In a life that saw him evolve from a staunchly religious Hindu to an ecumenical master of Buddhist insight meditation, Satyanārāyaṇ (S. N.) Goenka (1924–2013) emerged as a leader in the spread of lay mindfulness and insight meditation practice on a global scale. A second-generation Burmese of Indian origin, Goenka was a successful businessman before turning to Buddhist meditation for help with crippling migraines. Becoming first a close student and then assistant teacher under the innovative Burmese lay Buddhist teacher U Ba Khin, Goenka eventually felt the pull of karmic destiny to teach meditation in India and thereby repay the ancient debt that Burmese Buddhists owed to the original Indian Buddhist tradition. In the 1970s, as he became an integral part of the Indian Buddhist spiritual landscape, thousands of young people from the United States and Europe flocked to India to explore its spiritual possibilities. Out of this remarkable convergence was launched a global network of practitioners and meditation centers that would become Goenka’s legacy.
Drawing heavily on Goenka’s own autobiographical writings and Dharma talks, Daniel Stuart draws the first comprehensive portrait of the master’s life and demonstrates that Goenka’s influences, teaching, and legacy are much more complex than has been commonly thought. Stuart incorporates a wide range of primary documents and newly translated material in Hindi and Burmese to offer readers an in-depth exploration of Goenka’s teachings and his practice lineage in Burma. Stuart further details the trials and tribulations Goenka faced in building a movement in India in the 1970s, developing a global network of meditation centers, and negotiating a range of relationships with students and religious leaders worldwide. This fascinating addition to the Lives of the Masters series reflects on Goenka’s role in the revival of Buddhism in postcolonial India and his emergence as one of the most influential meditation masters of the twentieth century.
“Daniel Stuart paints a nuanced portrait of the man he describes as his teacher. . . . Whereas many Western Buddhists may think of Goenka only as the ‘nonreligious’ teacher of Insight/Vipassana meditation, this intriguing biography and collection of his writings serves as a clear reminder that his life and teachings were firmly rooted in tradition—and were more complex than his Western audiences may have realized.”—Lion’s Roar
“A valuable contribution to English-language knowledge of this historical teacher and to public understandings of the global mindfulness movement.”—Buddhadharma
“Of immeasurable value both to scholars and non-scholars.”—Asian Review of Books
“For those interested in modern vipaśyanā meditation, this is essential reading. . . . A long-time student of Goenka’s, Stuart writes respectfully, fairly, and with nuance. It is clear that a huge amount of care went into the construction of this biography. This is an important work.”—Reading Religion
“Stuart’s thoughtful and nuanced biography enriches and complicates the received narrative of one of the architects of modern meditation. It provides a more complex view into Goenka’s various layered identities and situates him in his historical contexts. This is a valuable contribution to the conversations on modern Buddhism and meditative practices.”—David L. McMahan, author of The Making of Buddhist Modernism
“By taking the story S. N. Goenka tells in his own writings and considering it alongside the accounts of others, this book presents a number of different perspectives on key events in Goenka’s life. Stuart’s commentary highlights various details and tensions in Goenka’s story that shed light on his relationship with his teacher, U Ba Khin; his particular approach to insight meditation; and his eventual break with others in the U Ba Khin tradition. The whole adds up to a fascinating narrative that should be read by all who wish to gain a better understanding of the development of insight meditation in Europe and the U.S., as well as the emergence of modern secular mindfulness.”—Rupert Gethin, author of The Foundations of Buddhism and The Buddhist Path to Awakening
“An excellent study of U Goenka and his movement. Stuart manages to achieve the difficult balancing act of maintaining critical intellectual distance while showing a heartfelt appreciation of Goenkaji’s extraordinary life and work. It is a most timely book that sheds valuable light on the origins of the now widespread practice of Buddhist meditation in general and mindfulness meditation in particular.”—Stephen Batchelor, author of The Art of Solitude and After Buddhism
Daniel M. Stuart, associate professor of religious studies at the University of South Carolina, is a scholar of South Asian religions, literary cultures, and meditation traditions specializing in the texts and practices of the Buddhist tradition. He is the author of The Stream of Deathless Nectar, A Less Traveled Path, and Thinking About Cessation.
In a life that saw him evolve from a staunchly religious Hindu to an ecumenical master of Buddhist insight meditation, Satyanārāyaṇ (S. N.) Goenka (1924–2013) emerged as a leader in the spread of lay mindfulness and insight meditation practice on a global scale. A second-generation Burmese of Indian origin, Goenka was a successful businessman before turning to Buddhist meditation for help with crippling migraines. Becoming first a close student and then assistant teacher under the innovative Burmese lay Buddhist teacher U Ba Khin, Goenka eventually felt the pull of karmic destiny to teach meditation in India and thereby repay the ancient debt that Burmese Buddhists owed to the original Indian Buddhist tradition. In the 1970s, as he became an integral part of the Indian Buddhist spiritual landscape, thousands of young people from the United States and Europe flocked to India to explore its spiritual possibilities. Out of this remarkable convergence was launched a global network of practitioners and meditation centers that would become Goenka’s legacy.
Drawing heavily on Goenka’s own autobiographical writings and Dharma talks, Daniel Stuart draws the first comprehensive portrait of the master’s life and demonstrates that Goenka’s influences, teaching, and legacy are much more complex than has been commonly thought. Stuart incorporates a wide range of primary documents and newly translated material in Hindi and Burmese to offer readers an in-depth exploration of Goenka’s teachings and his practice lineage in Burma. Stuart further details the trials and tribulations Goenka faced in building a movement in India in the 1970s, developing a global network of meditation centers, and negotiating a range of relationships with students and religious leaders worldwide. This fascinating addition to the Lives of the Masters series reflects on Goenka’s role in the revival of Buddhism in postcolonial India and his emergence as one of the most influential meditation masters of the twentieth century.
Reviews
“Daniel Stuart paints a nuanced portrait of the man he describes as his teacher. . . . Whereas many Western Buddhists may think of Goenka only as the ‘nonreligious’ teacher of Insight/Vipassana meditation, this intriguing biography and collection of his writings serves as a clear reminder that his life and teachings were firmly rooted in tradition—and were more complex than his Western audiences may have realized.”—Lion’s Roar
“A valuable contribution to English-language knowledge of this historical teacher and to public understandings of the global mindfulness movement.”—Buddhadharma
“Of immeasurable value both to scholars and non-scholars.”—Asian Review of Books
“For those interested in modern vipaśyanā meditation, this is essential reading. . . . A long-time student of Goenka’s, Stuart writes respectfully, fairly, and with nuance. It is clear that a huge amount of care went into the construction of this biography. This is an important work.”—Reading Religion
“Stuart’s thoughtful and nuanced biography enriches and complicates the received narrative of one of the architects of modern meditation. It provides a more complex view into Goenka’s various layered identities and situates him in his historical contexts. This is a valuable contribution to the conversations on modern Buddhism and meditative practices.”—David L. McMahan, author of The Making of Buddhist Modernism
“By taking the story S. N. Goenka tells in his own writings and considering it alongside the accounts of others, this book presents a number of different perspectives on key events in Goenka’s life. Stuart’s commentary highlights various details and tensions in Goenka’s story that shed light on his relationship with his teacher, U Ba Khin; his particular approach to insight meditation; and his eventual break with others in the U Ba Khin tradition. The whole adds up to a fascinating narrative that should be read by all who wish to gain a better understanding of the development of insight meditation in Europe and the U.S., as well as the emergence of modern secular mindfulness.”—Rupert Gethin, author of The Foundations of Buddhism and The Buddhist Path to Awakening
“An excellent study of U Goenka and his movement. Stuart manages to achieve the difficult balancing act of maintaining critical intellectual distance while showing a heartfelt appreciation of Goenkaji’s extraordinary life and work. It is a most timely book that sheds valuable light on the origins of the now widespread practice of Buddhist meditation in general and mindfulness meditation in particular.”—Stephen Batchelor, author of The Art of Solitude and After Buddhism
Author
Daniel M. Stuart, associate professor of religious studies at the University of South Carolina, is a scholar of South Asian religions, literary cultures, and meditation traditions specializing in the texts and practices of the Buddhist tradition. He is the author of The Stream of Deathless Nectar, A Less Traveled Path, and Thinking About Cessation.
