[ANNUAL MEETING: DHAMMA GIRI JANUARY 10, 1998 CLOSING ADDRESS]
My dear Dhamma sons and Dhamma daughters:
You have been discussing the future and you must have made good plans. But the main thing I see is the centenary of Sayagyi next year.
Make best use of these two years to generate awareness of Vipassana around the world. At least people should know that there is such a technique which gives concrete results. This message should go out. It is for you to think over the best way you can do this. Commercial publicity should not be used that is harmful. Every step of this work of ours must be full of Dhamma, nothing should go against Dhamma. I am sure we will be successful; Dhamma will help us.
Everyone who is given any responsibility should be careful to think, I have been given this responsibility am I developing any kind of attachment to it? If you are developing attachment to the task that is given you, then you are not progressing in Dhamma. You are creating a barrier for your progress. Keep a detached attitude, thinking, I have this responsibility, so I do this. Tomorrow there may be another responsibility, and yes, I will do that. There should not be a feeling, That responsibility was big, this is small; or, That was small, this is big. Instead think, whatever responsibility is given, I will work in a detached way. Then you are progressing, the mission is progressing.
The moment you develop any kind of attachment, your ego becomes strong, and all your behaviour will be harmful. Then you will start talking in a rough manner with people out of your arrogance, out of your ego. That means you are harming yourself and you are harming the whole mission. So with that in mind, everyone has to be very careful. Ask yourself, How am I dealing with people? How am I serving people? Is my ego getting stronger with this responsibility? Or you may find, My ego is not there and I am just serving for the sake of serving so that others get the maximum benefit. Keep only that one point in mind, and Dhamma will spread. Definitely Dhamma will spread.
May all of you earn more and more paramis by serving people and serving yourselves, and reach the final goal. And see that these two years are years of Dhamma spreading, at least so that people become aware of Vipassana.
May more and more suffering people come in contact with Dhamma and come out of their misery.
May all beings come in contact with Dhamma and come out of their misery.
Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ