in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule
Center Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English
Dhamma Pubbananda (Joy of the East), is the first urban center in North America. Situated on 13 acres in a quiet residential neighborhood, it is owned and operated by the Mid-Atlantic Vipassana Association. Since its purchase in 2013, it has undergone extensive renovations and we are able to provide 30 of our 60 students with private rooms and en suite bathrooms in addition to a small pagoda with 30 cells. The master plan includes completion of another 30 private rooms and cells as well as a larger Dhamma Hall and Teacher’s residence.
- Access the application form by clicking Apply for the desired course. Old students will be given the option to serve.
- Please carefully read the Introduction to the Technique and Code of Discipline which you will be asked to follow during your course.
- Fully and completely fill out all the sections of application form and submit it. An application is required to register for all courses.
- Await notification. All correspondence will be through e-mail if you give an e-mail address in your application. Due to the large volume of applications, it may take up to two weeks before receiving notification.
- If your application is accepted then we require you to confirm you will be attending in order to secure your place in the course.
Dhamma Pubbananda
2901 Green Street, Claymont, DE 19703, USA
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-556-3882 (202-55-METTA)
Please check your SPAM folder regularly after applying so that you do not miss any important communications regarding your registration.
Courses will open at 8:00 AM EST on the day specified.
Health and Safety Updates:
- Rapid tests are needed (number of tests depends on course).
- Masking and vaccination are optional.
- **Check this link for the latest updates (updated on August 5, 2023) on our health and safety policy. **
- During this time of reduced capacity, we are allowing students to apply to more than one course at this center.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
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Apply | Jun 22 | Children | Closed | Claymont |
Age: 8 yr - 12 yr |
Sep 21 | Children | Applications accepted starting Jul 21 | Ashburn, VA |
Age: 8 yr - 12 yr |
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Sep 22 | Children | Applications accepted starting Jul 21 | Ashburn, VA |
Age: 8 yr - 12 yr |
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Oct 05 | Teen | Applications accepted starting Aug 05 | Claymont |
Age: 13 yr - 17 yr |
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Oct 12 | Teen | Applications accepted starting Aug 12 | Ashburn, VA |
Age: 13 yr - 17 yr |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments | |
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Apply | Jun 12 - Jun 21 |
Satipatthana Sutta
English / Thai |
In Progress | Claymont |
For old students Priority will be given to Thai speaking students |
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Apply | Jun 23 - Jun 26 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jun 26 - Jul 07 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
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Apply | Jul 07 - Jul 10 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jul 10 - Jul 21 |
10-Day
English / Nepali |
Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Wait List | Claymont |
For new and old students.
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Apply | Jul 21 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jul 21 - Jul 24 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jul 24 - Jul 28 | 3-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Wait List Female Server - Open Male Server - Wait List | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jul 28 - Jul 31 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Jul 31 - Aug 11 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Women - Closed Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students.
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Apply | Aug 11 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Aug 11 - Aug 14 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Aug 14 - Aug 25 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
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Aug 25 - Aug 28 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 19 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Aug 28 - Sep 08 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Applications accepted starting Jun 22 | Claymont |
For new and old students.
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Sep 08 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Sep 08 - Sep 11 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Apply | Sep 11 - Oct 02 | 20-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 02 - Oct 09 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 03 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 09 - Oct 20 |
10-Day |
Applications accepted starting Jun 29 | Claymont |
For new and old students. Priority will be given to students and servers with Black heritage. Please identify your heritage on your application. Others will initially be placed on a waiting list and may be accepted on a space-available basis. |
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Oct 20 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 10 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 20 - Oct 30 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 10 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 26 - Oct 27 |
Trust Workshop |
Applications accepted starting Jul 16 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 27 - Oct 30 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 17 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Oct 30 - Nov 10 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 20 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
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Nov 10 - Nov 13 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 24 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Nov 13 - Nov 17 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 27 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Nov 17 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 31 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Nov 17 - Nov 20 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 31 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Nov 20 - Nov 29 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Aug 03 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Nov 29 - Dec 04 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 07 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Dec 04 - Dec 15 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 10 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
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Dec 15 - Dec 18 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 14 | Claymont |
For old students |
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Dec 18 - Dec 29 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 17 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
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Dec 29 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 28 | Claymont |
For old students |
The online application form encrypts your information before it is sent from your computer to our application server. However, it may not be totally secure even though encryption is used. If you are concerned about the possibility of security risks of your confidential information while it is on the Internet, do not use this form and instead download an application. Print and complete it. Then please send the form to the course organizers. By faxing or posting your application form it may delay the registration process by one to two weeks.
To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://pubbananda.dhamma.org/os. A user name and password will be required to access these pages.
Questions may be addressed to Email: [email protected]
All courses are run solely on a donation basis. All expenses are met by donations from those who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the same opportunity. Neither the Teacher nor the assistant teachers receive remuneration; they and those who serve the courses volunteer their time. Thus Vipassana is offered free from commercialisation.
Old students are those who have completed a 10-day Vipassana Meditation course with S.N. Goenka or his Assistant Teachers. Old students have the opportunity to provide Dhamma Service at the courses listed.
Bilingual courses are courses which are taught in two languages. All students will hear daily meditation instructions in both languages. The evening discourses will be heard separately.
Meditation courses are held at both center and non-center locations. Meditation centers are dedicated facilities where courses are held regularly throughout the year. Before meditation centers were established in this tradition, all courses were held at temporary sites, such as campgrounds, religious retreat centers, churches and the like. Today, in regions where centers have not yet been established by local students of Vipassana who live in the area, 10 Day meditation courses are held at non-center course sites.
10-day Courses are an introductory course to Vipassana Meditation where the technique is taught step-by-step each day. The courses begin after a 2 - 4 pm registration period and orientation, followed by 10 full days of meditation, and end the morning of the 11th day by 7:30 am.
Children's Courses are open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. Their parents/guardians do not have to be meditators.
Teenagers' Anapana Courses are available for teens in different age ranges from 13-18 years old. Their parents/guardians do not have to be Vipassana meditators.
Old Student Short Courses (1-3 days) are for any student who has completed the 10-day course with S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers. All old students are welcome to apply to attend these courses, including those where it has been some time since their last course.
Old Student Programs are similar to Service Periods where there is time to work on a variety of Centre maintenance, construction, household and gardening projects, but have a more full and structured program, an opportunity to meet with assistant teachers, and possibly committee and trust meetings. All Old Students are welcome to participate. The daily program will include three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods and in the evening there will be tapes played of special discourses and talks that S.N. Goenka has given to Old Students.
Satipatthana Sutta Courses have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day courses. The difference is that in the taped evening discourses the Satipatthana Sutta is carefully examined. This is the principal text in which the technique of Vipassana is systematically explained. These courses are open to serious old students who have sat (not including courses served) at least three 10-day courses, have not been practising any other meditation techniques since last 10-day course, have been practising this technique of Vipassana for at least one year, and who are trying to maintain their meditation practice and the five precepts in their daily lives, at the very minimum from the time of applying to the course.
Service Periods have been set aside to work on a variety of Centre maintenance, construction, household and gardening projects. All Old Students are welcome to apply. The daily program will include three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. On selected evenings, there will be tapes played of special discourses and talks that S.N. Goenka has given to Old Students.
20-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses , one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.