S.N. Goenka - Master of Vipassana

Sri Satya Narayan Goenka (Sri Satya Narayan Goenka, also S. N. Goenka, Goenka) is a Hindu by birth, born and raised in Burma. While living there, he was lucky: he met U Ba Khin and from that he learned the technique of Vipassana meditation. After training for fourteen years, Goenka settled in India in 1969 and began teaching Vipassana himself. In a country divided by castes and religions, the courses offered by Mr. Goenka immediately attracted thousands of people from all walks of life.

In total, there are now more than 300 Goenka centers in India and other countries, in the East and in the West. Since 1982, with an increasing interest in the courses, he began to appoint assistants to teach Vipassana. Under his leadership, meditation centers were founded in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Nepal ...

While studying meditation with U Ba Khin, Goenka came across a method that offered far more than simple relief from physical illness and was not limited by cultural or religious barriers. The ensuing years of teaching and practicing vipassana gradually transformed his life.

In 1969 S.N. Goenka moved to India, having previously received the authority to teach Vipassana from U Ba Khin; which he began to do, returning this method to the country where it originated.

Despite all its personal magnetism, Mr. Goenka does not want to be the kind of guru who turns disciples into a kind of automata. On the contrary, he teaches them personal responsibility. The real test of vipassana, he says, is its application to life. He encourages his disciples not to sit at his feet, but to go into the world and live happily in it. He shies away from accepting any expressions of devotion to him personally, and vice versa, encourages his followers to be devoted to the method, the truth that they find within themselves.

Traditionally, teaching meditation in Burma has always been the prerogative of Buddhist monks. Mr. Goenka, however, like his teacher, is a layman, head large family... Nevertheless, he teaches so clearly and the method is so effective that he has won the approval of senior monks in Burma, India and Sri Lanka, and some of them even took courses under his supervision. As Mr. Goenka emphasizes, meditation should never be made a profit to maintain its purity. All courses and centers operating under his direction are consistently non-profit enterprises. He himself does not take any remuneration for his labor, either direct or indirect; Nor are his assistants — teachers, whom he has commissioned to teach vipassana courses on his behalf. He shares with people the method of vipassana, seeing in this exclusively service to humanity and helping those in need.

SN Goenka is one of the few Indian spiritual mentors who are equally respected in India and in the West. However, he never chased after fame, preferring to spread interest in Vipassana only orally and always emphasized the importance of the practical training itself, but not its written presentation. That is why he is less famous than he deserves.

To the question: "Do you teach Buddhism?" Goenka usually answers: “I don’t practice isms. I teach dhamma - the universal path of liberation, i.e. what the Buddha taught. He never taught any "ism" or any sectarian doctrine. He taught something that people of all kinds could benefit from, namely the art of living. Remaining in the dark is bad for everyone; the development of wisdom is good for everyone. Therefore, anyone can practice this method and benefit. A Christian will become a good Christian, a Jew will become a good Jew, a Muslim will become a good Muslim, a Hindu will become a good Hindu, and a Buddhist will become a good Buddhist. How to become a good man- that's what's important. "

(2013-09-29 ) (89 years old)

Sri Satya Narayan Goenka(English Sri Satya Narayan Goenka, also S. N. Goenka, Goenka; January 30 - September 29) - a leading lay teacher of the late tradition of Burmese Vipassana meditation, a student of Sayadzhi.

Biography [ | ]

Later he became a leading businessman and industrialist in Burma and one of the heads of the Indian diaspora in Burma. He became interested in vipassana meditation for chronic headaches.

S.N. Goenka began a course of studying Buddhist Vipassana meditation under the guidance of one of the top officials of the Myanmar government in the first years of independence, a student, a monk of the Burmese Theravada tradition, who at the end of the 19th century began to create a school for teaching lay people Buddhist meditation. This Theravada tradition was brought to Myanmar by the ambassadors of Ashoka, who were also mentors in the Dharma.

U Ba Khin was the most famous meditation teacher of his time, played important role at the Sixth Buddhist Council in 1956, and was one of the leaders of the reform movement with an emphasis on the practice of vipassana, which had a positive impact on the standards political life... A significant number of U Ba Khin's disciples later began to teach his meditation technique.

Goenka began teaching meditation himself in 1969 and became U Ba Khin's most famous disciple. He established an international network of Vipassana teaching centers centered in Dhammagiri, India. The U Ba Khin Origin Center continues to operate in Yangon, Myanmar, under the direction of Mother Sayyamaji, and has 6 branches in other countries.

Goenka was a gifted speaker, writer and poet. He wrote on English language, Hindi and Rajasthani. He traveled extensively and gave lectures all over the world. In 2000, he spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and at the Millennium Summit of Peace in the World at the UN. In 2002, he embarked on a four-month North American travel program called Meditation Now Tour of North America .

In November 2008, the Global Vipassana Pagoda was completed on the outskirts of Mumbai

Vipassana in prisons[ | ]

Goenka was able to bring Vipassana meditation to prisons, first to India and then to other countries. The organization estimates that more than 10,000 prisoners, as well as many police and military personnel, took part in the 10-day course.

Doing Time, Doing Vipassana is a 1997 documentary about the introduction of SN Goenka's 10-day Vipassana course at Tihara Prison in 1993 by then Inspector General of Prisons in New Delhi, Kiran Bedi. Bedi first taught a course for guards in Vipassana, and then Goenka had a first class for 1000 prisoners.

The Dhamma Brothers is a 2007 documentary about the Vipassana meditation program at Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama. The film concentrates on four inmates, all convicted of murder. It also includes interviews with guards, prison officials, and local residents, and includes inmate reruns.

Interesting Facts[ | ]

Notes (edit) [ | ]

International Meditation Center - A Buddhist retreat for the practice of Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana Events - Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka
World Vipassana Pagoda (Russian) // Wikipedia. - 2018-03-09.
Padma bhushan (Russian) // Wikipedia. - 2017-02-16.
Jack Kornfield (English) // Wikipedia. - 2018-05-13.

Biography

Later he became a leading businessman and industrialist in Burma and one of the heads of the Indian diaspora in Burma. He became interested in vipassana meditation for chronic headaches.

S.N. Goenka began a course of studying Buddhist Vipassana meditation under the guidance of U Ba Khin, one of the top officials of the government of Burma in the first years of independence, a student of Webu Sayadaw, a monk of the Burmese Theravada tradition, who at the end of the 19th century began to create a school for teaching lay people Buddhist meditation. This Theravada tradition was brought to Burma by the ambassadors of Ashoka, who were also mentors in the Dharma.

U Ba Khin was the most famous meditation teacher of his time, played an important role at the Sixth Buddhist Council in 1956, and was one of the leaders of the reform movement with an emphasis on the practice of vipassana, which had a positive impact on the standards of political life. A significant number of U Ba Khin's disciples later began to teach his meditation technique.

Goenka began teaching meditation himself in 1969 and became U Ba Khin's most famous disciple. He established an international network of Vipassana teaching centers centered in Dhammagiri, India. The U Ba Khin Origin Center continues to operate in Rangoon (Burma) under the direction of Mother Sayamaji and has 6 branches in other countries.

Goenka is a gifted speaker, writer and poet. He writes in English, Hindi and Rajasthani. He travels a lot and gives lectures all over the world. In 2000, he spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and at the Millennium Summit of Peace in the World at the UN. In 2002, he embarked on a four-month North American travel program called Meditation Now Tour of North America .

Teaching

Goenka constantly emphasizes that Buddha did not teach sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the path to liberation that is universal. He views his teaching as non-sectarian and open to both people of any faith and unbelievers. Goenka calls vipassana meditation an experimental scientific practice.

At the initial stage of practice, students concentrate on their own breathing. This practice is called Anapana meditation. After several days of developing concentration on the breath, there is a transition to the main part: vipassana, which includes concentration on sensations on the surface of the body. Observing various sensations, it is recommended to develop an equitable attitude towards them.

William Hart

Art of living

Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka

Introduction

I will forever be grateful for the change that Vipassana meditation has made in my life. When I first became acquainted with this teaching, I felt that I had previously wandered in the dark amidst a confusion of dead-end paths, and now I was finally on the main road. In subsequent years, I continued to move along this path, and with each step the goal became clearer. This goal is liberation from all suffering, complete enlightenment. I do not pretend that I have already achieved main goal, but I have no doubt that this path leads directly to her.

I will always be indebted to Shayagya U Ba Khin and the succession of teachers who have kept the method alive for millennia since the time of the Buddha. On behalf of all of them, I urge others to follow this path so that they too can find a way out of suffering.

Although many thousands of people from Western countries have already learned this technique, no book has yet been published that describes this form of vipassana in sufficient detail and accurately. I'm glad I finally got down to business to fill the gap, a serious meditation practitioner.

May this book deepen the understanding of those who personally practice vipassana meditation, may it encourage others to try this technique so that it becomes possible for them too to experience the happiness of liberation. Let every reader learn the art of living to find inner world and harmony and generate peace and harmony for others.

May all beings be happy!

S.N. Goenka, Bombay, April 1986

Foreword

Among those existing in the present world different types meditation method of vipassana, which is taught by S. N. Goenka, is one of a kind. This technique is a simple and logical way to find true peace, to live happily, meaningfully. Vipassana, although it existed for a long time only among the Buddhist community of Burma, does not contain anything sectarian; it can be resorted to, people of any worldview can do it.

SN Goenka is a retired industrialist and former head of the Indian community in Burma, originally from a conservative Hindu family. He suffered from severe migraines from a young age. In search of healing, in 1955 he met Shayagya U Ba Khin, who combined the role of a high-ranking civil servant in public life and the private role of a meditation teacher. While studying meditation with U Ba Khin, Mr. Goenka was confronted with a method that provided far more than simple relief from the symptoms of physical illness and unrestricted cultural and religious barriers. The ensuing years of teaching and practicing vipassana gradually transformed his life.

In 1969, Mr. Goenka moved to India after being authorized by U Ba Khin to teach Vipassana; which he began to do, returning this method to the country where it originated. India is still sharply divided into castes and religions - and yet Mr. Goenka's courses have attracted thousands of people from a wide range of worldviews and backgrounds; there were thousands of Europeans among the students. They were attracted by the practicality of this method.

For all his personal magnetism, Mr. Goenka does not want to be the kind of guru who turns disciples into automata. On the contrary, he teaches them personal responsibility. The real test of vipassana, he says, is its application to life. He encourages meditators not to sit at his feet, but to go into the world and live happily in it. He avoids accepting any expressions of devotion to him personally, and vice versa, encourages his students to be devoted to the method, the truth that they find within themselves.

Traditionally, teaching meditation in Burma has always been the prerogative of Buddhist monks. Mr. Goenka, however, like his teacher, is a layman, head of a large family. Nevertheless, he teaches so clearly, and the method is so effective, that he won the approval of senior monks in Burma, India and Sri Lanka, and some of them even took courses under his supervision. As Mr. Goenka emphasizes, meditation should never be made a profit to maintain its purity. All courses and centers operating under his direction are consistently non-profit enterprises. He himself does not take any remuneration for his labor, either direct or indirect; Nor are his assistants — teachers, whom he has commissioned to teach vipassana courses on his behalf. He shares with people the method of vipassana, seeing in this exclusively service to humanity and helping those in need.

The main source of material for the work is from Mr. Goenka's conversations with the audience during the ten-day Vipassana course; partly also his articles written in English. I used these materials freely, drawing from them not only the courses of argumentation and dispensation especially important points, but also the examples given; I often quote him verbatim. Those who took Vipassana courses personally with him will certainly meet many acquaintances in this book, or even be able to remember what kind of conversation or article was used in this text.

In the course of the training courses, the teacher's explanations step by step are accompanied by the personal experiences of the meditators. Here, the material is presented differently, taking into account the readership, that is, those people who simply read about meditation, not necessarily doing it personally. We have tried to present the doctrine for these readers as one gets to know it from personal experience; the logical sequence is not interrupted from the first stage to the final goal. This organic wholeness will be most evident to the meditator; but our book is designed to give those who do not study themselves a cursory glance at the teaching as it is revealed in practice.

In some sections, the intonation of oral speech is deliberately preserved to give a more vivid picture of how Mr. Goenka teaches: these are stories interspersed between chapters, as well as questions and answers at the conclusion of each chapter, dialogues taken from authentic conversations with students during training courses or private interviews. Something borrowed from the biography of Buddha, others from the rich heritage of Indian folklore, something else is taken from personal experience Mr. Goenka. Everything is put in his own words - not in order to improve the scripts he retells, but simply to make these stories sound fresh, to emphasize their importance for the practice of meditation. The stories defuse the overly serious atmosphere of the Vipassana course and inspire the practitioners, making the nodal points of the teachings well remembered. Of the many such stories told during the ten-day training course, we have included only a small sample of them.

These quotes are taken from the oldest and most recognized set of speeches, from the "Basket of Sermons" of the Buddha ("Sutta Pitaka"), preserved in the ancient Pali language in the countries of Theravada Buddhism. To maintain the unity of style throughout the book, I tried to re-translate all the excerpts quoted here, in accordance with the works of leading modern translators. However, since this book is not a scholarly work, I did not strive for literal translation when translating from Pali. On the other hand, I tried to convey the meaning of each passage in a clear and comprehensible way, as it appears to the practitioner of vipassana in the light of his personal experience. It is possible that the translation of other words or passages will seem unorthodox; but in all essentials, I hope English translation corresponds to the most direct meaning of the original.