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Drifting Through Samsara
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 Drifting Through
Samsara
Tacit Conversion and Disengagement in
Goenka’s Vipassana Movement

M A S OUM E H R A H M A N I

1
 3
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Library of Congress Cataloging-​in-​Publication Data

Names: Rahmani, Masoumeh, author.
Title: Drifting through Samsara : tacit conversion and disengagement in
Goenka’s Vipassana movement / Masoumeh Rahmani.
Description: 1. | New York : Oxford University Press, 2022. |
Series: Aar Academy series | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021022664 (print) | LCCN 2021022665 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780197579961 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780197579985 (epub) | ISBN 9780197579992
Subjects: LCSH: Vipaśyanā (Buddhism) | Conversion—Buddhism.
Classification: LCC BQ 5630 . V5 R34 2021 (print) | LCC BQ5630 . V5 (ebook) |
DDC 294.3/4435—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021022664
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021022665

DOI: 10.1093/​oso/​9780197579961.001.0001

1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed by Integrated Books International, United States of America
 Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the twenty-​six men and

women who graciously allowed me into their worlds. I thank you for your
contribution to this research and wish to remind you that I do not intend to
disrespect or reduce the complexity of your outlooks by glancing at your nar-
ratives through an etic lens.
I would also like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to my
mentors, whose wisdom has expanded my horizon in a gamut of ways. Will
Sweetman, your unbounded support and patience has enabled me to carve
a toehold within academia; thank you for trusting me. Ben Schonthal, you
are gold; thank you for your stimulating comments. Ruth Fitzgerald, this
research would not have been completed without your generous advice;
thank you for uplifting my thoughts. I thank the late Cyril Schäfer, whose
insights continue to colour my imagination. Miguel Farias, I am immensely
grateful to you for pushing me to publish this book. I especially appreciate
it given that you were my boss at the time and I could have done other work
for you.
I am grateful to the University of Otago for providing me with the schol-
arship, resources, and the opportunity to undertake this study and to experi-
ence this corner of the world. I am thankful to Elizabeth Guthrie and Murray
Rae who supported me during my time at Otago and to Henri Gooren,
Margaret Kamitsuka, and my colleagues in the Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington who in various ways en-
abled the production of this book. I take this chance to express a wealth of
gratitude to my B.A. professors, Denise Cush, Catherine Robinson, Mahinda
Deegallee, Paul Reid-​Bowen, and Jo Backus for shaping my career. I admire
your enthusiasm for the subject matter and feel privileged to have grown
under your guidance.
A special word of thanks to my family, friends, and colleagues for their
continuous support: Farhad Rahmani, Lizzie Bisley, Azadeh Akhavan,
vi Acknowledgements

Firooz and Joanne Sefre, Anthony Stumbo, Aaron Korpal, Parul Dixit, Linda
Zampol D’Ortia, Greg Faulks, and my dearest Catherine Naughtie.
I dedicate this book to my father, Mohsen Rahmani, who had selflessly
endured every inch of the 9,248 miles between us so that I could embark on
a life-​changing journey to New Zealand; thank you for being the source of
light and warmth in my life.
 Figures

I.1 Aerial view of Dhamma Medini 10

I.2 Female dorms, a view from the entrance to the meditation hall 11
I.3 The meditation hall at Dhamma Medini 12
I.4 Participants’ definition of religion and spirituality 18
I.5 Disengagement terminology and pathways 21
1.1 Gooren’s (2010) conversion career model 44
1.2 Map of participants’ subcultures 46
1.3 Participants’ positionality across Gooren’s original model 57
3.1 Pragmatic leavers’ pathways 120
4.1 Disaffiliated participants’ pathway 148
5.1 Disaffiliation trajectories and narrative plots 173
6.1 Expanding Gooren’s model to include deconversion 195
A Note on Terminology and Transcription

In order to ease reading, the Pali terms used in this book are not spelled with
diacritical marks and do not appear in italics.
The analysis presented in this book involves a great deal of interpret­
ation: taking account of the social, cultural, and institutional orientations of
the narrators and the researcher (myself); the power dynamics between the
two; and the structure and form of the language and the context of the inter-
view. The reader should be forewarned that my analytical lens often shifts
between a structural and thematic reading of the narratives. In the sections
where the analysis is hinged primarily at a thematic level, I have been
more conservative with the use of transcription symbols to ease reading.
Nonetheless, all interview excerpts follow my conventions of transcription,
most notably, my unorthodox use of punctuation and capitalization and the
inclusion of false starts, grammatical errors, and other non-​verbal commu-
nicative behaviour. This approach safeguards the reader from the danger of
reading the excerpts simply for content (Riessman, 2002) or losing sight of
an important facet of the spoken language, namely, the presupposition that
individuals form coherent language and must therefore have coherent inten-
tions (Stromberg, 1993). On the other hand, the transcriptions are more nu-
anced in sections where a combination of thematic and structural narrative
analysis takes place. It is therefore essential for the reader to study the con-
ventions of transcription to engage with the material at an appropriate depth.
As I understand it, narrative analysis is like learning a new language; the con-
ventions of transcriptions are its alphabet; it is like looking at a piece of sheet
music and hearing the song in your head.
 Conventions of Transcription

[p]‌Indicates pause of one second or longer

[l]‌Indicates laughter
[g]‌Indicates giggle; laughing lightly
[in] Indicates loud inhale
[ex] Indicates loud exhale
[c]‌Indicates cough
[vf>] Indicates voice fading from this marker onwards
[vc] Indicates voice changing from this marker onwards; or adopting an ac-
cent to signal a quote
[ntch] Indicates the single sound of ‘tut’ or ‘tsk’ formed by suction against the
back of the front teeth
(?*) Bounds uncertain transcription
| | Bounds simultaneous utterances
yk Is the abbreviation of ‘you know’
Underlining indicates sentences that are significant to the analysis.
Commas indicate break in speech and are not used in their grammat-
ical sense.
Capitalised letters indicate emphasis and do not follow grammatical
conventions.
The initial S. stands for Sara, the author’s preferred name and indicates the
author’s dialogue.
 Introduction

Vipassana meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka inhabits a niche in the life of

many individuals who desire fulfilment through self-​transformation, yet who
also wish to keep religious traditions at arm’s length. Goenka has achieved
global popularity by divorcing his teachings of Vipassana meditation from
its foundations in Theravada Buddhism and refashioning them in a scientific
and world-​affirming language. People from various walks of life find them-
selves in the unique environment of ten-​day silent meditation courses where
they are asked to disconnect from the external world, commit to a strict code
of conduct, and meditate for ten hours per day. While some people are con-
tent to experience this novelty once and move on, others become committed
meditators, advance to longer courses, and shape a life around this practice.
However, regardless of their level of commitment, Vipassana practitioners in
New Zealand commonly reject religious labels and conceptualise their com-
mitment in non-​religious terms. In fact, the more they are socialised into this
movement, the more likely they are to conceive of it as a secular institution;
the more they are converted to this movement and its Buddhist worldview,
the more likely they are to deny the category of conversion.
This book explores religious disengagement in a context where the con-
cept of conversion is ignored and taken for granted in the first place. A great
deal of scholarship on conversion has been limited by taking the inform-
ants’ rejection of certain categories (for instance, religion, conversion, and
Buddhism) at face value. Despite the growing call to view conversion as
culturally constituted phenomenon that varies across traditions, the field
heavily relies on a person’s self-​identification as a convert to the point that for
decades the etiquette for participant recruitment in conversion studies has
(more or less) boiled down to one question: ‘Are you a convert?’ (Staples and
Mauss, 1987: 138). One of the aims of this book is to disturb this etiquette in
participant recruitment and the normative view of conversion as whatever ‘a
group or a person says it is’ (Rambo, 1993: 7). I argue that this approach fails
to encompass the tonalities of conversion in light of an increasing aversion to

Drifting Through Samsara. Masoumeh Rahmani, Oxford University Press. © Oxford University Press 2022.
DOI: 10.1093/​oso/​9780197579961.003.0001
2 Drifting Through Samsara

religious labels and in contexts where people exhibit a certain anxiety about
being perceived as religious.
In this book, I introduce the term tacit conversion to describe a peculiar
form of conversion that is unacknowledged. The term describes a process
whereby increased socialisation into a movement and the adoption of its
language paradoxically conceals conversion to the member. Tacit conver-
sion is the product of a complex interplay of historical, social, cultural, in-
stitutional, linguistic, ideological, and biographical structures—​all of which
I explore in this book. It explains circumstances where there is a disconnect
between language and the lived experience, a disconnect between non-​
religious self-​identification and representation of selves that are constructed
and interpreted within a particular religious language. Tacit conversion oc-
curs in movements with rich rhetorical repretiore for rejecting associations
with religion. Goenka’s Vipassana organisation is a case in point; instead of
teaching Buddhist meditation, the movement claims to teach a ‘scientific’,
‘non-​sectarian’, self-​development ‘tool’ based on the ‘core teachings of the
Buddha’ or ‘pure Dhamma’, which are ‘universal’ and do not involve religious
conversion. Indeed, other studies on this movement have confirmed that al-
most all Vipassana practitioners reject religious (Buddhist) identities (Loss,
2010; Pagis, 2008) and often self-​identify as nones, secular, and even atheists.
By introducing the term tacit conversion, I expand the category of conversion
in ways that encompass new religious movements (NRMs) with ostensibly
blurred religious/​secular boundaries.
In the field of religious disengagement, this book makes two contribu-
tions. First and foremost, it explores whether the contours of disengagement
from the Vipassana movement are coterminous with other existing models
of religious disaffiliation (Barbour, 1994; Bromley, 1998b; Coates, 2013;
Ebaugh, 1988; Fazzino, 2014; Gooren, 2010; Jacobs, 1989; Shoenberger and
Grayburn, 2016; Streib et. al., 2011; Wright, 1984, 2007, 2014). Second, em-
pirical studies on religious disengagement are primarily built on the experi-
ence of individuals who exit a religious tradition after years of participation
and commitment. This book explores the characteristics of disengagement
narratives, particularly as they occur at early stages of conversion, before
the meditator has developed a commitment to the movement. In this re-
gard, this book aims to advance the field of meditation studies by examining
what prompts practitioners to stop and effectively disengage from Vipassana
meditation. Understanding how disengagement occurs from meditative
 Introduction 3

movements, such as Goenka’s Vipassana, has significant implications for ex-

panding our knowledge of the kinds of needs that promote individuals to
seek meditation in the first place, as well as assessing the efficacy (or ineffi-
cacy) of meditation groups in meeting those needs.
This chapter begins with an introduction to Goenka’s Vipassana move-
ment, a description of a standard ten-​day Vipassana course and the field
site at which ethnographic research for this book was conducted. Next, the
chapter briefly introduces the participants involved in this research and pro-
vides an overview of some of their shared perspectives including their con-
ception of categories such as religion and spirituality. Finally, the chapter
reflects on the recent developments in conversion studies and situates this
book within this field. Most notably, it includes my conception of conversion
as a process of personal transformation reflected in the adoption of a new
universe of discourse and outlines the linguistic approach I have adopted to
achieve the objectives of this book.

S. N. Goenka’s Vipassana Organisation

Satya Narayan Goenka (1924–​2013), a former businessman of Indian des­

cent, was the most recent leader of the international Vipassana movement,
best known for its ten-​day silent meditation retreats.1 After fourteen years of
practice under U Ba Khin (1899–​1971), in 1969 Goenka gained the author-
isation to teach Vipassana meditation in India, and thereafter, embarked on a
journey to spread Vipassana across the world.2 After the death of U Ba Khin,
Goenka maintained the role of supreme authority within this organisation
and did not appoint a successor prior to his own demise. Instead, in an at-
tempt to standardise his teachings and prevent deviations, in 1982 Goenka
recorded all of his teachings, trained and appointed assistant teachers to
conduct courses on his behalf—​albeit through the use of his pre-​recorded
material.
To date, Goenka’s network is the largest donor-​ funded Vipassana
organisation—​with over 170 official (and over 110 non-​official) centres

1 A portion of the material presented in this section has been published in a co-​authored (Rahmani

and Pagis, 2015) profile on Goenka’s movement for the World Religions & Spirituality Project.
2 In 1979, Goenka held his first ten-​day Vipassana course outside India and Burma in Gaillon,

France.
4 Drifting Through Samsara

worldwide—​that offers meditation courses free of charge to the public. From

teachers to administrators, all the individuals involved in Goenka’s organ-
isation are volunteers and receive no salary for their work. The organisation
therefore functions on dhamma service,3 and the donations it receives from
‘old students’ (an emic term that refers to individuals who have success-
fully completed a ten-​day Vipassana course). All centres that operate under
Goenka’s tradition comply with a set of guidelines, which prohibits them
from altering Goenka’s teachings, instructions, recordings, and the structure
of the courses. According to a Vipassana teacher in New Zealand, these tapes
will be used until the English language has changed in such a way that people
can no longer understand them.
Part of Goenka’s global success was due to his ability to export Vipassana
meditation divorced from its religious foundations in Theravada Buddhism.
To understand the growth of this movement, it is essential to locate this
trad­ition in a wider historical context. Vipassana meditation was developed
within Theravada Buddhism, which is the predominant form of Buddhism
in South and Southeast Asia. Contrary to the common assumptions that
meditation lies at the heart of a Buddhist life, many scholars (Braun, 2013;
Gombrich, 1971: 322; Sharf, 1995: 242) have argued that, historically, medi­
tation was not central to the monastic life of Theravada monks and nuns.
Instead, Theravada monks and nuns aimed for a good rebirth by accumu-
lating merit through the development of morality (sila), observance of mo-
nastic rules (vinaya), and preserving the Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma).
However, by the end of the nineteenth century, many Theravada countries
of Southeast Asia experienced a reform, which, amongst many changes, in-
volved the promotion of meditation as a central component of the Buddhist
tradition and the introduction of meditation to laity.
The consensus in the existing literature connects the rise of Vipassana
meditation outside the gates of monasteries to European colonialism in
Southeast Asian countries during the nineteenth century (Braun, 2013;
Gombrich and Obeyesekere 1988; Sharf 1995). Other elements of this re-
form involved the rejection of the authority of clergy, values of individu-
alism, a rational and ‘instrumental’ approach to Buddhist teachings, the

3 ‘Dhamma service’ is an emic term that refers to volunteer work at the centre. All tasks including

cooking, cleaning, and maintenance of the centre are done by the dhamma servers. Any individual
who has completed a ten-​day course can offer his/​her services to the movement, provide they ad-
here to the organisation’s moral code and commit to regular practice. Dhamma service must be done
‘without expecting anything in return’, and therefore it is considered the highest form of charity and
instrumental towards dissolving the ego and achieving liberation.
 Introduction 5

repudiation of the supernatural or magical aspects of Buddhism and the

rejection of ‘empty’ ritual, and a sense of ‘universalism’ accompanied by
the insistence that Buddhism is a ‘philosophy’ rather than ‘religion’ (Sharf,
1995: 252). Finally, whereas, traditionally, meditation was taught by monks
within the confines of monasteries, the abovementioned reform eventually
gave rise to the development of a non-​monastic approach known as ‘the
householder tradition’ (Pagis, 2008: 94). The modern lineage of Goenka’s
Vipassana meditation is traced to the famous Burmese monk Ledi Sayadaw
(1846–​1923) who established meditation centres across Burma (Sharf,
1995: 254), and was among the first to authorise a renounced householder
(someone who is not ordained), Saya Thetgyi (1873–​1945), as his successor
in 1915. Saya Thetgyi in turn passed the tradition to U Ba Khin, a Burmese
government official who taught many householders and international stu-
dents in his lifetime, including Mother Sayamagyi (Sayamagyi Daw Mya
Thwin), Ruth Denison, John Coleman, Robert Hover, and S. N. Goenka
(Rawlinson 1997: 593).
Thus, by claiming a ‘non-​sectarian’ status, Goenka was following a trend
commonly identified by scholars as Buddhist modernism (Bechert, 1984;
McMahan, 2008) or Protestant Buddhism (Gombrich and Obeyesekere, 1988).
Goenka’s representation of Vipassana meditation as a ‘scientific’, ‘non-​sectarian’
practice has helped establish and promoted the modern conceptions of medi­
tation as a non-​religious activity. Goenka’s desire to cement this image of
Vipassana meditation is echoed in his efforts to create the Vipassana Research
Institute (VRI) in 1985; an organisation that is concerned with conducting re-
search into the application of Vipassana meditation in daily life (VRI Dhamma,
2014). The VRI publications thus work in parallel with Goenka’s Pariyatti press,
which is focused on translating Pali scripture.
Goenka’s organisation offers a diverse range of courses (from three days to
sixty days), although the ten-​day Vipassana courses are the required introduc-
tion to the movement and are therefore the most frequently held and best at-
tended. Since the participants in this research (including myself) have attended
at least one ten-​day course, I limit my exploration to the teachings and the struc-
ture of this retreat. Accordingly, the teachings that Goenka offers at this course
rest on a selective interpretation of Satipatthana Sutta in light of ‘The Path of
Purification’, and the Abhidhamma. While the Satipatthana Sutta offers four
objects for the practice of mindfulness—​body, sensations, mind, and mental
objects—​Goenka’s teachings (following his teacher U Ba Khin) predominantly
focus on sensations.
6 Drifting Through Samsara

Goenka’s Vipassana technique is theoretically underpinned by the basic

Buddhist doctrines of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path,4
which he sporadically explores during his courses. According to Goenka,
we dwell in samsara, and our human existence is characterised by suffering,
resulting from attachment and aversion to things that are impermanent.
Goenka follows the Buddhist premise that all physical and mental phe-
nomena are marked by suffering (dukkha), impermanence (anicca), and
not-​self (anatta).
From the Buddhist perspective, the entity we conventionally refer to as ‘I’,
the ‘self ’, or in Goenka’s words, the ‘ego’, consists of five aggregates: the body
(rupa), sensations (vedana), perceptions (sanna), reactions (sankhara), and
consciousness (vinnana). Each aggregate is characterised by impermanence,
and therefore cultivating attachment to either one or all of them ultimately
leads to suffering. Within this formula, sankhara is interpreted as the ‘mental
habit of reactions’ (Hart, 1987: 46). As a central theme in Goenka’s ten-​day
courses, sankhara represents the idea that the mind creates patterns of dis-
position through encounters with the world, which in turn conditions our
next behaviour (or reactions), resulting in attachments to this world, causing
suffering, and leading to new birth and therefore new suffering. To achieve
enlightenment and exit samsara (the cycle of rebirth), one must both refrain
from generating new sankharas and eradicate all previous ones. Goenka’s in-
structions teach the practitioners that every time they emotionally react to
any internal or external stimuli, they generate new sankharas or strengthen
previous ones.
In Goenka’s tradition, Vipassana meditation is portrayed as an instrument
that enables the process of ‘de-​conditioning’ through a systematic observa-
tion of one’s bodily sensations in a non-​reactive, non-​judgemental manner.
Therefore, meditators are repeatedly told (by Goenka, during a ten-​day
course) that they are undergoing a process analogous to ‘mental surgery’. This
depiction resonates strongly with most modern meditators who are familiar
with popular psychological terms such as ‘conditioning’ and often concep-
tualise meditation as a form of therapy, which involves de-​conditioning the
mind and paving the way to better control and agency (Pagis, 2008).

4 The Four Noble Truths are (1) existence is suffering (dukkha), (2) the cause of suffering is

craving for things that are impermanent by nature, (3) the cessation of suffering is possible, and in-
volves the cessation of craving, and (4) the path leading to the cessation of suffering—​i.e. the Noble
Eightfold Path.
 Introduction 7

However, according to Goenka (1997: 12), a mere intellectual under-

standing of these concepts and processes do not produce ‘real wisdom’, and
therefore cannot lead one to liberation from suffering. To attain liberation
and true happiness, one must understand the true source of this suffering
at the experiential level. Hence, students are advised to invest their time in
meditation rather than reading or engaging in intellectual endeavours. This
epistemic strategy—​which considers embodied experience and not intellec-
tual understanding as the true source of knowledge—​undergirds much of
Goenka’s enterprise including his efforts to abstract his movement and its
teachings from the category of religion. For instance, despite teaching various
Buddhist doctrines (including dukkha, anicca, anatta, sankhara, kamma,
etc.), Goenka discourages his students from accepting them ‘blindly’ and
advises them to accept only these insights as ‘truths’ once they have experi-
enced them for themselves.
Insight into the true nature of reality, according to Goenka, can be gained
through the observance of Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path, which is divided
into three sections: morality (sila), concentration (samadhi), and wisdom
(panna). A standard ten-​day course is structured meticulously to practice
these three stages and to develop insight into the true nature of reality, as it is
understood within the Theravada tradition (Pagis, 2010a).
Around the world, Goenka’s ten-​day Vipassana courses are conducted
identically, since all meditation instructions are taught via Goenka’s pre-​
recorded tapes (in non-​English-​speaking countries, translated versions of in-
structions follow the original passages). Thus, if and when a student returns
to one of Goenka’s Vipassana centres (elsewhere in the world) to attend a
second ten-​day course, they will be listening to the same instructions. During
the course, students follow a timetable (see appendix 1) with extensive hours
of meditation (approximately ten to twelve) from 4:30 to 21:00 each day. All
students must adhere to a strict code of conduct, take a vow of silence, known
as the Noble Silence, which restricts them from all kinds of communication
with one another (whether by speech, eye contact, gesture, sign language,
or written notes). Under Noble Silence, students can only speak to the as-
sistant teacher and the course manager if necessary. Other restrictions such
as gender segregation, possession of religious objects, practice of religious
rituals, listening to music, and reading or writing are imposed in an attempt
to limit external stimuli during the course (Pagis, 2010b). Despite this, each
day commences with thirty minutes of pre-​recorded audiotapes in which
Goenka chants Pali passages from Tipitaka to enhance the environment with
8 Drifting Through Samsara

‘good vibrations’ and ends with an hour of his evening ‘discourse’ (an emic
term) in which he explains relevant Buddhist theories in a language replete
with humorous analogies.
Contrary to its label, the ten-​day course consists of twelve days: it com-
mences on day zero and ends on day eleven. On day zero, students officially
register by providing their personal details, a signature that indicates they
have understood the course structure, will commit to the movement’s guide-
lines, and turn in all prohibited objects such as intoxications, mobile phones,
and valuable possessions. One of the activities on day zero involves the allot-
ment of cushions in the meditation hall, which follows the principle of merit.
Hence, one’s position and proximity to the teacher’s seat (front rows) de-
pends on the individual’s seniority in the practice and the number of courses
they have undertaken in the past—​a model which closely resembles the spa-
tial order of Southeast Asian monasteries where senior monks occupy the
front rows (Pagis, 2008: 160). Finally, the course officially commences on the
evening of this day when students take the Three Refuges (Buddha, dhamma,
sangha), surrender to the teacher, and formally request to be taught instruc-
tions to anapana meditation.
To practice morality, the first component of the Noble Eightfold Path, all
students must take a vow to keep the Five Precepts for the duration of the
course. These include abstaining from killing, abstaining from stealing, ab-
staining from all sexual activity, abstaining from telling lies, abstaining from
all intoxicants. Three additional precepts apply to old students: abstaining
from eating after midday, abstaining from sensual entertainment and bodily
decorations, and abstaining from sleeping on high luxurious beds.
The second component of the path, concentration, is practiced from day
one to day three, during which students learn the anapana meditation, which
is a breath observation technique aimed at increasing the students’ concen-
tration. The anapana meditation consists of focusing one’s attention to a
limited area under the nostrils—​between the tip of the nose and the upper
lip—​and observing the sensations that arise from the uncontrolled breath as
air moves in and out of the nostrils.
To practice wisdom, the final component of the Eightfold Path, from the
fourth day onwards students learn the practice of Vipassana meditation.
Once again, students must officially request to be taught instructions of
this practice. Vipassana instructions are provided in phases and involve ex-
tending the concentration gained during the first three days to other areas
 Introduction 9

of the body. Thus, students systematically move their attention from head
to toe, from toe to head, and observe only the sensations (pleasant or un-
pleasant) that arise on this path without reacting to it. For instance, if the
attention is focused on the left arm, the student should not react or divert her
attention to a tingle that suddenly arises in her right ear. Initially, the scan-
ning of the body starts part by part, observing any sensations that arise on the
surface of the skin. If the student is not able to feel any sensations on an area
of the body, he/​she is instructed to concentrate on that particular area for a
minute until some sort of sensation crops up. Eventually when the student
can feel the entire surface of the skin, he/​she then extends this attention to
the internal organs and continuously scans the body at a deeper level; from
head to toe, from toe to head.
Throughout this exercise, as well as during each meditation session,
Goenka constantly reminds the students that everything is impermanent
and ‘bound to pass away’—​’anicca, anicca, anicca’; that they should refrain
from developing attachment or aversion to the sensations in their bodies and
instead, observe them in a calm, balanced, and ‘equanimous’ manner; that
the more subtle the sensations are, the sharper the mind has become; that if
one observes each sensation by remaining in the present moment, without
reacting to the sensation, one is effectively eradicating past sankharas; that
‘gradually you will progress towards a stage in which all sankhara leading to
new birth, and therefore to new suffering, have been eradicated: the stage of
total liberation, full enlightenment’; and that the secret is to work ‘patiently,
persistently, and continuously’ (Goenka, 1997: 27).
Finally, the Noble Silence ends on the tenth day of the course. After nine
days of introspection, students are now allowed to share their experiences
with one another, take back their possessions, give donations, and buy CDs
and books from a range of VRI publications. During this day, the students
are introduced to yet another method of meditation: metta-​bhavana, or
meditation of loving kindness. Unlike the practice of Vipassana meditation,
the instructions of metta meditation are rather simple. After an hour-​long
session of Vipassana, students are taught to relax their bodies, focus on the
subtle flow of pleasant sensations (if possible) and extend their ‘vibrations
of good will’ to themselves, others, and the world, wishing ‘may all beings
be happy’ (Goenka, 1997: 63). According to Pagis (2008: 99), the purpose of
mixing metta and Vipassana is to ‘produce detachment that does not include
aloofness’.
10 Drifting Through Samsara

The Field Site

Participant observation for this piece was conducted at Dhamma Medini, the
only official organisation that offers Vipassana courses under Goenka’s trad­
ition in New Zealand. Dhamma Medini is in a rural area of Kaukapakapa,
approximately one-​hour’s drive from Auckland. On average, this centre hosts
up to sixty students per course and has the capacity to provide accommo-
dation for sixty-​eight meditators in single rooms—​a total of 1,280 students
attended the standard ten-​day Vipassana course in 2014. Dhamma Medini
follows the general spatial arrangements common to all meditation centres
that teach within Goenka’s tradition (Pagis, 2008). During the course, almost
all of the centre’s areas accessible to students are segregated by gender—​the
accommodations, dining area, facilities, and the outside premises including
separate walking paths (see figure I.1). The female section is located within a
valley, surrounded by native trees, silver ferns, a stream that cuts through the
land, and is the habitat of native birds, wild bunnies, and a magnificent pair
of paradise ducks (see figure I.2).
The meditation hall is the only exception where both female and male
students are brought under one roof, although, even within this space, the

Teacher’s Room
Meditation hall

Female dorms

Pagoda site

Kitchen 1st floor

Admin/server’s dorm G floor

Male dorms

Figure I.1 Aerial view of Dhamma Medini

The land was purchased in 1987 with the legal status of charitable trust and educational institute.
The main building (now used as a kitchen and for administration) was constructed in 1994–​1995.
The pagoda site with fifty-​four cells was under construction at the time of my second visit in 2015.
Both images were downloaded from the centre’s website (Medini Dhamma, 2014).
 Introduction 11

Figure I.2 Female dorms, a view from the entrance to the meditation hall

seating arrangements and entry points are separated, and students are ad-
vised to not look at each other. Accordingly, all students face the teacher,
while dhamma servers are located at the closest spot to the teachers, facing
sideways, and are able to view the teacher and the students at once. The
teacher(s) occupy a slightly elevated seat from where he/​she can view all stu-
dents and sit an arm’s length away from the audio/​video control panel (see
figure I.3). The hall is equipped with speakers and two large plasma televi-
sions that rest under a fitted curtain. At the beginning of each meditation
session, and after all students are positioned in their spots, the teacher walks
into the hall and starts the session by pressing the play button and casting
Goenka’s voice into the space.
Behind this serene scene, there is the world of dhamma servers (volun-
teers), where talking, reading, writing, and limited contact with the outside
world is permitted. During a ten-​day course, the volunteers are in charge of
cooking, cleaning, and maintenance. They do their tasks with minimal inter­
action with students and usually avoid the course premises. The dhamma
servers spend most of their time in the kitchen and only meditate in the hall
for three hours per day. The ‘course managers’ (one female and one male)
are the only dhamma servers who interact with students; they mediate be-
tween students, teachers, and dhamma servers, and spend most of their time
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Then tied him fast upon a cart,
Like a rogue for forgerie.
Chorus:
They wasted o’er a scorching flame
The marrow of his bones;
But a miller us’d him worst of all—
For he crush’d him ’tween two stones.
Burns:
And they ha’e ta’en his very heart’s blood,
And drank it round and round;
And still the more and more they drank,
Their joy did more abound.
Chorus:
Then let us toast John Barleycorn,
Each man a glass in hand;
And may his great posterity
Ne’er fail in old Scotland!
[There is general acclamation and toasting.]
Burns (jumping down from his chair, a little ‘flown’): Fill up—fill up!
John Barleycorn is Scotland’s king, and shall be so for ever! Fill up!
There’s a pretty Nell. How’s that for a song, landlord?
The Landlord: Very good sentiments, Robin. Let all honest men
prosper, say I.
Burns: Meaning, most noble landlord, all honest men to be John
Barleycorn’s liege subjects—that pay tribute, mark you. Drink up,
Tam Laurie—why so doomsday, man?
Tam (a meek, hard-driven little man): It’s the cursed factors, Robin.
They’ll not let a man scrape supper gruel from his toil.
Burns: Blast and misfortune to them! Craft and fat bellies—a flea on
a dog’s tail is a respectable work of God beside a factor. A toast,
friends, fellow-citizens of Mauchline—‘To hell with all factors.’
[The toast is drunk with enthusiasm.]
A lean but well-to-do Farmer: That’s all very well, but rents have to
be paid.
Burns: Friends—another toast—‘To hell with all rents.’
[And again.]
Burns: Michael, you speak as a man the Lord prospers.
Michael: I speak as one who is diligent.
Burns: Diligent, quotha! A man left a fat inheritance and his croft all
favoured by nature, and he talks diligence. Have you sweated,
Michael, with your share always ringing on the stones, and your
breeches letting in the cold blast behind you, and your boots full of
March rain, and your belly empty, and a bare table to go home to
when dark comes, and a gap in the roof above you as wide as a
lassie’s embrace? Have you done these things, and kept the heart
true steel within you, like Tam Laurie there?
Tam: I’ve to quit come Tuesday week.
Burns: To quit, Michael—do you hear that? Do you know what
quitting means? You stand out there under the sky, and your steps
may as well go this way as that, for you have no door in the world,
and a ditch to starve in is all you can borrow. And rents must be paid.
To hell with such rents I say!
Michael: I’ll not listen to such heresies in the state. Respectable
houses are not safe when tongues are loose like this. But the Lord
will look to his own.
Burns: You put off settlement with the Lord as long as you can,
Michael Johnson—you’ll be wise.
Michael: They say that Mr. Armour will not be put off, though.
[Burns is suddenly silenced by this, and with his parting
score Michael goes, two or three of the others following him.
One or two of the party are now asleep, two or three others
talking together, Tam sitting by himself. The landlord is
smoking, and Nell cleaning pots.]
Tam: He was always bitter to poverty. Thank you, Robin, for
speaking.
Nell: What’s that about Mr. Armour?
Burns: They’ve beaten me, Nell. I’ve got to go.
Nell: How’s that?
Burns (sitting at a table near to us, in dejection. Nell comes to him,
still working. Some of the others at another table are playing cards):
We were friends, Nell, you and I.
Nell: Good friends, Robin.
Burns: Parnassus Hill, you remember?
Nell: You and I, and love, and John Barleycorn—yes.
Burns: Then there was my Mary; she died. Then Jean came. You
didn’t scold.
Nell: I knew they would come. I told you I was not for wedding.
Burns: Jean is a mother.
Nell: You?
Burns: Yes.
Nell: You’ll wed her then, so why grieve? She’s good, and she’s
comely.
Burns: I love her, Nell, and I’d be proud of her. But I’m not to wed
her.
Nell: But that’s not honest, Robin.
Burns: They won’t let me.
Nell: Who won’t?
Burns: That’s what Michael meant. Mr. Armour. He’s forbidden it. I’m
not genteel enough. He says I’m profligate. He’s right I dare say. But
that, it’s bitter, that. He’d rather have his girl be shamed alone than
be shamed by wedding me. And I can’t pay as I’m ordered (he
shows her a paper), so it’s jail or leaving Scotland. John Barleycorn
is all now. Fill my pot, Nell.
[Nell does so, and brings it to him.]
Nell: What will you do?
Burns: I came here to forget it. I’m going. Jamaica—that’s a world’s
journey off, Nell. Jean, and Scotland—I’m losing both.
[He sings.]

O thou pale Orb, that silent shines,

While care-untroubled mortals sleep!
Thou seest a wretch that inly pines,
And wanders here to wail and weep!
With Woe I nightly vigils keep,
Beneath thy wan, unwarming beam;
And mourn, in lamentation deep,
How life and love are all a dream.

[As he is ending the song, three men come to the door. One is
James Armour, Jean’s father, another a Factor, and with
them is Holy Willie. The Factor goes to the counter and
drinks.]
Armour: So you can sing in the midst of the desolation you’ve
caused.
Burns: It was no happy song, Mr. Armour.
Armour: There’s a warrant coming down the road for you.
Burns: But I cannot pay, I told you. I’ll work for Jean, but you’ll not let
me.
Armour: I will not. I want no creeping seducer for a son-in-law.
Burns: That’s—I’ll not say what it is, Mr. Armour. Ask Jean. She loves
me. We’re proud of it, if you would let us be.
Armour: Proud of it, you Barbary sheep! The girl’s a scandal to my
name, but she’s not for you. Let her be proud of it alone.
Holy Willie: I told you of this, young man. I preached the light to you.
Burns: Good counsel from you would corrupt the saints, minister.
Why won’t you let me wed Jean, Mr. Armour?
Armour: I came to give no reasons, Robert Burns. I came to see you
knew the choice rightly. You can pay, or you can feel handcuffs, or
you can go where you’ll never offend honest Scots eyes with the
sight of you more.
Holy Willie: And whichever you choose, you’ll first do penance in kirk
for an incontinent sinner. It is the kirk’s will.
Burns: Let him that is without sin, minister—but let that go. Again,
Mr. Armour, I ask it in good faith, let me take Jean to church. There’ll
be no penance in that, but hope and goodwill, I promise it.
Armour: You’ve no virtue, but if you were made of it, I’ld say no still.
You’ve not rank enough for the Armours.
Burns: Rank, rank, rank! Then destroy her and destroy me, and ask
your holy friend here to pray God to show you your own black and
proud and silly heart. Fill up my pot, Nell.
[As she does so, the Factor is about to leave, but seeing
Tam Laurie, goes across to him.]
The Factor: Have you found that money, Laurie?
Tam: It’s not for finding.
The Factor: It’s for spending, it seems.
Tam: I’ve had but two pots, and not to my score.
The Factor: Tuesday week then. I hope you’ll have joy of your
travels.
Tam: It’s a poor thing to fleer at a man that’s beaten.
Burns (crossing, pot in hand): A dirty thing, Master Factor, a thing
that makes old Nickie-ben laugh down among the sulphur the
minister is so fond of gabbing about. And before I’m gone, I’ll stand
up and prophesy among you. Mr. Armour, you’re a little man, in a
little place, and for your peddling bit of dignity and self-esteem you’ll
break your girl’s heart and ruin me. Minister, you’ll sit on the Lord’s
right hand till He turns round and catches you there. And you, Factor,
will sit on a lord’s right hand till he turns round and finds your fingers
in his pocket. And you’re all upright pillars of repute, praise the Lord,
Amen. And Tam here is a pauper, and I’m forfeit, and before the God
that you blaspheme with your devil’s work, we’ll take our chance at
the day of judgment against the lot of you. He’ll have mercy on us,
for we are sinners, but I doubt he’ll take no notice of you at all, and
you’ll find it a wide place to wander in and learn your lesson.
[Outside is heard the sound of music and song, coming from
a band of Beggars passing along the road.]
Burns (going to the window, and looking out): Listen to them—
vagabonds, unwashed, thieves perhaps, and kiss who kiss can. But
they’re free, and they’re honester than your sort, righter
commanders. (Opening the door.) Come in, come in—a pot apiece
for a song, my hearties—come and teach the gentlemen to say their
grace.
[The Beggars crowd at the door.]
Armour: You think we’ll stay with you and your dirty rapscallions. By
your leave—
[He, the Factor, and Holy Willie move to go.]
Burns: No, no—persuade them friends. (Tam and the others, Nell
and the Landlord assisting, hold them back, while Burns cries to
the Beggars.) Come in—come in—serve them, Nell, my dear, full
pots all round.
[He locks the door, and Nell hands round the full pots.]
Armour: This shall be a case for the Justice.
Burns: Justice is a blind wench, Mr. Armour—and it would be a
bonny jest for the parish, wouldn’t it? I think we shall swallow it. Now,
you jolly beggars, drink and sing.
[The First Beggar, an old man in soldier’s rags, a girl in his
arms, sings.]
I am a son of Mars, who have been in many wars,
And show my cuts and scars wherever I come;
This here was for a wench, and that other in a trench,
When welcoming the French at the sound of the drum.

Lal de daudle, etc.

And now tho’ I must beg with a wooden arm and leg
And many a tatter’d rag hanging over my limbs,
I’m as happy with my wallet, my bottle, and my callet,
As when I us’d in scarlet to follow a drum.

Lal de daudle, etc.

[He is followed, after drinking and laughter, by the girl in his

arms, who sings.]

I once was a maid, tho’ I cannot tell when,

And still my delight is in proper young men;
Some one of a troop of dragoons was my daddie,
No wonder I’m fond of a sodger laddie.

Sing, Lal de lal, etc.

The first of my loves was a swaggering blade,

To rattle the thundering drum was his trade;
His leg was so tight, and his cheek was so ruddy,
Transported I was with my sodger laddie.

Sing, Lal de lal, etc.

But the godly old chaplain left him in the lurch,

The sword I forsook for the sake of the church;
He ventur’d the soul, and I risket the body,
’Twas then I prov’d false to my sodger laddie.

Sing, Lal de lal, etc.

Full soon I grew sick of my sanctified sot,

The regiment at large for a husband I got;
From the gilded spontoon to the fife I was ready,
I askèd no more but a sodger laddie.

Sing, Lal de lal, etc.

And now I have lived—I know not how long,

And still I can join in a cup and a song;
But whilst with both hands I can hold the glass steady,
Here’s to thee, my hero, my sodger laddie.

Sing, Lal de lal, etc.

[Then comes a dark, tragic woman, who has been sitting

apart.]

A Highland lad my love was born,

The lalland laws he held in scorn;
But he still was faithfu’ to his clan,
My gallant, braw John Highlandman.

Chorus

Sing hey my braw John Highlandman!

Sing ho my braw John Highlandman!
There’s not a lad in a’ the lan’
Was match for my John Highlandman.

With his philibeg an’ tartan plaid,

An’ guid claymore down by his side,
The ladies’ hearts he did trepan,
My gallant, braw John Highlandman.

Sing hey, etc.

They banish’d him beyond the sea,

But ere the bud was on the tree,
Adown my cheeks the pearls ran,
Embracing my John Highlandman.

Sing hey, etc.

But, och! they catch’d him at the last,

And bound him in a dungeon fast;
My curse upon them every one,
They’ve hang’d my braw John Highlandman.

Sing hey, etc.

And now a widow, I must mourn

The pleasures that will ne’er return;
Nae comfort but a hearty can,
When I think on John Highlandman.

Sing hey, etc.

[As she finishes, the First Beggar, leaving his doxy, goes up
to her and sings.]

Let me ryke up to dight that tear,

And go wi’ me and be my dear,
An’ then your every care and fear
May whistle owre the lave o’t.

Chorus

I am a fiddler to my trade,
An’ a’ the tunes that e’er I play’d,
The sweetest still to wife or maid,
Was whistle owre the lave o’t.

But bless me wi’ your heav’n o’ charms,

And while I kittle hair on thairms,
Hunger, cauld, and a’ sic harms,
May whistle owre the lave o’t.

I am, etc.
 [At the conclusion she sinks into his arms, and there is an
altercation between the two Beggar women, the Old Beggar
quieting them, and then there are cries from all to Burns.]
Now, Master, a song for a song, a taste of your quality, good liquor
makes good tunes, a song, a song!
Burns (leaps on to the table with): Here’s for you, then, my hearties.
[And sings.]

I am a Bard of no regard,
Wi’ gentle folks, an’ a’ that:
But Homer-like, the glowrin byke,
Frae town to town I draw that.

Chorus

For a’ that, an’ a’ that,

An’ twice as muckle’s a’ that;
I’ve lost but ane, I’ve twa behin’,
I’ve wife eneugh for a’ that.

Great love I bear to a’ the fair,

Their humble slave, an’ a’ that;
But lordly will, I hold it still
A mortal sin to thraw that.

For a’ that, etc.

Their tricks an’ craft ha’e put me daft,

They’ve ta’en me in, and a’ that;
But clear your decks, and here’s the Sex!
I like the jades for a’ that.

Chorus

For a’ that, an’ a’ that,

And twice as muckle’s a’ that;
My dearest bluid, to do them guid,
 They’re welcome till’t for a’ that.

[This is received with an uproar of acclamation. The doxy

climbs up on to the table beside Burns, and shouts above
the din, ‘A chorus, a chorus, and then for the road!’ and they
sing in chorus.]

A fig for those by law protected!

Liberty’s a glorious feast!
Courts for cowards were erected,
Churches built to please the priest.

Life is all a variorum,

We regard not how it goes;
Let them cant about decorum
Who have characters to lose.

[The Beggars depart, to the music that brought them, Burns

exchanging farewells as they pass through the door. The
villagers follow them, except one lying in a drunken sleep on
the floor. Burns, Armour, Holy Willie, the Factor, Tam,
the Landlord, and Nell are all that remain. The room is now
in confusion, filled with fumes, the floor stained with liquor,
tankards lying about, a litter of straw and oddments of rags
left by the Beggars.]
Burns: And that, your reverences, is life too. They’ll all come to the
Day of Judgment with the rest of us. Miserable sinners, God bless
them. Is there anyone to say God bless you, think you?
Armour: Let us pass.
Burns: Aye, in a moment. That tune has just put another rhyme to
shape—I’ld have you hear it before you go.
Holy Willie: You heard what Mr. Armour told you. There’s a warrant
coming this way. Now for the reckoning.
The Landlord (coming forward): Aye, the reckoning.
Burns (his hand going uselessly to his pockets): Yes, landlord. How
much is it?
The Landlord: Four shillings and a penny.
Burns: Four—not a penny even. There now. Wouldn’t one of you
gentlemen—?
Holy Willie: For shame, young man.
Burns: It was a good mumming, worth it surely. Mr. Armour, it would
be an act of grace—a soul might almost be saved for four shillings
and a penny.
The Landlord: Let it be, let it be. I’d have none of their pence. Wipe it
out, Nell.
[Nell cleans the slate.]
Burns: That’s honour for you, true bred out of Elysium. I have it all in
my head now. You with your rank and your rents and your holy
purses and your grand little airs, listen.
[To the tune of ‘I am a bard of no regard,’ he sings, in a
passion of conviction now.]

Is there, for honest poverty,

That hings his head, and a’ that?
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Our toils obscure, and a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The man’s the gowd for a’ that!

Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,

Wha struts, and stares, and a’ that;
Though hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a cuif for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that;
His ribband, star, and a’ that,
The man of independent mind
 He looks and laughs at a’ that!

Then let us pray that come it may—

(As come it will for a’ that)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
May bear the gree, and a’ that;
For a’ that, and a’ that,
It’s comin’ yet for a’ that,
That man to man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that!

[While he sings, a man of bearing and authority has come in

and taken a seat quietly at the back, unobserved. He now
comes forward.]
Burns: Mr. Hamilton. A respectful good-even to you.
Gavin Hamilton: Well sung, Robert. A new one?
Burns: Yes, Mr. Hamilton.
Hamilton: I hear of trouble.
Burns: These gentlemen could tell you.
Hamilton: No doubt. They would find it an agreeable narrative. I
know them.
Holy Willie: I’ll trouble you, Mr. Hamilton, to keep your offensive
observations to yourself.
Hamilton: But why, when I part with them so suitably in your
company?
[A Sheriff’s Officer comes in.]
The Officer: Are you Robert Burns?
Burns: I am.
The Officer (serving a warrant): In the King’s name.
Hamilton: What is this?
Burns: I’m a ruined man, Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Armour’s daughter—I
can’t pay—and he won’t let me wed her as I would.
Armour: He will not. And he will bid you good-night.
[He goes, Holy Willie and the Factor with him.]
Hamilton (taking the warrant, and speaking to the Officer): Perhaps
you could keep this till to-morrow afternoon?
The Officer: If Mr. Hamilton asks me to.
Hamilton: You may bring it to my house.
The Officer: Certainly, sir.
[He goes.]
Hamilton: Robert, you’re a fool.
Burns: I believe you, Mr. Hamilton.
Hamilton: But I’m not going to see you destroyed by men of that
tonnage. We must consider.
Burns: I had a fancy, but there’s no time now.
Hamilton: What was it?
Burns: If I could print some of my rhymes, and you and some like
you, Mr. Hamilton, could get a little interest for me—
Hamilton: Good. Yes. Come to-morrow morning. We’ll talk of it. What
was that factor fellow doing here?
Burns: Tam Laurie there.
Hamilton: O, it’s you.
Tam: I’m sorry to say it is, Mr. Hamilton.
Hamilton: Rent?
Tam: A week come Tuesday.
Hamilton: Yes. I think I might change his mind. Good-night, Robert.
Burns: Good-night, Mr. Hamilton.
The Landlord: I suppose, Mr. Hamilton (going to the slate), let me
see, four shillings and a penny—
[But Hamilton has gone.]
The Landlord: No, quite so—not four shillings and a penny.
Burns: Never mind, landlord, when I’m laureate crowned, you shall
supply the nectar.
The Landlord: Aye, and I’ll be more than four shillings and a penny
out on that I take it. (Waking the sleeping man.) Now then, John
Anderson, bed-time.
Burns: Good-night, landlord. Good-night, Nell. (He kisses her.) Come
along, Tam. John Anderson, my jo, John, get up.
John (lifting himself, as uncertain as his speech): I was sleeping with
the seven kings, and the Beast of the Apocalypse. I’m getting too old
to be called before the sunrise.
Burns: Come with us my jo, John—we’ll take you home.
John: But I don’t wish to go home. There will only be a wifely
exhortation, and I’m troubled by the seven Beasts of the Apocalypse.
Burns: This way. Take an arm, Tam.
[He sings.]

John Anderson, my jo, John,

When we were first acquent;
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson, my jo, John,

We clamb the hill thegither;
And mony a canty day, John,
We’ve had wi’ ane anither:
Now we maun totter down, John,
And hand in hand we’ll go;
And sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson, my jo.

[They go down the road together.]

The Landlord: Good-night, lass. Lock the door. Leave chores till the
morning.
Nell: Good-night, Mr. Lomas.
[The Landlord goes.]
[Nell puts a little of the confusion to rights, goes to the door,
opens it and looks down the road. She comes into the room,
leaving the door open, and, moving about, sings.]

O whistle, and I’ll come to you, my lad,

O whistle, and I’ll come to you, my lad:
Tho’ father and mother and a’ should gae mad,
O whistle, and I’ll come to you, my lad.

[She stands looking at the door for a moment. Then she goes
to it, closes and locks it, and puts out the lamp. She goes out
by the candlelight of the stairway door, and leaves the scene
in darkness, and the music continues as
THE CURTAIN FALLS
 SCENE III
At Professor Ferguson’s house in Edinburgh, nearly a
year later—in February.
It is a cheerful, comfortable room, marked by the taste and
culture of Edinburgh literary society at its best, with the
elegance of fashion. A few portraits of Scots men of letters
and action hang on the wall—Allan Ramsay, Robert
Fergusson, James VI., Robert Bruce; in addition there are
books and a pair or two of claymores, and two or three prints,
including one by Bunbury of a dead soldier and his dog. On
the mantelpiece is a bust of David Hume. The chill Scots
winter day is brightened by a large fire in the grate; outside is
snow.
Folding doors are open to a room beyond, where a luncheon
party has been taking place. The ladies have left the table,
and are seated round the room before us. They are the
hostess, Mrs. Ferguson, the Duchess of Gordon, Mrs.
Montgomery, Miss Taylor, and with them a boy of fifteen,
the young Walter Scott. Men’s voices can be heard from
time to time.
Another lady, young and beautiful, Mrs. Stewart of Stair,
is seated at the piano, singing to her own accompaniment.

Flow gently, sweet Afton! among thy green braes,

Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream—
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,

And winds by the cot where my Mary resides!
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
As gathering sweet flow’rets she stems thy clear wave!

Flow gently, sweet Afton! among thy green braes,

Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays!
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream—
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[At the end of the song Walter Scott goes to a desk at the
back of the room, and turns over the pages of a book.]
The Duchess: Bravo! A very beautiful song.
Miss Taylor (very fashionable, rather plain, towards fifty, and not for
poetry): And you say he gave it to you?
Mrs. Stewart: He sent it this morning.
Miss Taylor: Rather indelicate, don’t you think—that piece about
snowy feet?
Mrs. Stewart: I think it’s lovely.
Miss Taylor: Well, I must say I should feel rather embarrassed
myself.
Mrs. Ferguson (benign and easy, the professor’s wife): I like that
tune so much—Afton Water, isn’t it?
Mrs. Stewart: Yes.
Mrs. Ferguson: Jamie used to whistle it, I remember.
Mrs. Montgomery (marble, more the duchess than Gordon herself):
I must say, Mrs. Ferguson, your young lion behaves himself quite
prettily.
The Duchess: Why shouldn’t he, Mrs. Montgomery?
Mrs. Montgomery: Oh well, Duchess, you would hardly expect it from
a ploughman, now would you?
The Duchess: ‘Flow gently, sweet Afton! among thy green braes’—
wouldn’t you expect it of that?
Mrs. Stewart: His conversation is entrancing.
Miss Taylor: A very dangerous young man, and with those eyes too.
The Duchess: Nonsense, Martha. You needn’t alarm yourself.
Miss Taylor: Well, I shouldn’t like to be alone with him.
The Duchess: I am sure he would be discreet. I think you’re a very
lucky woman, Mrs. Stewart. I wish Mr. Burns would write poems to
me. My husband says there’s never been such a natural genius in
Scotland before.
Mrs. Montgomery: Oh, come now. For an uncultivated talent it is
pretty well, we may allow. But we must not turn his head.
Miss Taylor: I entirely agree with you, Mrs. Montgomery. Most
unsafe.
Mrs. Stewart: I wonder he hasn’t married.
Mrs. Montgomery: Oh, my dear, haven’t you heard of the scandal in
his own village? It would have been jail I’m told if it hadn’t been for
some Mr. Gavin Hamilton who took a fancy to him. But I believe he
has several families.
Miss Taylor: I really don’t think we ought to encourage him. And one
of his poems, I hear, is quite friendly to the Devil.
The Duchess:
But, fare-you-weel, auld Nickie-ben!
O wad ye tak’ a thought an’ men’!
Ye aiblins might—I dinna ken—
Still hae a stake—
I’m wae to think upo’ yon den,
E’en for your sake!
Miss Taylor: Most confusing.
Walter Scott (moving from his book to Mrs. Stewart): Have you
any more of his poems, ma’am?
Mrs. Stewart: I have his book, Walter.
Walter Scott: I wish I could read it.
Mrs. Stewart: I’ll lend it to you.
Walter Scott: Will you really? Thank you. He has got lovely eyes,
hasn’t he? I should write poems if I had eyes like that. Couldn’t you
sing again?
Mrs. Ferguson: Yes, please do, Mrs. Stewart.
Miss Taylor: Something with a little religion in it.
Mrs. Stewart (after a glance at this, sings):
Her flowing locks, the raven’s wing,
Adown her neck and bosom hing;
How sweet unto that breast to cling
And round that neck entwine her!

Her lips are roses wat wi’ dew,

O, what a feast her bonnie mou’!
Her cheeks a mair celestial hue,
A crimson still diviner.

Miss Taylor: Really!

The Duchess: I think my husband is right, Miss Taylor.
[From the room beyond comes the sound of voices, or
particularly of one voice, raised in argument. Mrs.
Montgomery majestically moves up to a view of the
proceedings.]
Mrs. Montgomery: Dear me. Mr. Burns seems to be making a
speech. I fear I was mistaken.
The Duchess: It’s that foolish man Robertson. He was speaking ill of
Mr. Gray’s Elegy. He was very provoking. Mr. Burns does quite right
to defend it.
Burns’s voice (from the far room): Sir, I now perceive a man may be
an excellent judge of poetry by square and rule, and after all be a
damned blockhead.
[The Reverend Mr. Robertson, a pedantic and acidulated
clergyman, comes hurriedly through the door accompanied by
his host, Professor Ferguson, followed by Burns.]