Right Volition of Dhamma Service
- by S. N. Goenka
(The following is a translation of a talk by Goenkaji for old students at Dhamma Nāsikā on 5 March 2005. It has been adapted for the Newsletter.)
My dear Dhamma sons and Dhamma daughters,
I am filled with great happiness to see so many meditators at this Vipassana centre at Nashik. May the entire centre continue to be suffused with the vibrations of Dhamma, the vibrations of purity.
Those who come here to meditate must ensure that they do not perform any physical or vocal action that will pollute the purity of the meditation centre during their stay. Such meditation centres will benefit innumerable people for centuries to come. So many people from all over the world will benefit on this land because they will gain the path of liberation here.
Those who manage the centre have an immense responsibility. This is a Dhamma-land; it is not a commercial organization. The managers of these centres should ensure that these centres do not become commercial organizations. Dhamma is invaluable; it should not become a commercial commodity.
Dhamma is open to all. No fees should be charged from students. As soon as the feeling arises, “The students should give something for the food, accommodation, and teaching of Dhamma, otherwise how can we run the centre
” it becomes a commercial organization. What price can anybody pay for learning Dhamma
Dhamma is invaluable. As soon as a fee is charged, it will become the Dhamma of the rich. Those who have money will try to gain peace by paying the highest price. But they cannot gain peace because when Dhamma becomes a commercial commodity, it fails to bring peace. No one should make the mistake, now or in the future, of turning a Vipassana centre into a commercial organization.
The voluntary donation by a meditator after completing a course is not a payment for the expenses of one”s own course. Donations should never be given with this volition. Instead, one donates with the wholesome volition: “I have gained so much benefit, I have gained so much peace by meditating for ten days, I have learned the art of living. Now I shall live happily, peacefully all my life. May others also get the same benefit! People are so miserable all around. The have-nots are certainly miserable but the haves are also miserable. Literate or illiterate, men or women; all are suffering due to one reason or the other. If they get this technique to eradicate suffering, they will learn to come out of their suffering. May more and more people be benefited! May more and more people get Dhamma! May more and more people get the art of living!” The donation given with such volition is pure and wholesome because it is full of goodwill.
There should never be any kind of discrimination at any Vipassana centre. One may be rich or poor, literate or illiterate, one may belong to this race or to that race, this clan or that clan, this lineage or that lineage. A human being is a human being. One who is born from a human womb is a human being. Such discrimination should not be practised anywhere in this country. This may happen in this country sooner or later but at least in Vipassana centres, there should not be any trace of discrimination.
The path of liberation is open to all. Dhamma is universal. Dhamma is the same in all countries. Whoever meditates anywhere is bound to benefit. It is eternal; it is Dhamma because it is always beneficial. Do not let Dhamma become a sect. In future, Vipassana meditators should not say, “We belong to Vipassana sect, we are different from others.” This should never happen. Society is made up of all kinds of people; the world is made up of all kinds of people. “May all be happy, may all be peaceful! May all learn the art of living! May all improv…
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