Apr 7, 2014

Legacy of Dhamma



Address to the Centre Teachers and Co-ordinator Area Teachers

by Most Compassionate Sayagyi U Goenka (Principal Teacher of Vipassana)


(from the Vipassana Institute Newsletter, December 2012)



" Dear Dhamma Sons and Daughters,

My sincere Blessings to all of you!

It's more than 50 years now since I started teaching Vipassana, first in Myanmar and then in India since 1969, as per Sayagyi's wish. He gave me serious training and as you all know, as per his strong wish, I could re-establish Vipassana in India and also could spread it in the entire world with the help of you all. We all have succeeded in fulfilling Sayagyi's dream and have supported the Second Buddha Sasana to the best of our capacity.

I remember the day when Sayagyi U Ba Khin told me – "Goenka! You are not going to India but I am going to repay the debt that Myanmar owes to India. Dhamma is going with you." He sent me without any committee above me. 

I had the benefit of his deep understanding of Dhamma and his profound guidance that I sincerely followed throughout. I always took his advice whenever I needed. Though I had that invaluable advantage only for the three initial years, his profound blessings and guidance are very much with me till today even after he passed away.

I have been serving Dhamma for more than 50 years, independently, as per the guidance I received from my teacher. I wish that all of you may carry on the Dhamma work, with the same zeal and responsibility as I did and work for preserving Pure Dhamma and spreading it more and more for the benefit of people of the world. 

You are now self-dependent. However, you may ask my advice whenever you need. My blessings will be always with you later also.

Dhamma has spread in the whole world, and so, I have divided the responsibilities centre- wise and area-wise. I have appointed a Center Teacher for each individual centre to look after Dhamma work. Co-ordinator Area Teachers are appointed to assist Center Teachers and to spread Dhamma in respective areas.

Attached is a list of Worldwide Center Teachers, Co-ordinator Area Teachers and their defined responsibilities. It also includes guidelines about this newly formed world-wide organization.

Though you are self-dependent now, I expect all of you to have deep respect for your seniors. Center Teachers will be in-charge of respective Center and Area Teachers will guide them with their profound experience whenever need arises along with their main responsibility of spreading Dhamma in their respective areas.

I also wish that those of you, who have not participated in a 45-day course or 60-day course till now, may do so as early as possible, as per your convenience.

With all the best wishes for progressing on the path of Dhamma. 

My abundant metta will always be with you all!

With Deep Metta
 - S. N. Goenka "

Responsibilities assigned by the Principal Teacher Sayagyi U Goenka:
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 Sayagyi U Goenka is the Principal Teacher and compassionate guide to practice of Vipassana meditation as taught by the Sammasambuddhas - for progress in Dhamma to end of all suffering.

With the Dhamma strength, faculties and penetrating wisdom gained with extra-ordinary purity of mind, Sayagyi U Goenka prepared the Dhamma legacy of teaching of Vipassana to continue for centuries ahead. 

In his lifetime, he ensured Vipassana students worldwide received the teaching without his physical presence. His physical absence through death is only a continuing process in Dhamma service, not the end.

" You are now self-dependent.....My blessings will be always with you later also."

Those assigned responsibilities carry forward the Dhamma legacy. 

Sayagyi U Goenka had briefly given trial to options such as a worldwide council of teachers. This global council of teachers was discarded after many of those appointed temporarily had begun to increase their ego than reduce it. 

There is no over-seeing central worldwide committee of teachers, now or for the future.

Each Vipassana centre is an island of Dhamma. Each individual Vipassana meditator is an island of Dhamma.

There are two Principal Teachers: Sayagyi U S.N Goenka and Mataji. There is no other Principal Teacher.

Any individual or group of individuals undertaking a harmful course of action -  such as 1) trying to re-institute the global committee of teachers, 2) over-stepping the boundaries of responsibility as stated in the December 2012 issue of the Vipassana newsletter - are acting in defiance of the last and lasting legacy of the Principal Teacher Sayagyi U Goenka. 

Any individual or group of individuals refusing to serve according to guidance and instructions of Sayagyi U Goenka are requested to immediately resign from any Dhamma responsibility assigned by him. Then they are free to do whatever they deem to be right - after they have left the Dhamma organization and dissociated themselves from the Dhamma centres committed to serving under the guidance and instructions of Sayagyi U Goenka.

All Co-Ordinator Area Teachers entrusted with the Dhamma legacy have been entrusted to ensure there is no discord, disharmony and division - as is bound to be if any individual or group of individuals decide they know what is best, not the Principal Teacher Sayagyi U Goenka. 

Such an individual or group of individuals persisting in actions contrary to guidance and instructions of the Dhamma father, may leave or be asked to leave from the worldwide Vipassana organization and Vipassana centres that are committed to serving under guidance and instructions of Sayagyi U Goenka.

Decisions of Dhamma service and organizational changes needed may be taken through objective discussions and decisions of authorized teachers, meetings and choice of the majority.

May there be no discord, disharmony and division among all in Dhamma service.
May all beings be liberated.
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To whomsoever it may concern:

You have forgotten the infinity of benefits gained; you have forgotten the enormous selfless sacrifices made for your welfare. Instead, you only remember what little has been taken away from you - for your own benefit and protection from harming yourself.

You speak and write disrespectfully and in defiance of the Dhamma being who ensured you received Vipassana in its purity, thereby saving you from endless suffering. 

You have become an agent of anti-Dhamma forces.

An urgent change of your thought process and correction of action is necessary, to not sink deeper into danger and very deep suffering.
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Responsibilities assigned by the Principal Teacher Sayagyi U Goenka

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Feb 26, 2014

Time is Now



"When you can grasp this Dhamma opportunity [to practice Vipassana and serve in Dhamma], grasp it. 
If you don't take this opportunity and with life being as short as it is, you may die and not meet with such a chance again. You lost it."


Bimbisara, king of Magadha, offering half his powerful kingdom to the ascetic Gotama. "Kingdoms  are not for me. I have already walked away from one," replied the former prince Siddhattha. With iron-will, he was steadfast against all temptations, unshakable in his renunciation - in urgency of supreme efforts to serve all beings, in the purest, most beneficial way. 

The ascetic Gotama worked on alone with adhitthana, meaning utmost strong determination, to fulfill his Dhamma destiny of re-discovering Vipassana, and serving all beings as a Sammasambuddha.
Through countless eons and endless time, may every moment of purity from Vipassana and Metta practice go for the liberation of all beings