Development Project

The second Vipassana center in Taiwan was set up in January 2008 at Liouguei, Kaohsiung, and was named Dhamma Vikasa by Goenkaji, meaning “Progress in Dhamma.” To fulfill his sincere wishes, the long-term goal of Dhamma Vikasa is to provide an ideal environment where old students from all over the world can practice more intensively in long courses for 20 days and above.

In order to maintain Dhamma in its pristine purity, all Vipassana centers in the tradition of S. N. Goenka around the world are run solely on a donation basis. Donations are accepted only from those who have completed at least one ten-day Vipassana course, and no commercial activities are allowed. Thus only old students can contribute to the development of Dhamma Vikasa, growing in the pāramī of dāna in the process. As there is no financial support from big corporations or major foundations, the development plan of Dhamma Vikasa is divided into three phases for practical purposes.

Phase I of development with a cost of 45 million NT dollars was started in May 2010, and completed in mid-2010. A ten-day course was given at Dhamma Vikasa in July 2010, and the first twenty-day course in Taiwan followed shortly after. Phase II and III are ongoing, with a cost of about 80 million for each phase. After completion of Phase III, the center will have a capacity of 40 male students, 80 female students, and 30 Dhamma workers.

During the planning phase of Dhamma Vikasa, Mr. Singh from India was invited here to inspect the site and give advices. As a senior Vipassana teacher who spearheaded the designs of more than 20 Vipassana centers in India and elsewhere, he was deeply impressed by the site, which is located in a high plateau and surrounded by majestic mountains. He envisioned an ideal Vipassana long-course center here, with single en-suite accommodation and individual cells, as the fresh air and tranquil environment here are most conducive to the practice of Vipassana meditation. Old students here have taken his advices to heart when planning the development of Dhamma Vikasa, and strive to realize the Progress in Dhamma for the benefits of all meditators to come.