Sayagyi U Goenka Pilgrimage: Dhamma Mandapa in Mandalay

The 2015 Sayagyi U Goenka Pilgrimage is now underway! Pilgrims descended from such countries as Israel, England, India, the US, and China, and are being led around the sacred sites in the U Goenka tradition.

On this day, pilgrims visited the Dhamma Mandapa U Goenka Vipassana center in Mandalay.

Meaning “Pavilion of Dhamma” and located where the royal gardens once stood, this center affiliated with the Sayagyi U Goenka tradition is actually located within the compound of Bamaw Monastery. In the spirit of mutual respect and honor that characterizes many Dhamma practitioners in Burma, several years ago the present Bamaw Sayadaw offered part of his compound to be used for this U Goenka center, the first to appear in the Mandalay region. As one enters the compound, one sees the bright white spire of the Maha Bodhi monastery, a site in the Saya Thet Gyi tradition, looming up beyond the monastery grounds. In the compound itself, to the right, is a newer Bamar Monastery, and set against a backdrop of palms to the left is the architectural highlight of the compound, the older Bamar Monastery.

To read about last year's visit to Dhamma Mandapa, see here. Also, please note that while the 2013-4 pilgrimages were sponsored by Pariyatti, the 2014-5 pilgrimages going on now are being run independently by Compassionate Travels Myanmar. For upcoming pilgrimages, see Muditā Works.