Vipasana Gyan

प्रश्न:- आपने बताया है कि जब पुराने संस्कार निकलेंगे तो संवेदना पैदा करके ही निकलेंगे । ऐसा क्यों होता है? यदि यह कुदरत का कानून है तो कैसे जांचें और कैसे मानें? उत्तर:- क्योंकि संस्कार जब बनते हैं तब संवेदना के साथ ही बनते है । जिस प्रकार की संवेदना से कोई संस्कार बना है, बाहर  निकलेगा तो उसी प्रकार की संवेदना के साथ निकलेगा । एक उदाहरण से समझें - कि कोई कांटा चुभा, कांटा चुभा तो दर्द हुआ ।  अब उस कांटे को बाहर निकलना है तो सूई चुभा करके ही उसको बाहर निकलेंगे, तब भी उतना ही दर्द होगा । चुभन के वक्त जो दर्द हुआ था निकालने के वक्त भी वही दर्द होगा। इसी प्रकार संस्कार बनाते वक्त जिस प्रकार की संवेदना हुई थी, उसको निकलते वक्त उसी प्रकार की संवेदना होगी, ऐसा नियम है । प्रश्न:- आप अपने प्रवचनों में बतलाते हैं कि कर्मफल संवेदना के रूप में आता है । यह बात समझ में नहीं आई । क्योकि संवेदनाएं तो शरीर का स्वभाव हैं, कई कारणों से आ सकती हैं । तो फिर उनको पिछले कर्मो का फल क्यों मानें? क्या यह मानने की बात है ? उत्तर:- जरूरी नहीं है। सारी संवेदनाएं कर्मसंस्कारों की घोतक नही...

What is the mind? Mr. S. N. Goenka: The mind is what thinks! The entire thought process is due to the mind. It is the mind that is constantly involved in the various actions of thinking, reading and pondering over what has been read, etc. During its course of thinking, the mind may act beneficially or harmfully. If it adopts the wrong habit pattern, then it will generate feelings of ill will and animosity for others. If instead, the mind reforms itself, then although it will still have thoughts they will now be thoughts for the well being of others. If someone has shortcomings, the mind will want that person to overcome his shortcomings because now the mind knows that due to his shortcomings, that person will perform wrong actions which will make him more miserable and unhappy. So the mind will harbour thoughts of goodwill towards that person. It will want the person to refrain from doing bad deeds and thus save himself from burning in the fires of suffering. We observe that it is...

(The following questions were asked during the first course for adolescents at Dhamma Giri from 12 to 19 April, 2004 They have been translated and adapted for the Newsletter.)   Question: I get sensations on some parts but I don’t get sensations on many parts of the body. Goenkaji: If you cannot feel sensations in some parts, there is no need to worry or to feel disappointed. Wherever you don’t get sensations, stop there for a minute, or at the most for two minutes. If there is still no sensation and if it is a covered part, feel the touch of the cloth; if it is an uncovered part, feel the touch of the air, the touch of the atmosphere. Just be aware of whatever you can feel at such parts.As you continue to work in this way, you will start to feel the natural body sensations. There should be no disappointment; just accept the present reality as it is. If you cannot feel any sensation at this moment in this part, just accept, “There is no clear sensation here. This t...

ANNUAL MEETING: Dhamma Giri, India March 3, 1989 Question: It is said, "Ātmā is immortal." What happens to ātmā after nirvāṇa? If it does not exist after nirvāṇa then the belief that ātmā is immortal is wrong. Would you throw some light on this issue? Goenkaji: Believing that Ātmā is immortal is a philosophical belief. First one has to believe that there is an ātmā, a soul, and then one has to believe that it is immortal. Both these beliefs are strongly interconnected. If ātmā, or the soul, is not immortal then ātmā is useless to me. I accept ātmā simply because somebody says that it is immortal, and by ātmā I understand it is "I." If somebody whispers in my ear, "Well look, everything is mortal, impermanent in this world, but you are permanent, you will always remain," I feel elated by this belief, "Wonderful, I will remain! Everything, the body, mind and the entire universe passes away, but I will remain!" The tremendous amount ...

An individual desirous of mediation very often asks “What shall we do? How do we do it?” In such instances, what have we got to explain to them? How can we motivate him? The proper answer to such questions, that is in keeping with the Dahamma, is that we should practise four activities: Listening to Dhamma, participation in Dhamma discussion, Samatha and Vipassana. Only the individual who practises these four activities together develops his/her mind and develops the motivation to continue further. Therefore one should direct one’s mind to all these four aspects. Listening to Dhamma and participating in Dhamma discussions help us gain a good knowledge of Dhamma. From Samatha and Vipassana we develop concentration. In short we need the knowledge of Dhamma and also simultaneously practice meditation. Some of us want to start meditating after studying the Dhamma. Some others think of studying the Dhamma after completing meditation. This is incorrect. We should select both. The...