SN Goenka and Mahasi Sayadaw (left to right)
Vipassana means Insight or Intuitive Wisdom into the ultimate nature of the mind and body. The practice of Vipassana meditation produces a kind of wisdom which liberates the mind from much suffering.
Another way of looking at it is that Vipassana meditation gradually, but surely, rewires our brain so that our perception of reality is altered permanently, in ways which are much preferable to the "ordinary" way in which reality is perceived by humans.
S.N. Goenka (1924 - 2013) and Mahasi Sayadaw (1904 - 1982) were two Burmese men who, each in his own way, played critical key roles in reforming, teaching and spreading Vipassana meditation throughout the world. Most modern day Vipassana teachers were influenced by one or both of these two masters in direct or indirect ways.
There is, however, still much confusion as to what "Vipassana" actually is, what "Vipassana" retreats are, and what the difference is between different styles of retreats. Having recently concluded some long periods of intensive practice in the Mahasi tradition (Panditarama Lumbini, Nepal), and having previously practised in the Goenka tradition for about 8 years, I decided to try and make sense of the similarities, differences, pros and cons of both traditions.
Caveat
This post is based upon my own opinions and personal experiences. They are no ultimate truth, and so do take this all with a grain of salt, and try to see what rings true to you from your own experience. I may be wrong on some things.
My experience of the Mahasi tradition is limited to my own experience at Panditarama Lumbini. Your own experience may vary even at the same centre.
Vipassana is what happens when your practice is going well
Best to begin by saying that Vipassana is actually what happens when your meditation practice is developing momentum and is going well, regardless of any specific technique being utilised.
Vipassana is not a particular technique, but what happens when we begin to develop Mindfulness and Concentration to our internal experiences in a particular way. It is the arising of Insight.
Whether this is done on a Goenka retreat utilising the technique he teaches, or on a Mahasi retreat utilising the instructions being taught there, does not make much of a difference.
Practical Differences
There are quite a few practical differences between Mahasi and Goenka retreats:
Location / Accessibility
- Goenka Vipassana centres are literally located in most of the world. This makes them very accessible to anyone. There are no costs being charged, only donations accepted from people who participate all the way through to the end of the retreat.
- Mahasi centres are rare. Mostly in Burma, Malaysia, and Nepal. These retreats are also on a donation basis.
Length
- Goenka retreats are initially 10 days long, but they also offer 20, 30, 45 and 60 day retreats - the entry conditions to the long retreats, however, are not easy to satisfy. Retreats start and end at set times and everyone starts and ends the retreats together.
- Mahasi retreats are of no particular length. Should a meditator be inclined to practice well and does so, their retreat can be of 7 days to 10 months long or more. There are no strict conditions for doing a long retreat, this makes them much more accessible. People arrive and leave the retreat centre at different times according to their own schedule.
Strictness of Rules
- Goenka retreats have rules which are enforced very strictly, such as female/male segregation, no outside-world contact, no physical exercise except normal-speed walking, no exiting the centre during a retreat, strict daily schedule and more.
- Mahasi retreats also have rules which should be followed strictly, however, there seems to be more flexibility around them, but not always. Personally I was able to take a few short breaks during my long retreat and this helped me go on, and the teachers did not have a problem with that.
Hand-holding
- At the regular 10 day Goenka retreats, the course manager(s) will make sure that all meditators are attending group sittings in the hall at particular times.
- During Mahasi retreats, it is up to the individual to motivate as well as regulate their own practice. I personally enjoyed meditating in my private room throughout the day, and only going to the meditation hall for evening talks, and no one had a problem with that. Different centres may have different rules or opinions.
Differences in Technique and Teaching
- Goenka retreats are actually still taught by the late S.N. Goenka himself, through audio and video recordings. There is a live teacher present, but you will only speak to him/her briefly for clarifications of Goenka's recorded instructions.
- Mahasi retreats are taught by a real flesh-and-blood meditation master. Initial instructions are printed, and the meditator will meet with the teacher once a day or two and provide a detailed, thorough report on their meditation experiences in practical terms. The teacher will then asses the student's progress, and provide refinements and personal instruction to the student. This, in my opinion, is one of the highest strengths of the Mahasi tradition.
- Goenka retreats utilise two meditation techniques: Anapana (breath observation at the nostrils for concentration), and Body Scanning of physical sensations.
- Mahasi retreats initially utilise observation of the physical sensations of the breath, through the rise and fall of the abdomen, but as the student progresses in their practice, their focus begins to be more inclusive towards Mental Phenomena such as thought, feelings, intentions, and so on.
- Goenka dissuades students from analysing their experiences, recording them, or giving them any particular importance.
- On Mahasi retreats, students are encouraged to record their daily meditation experiences on paper, so that they are then able to provide a thorough report to their teacher. The teacher will then asses the student's progress on a particular map of development, called "The Progress of Insight". A good teacher will be able to quickly and efficiently figure out what stage of development the student is experiencing, and provide instructions to facilitate further progress accordingly.
- On Goenka retreats, the meditator will only practice in the sitting position, except during short breaks and practical matters (showering, eating, etc).
- On Mahasi retreats, the meditator is encouraged to also practice walking meditation, and also to develop a very refined, microscopic awareness of mind and body during other activities, so that the practice continues throughout the waking hours.
Goals
While the Goenka tradition acknowledges that the practice should lead to the realisation of at least Stream-Entry (first stage of awakening, Nibbana, ultimate reality, liberation, etc), they are in no particular hurry to get you there, nor to acknowledge how quickly or how realistic this goal really is.
The Mahasi tradition encourages all students to strive to attain at least Stream-Entry in this very life, and are therefore allowing more people to practice for longer periods of time (several months), so that they are able to experience this for themselves. According to the Mahasi tradition, Stream-Entry is a do-able goal, and it can be attained by an ordinary lay-person in a relatively short period of time (several months of retreat practice in most cases).
Geeky Details
I think this information will only be of interest to semi-advanced meditators, but nonetheless I am including it here for the benefit of those interested:
- Goenka uses the term 'bhanga ñāṇa' (Knowledge of Dissolution) to describe both what happens at the 4th / 5th stage of insight, in which the experience of the body seems to dissolve at times, as well as what happens at the 11th stage of insight, which is actually called "sankhara upekkha ñāṇa" (Knowledge of Equanimity Regarding Formations). The experience of Nibbana is attained after the 11th stage of insight. Goenka describes the experience of the 11th insight well during his Satipatthana course.
- The Goenka tradition encourages one to practice anapana (breath observation) and body scanning all the way to the initial experience of Nibbana (Stream-Entry, first stage of awakening), and then afterwards.
- The Mahasi teachers will encourage one to practice in particular ways which are more helpful during different stages of practice. After Stream-Entry is attained, one will be encouraged to spend some time on retreat developing something called "Fruition Practice", in which one trains the mind to experience Nibbana for longer periods of time, more frequently, and faster.
It seems like the Mahasi method allows much faster progress towards the attainment of stream-entry and beyond, due to several factors:
1. Emphasis on non-stop, moment-to-moment practice during all waking hours
2. Use of a real flesh-and-blood meditation master which provides you almost daily-feedback on your practice
3. Use of mental noting / labeling which minimises moments of day-dreaming and non-practice
4. Long retreats are available to more people, as opposed to Goenka where only a select few who qualify the rigorous entry conditions to those retreats.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few differences between these two traditions of practice. They both have their own strengths and weaknesses, but they both have the same ultimate goal: To allow more and more people to attain higher levels of freedom, awakening and happiness in this human life.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send or comment here.