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S.N. Goenka

Sri Satya Narayan Goenka (born 1924) is a leading lay teacher of Vipassana meditation and a student of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Born in Mandalay, Myanmar to Indian parents, Goenka was raised a Hindu and, as an adult, became an industrialist and leader of the Burmese Indian community. After developing an interest in meditation in an effort to overcome chronic migraines, he began studying with U Ba Khin, a senior civil servant in the newly independent Burmese government. U Ba Khin was a renowned meditation teacher who had played an important role in the Sixth Buddhist Council of 1954-1956 and was one of the leaders of a Vipassana-centered reform movement that had exerted a positive influence on standards in public life. U Ba Khin had a number of students who teach U Ba Khin's style of vipassana meditation. Goenka became U Ba Khin's most prominent student and went on to found an international network of teaching centers, based at Dhammagiri in India. U Ba Khin's original center continues to function in Yangon, Myanmar guided by Mother Sayamagyi, along with 6 branch centres around the world.[1] For the rap album, see 1924 (album). ... Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaÅ›yanā (Sanskrit) means insight. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has universal application. ... For other senses of this word, see Meditation (disambiguation). ... Sayagyi U Ba Khin (March 6, 1899 – January 18, 1971) was born in Rangoon, Burma. ... This article is about the city in Myanmar. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Sayagyi U Ba Khin (March 6, 1899 – January 18, 1971) was born in Rangoon, Burma. ... 1st Buddhist council (5th century BC) The first Buddhist council was held soon after the death of the Buddha under the patronage of king Ajatasatru, and presided by a monk named Mahakasyapa, at Rajagaha (todays Rajgir). ...

Goenka explains in his talks, that the path to enlightenment is through the practice of Vipassana, and that the only place that the authentic teacher-to-student Vipassana teachings survived was in Myanmar. Furthermore he explains that there was only one single lineage within Myanmar which maintained that genuine technique, that U Ba Khin was one recipient to hold that lineage, and that now Goenka himself is also one holding that lineage. Students of Goenka's technique that are also trying meditation techniques with other teachers are encouraged to choose and remain with the technique that works best for them, and if they wish to remain students of Goenka, that they stop any other technique and refrain from going to any other teacher.

While students practice Goenka's Vipassana technique at the meditation centres, they agree to refrain from practicing any other religious practices. Concerning practices of other religions, Goenka says, "Understand. The names of many practices are all words of pure Dhamma, of Vipassana. But today the essence is lost; it is just a lifeless shell that people perform. And that has no benefit."

Goenka emphasizes in his courses and lectures on Vipassana meditation as offering a scientific investigation of the mind-matter phenomenon, and relates that through Vipassana meditation one can observe eight fundamental particles (which he refers to as "kalapas") at the experiential level of one's own mind, not to be confused with the standard model in physics. Kalapas, according to The Buddha, are the tiny particles which ultimately constitute mind and matter, arising and passing away trillions of times in the blink of an eye. ...

With the ever-growing number of people learning Vipassana from these centers, Goenka tries to ensure that the whole network does not become a sectarian religion or cult. He recommends the expansion should be for the benefit of others, not mere expansion for the sake of expansion due to any blind belief -- but with the intention may more people benefit, rather than for the sake of your own organization's growth. Through the application process, however, much effort is made to prepare potential students for the rigorous and serious nature of the intensive 10-day meditation.

People with serious mental disorders have occasionally come to Vipassana courses with the unrealistic expectation that the technique will cure or alleviate their mental problems. Unstable interpersonal relationships and a history of various treatments can be additional factors which make it difficult for such people to benefit from, or even complete, a ten-day course. Our capacity as a nonprofessional volunteer organization makes it impossible for us to properly care for people with these backgrounds. Although Vipassana meditation is beneficial for most people, it is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment and we do not recommend it for people with serious psychiatric disorders.[2]

The organization of the centers are de-centralized and self-sufficient, and may be run by volunteers of varying experience, which may account for differences in attitudes and experiences. In an effort to provide a more uniform experience in all of the centers, all public instruction during the retreat is given by audio and video tapes of Goenka. When asked about problems related to growth and expansion, Goenka is quoted as: The term retreat has several related meanings, all of which have in common the notion of safety or temporarily removing oneself from ones usual environment. ...

The cause of the problem is included in the question. When these organizations work for their own expansion, they have already started rotting. The aim should be to increase other people’s benefits. Then there is a pure Dhamma volition and there is no chance of decay. When there is a Dhamma volition, "May more and more people benefit," there is no attachment. But if you want your organization to grow, there is attachment and that pollutes Dhamma.^{[citation needed]}

Goenka emphasises that, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal."[3] Therefore, he views his own teachings as non-sectarian and open to people of all faiths or no faith. Goenka calls Vipassana meditation an experiential "scientific" practice. Students are encouraged to examine and test their own experience as evidence at the experiential level by observing oneself with equanimity, then see what the results are. The technique involves adherence to a moral code and the observation of breath. To quiet the mind, students are asked to have no contact with the outside world or other students, though may talk to an assistant teacher about questions concerning the technique or student manager for any material problems. Mere observation of breath allows the mind to become naturally concentrated. This concentration prepares one for the main part of the practice -- non-attached observation of the reality of the present moment as it manifests in one's own mind and body. After watching the breath for several days, a practice called Anapana, the course goes on to the Vipassana practice which involves carefully "scanning" the surface of the body with one's attention and observing the sensations with equanimity. Siddhartha and Gautama redirect here. ... The word dharma (Sanskrit; धर्म in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, Dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. ... Moksha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Anapana Sati, meaning mindfulness of breathing (sati means mindfulness, ānāpāna refers to breathing) is a basic form of meditation taught by the Buddha. ...

Goenka is a prolific orator, writer and a poet. He writes in English, Hindi and Rajasthani languages. He has traveled widely and lectured to audiences worldwide including at the World Economic Forum, Davos, in the year 2000 and at the “Millennium World Peace Summit” at the United Nations in August, 2000. For four months in 2002, he undertook the Meditation Now Tour of North America.[4]

He believes that theory and practice should go hand-in-hand and accordingly has also established a Vipassana Research Institute to investigate and publish literature on Vipassana and its effects.

Goenka has envisioned a magnificent, nearly 100 meter tall, Global Pagoda to serve as an inspiration for spreading vipassana meditation around the world. The construction is still in progress.[5]

The Vipassana Meditation Centers that he has helped to establish throughout the world offer 10-day courses that provide a thorough and guided introduction to the practice of Vipassana meditation. These courses are supported by voluntary donations of people who want to contribute for future courses. There are no charges for either the course or for the lodging and boarding during the course.

Further reading

• Glickman, Marshall (2002). Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation. Tuttle. ISBN 1582900434
• Hart, William (1987). The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation: As Taught by S. N. Goenka. HarperOne. ISBN 0060637242

External links

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• S.N. Goenka - profile on VRI
• S.N. Goenka - profile on Global Pagoda site
• S.N. Goenka - profile on World Economic Forum
• S.N. Goenka - profile on International Vipassana site
• Introduction to Vipassana Meditation by S.N. Goenka (video files)
• Podcasts about Vipassana Meditation (audio talks)
• International Vipassana Meditation Website
• Vipassana Research Institute
• Global Pagoda Website
• Meditation Now Tour of North America 2002
• A Critique of Vipassana as taught by Mr S N Goenka

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

External articles related to S.N. Goenka

• Hard Labor SF Weekly | December 20, 2000
• Transcendental Incarceration SF Weekly | Feb 21, 2001
• A Serious Operation on the Mind Shambhala Sun | September 2001
• Vipassana Behind Bars Aquarian Online | Spring 2003
• How to succeed in business: Meditate Fortune Magazine | July 2007

Interviews with S.N. Goenka

• The Art of Living Excerpt from talk by S.N. Goenka in Berne, Switzerland in 1980
• Q&A by Goenka BuddhaNet | 1997 & 1999
• A Close Encounter With the Non-Self (with interview excerpts) LifePositive | May 1998
• An Interview with S. N. Goenka Tricycle: The Buddhist Review | Winter 2000
• Universal Spirituality for Peace United Nations General Assembly | August 29, 2000
• Meeting Between Goenka and Krishnamurti BuddhaNet | October 17, 2000
• The Universal Meditation Technique of S.N. Goenka Shambhala Sun | September 2001
• Don't You Teach Buddhism? Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly | Spring 2003