[4] U Ba Khin wanted to devise a meditation course with instructions that would give busy householders a taste of the Dhamma with the limited free time available to them.
He was absolutely scrupulous in ensuring that whatever he taught conforms strictly with the original teachings of the Buddha in the Tipiṭaka; and also in accordance with several widely accepted commentaries, in particular The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga).
[6][7][8] In 1950 the government of the Union of Burma issued an official circular stating that all civil service department has the option of forming Buddhist associations for the purpose of religious activities.
U Ba Khin then started offering ten days meditation courses to any staff in the Accountant General Office who is interested to learn from him.
Since U Ba Khin was the only English-speaking teacher of vipassanā in the country, he decided to name the new centre International to give foreigners a chance to experience the practical aspects of Buddhism.
In order to meditate longer, some foreign students had to make a series of back-to-back seven-day trips into Rangoon, flying back and forth to Bangkok or Calcutta.
Mother Sayamagyi who succeeded Sayagyi U Ba Khin at the IMC after his demise,[18] began to entertain the idea of travelling outside of Burma to teach meditation.
In 1978, after a group of foreign students at the IMC made a firm determination (adhiṭṭhāna) to establish a permanent meditation centre in the West, Mother Sayamagyi started travelling abroad to teach the Dhamma.
The student is first helped to develop calmness and concentration by focusing his attention on a spot where the breath touches at the base of the nose, mindfully aware of each in-breath and out-breath.