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 | Sep 26 | Children / Teens | Open | Lexington, VA |
Age: 8-15 years |
| Apply | Oct 17 | Children | Girls - Wait List Boys - Wait List Servers - Open | Ashburn, VA |
Children's course for ages 8-12. |
| Apply | Oct 18 | Teen | Girls - Wait List Boys - Short Wait List Servers - Open | Ashburn, VA |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 09 - Sep 30 | 20-Day | In Progress | Claymont |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| Apply | Sep 30 - Oct 07 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 07 - Oct 18 |
10-Day
English / Burmese |
Women - Long Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Short Wait List | Claymont |
Course is full for non-Burmese speaking students. Burmese speaking students may still apply Servers of any language are welcome |
| Apply | Oct 18 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 18 - Oct 28 |
Fall Dhamma Service Period |
Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 24 - Oct 25 |
Annual Old Student Gathering |
New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 28 - Nov 08 |
10-Day
English / Mandarin |
New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Women - Short Wait List Servers - Men - Open | Claymont |
Urgent need for Male Servers. Part-time and Servers of any language are welcome. For new and old students. Priority to sit will be given to Mandarin-speaking students who are not fluent in English. |
| Apply | Nov 08 - Nov 11 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 11 - Nov 22 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Short Wait List Servers - Open | Claymont | |
| Apply | Nov 22 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 22 - Nov 25 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 25 - Nov 29 | 3-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 29 - Dec 02 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Dec 02 - Dec 13 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 13 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Dec 13 - Dec 16 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Claymont |
For old students |
| Apply | Dec 16 - Dec 27 | 10-Day | Open | Claymont |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 01 - Jan 10 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Oct 03 | Claymont |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| Jan 10 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 11 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Jan 13 - Jan 24 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 15 | Claymont | ||
| Jan 27 - Feb 07 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 29 | Claymont | ||
| Feb 07 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 08 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Feb 10 - Feb 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 12 | Claymont | ||
| Feb 24 - Feb 28 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 26 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Mar 03 - Mar 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 03 | Claymont | ||
| Mar 14 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Feb 12 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Mar 17 - Mar 28 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 17 | Claymont | ||
| Mar 31 - Apr 11 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 31 | Claymont | ||
| Apr 11 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 12 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Apr 14 - Apr 25 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 14 | Claymont | ||
| Apr 28 - May 09 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 28 | Claymont | ||
| May 09 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 09 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| May 12 - May 23 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Feb 11 | Claymont | ||
| Jun 07 - Jun 18 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 09 | Claymont | ||
| Jun 23 - Jun 27 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 25 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Jun 27 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting May 28 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Jun 30 - Jul 11 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Applications accepted starting Apr 01 | Claymont |
Priority to sit is given to students who speak Khmer. Others will be initially waitlisted Servers of any language are welcome |
|
| Jul 14 - Jul 25 |
10-Day Black Heritage Course |
Applications accepted starting Apr 15 | Claymont |
Priority consideration will be extended to applicants who identify as having Black heritage. |
|
| Jul 28 - Aug 08 |
10-Day
English / Nepali |
Applications accepted starting Apr 29 | Claymont |
For this bi-lingual course priority to sit is given to students who speak Nepali. Others will be initially waitlisted. Servers of any language are welcome |
|
| Aug 25 - Sep 05 |
10-Day
English / Burmese |
Applications accepted starting May 27 | Claymont |
|
|
| Sep 19 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 20 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Sep 29 - Oct 10 |
10-Day
English / Spanish |
Applications accepted starting Jul 01 | Claymont |
Priority to sit is given to students who speak Spanish. Others will be initially waitlisted. Servers of any language are welcome |
|
| Oct 10 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 11 | Claymont |
For old students |
|
| Nov 10 - Nov 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 12 | Claymont |
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 Anapana Courses are generally open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. However there are local variations in age range, so please check the schedule.
Teenagers' Anapana Courses are generally open for all teenagers aged 13-18 years old who wish to learn to meditate. However, there are local variations in age range. In India and a few other countries there are also 7-day Vipassana courses for older teenagers. Please check the schedule for details.
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.
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.
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.
