Long-Term Service

Overview

Giving Dhamma service is one of the most valuable experiences a student of Vipassana can have. Not only is it rewarding to know that you have helped others to taste the nectar of Dhamma, but it also is a wonderful source of growth and strength for your own meditation practice.

Long-term Dhamma service is for those who wish to develop their paramis by serving for longer periods of time. It gives students the opportunity to bring depth and maturity to their meditation practice by integrating what they have learned during courses and applying it while serving. Students will learn to serve properly with an attitude of humility and renunciation. Long-term service is intended for students who are able to work hard in a surrendered and co-operative way, and who are eager to learn how best to serve in this unique Dhamma environment. This extended period of service provides a great opportunity to deepen one’s practice as well as helping the center to run smoothly.

As a long-term server, you will begin your stay by being involved directly with serving courses, either as a kitchen worker or course manager. As you become more familiar with the center you may be asked to take on more responsibility by getting involved with the committee structure and general operations of the center.

There are two Long Term Service programs at VMC

Our Sit-Serve program allows students to be in residence for a number of months, participating in courses as a student and as a server, with a greater emphasis on serving. Students may serve two courses, then sit one course and then serve again, depending on the length and type of courses and how well each long-term server is integrating their experience. Assistant Teachers will be available to discuss servers’ development in Dhamma and the integration of their practice. To qualify for this program, a student must first sit and then serve a course at Dhamma Dharā.

Our Off-Site Long Term Service program is for students who can commit to 6 months or longer of service to the center. Here students live in our long-term servers’ residences outside the course compound and serve as members of the Center Management Team. On the Center Management Team servers may be involved in tasks relating to the kitchen, registration, maintenance, construction management, administration, the dhamma-service committee, or the household committee. Long term servers have the option of sitting and serving courses periodically and meet regulary with assistant teachers to discuss their practice and development in dhamma. The Off-site Long-term service program is open to students who have completed at least a three month sit-serve and who are exclusively practicing this technique of meditation and maintaining the five precepts in daily life.

FAQ

Who is eligible to give Long Term Service?

Any old student who has consecutively sat and served a course at Dhamma Dhara may apply to give long-term service. It is important for students who apply for long-term Service to understand that staying at the center for an extended period of time is to serve others and at the same time strengthen their own practice. It should not be simply because they have no other place to go or as a place to stay while conducting their personal affairs.

How long can an old student stay at the center?

Old Students can stay at the center for time periods ranging from a few courses to several months. Sit-servers meet with assistant teachers after every sit or serve to discuss their practice and time at the center. In coordination with local assistant teachers and the center management, sit-servers can shorten or extend their stay at any time.

An off-site long-term server is required to make a commitment of at least 6 months. These long-term servers are involved in every aspect of the center’s functioning, and can arrange days and time off around their center responsibilities.

What is the course and daily sitting schedule for a Long Term Server?

Sit-Servers in residence at VMC serve actively on courses and sit at least three group sittings a day. They will usually serve two to three courses, then sit one, and then serve again, thus sitting a course every month and a half to two months. Off-site long-term servers are expected to sit a minimum of two hours daily, with one of their sittings at the center on service days. They sit a course every three or four months. Schedules for both types of servers are determined in discussion with center management and staff committee.

Do Long Term Servers follow the same guidelines as a regular course server?

Everyone who is serving at the center must follow the guidelines as stated in the Code of Conduct for Dhamma Workers. It is especially important for long-term servers to understand and follow these guidelines because they have more responsibility and serve as an example to other servers. Maintaining sila, as outlined in the Code of Conduct, is of utmost importance.

Do Long Term Servers get time off from the center?

It is important for someone staying longer at the center to have some down time and days off to tend to personal business and relax off the center grounds. If one is involved directly with serving on courses, then days off are scheduled between courses. For off-site long-term servers time off can be more flexible, depending on his/her responsibilities. Off-Site long-term servers will discuss time off with the center management team.

What are the accommodations for a Long Term Server?

Those participating in the Sit/Serve program are accommodated in the servers’ accommodations at the center. Those in the Off-Site program are accommodated in one of a few nearby accommodations owned or rented by the center.

Guidelines

The center is a special place where those resident do their utmost to preserve the unique meditative atmosphere. It is not a place to come to escape from worldly responsibilities or because one has nowhere else to go. It is a place of renunciation and celibacy where a student of Vipassana has a wonderful opportunity to grow in Dhamma. Dhamma service has enormous benefits for those who give it as well as those who receive. May more and more people share these benefits and come out of their suffering.

Long-term servers will follow the regular Code of Conduct for Dhamma servers. They are also expected to observe the following additional points:

Sit/Serve Server Guidelines

• Five Precepts: Long-term servers must observe the five precepts for the complete duration of their stay, not only while resident on Dhamma property but also during break periods away from the center. During their period of service they should be celibate or in a committed relationship.
• Daily practice: They must sit the three group sittings daily and attend server’s Metta (when an assistant teacher is present). Lights out at 10pm.
• Facilities: Servers will stay in server accommodation on the course compound.
• Meals: Meals are provided at the center.
• Meeting with assistant teachers: Once a month, all long-term servers will have a face-to-face interview with an AT, to review their practice and integration into service. They are welcome to contact the assistant teacher at any time during their service.
• Sitting courses: Long-term servers must sit a course at least once every three months. They may be able to sit more if there are enough servers for each course. The purpose of their extended stay at the center is to grow in Dhamma by serving and sitting.
• Serving courses: While serving on courses long-term servers should put aside their previous daily routines, give full attention to the course and remain on site. Non-urgent personal business should be attended to after the course.
• Between courses: In addition to serving on courses, there is a great deal of work to be done to keep the center running smoothly. The center management will delegate work, and long-term servers will sometimes be asked to take on more responsibility and supervise the work in certain areas.
• Time Off: The purpose of staying for an extended time at Dhamma Dhara is to serve. However we understand that some time off is necessary to relax more and to take care of any personal business. Servers may take off one days a week when not serving courses. This will be arranged in advance and in consultation with the center management, who must ensure there are always enough servers on duty at any time. If servers need longer time to visit family or take care of personal business thent his can be arranged with center management.
• Leisure time: During their days off, long-term servers may stay at the center and rest, or they may leave the center for the day or evening. When going out from the center servers should be mindful that they will be returning directly to Dhamma land, and so any activity they do should be compatible with this. It is inappropriate to visit places that actively encourage people to break sila, such as bars. Avoid going to movies with content of an explicit sexual nature or excessive gratuitous violence.
• Reading materials: Servers will have full access to the library of Dhamma books. Current affairs newspapers and magazines may be read in the server common rooms only. Other reading material is not appropriate at the center.
• Segregation of sexes: To protect and preserve the strong Dhamma atmosphere of the center, strict segregation of sexes must be maintained at all times, both during and between courses. There are separate accommodations for men and women as well as separate dining areas. Dhamma servers must be very careful to treat those of the opposite sex as their brothers or sisters. While Dhamma partnerships are not discouraged, the center is not a place to develop them. Therefore, if two servers find themselves attracted to one another and want to pursue a relationship, one or both should not continue in the long-term server program. Meet with an assistant teacher for guidance if this situation arises.
• Use of Center property: As a Dhamma worker, one lives the life of a renunciate. The center will provide the basic requirements of food and shelter; other expenses are the responsibility of the servers themselves. Dhamma servers should take care not to appropriate center property for their own use without permission.
• Pets: No pets are allowed on center property.
• Stipend: This is not a stipended position and no health insurance is provided.
• The center reserves the option to ask a student to leave at any time if their long-term service is not meeting the student’s or the center’s needs.

Off-Site Long-Term Server Guidlines

• Five Precepts: Long-term servers must observe the five precepts for the complete duration of their stay, not only while resident on Dhamma property but also during break periods away from the center. During their period of service they should be celibate or in a committed relationship.
• Daily practice: They must sit two group sittings daily, with one sitting at the center (except on days off).
• Facilities: Housing off the course compound will be provided to long-term servers. While these accommodations are not necessarily on center property, they are provided by the center and are therefore considered Dhamma land. Gender segregation should be observed at all times. Common areas will be furnished by VMC, not by servers, unless approved by the management. Long-term servers may furnish their own bedrooms. Twin beds are provided. Servers may watch television, keeping in mind that the content should not be gratuitously violent or sexual in nature. Heat, electricity and basic phone service are paid by the center. Any long distance charges are the responsibility of the server.
• Meals: Long-term servers can eat at the center while serving and can take some food from the center for days off and dinners at home. Long-term servers may not prepare meat, fish or poultry at the long-term servers’ quarters; eggs are okay.
• Meeting with assistant teachers: Once a month, long-term servers will have a face-to-face interview with an AT, to review their practice and integration into service. They are welcome to contact the assistant teacher at any time during their service.
• Sitting courses: Long-term servers must sit a course at least once every three or four months. They may be able to sit more if there are enough servers for each course and coverage for any jobs they are assigned. However, they should understand that their main focus is service.
• Serving courses: While serving on courses long-term servers should put aside their previous daily routines, give full attention to the course and remain on site. Non-urgent personal business should be attended to after the course.
• Between courses: In addition to serving on courses, there is a great deal of work to be done to keep the center running smoothly. The center management will delegate work, and long-term servers will sometimes be asked to take on more responsibility and supervise the work in certain areas. Long-term servers are invited and encouraged to join one of the committees that manage the center.
• Time Off: Long-term servers should schedule regular time off, normally two days a week when not serving courses. This will be arranged in advance and in consultation with the center management, who ensure there are always enough servers on duty at any time.
• Leisure time: When going out from the center servers should be mindful that they will be returning directly to Dhamma land, and so any activity they do should be compatible with this. It is inappropriate to visit places that actively encourage people to break sila, such as bars. Avoid going to movies with content of an explicit sexual nature or excessive gratuitous violence.
• Segregation of sexes: To protect and preserve the strong Dhamma atmosphere of the center, strict segregation of sexes must be maintained at all times, both during and between courses. While accommodations are not necessarily on center property, they are still considered Dhamma land and gender segregation should be observed at all times. Dhamma servers must be very careful to treat those of the opposite sex as their brothers or sisters. While Dhamma partnerships are not discouraged, the center is not a place to develop them. Therefore, if two long-term servers find themselves attracted to one another and want to pursue a relationship, then one or the other should not continue in the long-term server program. Meet with an assistant teacher if this situation arises.
• Use of Center property: As a Dhamma worker, one lives the life of a renunciate. The center will provide the basic requirements of food and shelter; other expenses are the responsibility of the servers themselves. Dhamma servers should take care not to appropriate center property for their own use without permission.
• Pets: No pets are allowed on center property.
• Guests: No overnight guests unless cleared with staff committee advisors.
• Stipend: This is not a stipended position and no health insurance is provided.
• The center reserves the option to ask a student to leave at any time if their long-term service is not meeting the student’s or center’s needs.

Application

You can download and fill out a long-term server application here.