Vipassana: A Pure Science of Mind and Matter

Goenka introduces Vipassana to an evening audience as a method of exploring the truth within oneself, not a sect or a belief. He describes the Buddha as looking inward for the cause of misery, and mental pollution (anger, hatred, fear) as harming oneself first.

He explains why the practice is taught over ten days away from daily life, then the method: observing the natural breath, then sensations throughout the body without reacting to them. He describes the body as dissolving into vibrations and shows how pleasant or unpleasant reactions arise. About fifty minutes in he answers written questions, on topics including other practices, poverty, love and marriage, fear and life after death. This is a talk about the technique, not a guided sitting.