Vipassana Newsletter

Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin

Vol. 37, No. 2 October 2010 www.vnl.dhamma.org Since 1974

With well over half a billion people, today Latin America is one of the most dynamic parts of the globe. It is also a region

in which the Dhamma is growing at an extraordinary pace. In only a decade and a half, almost every one of the region’s

countries has hosted courses, and the demand continues to

grow.

Before the 1990s, quite a few students from Latin America took courses in India or the West, but no course was organ-ized in Latin America itself until September 1991. Panama

was the location for that first course and, as sometimes hap-pens, the start was a little shaky. Because of some confusion,

the police came to the site on Day 7 and took the assistant teacher and students to the local jail for questioning. They

were quickly released but the course came to an early end.

Despite that, the results were significant. Some of the stu-

dents returned for full 10-day courses and now help organize activities in Panama. What’s more, people in other countries

were inspired when they read about the course in the Vipas-sana Newsletter. They too began looking into the possibility

of organizing courses where they lived.

Those efforts bore fruit in March 1994, when the first full 10-day course took place in Venezuela. In addition to local par-

ticipants, meditators from neighbouring countries came to sit and serve on this course. From here the stream of Dhamma

started flowing through many other countries of the region. In October and November 1994, courses were given in Brazil

and Argentina, and again in Venezuela. The next year saw courses in Panama, Chile and Mexico, as well as Brazil, Ar-

gentina and Venezuela. Cuba had its first Vipassana course in 1996, Bolivia in 1997, Colombia and Peru in 1998, Ecuador

Contents

Latin America: The New World of Dhamma ........... 1

The Pagoda: A Reminder of Our Past,

an Inspiration to Practice ..................................... 3

International News ..................................................... 4

Grateful Commemoration ........................................ 10 New Appointments and Responsibilities ................................................... 11

in 1999, Uruguay in 2001, Puerto Rico and Paraguay in 2003, the Dominican Republic in 2004, Nicaragua, El Salvador and

Costa Rica in 2006, and Guatemala in 2007. Many countries now offer courses at more than one location. There have also

been long courses, children’s courses and prison courses. On the 2010 schedule are 75 10-day courses, three Satipatthana

Sutta courses, three 20-day courses, one 30-day course, six

three-day courses and six children’s courses.

Permanent Vipassana centers offer ongoing courses in Mex-ico (Dhamma Makaranda), Brazil (Dhamma Santi) and Vene-

zuela (Dhamma Veṇuvana). New centers are under construc-tion in Argentina (Dhamma Sukhadā), Peru (Dhamma

Suriya) and Chile (Dhamma Pasanna).

All this activity clearly shows that the clock of Vipassana has

struck in Latin America, for the good and happiness of many.

Words of Dhamma

— Mettasuttaṃ (Sutta Nipāta 1.8.150 & Khuddakapāṭha 9)

Let one’s thoughts of boundless mettā pervade the whole world,

above, below and across,

unhindered, free of hate and of enmity.

Whether one is standing, walking, sitting or lying down, as long as one is awake,

one should develop this mindfulness [of boundless mettā].

This, they say, is a sublime way of living.

Mettañca sabbalokasmiṃ, mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ; uddhaṃ adho ca tririyañca, asambādhaṃ averamasapattaṃ.

Tiṭṭhaṃ caraṃ nisinno vā, sayāno yāvatassa vigatamiddho; etaṃ satiṃ adihiṭṭheyya, brahmametaṃ vihāramidhamāhu.

Latin America: The New World of Dhamma

2

involves improving the water and sewage systems, expanding

the Dhamma hall, and building new dining halls, new medita-tion cells, more private accommodation for students, and

rooms for managers.

For more information, contact: info@santi.dhamma.org

Dhamma Venuvaṇa, Venezuela. The “Bamboo Grove of

Dhamma,” Dhamma Venuvaṇa is located 90 minutes from Caracas. Located at an altitude of 1,400 metres (4,000 feet),

the center enjoys wonderful temperatures all year round. Goenkaji named it after one of the places where the Buddha

himself stayed; at the time, Goenkaji did not know that there were stands of bamboo on the land. More will be planted in

the future so that Dhamma Venuvaṇa truly brings to life its

ancient namesake.

The center was purchased in March 2006 and the first 10-day course was held in April of that year. The facility had origi-

nally been built for retreat purposes but was never used. At present the center can accommodate around 50 students; the capacity will eventually be expanded to 80.

For more information, contact: info@venuvana.dhamma.org

Statistics for 10-day Courses in Latin America

Vipassana Centers in Latin America

Dhamma Makaranda, Mexico. “Dhamma Makaranda” means “Nectar of the flower of Dhamma.” It began offering 10-day

courses in 2003. It is located near Valle de Bravo, a beautiful colonial town beside a large lake, in the highlands of central

Mexico. The center is a pleasant two-hour drive west from Mexico City. The 10-acre property is in a quiet, secluded val-

ley, surrounded by pine and oak forests and small farms.

The Centre can now accommodate about 50 students, mostly

in double rooms. Sleeping tents are also used during the dry season. A small Dhamma hall can hold up to 60 meditators.

Plans call for construction of a proper teachers’ residence, a

larger Dhamma hall and more single accommodations.

For more information, visit: www.makaranda.dhamma.org

Dhamma Santi, Brazil. “Dhamma Santi” means “Peace of Dhamma.” The center is surrounded by pristine, protected

rainforest, in an area reputed to have the cleanest air on the planet. Rio de Janeiro is two hours away, and São Paulo and

Belo Horizonte are four hours away. This is the most popu-lated part of Brazil and the area with the most Vipassana

meditators.

The first course at the center was held in April 2003 and

regular 10-day courses are now conducted, including courses for old students. In 2011, Dhamma Santi will offer 22

courses.

The center was built to accommodate 70 students but it often exceeds that number. Waiting lists are long. Plans call for

expanding the capacity to 120 students and 20 servers. This

2000 2005 2009 2010

No. of courses 24 43 66 75

No. of partici-pants, incl.

servers

1,109 2,214 3,900 4,500 (est.)

Dhamma Makaranda, Mexico

Inside the Dhamma Hall at Dhamma Santi

View from Dhamma Santi

3

Dhamma Sukhadā, Argentina

Goenkaji named Argentina’s first center “The Happiness of

Dhamma.” It is located in a peaceful environment about 85 kilometres from Buenos Aires. The first phase of construc-

tion has started, with the aim of accommodating 60 students.

The hope is to start holding courses at the center in 2011.

For more information, visit: www.sukhada.dhamma.org

Other Centers are in the planning stage in Peru (Dhamma

Suriya) and Chile (Dhamma Pasanna).

Non-center Courses

Following are only two examples of how Vipassana is

spreading to all parts of Latin America.

First Course in Northern Mexico

The first 10-day course in northern Mexico was held this Au-

gust at a rented site on the outskirts of Monterrey. A total of 51 students (42 new and nine old) completed the course. The

participants came from all over the country. The course was organized within five weeks’ time, shortly after a devastating

hurricane hit the city of Monterrey. The success of this course has led to the scheduling of two more 10-day courses

for this December, with a capacity of 90 persons in each course. The Monterrey Vipassana Group is holding weekly

group sittings and one-day courses each month.

Island of Chiloé, Chile. In January 2010, 185 people partici-

pated in a 10-day course on the island of Chiloé, in Chile. The largest previous course in that country had been for 70

students. It took a massive effort to handle the doubling in numbers: there were 25 servers at the January 2010 course and three assistant teachers. The students had beds but no

cushions for sitting. The servers slept on the floor. The only place large enough for a Dhamma hall was an unroofed area

between two wings of the facility. The amount of food or-dered in advance was insufficient, and from Day 3 the course

organizer scoured the markets in neighboring towns. Some-how all the problems were resolved and the course ended

happily. Another course has been announced for January 2011; it filled up almost immediately and now has a long

waiting list. This is a common situation in Latin America.

The Pagoda: A Reminder of Our Past,

an Inspiration to Practice

Goenkaji has said. “In an ideal Vipassana meditation center, each student has their own room, their own cell and a

Dhamma hall for joint meditation.” Usually the cells are the last component to be built when a center has reached matur-

ity. The cells are grouped in buildings or complexes that we commonly call pagodas. Right now, pagodas are under con-

struction at two US centers: Dhamma Mahāvana in North Fork, California, and Dhamma Dharā in Shelburne Falls,

Massachusetts.

Traditionally, cell complexes are topped by a bell-shaped structure known in Myanmar as a zedi (Pali cetiya). We are

using the same design for the pagodas now under construc-tion in America. This is to remind us of our connection to

the Buddha and the lineage of teachers, including Sayagyi U Ba Khin and S.N. Goenka in our time. By its design, the

View of Dhamma Venuvaṇa

Dhamma Venuvaṇa

Panoramic view of Dhamma Sukhadā

Pagoda at Dhamma Giri (Igatpuri, India)

4

pagoda also reminds us of the debt we owe to the land and people of Myanmar, who preserved both the words of the

Buddha and the living practice of Vipassana through the

millennia. Last, the soaring shape of the pagoda encour-ages us to aspire to higher goals through the practice of

Vipassana.

For more information about the Dhamma Mahāvana pagoda,

visit: www.mahavana.dhamma.org/cvcpagoda

For more information about the Dhamma Dharā pagoda, visit: www.dhara.dhamma.org/os/centerdev_pagoda.shtml

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

International News

New Website on Children’s Courses

A new international website has been launched about Ana-pana meditation courses for children and teens. The site

contains information for potential participants, as well as parents and teachers. Also posted are video clips and course

dates.

For more information, visit: www.children.dhamma.org.

Mobile Version of International Vipassana Website

Now there are more ways to explore the www.dhamma.org w e b s i t e . U s e yo u r sm a r tp ho ne to v i s i t

www.mobile.dhamma.org. You’ll find a wealth of informa-tion about Vipassana, including the worldwide schedule of

courses. A Hindi-language version of the website has also

been added at www.hindi.dhamma.org.

Africa

Mauritius Holds its First Course

In the past, people from the island of Mauritius traveled to

India or other countries to attend Vipassana courses. Now the journey is becoming shorter. Seven students successfully

completed the first 10-day Vipassana course to be held on the island last December. The course was held in Arsenal, in the

northern part of Mauritius.

Asia/Pacific

Fiji Holds its First Course

The first 10-day course in Fiji was held at Suva in December 2009. The course was conducted in English and was held at a

Current and future pagoda at Dhamma Mahāvana

(California, USA)

Current and future pagoda at Dhamma Dharā (Massachusetts, USA)

Site of first 10-day course in Fiji

5

rented site near the sea. Students had separate rooms set in

quiet, pleasant gardens.

There were 23 students from various backgrounds: ethnic Fijians, Polynesians, local Indians and Asians, a few Europe-

ans and others. The seven servers included three local old students, three from New Zealand and one from Hong Kong.

They prepared a varied menu of local dishes, as well as In-

dian and European food.

Weekly group sittings and a few one-day courses have been

organized since the course. This year the same site will be rented for a three-day course as well as a 10-day course in

late December.

For photos of the first course, visit: www.fj.dhamma.org/os/

photos.htm (username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

India

Pilgrimage to Sites Associated With the Buddha

IRCTC, the tourism arm of Indian Railways, offers an eight-day package tour of sites associated with the Buddha: Lum-

bini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sravasti, Rajgir and Kushinagar. A fully air-conditioned special train named the Mahaparinir-

vana Express is used for the journey. The tour is a comfort-able way for Vipassana meditators to complete this pilgrim-

age without having to organize multiple ticketing, local

transport and hotel stays.

The Global Vipassana Foundation has negotiated a special discount of 21% with IRCTC for the benefit of Vipassana

meditators. In addition, two periods of group meditation may be worked into the schedule: the first under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, and the second at Ku-

shinagar. The group sittings will take place after visiting hours to the temple have ended so as to provide a quiet envi-

ronment. (Group meditations can be arranged if there are at least 10 Vipassana meditators on a tour and there are no other

engagements scheduled on the premises.)

For information and registration, visit:

www.railtourismindia.com

In the United States, Pariyatti Press has recently published a

guide to Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha’s Land was written by

two Vipassana meditators. This unique guidebook provides practical and inspiring information for meditators who plan to visit sites in India and Nepal where the Buddha lived and

taught. For more information, visit Pariyatti at:

www.pariyatti.org

Second Center in Tamil Nadu

The second Vipassana center in Tamil Nadu is being built

near Chettiyapatti, Gandhigram. Goenkaji has named it Dhamma Madhurā (Sweetness of Dhamma). It will be able to comfortably accommodate 100 students. For more informa-

tion, contact: madhura.dhamma@gmail.com

Indonesia

First 20-day at Dhamma Jāvā

The first 20-day course at Dhamma Jāvā, on the island of

Java, was held this past June. There were 16 students, in-

cluding three foreign students, and five experienced servers.

All the new facilities built at the center in 2009 were used,

including meditation cells, single rooms and a new dining/

kitchen building. The new gardens and fencing helped to

make the center attractive and welcoming.

All the students worked seriously and the atmosphere of the center was even more calm, peaceful and quiet than usual.

All the students felt happy with the course and most of them would like to attend a 30-day course next year. For more pho-

tos of the center, visit: www.java.dhamma.org/area.htm

Japan

New Buildings at Dhammādicca

Dhammādicca (Sun of Dhamma) is the second Vipassana center established in Japan, to serve the eastern part of the

country. Recently the center completed construction of a new meditation hall and dormitories. It can now serve more than

Path from new accommodation blocks to

meditation hall at Dhamma Jāvā

The new meditation hall and dormitories at Dhammādicca

6

60 students on a course and can better meet the increasing

demand from Tokyo residents.

To mark completion of this work, Dhammādicca held its first open house. Visitors were very interested by a video of

Goenkaji and an introduction to the activities of the Japan Vipassana Association.

Philippines

New Temporary Center A new temporary course center is being planned in the Phil-

ippines, until land for a permanent center becomes available

in about five years.

The center is being designed so that the buildings can be dis-mantled and re-assembled at the eventual permanent site.

Tents will be used for the dining area.

For more information, contact: susette_pg@yahoo.com or helwigs@mac.com

Sri Lanka

New Center in Anuradhapura

Dhamma Anurādha is being built in Anuradhapura, the capi-tal city of Sri Lanka’s North-Central Province. The center is

located on 10.5 acres of land near one of the lakes built in the fifth century BC. The site is easily accessible by road and

rail.

Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for 1,400 years.

From here the Buddha’s teachings spread to the entire island.

To this day it is revered by followers of the teachings.

The first stage of construction will provide facilities for 60 meditators, and the number will eventually rise to 150. Plans

also include building a pagoda with 75 cells.

Old students are welcome to help complete the painting and landscaping at the center. For more information, contact:

dhhenry54@yahoo.com

Thailand

New Center in Eastern Thailand

Land has been donated for a new center in eastern Thailand.

The 20-acre site is situated among orchards and rubber plan-tations, and surrounded by the verdant mountains of

Chanthaburi. It is located near a wildlife sanctuary and a natural hot spring, not far from the border with Cambodia.

Goenkaji has named the center Dhamma Candapabha (The Light of Dhamma). Plans for development are being pre-

pared, and the land is being leveled for future construction.

For more information, contact: info.thaidhamma@gmail.com

Vietnam

Construction of Dhamma Viññu

Goenkaji has named Vietnam’s first Vipassana meditation center Dhamma Viññu (Learned in Dhamma). The center is

located in a quiet area near Bao Loc City, in Lam Dong prov-ince. The 7.5 acres of land border a small stream at the bot-tom of a hill. The climate is moderate, with a year-round av-

erage temperature of about 26°C (77°F).

Construction started in early 2010 and the center can now

accommodate 24 students. The first three-day course was held in September, attended by 23 old students. Building will

continue as funds become available, with the aim of eventu-

ally serving 120 students.

For more information, contact: dhammavinnu@gmail.com

Europe

European Long-Course Center (ELCC)

Dhamma Padhāna (Foremost in Dhamma) is Europe’s first meditation center dedicated to long courses. It is situated next

to the UK center, Dhamma Dīpa. In 2002 a one-day course

with Goenkaji was held on the site.

Last April, the center started operating, beginning with shorter courses and then a 20-day course in July, followed by

a 30-day course over August. The two long courses pro-ceeded very smoothly and were full, with 52 students and six

servers on site. The Dhamma Dīpa kitchen provided lunches for both centers, cooking for a total of about 220 students and servers. The kitchen at Dhamma Padhāna prepared breakfast,

salads and tea.

Individual residences for bhikkhus at Dhamma Anurādha

Future site of Dhamma Candapabha

7

Students greatly appreciated the chance to practice Dhamma in such ideal facilities. Participants in the 30-day course came

from nine European countries as well as Israel, Canada,

South Africa and Japan.

Next year the first concurrent 30-/45-day course will be held starting in late July. Shorter courses for old students are also

offered. Find out more by consulting the course schedule.

A new coach (bus) service picks up students from Gloucester on the afternoon of Day 0 and brings them to

the center. International visitors can take a coach from Heathrow Airport directly to Gloucester, and coaches run

from all other London airports to Heathrow. Gloucester also has direct train connections from Cardiff, Bristol and

Birmingham airports. For further information, follow this

link to travel details.

To apply to sit or serve, visit: www.padhana.dhamma.org

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy) or contact:

info@padhana.dhamma.org

France

Center Development at Dhamma Mahī

Every year, approximately 2,200 students attend Vipassana

courses in France. However, there are an average of two re-quests for each available place. To meet the growing demand,

Dhamma Mahī (Ground of Dhamma) has launched a

project to expand accommodations.

The aim is to be able to accommodate 120 students plus 30 servers per course, for a total of 3,000 students every year.

The new accommodations will feature individual rooms with attached bathrooms. The first new rooms should be ready in

2011.

For more information, visit: www.mahi.dhamma.org/os/

developpement (username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

Germany

Pali Workshop

A 14-day Pali workshop is being planned in southern Ger-

many in August 2011. This intensive seminar will be held in English and is open to all serious and dedicated old students

of Vipassana. The workshop is designed to convey a basic knowledge of Pali, and will provide students with ample ma-

terial to enable them to continue with individual studies.

The focus is on pariyatti—academic study—as a means to

paṭipatti—the practice of Dhamma. Certain days of the work-shop will be dedicated to topics of special interest to medita-

tors, such as the Noble Eightfold Path, suttas dealing with dāna and mettā, the morning chantings, and a selection of

Goenkaji’s sutta discourses.

The workshop will be held at a rented site regularly used for non-center courses. It will be preceded by a 10-day course.

There will be a charge for room and board. For more infor-mation about the site and photos, vis it:

www.berghof-agatharied.de

For further details and registration, contact: paliwork-

shop@aol.com

View of Dhamma Padhāna. Female accommodation in the fore-

ground. In the background, from left: the meditation hall, boiler

house and dining rooms

The dining rooms for Phase 1

Plan showing new residences at Dhamma Mahī

8

Latvia

First Course in Latvia

In July 2010, the first Vipassana course was held in Latvia. A

total of 68 students took part, including only nine old stu-dents. Most participants were from Latvia (both Russians and

Latvians), with 10 students from Lithuania, Estonia and Rus-

sia. The students ranged in age from 17 to 78.

For many of the Latvian students, the course was a unique opportunity: they would not have traveled outside their coun-

try to learn Vipassana. For the servers, the experience of serving the first course in their home country was an inspira-

tion.

Latvia's second course is now scheduled for July 20 to 31, 2011. For more information, contact: info@lv.dhamma.org.

Spain

Ten Years of Dhamma Neru and Search for a

Second Center

Dhamma Neru (Celestial Mountain of Dhamma) was able to pay off its mortgage in 2009, its 10th anniversary year. To

meet the strong demand, several non-center courses are held at various sites throughout Spain every year. The Trust is

working on finding a suitable location for a second center in Spain. For more information, contact:

info@es.dhamma.org.

Middle East

Israel

Land for a New Center

In March 2010, after many years of searching, the Israel Vi-

passana Trust acquired a beautiful property for the country's first Vipassana center. It is located close to the Sea of Galilee

and the Jordan River, and flanked by date plantations and a nature reserve. Goenkaji has given the new center the Pali

name Dhamma Pamoda (Joy of Dhamma). The next step is to

develop the property.

For more information on Dhamma Pamoda and to see a video newsletter, visit:

www.il.dhamma.org/os/Vipassana-centre-eng.asp (username:

oldstudent, password: behappy)

Prison Research

In 2005 and 2006, two courses were conducted in Hermon Prison, a minimum-security facility in northern Israel (see

previous VNL article). At the request of the prison au-thorities, highly respected criminologists conducted a

study of the value of the courses for rehabilitation. A first article on the study appeared last March in Issue 13 of

Glimpse into Prison, Crimes and Penalties in Israel —

Theory and Application.

A total of 22 inmate-meditators participated in the study on a voluntary basis. Each participant was interviewed three times: before the course, immediately after its completion,

and three to four months later.

Two main themes emerged from the findings:

The researchers found a positive transformation in the pris-oners’ perception of the prison staff, the creation of a new

social network among participants with a positive social atmosphere, and the creation of a mutual moral commit-

ment. However, the return to regular prison life after the course was accompanied by a sense of confusion and frus-

tration. The authors therefore suggest an after-course pro-

gram and a separate ward for the students after the course.

The researchers found that participants self-reflected on their inner world, were willing to face their emotional, cog-

nitive and behavioral difficulties, attempted to improve their family relationships, and experienced a sense of achievement and self-worth as a result of completing the

course tasks.

The researchers concluded that Vipassana has a high rehabili-

tative value and can meet various therapeutic needs of in-

mates.

This was only preliminary research. The number of students and the duration of the study were limited. However, it is one

Location of first 10-day course in Latvia

View of the Dhamma Pamoda land

9

of the first academic articles about Vipassana in prisons in a

recognized journal in the Western world.

North America

Alberta

A New Center for Western Canada

After many years of searching, the Alberta Vipassana Foun-dation Trust is happy to announce that it has purchased a par-

cel of land for a center. Goenkaji strongly encouraged estab-lishment of a center in this area when he visited in 2002. He

has named the center Dhamma Karunā (Compassion of

Dhamma).

The 108-acre property has a large open field with slight rises, two gullies and a number of small wooded areas that contain creeks and springs. There are several good potential building

sites and the local authorities have been supportive of the

Trust’s proposals.

The site is two hours from Edmonton, an hour and a half

from Calgary, and not too far from southern and northern communities. Two towns in the area have many amenities. In

early September 2010, the Trust participated in a design workshop: it reviewed the work of other centers and decided

on its own path for development. Sufficient funds are avail-able for initial work and to repay student loans and a mort-

gage in a fairly short time.

For more information, visit: www.karuna.dhamma.org/os

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

California

Dhamma Vaddhana Takes Shape

Construction is moving forward at Dhamma Vaddhana (Growth of Dhamma) in southern California. Seven struc-tures are almost completely finished: six residences for 60

students (two thirds of them with private rooms and bath) and a Dhamma hall that can hold 84 students. Construction of the

kitchen/dining building began in September; it is expected to be ready within about six months. Work on a servers’ resi-

dence is also underway and a building permit application for an AT residence complex will soon be filed. The hope is that

the center will become operational by the end of March 2011. Phase 1 will provide accommodation for 60 students, 10 serv-

ers and two to four teachers.

For more information, visit: www.vaddhana.dhamma.org/os

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

Georgia

Expansion of Dhamma Patāpa

Located in a forested, rural area of the coastal plains of Geor-

gia, Dhamma Patāpa (Majesty of Dhamma) offered its first

10-day course to 30 students in March 2008.

This year, the center has begun construction to double its ca-

pacity from the current 30 students. The largest structure will be the Dhamma hall, seating 60 to 70 students. There will

also be 10 to 12 meditation cells for old students.

A new male residence will be built with a connected bath

block, which can also be used by male students staying in cottages or tents. The existing student accommodations will

be converted to house 30 women. A pair of temporary an-nexes will provide the necessary dining seating for men and

women.

Current accommodations for assistant teachers are next door

to the kitchen, which can be a noisy and hectic environment. Another priority for this year is the construction of a teach-

ers’ cottage next to the new Dhamma hall. The vacated space in the kitchen building will permit the expansion of the

kitchen to prepare meals for larger numbers of students.

This latest construction phase began in July and is expected

to be finished in spring 2011.

For more information, visit: www.patapa.dhamma.org/os

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy)

Future site of Dhamma Karunā

Dhamma Vaddhana

10

Washington State

Center Development Reaches Milestone at Dhamma Kuñja

Construction of the new women’s residence at the Northwest

Vipassana Center, Dhamma Kuñja (Grove of Dhamma), is

nearly complete and it is expected to be in use by late fall of this year. The residence will house 47 students. It has one unit

for persons with disabilities and a room to accommodate the course manager. Each double-occupancy room in the new

residence has a full bathroom, skylight and windows for natu-ral light, and an exterior entrance to a common, covered path-

way around the building.

With the completion of the female residence this fall (following the male residence in 2008), the center will have

comfortable, semi-private accommodations for 80 students. The new dorms will provide a better atmosphere for all stu-

dents. The higher standard of comfort and quality will finally

make it possible to hold an executive course in the Pacific

Northwest. A 10-day course for business executives, govern-ment officials and other influential community leaders is

scheduled for August 31 to September 11, 2011.

The final step in this phase of the center’s development will

be to remodel the existing house. This involves expanding the kitchen and dining halls to serve the larger number of stu-

dents, and improving accommodations for female servers.

The work will be completed in 2011.

Established in August 1991, Dhamma Kuñja is situated on 50 acres of rural land near the town of Onalaska, Washington,

between Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

For more information, visit: www.kunja.dhamma.org/os

(username: oldstudent, password: behappy).

New female residence at Dhamma Kuñja

Interior of new residence at Dhamma Kuñja

Grateful Commemoration

John Leach, senior assistant teacher from Australia, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2010. He was suffer-ing from cancer but faced the illness with courage and equanimity. John gave valuable Dhamma service for many

years in various areas, including information technology. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, who is also a senior

assistant teacher.

Mr. Bhaktidas Shrestha, Vipassana teacher from Nepal, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2010. He was 88 years old. During the early days of Vipassana in Nepal, Mr. Shrestha served as a trustee for several years. Later, he

served as an assistant teacher and finally as a teacher for the spread of Vipassana in Nepal.

Mr. Ravjibhai Barot, senior assistant teacher from Himmatnagar, Gujarat, breathed his last peacefully on March

15, 2010. He was 72 years old. He served many courses throughout India.

Mr. Jaya Ram Ranjitkar, senior assistant teacher from Nepal, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2010. He was

68 years old and had been unwell for quite some time. Mr. Ranjitkar devoted all his time after retirement to Vipas-

sana and conducted many courses in Nepal. His family is also involved in Dhamma service.

Mr. Sureshchandra Kathane, Vipassana teacher, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2010, in Mumbai. He

conducted many courses throughout India and served Dhamma Ketu, the Vipassana center near Raipur, since its inception. Mr. Kathane had been suffering from cancer for many years and endured this illness with great

equanimity.

continued on next page

11

Grateful Commemoration

Daw Win Kyi, Vipassana teacher from Mandalay, Myanmar, passed away peacefully on May 18, 2010, while con-ducting a 30-day course at Dhamma Makuṭa. She conducted many courses in Myanmar and served as the center

teacher of Dhamma Maṇdala, Dhamma Maṇḍapa and Dhamma Mahimā since 2007.

May they all be happy, peaceful and liberated.

Idha nandati pecca nandati, katapuñño ubhayattha nandati;

puññaṃ me katanti nandati, bhiyyo nandati suggatiṃ gato. — Dhammapada 18

Here one is happy, here after one is happy, The doer of good deeds is happy in both existences.

"Good have I done"--thinking thus he is happy, He is happier still when he goes to a blissful state.

2. Ms. Gayatri Balkrishnan, India (Igatpuri), to serve

Dhamma Ketana, Kerala

Senior Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. Samir Patel, Dhamma Giri / UK

2. Mr. Baburao Kasture, India (Aurangabad)

3. Mr. C. V. Mohana Krishnan, India (Chennai)

4. Mrs. Saroja Ramachandran, India (Chennai)

5. U Tin Shwe, Myanmar

6. Dr Myo Aung & Daw Khin Than Hmi, Myanmar

7. U Kyi Thein & Daw Tin Tin Yee, Myanmar

8. Mrs. Saraswati Satya, India (Mysore)

9. Mr. Himatlal Joshi, India (Gandhidham)

10. Mr. V. Santhanagopalan, India (Chennai)

11. Daw Wai Wai, Myanmar

12. Daw Myat Lay Khaines, Myanmar

13. Mrs. Nani Chhori Bajracharya, Nepal

14. Mr. Gyanu Raja Bajracharya, Nepal

15. Mr. Mahendra Muni Bajracharya, Nepal

16. Mr. Akkal Dhwaj Gurung, Nepal

17. Dr. (Mrs.) Keshari Manandhar, Nepal

18. Mrs. Laxmi Manandhar, Nepal

19. Mr. Dharma Man Newa, Nepal

20. Mrs. Sharda Ranjitkar, Nepal

21. Ms. Ratna Devi Shakya, Nepal

22. Mrs. Roshani Shakya, Nepal

Africa

New Appointment

Senior Assistant Teacher

Ms. Shanti Mather, South Africa

Asia Additional Responsibilities

Ācariyas

1. Mr. George Hsiao, Taiwan, to serve Taiwan, in-

cluding Dhammodaya, and Korea, and to assist the area teachers to serve the People's Republic of

China

2. Dr. Roop & Mrs. Beena Jyoti, to serve Nepal

3. Daw Nini Shwe (Sushila), to serve Myanmar

4. Mr. Ashok & Mrs. Uma Kela, India (Bhopal), to

serve Dhamma Mālavā, Indore

5. Ms. Priti Dedhia, India (Mumba)i, to serve Dhamma Vāhinī, Titwala

6. Mr. Suresh Khanna, India (Jaipur), to serve

Dhamma Pubbaja, Churu

Senior Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. Ping-San Wang, Taiwan, to assist the area

teachers in serving Dhammodaya

2. Mrs. Sumedha Varma, India (Pune), to assist area

teachers in Pune

New Responsibilities

Bhikkhu Ācaryas

Ven. Bhikkhu Chamroeun Chhuon, Cambodia

Ācariyas

1. Mrs. Sheeladevi Chaurasia, India (Kolkata), to serve northeastern states of India (including Sik-

kim and Siliguri) and north Bengal (Darjeeling)

Appointments and New Responsibilities

(through October 2010)

(Continued on the next two pages)

12

23. Mrs. Urmila Shakya, Nepal

24. Anagarika Sujata, Nepal

25. Mr. Basant Kumar Tamang, Nepal

26. Mr. Bhimbar Singh Thapa, Nepal

27. Mr. Sharda Man & Mrs. Tara Shakya, Nepal

28. Mr. Haridas Meshram, India (Balaghat)

29. Mr. Ashok Kumar Khobragade, India (Balaghat)

30. Mr. Sachin Natu, India (Pune)

31. Mr. Ram Swarup Bharati, India (Guna)

New Appointments

Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. V. Aravind, India (Chennai)

2. Dr. Dilip & Mrs. Satyakala Jadhav, India

(Ambajogai)

3. Mr. Sudhakar Khaire, India (Chhattisgarh)

4. Mr. Muthuswamy, India (Erode)

5. Mrs. V. Padmini, India (Chennai)

6. Mr. Shrikant S. Patil, India (Shegaon)

7. Mr. Ramesh Jain, India (Aurangabad)

8. Mrs. Boondee Arkkasirisathavorn, Thailand

9. Mr. Ramdeen Ahirwar, India (Bhopal)

10. Mr. Dinesh Joshi, India (Bharuch)

11. Mrs. Pramila Khante, India (Nagpur)

12. Mrs. Rema Nair, India (Thane)

13. Dr. (Ms.) Usha P. Patel, Anand, India (Gujarat)

14. Mrs. Urvashi Upendra Patel, India (Mehsana)

15. Mrs. Minaxi Manhar Shah, India (Vadodara)

16. Mr. Bik-Boen Tan, Indonesia

17. Mr. Kishor Ranwala, India (Gandhidham)

18. Mrs. Dayaben Dedhia, India (Mumbai)

19. Mrs. Hemlata Dixit, India (Mumbai)

20. Mr. Uday Sekhar, India (Bangalore)

21. Mr. G. V. Subrahmanyam, India (Hyderabad)

22. Mrs. B. Padmaja, India (Hyderabad)

23. Mrs. S. Jayalakshmi, India (Hyderabad)

24. Mr. Ramulu Pogula, India (Mahaboobnagar)

25. Mr. Sarveshwar Kondapuram, India

(Secunderabad)

26. Mr. Srinivas Charyulu, India (Hyderabad)

Appointments and New Responsibilities

27. Mr James Fung, Singapore

28. Mr. Gobind & Mrs. Beena Agarwal, India

(Mumbai)

29. Mr. Dineshchandra Deshmukh, India (Nagpur)

30. Mr. Itamar Sofer & Mrs. Jung Im Jung, Korea/

Israel

31. Mr. Kang Young-uk, Korea

32. Mr. Narendra Bharwada, India (Surat)

33. Ms. Kanmanee Phoophakdee, Thailand

34. Mrs. Rama Agnihotri, India (Bangalore)

35. Mr. Kashinath Kulburgi, India (Kolhapur)

36. Mr. K. Krishna Murthy, India (Hyderabad)

Americas

Additional Responsibilities

Ācariya

Mr. Bill Hart, to serve Canada

Senior Assistant Teachers

Mr. Dennis & Mrs. Louie Austin, USA, to assist

center teachers in serving Dhamma Pakāsa

New Responsibilities

Ācariyas

Mr. Narayandas & Mrs. Meena Saparia, Canada, to

serve Dhamma

Senior Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. Scott Corley & Mrs. Kathleen O’Grady, USA

2. Mr. John & Mrs. Cindy Pinch, USA

3. Mr. Dennis Ferman, USA

4. Mr. Riban Ulrich, USA

New Appointments

Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. Rahul Vaid, USA

2. Mrs. Judith Alper, USA

3. Mrs. Marla Sutherland, USA

4. Mr. Jose Silvestre Garcia-Zagal & Mrs. Claire

Joysmith, Mexico

5. Mr. Rashmi & Mrs. Gita Desai, USA

6. Mr. John & Mrs. Marika Suval, USA

7. Ms. Leila Macedo, Brazil

13

8. Mrs. Judy Barta, USA

9. Mr. Baban Naik, USA

10. Ms. Barbara Huffsmith, USA

11. Mrs. Kulwadee (Lee) Acers, USA

12. Mrs. Cailen Richardsen, USA

13. Mrs. Rashmi Shanker, USA

14. Mr. Tom Fantini, USA

15. Ms. Patricia Healy, USA

Australia / New Zealand

New Appointments

Assistant Teachers

1. Mrs. Sheela Mahajan, Australia

2. Mrs. Canny Kinloch, Australia

3. Ms. Anna Forsyth, New Zealand

Europe

New Responsibilities

Senior Assistant Teachers

1.Mr. Samir Patel, Dhamma Giri / UK

2.Mrs. Ann Aston, UK

3.Mr. Patrick Elder, UK

Appointments and New Responsibilities

New Appointments

Assistant Teachers

1. Ms. Veerle Offerhaus, Belgium

2. Mr. David Fumadó Dubé, Spain

3. Mr. Johan Skaar, Norway

4. Mr. Sascha Jaiser, Germany

5. Mrs. Nanette Kurz, Germany

6. Mr. Philippe Fromont & Mrs. Marianne Guignard,

Switzerland

7. Dr. (Ms.) Gosia Myc, Poland

8. Mr. Eric Garcia, Spain