I have been following both explanations – Lal and Chigstarrr on Goenka retreat.
Chigstarrr is right on the process followed for 10 day retreat which provides a person with his own experience to see what the vedana which arises, stays and passes away means in reality.
Anapana sati done in Goenka Vipasanna helps a novice to see what vibrations / sensations are arising for first 3 days near the nasal area and lip region and from 4th day to 9th day, the person would be able to experience for himself/herself on feelings which keep on arising, staying and passing away which can be heat, sweat, cold flashes, trembling etc.,
After that, one can really get into pure teachings to observe these sensations and not react to them, but to take action the way Lal has been stating on the actual dhamma practice.
These sensations can be of lobha, dosa or moha as they bring up all those experiences which has happened with one person and what to do with them in that retreat helps the person to observe and hence when he is provided with pure dhamma as medicine, he/she can really develop very will.
This has infact happened with me and there is marked changes in every aspect including the way I’m able to take death of my mother which happened on 23rd December, 2017 where I’m able to focus on the citta, asavas, gati and the vedana it brings in. There has not been a single instance right now of any kind of sorrow which I believe is the effect of following the path provided by Goenka and supplemented by Lal through Pure Dhamma.
Actually, in my opinion sankara’s arise as feelings and they come and go and in that way, suit the experience of what one undergoes in Goenka retreat. If we were to accept to them, then in seems like these Sankara’s will get exhausted if the vedana is just observed.
While just breath meditation might not provide actual vipasanna, but one can see that observation of feelings (vedana) as defined in Mahasatipattana sutta would certainly enable a person to get rid of many sankara’s which arises on body as vedana.
Conclusion: Goenka’s Vipassana course will put a person on the right path followed by Pure Dhamma by Lal would really help a person to achieve Sotapanna stage and beyond which seem to have become reality for me as I can see for myself tremendous changes which has happened due to both of them.