SilaSamadhi wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:29 pm
I recently learned the vipassanā meditation technique according to S. N. Goenka, and was wondering how legitimate it is according to practicing, educated Buddhists.
For example, how faithfully does it adhere to the Buddha's teachings, such as the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta?
As someone who studied other Suttas before (though not this one in particular), I was surprised by the strong focus on the body, and observing bodily sensations, as the central pillar of this meditation method.
The Buddha doesn't focus on the body in much of his teachings, and where he does touch on the body, it is usually to encourage disciples to
let it go.
I want to know that whatever I am practicing has a solid base in Buddhist tradition. In addition any commentary you may have of Goenka in particular, I'll be happy to learn of other teachers who may be more legitimate in this sense, if such exist.
EDIT: to clarify, I am only asking about Goenka's
vipassanā meditation technique. I understand there are comments about his organization, the structure of his retreats, and other issues peripheral to the technique itself. However, I am not asking about any of these things.
I recommend reading "The essentials of Buddha-Dhamma in Practice" by Sayagyi U Ba Khin found here:
http://www.internationalmeditationcentr ... nglish.pdf
Also Check out the International Meditation Centre while your there. This was the original organization (Not counting the Vipassana Research Association) founded by Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and after his demise lead by his foremost student Mother Sayamagyi who passed away in January. Roger Bischoff is currently the leading teacher of IMC.
thepea wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:50 pm
Crazy imbalanced people get in to courses that had they honestly filled out the paperwork would not have been deemed suitable to sit a course. I think these people suffer the most as they need phycologists not dhamma teachers. They can also affect those sitting a course.
So the Dhamma is only for those considered sane by contemporary standards? These people most definitely need Dhamma teachers! No, a ten day Goenka retreat is most likely not beneficial for certain types of people, but to say that these "Crazy imbalanced people" as you put it, need psychologist not Dhamma teachers is missing the whole point of why the Buddha taught people in the first place. And quite frankly, down right insulting. Yes, some may also need some professional psychological help, but remember,
it is a gradual path! And anybody, "considered sane by societal standards", can have underlying mental health problems they never knew about. Yes, Goenka has done a lot to spread the Buddha-Dhamma to the world, but these retreats spearheaded by Goenka are not necessarily beneficial to everybody whether clinically sane or not, but that is no reason to single out people with mental health problems... Please, think very carefully about the words that you use and about your attitude towards these types of issues.