Realizing the Dream of Dhamma
- by S. N. Goenka
(The following is a translation of Goenkaji”s remarks to about 5000 Vipassana meditators attending the first one-day course under the main dome of the Global Pagoda in Gorai, Mumbai, on March 19, 2006. It has been adapted for the Newsletter.)
My mind is filled with joy at seeing this large gathering of the Vipassana family. In future, within this great dome, thousands of people will sit together and meditate. A small glimpse of that scene is before my eyes. The Buddha said, Samaggānaṃ tapo sukho—“To gather together and meditate brings joy.” A very fruitful joy.
This is a land for meditation. Whenever I come here, my mind feels delight. At the time when a Dhamma son donated this priceless land, I did not fully understand. But afterwards, each time I came here, strong faith developed in my mind that this land is very pure, it is a land for meditation. Many saints have meditated in this vicinity. Therefore this land has drawn all of us to come here. Tremendous is the attraction of this land!
In the time of the Buddha, an ascetic named Dāruciriya was meditating in this area when he heard that someone in the world had become a sammāsambuddha. He resolved to meet the Enlightened One in order to learn the path of liberation. Dāruciriya walked from here to Sāvatthī, encountered the Buddha, reached liberation, and became an arahant.
Another incident that happened here comes before my eyes: A man from this region named Puṇṇa went to Sāvatthī for his business, and there he met the Buddha. He was fortunate, he learned Vipassana. He was even more fortunate; he progressed rapidly on the path of Vipassana. His business remained important to him. However, he could not help thinking, “This is such a wonderful teaching, but the region where I live knows nothing of it. Nobody even knows that there is such a technique that offers liberation from the cycle of life and death. If people there learn and practice it, they will get the same benefit.”
With deep enthusiasm he went to the Enlightened One and said, “Sir, I request your permission to go back to my home and proclaim there the doctrine taught by the Buddha. Allow me to make Vipassana known to the people.”
The Buddha smiled and asked, “Are you aware that in your region, people will strongly oppose you. They will heap abuse on you. What will you do then
”
“Lord, with folded hands I shall humbly say, “You are so kind, so good! You have only heaped abuse on me, you have only used a few harsh words. Someone else might have pelted me with stones. You did not throw stones at me. You are so kind!””
“And if they start throwing stones at you, what will you say then
”
“With folded hands I shall say, “You are so kind! Someone else who had become angry might have beaten me with sticks. You only threw stones at me. You are truly kind.””
“And if they started beating you with sticks, what will you say then
”
“With folded hands I shall say, “You are so kind! You have only beaten me with sticks. Someone else would have attacked me with a sword. You did not attack me with a sword. You are indeed kind.””
“And if some of them attack you with swords, what will you say then
”
“With folded hands I shall say, “You are so kind, so good! So many people in this world are miserable. In their great misery, they commit suicide. You are saving me from that evil act. You are truly merciful!””
The Buddha said, “Good! You have ripened in Dhamma. Now, you are fit to preach the doctrine.”
This is the region in which the ascetic Puṇṇa spread the Buddha”s teachings. And the archeological remains in this region, the nearby caves and statues, show that people gladly accepted the Buddha”s teachings.
In our own time, when the fo…
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