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ANNUAL MEETING: Dhamma Giri, India January 8, 1998

Questioner: What are the guidelines regarding teaching sīla and the origins of the technique, while teaching Anapana in schools in the West? For example introducing Buddha without the school system’s thinking of it as a religion.

Goenkaji: Well, first this person who is teaching must be fully convinced that this is not a religion. Buddha was not a religious teacher, he was not the founder of a religion. Buddha taught a way of life. If you are fully convinced of this, you can convince others. When you talk of the law of gravity you have to use the name of Newton. But you do not become a member of Newton’s sect. You must first understand what you are teaching, then it becomes very easy to explain it to people—whether children or adults.

And what about sīla?

Well, you must explain sīla to them. Sīla is important. There is nothing wrong in this. §

Should the junior assistant teachers be responsible for conducting the mettā sessions at 9 p.m. with the servers in the same way as the AT conducts these sessions on a 10-day course?

No. How did that start? That is not a part of the children’s course. I have been getting information from many places that when we name somebody a junior assistant teacher the word "junior" gets lost, and the word "assistant" is also lost. They think, "Now I am a teacher, I must get all the respect and status that a teacher gets. I must have a high seat to sit on. I can now give mettā. Let all sit before me." That is why we will now change this name of junior assistant teacher to children’s course teacher.

In some cases this person may have only taken one or two courses. Sometimes I make such a person a children’s course teacher because this person is capable of handling children.

But such a person does not know anything about the details of Vipassana. Then they start behaving as if they are a big teacher and can give mettā in the evening. Was there any mettā session in the children’s course that we taught? No, there was not. It should not be done. I think you all must inform your children’s course teachers: Don’t act like an assistant teacher—you are a children’s course teacher. You should only do whatever is asked of you, never do more. §

How can children be encouraged to practise at home if their families do not meditate? Can they attend Vipassana group sittings?

The Vipassana adult group sitting? No. A child should never be brought to the adult group sitting. During the one-hour group sitting the child will get bored within 10 or 15 minutes. Then what will he or she do? The child will develop aversion towards meditation. No. A child should never be brought. If there is a group sitting for children only, then it is all right. That will be only for 10 or 15 minutes, or a maximum of 20 minutes. §

Should the Dhamma seat be used by the children’s course teacher at a centre?

Why would a children’s course teacher want to sit on the high seat where the assistant teacher sits to give a course, or where a teacher sits? That madness should be taken away. Sit on a cushion, or at most, a low chauki, that’s all. Don’t allow these children’s course teachers to sit on the Dhamma seat and start giving guidance. Everyone must understand, "This is my duty, and I am doing this duty to help others, not to increase my ego or pride." Otherwise one is not fit even to give children’s courses. §

Concluding Message on Children’s Courses

These children’s courses are very important because this is the time when you can give them proper guidance to help them live a good Dhamma life. One thing should be very clear in the mind of the children’s course teachers: We are not at all interested in converting somebody from one organized religion to another. We are, of course, against any kind of sectarian grouping because that is so harmful to society. This is very evident.

We are giving a seed that helps you to understand that instead of living a life of sectarianism, well look, you can live a life of Dhamma which is so pure. Living a life of morality, a life where you control your mind, a life where you purify your mind— nobody can object to that.

So whoever is teaching must be fully convinced that what they teach will not convert people to any religion. The most unwholesome action of any Vipassana teacher, either junior or senior, would be to try to bring people to a particular sect. That would mean that we have totally lost our goal. Our aim is to take people out of communalism, sectarianism, all the narrow-mindedness where people start fighting with one another—take them out of that and give them this broad truth of Dhamma which is for everybody, which is universal.

If the one who is teaching does not understand this, then this person should not start teaching. Take more courses, come and discuss with me, with other senior teachers, and get rid of this wrong view.

Your thinking should be, "I am here to help people so that they live a better life, good for them, good for the society." Then you can easily answer any question that comes from their parents or teachers. However, it is important to mention Buddha because in Dhamma gratitude is an important aspect of development.

We give the seed of pure Dhamma to these boys and girls and after 15 or 20 years the new generation that comes up will have responsibility towards their family, towards society, the country, the world, towards humanity. They should grow up to be ideal human beings. This is our only aim.

If one who is teaching is very firm and is convinced that what he or she is teaching is perfectly good for everyone, then it becomes easy to explain to others. If one is not sure whether the whole mission is to convert people to Buddhism or something else, then better not be a teacher. Don’t take that responsibility.

People practise yoga āsanas or prānāyāma; this does not mean they get converted to this religion or that religion. They are practising it to be healthy. Now here is a technique which helps one to live a healthy mental life. It is a mental exercise to make the mind healthy.

This should be very clear to everybody. See that more and more children’s courses are given, and more and more children get the seed of Dhamma, so that the next generation grows up to be an ideal generation. This is going to happen.

You should feel very fortunate that you are able to take part in this mission and develop your own pāramīs. The Dhamma is bound to spread whether or not we join. Join in this good cause, which is good for others and for oneself. May there be more and more children’s courses. May the next generation grow up an ideal generation around the whole world.

Bhavatu sabba mangalam

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