S. N. Goenka

Sri Satya Narayan Goenka (born 1924) is a leading lay teacher of Vipassana meditation and the principal Dhamma heir of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

Born in Mandalay, Burma 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. Goenka became U Ba Khin's most prominent successor and went on to found an international network of teaching centers, based at Dhammagiri in India.

It is believed that Gautama Buddha had foretold that his teachings would disappear from the land of their origin, India, and then return to its shores twenty-five centuries after his death. Goenka’s setting up of teaching centers in India is heralded by some of his supporters as the fulfillment of that prediction.

With the ever-growing number of people learning Vipassana from these centers, Goenka is very scrupulous in ensuring that the whole network does not go on to become a cult. The organization of his centres are very de-centralized and self-sufficient and he himself maintains a low profile, though all the centers look up to Goenka as the principal teacher and guide.

Goenka argues, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal."^* Therefore, he views his own teachings as "totally non-sectarian" and open to people of all faiths. The technique involves adherence to a moral code, in order to quiet the mind so that it can be controlled, can be concentrated. This enables the main part of the practice, detached observation of the reality of the present moment as it manifests in one's own mind and body.

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.

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-m tall, Global Pagoda^* to serve as the nerve-center for spreading vipassana meditation around the world. The construction of this is under progress.

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