Dhamma Sarana

Dhamma Sarana, which in the ancient Pali language means "Refuge of Dhamma", is one of over 200 Vipassana Meditation Centers worldwide as taught by S. N. Goenka in the tradition of U Ba Khin. The Center is 45 km from the center of São Paulo, in the municipality of Santana de Parnaíba. The place is surrounded by native vegetation, which provides isolation and a peaceful atmosphere, suitable for teaching and progressing in Vipassana Meditation. Vipassana, which means seeing things as they really are, is one of the oldest meditation techniques in India. It was rediscovered by Guatama, the Buddha, over 2500 years ago and was taught as a remedy for universal diseases, that is, an "Art of Living". This non-sectarian technique aims at the total eradication of mental defilements and the resultant highest happiness of complete liberation. The technique is taught in ten-day residential courses, during which participants follow a strict Code of Discipline, learn the fundamentals of the method, and practice long enough to experience its beneficial results.