Best book on Vipassana Meditation :
I want to tell you about a wonderful book on Vipassana Meditation. It is one of the most impressive and useful books on meditation I have ever read. This book is ‘The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation: As Taught by S. N. Goenka’. This book is written by William Hart and is based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka the famous Vipassana expert who has almost given a rebirth to this wonderful meditation technique of Gautama Buddha.
Well who is this man S N Goenka ? If you have ever tried to find the term ‘Meditation’ in Google, you must have found this wonderful website : Dhamma.org . This website is among the most popular website on meditation since a very very long time. This site is the international home page of the organizations which offer courses in Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Mr. Goenka is a teacher of Vipassana meditation and his Vipassana courses have attracted thousands of people of every background. Unique among teachers of meditation, Goenka is a retired industrialist and former leader of the Indian Community in Burma. Although a layman, his teaching has won the approval of senior Buddhist monks in Burma, India, and Sri Lanka, a number of whom have taken courses under his guidance. Despite his magnetism, he has no wish to be a “guru” –instead he teaches self-responsibility. This book is the first systematic study of his teachings to appear in English.
Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka–and prepared under his direct guidance–The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students’ questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.
If you are interested in meditation, I strongly recommend you to read this wonderful book as it is the next best alternative than physically attending the 10 days course of Vipassana. It’s full of stories and anecdotes from the life of Buddha and you will find it deeply involving and inspiring.
You can buy this book at your local bookstore or you can order it from Amazon.com.