
If you keep taking any intoxicant you will remain a slave to intoxication, and you cannot progress in Dhamma; the mind cannot be balanced when it is enslaved. You must become your own master, and intoxication cannot make you your own master.

Similarly for sexual misconduct: by practising Dhamma, both husband and wife will ultimately reach the stage where they naturally live a life of celibacy. But if there is a relationship with more than one person, sexual desire will continue to increase. It is like adding petrol to a fire that you want to put out.

So the first discipline is that a sexual relationship should only exist between spouses. If both are good Vipassana meditators, when passion arises they observe the sensations arising and accept the fact, “There is passion in my mind.” As they observe the sensations they will probably come out of passion. But if they don’t and have bodily relations, there is nothing wrong because they have not broken their sīla. I have seen many cases where, if they keep working like this, people easily come out of passion and still feel so contented, so happy. The need does not arise. A sexual relationship is actually designed by nature for reproduction, but it is human beings’ weakness to go against nature and use it only for passion.

Slowly, if you keep working with Vipassana, you will come out of passion and reach a stage where there is a natural celibacy—a celibacy achieved through suppression doesn’t help—and this natural celibacy will help you to develop so much in Dhamma. You progress by leaps and bounds once you reach that stage.

Question: What are the benefits of bowing down to pay respect?

Goenkaji: In the eyes of most people when you bow down to somebody you pay respect to that person, and that is all there is to it. For a Vipassana meditator it is really worthwhile keeping the attention at the top of the head and bowing down to somebody who is giving mettā.

I remember my teacher instructed us how to bow down: The first time should be with awareness of sensations at the top of the head and the understanding of anicca (impermanence), the second time should be with the understanding of dukkha (suffering), and the third time should be with the understanding of anattā (lack of self). At times when we bowed down, he would ask, “Did you bow down properly?”

When you are observing anicca in this area you understand, “Look, everything is changing.” When you observe dukkha you understand, “Whatever is changing is a source of dukkha; it can’t be a source of happiness.” With anattā you understand, “There is no ‘I’ in this, no ‘mine’, it is just a mind-matter phenomenon.” So the way to bow down is with understanding and awareness of sensations at the top of the head.

Question: I know that an experienced Dhamma server should treat new students and visitors with more mettā than old students. How can one do this?

Goenkaji: By practising Dhamma more and more. When your mind becomes purer, naturally you will have more mettā. In an earlier question you asked why it is important to practise daily. Understand, if you don’t practise daily you will not have any mettā, and if you have no mettā you cannot serve. So practise daily, make yourself strong in Dhamma, and naturally your mettā will become strong and have a great impact on the students who visit.

As I said, those who come to a course always look at the Dhamma servers, the teacher and all those who manage the centre. If they find these people are not practising what is being taught here, they will think that this is a sham. They will say to themselves, “Look, the technique has not helped those who practise here, why should I waste my time?”

Be very careful: Make yourself strong in Dhamma so that you can give more mettā. Keep the atmosphere full of mettā, full of mettā. If you do that you will be successful and the centre will be successful; more and more people will be benefited.

Question: If our senior in Dhamma takes an independent decision which goes against the guidelines you have formulated, what should we as Dhamma servers do?

Goenkaji: Very humbly and politely place your view before this person, saying, “Well, according to my understanding of the guidelines, this is an incorrect decision. I believe the guidelines suggest another course of action.” Then your senior can explain the reasons for his or her decision. If you still find there is a difference of opinion you can say, “Since we do not agree on this matter I will write to a senior teacher or to Goenkaji. Let us explain the situation to a senior and let him or her decide.” But never write to a senior without first discussing your difference of opinion with this person, otherwise it would be backbiting, a breakage of sīla. Be careful not to break your vocal sīla.

Often people write letters to me saying, “So-and-so is behaving like this. So-and-so is doing this.” Then I ask whether they have discussed the matter with the person they are complaining about and they reply that they have not. In such a situation why write to me?

It is very important that you talk over the problem with the person concerned first. Most of your difficulties will be settled when you discuss the matter directly—not with a negative attitude but a positive attitude, making an effort to understand the other person’s view. Maybe your view is wrong or maybe the elder’s view is wrong, and when you discuss with them things will become clearer. If you find that the situation is not becoming clearer, then there is nothing wrong in informing other elders.

Question: How does one find the balance between selfless service and taking care of oneself?

Goenkaji: If one cannot take care of oneself, what service will one give? First take care of yourself, and then start giving selfless service.

* * *

In daily life, there are many ups and downs. To maintain equanimity and to generate love and compassion despite these vicissitudes is the training of Vipassana. When Vipassana meditators give Dhamma service, they learn in a healthy atmosphere how to apply Dhamma in life.

While giving service you come across different types of meditators. Some may be lazy, or talkative, or rude. Sometimes an immature Dhamma server reacts in kind and replies rudely or behaves like a gaoler. But you are trained that, in spite of any mistakes made by the students, you must not become angry. Instead you must maintain a balanced mind filled with love and compassion. You may make mistakes and learn to correct yourself, and in this way, you learn how to face unwanted situations equanimously. In the atmosphere of a Dhamma centre or course, it is easier to learn how to face various situations, and then you can start to apply this wisdom in your daily life. This is t training ground for each server to learn how to live a good life.
The Buddha said that a good Dhamma person has two qualities: the quality of selflessly serving others and the quality of gratitude for help received. These two qualities are rare.

A Dhamma server has the opportunity to develop both qualities. You practise serving others without expecting anything in return, and you start to develop a feeling of gratitude towards the Buddha, who discovered this wonderful technique and gave it to the world, and towards the chain of teachers, right from the Buddha up to today, who maintained this technique in its pristine purity. One feels like repaying the debt of gratitude by serving others in order to fulfil the mission of the Teacher.

One feels so happy and contented serving others and helping them to come out of their misery. Therefore Dhamma service works both ways: It helps others, and it helps the Dhamma server too.

May you all gain strength in Dhamma for your own benefit, and may you continue to serve others for the good and benefit of so many.

First Vipassana Course in Ethiopia