..续本文上一页ause of their lack of understanding, the feelings of devoted people not only in Sri Lanka, but in the whole world were deeply hurt. They therefore removed the relics from the museum and made the wise decision to return them to India. These relics were returned to India after World War II. With the help of the government of independent India, they were respectfully enshrined in the Buddha temples built by the Mahabodhi Society. The Mahabodhi Society is very kindly giving a portion of these sacred relics for enshrinement in this Grand Vipassana Pagoda, which will be an important historical part of the function of the formal dedication of the land for the Grand Pagoda on 26 October. Because of the enshrining of these sacred relics, this Grand Pagoda will become a sacred place of pilgrimage for millions of devoted people.

　　Usually such pagodas are solid. But with the help of the most modern techniques of architecture, instead of building a solid pagoda, a vast meditation hall will be built within it, at the centre of which these sacred relics will be installed so that thousands of meditators can sit around them, meditating together and benefit from their Dhamma vibrations. There are thousands of Vipassana meditators in Mumbai. This number is increasing day-by-day and it will continue to do so in the future.

　　Therefore, this vast Vipassana meditation hall will prove to be very useful as well as a great inspiration to those who come for group meditation. It is clear that the glory of Mumbai will increase because of this Grand Pagoda and the usefulness of this Dhamma-stupa will increase in the densely populated capital city of Mumbai.

　　One more question that arises is why is this pagoda being built in a Burmese architectural style and not in an Indian architectural style

　　 All should understand this. In the pure ancient tradition of India, there are two important yardsticks for gauging one”s progress in Dhamma. The first yardstick is to become pubbakari, meaning to serve others selflessly without expecting anything in return. The second is kataññu katavedi, meaning to be grateful. Actually one should be grateful to anyone from whom one obtains any ordinary worldly help.

　　We have obtained this priceless technique of Vipassana, which had been lost for two thousand years, from Myanmar (Burma) which preserved it in its pristine purity. That is why we have received this technique in its pure form. Twenty to twenty-five hundred years ago, when this technique went from here to different countries, they expressed their gratitude to India by building stupas in an Indian architectural style, so that when devoted people there saw these stupas, they would remember their gratitude to India. As centuries passed, the original Indian architectural style was influenced by local architecture and the stupas of these different countries assumed characteristic differences. Today we have received this technique from Myanmar. It is our duty to express our gratitude towards Myanmar. For centuries, people of this country who see this pagoda will remember the kindness of that country with gratitude. With the arising of this feeling of gratitude, their Dhamma volition will be strengthened. Thus the building of this Grand Pagoda, a replica of the Swedagon pagoda in Yangon (Rangoon), will be very meaningful. The people of this country will become happy, become peaceful.

《Why the Grand Vipassana Pagoda

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