"We Indians cannot believe that such a land and people exist..."
The following reflection was written by a meditator in the vipassana tradition of S.N. Goenka, and is in our gratitude series. The story is also quite revealing in showing Goenka’s teachings regarding the relation of engaged and formal practice, his injunction for students not to get involved in the “politics” of Myanmar, and his relationship towards the military.
“I first went to Burma/Myanmar in January 2000, with Goenkaji’s party… for a tour of the Goenka line of teacher sites and for a meditation course at Dhamma Joti, Yangon.
Before going, we had to sign a declaration saying that we wouldn’t get involved in politics. Goenkaji pointed to the fact that the Buddha didn’t get involved in politics and also to do so could harm the Burmese people.
I was totally overwhelmed with the experience… the gentleness of the people, their humble character and non-materialistic ways, and their Dhamma …their giving to us despite the poverty that was very apparent. They absolutely loved have foreign Dhamma practitioners to visit the country and many had never seen foreigners before (the party consisted of 5 buses of Indians and 1 bus of other foreigners).
After the trip, I wrote to Goenkaji saying that the country had touched me and that the amazing people must be ‘the kindest, nicest, most humble people in the world’. I was moved that he later printed this in the Goenka Vipassana newsletter, along with a letter he had received from one of the Indian participants saying that ‘we Indians cannot believe that such a land and people exist... it was like a trip, through the heavenly realms… so gracious and gentle are the people..the land is full of Dhamma’.
Other things I recall on the trip, Dhamma Joti servers refusing to accept even a cup of tea from any of the ‘pilgrims’… they served with great humility, not wanting anything in return; the graciousness of the Burmese people when entering a Dhamma hall for a talk with Goenkaji… often due to the large number of people, there was pushing and shoving amongst our party, but always the Burmese people were so gentle, not wishing to take up more space than necessary and very mindful… the contrast was clear.
The love between Goenkaji and the Burmese people and the respect they had for him was very clear …especially in a number of public talks given in Yangon.
At the end of the tour, I did a 10 day course at Dhamma Joti. At the end of the course, when Goenkaji gave the final Metta, I was overwhelmed when he said, ‘ We send our Metta to all…. to the rulers of this land…’ Having witnessed how much he clearly loved the Burmese people and given the cruelty of the military leaders, this was incredibly moving. The tears flowed.
Also during our tour, he spent time with the military… not exactly sure who…. no doubt trying to spread the Dhamma.”