WRITER

S. N. Goenka

1924 - 2013

Photo of S. N. Goenka

Icon of person S. N. Goenka

Satya Narayana Goenka (ISO 15919: Satynārāyaṇ Goynkā; Burmese: ဦးဂိုအင်ကာ; MLCTS: u: gui ang ka; 30 January 1924 – 29 September 2013) was an Indian teacher of vipassanā meditation. Born in Burma to an Indian business family, he moved to India in 1969 and started teaching meditation. His teaching emphasized that the Buddha's path to liberation was non-sectarian, universal, and scientific in character. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of S. N. Goenka has received more than 1,367,884 page views. His biography is available in 26 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 25 in 2019). S. N. Goenka is the 2,393rd most popular writer (up from 2,816th in 2019), the 22nd most popular biography from Myanmar (Burma) (up from 23rd in 2019) and the 2nd most popular Burmese Writer.

Memorability Metrics

  • 1.4M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 54.88

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 26

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 4.05

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.46

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Notable Works

The Discourse Summaries
1995
The gem set in gold
Buddhism
2006
The Gem Set in Gold (Dhamma Chanting From the 10-day course in Vipassana meditation)
2006
Come People of the World
Religion
Commentary by Buddhaghosa on the Jātakapāḷi.
1992
Chronicles of Dhamma
Body, Mind & Spirit
This collection of articles from the Vipassana Newsletter provides unique insights into the history of Vipassana meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka from the time he left Burma in 1969 to go to India until the present. The newsletters also provide a vehicle to present the teachings of the Buddha, and encourage students as to how Vipassana can be integrated into everyday life. The articles are divided into five general categories. The first is "Vipassana Teachings," starting with the Buddha's first discourse. The second is "Messenger of Dhamma," which follows Goenkaji through milestones of his years of teaching. The third is "In the Footsteps of the Buddha," which first focuses on pilgrimages through India and into Myanmar and also covers later journeys into North America and Europe. The fourth is "Applied Dhamma," reflecting on the use of Vipassana in prisons, addiction, at the World Economic Forum, and with students and young people. It also includes Mr. Goenka's encouragement to students from the first newsletter in 1974. The fifth is "The Spread of Dhamma," focusing on development. Overall, the articles show an ancient teaching that has taken on new life and is changing the lives of many for the better.
2012
Dhamma Verses
Buddhist poetry, Hindi
A recorded collection of inspiring Hindi dohas.
20005 / 5

Among WRITERS

Among writers, S. N. Goenka ranks 2,393 out of 7,302. Before him are Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, Émile Augier, André Frossard, Charles Berlitz, Akaki Tsereteli, and Laura Esquivel. After him are Izumi Shikibu, Johann Jakob Bodmer, Jean-Dominique Bauby, Per Petterson, Jeremias Gotthelf, and M. Karunanidhi.

Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1924, S. N. Goenka ranks 148. Before him are Carlo Bergonzi, Margit Sandemo, Donatas Banionis, William Auld, Grégoire Kayibanda, and Shintaro Abe. After him are M. Karunanidhi, Luigi Musso, Motoo Kimura, Daniel Inouye, Zizi Jeanmaire, and Franco Cristaldi. Among people deceased in 2013, S. N. Goenka ranks 147. Before him are Marie-Claire Alain, Harry Reems, Bill Foulkes, Karen Black, Hans Riegel, and László Csatáry. After him are Esther Williams, Amedeo Amadei, Pál Csernai, Tony Sheridan, Manolo Escobar, and Bruno Metsu.

Others Born in 1924

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Others Deceased in 2013

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In Myanmar (Burma)

Among people born in Myanmar (Burma), S. N. Goenka ranks 22 out of 40. Before him are Thibaw Min (1859), Tabinshwehti (1516), Mindon Min (1808), Saki (1870), Bodawpaya (1745), and Nick Drake (1948). After him are Myint Swe (1951), Ba Maw (1893), Soe Win (1947), Saw Maung (1928), Kyansittha (1030), and Bagyidaw (1784).

Others born in Myanmar (Burma)

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  • Photo of Thibaw Min

    Thibaw Min

    POLITICIAN

    1859 - 1916

    HPI: 57.20

    Rank: 16

  • Photo of Tabinshwehti

    Tabinshwehti

    POLITICIAN

    1516 - 1550

    HPI: 56.91

    Rank: 17

  • Photo of Mindon Min

    Mindon Min

    POLITICIAN

    1808 - 1878

    HPI: 56.50

    Rank: 18

  • Photo of Saki

    Saki

    WRITER

    1870 - 1916

    HPI: 56.18

    Rank: 19

  • Photo of Bodawpaya

    Bodawpaya

    POLITICIAN

    1745 - 1819

    HPI: 55.49

    Rank: 20

  • Photo of Nick Drake

    Nick Drake

    MUSICIAN

    1948 - 1974

    HPI: 55.15

    Rank: 21

  • Photo of S. N. Goenka

    S. N. Goenka

    WRITER

    1924 - 2013

    HPI: 54.88

    Rank: 22

  • Photo of Myint Swe

    Myint Swe

    POLITICIAN

    1951 - Present

    HPI: 54.85

    Rank: 23

  • Photo of Ba Maw

    Ba Maw

    POLITICIAN

    1893 - 1977

    HPI: 54.71

    Rank: 24

  • Photo of Soe Win

    Soe Win

    POLITICIAN

    1947 - 2007

    HPI: 53.88

    Rank: 25

  • Photo of Saw Maung

    Saw Maung

    POLITICIAN

    1928 - 1997

    HPI: 53.76

    Rank: 26

  • Photo of Kyansittha

    Kyansittha

    RELIGIOUS FIGURE

    1030 - 1112

    HPI: 53.10

    Rank: 27

  • Photo of Bagyidaw

    Bagyidaw

    POLITICIAN

    1784 - 1846

    HPI: 52.88

    Rank: 28

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Among WRITERS In Myanmar (Burma)

Among writers born in Myanmar (Burma), S. N. Goenka ranks 2. Before him are Saki (1870). After him are Irawati Karve (1905).

Burmese born Writers

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