Letters of Dhamma. (Code no- E66)
“May the Ganges of Dhamma keep flowing in the world, for the happiness of everyone, for the benefit of all.”
Letters of Dhamma brings together a rare collection of personal letters written by S.N. Goenka and his teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin, along with selected correspondence with Mataji (Mrs. Illaichidevi Goenka), family members, and students. These intimate exchanges open a window onto the early days of the modern revival of Vipassana in India, revealing the inner strength, challenges, and practical wisdom that guided this great Dhamma work.
The letters show Goenkaji responding to nationalization, financial loss, family responsibilities, and social pressures with calm awareness and deep faith in Dhamma. He explains how to face gain and loss, praise and blame, fear and uncertainty without hatred or sorrow, and how to transform crises into opportunities for practice and service. At the same time, the correspondence with Sayagyi documents the historic effort to re-establish Vipassana in the land of the Buddha after more than two thousand years, and the uncompromising emphasis on purity, service, and non-commercial spread of the teaching.
Later sections include moving letters between Mataji and Goenkaji that offer encouragement to Dhamma daughters and guidance on meditation in times of illness, worry, and family duty, as well as brief biographical notes, a list of courses conducted by S.N. Goenka, and a helpful glossary of Pāli, Hindi and Burmese terms.
Letters of Dhamma is both a historical document and a living guide: it shows how the Buddha’s path can be walked in the midst of business, family life, and social change—moment by moment, with wisdom, compassion, and courage.