VIPASSANA meditation

Vipassana, which means seeing things as they really are, is one of India's oldest meditation techniques. It was rediscovered by Gotama the Buddha over 2,500 years ago and taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills; it is an Art of Living. The aim of this non-sectarian technique is the total eradication of mental impurities and the supreme happiness of the resulting total liberation.

Vipassana is a method of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the profound interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by paying disciplined attention to the physical sensations that make up the life of the body, and which are in constant interaction and condition the life of the mind. It is this journey of self-exploration, based on observation, to reach the common root of mind and body, that dissolves mental impurities and results in a balanced mind full of love and compassion.

The scientific laws that guide our thoughts, feelings, judgments and sensations become clear. Through direct experience, we understand the nature of how we progress or regress, how we produce suffering or how to free ourselves from it. Life is then characterized by heightened awareness, absence of illusions, self-control and peace.

Tradition

Since the time of the Buddha, Vipassana has been passed down through an unbroken chain of teachers. Although of Indian origin, the current teacher in this chain, Mr. S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma (Myammar). While living there, he had the good fortune to learn Vipassana from his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who was a high-ranking government official at the time.

After being trained by his teacher for fourteen years, Mr. Goenka moved to India and began teaching Vipassana in 1969. Since then, he has taught tens of thousands of people of all ethnic origins and religions in the East and West. In 1982, he began appointing assistant teachers to help him cope with the growing demand for Vipassana courses.

Courses

The technique is taught in a ten-day residential course, during which participants adhere to a prescribed Code of Discipline, learn the basics of the method and practice enough to feel the beneficial results.

The course requires hard, serious work. The training consists of three stages. The first step is to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual activity, lying and intoxicants during the course. This simple code of moral conduct calms the mind, which would otherwise be too agitated to practice the task of self-observation. The next step is to develop a certain mastery of the mind by learning to fix its attention on the natural reality of the constantly changing flow of breath as it enters and exits the nostrils.

By the fourth day, the mind is calmer and more focused, better able to undertake the practice of Vipassana itself: observing sensations through the body, understanding their nature, and developing equanimity by learning not to react to them. Finally, on the last day, participants learn the meditation of loving-kindness or goodwill towards all, during which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings.

The whole practice is really mental training. Just as we use physical exercise to improve our physical health, so we can use Vipassana to develop a healthy mind.

Because it has proved so beneficial, great importance is attached to preserving the technique in its original, authentic form. It is not taught on a commercial basis, but is offered free of charge. No one involved in the teaching receives any material remuneration whatsoever. No payment is required for courses, not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All costs are covered by donations from those who, having completed a full course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to offer others the same opportunity.

Of course, results come gradually, through regular practice. It's unrealistic to expect all problems to be solved in ten days. During this period, however, you can learn the essentials of Vipassana so that you can apply them in your daily life. The more you practice the technique, the greater the release from suffering, and the closer you get to the ultimate goal of total liberation. Even ten days can bring significant and clearly beneficial results in daily life.

All sincere people are welcome to attend Vipassana courses, to see for themselves what the technique brings and to measure its benefits. For all who try it, Vipassana will prove an invaluable tool for achieving true happiness and sharing it with others.