ABOUT

Vipassana Hawai‘i strives to promote the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Pali Canon of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. These teachings aim at the happiness of total peace through mindful presence with life as it is unfolding; no part ignored or left out. We aim to preserve these classical teachings through the wise application of them in our modern lives and on the land in our stewardship.

We transmit these practices to our students by developing empathic relationships and responding to the particular conditions of each individual.

By providing a supportive space for sangha activities, we strive to develop mutually beneficial relationships between all members of our community, from the VH Board of Directors to teachers and sangha, from any being affected by our conservation and agricultural projects in Hawai’i to anyone involved in humanitarian programs in Southeast Asia, from immediate to wider community.

Through guidance, training, and personal realization, we hold a vision of the impact of this work over the next seven generations, and charge each new generation to act with a vision for the next seven generations.

Vipassana Hawai’i Core Values

Generosity: Giving support to one another in our lives and practice is the foundation of our organizational goals and support network. The first of the Ten Perfections, the act of generosity has been described as “the gift of universal safety, protecting all beings from the harm of one’s unskillful actions.” (Thanissaro Bikkhu).

Wise Reflection: Action and restraint can be the cause for suffering or the path to peace. The cultivation of wisdom creates an environment of discernment that sees the difference and is ultimately beneficial to all those around us.

Compassion & Loving Kindness: Connecting with ourselves and those around us is the foundation for understanding and tolerance. Through love and compassion we offer the pure wish for peace and happiness and freedom from suffering without regards for compensation or return on investment.

Noble Eightfold Path: The guidelines for peace set forth by the Buddha for engaging with ourselves and the world through careful and considerate action.

Malama Pono: Centered in Hawai’i, we are always guided by two traditional Hawaiian values: Malama ~ to care for and preserve (resources, values), to serve and honor what is worthy of honor; and Pono ~ the sum total of all human virtues and the foundation of moral leadership in goodness.

Aloha ʻĀina: As a place of nurture and refuge extending between ocean and mountain, and inclusive of diverse bioregions of flora and fauna, streams and valley, the ethic of Aloha ʻĀina – love of the land – and the ahupua’a model provide an intimate interrelatedness between people and their surroundings. This serves as the guiding vision for our footprint on the sacred land entrusted to us as we integrate agricultural and conservation programs to sustain our operations and practice.

Seven Generation Sustainability: To support our goals we also look ahead seeking to make decisions that benefit our children seven generations into the future. “Cast not over your shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way of the Great Law which is just and right. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground – the unborn of the future Nation.” – Great Law of the Iroquois