Ways to serve at Dhamma Rasa
It is a wonderful opportunity to help establish and develop a new Vipassana centre. But it is a special opportunity to help develop a dedicated long course centre that will serve so many people in the future.
Not only will Dhamma Rasa provide long courses for old students, to help them deepen their understanding of the Dhamma, it will also allow more 10-day courses to be scheduled at other centres in the region.
There are many different ways to be involved in service at Dhamma Rasa, in some cases remotely but in most cases at the centre:
- Preparing for courses, serving on courses
All courses are run solely with the help of old student volunteers and there is always much work to be done in preparing for courses and cleaning the centre after courses. - Scheduled work-bee weekends
Regular work-bee weekends will be scheduled at Dhamma Rasa, with help also needed in managing and coordinating these events. - Extended work periods
Old students are able to apply to stay and serve at the centre for several days or weeks. - Specific projects
Old student might stay at the centre to assist with or undertake specific projects or be involved in the centre’s planning and development remotely. Those with any relevant planning, trade or construction skills or experience are invited to contribute or join relevant work groups. - Long-term service
Applications can be made to stay and serve at the centre for several months or more. - Joining various work groups
Major tasks at the centre are grouped into work groups. Joining any of these work groups is a very effective way to serve and help develop the centre.
Establishing oneself in Dhamma
“If you really want to get established in Dhamma, if you really want to apply Dhamma in your day-to-day life, give some service in Dhamma courses and get proper training. By giving Dhamma service in a course, you are fulfilling the teaching of the Buddha which is not just to help yourself to get liberated but also to help others to get liberated. Therefore, I keep recommending to my students, ‘As you find time of ten days for purifying your mind for your own development in Dhamma, you must also give at least ten days in a year to serve others so that both the aspects of Buddha’s teaching become stronger in you’.
I want all of you to keep growing in Dhamma, not just to take courses and then to forget about it. You have to apply Dhamma in life. And to apply it in life, serve at least one course a year to get the strength to apply it in life.
May you all keep growing in Dhamma-not only for your good and benefit, not only for your liberation, but also for the good and benefit of so many others, for the liberation of so many others.
Bhavatu sabba mangalam!”
S.N. Goenka
Therefore no effort is more worthwhile for a human being than the exertion of all one’s faculties to take steps on this path."
