Babu Bhayya, a criminal doing life for killing three people in a span of 5
minutes, attended Vipassana. It transformed him. He pleaded forgiveness from
the victims families. And on Raksha Bandhan day in 1992, the wife and the
sister of the man he had killed tied the sacred Rakhi on his wrist.
Vipassana had made him become accepted as their brother. It is a common sight to witness
wardens and criminals with tears flowing from their eyes, hugging each other at the end of
Vipassana sessions.
An ancient practice, Vipassana was lost to the world till Gautama Buddha rediscovered it
2500 years ago. The practice of Vipassana meditation was the essence of
Buddha’s teachings. During Buddha’s time and later it spread to the East to
Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc. Five hundred years after the Buddha, Vipassana was
lost to India again. Then in 1969, Vipassana was back in India again. This
time it was an Industrialist S.N.Goenka, a student of Burmese Vipassana teacher Sayaghi U
Bha Kin. Goenka had gone to Sayaghi for a cure for migraine. Vipassana cured Goenka
of his migraine and transformed him in the process. Since then and today, Goenka has taken
Vipassana to over 50 countries where centres have been established.
The Vipassana meditation programme is a 10- day residential course. You will have to
remain at the centre with absolutely no contact with the outside world. Light simple meals
are provided. The course is absolutely free. The centres are supported by donations
from old students which help fund the stay of new ones. In a demanding daily
schedule, sitting meditation is the main activity. Almost 10 hours every day. And
total silence. You are not allowed to communicate with your colleagues during your entire
stay. There are ample breaks in between for food and rest. Each day you will
be taken on a review of the previous day and briefed on the meditation technique by
Goenkaji, recorded and played on videotape. The training is in 3 steps.
Firstly, they practice abstaining from the five actions that cause harm
i.e., killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct and use of intoxicants. This practice
helps calm the mind and gets them ready for the real task ahead.
Secondly, for the first three and a half days, students are taught to
practice Alapana meditation. Here the focus is entirely on observing the breath. Only the
breath. This practice helps develop control over the unruly mind.
Thirdly, over the next six and a half days is the practice of Vipassana.
Where the students penetrate their entire physical and mental structure with crystal clear
insight. On the 10th day, students resume speaking. At the end of the course,
one is purer, mentally stronger and totally focussed to step into the real world.
The vital question of most wannabe practitioners was answered aptly by Sri Goenka at the
end of his discourse on ‘Peace and Harmony’ recently in Bangalore, a city he was
revisiting after almost 10 years. The question asked to him was,
"Goenkaji, in this fast paced modern life, where does one find ten days time off
to practice Vipassana?"
Pat came the reply, with his characteristic smile, When you fall sick, how do
you find time to admit yourself in hospital?
Well said Goenkaji.
If only our stressed out professionals would turn to time tested practices like Vipassana,
than to ‘Instant Nirvana’ healing systems that are flooding the market, there
would be no more instances of professionals walking off the ledges of skyscrapers, dazed
confused.
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The
Vipassana Bangalore Centre:
Vipassana Meditation and research Centre
#31/1, ‘Vijaya’ 2nd Main, 5th Block,
Kumarapark (West),
Bangalore : 560 020
Ph: 3360896, 6637173
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