This
year Goenkaji and Mataji made an unprecedented whistlestop tour of Europe
and North America, stopping at over 40 destinations to encourage old students
and to expose millions more to Vipassana. They began their four and a half
months of travel with a nine-day visit to England starting April 10. There,
over 1,700 people attended his public talks and 750 students came to one-day
courses. Goenkaji was interviewed live on the Jimmy Young Show,
a BBC radio program with a listenership of 5.5 million.
The
Teachers paid their respects and gave dãna at a sanghadãna
for 21 monks. As well, Goenkaji spent time with old students, advising
them on the growth of Dhamma in the British Isles.
United
States and Canada
In
North America the tour really started many months before Goenkaji and Mataji
left India. It was then that the Logistics Committee began planning the
enormous task of moving our Teachers in comfort across the continent in
a caravan of motorhomes. This task was met head on, most often tirelessly.
Detailed plans developed as all aspects of the tour were assessed-what
was needed to look after Goenkaji, Mataji, sometimes family members, and
18 or so tour crew members; how to create a system to provide prepared
food and provisions across the whole of America for a caravan that had
little time between stops; how to prepare in advance to facilitate crossing
the US-Canada border four times in the middle of the tourist season with
eight motorhomes and 20 people from three countries; how to organize media
coverage both nationally and locally in two countries; and how to assist
local communities to prepare for the caravan, the one-day courses, the
public talks, the local media events and business meetings. The lists seemed
endless, but the results of the hard work paid off and the tour ran very
smoothly.
Goenkaji,
Mataji, three of their family members and two assistants arrived in New
York on April 19. After a brief stay in New York and Massachusetts they
began a journey of more than 13,000 miles by road through the United States
and Canada-through the lush green of the eastern spring; through the sweet
smelling early summer bloom of the South; through deserts; past towering
mountains; over gently rolling plains that stretched to the horizon in
all directions; into towns, villages and cities that seemed to go on forever.
He joyfully spread the gift of Dhamma over all the land. The pace was often
tiring, but he always bounced back quickly with another burst of energy
for the job he loves.
Public talks were held in schools, churches, temples, city halls, theaters, and hotels. In the United States, Goenkaji gave more than 40 public talks to over 25,000 people. In Canada over 8,000 people attended ten public talks.Goenkaji's ability to convey the essence of the Dhamma with great mettã produced an avalanche of calls to centers and local contacts across the continent. Many noncenter courses are being hurriedly assembled to handle the numbers of people wanting to try Vipassana.
Goenkaji
and Mataji participated in more than 20 one-day courses in addition to
many group sittings and sessions in six ten-day courses. It is estimated
that more than 5,000 of his students were able to meditate with him, most
for the first time. At courses, Goenkaji gave Anãpana, Vipassana
or Mettã and often held an open question and answer session
in the hall before leaving.
Goenkaji
and Mataji participated in four sangha dãnas attended by
a total of more than 200 venerable monks and nuns. Thiscelebration
of the giving of food and requisites was a time for the lay people of many
communities to come together and express their gratitude to the sangha;
for it was they who maintainied the accurate transmission of the teachings
of the Buddha from teacher to pupil. It was also a time for the lay people
to pay respects to those who have renounced everything to dedicate their
lives to practicing the Buddha's teachings. At the end of each sangha
dãna Goenkaji addressed the venerable sangha and the
lay people to tell them about the practical aspect of the teaching-Vipassana
meditation.
At
stops across the country hundreds of people spent months preparing: arranging
venues, handling publicity, organizing talks and one-day courses. When
the caravan arrived, they prepared the tour's meals, providing both Indian
and Western food and assisted the crew with laundry, transportation and
the other necessities of a traveling caravan.
Meeting
People Along the Way
Goenkaji
met with local Vipassana trusts across the continent, addressing their
concerns and encouraging them in many cases to begin looking for centers.
He looked at potential properties for several trusts.
At one meeting he explained to trust members,"All of you are representatives of Dhamma. People will look at your lives to judge Vipassana. Two qualities are rare in human beings: selfless service and gratitude. Selfless service means helping others without expecting anything in return, without expecting money or name or fame. You are here to serve others. Sometimes, you may not expect money or name or fame but you wish for respect, or you develop arrogance. This is very harmful for you. A branch of a tree that bears fruit bows down due to the weight of the fruit. Similarly a person who develops wisdom becomes more humble."
A
meeting between Goenkaji and Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister of
Canada, was described as a meeting between a master of the art ofpolitics
and a master of the art of living a happy life. Goenkaji, who has been
practicing Vipassana for more than 40 years, told Mr. Chrétien,
who has been a Member of Parliament for about 40 years, about Emperor Ashoka.
Throughout his vast empire that spread from present day Afghanistan to
the Bay of Bengal, Ashoka promoted the Dhamma with the practice of meditation
(Vipassana). The many different sects present in his empire lived peacefully
together then, just as the multicultural population in Canada does today.
Goenkaji
met many business and public leaders throughout his tour-in personal meetings,
at conferences, and at the executive course held in Lenox, Massachusetts
in April.
He
told one group,"At one time kings
had the most power and were the biggest influence on society. Now, politicians,
administrators, and businesspeople have that position. Good and bad qualities
percolate down from the top. Therefore it is very important that businesspeople
live a moral and righteous life, for their own good and for the good of
others."
"The
Buddha taught us how to develop the four sublime qualities of karunã,
muditã, upekkhã and mettã. When we see
a miserable person, instead of thinking that it's his or her own doing
or his or her own karma, we generate compassion, karunã.
When we see a successful person, instead of developing jealousy we develop
sympathetic joy, muditã. Or when we face an adverse situation,
instead of losing the balance of the mind, we remain calm and equanimous,
upekkhã. And we feel selfless love for all beings everywhere,
mettã. These are the qualities of a spiritual person. All
businesspeople should try to develop these qualities for their own good
as well as for the good of others."
Two
prisons invited Goenkaji to come and give mettã at the end
of courses being held there. Goenkaji expressed appreciation for the initiative
taken by these institutions' corrections officers in organizing Vipassana
courses.
He advised, "Criminals are sent to prison with the aim of correcting their behavior, but after spending time in the punitive and crime-infested prison environment, they often turn into hardened criminals. For a prison to become a truly correctional facility, the inmates should be given tools to reform themselves in order to become honorable members of society."
Goenkaji
visited the Museum of Tolerance in San Diego; not only because its themeis
an issue for which he has worked tirelessly for over 30 years, but also
because he wanted to see for himself how museums use modern technology
for educational purposes. (The exhibition gallery in the Global Pagoda
in Mumbai, India, will be a powerful tool to educate millions of visitors
every year, bringing alive the truth about the Buddha and his teachings.)
Although Goenkaji and those accompanying him knew the gruesome details
of the Holocaust, when they toured the museum they were again deeply touched
by the immensity of this man-made tragedy.
He
said, "Tolerance is one of the pãrami necessary to attain
the final goal of full liberation. Tolerance is important to keep peace
in human society-tolerance of different cultures, languages, faiths and
ethnic backgrounds, as well as tolerance for the actions of others that
one finds disturbing, and above all tolerance of views that are different
from one's own. Such tolerance comes naturally when there is love and compassion
in the mind."
United
Nations
On
May 29, Goenkaji gave the keynote speech at the United Nations for the
Celebration of International Recognition of Vesakha (full moon of May)
honoring the birth, enlightenment and final passing away of the Buddha.
His talk, entitled Buddha, the Super-scientist of Peace, put the teaching of the historical Buddha in a modern perspective. Goenkaji said, "The world is afflicted with the malady of hatred, anxiety and fear. It needs a remedy from an extraordinary physician. The Buddha was such a physician, a great physician of peace and happiness. His teaching of peace and harmony is as relevant today as it was 26 centuries ago when he set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, the Wheel of Peace. Indeed, it is more relevant today. We have gathered here this afternoon to honor the teaching of this outstanding person in human history. Let us see how his teaching uproots the negative emotions that are at the root of cruel violence, and how these can be changed to positive compassion. Often, blind beliefs and strong attachment to one's views cause negativity that, in turn, produces such atrocities."
He
emphasized that there needs to be peace within individuals before we can
have peace in society. There has to be peace within in order to have peace
without. He explained how the Buddha had discovered the roots of misery
and the way out of it: "When one is working with sensations, one is working
at the depth of mind. Whatever arises in the mind is accompanied by sensations
on the body-Vedanãsamosaranã sabbe dhammã.
Every thought that arises on the mind is accompanied by a sensation on
the body-Vedanãsamosaranã sankappavitakka. This was
a great discovery of the Buddha.Another
great discovery of the Buddha was that we generate tanhã (craving)
in response to vedanã (sensations)."
Goenkaji
explained further, "When one observes sensations objectively, one starts
to remove ignorance. By understanding the impermanent nature of sensations,
one generates paññã (wisdom) in response to
vedanã. This is the Law of Nature. Dhamma niyãmatã
is the law behind the natural order of phenomena. Whether there is a Buddha
or no Buddha, Dhamma niyãmatã remains. This law is
eternal. Just as the law of gravity remains true whether or not there is
a Newton to discover it and explain it to the world. This is the bold declaration
of a supreme scientist. The Buddha says, 'I have experienced this Law of
Nature, the Law of Dependent Origination within myself; and having experienced
and understood it, I declare it, teach it, clarify it, establish it and
show it to others. Only after having seen it for myself, do I declare it.'"
The
talk was extremely well received by the entire audience. Later, at a reception
at the United Nations, many of the diplomats came to meet Goenkaji and
enthusiastically expressed their appreciation for his address.
For
a tour diary and photos, visit: http://www.tour.dhamma.org/tour-report/index.htm
Goenkaji
and Mataji in Europe
Goenkaji
and Mataji arrived at Dhamma Pajjota, Belgium, on August 8. In preparation
for their visit, large dormitory tents, dining tents and a huge meditation
tent were erected at the center to accommodate students from all over Europe
and beyond: in all, over 800 students from 20 countries.
Goenkaji's
first engagement was a press conference at the center. That evening he
gave a well received public talk in the nearby city of Hasselt. The talk,
entitled Inner Peace for a Better World, with a simultaneous translation
into Dutch, attracted over 800, filling the hall.
Next day a one-day course took place at Dhamma Pajjota. Meditation cushions had been borrowed from two neighboring centers to seat the many students. On the night before, however, a severe rainstorm flooded parts of the meditation hall tent, soaking carpets and cushions. A small crew of Dhamma servers worked all night to dry the hall and replace the carpets. At 5:00 a.m. the hall was finally ready for the 750 students and 75 servers. This was the biggest course ever held outside Asia.For pictures of the one-day course, go to http://www.vpee.org press room; pictures.
A
film crew from Reuters news agency arrived to film the day's events, producing
a five-minute news article that was sent to over potentially 900 TV stations
around the world. Subsequent local news coverage showed Dhamma Pajjota
and extracts of the interview with Goenkaji.
Goenkaji
met with students for an open session of questions and answers. For many
newer students, this was their first chance to meet with Goenkaji and to
meditate in his presence. The international flavor of the event was clear
from the variety of languages spoken and the food provided.
August
11 was reserved for various trusts and groups representing the spread of
Dhamma in Europe to meet with Goenkaji and Mataji. This provided an opportunity
for countries with centers and those holding noncenter courses, like Serbia,
Hungary and Scandinavia, to discuss their problems and responsibilities
with Goenkaji and to clear up many local issues.
On
August 12 Goenkaji gave the keynote speech to 100 participants at the Spirit
in Business Conference near Den Bosch, Holland. After his talk Goenkaji
took questions from the audience and a panel discussion followed. As well,
following on the success of the Executive Course in Massachusetts in April
2002, a decision was made to schedule an Executive Course at Dhamma
Pajjota from May 7 to 18, 2003.
Next
day, Goenkaji met with reporters from Belgium, Holland and Germany at Dhamma
Pajjota, and that evening he gave a public talk in Cologne, Germany,
for over 1,000 people who filled the hall.
On
the last day of his tour Goenkaji met the European Commissioner of International
Trade, Mr. Pascal Lamy. Mr. Lamy congratulated Goenkaji on the success
of his tour and told him how appropriate it was that this method of mental
culture (Vipassana) was finding wider acceptance in the West.
He
asked Goenkaji various questions on spirituality in general and Vipassana
meditation in particular. Goenkaji explained the universal and practical
nature of the technique. and said he hoped that today's leaders would accept
Vipassana, which in turn would help society in general. ¨
Caravan Personnel
Whenever
the caravan rolled into a town, there would be as many as 20 people with
it, each one fulfilling some duty or the other. Of course, Goenkaji and
Mataji were central, but around them circled their attendants, the drivers,
the logistics people, the food people, the media people and the support
crew.
Goenkaji's
family and attendants provided him and Mataji with a little bit of home
on a long journey. At first, one of their sons and other members of the
family traveled with them, and in June his sister joined for the rest of
the tour. Always present were Goenkaji's personal secretary and cook, who
were up first in the morning and saw to his every need throughout the day.
The
drivers were a crew of five or six, trained to drive the leviathan motorhomes.
Sometimes two shifts were needed in a day as the morning hours continued
into evening. These stalwarts also substituted as dishwashers and maintenance
people when needed, or spent countless hours working on computers. They
hooked up the hoses and cables wherever we stopped for the night, and unhooked
them when we left.
The
logistics team, continuing the work of the tour planners, needed to be
on top of every detail as the trip unfolded. They were in continuous contact
by e-mail and phone with the many local planners in towns and cities down
the road as they coordinated the events of the day.
Every
morning the food person was up at dawn laying out breakfast, encouraging
everyone to finish so that things could be packed up before we all had
to rush away. This ritual was repeated twice more each day before the sun
set. She also made up unending shopping lists and met the local food providers,
accepting all they broughtus.
There
were two groups of media people. The job of one was to archive all the
speeches, trust meetings and interviews. They arrived at the events an
hour or two early to set up their cameras, mikes and the rest of their
equipment; and in the moments after the talk, break it all down and pack
it up again for the next event.
The
other technical crew followed the tour with the intention of creating a
documentary film about Goenkaji. The videographer, who had previously won
an Emmy award for his first feature-length video documentary was, with
his two helpers, an ever-present part of the tour team.
There
were as well one or two people on the tour who covered many other details:
shopping at each stop, cleaning, organizing, and helping out whenever and
wherever needed-setting up, breaking down, scouting ahead for lunch stops,
and in a myriad of other ways. ¨
A
Day in the Life of the Tour
The
days began early, especially in mid-summer. We would rise just about 5:00
a.m. and begin our morning meditation. Those in tents would sometimes be
driven out early by the sun beating down. Those who liked to jog would
take advantage of what was left of the cool morning air. Breakfast was
usually set out by 7:00 when we gathered around the picnic tables to eat.
There were travel days and event days. After breakfast we would prepare for one or the other. If traveling, we tried to gas up and be on the road by 10:00. The planners usually gave us about six to eight hours to get where we were going. This included stops along the way for lunch, tea, dinner and a chance for Goenkaji and Mataji to take a walk.
At
some point after 1:00 someone would speed ahead and try to find a good
place to park for lunch. Often it would be a shady grove in a state or
provincial park, but just as often we would end up in a truck-stop parking
lot, amidst the rumbling compressors of the 18-wheelers. As Goenkaji's
cooks began their routine of preparing and serving the teachers' food,
the rest of us would haul out tables, the kettle, the snacks and all the
meticulously stored lunch that our last hosts had given us.In
about an hour and a half, after the dishes were washed and everything tucked
away, we would line up our vehicles and head out to the highway. On the
longest travel days we would do this twice more before arriving at our
destination.
At
the end of a travel day we rolled into an RV campsite, organized for us
by local meditators. As we approached town, the walkie-talkie crackle increased
as the local guide met us to lead us in and team leaders allotted prearranged
campsite numbers. We arrived in a bustle, connecting the motorhomes, setting
up the tents, meditating, and maybe having one last meal if not too late.
Sometimes we would awake to do it all over again the next day.
The
event days were a little more relaxed for the crew, but these were the
days that Goenkaji worked harder. There was a steady stream of personal
interviews and trust meetings in the early part of the day, and then we
would prepare for a public talk in the evening. Many of the crew tried
to get to the event site a couple of hours early to attend the group sitting
that was always held there and to set up whatever equipment was necessary.
If the venue was close to the RV park someone would drive the teachers
in a car but if the distance was a little longer, the two largest motorhomes
would go. This allowed Goenkaji time and space to rest prior to the talk
and to eat afterwards. The crew were always served a meal at these talks
by the local organizers. Sometimes the RVs would not return to the campsite
until very late, the latest being 3:00 a.m. after one especially long day. ¨
Terrell
Jones recently passed away at his home in Copper Hill, Virginia. He had suffered
from cancer. Some nine years ago he discovered Vipassana, and shared it with his
wife Diane. Together they became serious students, sitting and serving as much
as possible.
Not even the knowledge of imminent death deterred them from
serving. In the few weeks before his death he and Diane were fully occupied as
registrars for a noncenter course in their area.
Two weeks before he died, Diane drove Terrell 12 hours north to Dhamma Dhara. They wanted to pay respects to Goenkaji and Mataji and express their gratitude for the gift of Vipassana. During their entire visit Terrell was an inspiration to all: no fear, no regrets—just joy and gratitude.
He gladly agreed to be
interviewed about his feelings toward his life and his impending death. He
explained that he and Diane had always wanted to find a way to reduce the
attachment they had for each other, so that one of them would not suffer such
deep grief at the passing of the other. They both realized that Vipassana was
their answer.
They maintained their
awareness of sensations in the sadness of their parting. They sat together each
day, sometimes for many hours, watching the grief, the fear, the sensations,
with remarkable equanimity. Terrell’s most fervent wish near the end was to
have a peaceful mind, full of equanimity, with a strong awareness of sensations
at the moment of death, and his wish was fulfilled. Diane is sad but strong;
joyful in the Dhamma; and knows her pain is less because of Dhamma.
A friend writes:
Terrell and Diane traveled
to Pittsburg a week after leaving Massachusetts for a possible new therapy. He
was unable to eat and very weak, too weak in fact for the therapy. When the
oncologist explained to them that
he would not be able to undergo this treatment, Terrell turned to Diane and
asked for the info packet they had brought him. The doctor had previously
expressed that his wife would be interested in taking a course ...serving,
serving.
Terrell and Diane knew that
it was time to go home. On the trip to Virginia, Terrell had moments of
restlessness in the car, feeling he had things to do to “get ready.?He had
decided to stop taking his pain medication so that he would be clear when the
end came and even without the medicine his perception of the pain was subsiding.
When they arrived home, Dhamma friends came to be with them. They meditated
together and encouraged Diane to take some rest.
Early the next morning
Terrell was again restless. He said that he knew there were three things that he
needed to remember about the practice, but he couldn’t remember what they
were. And he was worried that he didn’t know what to do to get his final
moments done right. His dhamma sister Alta told him that he would know what to
do and would show them how to do it.
With an opportunity to serve the Dhamma one last time, Terrell immediately focused his attention on his breath and began softly chanting. The words were inaudible, but there was a distinct cadence to the sound. The breathing and chanting became softer and softer, and the moment came when both Diane and Alta, who were holding his hands, felt him pass from his body. A small soft final breath came out. For Diane it was a moment of joy: Terrell had passed just as he had hoped, fully aware and in the understanding of anicca. That evening, as she was meditating, Terrell’s chanting was passing through her mind, and she realized that he had been chanting the Triple Gem, the three things he needed to remember.