Discourse Summaries

the book gave me exactly what I was looking for. It gives the basic information that you get in the 10 day Vipassana Meditation course. It was an easy read and great information.

According to the independent Buddhist magazine "Buddhadharma," S.N. Goenka is the number one teacher of Vipassana meditation in the world today. He has trained more than 700 assistant teachers and each year more than 100,000 people do Goenka sponsored Vipassana courses. So, if you are thinking of learning Vipassana I recommend that you prepare beforehand by reading "The Discourse Summaries" as this book is a summary of the instruction videos presented during the 10-Day course. The Buddha discovered that even the most transient thought that arises in the mind is accompanied by a sensation in the body and it is our physical sensations that drive our behaviour. Modern science has also discovered that our physical sensations affect our state of mind and that our state of mind then determines our behaviour. A quick scan through any newspaper clearly shows that most of the problems in the world come from human behaviour. In Buddhism, the body is considered the gateway to enlightenment. So in Vipassana you de-condition your mind by objectively observing your physical sensations. And what exactly is a conditioned mind--well, does the name Pavlov ring a bell? It is possible then to break the chain of our mental conditioning at the link of sensation. The result is clarity, true self-expression and happiness. When our mind is clear our behaviour is appropriate and we tend to be healthier and attract better things. Life also tends to be a lot more enjoyable when we operate from present time. Although Vipassana is experiential I believe that the concepts presented in this book are key to fully benefiting from the technique. I have completed two Goenka sponsored 10-Day Vipassana courses and I know 100% that this ancient of Buddhist meditation works. Simply put, Vipassana works! Check out "The Discourse Summaries" as well as "The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation" by William Hart. They may lead you to doing a 10-Day course. And if you have already done a 10-Day then the material in "The Discourse Summaries" will support your experience.

The material in this book is not as personal and revealing as in the videos presented in the 10-day Vipassana meditation workshop (I've attended 5 10-day events as of Jan 2007); however, if you are looking to study and get clear on the 8 pathways, the 3 kinds of Panya, etc., this book will give you what you need to outline and organize the ideas logically. This book is NOT as good as being there. The Vipassana experience has given me the tools to assist me in mentally solidifying my walk on the path.

This book contains the lectures given during a 10 day Vipassana course. Great book to read if you are curious as to what is taught during the meditation training.