S.N. Goenka

S.N. Goenka

S.N. Goenka (Satya Narayana Goenka ) was born on January 30th, 1924. S.N. passed away September 29th, 2013 at 89 years old.

S. N. Goenka was a popular teacher of Vipassana meditation.

While he is originally from India, he was brought up in Myanmar, where he studied the Vipassana from Sayagyi U Ba Khin, one of the most respected teachers of the practice. He practiced with U Ba Khin for several years before he moved back to India, where he became a teacher.

Unlike other gurus, S. N. Goenka offered lessons to people of all backgrounds, as he did not believe his teachings applied to just one religion. His 10-day meditation retreats attracted hundreds of thousands of people from India and other countries.

What Goenka launched was a global movement as he opened centers in Australasia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The centres offered Vipassana courses free of charge, so just about anyone could learn the practice.

S.N. Goenka has been involved in the establishment of the Vipassana Research Institute, which supports the preservation and study of meditation teachings and texts. He was also involved in the building of the meditation monument, Global Vipassana Pagoda near Mumbai.

He is remembered for teaching structured meditation, which focuses on observing the mind and body to increase awareness and reduce suffering. Goenka also spoke at international events and introduced Vipassana to many parts of the world.

Goenka died aged 89 in 2013.

In 2002, S.N. Goenka published For the Benefit of Many, a compilation of questions and answer sessions and talks given by the author to students of Vipassana meditation.

The work introduces real scripts of Goenka’s speeches at annual meetings and what he said during his visits to Vipassana centres. In his speeches, he explains how to practice Vipassana and how people can support one another through self-discipline, goodness, and sincerity.

He shows people practicing meditation to understand Vipassana and the right way to help others involved in the practice.

In The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck, S.N. Goenka published a work bringing together the writings and teachings of his former teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

He celebrates the life and work of his mentor, and the Vipassana meditation techniques he taught, as he shows how U Ba Khin had taught and lived the Dhamma.

Goenka explained critical concepts about the practice and shared background and interviews to help readers understand its roots and how it came to be one of the most popular meditation techniques worldwide.

The Great Buddha’s Noble Teaching is a work that S.N. Goenka published in 2024 to explain Vipassana as a meditation technique and how it was introduced by the Buddha.

He describes the teachings and life of the Buddha and shows how Vipassana helps people who practice it understand suffering and end it.

He also chronicles the spread of the practice right from the time of the Buddha through the chain of teachers and various councils.

S.N. Goenka: F.A.Q