My mind has been on Dipa Ma throughout the day—meditating on her fragile physical appearance. Merely a tiny, frail individual dwelling in a simple, small flat in Calcutta. Most people would probably not even register her presence on a busy street. It is remarkable to consider that such a boundless and free inner consciousness could be housed within such an ordinary appearance. Having neither a temple nor a meditation hall, she just had a simple room for guests to sit while she addressed them in her characteristically gentle and lucid tone.
She possessed a deep and direct knowledge of suffering—specifically, a truly debilitating and profound loss. Experiencing widowhood at an early age, battling sickness, and caring for a child through a set of challenges that seem almost impossible to endure. It makes me question how she didn't simply collapse. But she didn't seek an escape from her suffering. She just practiced. She utilized her own pain and fear as the focal points of her awareness. That is a radical idea, in truth—the notion that liberation is not found by abandoning your complicated life but by engaging directly with the center of it.
I suspect many seekers arrived at her home anticipating complex philosophy or esoteric discourse. However, she provided them with remarkably pragmatic guidance. She avoided anything vague or abstract. For her, mindfulness was a living, breathing reality—a state of being to hold while doing chores or walking through the city. Even after completing an incredibly demanding training under Mahāsi Sayādaw to achieve high levels of concentration, she never made it seem like it was exclusive to gifted people. According to her, success came from honesty and not giving up.
I often reflect on the incredible stability she must have possessed. Even as her health declined, her presence remained unwavering. —a state that many have called 'radiant'. Stories tell of her deep perception, monitoring the movements of their consciousness as well as their conversation. Her goal wasn't chỉ để truyền cảm hứng cho người khác; she wanted them to undertake the arduous training. —to observe things appearing and dissolving without any sense of attachment.
It is fascinating to see how many well-known Western instructors visited her during their bắt đầu. They were not seduced by an outgoing or charismatic nature; rather, they found a serene clarity that helped them trust the path here once more. She challenged the belief that one must live as a forest monk to awaken. She provided proof that one can wake up while attending to the dishes and the laundry.
I feel her life serves as an invitation rather than a list of regulations. It makes me look at my own situation—all those obstacles I normally think hinder my practice—and wonder if those challenges are the practice in its truest form. With her petite stature, quiet voice, and simple lifestyle. But the world within her... was something quite remarkable. It motivates me to have more confidence in my own direct experience and stop depending so much on the ideas of others.