Anagarika Munindra | |
|---|---|
| Title | Vipassana meditation teacher |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1915 (1915) |
| Died | 2003 (aged 87–88) Igatpuri,Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Religious leader |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Theravada |
| Senior posting | |
| Teacher | S. N. Goenka,Mahasi Sayadaw |
Students | |
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 Statue of theBuddha in theJapanese Tea Garden,San Francisco |
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Anagarika Shri Munindra (1915 – October 14, 2003), also calledMunindraji by his disciples,[1] was an IndianVipassanā meditation teacher, who taught many notable meditation teachers includingDipa Ma,[2]Joseph Goldstein,[2] andSharon Salzberg.[3]Anagarika simply means a practicing Buddhist who leads a nomadic life without attachment in order to focus on theDhamma.
Anagarika was born inChittagong,British India (what is nowBangladesh) and descended from Buddhists of India forced east by theeleventh century Muslim invasion.[1]
He was an active member of theMaha Bodhi Society[1] whose purpose was the resuscitation of Buddhism in India and the restoration of ancient Buddhist shrines there. Munindra was the superintendent of theMahabodhi Temple atBodh Gaya from 1953 to 1957,[1] the first Buddhist to hold this position in modern times. From 1957 to 1966 he lived inBurma, where he was a close disciple ofMahasi Sayadaw,[1] who authorised him to teach Vipassana meditation. While in Burma he also studied thePāli Canon thoroughly,[4] before returning to India, where he taught Vipassana for many years inBodh Gaya.[5] He was known to be very open-minded and relaxed in the way he taught.[6] He would encourage his students to study with other teachers, and investigate other traditions.[7]
During his stay in Burma he came in close contact withS. N. Goenka and had Dhamma discussions with him.[8] Subsequently, he wished to learnVipassana fromSayagyi U Ba Khin but since he had already learnt Vipassana from a monk, Sayagyi expressed his inability to teach him Vipassana in the tradition ofLedi Sayadaw.[9][10]
Finally, his wish was fulfilled a few years later whenS. N. Goenka started teaching Vipassana in India. Munindra joined a 10-day course conducted by Goenka at Bodhgaya. He was very impressed by the technique, as expressed in a letter of appreciation that he wrote toSayagyi U Ba Khin after the course.[11][10]
He spent the last part of his life living at the Vipassana Research Institute's main meditation centre, Dhamma Giri, at the village ofIgatpuri, India, as a guest of his close friendS. N. Goenka.[8]
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