Inauguration of the Global Vipassana Pagoda
Acharya Goenkaji’s most fervent Dhamma wish was fulfilled in November 2008 when the construction of the Global Vipassana Pagoda was completed. It has been built in memory of his beloved teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
In October 1997, the foundation stone was laid on the Essel Plateau in Mumbai. In the eleven years since this auspicious event, the construction work progressed without interruption, supported selflessly by Vipassana meditators and devotees from around the world.
The Global Vipassana Pagoda expresses the gratitude of Vipassana meditators to the Buddha for the teaching of liberation, and gratitude as well to the chain of teachers and Sayagyi U Ba Khin for transmitting that teaching through the millennia down to our own time.
The monument is a replica of Shwe Dagon Pagoda of Yangon, Myanmar to show the gratitude of India to Myanmar for preserving Vipassana Meditaiton through the millennia when it was lost in India.
Resting on the colossal foundation and incorporating the biggest pillar-less stone dome on earth, the 325 feet pagoda rises into the skies of Mumbai as the beacon of Peace and Harmony.
Approximately 2.5 million tons of stone have been used. These were carted from quarries in Rajasthan, more than a thousand kilometers from the construction site. Each stone has been hand-carved for precise interlocking with other stones. It took a total of 3.87 million man-days to complete this unique monument.
The genuine relics of the Buddha have been enshrined in the Pagoda.
Made entirely of stone, this Monument of Peace and Harmony has a huge meditation hall 280 feet in diameter and with a seating capacity of over 8000; and an exhibition gallery depicting the truth about the Buddha and his non-sectarian teaching.
Acharya Goenkaji hopes that this monument will act as a bridge between different communities, different sects, different countries and different races to make the world a more harmonious and peaceful place.
* * *
The official inauguration of the Global Vipassana Pagoda will be held on 8 February, 2009. The President of India, HE Mrs. Pratibhatai Patil, has agreed to grace the inauguration function on 8 February, 2009. The Sangha Dana event is scheduled for 7 February, 2009 at 10.30 am. These functions are by invitation only. Only those carrying invitation cards will be admitted.
For more information, contact:
Ms. Shivanjali Gaikwad or Mr. Sudhir Pai
135 Continental Building, Dr Anne Beasant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 018. Website: www.globalpagoda.org
Email: shivanjali.g@gmail.com or sudhirpai2005@gmail.com
First Teacher’s Self-Course at the Global Pagoda
From November 8 to 23, 2008, approximately 400 Vipassana meditators supported their teacher by meditating in the Teacher’s Self-Course at Dhamma Giri, Dhamma Tapovana, and Dhamma Pattana—the new center next to the Global Pagoda in Mumbai.
The participants were native speakers of 23 languages and came from 35 different countries. They had sat a total of over 750 courses.
Acharya Goenkaji and Mataji meditated at Dhamma Pattana. This was the first time in a long time that his health permitted Goenkaji to undertake a course. He opened the course with a webcast of the beginning formalities and Anapana instructions. He also gave a brief talk closing the course. The video of this talk is posted on the old student Vipassana website at:
http://video.server.dhamma.org/video/tsc/tsctalk.htm
Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ—May all beings be happy.
Europe’s First Long-Course Center
This past September, the UK Vipassana centre hosted a large Satipatthana course dedicated to Dhamma Padhāna (Foremost in Dhamma)—the European Long-Course Center (ELCC). Construction of this facility will start within months on land alongside Dhamma Dīpa.
The retreat drew over 200 serious old students and servers from 21 countries. It was the largest residential Vipassana course to be held in Europe for 20 years. Dhamma Dīpa’s new dining rooms were used for the first time, and the old kitchen was adapted to cater to large numbers.
Small tent villages complete with their own temporary toilet and shower blocks were created. After weeks of rain, the weather turned clear and fine. This allowed students to meditate on the land where Dhamma Padhāna’s meditation hall will stand. And so began the work of generating a positive Dhamma atmosphere for the benefit of future generations.
Inspiration from Goenkaji
A video link with India enabled Goenkaji to view the course in progress and give instructions to the participants. On Metta Day students could see their teacher on the television screens in the Dhamma hall as he spoke directly to them:
“I am very pleased that soon Dhamma Padhāna will come up here. A large number of students can’t come all the way to India to take long courses, so this center is a boon for you. And it is not merely an English center, it is a European center.
“My mettā is always with you. Let Dhamma Padhāna come up as quickly as possible for the good of many, for the benefit of many, for the liberation of many. May people grow in Dhamma, glow in Dhamma. Take advantage of this wonderful technique for your good and for the good of so many others. “May you all be happy, peaceful and liberated.”
Building Dhamma Padhāna
In 2008, over 200 Vipassana courses have been scheduled across the European region in 28 countries. With the construction of a dedicated long-course center, the growth of Dhamma in Europe is entering a new phase. Dhamma Padhāna will be the first Vipassana center outside India dedicated to long courses.
The land where the center is being built has been used exclusively for meditation and service for many years. For old students who wish to work more deeply, the new center will provide ideal facilities for serious meditation. Each student will live in a private room with attached bath, and will meditate in a private meditation cell in the two-storey pagoda.
The first phase of construction for 50 students starts soon. By the end of 2009 the evolving center will begin to offer both long courses and shorter old student courses. All old students are welcome to become involved in this auspicious project and develop their pāramīs by helping physically on the site, by serving on the Trust committees or by giving financial support in the form of donations and loans for the project. For further information, contact: info@padhana.dhamma.org
Worldwide course statistics for 2007
About 90,000 people attended a ten-day course worldwide, including over 54,000 new students in 2007. India accounted for approximately half of these numbers, followed by East Asia, Europe and North America. Approximately 3,000 people attended courses for old students, including Satipatthana and Special ten-day courses and courses of 20, 30 and 45 and 60 days.
First course in Bulgaria
Bulgaria hosted its first Vipassana course in September 2008, at a camp site in the Kamchiya Nature Reserve on the Black Sea coast.
The initial work for the course started in December 2005. A small group of Bulgarian old students decided first to translate and record the course materials, and then to try to organize a course. The course material was ready by the end of 2007. It took until the following July to find a suitable course site, and the course was announced for September.
The first course was for men only. The participants included nine new and four old students, plus five servers. The countries represented included not only Bulgaria but Turkey, the Czech Republic, Germany and the UK. At the end of the course all expressed their sincere gratitude and happiness. With this successful beginning, the plan is to hold another course in September 2009.
Vipassana Center in Sravasti
In the Buddha’s time Sravasti (Pali Sāvatthī) was the capital of Kosala and home of the famous Jetavana Monastery. To purchase the land on which the monastery was to be built, Anāthapindika covered it with gold coins. It was here that the Buddha most often stayed during the rainy season, the traditional time for meditation retreats.
In the Buddha’s lifetime and later, Jetavana was a very extensive complex. Only the heart of this compound has been unearthed by archeologists. The Vipassana center, Dhamma Suvatthi, is especially significant because it probably stands on part of the ancient Jetavana. During construction of this modern-day center for the practice of the Buddha’s teaching, a few ancient bricks were found.
The area around the ancient Jetavana now has a handful of monasteries and meditation centers, as well as a small village. The rural, quiet setting is ideal for meditation.
The center already has accommodation for 36 students. Now the trust has decided to construct a pagoda with individual meditation cells. Together with the residential facilities, this will provide an ideal environment for serious meditation.
Dana has been offered to cover most of the cost of an initial 12 cells, and building will start soon. Gradually, more cells and accommodation will be added. Ultimately, the center will be able to host about 100 students.
For more information, visit www.suvatthi.dhamma.org or contact info@suvatthi.dhamma.org. To receive news updates about the centre, subscribe to the center listserve by sending a blank email to announce-subscribe@suvatthi.dhamma.org
Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television
Aastha: Daily, 9:40 to 10 am
Hungama: and Bindass: Daily, 4.30 to 6.00 am
Zee: Urja, Daily, 4:30 am
USA: Aastha TV at 6 pm EST (Monday to Friday) on WORLDDIRECT platform of DIRECTV on channel no. 2005. (Please confirm exact timings.)
In Memoriam
Mr. Balraj Chaddha, Vipassana Teacher from Faridabad, passed away on 1 December 2008.
Mr. Sarvajeet Yadav, Assistant Teacher of Vipassana from Gorakhpur, passed away on 5 November 2008.
May they be happy, peaceful and liberated.
Pilgrimage to the Buddha Sacred Sites
IRCTC, the tourism arm of Indian Railways, last year, started running a fully airconditioned special train named the Mahaparinirvana Express, touring the Buddha Sacred Sites – Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. Exhaustive details can be viewed on www.railtourismindia.com.
This is an excellent opportunity for a Vipassana meditator to do the pilgrimage in a comfortable manner without the bother and hassle of orgainising multiple ticketing, local transport at different destinations and hotel stays.
Global Vipassana Foundation(GVF) has negotiated a special discount of 21% with IRCTC for the benefit of Vipassana meditators, and IRCTC & GVF has additionally agreed to structure in two slots of group meditation for the Vipassana meditators, subject to the number of such meditators being not less than 10 on a given train. The first, under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya and the second, at Kushinagar. The group sittings will be scheduled for after the close of visiting hours to the temple so as to provide a quiet environment for group meditation. This would be subject to no other engagement happening on the particular day in the temple premises.
The circuit of the Mahaparinirvana Express starts and ends at Delhi. The forthcoming schedule and tariff appear below:
Schedule
Start and end at Delhi
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Starting Date
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Ending Date
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2008
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Oct
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1st & 18th
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8th & 25th
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Nov
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1st, 15th & 29th
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8th, 22nd & 6th Dec
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Dec
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13th & 27th
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20th & 3rd Jan
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2009
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Jan
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10th & 24th
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17th & 31st
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Feb
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7th & 21st
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14th & 28th
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Mar
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7th & 21st
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14th & 28th
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Tariff
Full Tour of 8 days / Full Fare (infants free, children 5-12 yrs 50%)
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Class
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Rack Rate
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21% Discounted Rate (rounded)
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Rs
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USD
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Rs
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USD
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First
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45150
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1050
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35670
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830
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2 Tier
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37625
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875
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29730
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692
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3 Tier
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28595
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665
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22590
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525
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Meditators needing more information are encouraged to visit www.railtourismindia.com and/or contact Arun Srivastava - Tel: (91) 99714-96669, Email: arunsrivastava@irctc.com. For registration contact Manish Shinde - Tel: (91) 93235-26462, Email: manish@globalpagoda.org
Donations through Core Banking and SWIFT Transfer
Donations to Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust (VIA, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri) and VRI can now be remitted from anywhere in India through any branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) under core banking system.
Account numbers of State Bank of India, Igatpuri branch:
1 Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust: 11542160342
2 VRI: 11542165646. (Igatpuri Branch Code: 0386)
Donations from outside India can be remitted through SWIFT transfer to State Bank of India, Igatpuri Branch, Maharashtra, India. SWIFT Transfer details are as follows:
1. Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial trust: SBININ BB 528 Branch code 01247 beneficiary Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust Account No. 11542160342, Igatpuri branch code: 0386
2. Vipassana Research Institute (VRI): SBININ BB 528 Branch code 01247 beneficiary Vipassana Research Institute Account No. 11542165646, Igatpuri branch code: 0386
NB Please inform Accounts Department, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403, Email: info@giri.dhamma.org about your donation with all relevant details so that the receipt of your donation can be sent to you.
Basic Pali-English Course at VRI
Vipassana Research Institute will be conducting an eight-month basic Pali-English residential course from March 2009 to 31 October 2009.
Vipassana meditators who have completed five ten-day courses and one Satipatthana course, are observing five precepts and maintaining two hours of daily practice for the last two years and are fully committed to this tradition are eligible for admission. Local area Teacher's recommendation is essential for admission to the course.
Advanced Pali-English Course
Advanced Pali-English residential course will be conducted from March 2009 to 31 October 2009. Eligibility criteria are the same as in the Basic Pali course plus completion of the Basic course or equivalent. Local area teacher’s recommendation is essential for admission.
Last date for application is 31 January 2009. Application forms are available at VRI, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403. Email: vri_admin@dhamma.net.in
Website: www.vri.dhamma.org
Pali Workshops
Two Pali workshops have been organized at Jaipur for Hindi-speaking Vipassana meditators from India and Nepal from 20 to 28 February and 23 to 31 May 2009.
Venue: Kothari Farms (Marugandha), Bhankrota-Jaisinghpura Road, 2 kms. off Jaipur-Ajmer Express Highway, Bhankrota, Jaipur. For registration, contact Ms. Meghana, Mobile: 96028-48896.
Email: paliworkshop@yahoo.co.in
Pali Workshop in the US
Pariyatti—a nonprofit, educational organization—is pleased to announce its plan to offer a Pali workshop from mid-April to mid-May 2010, at a site near Seattle, in the state of Washington, USA.
Mr. and Mrs. S.N. Tandon of Delhi, India, have accepted an invitation to facilitate and guide this workshop. As the words of the Buddha come alive, students are better able to understand the path on which they are walking. Therefore the focus of this workshop is not on linguistics or academics, but on deepening the students’ meditation practice.
For further information, interested students may subscribe to the Pali workshop e-mail list by sending an e-mail to: pali-workshop-info-subscribe@pariyatti.org
Vipassana Websites
Vipassana introduction: www.dhamma.org
Course schedules of Vipassana centres worldwide, etc.
Dhamma Giri: www.vri.dhamma.org
Indian Vipassana centres and schedule of courses, etc.
Pali Tipiṭaka Website: www.tipitaka.org
The Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana Tipiṭaka with commentaries, subcommentaries and related Pali texts in Roman, Devanagari, Cyrillic, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Myanmar, and Sinhala scripts. Tamil script has been added recently.
Children’s Courses in Mumbai
To serve children’s courses in Mumbai, call 98200-22990.
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Date
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Venue
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Age
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Registration
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4-1
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South Mumbai
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9-16 yrs
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4 & 5-1
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18-1
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Goregaon (W)
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13-16 yrs
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16 & 17-1
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18-1
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Ghatkopar
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9-16 yrs
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16 & 17-1
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1-2
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South Mumbai
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9-16 yrs
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27 & 28-1
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22-2
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Ghatkopar
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9-16 yrs
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19 & 20-2
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Course Timings: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Registration: 11 am to 1 pm
Course Venues: Ghatkopar (W): SNDT School, New Bldg., Cama Lane, Opp. Vidyut Soc. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. Matunga: Amulakh Amirchand High School, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Rd, New SNDT College, King’s Circle, Matunga, Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. South Mumbai: Tel: 2308-1622. Ulhasnagar: Guru Nanak School, Kurla Camp, Ulhasnagar-4. Tel: (0251) 252-2693. NB Please: *bring cushion, *register on specified phone numbers, *inform in advance if unable to attend after registration, *arrive on time for the course.
New Responsibilities
Ācaryas:
1. Ms. Meena Tank, Ahmedabad
Spread of Dhamma
2. & 3. Mr. Pratap & Mrs. Shantaben Thakkar, Gandhidham
To serve Kutch region and to assist centre teachers in serving Dhamma Sindhu, Bada
4. Mrs. Pushpa Pawar, Nashik
To assist the centre teacher in serving Dhamma Nāsikā, Nashik
Senior Assistant Teachers:
1. Mr. Madan Mutha, Kolhapur
To assist the area teachers in serving Dhammālaya, Kolhapur
2. Ms. Shailaja Katkar, Kolhapur
3. Mr. Vasant Karade, Kolhapur
4. Ms. Arati Kaikini, Pune
5. Mrs. Anupama V. Jagtap, Pune
6. Mrs. Indira Brahmbhatt, Ahmedabad
7. Mr. Ravjibhai Barot, Himmatnagar
8. Mr. N. Suryanarayana Murty, Pedavegi Mandal
9. Mrs. Sersembe Sathyavani, Hyderabad
10. Mr. Anil Mehta, Jaipur
11. & 12. Mr. Guy & Mrs. Tamar Gelbgisser, Israel
New Appointments
Assistant Teachers:
1. Mr. Dilip Kate, Alibaug
2. Ms. Neha Shroff, Mumbai
3. Mrs. Loka Sugandha, Hyderabad
Children’s Course Teachers:
Mrs. Sarla Kaushal, Ludhiana
Dhamma Dohas
Apanā bhī hove bhalā, bhalā sabhī kā hoya;
Jisase jaga kā ho bhalā, shuddha Dharama hai soya.
Good for oneself, good for everyone,
Good for the world—this is pure Dhamma.
Dhanya hoya mātā pitā, dhanya hoya kula gota;
Dharma puruṣa janame jahā, liye gyāna kī jyota.
Fortunate are the parents, fortunate the family and clan
To whom is born a virtuous person,
bearing the torch of wisdom.
Yahī Dharama kī parakha hai, yahī Dharama kā māpa.
Jana jana kā maṅgala kare, dūra kare santāpa.
This is the only test of Dhamma; this is its only measure:
It provides well-being and removes suffering for all.
Kudarata kā kānūna hai, isase bacā na koya.
Maile mana vyākula rahe, niramala sukhiyā hoya.
This is the law of nature, which no one can escape:
A defiled mind is agitated; a pure mind is happy.