COURSE INFO
Code of Discipline
The foundation of the practice — moral conduct, concentration of mind, and the wisdom of insight.
About the Practice
Vipassana meditation aims at the highest spiritual goals of total liberation and full enlightenment.
Its purpose is never simply to cure physical disease. However, as a by-product of mental purification, many psychosomatic diseases are eradicated. In fact, Vipassana eliminates the three causes of all unhappiness: craving, aversion and ignorance. With continued practice, this meditation releases the tensions developed in everyday life, opening the knots tied by the old habit of reacting in an unbalanced way to pleasant and unpleasant situations.
Although Vipassana was developed as a technique by the Buddha, its practice is not limited to Buddhists. There is absolutely no question of conversion. The technique works on the simple basis that all human beings share the same problems and a technique which can eradicate these problems will have a universal application. People from many religious denominations have experienced the benefits of Vipassana meditation and have found no conflict with their profession of faith.
What Vipassana is not
It is not a rite or ritual based on blind faith.
It is neither intellectual nor philosophical entertainment.
It is not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing.
It is not an escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
Meditation and Self-Discipline
The process of self-purification by introspection is certainly never easy — students have to work very hard at it. By their own efforts students arrive at their own realizations; no one else can do this for them. Therefore, this meditation will suit only those willing to work seriously and observe the discipline, which is there for the benefit and protection of the meditators and is an integral part of the meditation practice.
Ten days is certainly a very short time in which to penetrate the deepest levels of the unconscious mind and learn how to eradicate the complexes lying there. Continuity of the practice in seclusion is the secret of this technique's success. Rules and regulations have been developed keeping this practical aspect in mind. They are not primarily for the benefit of the teacher or the course management, nor are they negative expressions of tradition, orthodoxy or blind faith. Rather, they are based on the practical experience of thousands of meditators over the years and are both scientific and rational. Abiding by the rules creates a very conducive atmosphere for meditation; breaking them pollutes it.
Only those who feel that they can honestly and scrupulously follow the discipline should apply for admission. Those not prepared to make a determined effort will waste their time and, moreover, will disturb others who wish to work seriously.
A Note on Mental Health
People with serious mental disorders have occasionally come to Vipassana courses with the unrealistic expectation that the technique will cure or alleviate their mental problems. Our capacity as a nonprofessional volunteer organization makes it impossible for us to properly care for people with these backgrounds. Although Vipassana meditation is beneficial for most people, it is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment, and we do not recommend it for people with serious psychiatric disorders.
01
Code of Discipline
The foundation of the practice is sīla — moral conduct. Sīla provides a basis for the development of samādhi — concentration of mind; and purification of the mind is achieved through paññā — the wisdom of insight.
Five Precepts — All Students
All who attend a Vipassana course must conscientiously undertake the following five precepts for the duration of the course:
To abstain from killing any being.
To abstain from stealing.
To abstain from all sexual activity.
To abstain from telling lies.
To abstain from all intoxicants.
Three Additional Precepts — Old Students
There are three additional precepts which old students (that is, those who have completed a course with S.N. Goenka or one of his assistant teachers) are expected to follow during the course:
To abstain from eating after midday.
To abstain from sensual entertainment and bodily decorations.
To abstain from using high or luxurious beds.
Old students will observe the sixth precept by having tea without milk or fruit juice at the 5 p.m. break, whereas new students may have tea with milk and some fruit. The teacher may excuse an old student from observing this precept for health reasons. The seventh and eighth precept will be observed by all old students.
Acceptance of the Teacher and the Technique
Students must declare themselves willing to comply fully and for the duration of the course with the teacher's guidance and instructions; that is, to observe the discipline and to meditate exactly as the teacher asks, without ignoring any part of the instructions, nor adding anything to them. This acceptance should be one of discrimination and understanding, not blind submission. Only with an attitude of trust can a student work diligently and thoroughly. Such confidence in the teacher and the technique is essential for success in meditation.
Other Techniques, Rites and Forms of Worship
During the course it is absolutely essential that all forms of prayer, worship, or religious ceremony — fasting, burning incense, counting beads, reciting mantras, singing and dancing, etc. — be discontinued. All other meditation techniques and healing or spiritual practices should also be suspended. This is not to condemn any other technique or practice, but to give a fair trial of the technique of Vipassana in its purity.
Students are strongly advised that deliberately mixing other techniques of meditation with Vipassana will impede and even reverse their progress. Any doubts or confusion which may arise should always be clarified by meeting with the teacher.
Interviews with the teacher
The teacher is available to meet students privately between 12 Noon and 1:00 p.m. Questions may also be asked in public between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m. in the meditation hall. The interview and question times are for clarifying the technique and for questions arising from the evening discourses.
Noble Silence
All students must observe Noble Silence from the beginning of the course until the morning of the last full day. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication with fellow students, whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited.
Students may, however, speak with the teacher whenever necessary and they may approach the management with any problems related to food, accommodation, health, etc. But even these contacts should be kept to a minimum. Students should cultivate the feeling that they are working in isolation.
02
Course Rules
Separation of Men and Women
Complete segregation of men and women is to be maintained. Couples, married or otherwise, should not contact each other in any way during the course. The same applies to friends, members of the same family, etc.
Intoxicants and Drugs
No drugs, alcohol, or other intoxicants should be brought to the site; this also applies to tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and all other sedatives. Those taking medicines or drugs on a doctor's prescription should notify the teacher.
Clothing
Dress should be simple, modest, and comfortable. Tight, transparent, revealing, or otherwise striking clothing (such as shorts, short skirts, tights and leggings, sleeveless or skimpy tops) should not be worn. Sunbathing and partial nudity are not permitted. This is important in order to minimize distraction to others.
Recording Devices & Cameras
These may not be used except with the express permission of the teacher.
03
Daily Schedule
A Day on Course
4:00 am
Morning wake-up bell
4:30 - 6:30 am
Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30 - 8:00 am
Breakfast break
8:00 - 9:00 am
Group meditation in the hall
9:00 - 11:00 am
Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00 - 12:00 am
Lunch break
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Rest and interviews with the teacher
1:00 - 2:30 pm
Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30 - 3:30 pm
Group meditation in the hall
3:30 - 5:00 pm
Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Tea break
6:00 - 7:00 pm
Group meditation in the hall
7:00 - 8:15 pm
Teacher's Discourse in the hall
8:15 - 9:00 pm
Group meditation in the hall
9:00 - 9:30 pm
Question time in the hall
9:30 pm
Retire to your own room — Lights out
