Myanmar The Land of Dhamma

There aren’t enough words to convey the infinite gratitude we have to the Land of Dhamma (present day Myanmar), and to the people and culture who carefully preserved the Buddha’s teaching over centuries. Without them we, the meditators of the world, would not be able to benefit from this tradition's widespread revival of teaching householders Vipassana meditation and the practice of Dhamma.

We dedicate this new edition to this Golden Land, which historically extended to a great portion of Thailand and the entire peninsula of Malaysia, when the Buddha’s teaching was brought to this area by the Arahant Gavampati and shared throughout the region by the ruler of Suvanna Bhumi, Singharaja.

For centuries, the region's monastic community diligently preserved the Buddha’s teachings through both pariyatti (theory) and paṭipatti (practice).

We are grateful to its culture and people, for their deep commitment to supporting the Sangha’s important work, which perpetuated the exchange economy of gifts: laypeople sustaining the Sangha through alms, while the monastic guided householders with the gift of Dhamma. This crucial interdependence between the Sangha and laypeople protected the Triple Gem's purity, thus preserving the living Dhamma for posterity.

As such, it was on this Land of Dhamma that the Fifth (1871) and Sixth (1954) Buddhist Councils convened. S.N. Goenka was immensely grateful to his motherland and recognized the great historical significance and holy treasure contained within. He made it his life’s mission to return the practice of Vipassana and the theory in the Tipitaka to the land of its origin—India.

The Lineage of Vipassana Teachers

Venerable Ledi Sayadaw (1846 - 1923) Teacher of modern-day insight meditation "When the air comes in, it will touch. When the air goes out, it will touch. If you know this touch continuously, then greed (lobha), aversion (dosa) and delusion (moha) do not have the opportunity to arise, and the fires of these defilements will subside... While we feel the touch of air, we know that there is only mind and matter... While we know the in-breath and out-breath, there is no “I” or self... If we know the touch of air as and when it occurs, our mind is pure and we get the benefits thereof. Do not think that the benefits you get thus, even in a split-second, are few... Now that you have been born in a happy plane and have met the teachings of a Buddha, you can obtain great benefit...”

Saya Thetgyi (1873 - 1945) First modern-day lay Vipassana teacher

Saya Thetgyi was the first lay teacher of Vipassana in modern times. For 30 years, following Ledi Sayadaw's behest to spread the Dhamma, he taught meditation to all who came to him, guided by his own experience and using Ledi Sayadaw's manuals as a reference. His village was not far from the capital of Burma during the British rule, such that the fragrance of Dhamma drew Sayagyi U Ba Khin from across the river to seek out the Vipassana teacher.

Venerable Webu Sayadaw (1896 - 1977) Catalyst spurring U Ba Khin to immediately start teaching "The wise people of old practised the Teachings without allowing their efforts to diminish in any of the four postures, and they kept up such a perfect continuity of awareness that there never was any gap. You too have to practise in this way. The disciples of the Buddha established awareness of the spot and then did not allow their minds to shift to another object. Now, can the rains of greed, anger, and ignorance still affect those who are steadfast?"

Sayagyi U Ba Khin (1899 - 1971) Public servant-teacher extraordinaire who tasked his pupil, Goenkaji to return Dhamma to its land of origin

“With the awareness of the truth of anicca and/or dukkha and/or anatta, he (the meditator) develops in him what we may call the sparkling illumination of “Nibbana dhatu” (the cooling of the defilements), a power that dispels all impurities or poisons, the products of bad actions, which are the sources of his physical and mental ills. In the same way, as fuel is burnt away by ignition, the negative forces (impurities of poisons) within are eliminated by the “Nibbana dhatu”, which ... (the meditator) generates with the true awareness of Anicca in the course of meditation. This process of elimination should go on until such time as both the mind and body are completely cleansed of such impurities or poisons. A note of caution is necessary here. When one develops “Nibbana dhatu”, the impact of this “Nibbana dhatu” upon the impurities and poisons within his own system will create a sort of upheaval, which must be

endured. This upheaval tends to increase the sensitivity of the radiation, friction, and vibration of the atomic units within. This will grow in intensity, so much so that one might feel as though his body were just electricity and a mass of suffering. In the case of those who have diseases..., the impact will be all the more stronger, and, at times, almost explosive. Nevertheless, enduring it, he becomes alive to the fact that a change is taking place within himself for the better, and that the impurities are gradually diminishing, and that he is slowly but surely getting rid of the disease."

S.N. Goenka (1923 – 2013)

photo courtesy of flickr user Dhammika Heenpella

Satya Narayan Goenka unknowingly started a movement. It is a movement steeped in selfless generosity, truth and the pursuit of liberation. Its seed germinated in the Land of Dhamma (present day Myanmar) and the robust sappling was carried back to its land of origin (India). From there, it quietly, organically, harmoniously flourished across all corners of the globe. This ongoing grassroots effort blossoms in the minds of over one million people who have experienced the inner peace of Vipassana meditation, the ancient technique of mental purification, as taught by the historical Buddha. A deep understanding of the Dhamma gained through meditation practice and theoretical studies from the chain of teachers spurred Goenkaji to lay the groundwork and delivery mechanism through which to share his life-changing experience. His combined business acumen, strategic leadership, genuine diplomacy and selfless work ethic paved the way for the creation of an organization in the spirit of the Buddha’s historical Sangha community. Aided by many thousands of hands of Dhamma workers, the the organization helped jumpstart a worldwide renaissance–which was initially started by Ven. Ledi Sayadaw (see here)– a golden age in which householders can directly experience the Dhamma through Vipassana meditation.

Kammavacca from the Pali Canon in Burmese script; photo courtesy of Kline Bookseller

The momentum of this Dhamma movement spurred an even greater vision: to restore and disseminate the Dhamma’s great ancient literature that had incubated for centuries in the traditional lands of Buddhism, including Myanmar. For over 40 years, Goenkaji inspired a grassroots effort to spread both the practice and theory of Dhamma with the courage and adhiṭṭhāna (strong determination) he asked of each student during a Vipassana course. Despite each meditation center’s void of any resemblance or association with Buddhism, Goenkaji had great reverence for and took refuge in the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. He appreciated and embraced the totality of the Dhamma, and what he taught in the ten-day Vipassana course facilitates an experience and understanding of the Buddha’s teaching. Ever so private, this humble servant of Dhamma had no interest in being glorified nor in perpetuating a sectarian worldview. The Dhamma belongs to all of humanity, and he made it his life’s purpose to ensure its transmission free of such trappings.

"Buddhist Caves" Edicts of Asoka in Nangarhar, Afghanistan photo courtesy of flickr user Todd Huffman

Like the great architects of peace from time immemorial, Goenkaji left an enduring legacy that has inspired tens of thousands of Dhamma workers dedicated to realizing his vision. “When we come to realize the full magnitude of his achievement, when we come to fully appreciate the rich and lasting harvest of the seeds this master teacher has sown, and when meditation centers such as he has inspired dot the global village, ...we will have occasion to be grateful, again and again, for the life and work of S.N Goenka.” —Phillip Novak Goenkaji always encouraged his Dhamma sons and daughters to practice meditation–to observe and accept the changing nature of all phenomena within the mind-body structure. Pariyatti was born out of the need of serious meditators to gain access to and share Theravadan literature related to the Buddha’s exposition of the Noble Eightfold Path; the impetus and inspiration behind Pariyatti's existence was a natural extension from the practice of Vipassana.

Dhammapada 1.20

Appampi ce saṃhita bhāsamāno, dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī, rāgañca, dosañca, pahāya mohaṃ, sammappajāno suvimuttacitto,

anupādiyāno idha vā huraṃ vā, sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti. Little though one recites the sacred texts, but puts the Teaching into practice, forsaking lust, hatred, and delusion, with true wisdom and emancipated mind, clinging to nothing of this or any other world -one indeed partakes of the blessings of a holy life. Often as one's meditation practice develops, a natural curiosity arises to seek out the theoretical context and background of the Teaching. Additionally, one effortlessly feels comfortable taking refuge in the Triple Gem, and develops deep reverence and gratitude for Dhamma.

"Snow Geese" photo courtesy of flickr user Alex

Like the wings of a bird in flight, progress on the Path requires the delicate balance and simultaneous support of both patipatti (practice) and pariyatti (learning). Contributing to S.N. Goenka’s vision, Pariyatti illuminates the Path with materials to sustain the seeker on the long journey ahead.

In 1968, while still in Burma, Goenkaji wrote: “Sorrow should not arise on the mind. Why should we be sad for those things that were meant to pass away anyway? Why should we agonize over losses when what slipped through our hands was meant to be lost sooner or later?”

Satya Narayan Goenka (1924 - 2013)