A Dhamma Decision

　　- by S. N. Goenka

　　(An autobiographical narrative) Shri Yadu Kumar Siddhi of Nepal had participated in a number of the early Vipassana courses in Bodh Gaya, benefited greatly, and so did many of his friends and family members. Soon, they began fervently requesting me to conduct a course in Nepal, either in Birganj or in Kathmandu.

　　I too wanted to visit Nepal - for teaching Dhamma and for other reasons. I felt a great attraction to the wholesome vibrations of the Himalayas, so congenial to meditation. There was an even greater attraction: it was Nepal that gave birth to this immeasurably great being, the Buddha, who re-discovered the technique of Vipassana and opened the path of liberation for so many people.

　　But visiting Nepal was not possible because I was a Myanmar citizen. The Myanmar Government had very kindly given me a passport, but I could legally travel only to India.

　　For the benefit of the Nepalese people I conducted a course in September 1972 in Raxaul, which is on the Indian side of the Indo-Nepal border. A few attended the course from the city of Birganj on the other side of the border, and some came from Kathmandu. Besides, many non-meditators from Birganj were allowed to listen to only the evening discourses.

　　After this course successfully concluded, the people of Birganj strongly insisted that I conduct a course in their city. Their argument was that Birganj had better facilities than Raxaul, and that would attract a larger number of people for a course. I told them my difficulties.

　　"You are of Indian origin, sir. You would have no difficulty crossing the border and past the immigration authorities by wearing dhoti and kurta," they replied. "Indians and Nepalese can visit one another”s country freely without any visa."

　　But this suggestion was totally unacceptable to me. I had the noble example of my teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin before me. He was very eager to come to India and personally repay the debt of gratitude by returning this wonderful technique of Vipassana to its country of origin, which had lost the technique. So he had applied for a passport to the then Government of Myanmar. But the Government was bound by its own policy. He could get a passport only if he either left the country for good, or got employment abroad.

　　I very vividly remember being present when U Win Pe the Cabinet Secretary of the Government of Myanmar came to see Sayagyi at the International Meditation Centre. He had been sent by the Home Minister Col. Kyaw Soe, to advise him in this matter. U Win Pe was also a student of Sayagyi. Not only the Home Minister, but most of the Cabinet ministers had great respect for Sayagyi U Ba Khin. But they too appeared helpless. So U Win Pe suggested Sayagyi get a letter of employment from one of his students abroad. That suggestion was not based on truth and therefore it was totally unacceptable to Sayagyi.

　　How could he teach pure Dhamma when the first step itself was taken against sīla

　　 How could the Dhamma journey be really successful

　　 Keeping in mind this basic principle of teaching Dhamma, I too could not accept the Birganj people”s proposal. Very frankly I told them that I was a Myanmar citizen, and that I could not declare myself as an Indian to the immigration authorities of Nepal.

　　A very rich Nepali industrialist had participated in this course. He had great influence in many different Government departments of Nepal. He suggested I enter his country in his car. No immigration official would even question whether or not I was an Indian. In this way I could save myself from telling lies. But how could I accept this suggestion too

　　 After all, untruth was untruth and deception was deception. So I could not go to Nepal, and kept giving courses only in India.

　　Time passed. Tho…

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