S.N. Goenka

Satya Narayan Goenka (1924-2013) was a renowned Vipassana teacher: our cherished late teacher in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

Although Indian by descent, S.N. Goenka was born and raised in Burma (Myanmar), where he became a successful businessman. It was in Burma that he learned the technique of Vipassana from Sayagyi U Ba Khin. After practicing Vipassana and receiving training from Sayagyi for fourteen years, in 1969 Goenkaji (as he is often lovingly called by his students) settled in India and began teaching Vipassana. In a country still sharply divided by differences of caste and religion, his courses attracted thousands of people from every part of society. In addition, many people from countries around the world came to join his courses in Vipassana meditation. During his lifetime S.N. Goenka taught tens of thousands of people in more than 300 courses in India and across the world, East and West.

In 1982 Goenkaji began to appoint assistant teachers to help him to meet the growing demand for courses. In meditation courses at over 200 Vipassana centers internationally, each year many thousands of meditators have the opportunity to practice the Buddha's living teaching as it has been transmitted by the chain of teachers that Goenkaji represents.

The technique taught by S.N. Goenka traces back to the Buddha. The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught the Dhamma—the way to liberation—which is universal. In the same tradition, the approach of S.N. Goenka has always been totally non-sectarian. For this reason, his teaching has a profound appeal to people of all backgrounds, of every religion and no religion, and from every part of the world.

The Art of Living, For the Benefit of Many, Meditation Now and Discourse Summaries are some of the main titles containing his writings and/or discourses.

Find more on S.N. Goenka in the Treasures of Pariyatti section.