Foreword To Third Edition

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw had delivered a discourse on VIPASSANA (Spiritual Insight) at the Yangon University Dhamma Hall on 24 April 1974, was captured on tape and U Oo Khaing ( an ex -engineer of Yangon City Municipal, Building Department) transferred from tape recording to become a manuscript.

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw had added and enhanced the manuscript without changing its essence of the words and granted Saddhamma Pala Vipassana Propagating Society of Seikhun Village in Shwebo Township the copyright permission to publish.

In October 1977, Saddhamma Pala Vipassana Propagating Society of Seikhun Village in Shwebo Township had first printed and published the Takkasilla Vipassana Sermon delivered by the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw in Myanmar version. Since then this book had been published up to 7 impressions. The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw upon being pleaded considered to set out locally or overseas according to occasion and situation on Buddhist missions.

Those suttas delivered by Sayadaw had been published locally in Myanmar version. However, being required to be published in English version, Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization has made a plea to The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw for a permission to translate into English version and publish for foreign Yogis. A meeting was called in November 1978, discussed with elder scholars and published 40 different titles.

In this book Yogis can learn that The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw delivered comparison with 11 scientific examples for discourse to be in accordance with the title Thakkailla Vipassana Discourse, by means of grasping the significant conceptions of SattiSutta, BandekaraattaSutta, SatipatthanaSutta etc. neatly, accurately, profoundly, and pleasantly made it with absolute smoothness, essence, and ideal to see the technique.

Also, since the discourse was to deliver in the environment of the literati, either Vipassna concern or technique of observing Vipassana, it was made clear, perfect and pleasantly depicting in meaningful verses for easy to memorize and increase knowledge.

A country without university education will be lost its face and be poverty-stricken in the word. Likewise those who do not yet practice Vipassana and do not have superior intelligent shall miserably wander around in Samsara. The majority have accepted that Dhamma is in a vanguard of a spiritual purity and lead a peaceful sector of mind. It can also be named a leading Vipassana vade mecum as The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw made pursuant to Pali, Atthakatha, tika to achieve enlightenment.

Takkasilla Vipassana Dhamma had been translated from Myanmar into English by Dr. Ko Gyi under the title VIPASSANA (Spiritual Insight) and published for the first time in April, 1982. Second impression followed in 1994 December. English version couldn’t have been published for 21 years since then and are shortage of its copies.

Therefore, the English version of discourses delivered by The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw for Yogis who have finished practicing or are presently meditating in Mahasi Vipassana Yeikthas locally and overseas, we, Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization publishes for a purpose of filling the need for the Yogis, who desire to read. May all Yogis and friends of Dhamma read this Takkasilla Vipassana Sermon and practice Kaya, Vedana, Citta, Satipatthana Dhamma to reach the stage of Magga and Phala fast.

May every creature sees Dhamma and be peaceful.

Dr. Tint Soe Lin

President

Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization

Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha

Yangon

August, 2015

Vipassana (Spiritual insight)

This copy is Third Edition published in October 2015 in which the grammar, punctuations and spellings of English words were corrected during June 2019 for the next Edition.

(1) English words corrected by “Microsoft Words” in computer by Ma Soe Soe on 4.6.2019 and checked by U Khin Maung Oo on 19.6.2019 and 23.6.2019.

(2) Pali words re-checked by -------------------------.

Note; the words in red are not to be uploaded in the website.