Psychological Effects of Vipassana on Tihar Jail Inmates

Shri Satyanarayanji Goenka was born in Mandalay, Myanmar in 1924. Although he topped the list of all successful candidates in the whole of Myanmar in the tenth class, he could not continue his studies further. At a very early age he set up many commercial and industrial institutions and earned fabulous wealth. He also established many social and cultural centres Because of tension he became a victim of migraine, which could not be him to take a course of Vipasssana. Vipassana has done well not only to him but it has also been benefiting many others.

He learned Vipassana from Sayagyi U Ba Khin in 1955. Sitting at the feet of his teacher he practiced it for fourteen years He also studied the words of the Buddha during this period. He came to India in 1969 and conducted the first vipassana course in Mumbai. After that series of courses were held. In 1976 the first residential course of vipassana was held in Lgatpuri and the first centre of vipassana was established here. Up till now, 170 centers have been established all over the world. New centers also are coming up. At these centers, 1500 trained teachers teach vipassana in 55 languages of the world. Not only ten-day courses are conducted at these centres but also at some centres 20-day, 30-day, 45-day and 60-day courses are conducted. All courses are free of charge. The expenses on food and accommodation etc are met by the self-willed Dana given by those who benefited from the course. Seeing its benevolent nature vipassana courses is held not only for the inmates of jails and school children in the world but also for police personnel, judges, government officers, etc.