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:
Check this link for the latest updates (updated March 2025) on our health and safety policy. As of March 2025, there are no COVID-specific requirements to attend a course at this center.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jun 07 |
Children's Course (ages 8-12) |
Girls - Course Full Boys - Course Full Servers - Open | Claymont |
Children's Course for ages 8-12 |
| Oct 04 |
Teens Course (ages 13-17) |
Applications accepted starting Aug 02 | Claymont |
Teens Course for ages (13-17) |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | May 14 - May 25 | 10-Day | In Progress | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
| Apply | May 25 - Jun 11 |
Spring Dhamma Service Period |
Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jun 11 - Jun 22 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
| Apply | Jun 22 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jun 25 - Jun 29 | 3-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Wait List | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jun 29 - Jul 02 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jul 02 - Jul 13 |
10-Day
English / Mandarin |
Women - Closed Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. Priority will be given to Mandarin-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. Servers of any lanugage are welcome. |
| Apply | Jul 13 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jul 13 - Jul 16 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jul 16 - Jul 27 |
10-Day
English / Nepali |
Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Female Server - Open Male Server - Wait List | Claymont |
For new and old students. Priority will be given to Nepali-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. Servers of any lanugage are welcome. |
| Apply | Jul 27 - Jul 30 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Jul 30 - Aug 10 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Women - Closed Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. Priority will be given to Vietnamese-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. Servers of any lanugage are welcome. |
| Apply | Aug 10 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Aug 10 - Aug 13 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Aug 13 - Aug 24 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
| Apply | Aug 24 - Aug 27 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Aug 27 - Sep 07 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
| Apply | Sep 07 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Sep 07 - Sep 10 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Sep 10 - Oct 01 | 20-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Oct 01 - Oct 08 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 03 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Oct 08 - Oct 19 |
10-Day
English / Burmese |
Applications accepted starting Jun 07 | Claymont |
For new and old students. Priority will be given to Burmese-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. |
|
| Oct 19 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 21 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Oct 19 - Oct 24 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 21 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Oct 25 - Oct 26 | Annual Old Student Gathering | Applications accepted starting Jun 27 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Oct 26 - Oct 29 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 28 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Oct 29 - Nov 09 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 30 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
|
| Nov 09 - Nov 12 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 12 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Nov 12 - Nov 23 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 12 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
|
| Nov 23 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Nov 23 - Nov 26 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Nov 26 - Nov 30 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Nov 30 - Dec 03 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 02 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Dec 03 - Dec 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 02 | Claymont |
For new and old students. |
|
| Dec 14 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 16 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Dec 14 - Dec 17 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 16 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Dec 17 - Dec 28 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 16 | Claymont |
For new and 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 Course Qualification Requirements
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 Course Qualification Requirements
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.
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.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
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.
