Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana is one of India's most ancient meditation techniques. Long lost to humanity, it was rediscovered by Gotama the Buddha more than 2500 years ago. The word Vipassana means seeing things as they really are. It is the process of self- purification by self-observation. One begins by observing the natural breath to concentrate the mind. With a sharpened awareness one proceeds to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experiences the universal truths of impermanence, suffering and egolessness. This truth-realization by direct experience is the process of purification. The entire path (Dhamma) is a universal remedy for universal problems and has nothing to do with any organized religion or sectarianism. For this reason, it can be freely practiced by everyone, at any time, in any place, without conflict due to race, community or religion, and will prove equally beneficial to one and all.

What Vipassana is:

• It is a technique that will eradicate suffering.
• It is a method of mental purification which allows one to face life's tensions and problems in a calm, balanced way.
• It is an art of living that one can use to make positive contributions to society.

A student will have to stay for the entire period of the course. The other rules should also be carefully read and considered. Only those who feel that they can honestly and scrupulously follow the discipline should apply for admission.

THE COURSE TIMETABLE

The following timetable for the course has been designed to maintain the continuity of practice. For best results students are advised to follow it as closely as possible.

4:00 am		Morning wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 am		Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30-8:00 am		Breakfast break
8:00-9:00 am		Group meditation in the hall
9:00-11:00 am		Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00-12:00 noon		Lunch break
12noon-1:00 pm		Rest and interviews with the teacher
1:00-2:30 pm		Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30-3:30 pm		Group meditation in the hall
3:30-5:00 pm		Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00-6:00 pm		Tea break
6:00-7:00 pm		Group meditation in the hall
7:00-8:15 pm		Teacher's Discourse in the hall
8:15-9:00 pm		Group meditation in the hall
9:00-9:30 pm		Question time in the hall
9:30 pm		Retire to your own room--Lights out

The Code of Discipline

The foundation of the practice is sīla — moral conduct. Sīla provides a basis for the development of samādhi — concentration of mind; and purification of the mind is achieved through paññā — the wisdom of insight.

The Precepts

All who attend a Vipassana course must conscientiously undertake the following five precepts for the duration of the course:

1. to abstain from killing any being;
2. to abstain from stealing;
3. to abstain from all sexual activity;
4. to abstain from telling lies;
5. to abstain from all intoxicants.

There are three additional precepts which old students (that is, those who have completed a course with S.N. Goenka or one of his assistant teachers) are expected to follow during the course:

6. to abstain from eating after midday;
7. to abstain from sensual entertainment and bodily decorations;
8. to abstain from using high or luxurious beds.

Old students will observe the sixth precept by having tea without milk or fruit juice at the 5 p.m. break, whereas new student may have tea with milk and some fruit. The teacher may excuse an old student from observing this precept for health reasons. The seventh and eighth precept will be observed by all.

10 days courses taken successfully by me till today.

06-07-2013 to 17-07-2013 - Dhamma Vahini (Titwala) - 10days - Acharya Maruti Dagaonkar

14-06-2014 to 25-06-2014 - Dhamma Vahini (Titwala) - 10 days - Acharya Narendra Kade

25-02-2015 to 08-03-2015 - Dhamma Sarita (Khadavli) - 10days -  Acharya Baburao M. Kamble

Take great care that your actions do not disturb anyone. Take no notice of distractions caused by others.

The Old Man & His God: Discovering the Spirit of India

Simply awesome! a book which kept me busy reading it with interest.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you Sudha Murty, you are a genius writer! At few points while reading this book my eyes got wet. Worth reading this novel, value for money and time.

Thank you!

Me as on 17 september 2015

Final Analysis

The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true

friends; succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find security and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world your best anyway.

You see in the final analysis it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.

Bhagavad Gita

• Why do you worry without cause? Whom do you fear without reason? Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.
• Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good; whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only. You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present is happening…
• What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed? You did not bring anything – whatever you have, you received from here. Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed. What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow. You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows.
• Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life. In one instance you can be a millionaire, and in the other instance you can be steeped in poverty. Yours and mine, big and small – erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.
• This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether, and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent – so who are you?
• Dedicate your being to God. He is the one to be ultimately relied upon. Those who know of his support are forever free from fear, worry and sorrow.
• Whatever you do, do it as a dedication to God. This will bring you the tremendous experience of joy and life-freedom forever.

the mother i never knew

Simply awesome! a book which kept me busy reading it with interest.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

Life

 Life is a precious gift of God. More better to say, God is seeing how we take this journey of life. God has made night and day, similarly God has also put night and day in the journey of life i.e. the good time and hard time.

Human beings have high intelligence and mind with the help of which they label the good time as blessing and bad time as adversity. God want us to be in same state of mind and deal both blessings and adversities equally. If we are attached to our blessings then that itself is a reason for our sorrow in near future, when blessings and comforts are no more in life. Similarly in hard time we should not react, be calm and peaceful because soon sun will rise and darkness of night will disappear.

God set some rules to follow as a map or guide book to take the journey of life smoothly and meaningfully, this set of rules is religion but god never labelled religion as hindu, muslim, christianity, buddhism etc.

Life is a wonderful gift by god. It’s not important how much success we achieve in this journey because success is nothing but a label, to prove oneself in the eyes of others or own. The thing matters is how you achieve that success, working towards your goal you have obeyed all rules set by God and not violated any rule. There is a judgement day for every life, where God punish or reward according to the Karmas(Deeds/Works).

Enjoy the journey of life.

Jeet Born To Win (Thamizhan)

A must watch movie. Hats off to Superstar Vijay.

Love the movie, Vijay really deserve the superstar title, respect from my heart. I watched the movie which is dubbed in hindi. Movie is available on youtube. Movie is having a great message, please do watch and share the goodness.

One of the best movie I have ever seen.

You Are Not Alone

Another day has gone

I'm still all alone

How could this be?

You're not here with me

You never said good-bye

Someone tell me why

Did you have to go?

And leave my world so cold?

Every day I sit and ask myself

How did love slip away?

Something whispers

In my ear and says:

That you are not alone

I am here with you

Though you're far away

I am here to stay

You are not alone

I am here with you

Though we're far apart

You're always in my heart

You are not alone

Alone, alone

Why?

Alone

Just the other night

I thought I heard you cry

Asking me to come

And hold you in my arms

I can hear your prayers

Your burdens I will bear

But first I need your hand

Then forever can begin

Every day I sit and ask myself

How did love slip away?

Something whispers

In my ear and says:

But you are not alone

I am here with you

Though you're far away

I am here to stay

You are not alone

I am here with you

Though we're far apart

You're always in my heart

You are not alone

Oh, whisper three words

And I'll come running, fly

And girl you know

That I'll be there, I'll be there

But you are not alone

I am here with you

Though you're far away

I am here to stay

You are not alone

I am here with you

Though we're far apart

You're always in my heart

But you are not alone

You are not alone

I am here with you

I am here with you

Though you're far away

Though you're far away, you and me

I am here to stay

You are not alone

You are always in my heart

I am here with you

Though we're far apart

You're always in my heart

You are not alone

Not alone

You are not alone, you are not alone

Say it again

You are not alone, you are not alone

Not alone, not alone

Just reach out for me girl

In the morning, in the evening

Not alone,not alone

You and me

Not alone, alone

Together, together

Just stop being alone

Just stop being alone

A wonderful song by th king of pop MJ.

Love you Michael Jackson.

Click by a small kid