John Earl Coleman
Encyclopedia
John Earl Coleman is an important teacher of Vipassana
(insight) meditation, a kind of meditation of Theravada
Buddhism. He was born in 1933 in a mining town of Pennsylvania, US. After attending his studies, he served the Army. He went to Korea during the war. After his coming back to USA, he started to work for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Between the end of the 50's and the beginning of the 60's, he worked for the administration in Thailand. He worked officially for S.E.A. Supply Corporation, Advisers to Government of Thailand, as Specialist in Criminology.
Coleman travels through India, Burma, Japan and Thailand and encounters such legendary teachers as Jiddu Krishnamurti
, Maharishi
, D.T. Suzuki and Sayagyi U Ba Khin. His search for peace of mind and liberating insights comes to fruition in Yangon (Rangoon) under the tutelage of the great Vipassanā meditation master U Ba Khin, who had established the International Meditation Center. In fact, after some attempts to study Vipassanā meditation with different monks in Thailand, he went to Rangoon to practise Vipassanā with Sayagi U Ba Khin, the same teacher of S.N.Goenka
. His method of practising Vipassanā is based on ten days retreats as he learned from Sayagi U Ba Khin. Ba Khin elaborated this method for lay people who work and have family. Ba Khin himself learned Vipassanā from a lay man, Saya Thetgyi, who was authorized to teach from the first Burmese monk who decided to teach Vipassanā outside the Sangha, to lay people, Ledi Sayadaw
. Another important teacher of Ba Khin was the monk Webu Sayadaw
, who was said to be an arahant, that is a person who is going out of Samsara.
Coleman has been teaching Vipassanā meditation in Italy until 2006, with courses organized by International Meditation Center (IMC)of Italy, in Milan.
His story and hit method of teaching meditation is described in his autobiography "The Quiet Mind"- The important Italian writer, Tiziano Terzani
, in one of his best-seller, Un indovino mi disse, describes his ten day's meditation retrets with Mr. Coleman, in 1993.
John Coleman is still living in Windsor (UK).
Vipassana
Vipassanā or vipaśyanā in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi . Vipassana is one of the world's most ancient techniques of meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha...
(insight) meditation, a kind of meditation of Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhism. He was born in 1933 in a mining town of Pennsylvania, US. After attending his studies, he served the Army. He went to Korea during the war. After his coming back to USA, he started to work for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Between the end of the 50's and the beginning of the 60's, he worked for the administration in Thailand. He worked officially for S.E.A. Supply Corporation, Advisers to Government of Thailand, as Specialist in Criminology.
Vipassanā Meditation
In these years in Thailand he started to be interested in Vipassana meditation. He embarks on a vigorous pursuit of a different sort: a quest for spiritual truth.Coleman travels through India, Burma, Japan and Thailand and encounters such legendary teachers as Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
, Maharishi
Maharishi
Maharishi is the anglicized version of the Sanskrit word Maharshi महर्षि . Maharishi is often use as an addition to a person's name as an honorary title. The term was first seen in modern English literature in the 18th century...
, D.T. Suzuki and Sayagyi U Ba Khin. His search for peace of mind and liberating insights comes to fruition in Yangon (Rangoon) under the tutelage of the great Vipassanā meditation master U Ba Khin, who had established the International Meditation Center. In fact, after some attempts to study Vipassanā meditation with different monks in Thailand, he went to Rangoon to practise Vipassanā with Sayagi U Ba Khin, the same teacher of S.N.Goenka
S. N. Goenka
Satya Narayan Goenka is a leading lay teacher of Vipassanā meditation and a student of U Ba Khin. He has trained more than 800 assistant teachers and each year more than 100,000 people attend Goenka sponsored Vipassana courses....
. His method of practising Vipassanā is based on ten days retreats as he learned from Sayagi U Ba Khin. Ba Khin elaborated this method for lay people who work and have family. Ba Khin himself learned Vipassanā from a lay man, Saya Thetgyi, who was authorized to teach from the first Burmese monk who decided to teach Vipassanā outside the Sangha, to lay people, Ledi Sayadaw
Ledi Sayadaw
The Venerable Ledi Sayadaw U Ñanadhaja was an influential Theravada Buddhist monk. He was recognized from a young age as being developed in both the theory and practice of Buddhism and so was revered as being both scholarly and saintly...
. Another important teacher of Ba Khin was the monk Webu Sayadaw
Webu Sayadaw
Webu Sayadaw was a Theravada Buddhist monk, and vipassanā master, best known for giving all importance to diligent practice, rather than scholastic achievement.-Early life:...
, who was said to be an arahant, that is a person who is going out of Samsara.
Coleman has been teaching Vipassanā meditation in Italy until 2006, with courses organized by International Meditation Center (IMC)of Italy, in Milan.
His story and hit method of teaching meditation is described in his autobiography "The Quiet Mind"- The important Italian writer, Tiziano Terzani
Tiziano Terzani
Tiziano Terzani was an Italian journalist and writer, best known for his extensive knowledge of 20th century East Asia and for being one of the very few western reporters to witness both the fall of Saigon to the hands of the Vietcong and the fall of Phnom Pehn at the hands of the Khmer rouge in...
, in one of his best-seller, Un indovino mi disse, describes his ten day's meditation retrets with Mr. Coleman, in 1993.
John Coleman is still living in Windsor (UK).