Dhamma Sikhara, India March 22, 1998
Questioner: What is the most important quality needed while serving the Dhamma?
Goenkaji: If you don’t have mettā, it is better that you don’t give Dhamma service. Sometimes a Dhamma server shouts like a policeman or a policewoman at students who do not observe the rules, and this is totally wrong. Every Dhamma server is actually a representative of the Dhamma; students watch their behaviour and if they are just as arrogant as others, the students will lose confidence in the Dhamma. Therefore Dhamma service is a great responsibility. If someone cannot work with mettā in a humble way, it is better to refrain from taking this responsibility. §
Please elaborate on why daily sittings are important.
You are Vipassana meditators and you don’t sit daily? What sort of meditators are you? [laughter] Take more courses! §
Why is abstaining from sexual misconduct and intoxicants so important for a Dhamma server?
They are important in order to progress in Dhamma. All the sīlas are important for a Dhamma server, but these two are the most important.
If you keep taking any intoxicant you will remain a slave to intoxication, and you cannot progress in Dhamma; the mind cannot be balanced when it is enslaved. You must become your own master, and intoxication cannot make you your own master. Similarly for sexual misconduct: By practising Dhamma, both husband and wife will ultimately reach the stage where they naturally live a life of celibacy. But if there is a connection with more than one person, sexual desire will continue to increase. It is like adding petrol to a fire that you hope to put out.
So the first discipline is that a sexual relationship should only exist between spouses, nowhere else. If both are good Vipassana meditators, when passion arises they observe the sensations arising and accept the fact, "There is passion in my mind." As they observe the sensations they will probably come out of passion. But if they don’t and have bodily relations, there is nothing wrong because they have not broken their sīla. I have seen many cases where, if they keep working like this, people easily come out of passion and still feel so contented, so happy. The need does not arise. A sexual relationship is actually designed by nature for reproduction, but it is human beings’ weakness to go against nature and use it only for passion.
Slowly, if you keep working with Vipassana, you will come out of passion and reach a stage where there is a natural celibacy—a celibacy achieved through suppression doesn’t help—and this natural celibacy will help you to develop so much in Dhamma. You progress by leaps and bounds once you reach that stage. §
How should a Dhamma server deal with conflicts that arise with other servers?
In a Dhamma way! If there is conflict and you start quarrelling and creating a negative atmosphere in the Dhamma centre, it is unwholesome. If there is any difference of opinion between servers, resolve it with mettā towards each other, don’t quarrel about it. If you can’t sort it out, go to your elders (whoever is available) and discuss the situation with them. They will give you some guidance.
It is unwholesome to stay at a Dhamma centre and generate negativity. If you generate negativity at your home it is harmful enough, but there the harm is limited to your family members. At a centre mettā vibrations create a positive atmosphere and if you pollute it with any kind of negativity you will harm so many people who come here to take advantage of Dhamma.
If you find you are becoming negative it is better to retire for some time. Meditate, come out of negativity, and then start serving once again. §
What are the benefits of bowing down to pay respect?
In the eyes of most people when you bow down to somebody you pay respect to that person, and that is all there is to it. Actually, this [the top of the head] is the receiving part of the body, and it receives good or bad vibrations. For a Vipassana meditator it is really worthwhile keeping the attention here and bowing down to somebody who is giving mettā or generating Dhamma vibrations.
I remember my teacher instructed us how to bow down: The first time should be with awareness of sensations here [at the top of the head] and understanding anicca, the second time should be understanding dukkha, and the third time should understanding anattā. At times when we bowed down, he would ask, "Did you bow down properly?"
When you are observing anicca in this area you understand, "Look, everything is changing." When you observe dukkha you understand, "Whatever is changing is a source of dukkha, it can’t be a source of happiness." With anattā you understand, "There is no ‘I’ in this, no ‘mine’, it is just a mind-matter phenomenon." So the way to bow down is with understanding and awareness of sensations at the top of the head. §
Can you explain how the four formalities at the beginning of a course have practical benefit and are not simply a ritual?
I explain this every time the course is given. When you take refuge in the Triple Gem it is not a ritual; you are taking refuge in the qualities of the Triple Gem with the intention of developing those qualities in yourself. If you don’t have that intention and you merely recite the refuge, of course it will only be a ritual.
Similarly when you take the Five Precepts you should do so with the intention that you will observe them at least for the coming ten days. Then it is not a ritual, it is a strong decision.
When you surrender yourself, you undertake to work according to the guidance that is given to you. In fact, you surrender to the technique. There’s nothing wrong in surrendering if you do so with this understanding.
Lastly there is the request of Dhamma. There is a healthy tradition that Dhamma should not be imposed on anybody; it can only be given to somebody who requests it. When you request the Teacher to give you Dhamma, it also signifies that you understand that the Teacher is giving something and that you are receptive to this, you are ready to learn.
These formalities are not rituals, the meaning behind them is clear. Their purpose is explained every time that Anapana is given. §
What is the role of the ācariya [teacher] of a centre in preventing the burnout of long-term Dhamma servers?
Well, it is the duty of the ācariya to see that nobody is over-taxed. Each server must work according to his or her capacity. If the ācariya finds that somebody is very much fatigued by Dhamma service, he or she should give the server time to relax, to meditate, to gain strength, and only then should the server serve again. If too much work falls on the shoulders of somebody who is not capable of working at that time, it is not healthy. The ācariya must prevent that happening. §
What should I do if neither my body nor my mind is ready to practise mettā at the end of my daily sitting, even after relaxing?
Well, if you are not in a state to practise mettā, then it is better not to do mettā. But at least at the surface level of your mind you can think, "May all beings be happy." It won’t be very powerful, but you can try to work like that. However, if the mind is very agitated it is better not to practice mettā.
When there are subtle vibrations and you feel peaceful and harmonious the mettā that you generate is very powerful; it helps the atmosphere around you, making it very positive. §
If our senior in Dhamma takes an independent decision which goes against the guidelines you have formulated, what should we as Dhamma servers do?
Very humbly and politely place your view before this person, saying, "Well, according to my understanding of the guidelines, this is an incorrect decision. I believe the guidelines suggest another course of action." Then your senior can explain the reasons for his or her decision. If you still find there is a difference of opinion you can say, "Since we do not agree on this matter I will write to a senior teacher or to Goenkaji. Let us explain the situation to a senior and let him or her decide." But never write to a senior without first discussing your difference of opinion with this person, otherwise it would be backbiting, a breakage of sīla. Be careful not to break your vocal sīla.
Often people write letters to me saying, "So-and-so is behaving like this. So-and-so is doing this." Then I ask whether they have discussed the matter with the person they are complaining about and they reply that they have not. In such a situation why write to me?
It is very important that you talk over the problem with the person concerned first. Most of your difficulties will be settled when you discuss the matter directly — not with a negative attitude but a positive attitude, making an effort to understand the other person’s view. Maybe your view is wrong or maybe the elder’s view is wrong, and when you discuss with them things will become clearer. If you find that the situation is not becoming clearer, then there is nothing wrong in informing other elders. §
I know that an experienced Dhamma server should treat new students and visitors with more mettā than old students. How can one do this?
By practising Dhamma more and more. When your mind becomes purer naturally you will have more mettā. In an earlier question you asked why it is important to practise daily. Understand, if you don’t practise daily you will not have any mettā, and if you have no mettā you can’t serve. So practise daily, make yourself strong in Dhamma, and naturally your mettā will become strong and have a great impact on the students who visit.
As I said, those who come to a course always look at the Dhamma servers, the teacher and all those who manage the centre. If they find these people are not practising what is being taught here, they will think that this is a sham. They will say to themselves, "Look, the technique has not helped those who practise here, why should I waste my time?"
Be very careful: Make yourself strong in Dhamma so that you can give more mettā. Keep the atmosphere full of mettā, full of mettā. If you do that you will be successful and the centre will be successful; more and more people will be benefited. §
Ramana Maharshi spoke about the belief that there is awakening without "doership." I have a question about doership, in that there are times when the effort to do does not lead towards equanimity. I feel that sometimes I long not to long, or I seek not to seek. I would like to be awake rather than in pursuit. The more I’m in pursuit, the more I seem to be moving away from my goal.
What Ramana Maharshi said was correct, but he was speaking of a higher stage. A beginner who starts on the path has to work. You are being taught to reach the stage that is without "I" (anattā), and when there is no "I" there is no doer. But if we say there is no "I" in the beginning, you could become confused and think you do not need to work. You must first understand, "Well, I have to take steps on the path." A time will come when you understand, "There is a path but there is nobody to walk over it, there are only steps being taken on the path." That stage has to come naturally. If the "I" is still there in you and you try to impose a feeling that the "I" is not there, it is not helpful.
That is why the Buddha’s teaching is to work first with anicca. When you get established in anicca, then dukkha will naturally become clear to you, and you will understand that however pleasant a feeling may be it passes away. If you develop attachment to it you will become miserable. So misery is inherent in even the most pleasant experience. Understanding of dukkha becomes more and more predominant once you are established in anicca.
When you are established in anicca and dukkha, then the third stage—an understanding of anattā—develops, and you think, "What is this phenomenon? Where is ‘I’? Things are just happening, there is just a flow of mind and matter interacting." When the "I" dissolves at the experiential level it is helpful. An imposed conception of anattā will not help. That is why the Buddha never advised us to start with anattā. Start with anicca, then dukkha will follow, and anattā will develop. When Ramana Maharshi spoke of no doer, he spoke of anattā, the third, final stage. He must have reached that stage, so naturally he spoke about it to people who he felt were developed. But it does not mean that a beginner should start working in that way. §
Why shouldn’t we fell trees at a Dhamma centre?
Why fell trees anywhere? Why only refrain from cutting them down at a Dhamma centre? Trees are so helpful, they create a conducive atmosphere. The environment becomes charged with good vibrations from trees; that’s why felling them is not healthy.
It is especially helpful in a Dhamma centre to have foliage all around. An area that is very dry, without trees or plants, won’t make a very good Dhamma centre. Foliage is important, therefore trees are important. §
While practising Vipassana shouldn’t we also focus on other things than the physical sensations? Like seeing and hearing and so on?
Yes, but not at this stage. That will come later. First you have to develop to the stage where you feel sensations on every particle of the body. Once you become established in this awareness, and a sound comes, it will be so easy to feel the sensations resulting from the sound. If you are not aware of sensations, and you just repeat to yourself, "Oh, this is sound, this is sound," it will not help because it is only a superficial truth.
Sound is a vibration; light, colour and shape are vibrations; smell is a vibration; taste is a vibration; touch is a vibration; any thought arising on the mind is a vibration. But you are not experiencing these vibrations, so you have to first get established in feeling the sensations on the body, and then all other things will follow. §
If the same issue keeps coming in many courses, would it be appropriate to deal with that worldly issue? Or if I continue sitting courses will this issue go away? For example, I worry whether I should have a certain career or get a more serious job. Sitting and thinking about a good career but not looking for one won’t help. The basic point to bear in mind when looking for a career is that the work should not help others to break their sīla. If you do something that helps others to break their sīla, this is as bad as breaking your own sīla. If you are aware of this, you will naturally abstain from any kind of career that harms others.
Meditation will give you the clarity of mind that will help you to choose which career is best. But while you meditate in a course don’t keep thinking about your career. That is wrong, don’t do that. § We have heard that the colours black, red, and dark green are not conducive to practising Vipassana. Is this true?
Well, you cannot experience this for yourself at this stage because you can’t feel the vibrations of inanimate things. But continuing to grow in Dhamma, a stage will come where you will start to feel the vibrations not only of animate beings, but also of inanimate things. At that time the difference between colours will become clear to you. At this stage you had better accept what your elders say. What else can be done? [laughter] §
In daily life I practise yoga. I would like to incorporate yoga into the Vipassana course.
During the recess periods on a course you can have a good walk; only walking is permitted as a physical exercise. For the rest of the time, you should sit and meditate.
But I have difficulty sitting and I find the stretching helps a lot.
Then walk a little during meditation hours, but don’t do yoga. There are two reasons for this: First, you have joined the course because you want to remain within yourself, and if you do yoga your attention will be diverted to think about the different yoga postures.
Another problem is that on the course there are others around you meditating seriously, and if they see you perform this or that exercise, they will say, "That is wonderful! I have never done that, please teach me how to do it." You will create a distraction for others.
So during a meditation course, only meditate and walk. Walking is good enough exercise for the body. When you go home, then yes, yoga is a wonderful exercise for your physical health. §
I have a question related to the previous question: I think sitting for a long time is not good for the body. I know long-term meditators who have sciatic nerve problems. I wondered whether the sensation of discomfort at some point indicates danger, and people need to know that maybe sitting twelve hours a day isn’t so good for them.
If it is good for so many others, then it is good for you also! [laughter] Of course, when you are not accustomed to sit cross-legged, you will find it difficult, so we say, "It is not necessary to sit cross-legged. Sit in any posture that suits you."
But meditating on a course doesn’t harm anyone in any way. No case has come to us suggesting that sitting for a long time has harmed people. In fact the whole technique opens up energy, and a free flow of energy inside purifies the body as well as the mind. If there is anything wrong in the body it is actually helped by the meditation, not harmed.
If you forcefully sit adhitthāna for eight, ten or eleven hours a day it would be wrong. Adhitthāna is given for three hours a day, and only after Vipassana. The rest of the time you are free to change your position, you can even lie down. Practise in the sitting position, but when it becomes unavoidable, lie down or walk for five minutes and then again sit. There are no restrictions on moving. §
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