FOREWORD TO THIRD EDITION

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadawgyi had written his great work of treatise on Vipassana Meditation in two volumes in 1945. The first publication was in 1954 followed by thirteen editions up to now. Volume I of this treatise had been translated into English by U Min Swe and published in December 1980.

Unfortunately, the whole of Volume II in English had not yet been published up to now in book form, though translation had been completed. The first 14 pages of Volume II in Chapter V was translated into English in 1954 by U Pe Thin, who had translated several discourses of Sayadawgyi in English. This had been printed and donated by Mrs. Sarojni Fernando under the title “Practical Insight Meditation”. The Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization is going to publish this book as Second Edition under the title “Practical Insight Meditation (Basic Practice)” during this month.

According to the Preface by Mahasi Sayadawgyi on 1st October 1970, Pages 15 to 51 of the abovementioned Volume II had been translated by Myan Aung U Tin edited somewhat by the Venerable Ñanaponika Mahathera, Pages 1 to 14 revised and improved by Miss Mary Mc Collum etc. Both translated pages 1 to 14 and 15 to 51 were combined together and published under the title “Practical Insight Meditation” by the Department of Religious Affairs in October 1970 and January 1979.

The 1979 edition was published together with another discourse by Mahasi Sayadawgyi-”The Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation (A Basic Buddhist Mindfulness Exercise)”. The Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization also published this discourse although the First Edition is no longer available. The Second Edition was made in 1992, and that was the same as 1979 edition of the Department of Religious Affairs.

Hence, we had 2 English translations of pages1 to 14 and pages 15 to 51 both under the title “Practical Insight Meditation”. To differentiate these 2 translations and publications we now publish them separately under different titles as follows:-

(1)”Practical Insight Meditation” (Basic Practice) covering pages 1 to 14.

(2)”Practical Insight Meditation” (Basic and Progressive Stages) covering pages 1 to 51.

In this Third Edition, we include a photo of Mahasi Sayadawgyi and his short biography, correcting previous printing errors and omissions, we hope this edition will be of great help to the foreign Yogis who wish to practise Insight Meditation starting from the basic steps to the various progressive stages.

Dr. Tint Soe Lin

President

Buddha Sasana Nuggaha

Oganization

August -2015

Practical Insight Meditation

(Basic and Progressive Stages)

This copy is Third Edition published in September 2015 in which the grammar, punctuations and spellings of English/ English Pali words were corrected during August 2018

for the next Edition.

(1) English words corrected by “ Microsoft Words” in computer by Ma Soe Soe on 1.8.2018 and checked by U Khin Maung Oo on 5.8.2018 and --8.2018.

(2) Pali words re-checked by U Maung Maung Ko-- on 24.8.2018

Note; the words in red are not to be uploaded in the website.