"If you have gratitude to S.N.Goenka you will have gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin"
- The Principal Teacher of Vipassana Sayagyi U Goenka (1924 -2013), at a gathering of Vipassana meditators during the construction of the Global Vipassana Pagoda
Background to these photos:
Between 2005 and 2008, Pariyatti.org (not part of the Dhamma organization of Vipassana as taught by S.N Goenkaji) was in email communication with Robert Hover, one of the seven Vipassana teachers U Ba Khin appointed along with Sayagyi U Goenka in April 1969. During his visits to Burma in the 1960s, he took photographs (35mm colour slides) of the International Meditation Centre and Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The 'Pariyatti.org' people discussed digitizing these slides but were unable to complete this project during Hover's lifetime. He passed away in December 2008.They got in touch with Hover's daughter who supported them in finishing this project in 2019, after about 14 years. The first scans from this collection were ready on the 120th birth anniversary of Sayagyi U Ba Khin on March 6, 2019.
We are grateful to Hover (Feb 22, 1920 – Dec15, 2008), his daughter and 'Pariyatti.org' for this rare collection of Sayagyi U Ba Khin's photographs.
All Vipassana meditators since 1952 owe a debt of gratitude and have a connection with the IMC. Sayagyi U Ba Khin taught here with Nibbana dhatu; here his Dhamma son S.N.Goenka took his Vipassana birth in this lifetime - and sacrificed his liberation to serve for the liberation of all beings.
Vipassana meditators will recognize Robert Hover as the "ballistic missile scientist" mentioned in the 10-day Vipassana course discourse - the new student who experienced very intense saṅkhāras in the meditation cell during his first course.
Circa 1961. The International Meditation Center (IMC) Pagoda being built in Rangoon, Burma.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin (March 6, 1899 - January 19, 1971) at IMC
IMC in May 1961
Male residence on the right, lower cells pagoda on left
Male residence on the right, lower cells pagoda on left
Male students accommodation huts
Sayagyi U Ba Khin with Dhamma workers.
Sayagyi U Goenka too did most of his Dhamma work (of writing, reading, dictating letters and Vipassana literature, meeting the Dhamma family) from a similar chair without a table at the Juhu residence in Mumbai.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin with Robert Hover at IMC
Sayagyi U Ba Khin with students circa 1961
Meditators at a simple meal at IMC, 1965.
Radheshyam Goenka (same row, second from left) appears to be in this photo Radheshyam-ji was the most active and staunchest supporter of Sayagyi U Goenka's Vipassana work among family members. He successfully helped complete many very important Vipassana projects, even as he conducted Vipassana courses across India and the world. This included the Vipassana Research Institute website that he almost single-handedly built and maintained and the Tipitaka publication project. Many Dhamma workers and assistant teachers may know him as a somewhat stern teacher, but those of us who worked closely with him know him as a kind-hearted, generous, friendly person with a hearty laugh.
Radheshyam-ji was the most active and staunchest supporter of Sayagyi U Goenka's Vipassana work among family members. He successfully helped complete many very important Vipassana projects, even as he conducted Vipassana courses across India and the world. This included the Vipassana Research Institute website that he almost single-handedly built and maintained and the Tipitaka publication project. Many Dhamma workers and assistant teachers may know him as a somewhat stern teacher, but those of us who worked closely with him know him as a kind-hearted, generous, friendly person with a hearty laugh. 
IMC, 1965
The first Vipassana centre for householder students that Saya Thetgyi's student Sayagyi U Ba Khin established. His student Sayagyi U Goenka taught the world the pure Vipassana teachings of the Sammasambuddha.
The IMC pagoda lit on the night of a Metta day. The lighting of a Vipassana pagoda is important for the happiness, Dhamma delight of less visible (celestial) meditators, and protector beings.
happiness, Dhamma delight of less visible (celestial) meditators, and protector beings.
Meditators tucking in happily in the presence of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
The Dhamma Hall was also the dining hall during the early years of IMC.
After his usual evening walk around the Dhamma Giri campus practicing metta, Sayagyi U Goenka (circa 1998) once passed through the male dining hall at around 7.10 pm after visiting the kitchen. Everyone spontaneously and immediately stopped eating and respectfully stood up until he smilingly and quickly left the dining hall.
Goenkaji and Mataji took care to ensure good quality food was served in Dhamma Giri. When they resided in Dhamma Giri, a senior cook brought the ingredients from the Dhamma Giri (VIA) kitchen and prepared their meals in the small kitchen in the Principal Teacher's Residence. Occasionally, Narayan Dasarwar (Goenkaji's secretary) could be seen quietly filling a tiffin carrier from the main dining hall counter to take to the Teacher's Residence, so the two Principal Teachers could know first-hand of the food quality served to all.
At the family residence in Juhu, Mumbai, at times with her sons, grandchildren, Dhamma children at mealtime, Mataji would go around the large dining table with a big smile serving us hot phulkas (chapatis) which she would herself bring from the kitchen as they were freshly made. From His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to the Mumbai-Dhamma Giri courier Ashok, everyone was welcome for a meal at Sayagyi U Goenka's hospitable family home.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin with students. Goenkaji said to be the person in the grey sweater. The person sitting on the right with the white headwear and spectacles could be Munindraji.
U Ba Khin in front of the IMC Pagoda, 1965
Entrance to Sayagyi U Ba Khin's meditation cell
Metta Day of a Vipassana course in IMC, 1965
A Vipassana course-ending morning in 1965. Sayagyi U Ba Khin (beige-colour jacket, blue lungi) with hand upraised giving his farewell blessings
The beautifully lit IMC Pagoda
Sayagyi with meditators
View of the IMC Pagoda, 1965
Sayagyi U Ba Khin in the IMC Pagoda
U Ba Khin with students
Sayagyi U Ba Khin in the Metta Hall
U Ba Khin had a fondness for gardening, as can be seen in the greenery around the Metta Hall of IMC.
Sayagyi U Goenka and Mataji too wished to see Dhamma Giri having pleasing greenery, soothing to the eyes of meditators. Mataji liked gardening and could be seen watering plants in the garden of the family residence in Juhu, Mumbai.*As a tribute of infinite gratitude to the Dhamma parents, Vipassana International Academy with the help of Global Vipassana Foundation (GVF) to ensure the garden in the Principal Teacher's residence in Dhamma Giri be filled with beautiful flowering plants, auspicious lotus of different colours, orchids - visually resembling a garden in a deva loka (celestial plane).
*The GVF to organize the gardening expertise and weekly maintenance from Mumbai.
*Appropriate garden lamps and Pagoda lighting to be installed for use on Metta Day night.
*Dhamma Giri, Dhamma Tapovana-1, Dhamma Tapovana-2, Dhamma Pattana, Global Vipassana Pagoda to nurture excellent landscaping, beautiful gardens to strengthen the Vipassana atmosphere.
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Robert Hover's other photographs from this 'Rare photo collection' at the free Pariyatti.org Treasures
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- Sayagyi U Ba Khin: A Shining Star of Dhamma
- Sayagyi U Ba Khin, Vipassana Research Institute
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