Sri Satya Narayan Goenka (born 1924) is a leading lay teacher of Vipassan meditation and a student of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. He is married to Ilaichidevi Goenka, who sits as co-teacher with him. They have six sons. SN Goenka emphasises that, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal" and presents his teachings as non-sectarian and open to people of all faiths or no faith. Goenka calls Vipassana meditation an experiential scientific practice, through which one can observe the constantly changing nature of the mind and body at the deepest level, a profound understanding that leads to a truly happy and peaceful life. Biography Born in Mandalay, Burma to Indian parents, Goenka was raised a Hindu[1] and, as an adult, became an industrialist and leader of the Burmese Indian community. After developing an interest in meditation in an effort to overcome chronic migraines, he began studying with U Ba Khin, a senior civil servant in the newly independent Burmese government. U Ba Khin was a renowned meditation teacher who had played an important role in the Sixth Buddhist Council of 1954-1956 and was one of the leaders of a Vipassana-centered reform movement that had exerted a positive influence on standards in public life. U Ba Khin had a number of students who teach U Ba Khin's style of vipassana meditation. Goenka became U Ba Khin's most prominent student and went on to found an international network of teaching centers, based at Dhammagiri in India. U Ba Khin's original center continues to function in Rangoon, Burma, guided by Mother Sayamagyi, along with 6 branch centres around the world. Goenka is a prolific orator, writer and a poet. He writes in English, Hindi and Rajasthani languages. He has traveled widely and lectured to audiences worldwide including at the World Economic Forum, Davos, in the year 2000 and at the “Millennium World Peace Summit” at the United Nations in August, 2000 [2]. For four months in 2002, he undertook the Meditation Now Tour of North America. Goenka has envisioned a nearly 100-meter-tall Global Pagoda to serve as an inspiration for spreading vipassana meditation around the world. Construction of the dome was recently finished and a one day course for old students in the tradition was held there on December 21, 2008. Teachings Students are encouraged to examine and test their own experience at the experiential level by observing themselves with equanimity, and examining the results. The technique involves adherence to a moral code and the observation of sensations. To quiet the mind during Vipassana courses, students are asked to have no contact with the outside world or other students, though they may talk to an assistant teacher about questions concerning the technique or to a student manager for any material problems. Mere observation of breath allows the mind to become naturally concentrated, a practice called Anapana. This concentration prepares one for the main part of the practice -- non-attached observation of the reality of the present moment, as it manifests in one's own mind and body. This is the Vipassana practice itself which involves carefully "scanning" the surface of the body with one's attention and observing the sensations with equanimity, becoming progressively more aware of their ever-changing nature. Goenka explains in his talks that the practice of Vipassana is the essence of the path of Dhamma, the path to Truth. He does not claim that this Vipassana tradition is the only way to Truth, and constantly reminds students of the Universal and non-sectarian quality of this path. However he claims that an authentic tradition survived in Burma, passing from teacher to student in a long lineage from the time of the Buddha to his teacher, U Ba Khin, and now through himself, to the student. In his courses and lectures Goenka describes Vipassana meditation as a scientific investigation of the mind-matter phenomenon. .