S.N. Goenka, or Goenkaji as he
is widely and respectfully referred to, is well known in numerous countries of
the world as a master teacher of meditation. He received the technique that he
teaches in the 1950’s from Sayagyi U Ba Khin of Burma, who in turn received it
from Saya Thet, who received it in turn from the venerable monk, Ledi Sayadaw,
who in turn received it from his own teacher in a long line of teachers
descended directly from the Buddha. The achievement of this line of teachers in
preserving the technique through such a long period of time is extraordinary,
and a cause for gratitude in those who practise it. Now, in a world hungry for
inner peace, there has been an extraordinary spread of the technique in
Goenkaji’s lifetime.
In
spite of his magnetic personality and the enormous success of his teaching
methods, Goenkaji gives all credit for his success to the efficacy of Dhamma
itself. He has never sought to play the role of a guru or to found any kind of
sect, cult or religious organisation. When teaching the technique he never
omits to say that he received it from the Buddha through a chain of teachers
down to his own teacher, and his gratitude to them for the benefits that he has
personally gained in his own meditation is evident. At the same time, he
continually emphasises that he does not teach Buddhism or any kind of
"ism," and that the technique that he teaches is universal, for
people from any religious or philosophical background or belief.
Although
his family was from India, Goenkaji was brought up in Burma, where he learnt
the technique from his teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin. After being authorised as a
teacher by U Ba Khin he left Burma in 1969 in response to his mother’s illness,
to give a ten-day course to his parents and twelve others in Bombay. The
inspiration that he imparted and the extraordinary results of his teaching led
to many more such courses, first in campsites around India and then later in
centres as these began to spring up. From 1979 onwards he also started giving
courses outside India, notably in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, France, England,
North America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. All of these countries today
have one or more centres.
