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Pāli Workshops
with Adriana Patiño

Goenkaji has underlined the benefit that these Pāli workshops bring: they help meditators get inspired and develop greater understanding of the theoretical aspects of Dhamma. However, these workshops cannot be organized in Vipassana Centers because the centers are dedicated exclusively to the practice of Vipassana; therefore, Old Students of the region have offered a suitable site for this purpose.

The workshop will be taught by Adriana Patiño, Senior Assistant Teacher (Vipassana), who has studied Pāli in Thailand, Vipassana Research Institute (VRI) of India and has attended other workshops under the guidance of her mentor SN Tandon, who encouraged her to deepen her studies of Pāli . This is how Adriana has adopted the Tandonji method, which emphasizes the content of the texts instead of focusing on grammar. During the workshops, participants receive an introduction to the grammar and correct pronunciation of the Pāli, and then concentrate most of their time reading, reciting and understanding the context of the suttas and material of the 10-day courses, such as formalities and the morning chants.

Workshop Format

 

Vipassana meditation is an integral part of this Pāli workshop, which includes three daily group sittings and morning chanting. There will be complete segregation of men and women during the workshop. The daily schedule of activities will be similar to that of a 10-day Vipassana course, however, there will be both study and meditation periods throughout the day. 

Friday, April 5th, 2024

  • 2.00pm - 4.00pm Arrival and registration
  • 5.00pm Dinner
  • 6.00 pm Orientation talk
  • 7.00pm 1 DAY COURSE BEGINS

Saturday April 6th, 2024

  • 4.30 - 6.30 Meditation & chanting
  • 6.30am - 8.00 Breakfast & rest
  • 8.00 - 9.00 Group Sitting
  • 9.15 - 11.00am One day course 
  • 11.00 am Lunch
  • 11.30 - 1.00pm Rest
  • 1.00 - 2.30pm One day course
  • 2.30- 3.30pm Group Meditation
  • 3.30 - 4.00pm Metta Bhavana & Discourse
  • 4.30 - 5.30pm PALI WORKSHOP STARTS
  • 5.30 - 6.30 pm. Dinner
  • 6.30 - 7.30pm Group Meditation
  • 7.45 - 9.00pm Workshop Session II
  • 9.00 - 9.30pm Questions and Answers

Sunday April 7th to Friday April 12th

  • 5.30am to 6.30am Group meditation / morning chanting
  • 8.00 - 9.00am Group Meditation
  • 9.00- 12.00pm Workshop Session I
  • 12.00 - 2.30pm Lunch / Self-study time / Break
  • 2.30- 3.30pm Group Meditation
  • 3.45 - 5.30 Workshop Session II
  • 5.30 - 6.30pm Dinner
  • 6.30 - 7.30pm Group Meditation
  • 7.45-9.00pm Workshop Session III
  • 9.00 - 9.30pm Questions and Answers

Saturday April 13th

  • 5.30am to 6.30am Group meditation / morning chanting
  • 8.00 - 9.00am Group Meditation
  • 9.15- 11.00am Workshop closing session
  • 11.00 - 12.00pm Mettā Bhāvana
  • 12.00 pm Lunch / rest / donations 
  • 2.30- 3.30pm Group Meditation
  • 3.45 - 5.30 Workshop Session II
  • 5.30 - 6.30pm Dinner
  • 6.30 - 7.30pm Group Meditation
  • 7.45-9.00pm Workshop Session III
  • 9.00 - 9.30pm Questions and Answers

Sunday April 14th, 2024

  • 5.30 - 6.30am  morning chanting & final metta
  • 6.30 am Breakfast
  • 7.00 am- 10.00am Final clean up and departure

The Workshop ends

Location

 

Workshop in Malaysia 🇲🇾

Course location: The course will be held at Kuantan, Malaysia.
Pahang Buddhist Association (PBA), Jalan Sungai Lembing, Wan Fo Tien Temple, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, 25200, Malaysia.

Accommodations: We are accepting a maximum of 35 students. Students will stay in 2 big rooms with partitions. There are 10 partitions in each room and 2 to 3 mattresses on the floor in each partition. Female students in one room and male students in another room. There are common bathrooms at one end of each room.

 

Cost: There are no charges for the instruction, textbooks, food, or accommodations. These expenses are met by past donations. Anyone may contribute to our General Pāli workshop fund to help finance future Pāli Workshops. All donations to Pariyatti are tax-deductible in accordance with U.S. tax law.


 

Eligibility

  • Open to all old students of Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka who have completed at least three 10-day courses, served at least one 10-day course, and are trying to maintain their daily practice (if you are close to meeting the criteria and feel the workshop would benefit you, please contact us at pali-workshop@pariyatti.org about the possibility of enrolling). 
  • Please read the Code of Conduct (see tab below) for Pāli workshops carefully before you apply for this workshop.
  • Old students who do not meet the enrollment criteria may also sign up to serve the course.

Code of Conduct

for students and servers

May your Pāli Workshop prove most beneficial to you. With best wishes for success, we offer you the following information. Please read it carefully before coming to the workshop.

The Five Precepts

The Five Precepts are the foundation of the Code of Discipline:
  1. To abstain from killing any being;
  2. To abstain from stealing;
  3. To abstain from sexual misconduct (meaning, at the Pāli Workshop, to abstain from all sexual activity whatsoever);
  4. To abstain from wrong speech;
  5. To abstain from all intoxicants.

These Five Precepts are mandatory for everyone at a Pāli Workshop and must be observed scrupulously at all times. It is expected that those attending or serving a workshop are also trying to seriously maintain the Five Precepts in their daily lives.

Separation of Men and Women

While absolute separation of the sexes is not practical for the students and servers of a Pāli Workshop due to the close living and working conditions, this situation should not be misunderstood as an opportunity for men and women to socialize unnecessarily. This rule is all the more important for couples.

Physical Contact

In order to maintain the pure meditative atmosphere and the introspective nature of the practice, all Pāli students and servers must avoid all physical contact with other students and servers.

Noble Speech

When speaking, servers must practice Right Speech, refraining from:

  1. Speaking lies or anything less than the truth.
  2. Harsh language or rude words. Someone practicing Dhamma should always be polite and soft-spoken.
  3. Slander or backbiting. There should be no criticism of others arising from one’s own negative feelings. A problem should be brought to the attention of the person concerned or to the Pāli workshop teacher or course managers.
  4. Idle gossip, whistling or humming.

Noble Speech is, without a doubt, much more difficult than silence. It is therefore a very important training for anyone following the path of Dhamma.

Personal Appearance

Nothing should be worn which is tight, transparent, gaudy or revealing, or that might attract undue attention (such as shorts, short skirts, tights and leggings, sleeveless or skimpy tops). This attitude of modesty prevails at all times.

Smoking & Intoxicants

It is assumed that one who has accepted Dhamma is no longer involved in the use of intoxicants such as alcohol, hashish, marijuana, and so forth. The use of tobacco in any form is also totally forbidden, indoors or outdoors, either within or outside of the workshop site.

Food

The workshop provides simple, wholesome, vegetarian meals, without subscribing to any particular food philosophy.

Because meals prepared and served at these workshops are completely vegetarian, food containing alcohol or liqueur, eggs or food containing eggs (some baked goods, mayonnaise, etc.), or cheese with animal rennet, may not be brought to the workshop site. In general, any food from outside should be kept to an absolute minimum.

Pāli students and servers observe Five Precepts and may therefore have a meal in the evening if they wish. Fasting is not permitted.

Reading

Study books and course materials will be provided to at the workshop.

Outside Contacts

Plan for being offline and unavailable during the workshop. A contact number is provided for emergencies.

Keeping the Pāli Workshop Site Clean

It is the duty of the Pāli students and servers to help keep the workshop site neat and clean. Besides the kitchen and dining hall, the residences, meditation hall, bathrooms, offices and other areas may need attention. Servers and students should also be prepared, if necessary, to do occasional chores unrelated to food preparation and cleaning.

Dāna

There are no charges at Pāli workshops, either for the teaching, or for board, lodging, or other facilities provided to students.

The teaching of pure Dhamma is always given freely. Food, accommodation and other facilities are offered as gifts made possible by the donations of students of the past. Pāli students and servers can develop their own dāna pāramī by giving donations according to their means, for the benefit of others. These Pāli Workshops are able to operate only by the donations of grateful students.

Upcoming Pāli Workshops

 

Introductory Workshop (English)

April 5 - 14, 2024

Apply

View workshop space availability