Crash Course: Vipassana Basics

New to Vipassana? Start here. This is a simple, ordered path through the basics, the kind of questions most people search for when they first hear about Vipassana. Read the lessons in order, one at a time, and most of your early doubts should be answered by the end.

1	What Is Vipassana Meditation? Start here. A simple introduction to the technique itself.
2	What Does the Word ‘Vipassana’ Actually Mean? The literal meaning behind the name.
3	What Is Dhamma? The one word you will hear constantly, explained simply.
4	Is Vipassana a Religion? A simple, honest answer to the most common doubt.
5	Who Was S.N. Goenka? The man who brought Vipassana back to India.
6	How Vipassana Was Lost and Found Again The history behind how the technique survived.
7	Sila, Samadhi, Panna The three steps every Vipassana course actually follows.
8	What Really Happens in a 10-Day Course A clear walkthrough of the course itself.
9	The Daily Timetable, Hour by Hour Exactly how each day on the course is structured.
10	What Is Noble Silence? Why the silence matters so much, and what it actually means.
11	Common Fears Before Your First Course The doubts almost every first-timer has, addressed directly.
12	What Are the Real Benefits? An honest look at what practice actually offers.
13	Why Courses Are Completely Free The voluntary donation system explained.
14	How Do You Actually Apply? The practical, final step: applying for your first course.

Each lesson also links to the next one at the bottom, so once you start, you can simply keep going without coming back to this page.

Want to actually learn Vipassana? This page is independent, informal writing, not official teaching. The technique itself is taught only at free, residential 10-day courses run by the Vipassana Research Institute in the tradition of Goenkaji. You can find a course near you at dhamma.org.