..續本文上一頁f returning to my parents.

　　In 1940, I passed the tenth class and joined the family business. Within two years, we had to leave Myanmar because of the invasion by Japan. We had to face many hardships in India because we were forced to leave behind all our possessions in Myanmar. I sought business opportunities in India and at the same time, looked after my adoptive family and Radhe Shyam”s education. He was good in studies and progressed well. We started a business in South India and settled there. Radhe Shyam continued his education there. After the war, we returned to Myanmar. Radhe Shyam had a strong desire to become an engineer. I always regretted that I had been unable to study in college even though I had stood first in the tenth class and had received a scholarship from the government. Therefore, I decided that Radhe Shyam”s education would not be hindered. He would be allowed to study as much and as long as he wished. Radhe Shyam duly completed his engineering studies at the Birla college in Pilani and thereafter joined the family business.

　　We had to leave Myanmar again. Radhe Shyam continued to be a part of the family business. In 1969, I came to India with Sayagyi U Ba Khin”s blessings to teach Vipassana and started conducting Vipassana courses. But I had doubts about successfully carrying out this great responsibility.

　　While conducting a course in Bodh Gaya, I received the news that my revered teacher had passed away. I did a ten-day self-course at Bodh Gaya and then decided that I would free myself from all family and business responsibilities and devote the rest of my life to Vipassana. I wrote to my brothers about this resolution. The rest sent encouraging replies but Radhe Shyam and my younger brother, Gauri Shankar, immediately came to Bodh Gaya to assure me that I need not bother about my worldly responsibilities and should devote myself completely to teaching Vipassana. Thanks to their encouragement, I devoted myself to my Dhamma mission.

　　Radhe Shyam wholeheartedly supported my Dhamma mission. He helped as much as possible in every sphere of Dhamma while looking after his business responsibilities. His biggest contribution, which I will always remember, is in helping me to achieve my strong desire: Just as Vipassana, which had been lost in India, had returned from Myanmar and had become established here, the Buddha”s original teaching, the Tipitaka with its commentaries, should be published in India and benefit more and more people. The Vipassana Research Institute was founded to accomplish this and Radhe Shyam undertook the responsibility to look after its functioning.

　　The entire literature of the Tipitaka was ready but it could not be published and printed. All the people who took up this work were unsuccessful. Finally, Radhe Shyam undertook this responsibility to publish the entire literature of the Tipitaka in 140 beautifully bound books. This is a great contribution from him to India.

　　He also successfully accomplished the production of the CD-ROM containing the entire Tipitaka and allied Pali literature. He helped to create software with the help of which it was possible to view the Tipitaka in seven scripts—Devanāgarī, Roman, Myanmar, Sri Lankan, Thai, Cambodian, and Mongolian. He also helped to create a search engine that could be used to search the text in the CD-ROM in different ways. Radhe Shyam also helped in printing many Vipassana books and CDs. He lived with me so he worked under my guidance about all aspects of publication work.

　　Recently, it was necessary to publish two books within a week. I was writing the books but because of ill health, I was unable to complete them. How could they be published in time

　　 Radhe Shyam took the responsibility of printing these books. He had to go to Bhopal due to earlier plans. Before going, he again assured me that I should send the material to the printer and the books would be ready in two days. I found it difficult to believe this. Radhe Shyam passed away in the train before reaching Bhopal. He had assured me that the books would be ready. And in fact, the printer printed and handed over the books two days after Radhe Shyam”s death.

　　Radhe Shyam passed away while fulfilling his responsibilities in Dhamma. The Dhamma service that he rendered will be of great help in his future journey. May he keep progressing on the path of liberation!

　　Shri Radhe Shyam Goenka, a senior Vipassana teacher and younger brother of our Principal Teacher, Goenkaji, expired on the night of 1 February, 2007 due to heart attack. He gave invaluable Dhamma service for many years in various fields including Vipassana Research Institute, Dhamma Tapovana, Tipitika Project, publications and conducting courses worldwide. He was active in Dhamma service until the very last day of his life.

　　His wife, Vimalaji, also a Vipassana teacher, passed away a few years ago. The worldwide Dhamma family shares the deep sense of loss of Goenkaji and Mataji.

　　May Radhe Shyamji be happy, peaceful and liberated.

《Farewell Brother Radhe Shyam》全文閱讀結束。