..續本文上一頁l return from this commemoration soaked in the infinite mettā of our revered teacher Sayagyi. We will return with the firm resolve to complete the benevolent tasks we have undertaken to mark the centenary year of Sayagyi and will certainly complete these tasks.

　　1. Establishment of Sayagyi U Ba Khin Village near Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri to provide an ideal peaceful atmosphere for serious meditators to live in.

　　2. Establishment of Dhamma Tapovana, near Dhamma Giri, to provide facility for serious long courses of 20, 30, 45, 60 and 90 days” duration.

　　3. Establishment of an international university near Dhamma Giri to give a worldwide impetus to the work of research in ancient literature related to Vipassana. In this university Pāli, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Hindi and other Indian languages as well as foreign languages such as Myanmar, Sinhalese, Thai, Cambodian, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Tibetan and Mongolian will be studied.

　　4. And much more important than the above is the construction of the Grand Vipassana Pagoda at Gorai island in Bombay. This memorial will, while respectfully treasuring the authentic relics of the Buddha, declare our gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin and the sacred land of Myanmar for centuries to come. This pagoda will have a meditation hall seating about ten thousand meditators where they can take one-day courses in an atmosphere charged with Dhamma vibrations from the relics of the Buddha. The halls in the semi-circular gallery around the pagoda will display information about the life and the teaching of the Buddha using state of the art audio-visual equipment. Misconceptions about the Buddha and his teaching have spread in India over the last one and a half to two thousand years. The display at the pagoda will help in removing mythological misconceptions. People will learn historical truths. Many will get inspired and will be attracted to the universal technique of Vipassana meditation.

　　Though the construction project of the Grand Pagoda costing crores of rupees (millions of dollars) seems a daunting task, seeing the unwavering enthusiasm of meditators it does not seem impossible. Just like the historical donation of Jetavana by Sudatta Anathapindika, a devout meditator and his generous family has donated land worth crores of rupees (millions of dollars) for the Grand Pagoda. Meditators are donating Rs 10000 to provide space for a meditator in the Pagoda, and Rs 100,000 to cover the cost of 100 sq. ft. of the structure of the Pagoda with matchless volition. Apart from this, many meditators from abroad are donating thousands and hundreds of thousands in keeping with their devotion and resources. But even more valuable is the donation from the meditators working on daily wages who even while living a life of material poverty are donating their earnings of one day with so much devotion and confidence. Seeing this, one feels certain about completion of the Pagoda symbolizing re-establishment of Vipassana in its motherland.

　　May we fulfil these wholesome aspirations so that the benevolent technique of Vipassana continues for 2500 years to help suffering humanity come out of suffering! This is how our gratitude will bear fruit and this is how the expression of our gratitude will benefit others! May all beings, all around the world, be happy, be peaceful and be liberated.

　　Benevolent friend,

　　S. N. Goenka

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