Anagarika Shri Munindra (1915 – October 14, 2003), also called Munindraji by his disciples, was a Bengali vipassana meditation teacher, who taught many notable teachers including Dipa Ma,[1] Joseph Goldstein,[1] Sharon Salzberg,[2] and Surya Das. Anagarika simply means a practicing Buddhist who leads a homeless life without attachment in order to focus on the dharma. Munindra was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh, to the Barua family, descendents of the original Buddhists of India forced east by the eleventh-century Muslim invasion. He was an active member of the Maha Bodhi Society whose purpose was the resuscitation of Buddhism in India and the restoration of ancient Buddhist shrines there. Munindra was the superintendent of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya from 1953 to 1957, the first Buddhist to hold this position in modern times. From 1957 to 1966 he lived in Burma where he was a close disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw, who authorized him to teach vipassana meditation. While in Burma he also studied the Pali canon thoroughly, before returning to India where he taught vipassana for many years in Bodh Gaya. Admired for his gentleness, wisdom, and insatiable curiosity, he had a deep knowledge of the Pali canon which he made accessible to Westerners. He was also known to be very open-minded and relaxed in the way he taught. He would encourage his students to study with other teachers, and investigate other traditions. During his stay in Burma he came in close contact with Shri S. N. Goenka and had dhamma discussions with him. Subsequently, he wished to learn Vipassana from Sayaji U Ba khin but since he had already learnt Vipassana from a monk, Sayaji expressed his inability to teach him Vipassana in the tradition of Ledi Sayadaw.
Finally, this wish of his got completed few years later when Goenkaji started teaching Vipassana in India, he joined in course held at Bodhgaya and was impressed by the technique.
Below is the letter of appreciation he wrote to Sayaji U Ba Khin after attending a 10-day retreat with ShriS. N. Goenka in India:
Dear respected Sayagyi, Kindly accept my profound regards and affectionate loving thoughts for you. You will be glad to know that we had the opportunity to organize a ten-day Vipassana meditation course at the most sacred place of Buddhagaya and it was started on the 19th of April. It was conducted by my Dhamma-mitta and Kalyana-mitta Shri Satya Narayanji Goenka, who is one of your competent and devout disciples. The arrangement was made without previous preparation and at short notice. In this meditation-training seminar, 25 yogis took part, out of which 6 were monks of different nations. I myself took advantage of participating in this seminar and have been greatly benefited by this Vipassana course. In such a short time, the technique helped to open up the new dimension of understanding that it was surprising. The sincere and earnest meditators having accumulated previous paramis could quickly see, feel and understand the characteristics and functions of the rupakalapas in their body through the concentrated mind and penetrating insight. It is very strange to see the true nature of the body—the anicca—the state of continuous flux of four elements, which is perceptible to the inner eye of insight. I experienced sleepless nights with mind inward, observing anicca—the continuous change of my corporeal body. Body became so sensitive and alive that sometimes with the very contact of objects of sense doors I felt and observed the whole body like bubbles in the water appearing and disappearing when I was deeply aware and mindful. During this ten-day course, my Dhamma-mitta Shri Goenkaji used to give a talk on Dhamma every evening to all the yogis. All talks were on different aspects of Buddha Dhamma - related to the practice and true to the point and meaning in accordance with the teaching. The talks were so inspiring, encouraging and ennobling that since my return from Burma I had no opportunity to hear such good Dhamma-desana anywhere in India. I had no idea that my friend was so well conversant with and such a good exponent of Dhamma in its true spirit both in theory and practice. I feel so happy and fortunate myself that I took part in it. During my long sojourn of about nine years in Burma from 1957 to 1966 for study and practice of Buddha-Dhamma, I had the privilege to study the whole Tipitaka together with all their commentaries under competent and expert teachers; I practiced meditation there under the guidance of noted teachers with most sincerity, earnestness and profound devotion. I have derived rich benefit of it. It has changed my whole outlook and character. In later years, during my stay in Burma, I took advantage of studying and practising different aspects of Satipatthana meditation in almost all the main Kammaṭṭhana centres in Rangoon, such as Mingun, Sonlum, Ledi Yeitha, Hanthawady, Nanasagi etc. and I have been greatly profited by all these practices and studies that gave me more knowledge on different aspects and approaches. Though India is my birthplace (janma-bhumi), Burma is my Dharma Bhumi—where Dharma was born in me. Everyone everywhere was so kind to me, so hospitable and so generous—this I cannot forget. I always bear these happy and sweet memories in me with deep gratitude and respect and give all my good wishes and mettā for the welfare, happiness and progress of the people of Burma daily. During my stay in Burma, I had several occasions to visit your meditation centre and I liked the place very much—the environment was so calm and serene. I was very much inspired to stay there for some time and practise meditation under your kind guidance. You had been always very kind and sweet to me. Due to certain reasons during those days I could not get the opportunity to stay and practice there, and fulfil my intense desire. I understood your difficulty and appreciated deeply your friendliness and affectionate loving kindness towards me. My keen desire to be in your centre under your noble guidance has been fulfilled now at the hand of your true disciple. The ten-day seminar was successfully completed on 19th April with great satisfaction. The result was beyond expectation. We learned many things. All meditators were extremely happy to have spent these ten days in retreat. Since my arrival in India I have dedicated my life for the cause of sasana and have been doing the sasana-work through practice and talks on Dhamma. This ten-day meditation course has added more knowledge that I value and treasure very much for my Dhamma-work. This has been also a refresher course for me. All credit goes to you for everything and I am deeply grateful to you and Shri Goenkaji for all this. Whatever merits I have acquired by observing Sila, practicing concentration and cultivating insight, all I share with you. By virtue of these merits, may you live long with sound health and mind so that you may be in a position to continue sasana work for long and many more people may be benefited by you. May Dhamma the true law reign forever for the happiness of all beings. Yours in the service of Dhamma, Anagarika Munindra
In his later years he started staying with Shri S.N. Goenka at VRI's main meditation centre at Igatpuri, India. Most of his time was spent practising Vipassana there in his room / cell in pagoda.
For more information about this dharma teacher, a grandfather of the vipassana/mindfulness movement, see the first book ever written about him: Living This Life Fully: Stories and Teachings of Munindra (Shambhala), by Mirka Knaster, Ph.D., in collaboration with Robert Pryor, with a foreword by Joseph Goldstein.