Vipassana meditation - the teaching of the Buddha

Vipassana meditation is the teaching of the Buddha. It is said that the Buddha achieved enlightenment through the practice of this technique. According to S.N Goenka this technique was forgotten in India but preserved in its pristine purity by a chain of Buddhist monks in the country of Burma. S.N Goenka learned this technique in Burma and has established a number of centers both in India and in other countries to spread this meditation teaching amongst spiritual aspirants of all religions, sects and creeds.

S.N Goenka says that the problem of suffering is universal to mankind. When a man gets angry it is not Hindu anger or Christian anger or Buddhist anger. People of all religious faiths suffer due to their negative emotions or defilements. Hence this meditation teaching is offered as a universal remedy to the ills of mankind.

To progress, using this Vipassana meditation the meditator must establish two habits in his mind – one is alertness and the other is equanimity. Alertness is simply being present in the Here and Now as you are doing the meditation and not escaping into the past or the future either through memories or daydreams. Being present in the Here and Now is easier said than done but it is the key to spiritual progress. This is what is taught by all philosophies in the eastern tradition.

Equanimity is also important to progress using the Vipassana meditation teaching. By equanimity is meant - in my opinion – the habit of treating with indifference all that takes place in the mind as we are doing the meditation. Soon enough the habit of equanimity will extend to rest of our lives as well. In the immortal words of Rudyard Kipling:

If you can meet with triumph and disaster, And treat those two imposters just the same.

A habit of equanimity in our journey through life brings immeasurable benefits. Again this is easier said than done, but through the practice of Vipassana meditation one can readily develop this state of mind.

The Vipassana meditation course – as taught by S.N Goenka – is rigorous and demanding. The centers are run on the basis of voluntary donations by people who have done the basic 10-day course. There is no charge for boarding or lodging or for the meditation teaching. At the end of the 10-day residential course you are free to donate any amount that you think fit for the benefit of others who may wish to do the course in future. Thus for ten days, you will be living the life of a Buddhist monk, doing his meditation practice and surviving on the voluntary donations of society.

The meditation practice starts at 4:30 in the morning and continues (with breaks) till 9:30 at night. There is a daily (recorded) discourse by S.N Goenka in the evening of about 1 and a half hours. You will be meditating for about 10 and a half hours every day. Teachers are available to guide and supervise and guide you through any difficulties you face in your meditation practice. The sexes are strictly segregated. You are also expected to take a vow of silence and not talk to anybody for the duration of the course. Thus you will be following the Buddhist teaching of Right Speech as well.

There are only 2 meals a day – both before 12 noon.

Although meditation cushions are provided, sitting cross-legged for 10 hours a day is obviously painful. The Vipassana method uses this physical pain and teaches us the habit of observing the painful sensations with equanimity and with alertness. Thus over 10 days you will be able to gain a completely new outlook, which may well transform your life.

Goenka stresses knowledge born of experience and says that intellectual or conceptual knowledge has no power to change a person. Observing the arising and passing away of sensations in the body, one understands experientially the impermanence of all things. Having understood this through his own experience the meditator is able to attain a detached state of mind, not clinging to anything.

The meditator is expected to do 2 sittings of one hour each every day after finishing the course. He is also advised to attend a 10-day course once every year.

I encourage all serious aspirants to explore the possibility of doing the Vipassana meditation course but they must be determined. Any person suffering form any mental illness should consult a psychiatrist first. The Vipassana meditation course is not meant to be a substitute for professional help and is very demanding. If you have such an ailment but still wish to do the course please discuss the matter first with your psychiatrist.

Further information about Vipassana meditation course conducted by S.N Goenka may be found at this website www.dhamma.org.

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