(The following is adapted from Goenkaji’s opening address at the Annual Meeting at Dhamma Giri on January 16, 1994.)

All of us are sons and daughters of the Buddha. We have inherited from him compassion for others, to help them to come out of their misery. The one and only aim of a Dhamma server, a Dhamma manager or a Dhamma teacher is to help more and more suffering people to come out of their misery. We are paid back for all our efforts when we see others coming out of their misery, and we feel joyful.

We are not spreading Dhamma to make a sect out of it-such madness should never come in the mind. Buddha gave Dhamma for the individual to come out of misery, not to establish a sect. A person may call oneself by any name or belong to any community, colour or gender, this is not our concern. We should think, "He or she is a miserable person. How can I help them come out of misery?" This is all, nothing else.

I would like to emphasize two things. The first is to sow the seed of Dhamma in the coming generation. Here is a generation whose minds are very fertile. If we sow the seed of Vipassana Dhamma at a young age, we are preparing these children to live a happy, peaceful life, a good human life. Children are not bound by attachment to rites, rituals or philosophical beliefs. They should be given pure Dhamma at this age. We have to give more and more children’s courses. Secondly, anyone who is giving any kind of service, whether a Dhamma teacher or server, is a representative of Dhamma.

You are sons and daughters of the Buddha, and so, you have a great responsibility. If someone points the way, before taking that path, people will look at the finger pointing. If it is dirty, stained with blood, people will hesitate. You are serving so that people can take Dhamma’s way. Your way of life and your behaviour with people should be very clean. This alone will inspire others to walk on this path. Again and again a Dhamma server, a Dhamma trustee, a Dhamma teacher, has to keep examining oneself: "Have I done anything wrong? If so, I must rectify it. I must amend myself.

Even as a normal human being, it is in my interest to rectify myself. But now that I represent Dhamma it is all the more important that I rectify myself." All of you must examine yourselves: "In performing my duty, what mistakes have I made?" "I made this mistake-I spoke rudely to somebody. My words were very harsh." Or, "I was angry. I had no love or compassion while serving." Or any other mistake. First accept it, and then make a strong decision that in future it should not happen again. It is true that you are not yet fully liberated from all impurities; they keep arising.

But be very careful not to allow them to overpower you, especially when you are serving people in Dhamma. When you accept a mistake, it is like taking the lid off-you stop suppressing the wrong you have done. Another great advantage is that the more you accept your mistake open-heartedly, your ego will start deflating. If you keep your mistakes secret, you are helping your ego to inflate; you are harming yourself and harming Dhamma. This is not good for you. So, accept your mistake and take a strong decision that in future this will not happen again. This will help you to come out of ego and to learn how to serve in a humble way. This is anattā-egolessness. By this, we are not instituting a rite or ritual; rather, it is a healthy process of cleansing.

Dhamma work means cleaning oneself and helping others to learn how to clean themselves. I am sure all of you here are giving your time, energy and service to help others, not to inflate your egos. Dhamma will spread. No force in the world can stop it from spreading. As Sayagyi used to say, "The clock of Vipassana has now struck." We are fortunate to be tools of Dhamma with a wonderful opportunity to develop pāramīs for our own liberation.

We must be very grateful to all those people who come to take Dhamma because they are giving us an opportunity to develop our dāna pāramī. The dāna of Dhamma is the best dāna. Make proper use of this opportunity.

May all of you grow in Dhamma. May all of you glow in Dhamma. You are Dhamma’s representatives; let people be attracted by your service. May this year bring more and more people to the path of Dhamma. May this year help more and more people to come out of their misery. May many more people come out of their misery. May Dhamma spread. May all be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ.