A Treasury of Q&A with Teacher Goenka

Abandon false illusions and step toward the truth. May we continue, step by step, toward the true goal.

Since 1969, over the course of his Dhamma work, Goenkaji has been asked thousands of questions by Vipassana meditators and others from around the world.

These questions span a remarkable range — from the nature of Dhamma, Vipassana meditation, and the goal of life, to human suffering, God, rebirth, and even insomnia.

The questions and answers have been broadly sorted into sections by topic. The final section, "The Practice of Vipassana," offers clarifications on the technique specifically for Vipassana students.

Yet it's worth remembering that the answer Goenkaji most loved to give was always: "You must experience the truth for yourself. Only then does it become your truth. Otherwise, it remains someone else's truth."

For Vipassana students, Goenkaji often emphasized that real answers can only come from sustained, correct practice.

This treasury of questions and answers is meant to guide and inspire Vipassana students — and to encourage those who haven't yet taken a course to attend one and experience its benefits firsthand.

May all beings be happy!

Questions categorized as: updated September 4, 2000

Addiction, Soul, Anger, Anxiety, Attachment, Buddha, Cause and Effect, Chakras, Children, Psychological Complexes, Concentration, Habits, Craving, Dhamma, Power of Dhamma, Death, Ego, Emotions, Equanimity, Escapism, Fasting, Food, God, Happiness, Honesty, Hypnosis, Insomnia, Kamma (Cause and Effect), Life, Liberation, World, Mantra, Metta (Loving-Kindness), Appreciative Joy, Mind, Moral Conduct, Pain, Peace, Prison Courses, Rebirth, Selfless Service, Sex, Society, Suffering, Vibrations, Vipassana Courses, Global Pagoda, Vipassana Meditation

Clarifications Regarding the Practice of Vipassana (as asked by Vipassana students)

Addiction

Q: How can we avoid addictions like smoking?

A: There are many kinds of addiction. When you practice Vipassana, you'll come to understand that what you're actually addicted to isn't the particular substance. On the surface, it may seem like you're addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or betel leaf. But in reality, you're addicted to a particular bodily sensation — a biochemical flow triggered by that substance. The same is true when you're caught up in anger, passion, and so on: these are also tied to bodily sensations. Your addiction is to the sensations themselves. Through Vipassana, you free yourself from that addiction — from all addictions. It's natural, it's scientific. Just give it a try, and you'll experience for yourself how it works.

Soul

Q: What is the "self" (atma), the "soul"?

A: Practice Vipassana, and you'll discover the reality unfolding within you. You'll notice that what you call the "soul," the "self" (atma), is nothing but a reaction of the mind — just one part of the mind. All along, you've been living under the illusion that "this is me." Through Vipassana, you'll come to see that this "self" isn't permanent. It's constantly changing, always impermanent — nothing more than countless subatomic particles in ceaseless flux and movement. Only through direct experience does the illusion of "self" dissolve — and with it, the illusion of "soul." When illusions and delusions fall away, all suffering vanishes. But this has to happen through experience. Simply accepting a philosophical belief won't bring it about.

Anger

Q: How can a person get out of anger?

A: Through Vipassana! When anger arises, a Vipassana student observes the breath, or the bodily sensations that have come up — observing with equanimity, without reacting out of habit. The anger quickly weakens and fades away. With continued practice, the mind's habitual pattern of reacting with anger changes.

Q: I can't suppress my anger, even when I try.

A: Don't suppress it. Observe it. The more you push it down, the deeper it sinks into the mind. The complexes grow stronger, and breaking free of them becomes harder and harder. Don't suppress, and don't vent. Just observe.

Anxiety

Q: I'm always full of anxiety. Can Vipassana help me?

A: Of course. That's exactly what Vipassana is for — to free you from all suffering. Anxiety and worry are among the greatest sufferings, and they arise because deep within the mind there are certain impurities. Through Vipassana practice, these impurities rise to the surface and gradually fade away. Naturally, this takes time. There's no magic, no miracle, no guru involved. Someone simply points you to the right path. You have to walk it yourself, working diligently to free yourself from your own suffering.

Attachment

Q: You've said not to be attached to things. What about people?

A: Yes — the same holds for people. When you have true love for someone, a compassionate love, it's something entirely different. But when there's attachment, there's no real love. You're just loving yourself, because you're expecting something in return — material, emotional, whatever it may be. Whoever you're attached to, you're looking for some kind of payoff. When you begin to truly love that person, you simply give — one-directionally, with no expectation of return. And then the attachment dissolves. The tension disappears. You're so happy.

Q: Without attachment, how can the world function? If parents weren't attached, they wouldn't even care for their children. How can you love or engage with life without attachment?

A: Non-attachment doesn't mean indifference. The more accurate term is "holy indifference." As a parent, you still take full responsibility for caring for your child, with all your love — but without clinging. Out of pure, selfless love, you simply do your duty. Suppose you're caring for a sick person and, despite your best efforts, they don't recover. You don't break down in tears, because that wouldn't help. With a balanced mind, you try other approaches. That's holy indifference: neither inaction nor reaction, but practical, positive action carried out with a balanced mind.

Q: Is taking right action also a form of attachment?

A: No. You simply do your best, understanding that the results are beyond your control. You do your part and leave the outcome to the law — to Dhamma.

Q: …So that means deliberately making mistakes?

A: If you make a mistake, you accept it and try not to repeat it. You may fail again — and again you smile and try another approach. If you can face failure with a smile, you're not attached. If failure makes you miserable and success makes you smug, then you're definitely attached.

Buddha

Q: You keep referring to the Buddha. Are you preaching Buddhism?

A: I'm not interested in "isms." I teach Dhamma — and that's what the Buddha taught. He never taught any "ism" or sectarian doctrine. What he taught is something people of every background and every faith can benefit from. His method enables a person to live a life that's beneficial to both oneself and others. The Buddha didn't just preach, "O people, you should live this way or that way." He taught practical Dhamma — a practical method for living a wholesome, beneficial life. And Vipassana is that practical technique, guiding people toward a genuinely happy life.

Q: All Buddhist meditation methods were already known in Yoga. What's new about what the Buddha taught?

A: What we now call Yoga actually developed much later. Patanjali lived roughly five hundred years after the Buddha, and his Yoga Sutras naturally show the influence of the Buddha's teachings. Of course, yogic practices were already widespread in India before the Buddha's time, and he himself explored these methods before his enlightenment. But all of them were limited to sila (morality) and samadhi (concentration of mind) — reaching at most the eight jhanas, the eight levels of absorption, which still belong to the realm of sensory experience. The Buddha discovered a ninth jhana: Vipassana, the cultivation of insight that leads the meditator to the ultimate goal, beyond the suffering of sensory experience.

Cause and Effect

Q: Are there chance events that happen without a cause?

A: Nothing happens without a cause. That's impossible. Sometimes, with our limited senses and intellect, we can't clearly trace the cause — but that doesn't mean there isn't one.

Q: Is everything in life predetermined?

A: It's true that our past actions bring results, good or bad. They shape the general pattern of our present life — the broad circumstances we find ourselves in. But this doesn't mean our lives are fixed, locked in by past actions with nothing new ever happening. That's not how it works. Past actions have influenced the flow of our lives, leading to pleasant or unpleasant experiences. But present actions matter just as much. Nature has given us the ability to be masters of our present actions. With that autonomy, we can change our future.

Chakras

Q: What effect does Vipassana have on the chakras?

A: The chakras are simply nerve centers along the spinal cord. Vipassana brings you to a stage where you can feel the activity of every subtle atom in the body. The chakras are just one part of that. This activity can be experienced throughout the entire body.

Children

Q: What are your views on teaching Dhamma to children?

A: The best time to start is before the child is even born. During pregnancy, the mother should practice Vipassana so that the child comes into contact with it too and is born a child of Dhamma. But if you already have children, you can still share Dhamma with them. If your children are very young (under eight), you can send them metta after each sitting and at bedtime (this metta bhavana technique — sharing goodwill and compassionate vibrations with all beings — is taught on the morning of the tenth day of a Vipassana course). This way, they benefit from the Dhamma you're practicing. As they grow a little older, you can explain some aspects of Dhamma in a way they can understand and relate to. Once they can grasp even a little of it, teach them a few minutes of anapana — observing the breath. Don't pressure them in any way. Just let them sit with you, watch their breath for a few minutes, and then let them go play. Make sitting feel like a game; they'll enjoy it. And most importantly, you yourself must live a healthy Dhamma life. You have to be a living example. At home, create a harmonious and peaceful environment — that will help them grow into healthy, happy people. That's the best thing you can do for your children.

Q: Any advice for mothers of young children who struggle to keep up their practice?

A: Why should there be difficulty? Even with a child on your lap, you can still practice. You can send metta to the child. You can send metta to others. You have to learn to keep your Dhamma going no matter the circumstances. So apply Dhamma to all your responsibilities. A mother's duty is to care for her child in a Dhamma way.

Q: Is it necessary to introduce Vipassana into education?

A: Absolutely. Vipassana is a practical science of living. The next generation needs to learn it at a young age so they can live healthy, harmonious lives. If they understand pure Dhamma — the laws of nature — they'll live in accordance with those laws. When children are taught Vipassana in schools and colleges, as is already happening in some cities, the results are very good.

Psychological Complexes

Q: How can one break free from feelings of inferiority or superiority?

A: This is exactly what Vipassana does. Every psychological complex is an impurity of the mind. When such an impurity rises to the surface, you observe it at the level of bodily sensation. It passes away. It arises again. You observe again. It passes away again. Gradually, these complexes weaken until they no longer arise at all. Just observe. Both suppressing and venting are harmful. Vipassana helps a person break free from all psychological complexes.

Concentration

Q: What is the difference between Vipassana and concentration? A: Vipassana isn't just concentration. It's the continuous observation of inner reality, moment by moment. You develop your powers of awareness and concentration. Things keep changing, but you stay aware of them—that's Vipassana. But if you only concentrate on one object, that object may be illusory, and then nothing changes at all. Caught in that illusion, your mind stays fixed on it, and you're not observing reality. When you do observe reality, it's always changing. It's in constant flux, and you remain aware of it. That's Vipassana.

Habits

Q: You talk about the mind's habits. Is this training also a habit of the mind, even though it's a positive one? A: Quite the opposite—Vipassana is a process of removing habits. It doesn't impose anything on the mind; it naturally clears away unwholesome impurities so that only positive, wholesome qualities remain. As these negative emotions fall away, Vipassana reveals the fundamental nature of the pure mind—these very qualities.

Craving

Q: Is it right to crave enlightenment? A: That's wrong. If you crave enlightenment, you'll never attain it. Enlightenment happens naturally. If you crave it, you're moving in the opposite direction. You can't crave a specific outcome—the outcome comes of its own accord. If you start craving, "I must attain nirvana, I must attain nirvana," you're heading away from nirvana. Nirvana is a state free from craving, yet you want to reach it through craving—that's absolutely impossible.

Q: Are strong desires the same as craving? A: There's a difference. Whether something is craving depends on what you're after. If you can't get it and you feel frustrated, that's craving. If you can't get it and you just smile, it's only a desire—it hasn't become craving. Whenever there's craving and attachment, and you don't get what you want, you'll inevitably become distressed. If you're distressed, there's some craving there. Otherwise, there isn't.

Q: Are there no wholesome forms of craving and aversion—for example, hatred of injustice, desire for freedom, fear of physical harm? A: Craving and aversion can never be wholesome. They'll always keep you tense and unhappy. Even if your goal is worthy, acting out of craving or aversion means you're using an unwholesome means to reach it. Of course, you have to protect yourself from danger. But if you act while overwhelmed by fear, you'll develop a fear complex that ultimately harms you. And if you act out of hatred, even if you overcome the injustice, that hatred later turns into a harmful psychological knot. You have to fight injustice, you have to protect yourself from danger—but you can do it with a balanced mind, free of tension. Out of love for others, you can use balanced means and still achieve good results. A balanced mind is always beneficial and yields the best outcomes.

Q: What is wrong with wanting some material things to make life more comfortable? A: If it's a genuine need, there's nothing wrong with it, as long as you're not attached. Strive to obtain the necessities you need. If you can't get something, smile and try a different way. If you succeed, enjoy what you have—but without attachment.

Q: Can planning for the future be considered craving? A: Again, it comes down to whether you're attached to your plans. Everyone has to plan for the future. If your plan fails and you start crying and complaining, you know you're attached. But if it fails and you can still smile and think, "Well, I did my best. So what if it failed? I'll try again!"—then you're acting without attachment, and you stay happy.

Dhamma / Right Dhamma

Q: What is Dhamma? A: Whatever the mind contains in this present moment—that is Dhamma. Dhamma is everything in the mind.

Q: What relevance does Dhamma have for starving people on the streets? A: Many people from slum areas have come to Vipassana courses and found them very beneficial. Their stomachs are empty, and their minds are so restless. Through Vipassana, they learn how to remain calm and equanimous. Then they can face their problems. Their lives improved. They freed themselves from addictions to alcohol, gambling, and the like. Dhamma helps everyone, poor or wealthy.

Q: How can a person who truly lives by Dhamma face a world that doesn't? A: Don't try to change a world that doesn't live by Dhamma. Try to change the parts of yourself that don't live by Dhamma—the habitual reactions that cause you suffering. For example, when someone insults you, understand that this person is suffering. That's their problem. Why make it yours? Why start generating anger and cause yourself suffering? To do so means you're not your own master—you're that person's slave. As long as they want to, they can make you suffer. Be your own master. Even amid all the unwholesome circumstances around you, you can still live by Dhamma.

Q: How do you equate religion with Right Dhamma? A: If religion means a sectarian tradition—Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and so on—then it is completely contrary to Dhamma. But if religion is understood as natural law, universal natural law, then it is the same as Right Dhamma.

Q: Do you believe Right Dhamma can guide you? A: Yes. Undoubtedly, Right Dhamma begins to guide you. As the mind becomes more and more purified, your panna—your wisdom born of direct experience—grows stronger. When any problem arises in the world or in your life, you only need to look inward a little, and you can find the answer yourself. So it becomes your guide. You shouldn't depend on anyone else. You depend on yourself, and on Right Dhamma.

The Power of Dhamma

Q: When we make progress on the right path, is there the power of Dhamma supporting us? A: Certainly—both visible and invisible. For example, people tend to associate with others who share similar interests, backgrounds, and temperaments. When we develop good qualities within ourselves, we naturally attract others who have them too. When we come into contact with such good people, we naturally receive their support.

If we develop love, compassion, and goodwill, we'll resonate with all beings who carry these positive vibrations, whether visible or invisible, and we'll begin to receive their support. It's like tuning a radio to receive the specific frequency broadcast from a distant station. In the same way, we adjust ourselves to generate this kind of vibration; thus we receive the benefits of those vibrations. But all of this only happens when we practice diligently and correctly.

Death

Q: How can Vipassana be useful at the moment of death? A: At the moment of another person's death, you simply sit and send them compassion. And when your own death arrives, observe it at the level of sensation. Everyone must observe their own death: coming, coming, coming, going, going, going, gone! Be happy!

The Ego

Q: You always talk about the "I" of the self in negative terms. Does it not have a positive side? Is there no experience of "I" that is filled with joy, peace, and bliss? A: Through Vipassana practice, you'll discover that all such sensory pleasures are impermanent—they arise and pass away. If this "I" truly enjoyed them, if they were "my" pleasures, then the "I" would have some control over them. But they simply arise and pass away, beyond my control. Where is the "I" then?

Q: I'm not referring to sensory pleasures, but to very deep levels. A: At that level, the "I" is completely irrelevant. When you reach that level, the self dissolves. There is only joy. At that point, the question of "I" doesn't arise.

Q: All right, let us not say "I"; let us speak of a person's experience instead. A: Sensation is what feels; there is no person who feels. Things just happen as they are. Now you think there must be an "I" that feels, but after beginning Vipassana practice, you'll reach the stage where the self dissolves. At that point, your questions will disappear!

For the sake of convention, yes, we have to use words like "I" or "my" and so on. However, clinging to them, treating them as ultimately real, will only bring suffering.

Q: I find that I am very self-centered, and prone to looking down on others. What is the best way to solve this problem? A: Work to dissolve it through meditation. If a person has a strong ego, they look down on others, belittle others' importance and overvalue themselves. But meditation naturally dissolves the ego. When it dissolves, you no longer do anything that harms others. Meditate, and the problem resolves itself.

Q: Why do I always keep reinforcing this ego? Why do I keep striving to be "me"? A: Due to ignorance, the mind has this habitual conditioning. But Vipassana frees you from this harmful habit. You no longer only think of yourself; you learn to think of others.

Emotions

Q: Aren't anger, aversion, sadness, etc. all natural human emotions? A: You call them "natural" human emotions, but the true nature of the mind is actually very pure. This is a very common mistake. The real, pure nature of the mind is so lost that the mind's impure nature is taken to be "natural"! The truly natural mind is very pure, full of compassion and goodwill.

Q: I will give an example. Suppose a close person to me passes away, I would naturally…… A: You are saying the same thing again! You've become caught up in this erroneous nature. If someone passes away, don't cry. Crying doesn't solve anything. All the while you're crying, you're planting the seed of crying. Nature won't see why you're crying; nature only sees what seed you've planted, and the seed of crying will only bring more crying.

Q: But that is exactly how I feel about the person who passed away? A: You are also harming that person, because wherever that person's next life goes, wherever they are, you are sending the vibration of crying. Such a poor person, so much agitation. They receive the vibration of suffering. On the contrary, at the end of the 10-day Vipassana course, you're taught how to send the vibrations of loving-kindness, love, and compassion. He or she will be happy. No matter where you are, your compassion vibration will reach that person. Replace crying with sending compassion, and you'll be able to help that person.

Equanimity

Q: What do you mean by "maintaining equanimity"? A: When you don't react habitually, you have equanimity.

Q: Can we fully feel and enjoy things while maintaining equanimity? A: Of course. Life is meant to be enjoyed for what is beneficial and good. But you mustn't be attached to anything. Maintain equanimity and enjoy, so that when you lose it, you can smile calmly: "I knew it would leave. It has left. What's the big deal?" Then you're truly enjoying life. Otherwise, you become attached, and if you lose it, you get caught up in suffering. So don't suffer. Be happy in every situation.

Q: Is never reacting habitually not unnatural? A: If the only habitual patterns you've experienced are those of the impure mind, it may indeed seem so. But for a pure mind, maintaining perfect equanimity is very natural. An equanimous, pure mind is full of love, compassion, beneficial non-attachment, goodwill, and joy. Equanimity is the pure mind. Learn to experience it.

Q: If we do not react habitually, how can we live our lives?

Answer: Don’t react from habit. Instead, learn to act with a balanced mind. Vipassana meditators don’t turn into inert plants, stuck in inaction. They learn to engage in intentional, proactive action. If you can shift your life’s patterns from automatic, habitual reactions to positive, deliberate action, you’ve gained something incredibly precious. Through the practice of Vipassana, you can change this pattern.

Question: How are equanimity and samadhi (concentration of mind) related? Answer: Having strong concentration doesn’t automatically mean you have equanimity. A person can even reach perfect concentration rooted in craving. However, that is not right concentration. It is rooted in impurity. But concentration grounded in equanimity brings beautiful results, because a pure, focused mind holds immense power. It cannot act in a way that harms you or anyone else. But a powerful mind clouded by impurity will harm others, and will harm you as well. That is why equanimity paired with concentration is so beneficial.

Question: If someone deliberately tries to make our lives painful, how can we tolerate this? Answer: First, don’t waste your energy trying to change other people. Focus on changing yourself. Others may try to cause you pain, but you only suffer because you react to what they do. If you learn to watch your own habitual reactions without getting caught up in them, no one can force you to suffer. If you can learn to hold equanimity deep within, no matter how much pain others may inflict on you, they cannot make you suffer. Vipassana will help you cultivate this capacity. Once you are free from inner suffering, this shift will naturally begin to affect those around you. Even the person who harmed you will gradually start to change.

Avoiding Reality

Question: How does Vipassana differ from avoiding reality? Answer: Vipassana is the practice of facing the world as it is. It does not allow for escape from reality.

Fasting

Question: I would like to know if I can fast? Answer: No, no. Complete fasting is not supportive of this practice. Neither extreme fasting nor overeating aligns with this path. Vipassana follows the Middle Path. Eat modestly—just enough to nourish your body’s needs. If you wish to fast later for health reasons, that is a separate choice entirely. But fasting is not required for meditation.

Food

Question: Why does a vegetarian diet help with meditation? Answer: When you eat meat or other animal products, that life—an animal, fish, or any living being—spends its entire existence cycling only through craving and aversion. After all, humans are capable of moments free of craving and aversion. These beings cannot escape this cycle. As a result, every part of their being carries the vibrations of craving and aversion. And since you are working to free yourself from craving and aversion, you are taking those very vibrations into yourself when you consume them. It is easy to imagine what kind of vibrations this will then stir up within you. This is why eating meat is unhelpful for meditation.

Question: Can non-vegetarians make progress in Vipassana? Answer: When you attend a Vipassana course, we serve only vegetarian meals. But we do not teach that eating non-vegetarian food will condemn you to hell. That is not our teaching at all. In time, you will give up meat of your own accord, just as thousands of Vipassana students have done before you. You will naturally come to find that you no longer feel the need to eat non-vegetarian food. If you already follow a vegetarian diet, your progress in Vipassana will be smoother as a result.

God

Question: Who is God? Answer: Truth is God. Understand the truth that lives within you, and you will come to know God.

Question: Is there a God who created the world? Answer: I have never seen such a God. If you choose to believe in one, you are welcome to do so. For me, truth is God, natural law is God, Dhamma is God. All things come into being and unfold gradually through Dhamma, through natural law. If you understand this and live in alignment with the laws of Dhamma, you will live a good life. It makes no difference whether or not you believe in a supernatural God.

Question: Do we not need the power of God? Answer: The power of God is the power of the Dhamma. The Dhamma is God. Truth is God. When you are aligned with truth, when you are aligned with Dhamma, you are aligned with God. Cultivate the power of God within you by purifying your mind.

Question: Are you an atheist? Answer: (Laughs). If by “atheist” you mean someone who does not believe in God at all, then no, I am not that. To me, God is not a figment of the imagination. For me, truth is God. The ultimate truth is the final, supreme God.

Happiness

Question: You say Vipassana can lead to true happiness. But remaining happy and peaceful even when facing others’ suffering—does that not mean being completely numb and unfeeling? Answer: Being deeply aware of others’ suffering does not mean you have to take on their sadness yourself. On the contrary, you need to stay calm and balanced, so that you can actually help ease their suffering. If you sink into sadness, you only add to the unhappiness around you—you won’t be able to help anyone else, and you won’t be able to help yourself either. That is why my teacher, the late Sayagyi U Ba Khin, often said: It is essential to meet another person’s unbalanced mind with the steady balance of your own.

Question: Can we achieve complete happiness and full transformation through Vipassana? Answer: Vipassana is a gradual path. When you begin practicing, you will notice yourself experiencing more and more happiness, until you eventually reach a state of complete, unshakable joy. You will transform slowly, step by step, until you reach a stage of total, fundamental change. This is a gradual unfolding.

Honesty

Question: My work involves dishonest behavior. I cannot take another job, as that would cause great inconvenience. Answer: As you practice Vipassana, your mind will grow stronger. Right now, you are enslaved by your own mind, which constantly pushes you to do things you do not wish to do. With regular Vipassana practice, you will gain the strength to free yourself from this pattern with ease, and then you will be able to find work that is both beneficial for you and ethically sound.

Hypnosis

Question: What is the difference between hypnosis and meditation? Answer: Genuine ancient Indian meditation methods are fundamentally opposed to hypnosis. Some practices do incorporate hypnosis, but this is a complete violation of the Dhamma. The Dhamma teaches you to be self-reliant. Hypnosis can never foster true self-reliance. For this reason, the two are entirely incompatible.

Insomnia

Question: How do I deal with insomnia? Answer: Vipassana can help with this. When a Vipassana student struggles to fall asleep, if they lie down and observe their breath or bodily sensations, they will drift into deep sleep. Even if they do not get a full night of deep, uninterrupted sleep, they will wake the next day feeling fully rested, as if they had slept soundly through the night. You can even practice Vipassana as you lie down to sleep. Try it, and you will find it deeply helpful.

Question: I have not slept well for the past ten to twelve years. Answer: Vipassana can resolve this issue, provided you practice correctly. If you come to a Vipassana course only hoping to sleep better, it is best you do not come at all! You come to a Vipassana course to free yourself from the mental impurities that weigh on your mind. The deep restlessness of the mind stems from countless negative mental states and excessive worry. Vipassana will begin to eradicate all this worry, negativity, and mental impurity, and you will start to experience restful, natural sleep.

Karma (Cause and Effect)

Question: How do we avoid karma? Answer: Become the master of your own mind. Vipassana teaches you how to take ownership of your own mind. Otherwise, because of your mind’s long-ingrained negative habitual patterns, you will keep acting in ways you do not wish to, generating karma you do not want to create. On an intellectual level, you know, “I should not be doing these things.” But you keep repeating them, over and over, because you cannot yet control your mind. Vipassana will help you gain true mastery over your mind.

Question: Is wealth good karma? If so, does that mean most Westerners have good karma, while most people in the Third World have bad karma? Answer: Wealth alone is not a sign of good karma. If you are wealthy but still suffer, what good is that wealth? Having wealth alongside genuine, lasting happiness—that is the mark of good karma. Whether you are wealthy or not, the most important thing is to be happy.

Question: If every cause has a specific effect, how do we have free will to free ourselves from our karma? Answer: Through understanding the cause. Understanding this cause helps you break free from the habitual reaction of generating new karmic formations, or habitual mental patterns. The cause of ignorance leads you to generate more and more karmic formations, trapping you in that cycle. The cause of wisdom leads to freedom from these habitual reactions. Causes do exist. You have been acting from the cause of ignorance all along, which is why you continue to spin in suffering. Now, through Vipassana practice, you are skillfully using the cause of wisdom. You no longer create new habitual reactions.

Life

Question: What do you think is the purpose of life? Answer: To free yourself from suffering. Humans have a wonderful capacity to look deep within, observe reality as it truly is, and free themselves from suffering. Failing to use this ability is a waste of one’s life. Use it well to live a truly healthy, happy life!

Question: How can I practice Vipassana in daily life? Answer: Attend a Vipassana course, and you will learn how to integrate this practice into your daily life. If you only take a course and never apply it in your day-to-day life, Vipassana becomes nothing more than a ritual, a ceremony, or a religious formality. That will be of no benefit to you. Vipassana is about living a good life, moment to moment, every day.

Question: What is life after death? Answer: Birth and death are happening in every single moment. Understand this process. It will bring you deep happiness, and you will come to understand what happens after death.

Question: What is the ultimate goal of life? Answer: The ultimate goal of life is here and now. If you keep longing for something in the future but have found no fulfillment in the present, that is an illusion. If you have already begun to experience peace and harmony in this moment, then you are already on the path to the goal, for there is nothing beyond peace and harmony. So experience it now, in this very moment. Then you are truly on the right path.

Liberation

Question: Are there any liberated beings still in this world today? Answer: Yes. Vipassana is a gradual path to liberation. You are liberated precisely to the extent that you free yourself from mental impurities. Some people have already reached the stage of being completely free of all mental impurities.

Question: Is meditation the only path to liberation? Answer: Yes. Blindly accepting a teaching out of faith alone is of no benefit. You must strive for your own liberation. You must see for yourself the source of your bondage, and free yourself from it. That is Vipassana. Vipassana allows you to directly experience the true root of bondage, the true root of suffering, and gradually frees you from all suffering. This is why liberation comes from the practice of Vipassana.

The Worlds

Question: In your talks, you mention 31 worlds, but this usually seems very speculative. Can we know this at the level of sensation? Answer: Of course you can. This entire practice leads you to a stage where you will begin to notice—some students, a very small number, have already started to notice this—“What vibration am I experiencing right now? What is the nature of this vibration?” From these sensations, they come to understand that the vibration of this particular loka, this particular world, has a specific, distinct quality. Later, they can understand it in even greater detail. But you do not need to accept the reality of these 31 worlds as a matter of faith in order to make progress in the Dhamma. That is not required. You only come to accept this when you reach that stage yourself, where you can directly experience such subtle realities firsthand.

Mantras

Question: How is Vipassana different from other meditation methods that use mantras, for example? Are they not also meant to focus the mind? Answer: There is no question that mantras, or visualization of any shape or image, can easily help focus the mind. But the purpose of Vipassana is to purify the mind. A mantra creates a specific, manufactured vibration. Each word, each mantra, generates a specific vibration, and if a person repeats it for a long time, they become absorbed in this artificially created vibration. Vipassana, by contrast, asks you to observe your own natural vibrations—manifesting as bodily sensations—the vibrations that arise when you are angry, passionate, fearful, or hateful, so that you can free yourself from them.

Metta / Loving-Kindness Meditation

Question: What is loving-kindness meditation?

A: Loving-kindness (metta) or compassion meditation is a way of generating waves of goodwill and compassion. It's first taught to students on the tenth day of the ten-day Vipassanā course. After that, at the end of every course — or after an hour of sitting — meditators are asked to practice loving-kindness, sharing the merit of their practice with all sentient beings. The wave of compassion is an actual vibration; as the mind grows purer, its beneficial power increases.

Q: Does compassion also grow as samādhi (concentration) strengthens?

A: Yes. Without samādhi, compassion isn't true compassion. When samādhi is weak, the mind is restless and agitated — and it's agitated because it's generating defilements, some form of craving or aversion. With those defilements in the way, you can't expect to produce wholesome qualities, waves of loving-kindness or compassion. It's not possible.

You may go on saying "Be happy, be happy," but it won't work. If you have samādhi, even for a moment, your mind is steady and calm. Not all the defilements need to have vanished; but in those moments, when you sit for loving-kindness, your mind is calm, steady, and free of generating any defilements. Whatever compassion you offer then will be strong, effective, and genuinely helpful.

Q: Is compassion a natural result of mental purity, or does it have to be actively developed? Are there progressive stages?

A: Both. According to the law of nature — the law of Dhamma — once the mind is purified, the essence of compassion will naturally unfold. On the other hand, you must put in the effort to develop it through practice. Only at very advanced stages of mental purity will compassion arise on its own, without any contrivance or training. Until you reach that point, you have to practice.

Besides, people who don't practice Vipassanā can also practice loving-kindness. In countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, it's quite common for every household to do so. Usually, though, the practice stays limited to mental recitation: "May all sentient beings be happy and peaceful." That certainly brings some calm to the person reciting. The wholesome vibrations may seep a little into the surrounding atmosphere, but they aren't very strong.

When you practice Vipassanā, however, you begin to purify the mind. Built on that foundation, the loving-kindness you practice will naturally grow stronger. You won't need to loudly repeat well-wishes anymore. You'll reach a stage where, at all times, your whole being radiates compassion and goodwill toward others.

Q: How does loving-kindness help develop mudita (sympathetic joy) and karuna (compassion)?

A: When someone develops loving-kindness, mudita and karuna naturally follow. Loving-kindness is love for all sentient beings. It removes even the slightest trace of anger, hostility, and hatred toward others — and also the slightest suspicion and jealousy.

Sympathetic Joy (Mudita)

Q: What is sympathetic joy?

A: When you see others succeed and grow happier, if your mind is impure you'll feel jealous. "Why do they get these things and not me? I deserve them more. Why do they get such positions of power or status? Why not me? Why can they earn so much money? Why not me?" That jealousy comes from an impure mind.

Through Vipassanā, as the mind becomes purer and your compassion strengthens, you'll feel happy seeing others happy. "There is suffering everywhere. Look, at least one person is happy. May they be happy and content. May they progress in the Dhamma, and grow in the art of living well." That is sympathetic joy — the happiness of empathy. There will come a day when you reach this.

The Mind

Q: What is the mind? Where is it?

A: The mind is present in every atom of your being. You'll come to understand this through Vipassanā. As you practice, you'll investigate and analyze your mind, your body, and the interaction between the two.

Q: You've mentioned removing unwholesome qualities from the mind. What does that mean?

A: For instance, you carry emotions in the mind — feelings of depression, hostility toward others. These are unwholesome qualities. They keep you unhappy. With these emotions, you harm yourself and others alike. You must gradually let them go. Then you'll come to know a deep inner peace.

Q: What is the relationship between mind and brain?

A: The brain is simply an organ of the body. You treat it the same way you treat any other part — that's all. There's no special treatment for the brain. The mind, though, is entirely different. In the West, all the importance is given to the brain, as though the mind were located there. It isn't. The mind is everywhere — throughout the whole body. So place your attention on the whole body.

Q: If you purify the body, do you purify the mind?

A: No. Even if you purify the body, the mind may still hold impurities, and it'll make the body impure again. The root is in the mind, not the body. The body is just a base. With the body's help, the mind can function — but it's the mind that must be purified. You can keep washing the body as much as you like, but the mind remains unwashed, still impure. The mind has to be purified. But if you purify the mind, the body will be purified along with it. That's how it works. The purpose of Vipassanā is to purify the mind.

Q: You said that during meditation (in ānāpāna) we sharpen the mind. How does the mind become sharp?

A: If you stay with reality and don't react to it out of habit, the mind naturally becomes sharp. When the mind reacts out of habit, it grows dull. The more habitual reactions, the coarser the mind. When you don't react out of habit, the mind's natural reality is very sharp, very sensitive.

Moral Conduct

Q: Why do you place so much emphasis on moral conduct and observing the five precepts in Vipassanā courses?

A: I've seen many students who don't take precepts or moral conduct seriously, and as a result make no real progress. Sīla is the foundation of the Dhamma. When the foundation is weak, the whole structure collapses. Such people may have attended many courses over the years and had wonderful experiences in meditation, but nothing changes in their daily lives. They're still restless and suffering, because they're just playing a game of Vipassanā — like the many other games they've played. These are the real failures. Those who genuinely want to improve their lives through the Dhamma must observe the precepts as carefully as they can.

Q: We should live a moral life, but morality is declining in the world.

A: All the more reason for the Dhamma to arise now, when morality is in decline! When darkness surrounds us on every side, that's the moment for dawn to break, for the sun to rise.

Q: If you're a member of the military, is killing the enemy a violation of morality?

A: Yes. But at the same time, a military is necessary for the defense of the country and the protection of its people. The military shouldn't exist only to kill. It should demonstrate the nation's strength, so that an enemy wouldn't even think of invading or harming the people. So a military is necessary — not for killing, but for showing strength. If someone threatens the country, the first step is to warn them. If conflict becomes unavoidable, then action must be taken. Even then, soldiers must be trained to be free of anger and hostility. Otherwise their minds become unbalanced, and all their decisions will be wrong. With a balanced mind, we can make good, correct decisions — beneficial to ourselves and to others.

Pain

Q: When we're in pain, how can the mind stay balanced?

A: Whenever something we dislike occurs in the outside world, an unpleasant sensation arises in the body. A Vipassanā meditator places full attention on these sensations, without reacting in any way — simply observing them objectively. At first this is difficult, but with a balanced, calm mind, it gradually becomes easier to observe gross, unpleasant sensations — what we call pain. Pleasant and unpleasant are no different. Every sensation arises and simply passes. Why react to something so transient?

Peace

Q: Why don't we live in a state of peace?

A: Because we lack the wisdom of direct experience. A life without the wisdom of one's own direct experience is a life of fantasy — a state of restlessness and suffering. Our first responsibility is to live a healthy, harmonious life, one that's beneficial to ourselves and to others. To do that, we must learn to use our capacity for self-observation and observation of reality.

Q: When the world is at war, what meaning does seeking inner peace have?

A: The world will only be at peace when people are peaceful and happy. The change must start with each individual. If a forest is withered and you want to bring it back to life, you have to water every tree. If you want world peace, learn how to make yourself peaceful. Only then can you bring peace to the world.

Q: Suffering, war, and conflict have existed throughout history. Do you truly believe there can be a peaceful world?

A: Oh, even if just a few people come out of suffering, that's good. When darkness surrounds us on every side and a single lamp begins to shine, that's good. And if that one lamp becomes ten, or twenty, darkness will be driven back everywhere. We can't promise that the whole world will become peaceful — but the more peace you can find within yourself, the more you'll help bring peace to the world.

Courses in Prisons

Q: Can serious criminals practice Vipassanā?

A: Of course. Vipassanā is for purifying the mind; it's meant to free people from their tensions and suffering. Those who have committed very serious crimes — murder, rape, arson — are people in deep suffering; their minds are full of tension. Many prisons in India now hold Vipassanā courses. In fact, one of the largest is at Tihar Jail in Delhi, known as Dhamma Tihar.

Rebirth

Q: Do you believe in rebirth?

A: Whether I believe or not won't help you. Practice Vipassanā, and you'll reach a stage where you can see your own past and future. Then you can believe. Don't believe something just because your teacher says so. Otherwise you'll simply be blindly attached to the teacher's authority — and that goes against the Dhamma.

Selfless Service

Q: How does a person find balance between selfless service and self-care?

A: (Laughter) If a person can't take care of themselves, what kind of service can they offer? Take care of yourself first, then begin to give selfless service.

Sexuality

Q: How is sexuality viewed within the Vipassanā organization?

A: We don't tell new students they must live a life of repressed, forced celibacy. That's unhealthy — it creates more difficulties, more tension, more problems. So the advice given to Vipassanā students is to have a relationship with only one partner — one man, one woman — and to practice moderation. If both partners are Vipassanā meditators, one day they'll naturally grow free of their need for sex. Sex is unnecessary. Their minds will be so content, so happy, that physical intimacy will lose its meaning. But this should happen naturally, not by force. When someone begins practicing Vipassanā, they don't have to be celibate. However, they must be in a relationship with only one person; otherwise the madness continues, and their passion multiplies until they can't break free of it.

Q: What does "moderate sexual relations" mean?

A: A restrained sexual relationship means you don't obsess over sex—you're not driven by it. If someone constantly changes sexual partners, that's a lack of restraint. When you're with only one person, sexual relations naturally become less frequent. When you have sexual relations with many people, the desire only multiplies. That's simply the law of nature. Pour gasoline on a fire, and it burns all the fiercer.

Q: What's the difference between right and wrong sexual behavior? Is it a matter of intention?

A: No. Sex has its proper place in the life of a householder. It shouldn't be forcibly suppressed, because forced celibacy creates tension—and with it, more problems, more difficulties. But if you freely indulge your desires, acting on every surge of passion with anyone, you'll never free your mind from passion itself. Avoiding both of these dangerous extremes, Dhamma offers a middle path: a healthy expression of sexuality that still allows for spiritual growth—a mutually faithful relationship between one man and one woman. And if your partner is also a Vipassana meditator, then whenever passion arises, you both observe it at the level of bodily sensations, just as Vipassana trains you to do. This is neither suppression nor indulgence. Through observation, you can gradually step free of passion. A couple may still have sexual relations from time to time, but slowly they reach a stage where sex loses all significance. This is the true, natural state of freedom from lust, where not a single thought of passion arises in the mind. The joy that comes from living free of lust far exceeds any sexual gratification. You feel so content, so at peace. You must learn to experience this true happiness.

Q: In the West, many people believe that any sexual relationship between two consenting adults is acceptable.

A: That view is far from Dhamma. Someone who has sexual relations with one person, then another, then yet another is only multiplying their passion, their misery. You must be faithful to one person, or live a celibate life.

Society

Q: How does Vipassana solve social problems?

A: Society, after all, is nothing more than a large group of individuals. To solve society's problems, the problems of the individual must be solved first. We want peace in the world, yet we make no effort toward peace within each person. Is that possible? Vipassana gives everyone the chance to experience peace and harmony for themselves. It helps solve the individual's problems. That's how society begins to experience peace and harmony. That's how social problems begin to be resolved.

Q: Is forgiving a criminal the same as encouraging crime?

A: Not at all—you should still prevent people from committing crimes. But don't respond to the criminal with aversion or anger. Meet them with love, compassion, and loving-kindness. This person is suffering, acting in ignorance, not knowing what they're really doing. They're harming themselves as much as others. So do everything you can, in body and speech, to stop them from committing crimes—but treat them with love and compassion. That's what Vipassana teaches you.

Q: If a negative action is done to benefit others, is it still bad?

A: Without question. A negative action starts harming you the moment you commit it. And when you're harming yourself, you can't help anyone. A crippled person can't carry another crippled person. First make yourself whole, and you'll find you've already begun helping others.

Q: You often criticize religious rituals in society, but what's wrong with expressing respect and gratitude?

A: Nothing is wrong with that. Respect and gratitude are not religious rituals. A ritual is when you don't understand what you're doing—when you do something simply because someone told you to. If, from deep within, you know, "I'm paying respect to my parents," or "I'm paying respect to a particular god or goddess"—then ask yourself: what are the qualities of that god or goddess? Am I cultivating those same qualities in myself, as a genuine tribute? Am I developing the same virtues my parents embody, to truly honor them? If the answer is yes, then you're acting with right understanding, and these are no longer empty rituals or ceremonies. But if you do something mechanically, it becomes just that—a ritual.

Q: Are we affected by one another's actions?

A: Of course. We're influenced by the people and the environment around us, and we constantly influence them in return. If the majority of people favor violence, wars and destruction follow, and many suffer as a result. But if people begin purifying their minds, violence simply doesn't arise. The root of the problem lies in the mind of each individual, because society is made up of individuals. If everyone begins to change, society changes, and war and destruction become rare.

Q: If everyone has to face the consequences of their own actions, how can we possibly help one another?

A: Our own mental actions have an impact on others. If we generate nothing but negative emotions in our minds, that negativity affects everyone we come into contact with. But if we fill the mind with positivity and goodwill toward others, it has a beneficial effect on everyone around us. You can't control other people's actions or their karma, but you can master yourself—and in doing so, have a positive influence on those around you.

Suffering

Q: Why do other people cause us suffering?

A: No one makes you suffer. The tension you create in your own mind is what causes your suffering. Once you learn not to do that, it becomes easy to stay peaceful and happy in any situation.

Q: When someone wrongs us, what should we do?

A: You shouldn't let others do wrong to you. Whenever someone does wrong, they harm not only others but themselves as well. If you look the other way, you're only encouraging their wrongdoing. Do your best to stop them—but hold onto goodwill, compassion, and sympathy for that person. If you act with hatred or anger, you'll only make things worse. And yet, unless your mind is calm and peaceful, you can't truly wish someone well. So practice developing peace within yourself—that's how you'll be able to solve the problem.

Q: Isn't suffering a natural part of life? Why try to escape it?

A: We've become so mired in suffering that escaping from it can seem unnatural. But once you experience the true happiness of a pure mind, you realize that this—this—is the mind's natural state.

Q: Can the experience of suffering ennoble a person and help them grow in character?

A: Yes. In fact, this technique deliberately uses suffering as a tool for transformation. But it only works if you learn to observe the suffering objectively. If you cling to it, the experience can't elevate you—you'll remain trapped in suffering.

Q: If someone does wrong, are they bound to suffer in the future?

A: Not in the future—right here and now! The moment defilements begin to arise in the mind, the law of nature delivers its punishment immediately. You can't generate defilements and still feel peaceful. The suffering is instant. Only when you recognize that the suffering is here and now will you begin to break the habit pattern of generating defilements that leads to wrong speech and wrong action. If you think, "Ah, I'll be punished in my next life—no need to worry now," that won't help you at all.

Vibrations

Q: What are vibrations? How do they affect us?

A: Everything in the universe is vibration. This isn't theory—it's fact. The entire universe is nothing but vibrations. Wholesome vibrations make us happy; unwholesome ones bring suffering. Vipassana helps you free yourself from the influence of harmful vibrations—those generated by a mind filled with craving and aversion. When the mind is in perfect balance, the vibrations it produces are good. And these vibrations, whether good or bad, begin to affect the atmosphere around you. Vipassana helps you generate pure vibrations of compassion and goodwill—beneficial to yourself and to everyone around you.

Vipassana Courses

Q: What advice do you have for those who can't attend a ten-day course?

A: Make up your mind to attend a ten-day course. There's no other way. No magic, no miracles. Why would I ask people to set aside ten days of their lives if I could just sit here and teach them for an hour and be done with it? That would be far easier—but it doesn't work. You have to set aside ten days of your life to learn this technique. It's such a deep, subtle method that it takes at least ten days to learn Vipassana properly.

Q: Can someone learn Vipassana from a book?

A: No. That would be very dangerous. Vipassana is a delicate and profound operation on the mind. You must attend a ten-day course to begin.

Q: How can I attend a Vipassana course?

A: Application forms can be sent to any Vipassana center in India or abroad. Before applying, you must agree to follow certain rules—the code of discipline. Attendance is entirely voluntary and free of coercion. However, once the course begins, the rules must be strictly observed. They exist to ensure that students get the maximum benefit from the course.

Q: What is the fee or tuition for a Vipassana course?

A: Fee?! Dhamma is priceless! There is no tuition—teaching Vipassana is never charged for. Vipassana courses are completely free. For a brief period early on, a small charge was made for food and accommodation. Fortunately, that was later abolished. So today, people attend Vipassana courses without paying anything at all.

Q: Why is there no fee for attending a Vipassana course?

A: As I just said, one reason is that Dhamma is priceless—it can't be measured in money. Another reason is that during a course, the student practices stepping away from the worldly concerns of a householder. He or she lives like a monk or a nun, supported by the generosity of others. This is to help reduce the ego—one of the greatest causes of suffering. If someone pays even a small fee, the ego swells, and they might start thinking: "I want this. This facility isn't good enough for me," or "I can do whatever I want here." That ego becomes a major obstacle on the path of Dhamma. This is another reason no fee is charged. It's been the tradition of Dhamma for thousands of years. When the Buddha gave the priceless treasure of Vipassana, did he ever charge a fee!

Q: Since students aren't charged, how are course expenses covered?

A: Expenses are met through voluntary donations (dana) from students who have completed at least one Vipassana course. Whether the donation is money or service, it springs from the same Dhamma motivation: "Thanks to the generosity of others, I benefited so much from this wonderful technique—may others benefit too." What matters most is the intention behind the gift. A donation born of pure Dhamma motivation—even a handful of fertile soil—is far more valuable than a sack of gold given out of ego or without any Dhamma motivation at all. A donation from a pure heart brings benefit to the giver. But this doesn't mean that after the course, someone goes around asking each student if they'd like to donate. A table is set up in a quiet corner, and anyone who wishes to give goes there on their own—that's all.

Q: Why do you say the early morning hours are a good time to meditate?

A: Going to bed early and rising early is a good habit. It keeps you healthy. The early hours of the morning are also ideal for your daily meditation practice, because everyone else is still asleep. When people are awake, there's craving everywhere—the whole atmosphere is saturated with it—and it's hard to meditate well. So when everyone is asleep and you're meditating—that's the best time.

Vipassana Pagoda

Q: There's a concern that the Great Pagoda, soon to be completed in Mumbai, will lead to Vipassana becoming just another sect.

Q: Oh! If this teacher had lived just a few more years, you would have seen how stern he could be. He would never have allowed anything we do to turn sectarian. If the pagoda became a tool that reduced the Buddha's teachings to a sect, an organized religion, then all of our teaching would sink into the mire—all of it wasted. If the pagoda were used for praying—"Pagoda, please grant me this, please grant me that, I need this, I need that"—then undoubtedly the whole thing would become just another organized religion.

But we will use the pagoda in the spirit of Dhamma. That is, the pagoda exists to tell more and more people about Vipassana. First they come out of curiosity—"What a magnificent structure, what's inside?" Then when they arrive, they receive the message: "Look, this is the Buddha. What kind of person was he? What did he teach? What happened in his life? It was Vipassana that made him the Buddha. Vipassana made him a great teacher of Dhamma who gave so much to the world, and so many people have benefited." We share this message so that, say, out of ten thousand visitors, even if only a hundred truly benefit, the rest at least walk away with the right understanding. This is how we'll make sure the pagoda doesn't give rise to another sect. Otherwise, the whole purpose would be lost.

Vipassana Meditation

Q: Professionals have relatively little time. How can they practice meditation?

A: Meditation is especially important for professionals! Householders carry worldly responsibilities and need Vipassana even more, because they must face so many ups and downs in life. These ups and downs leave them agitated and restless. If they learn Vipassana, they're better equipped to handle life. They can make good decisions, sound decisions—and that helps enormously.

Q: Can we combine two or more methods of meditation?

A: Combine as many other methods as you like, but don't mix them with Vipassana. Vipassana is a unique technique. Mixing it with anything else won't help you—it could even harm you. Keep Vipassana pure. Other methods only touch up the surface of the mind. Vipassana performs deep surgery; it removes mental complexes from the very depths of the mind. If you combine it with other methods, you're just playing games, and you may do yourself great harm.

Q: Isn't it selfish to withdraw from the world and sit meditating all day?

A: Using meditation to gain mental health isn't selfish at all. When your body is sick, you check into a hospital and recover. You can't say, "Oh, I'm being selfish." You understand that a sick, injured body can't lead a proper life. Or think of someone going to the gym to get stronger. It's the same—someone doesn't go to a meditation center forever; they go to make the mind healthier. And a healthy mind is essential for living your daily life in a way that benefits both yourself and others.

Q: I can understand how meditation helps people who are psychologically troubled or unhappy, but how can it help someone who's already satisfied with life, who's already happy?

A: Someone who's content with the surface pleasures of life is simply unaware of the deep agitation within. They live under the illusion of being a happy person, but that happiness doesn't last. The tension building in the depths of the mind keeps increasing, and sooner or later it erupts to the surface. Then this so-called "happy" person becomes miserable. So why not start making the effort to meditate here and now, ready for when that moment comes?

Q: Can Vipassana heal the body?

A: Yes—as a byproduct. When mental tensions unravel, many psychosomatic ailments disappear on their own. If the mind is agitated, physical illnesses are bound to follow gradually. When the mind becomes calm and pure, they fade away naturally. But if you make physical healing your goal in practicing Vipassana rather than purifying the mind, you'll end up with neither. I've seen people attend a course with the sole aim of curing a physical ailment—they spend the entire time fixated on their illness: "Is it a little better today? No, not better… Any improvement today? No, no improvement." They waste the whole ten days that way. But when the attention is placed on purifying the mind, many ailments disappear on their own as a result of the practice.

Q: How does psychoanalysis compare with Vipassana?

A: In psychoanalysis, you try to recall past events held in the conscious mind—events that strongly influence your habitual mental reactions. Vipassana, by contrast, leads the meditator to the deepest level of the mind, the true source of those habits. In psychoanalysis, every event a person tries to recall also produces a sensation in the body. By observing with equanimity the natural sensations that arise throughout the body, the meditator allows countless layers of habitual reaction to arise and pass away. They're working at the root of the pattern, and so can free themselves from it easily and quickly.

Q: How many Vipassana courses should a person attend?

A: It varies from person to person, but I'd suggest first attending a ten-day course, then taking a look at how Vipassana has helped you. If you find you can apply it in your life, wonderful. Later on, sit another ten-day course. But the most important thing isn't just attending courses—it's putting the technique to work in daily life. If Vipassana comes alive in your everyday experience, you're practicing correctly. Otherwise, merely attending courses won't help.

Q: Isn't this technique rather self-centered? How do we become motivated to help others?

A: In the beginning you do have to focus on yourself—you have to help yourself first. Unless you do, you can't help anyone else. A weak person can't help another weak person. You have to become strong yourself first, and then use that strength to help others become strong too. Vipassana develops exactly this kind of strength, so that you can be of use to others.

Q: If we're always observing ourselves, how can we live naturally? Won't we be so busy watching ourselves that we can't act freely or spontaneously?

A: That's not what people find after completing a Vipassana course. Here you learn a mental training that gives you the ability to observe yourself in daily life whenever the need arises. Nobody's asking you to sit with your eyes closed practicing all day for the rest of your life. But just as physical exercise builds strength and helps you in daily life, this mental training makes you strong. What you call "free, spontaneous" action is actually blind reaction, and it's usually harmful. By learning to observe yourself, you'll find that when difficulties arise in life, you can keep your mind balanced. With that balance, you're truly free to choose how to act. You'll take practical action—always positive, always beneficial to yourself and others.

Last modified: 01 February 2002