Vol.10 No.9 September 13, 2000
Inner Peace for World Peace - by S. N. Goenka
Address by S. N. Goenka to the Millennium World Peace Summit,
at UN General Assembly Hall, United Nations, New York on 29 August 2000
(In late August of this year, Goenkaji participated in the Millennium World Peace Summit a gathering of 1000 of the world’s religious and spiritual leaders, held at the United Nations under the auspices of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The purpose of the meeting was to promote tolerance, foster peace, and encourage inter-religious dialogue. With the many different viewpoints represented, the potential for disagreement was strong. In his presentation to the delegates, Goenkaji tried to highlight what they, and all spiritual paths have in common: the universal Dhamma. His remarks were received with repeated ovations.)
Friends, leaders of the spiritual and religious world:
This is a wonderful occasion, when we can all unite and serve humanity. Religion is religion only when it unites; when it divides us, it is nothing.
Much has been said here about conversion, both for and against. Far from being opposed to conversion, I am in favour of it but not conversion from one organised religion to another. No, the conversion must be from misery to happiness. It must be from bondage to liberation. It must be from cruelty to compassion. That is the conversion needed today, and that is what this meeting should seek to bring about.
The ancient land of India gave a message of peace and harmony to the world, to all humanity, but it did more: it gave a method, a technique, for achieving peace and harmony. To me it seems that if we want peace in human society, we cannot ignore individuals. If there is no peace in the mind of the individual, I do not understand how there can be real peace in the world. If I have an agitated mind, always full of anger, hatred, ill-will and animosity, how can I give peace to the world? I cannot because I have no peace myself. Enlightened persons have therefore said, "First find peace within yourself." One has to examine whether there is really peace within oneself. All the sages, saints, and seers of the world have advised, "Know thyself." That means not merely knowing at the intellectual level, or accepting at the emotional or devotional level, but realising by experience at the actual level. When you experience the truth about yourself, within yourself, at the experiential level, the problems of life find their solution.
You start understanding the universal law, the law of nature or, if you prefer, the law of God Almighty. This law is applicable to one and all: When I generate anger, hatred, ill-will, or animosity, I am the first victim of my anger. I am the first victim of the hatred or animosity that I have generated within. First I harm myself, and only afterwards do I start harming others. This is the law of nature. If I observe within myself, I find that as soon as any negativity arises in the mind, there is a physical reaction: my body becomes hot and starts burning; there are palpitations and tension; I am miserable. And when I generate negativity in me and become miserable, I do not keep the misery limited to myself; instead I throw it on to others. I make the entire atmosphere around me so tense that anyone who comes into contact with me also becomes miserable. Although I talk of peace and happiness, more important than words is what is happening within me. And if my mind is free of negativity, again the law starts working. The moment there is no negativity in the mind, nature or God Almighty starts rewarding me: I feel peaceful. This too I can observe within myself.
Whatever one’s religion, or tradition, or country, when one breaks the law of nature and generates negativity in the mind, one is bound to suffer. Nature itself provides the punishment. Those who break nature’s laws start feeling the misery of hellfire within, here and now. The seed they sow now is a seed of hellfire, and what awaits them after death is nothing but hellfire. Similarly by the law of nature, if I keep my mind pure, full of love and compassion, I enjoy the kingdom of heaven within here and now. And the seed that I sow will have as its fruit the kingdom of heaven after death. It makes no difference whether I call myself a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian or a Jain: a human being is a human being; the human mind is the human mind.
The conversion that is needed is from impurity of mind to purity of mind. And this conversion changes people in wonderful ways. It is no magic or miracle; this is a pure science of observing the interaction of mind and matter within. One examines how the mind keeps influencing the material body, and how the body influences the mind. Through patient observation, the law of nature becomes so clear: whenever one generates mental negativity, one starts suffering; and whenever one is free from negativity, one enjoys peace and harmony. This technique of self-observation can be practised by one and all.
Taught in ancient times by the Enlightened One in India, the technique spread around the world. And still today, people from different communities, traditions and religions come and learn this technique, to obtain the same benefit. They may continue to call themselves Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian. These labels make no difference; a human being is a human being. The difference is that through their practice they become truly spiritual people, full of love and compassion. What they are doing is good for themselves and for all others. When someone generates peace in the mind, the entire atmosphere around that person is permeated with the vibration of peace, and anyone who encounters that person also starts enjoying peace. This mental change is the real conversion that is required. No other conversion has meaning.
Permit me to read you a benevolent message from India to the world. Inscribed in stone 2300 years ago, these are the words of the Emperor Ashoka the Great, an ideal ruler, explaining how to govern. He tells us, "One should not honour only one’s own religion and condemn other faiths." This is an important message for our time. By condemning others and insisting that one’s own tradition is the best, one creates difficulties for humanity. Ashoka continues, "Instead one should honour other religions for various reasons." Every religion worthy of the name has a wholesome essence of love, compassion and goodwill every religion. We should give honour to the religion because of this essence. The outer form always differs; there will be so many variations in rites, rituals, ceremonies or beliefs. Let us not quarrel about all that, but instead give importance to the inner essence. As Ashoka says, "By so doing one helps one’s own religion to grow, and also renders service to the religions of others. In acting otherwise, one digs the grave of one’s own religion, and harms other religions as well."
This is a serious warning for us all. The message says, "Someone who honours his own religion and condemns other religions, may do so out of devotion to his religion thinking ‘I will glorify my religion,’ but his actions injure his own religion more gravely."
Finally Ashoka presents the message of the Universal Law, the message of Dharma: "Let all listen: Concord is good, not quarrelling. Let all be willing to listen to the doctrine professed by others." Instead of disagreeing and condemning, let us give importance to the essence of the teaching of every religion. And then there will be real peace, real harmony.
Questions & Answers
Question: Even while accepting that Vipassana meditation is effective and beneficial, some feel that meditators take more interest in meditation, and do not usually get inspired to solve the problems of society and of the country. Wouldn’t it be proper to give students guidance and inspire them to serve society? Whether or not they actually do social work depends on their aptitude. Still, we can at least make them more cognizant of the problems of society.
Goenkaji: Well, the whole technique is to improve each individual. The individual is more important because society is made up of individuals. This technique helps every individual to become a better person. Now, after becoming a better person, how he or she can best help others is each person’s decision. It is not our job. However, what has been happening is that some of the students start feeling, "This technique, which was lost in this country for the last twenty centuries, has now returned. It has helped me so much and I feel that more and more people should get benefit from this. This is a service to society. When more individuals become better, healthier, more wholesome, then society becomes better, healthier, more whole-some." So if someone feels that they had better serve in this way, I can’t stop him or her. It is the decision of each individual how best to serve others.
Question: In day-to-day life there is no exception to the rule of truth. Nobody is pardoned. Dhamma is the law par excellence. Why then is it said in Dhamma that those who make mistakes should be pardoned?
Goenkaji: They should be pardoned because it is in your own interest. If somebody has done something that has hurt or harmed you, and you have animosity towards this person, you have started harming yourself. So to save yourself from that harm, it is better to forgive and forget. This is in your own interest. If this person also realizes, "I have made a mistake, and I won’t repeat that in the future," and keeps practising Vipassana, he or she will come out of misery. You are giving this person a pardon for your own benefit, because this helps you to come out of your feelings of revenge.
Goenkaji's Dhamma Tour
Goenkaji will be touring South India and Nagpur from 19 September to 9 October 2000.
Hyderabad: Dhamma Khetta, Vipassana International Meditation Centre, the first Vipassana centre to be established in India is celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year. Goenkaji will be visiting Hyderabad from 19 to 26 September 2000 as a State Guest of the government of Andhra Pradesh. He will be addressing the State Assembly as well as business and educational institutions.
Bangalore:: Goenkaji will attend various programmes from September 26 to 28.
Chennai: Goenkaji will attend various programmes in Chennai from September 29 to October 2.
Nagpur: Goenkaji will be in Nagpur from October 3 to 10. His tentative programme is as follows:
October 3: (5.30 to 6.30 p.m.) Press Conference at Dhamma Nāga, Nagpur Vipassana centre.
October 4: (9:30 to 11:00 a.m.) Group meditation and mettā at Deeksha Bhoomi Chaitya.
(6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) Public discourse in Hindi-1 at University Ground.
October 5: (9:15 to 11:00 a.m.) Vipassana for ten-day course students at Dhamma Nāga.
(6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) Public discourse in Hindi-2 at University Ground.
October 6: (10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) Group meditation and mettā at Sugatanagar. (Half-day meditation from 6:00 to 11:00 a.m.)
(11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.) Group meditation and mettā at Dragon Palace, Kampti.
(6:00 to 8:00 p.m.) Public discourse in Hindi-3 at University Ground followed by question-answer session.
October 7: (10:45 to 11:30 a.m.) Discourse at Deeksha Bhoomi Ground.
(4:30 to 5:00 p.m.) Mettā for ten-day course students at Nagpur Central Prison.
(5:30 to 7:00 p.m.) Discourse for all inmates of Nagpur Central Jail followed by question-answer session.
October 8: (10:30 to 12:00 noon) Public discourse in English for invitees at Deshpande Hall followed by question-answer session.
(12:30 to 1:00 p.m.) Address to all RSS Shakha pramukhs of Nagpur at Headquarters office.
(4:00 to 5:00 p.m.) Meditation with old students at University Ground.
(5:00 to 7:00 p.m.) Discourse to old students followed by question-answer session.
October 9: (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon) Group meditation, mettā, and address to participants of children course at Dr Ambedkar Bhavan
(3:30 to 5:45 p.m.) Meeting with trustees of Dhamma Ketu and Dhamma Kānana at Dhamma Nāga
(8:30 p.m.) Departure for Mumbai.
For exact details of Goenkaji’s itinerary, please contact the respective centres.
On the auspicious occasion of its silver jubilee, Dhamma Khetta is publishing a 250-page souvenir with articles on Vipassana in English, Hindi and Telugu. The advertisement tariff is Rs 5000/- for full page. Those wishing to advertise in the Souvenir may contact Vipassana Prachar Samiti, Gandhi Darshan Building (Exhibition Grounds), Hyderabad 500 001.
Tel: (040) 473 2569, 657 2569; Fax: (040) 461 3941;
e-mail: vimc@hyderabademail.com
Goenkaji's Discourses on Zee TV
Goenkaji’s series of 44 discourses in Hindi are being broadcast on Zee TV every Monday from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m.
Dhamma Utsav
The second North India Regional Vipassana Conference (Dhamma Utsav) will be held by Vipassana Sadhana Sansthan from 3 November (9:00 a.m.) to 5 November (5:00 p.m.) at Vipassana Meditation Centre, Logicstatic Farm, Opposite Radha Soami Satsang Phase IV, Village Bhatti, Chattarpur Temple Road, New Delhi-110 030. Tel: (011) 6801349.
The main objectives of the conference are:
- Evaluation of the difficulties faced by the centres in North India and devising solutions, including greater co-ordination among centres
- Review of progress and plans for creating greater awareness of Vipassana in North India.
The conference will be attended by Teachers, assistant teachers, trustees, Dhamma servers and meditators from Vipassana centres in North India. Those wishing to attend are requested to contact centres in their respective areas.
Pali Workshop in English
A ten-day Pali workshop has been arranged exclusively for English-speaking students at Dhamma Salila, Dehradun Vipassana Centre. Students may attend the ten-day Vipassana course from 22 March to 2 April 2001 followed by Pali Teaching Workshop from 4 April to 15 April 2001.
These will be conducted by Western Assistant Teachers. Those interested may contact Deharadun Centre.
Dhamma Giri Website
This website <www.vri.dhamma.org> contains information about Vipassana, Dhamma Giri, VRI, Goenkaji’s Itinerary, Latest Developments in Dhamma, Vipassana Centres in India, Questions & Answers, VRI English Newsletters, Spread of Dhamma, Dhamma News, Dhamma Discourses, Information about Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana CD-ROM, Vipassana Seminars, VRI Publications, Updated schedule of courses including one day courses and group sittings in India as well as centre addresses, and updated information on Dhamma Pattana, Dhamma Tapovana, and Sayagyi U Ba Khin Vipassana Village.
A Legacy of Dhamma
Vishwakant Deshmukh took part in his first Vipassana course at Dhamma Giri in June 1997 before going for training as a pilot. He had heard about the benefits of Vipassana from some of his friends. He did his second course at Dhammānanda, Pune Vipassana centre in December 1998. He was very keen that his parents and his younger brother also go for a course as early as possible. He used to say that he had found peace of mind and that his concentration had improved after being introduced to Vipassana. He thought it was very important for pilots to practise Vipassana and tried to motivate his course-mates (other pilots) to undergo the course. According to his parents, they found a welcome change in him after his first course. His father said that he used to be very short-tempered and volatile but had calmed down considerably after his first course. He described his son's demeanour as ‘peaceful, quiet and less irritable’ after he became a Vipassana meditator; he did not quarrel with others as he used to and even tried to reason with his younger brother when the latter picked up a fight.
Unfortunately, Vishwakant died in a plane crash during one of his training flights near Hyderabad in May 1999.
According to Vishwakant's father, his late son wanted to allocate two percent of his salary to Dhamma work. After an initial donation of a substantial amount to the Pune Vipassana Centre, Mr Deshmukh has put the money received after his son’s death in fixed deposits and will continue to contribute to Vipassana every year in accordance with Vishwakant’s desire. He said that part of the interest from the deposits would be earmarked for Dhamma. Vishwakant’s brother has already done a Vipassana course and his father will be joining a course after his wife returns from her first course.
May Vishwakant get abundant merits of his noble Dhamma volition! May his family continue to progress on the path of Dhamma, inspired by the exemplary example set by him!
New Responsibilities
Ācāryas:
Mr Chris & Mrs Sachiko Weeden
To serve non-centre courses in Europe
Mumbai Psychiatrists Visit Dhamma Giri
The following report was sent by Dr Harish Shetty, President, Bombay Psychiatric Society:
"Sixty-two members from the Bombay Psychiatric Society visited Dhamma Giri on 20 August 2000 and spent a full day in familiarising themselves with the activities of the Vipassana International Academy. What began as an attempt to feel was transformed into an inspiring event The participants had the opportunity to view the video cassette of Goenkaji's personal sharing of his experiences of Vipassana during an International Conference of Social Psychiatry held at New Delhi in 1994. The clear replies to queries posed by psychiatrists opened new paradigms for the mental health professionals of Mumbai. The members were guided around the picturesque environment of the Vipassana centre by volunteers after an excellent sattvic meal.
The award-winning documentary on the impact of Vipassana in prisons ‘Doing Time, Doing Vipassana’ brought tears in all eyes as they were exposed to a sensitive humane intervention through Vipassana. The quote of Goenkaji that ‘mental health professionals should not ignore the body while healing the mind’ reverberated in all hearts of those who had gathered on that day.
All in all it helped psychiatrists, psychologists, medical social workers and a few accompanying spouses to feel that life can be viewed with a different prism through which one can understand sensations objectively and attain reasonable equanimity. We hope to undertake a Vipassana course soon."
Translation into South Indian Languages
Because of an increasing demand for Vipassana courses in South India, there is an urgent need for meditators who can translate VRI books like ‘The Art of Living’ and ‘Discourse Summaries’ into Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Those wanting to help in this Dhamma project may contact Shri S. Adaviyappaji, at Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri-422 402, Tel: (02553) 84076, Fax: 84176; e-mail: <dhamma@vsnl.com> giving details such as their age, address, occupation, education, number of courses completed etc. One translated chapter of ‘The Art of Living’ or ‘Discourse Summaries’ may be sent as sample.