Aug 18, 2011

Penetrating Wisdom of Vipassana

The entire mind should be filled with only one volition: the liberation of all beings.
-- Sayagyi U Goenka

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An excerpt from Dhamma Discourse, Day One, Satipatthana Sutta Vipassana course:

"Atapi means 'ardently.' However sati is perfect only with wisdom, sampajano, with the understanding of the nature of reality at the experiential level—that is, its basic characteristic of anicca, arising and passing of bodily sensations. Because its nature is to be impermanent, the characteristic of dukkha, misery or suffering, is also inherent.

"Practicing with panna, you will understand dukkha with your own experience. Every pleasant experience, every pleasant situation is anicca.

"Everything within the framework of the body changes into something unpleasant, so it is nothing but dukkha. The law of nature is such.

"Yet the tendency of the mind is to get attached and cling to a pleasant experience, and when it is gone you feel so miserable.

"This is not a philosophy, but a truth to be experienced by pativedhana: dividing, dissecting, disintegrating, dissolving you reach the stage of bhanga, total dissolution. You witness the solidified, material structure, the body, as actually nothing but subatomic particles, kalapas, arising and passing. Similarly the mind and mental contents manifest as very solidified, intensified emotions—anger, fear, or passion—which overpower you.

"Vipassana, pativedhana, helps you.


Global Vipassana Pagoda, Mumbai, India. A light house of Dhamma
(Photo by N. Terse, July 2011.)


"With pativedhana - the piercing, penetrating panna - you divide, dissect, disintegrate to the stage where this intense emotion is nothing but wavelets. The whole material and mental structures and the mental contents are nothing but wavelets, wavelets, anicca, anicca.

"Then the reality about this "I" or "mine" or "myself" becomes clear. They are just conventional words. There is no "I" to possess this mind-matter structure, these material and mental phenomena. Mere mind and matter constantly interact, constantly influence each other, and become a cause for the arising of each other, resulting in currents, cross-currents, and under-currents going on in what you call "I.

Anatta ( no 'I') becomes clear at the experiential level."

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Vipassana meditation courses worldwide, course venues, online application for Vipassana courses

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Directions to reach Global Pagoda, Gorai / Borivili, Mumbai

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Benefits of Pure Volition of Dāna

Aug 16, 2011

How to reach the Global Vipassana Pagoda, Gorai / Borivali, in Mumbai, India

Everyone is most welcome to visit the Global Vipassana Pagoda.

Visiting the Global Pagoda is free of charge. There is no entry fee.

Timings: 9.00 am to 7.00 pm

(The last ferry leaves Gorai jetty to the Global Pagoda at 5.25 pm)


* Vipassana students - those who have taken one or more 10-day Vipassana courses as taught by Sayagyi U S.N.Goenka - are permitted to meditate inside the main dome Dhamma Hall of the Global Pagoda.


( Food facility in the Global Pagoda premises is limited to a small food stall offering tea / coffee, light snacks like samosas and soft drinks. Larger food stalls are there in the adjacent Essel World complex.

Safe drinking water and very clean toilet / wash-room facilities are available in the Global Pagoda premises.)

How to reach Global Vipassana Pagoda, Gorai / Borivali, Mumbai, India:

The Global Pagoda can be reached overland by car, as well by ferry. Pre-paid taxi services are available at the Mumbai domestic and international airports. Ask for "Esselworld", if "Global Vipassana Pagoda" draws a blank stare. The Global Pagoda is within the Esselworld Park premises.

Reaching Global Vipassana Pagoda by Road from Mumbai City / Domestic Airport / International Airport / Railway Stations in Mumbai
  1. Reach Western Express Highway and go North towards Dahisar/Borivali/Ahmedabad.
  2. Cross the Dahisar Toll Booth and keep going straight.
  3. When you reach the Mira-Bhayandar crossing, turn Left towards Mira-Bhayandar. The crossing has a statue of Shivaji Maharaj positioned at the centre.
  4. Keep going straight till you reach Golden Nest Circle. At the Golden Nest Circle, take a left turn and stay on the main road.
  5. Keep going straight till you take a hard right turn at the end of the road. This point will come after Maxus Mall, which comes on your right. After the hard right turn, take a left at the T point junction.
  6. Keep following directions to Esselworld or Global Vipassana Pagoda from this point forward.
  7. When you reach the Esselworld Parking Lot, go ahead a few metres and take a right turn towards Esselworld. Tell the guard at the security post that you want to go to the Pagoda.
  8. Keep going straight till you reach the Helipad. At the Helipad, take a right turn to the Global Pagoda Road through the Sanchi Arch.

The Pagoda is about 42 km from the Domestic Airport Terminal.

Please click here For more detailed directions and maps

Hiring a car for airport pick-up to Global Vipassana Pagoda:

Private taxis and vehicles can also be hired from many car rentals in Mumbai, besides the airport pre-paid taxi service. Rates may vary. Many Vipassana students make use of the services of private taxi operator Mr Jagdish Maniyar. Contact : Tel (Res): 91-22-26391010 or cell phone 09869255079. As of February 2011, Mr Maniyar charges Rs 800 ( approx US $17, 13 Euros) for airport pickup to Global Pagoda (inclusive of road taxes). From Mumbai airport to Dhamma Giri Vipassana centre, Igatpuri, he charges Rs 2,550 (approx US $56).

From Borivali Railway station:
From Borivali Station (Western Railway, Mumbai) please use the western exit gates of the station (for the train from Churchgate, the exit is on the left). One can take Bus number 294 or hire an auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk) to Gorai Creek. The bus fare is Rs. 6 and auto rickshaw fare is approx Rs. 25 (approx US $0.50) to Rs 35.
For the auto-rickshaw, please take one heading to your right, after crossing the road from the western exit of the railway station. The Gorai jetty is approximately 10-15 minutes-ride from Borivili station. Please take the ferry for Esselworld from Gorai Jetty. The return fare for the ferry is Rs. 35/- per person.
On arrival at Esselworld, you will see signs guiding to take you to Global Pagoda (which anyway is too big to be missed !).
The Dhamma Pattana Vipassana Centre is less than five minutes walking distance from the Esselworld Jetty gate.

Other Bus Numbers to Gorai: From Kurla railway station (West) - 309 L; From Mulund station (West) - 460 L;From Ghatkopar Bus Depot - 488 L (please re-confirm before boarding bus)

Wishing you a very happy and most beneficial visit to the Global Pagoda.

For any further details and assistance, please contact:

Global Vipassana Pagoda
Telephone: 91 22 33747501 (30 lines)
Email: pr@globalpagoda.org

Pagoda Address:
Global Vipassana Pagoda
Next to Esselworld, Gorai Village,
Borivali (West), Mumbai 400091

For sending any post/courier, please use this address:

Head Office Global Vipassana Foundation
2nd Floor, Green House, Green Street, Fort
Mumbai – 400 023

Telephone: +91 22 22665926 / 22664039
Fax: +91 22 22664607

Dhamma Pattana Vipassana Centre
Inside Global Vipassana Pagoda Campus
Next to Esselworld, Gorai Village,
Borivali (West), Mumbai 400091
Tel: [91] (22) 3374 7519
Fax: [91] (22) 3374 7518
Email: info@pattana.dhamma.org

* Vipassana meditation courses worldwide, course venues, online application for beginners' 10-day residential Vipassana courses

* One-day Vipassana courses at Global Pagoda (for those who have completed a 10-day Vipassana course)

New website of Global Vipassana Pagoda