26 centuries earlier, there was a great philosopher known Siddhartha Gautama, later became popular as Gautama Buddha.
After 6 years of research, he came to the conclusion that “every input our mind receives through the sense organs invokes a sensation in our body to which we all are blindly reacting “.
We actually react to the sensations happening in our body and not to the outside object. Through this conclusion, Budhha gave birth to a mental practice so that people can come out of the blind reaction, which is known as Vipassana.
Vipassana is an inside mediation, it’s like an insight to empower our mental ability to command our body to do things.
There is a place called Global Vipassana Pagoda, it is a Meditation Dome Hall with a capacity to seat around 8,000 Vipassana meditators (largest such meditation hall in the world) near Gorai, North-west of Mumbai, India. Pagoda is to serve as a monument of peace and harmony. Built entirely through voluntary donations, the purpose of the Global Vipassana Pagoda is to:
1) Share information about Vipassana, and
2) Remove misconceptions about the Gautama the Buddha and his teachings.
“The Buddha did not teach Buddhism. During his lifetime, he did not convert a single person to Buddhism”, said the late Principal Vipassana Teacher S.N.Goenka (whose idea it was to build the Global Vipassana Pagoda), in his article ‘Why the Vipassana Pagoda’.”One will be surprised to hear this and will not want to believe it, because we have been hearing, speaking, reading and writing contrary to this fact for such a long time. But the historical truth is that the Buddha neither taught Buddhism nor made any person a Buddhist.” Vipassana is the practical quintessence of the universal, non-sectarian teachings of the Buddha.
Every human has a monkey mind, that always do non stop talking. Through meditation, we need to be friends with the monkey mind and that can only be achieved through Vipassana.
Global Vipassana Pagoda organizes a 10 day free Vipassana program for those who seek for peace and harmony in their life through Vipassana at Dhamma Pattana meditation center which is a part of the Global Vipassana Pagoda.
Aim of Vipassana :
Between the two poses of expression and suppression, lies a third option — mere observation, this is the basic aim of Vipassana. To make people learn how to observe all sensation happening in the body without reacting to them.
It is built in traditional Burmese design which is an expression of gratitude towards the country of Myanmar for preserving the practice of Vipassana. The shape of the pagoda is a copy of the Shwedagon Pagoda (Golden Pagoda) in Yangon, Myanmar.
Basic amenities provided at the 10 day Vipassana program :
Free lodging
Rooms with attached bathroom
3 times meal (only vegetarian)
5 precepts required to follow for Vipassana :
No living being killing not even mosquitoes
Brahmacharya
No lies
No robbery
No drugs and alcohol
Difficulties involved while taking this program :
Silent for 10 days
No eye contact with anyone
No phone or books are allowed
No connection with the outer world
Daily Schedule :
4:00 AM — Waking up
4:30 AM to 6:30 AM — Meditation
6:30 AM — Breakfast
8:00 AM to 11:00 AM — Meditation
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM — Lunch
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM — Meditation(small breaks in between)
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM — Tea break (no dinner is served)
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Meditation
8:30 PM to 9:30 PM — Meditation
Meditation Technique :
First 3 days — Anapana Meditation
In this meditation, all our focus is kept on the incoming and outgoing breath.
From the 4th day — Vipassana Sadhna
Students are made to learn how to observe all the sensation in the body without reacting to them. They watch emotions come and go, they watch pain come and go, they watch happiness come and go, and they realize through their own experience, that nothing is permanent. By watching the physical sensations accompanying these emotions and by understanding their impermanent nature, one can actually start changing the habit of blind reaction.
On the 10th day, you can talk to each other and Metta Bhavana is conducted where everyone prays for others well being and happiness.
It’s not an easy practice since we are so much habituated of the hustle and bustle in our lives, but everyone should try this practice since it gives you the ability to lead your life in a healthy balanced way.
Hatred, pain, passion, greed will not be abstract anymore. It makes you a whole new person.
For booking a seat in the 10-day program, please visit the official website given below :
Global Vipassana Pagoda, Mumbai
This place is a life-changing experience, do visit.
