Vipassana International Academy

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Vipassana International Academy offers you an opportunity to learn the path to Dhamma - Goutama Buddha's technique of meditation.

For most people Vipassana is a word synonymous with meditation. An ancient Buddhist technique of stilling the mind and achieving some sorts of equanimity, Vipassana has been hugely popular with a generation of Indians and Westeners.

Some of the well known practitioners of Vipassana includes Hollywood star Richard Gere, American novelist Graham Greene and actress Sharon Stone. In fact, Vipassana as a meditation technique gained popularity abroad, in the 60s' with the flower power children. It was only twenty years later, in the 80s, that it became so popular with the Indian elite.

Vipassana, which means, "to see things as they really are", is a logical and pure natural science.

Its practitioners claim that as a by-product of mental purification, many psychosomatic diseases also get eradicated. With continued practice, the meditation relieves the tensions of everyday life and develops positive, creative energy for the betterment of the individual and society.

Background
About three decades back S N Goenkaji worked towards setting up a centre for Vipassana learning. A site was procured at Igatpuri, three hours away from Bombay. Named 'Vipassana International Academy' (VIA), the centre is today the principal world centre of Vipassana Meditation, and the barren site selected for the Academy has since been transformed by landscaping and tree-planting.

Goenkaji has named the new centre as Dhamma Giri: Hill of Dhamma.

The first course was held at Dhamma Giri in October 1976 and since then numerous courses have been held each year, attended by thousands of students from India and overseas. In 1997 about 13500 adults and 2500 children attended courses at Dhamma Giri. In 1999, the numbers had grown to 18,000 adults and about 3000 children. In January this year, about 21,000 adults had enrolled for the course.

Apart from the ten-day course, other courses for old students are also held. The centre has comfortable accommodation for about 600 students, and accommodation for Dhamma-sevaks as (the servers of God) well as separate accommodation for monks.

Adjacent to the Vipassana International Academy is the Vipassana Research Institute (VRI), established in 1985. It is a non-profit Indian trust and carries out research into Vipassana meditation. This research covers both the publication and translation of Buddhist literature in the Pali language as well as the application of Vipassana in daily life.

Now there are nearly 50 centres for the practice of this technique through out the world. And the headquarters is at Igatpuri in Maharashtra.

Teacher/Founder/ Guru of the spiritual centre / Ashram
Vipassana is one of India's most ancient meditation techniques. It was rediscovered 2500 years ago by Gautama the Buddha, and is the essence of what he practiced and taught during his forty-five year ministry.

Over time the technique spread to the neighbouring countries of Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand and others.

However this technique in pristine purity was preserved only in Burma, by a lineage of devoted teachers, for over 2000 years.

In our time, guru S N Goenka reintroduced Vipassana to India and other countries. Goenkaji was authorised to teach Vipassana by the reknowned Burmese vipasanna teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The later cherished a deep desire to have a Vipassana Center in India, so that Dhamma could be re-established in the land of its birth, and it could further spread throughout the world. Goenkaji began conducting Vipassana courses in 1969.

Goenkaji, in one of his lectures has said, "The path of Vipassana is a universal remedy for human problems and is independent of any organised religion or sectarianism. It is based on love and compassion that are natural human qualities, that manifest themselves as a result of a pure mind. The technique works on the basis of the commonality of human problems and a pragmatic method that can solve these problems."

Now there is however no Guru. There are assistant teachers who assist the students at the centres. There is no guru worship or competition among students. The teacher is simply a well-wisher pointing the way he has charted through his own long practical experience.

Teachings

Vipassana, one of India's most ancient meditation techniques, is traced to Gautama the Buddha. The word Vipassana means realizing things as they really are. It is the process of self-purification by self-observation. One begins by observing the natural breath to develop concentration and then moves on to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experiences the universal truths of impermanence, suffering and egolessness.

This truth-realization by direct experience is the process of purification. Vipassana can be practised by everyone, at any place or time without any discrimination and has been found to be beneficial to all. It has also been practised in jails, with beneficial results.

The Practice
To learn Vipassana, it is necessary to take a ten day residential course under the guidance of a qualified teacher. These courses are open to anyone who sincerely wishes to learn the technique. People from all backgrounds find that they become better human beings. Thus, without conflict, it cuts across barriers of race, caste or religion, in any place, at any time and will prove equally beneficial to one and all.

If you enrol for the retreat you will remain within the course site having no contact with the outside world for the duration of the retreat. You will follow a demanding daily schedule that includes about 10 hours of sitting meditation. You will also observe silence, not communicating with fellow students. There are three steps to the training.

First you will practice abstention from actions that cause harm - killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct and the use of intoxicants. The observation of these precepts allows the mind to calm down sufficiently and proceed with the task at hand.

Second for the first three and half days, you will practice anapana meditation focussing attention on the natural breath. This practice helps to develop control over the unruly mind.

With this sharpened awareness, you will practice Vipassana in the next six and half days, thus proceeding to observe the changing nature of body and mind. You will penetrate your entire physical and mental structure with the clarity of insight.

You will receive systematic meditation instructions several times a day, and each day's progress is explained in a taped evening discourse by Shri Goenka. Complete silence is observed for the first nine days. On the tenth day, you will resume speaking, making the transition back to a more extroverted day of life. The course concludes on the morning of the eleventh day, with the practice of metta bhavana (loving kindness or good will towards all) in which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings.

The process of self-purification by introspection is certainly never easy. You have to work really hard at it. By your own efforts, you will arrive at your own realisations. Therefore the meditation would be most useful for you if you are willing to work seriously and observe the discipline, an integral part of the practice.

Other Courses

One-day Courses & Group Sittings are only for old students who have completed a ten-day course with Goenkaji or any of his authorised assistants.

If you have completed at least three ten-day courses and have practised regularly for the last year then you can take the Satipatthana course.

For 20-day course: you should have finished at least five 10-day courses and one Satipatthana course; daily practice for the past two years; and have complete commitment to Vipassana.

For 30-day course: you should have finished one 20-day course and participated in a full-time Dhamma service in at least one 10-day course.

For Special course: One long course or qualifying for long course since 5 years. TSC: two 30-day courses and service in one ten-day course. (Please get special application forms from centres for these courses.)

Advance Booking

At most times the course is completely booked. It's better to make bookings at least two months in advance.This can be done online for the dhamma Giri centre as of now.

Expected Behaviour

You will have to stay for the entire period of the course. Efforts should be made to follow the rules and not disturb others. It is advisable to finish the course.

Although Vipassana meditation is beneficial for most people, it is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment and is not recommended for people with serious psychiatric disorders.

All who attend a Vipassana course must conscientiously undertake the following five precepts for the duration of the course:
1. to abstain from killing any living creature
2. to abstain from stealing
3. to abstain from all sexual activity
4. to abstain from telling lies
5. to abstain from all intoxicants

During the course it is absolutely essential that all forms of prayer, worship, or religious ceremony--fasting, burning incense, counting beads, reciting mantras, etc. as well as other forms of meditation/healing/spiritual practices be discontinued so that the benefits of Vipassana can be realised.

Any doubts that you may have should always be clarified with the teacher. Students are requested to concentrate on Vipassana meditation exclusively.

All students must observe Noble Silence from the beginning of the course until the morning of the last full day. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited.

No reading or writing is permitted during the course.

Students may, however, speak with the teacher whenever necessary and they may approach the management with any problems. But even these contacts should be kept to a minimum. Students should cultivate the feeling that they are working in isolation.

Students may exercise during rest periods by walking in the designated areas. No religious objects should be brought to the course site. If brought they should be deposited with the management. The same applies for alcohol etc. Smoking, chewing tobacco, and taking snuff are not permitted at the course.

Bathing and laundry may be done only in the break periods and not during meditation hours.

Students must remain within the course boundaries throughout the course. They may leave only with the specific consent of the teacher. No outside communications is allowed before the course ends.

Fees / Donation Structure

There is no fee charged for the courses. They are financed totally by donations from students who have completed a prior course and wish to share the benefits they themselves received. This practice is consistent with the tradition whereby the teaching is to be offered freely, free from any taint of commercialisation and supported by donations stemming from the wholesome volition of gratitude and generosity.

The teachers do not receive any payment for their services.

How to reach there

Igatpuri is 136 kms. from Mumbai (the nearest metro) and 44 kms from Nashik, the closest town. It takes about three hours to reach from Mumbai. If you wish to travel by road, then you will have to reach Nashik. Some of the trains stop at Igatpuri, and the Ashram is very close to the station.

From Nashik, cabs and buses are available to go to Igatpuri.

Reaching Igatpuri is not difficult. But you need to make sure that you reach on 'day zero' during the daytime and complete the formalities before the program in the evening.

When to plan the trip

All through the year, as both the ashram and the teachers are always available during the course timings although its best to have make advance bookings.

Boarding and Lodging

Appropriate conduct in the ashram

Your dress should be simple, modest and comfortable. Complete segregation of men and women is to be maintained. Couples, married or otherwise, should not contact each other in any way during the course. And the same applies to friends, members of the same family, etc.