The Universal Teaching of the Buddha

　　A Dhamma talk given by Mr S.N. Goenka in Singapore.

　　A few years ago, quite by accident, I found this booklet which records the above talk given by the guru S.N. Goenka. When I finally got down to read it, I found that it was one of the most beautiful articles I”ve every read. Seldom had 8000+ words had such a profound effect on me. Mr Goenka could describe the Dharma with such clarity in so few words. I thought I must have been a really good boy to deserve the karma to learn from this wonderful man.

　　It is my wish to share this article with everybody. 8000 words is indeed a little long. What I did here was to condense the article down to 3000 words to facilitate convienent consumption. For the full text (8000 words long), please click here.

　　I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.

　　I come from a tradition of very staunch conservative Hindus, and because I come from that tradition, I know the background and teachings of Indian spirituality. When I went to my teacher for the first time to take a Vipassana course, nothing seemed new to me. Buddha taught sila (morality), so did the conservative Hindus and Jains. Buddha taught samadhi, mastery over the mind, and I found that this was there also. Every tradition teaches how to control the mind, how to develop mastery over the mind. Buddha teaches panna, wisdom; and it seemed that that also was not new to me. In the tradition from which I come, one has to work to purify the mind - to come out of raga, i.e. craving; to come out of dosa, i.e. aversion; to come out of moha, i.e. ignorance. Nothing was new, and yet everything was new.

　　This mind, this body, which includes the entire sensorium, is impermanent, anicca, anicca. This cannot be a source of happiness for us. This is only a source of misery, dukkha, dukkha. This phenomenon is not "I," is not "mine," is not "my soul." Anatta. To many people it seems that this was the contribution of the Buddha. But this is not so. Even at the time of the Buddha we find instances when people who were not his disciples came to him and he questioned them, What do you believe about this mind-matter sensorium

　　 Is it nicca or anicca, permanent or impermanent

　　" And the listener answered, "Anicca." "Is this sukha or dukkha

　　" and he said, "Dukkha". "Is this I, me, mine, myself, or no I, no me, no myself

　　" "It is no I, no me, no myself - anatta". He was Bahiya (an outsider), not a follower of Buddha, and yet he gave these answers. Then what was the wonderful contribution of Buddha

　　First he questioned this person, "What do you believe

　　 Is it anicca

　　 Is it dukkha

　　 Is it anatta

　　" And this person replied, "Yes, this is anicca. It is dukkha. It is anatta." And then the Buddha said, "By observing it so, one becomes liberated from misery. Mere believing won”t help you. You observe the reality; and with your own observation, direct experience, then you understand this is anicca, this is dukkha, this is anatta." Herein lies the beauty of the Buddha”s teaching.

　　As you practise Vipassana you will find that there are sensations throughout your body. In feeling, the mind is involved. A particular sensation has come - mind feels it and a part of the mind reacts to it. If it is pleasant, it reacts with craving. If it is unpleasant, it reacts with aversion. When the mind is reacting with aversion, the unpleasant sensation becomes more unpleasant. This interaction is going on, every moment and one does not know what is happening.

　　As you start experiencing these sensations, you will notice that as and when you kill you generate a tremendous amount of anger or hatred or ill will or animosity. This dosa must arise in your mind - only then will you kill someone. If you are a good Vipassana meditator, you will find that as soon as…

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