I’ve been asked by the family of Lady Diana Mukpo to make some remarks today about her life story: who she was, what she did and what her connection is to all of us! It’s difficult to do this...

Ringu Tulku on the Sadhana of Mahamudra & the Four Dharma’s of Gampopa

Thank you to Ringu Tulku and his organization, Bodhicharya, for permission to post this talk.

The Passing of Lady Diana Mukpo

Dear Shambhala Sangha, Our community has experienced an incredible loss. We write with heavy hearts to share that Lady Diana Mukpo - wife and widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, mother, grandmother, accomplished equestrian, and steadfast protector of the Shambhala teachings and vision - passed away surrounded by family and close friends at her home in Florida on...

Journey to Taktsang 57 Years Ago

The Sadhana of Mahamudra was completed at Taktsang in Bhutan on September 6, 1968. Here, in his own words, is the story of traveling to Taktsang and receiving the sadhana.

Lack of Credentials

Excerpted from The Way of Basic Sanity, A Brief Overview of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Perspective on Sutric Buddhism

Jonathan Barbieri on Meeting our Kagyu and Nyingma relatives for the first time

Jonathan Barbieri has taught Buddhist and Shambhala trainings extensively throughout North America for over 40 years. He served as a Shastri, a senior teacher, in the Shambhala lineage for several years. Jon has been engaged in several livelihood pursuits including 10 years in educational non-profits, consulting with cities and counties on workforce development, creating contemplative co-housing...

Tim Olmsted on Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Pema Chödrön and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

These Sons and Daughters of Noble Family lectures showcase the rich dharma heritage of our extended dharma family. They were originally presented live by Karme Choling and hosted by Julia Sagebien & Karme Choling Co-Directors JT Buck & Vegan Aharonian between April and October 2024. The Chronicles is now in the process of making all sixteen of these lectures available permanently here, adding a new episode to this page every few weeks.

It Was the Memory of His Kindness

I read something recently that recalled the evening I heard Chögyam Trungpa speak in Toronto in the autumn of 1971. My memories of that evening come back to me occasionally, and they surfaced again while I was reading Opening a Mountain: Koans of the Zen Masters. The book is a deeply contextualized collection of stories and...

Joni and Rinpoche

Here is Joni Mitchell in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden after receiving the Gershwin Prize. When asked what themes she might want to explore currently in her songwriting, Joni talked about her connection with Trungpa Rinpoche

Calligraphy Lesson

I loved Trungpa Rinpoche beyond words and admired him more than anyone I had ever met (I was also a little afraid of him).

Father Thomas Keating and Trungpa Rinpoche Talk About Egolessness

This conversation took place during Naropa’s 1983 Christian Buddhist Conference

Stories of Sechen Kongtrül, told by Tulku Urgyen

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's Stories of Shechen Kongtrül, read by Larry Mermelstein.

Myth of Freedom and the Cosmic Joke with Ani Pema Chodron

In this talk, which is presented in three segments, Pema guides us through the beginning chapters of Trungpa Rinpoche's Myth of Freedom.

The Heart of Enlightened Action

Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche teaches on the mahayana at the Berkley Shambhala Center, August 2007. Here are talks One, Two, and Three of the five talk series.

Vajradhatu Seminary Lake Louise

A slideshow of Lake Louise from Charles Marrow

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s Cremation Ceremony

Thirty Eight Years Ago in Karme Choling's upper meadow

Why Now?

Tashi Colman's Review of The Sadhana of Mahamudra, a new title from Shambhala Publications

Announcement from the Mukpo Family

The Mukpo family would like to announce that after many years of living with cancer, Lady Diana has taken the decision to stop treatment and begin the dying process. She is currently with her family and friends resting at home and receiving care. We will continue to send updates as her end-of-life phase progresses. In the...

Discipline

Discipline is not a one-shot deal or a two-shot deal, but a one-hundred-thousand shot deal. It happens again and again and again. Discipline is not somebody with a long face and a stick. Discipline is somebody without a face, without a stick–but cool, cold, fifty degrees below zero. Discipline is not a school master or a master with a stick in zazen practice or a disciplinarian or an angry, hot-tempered tutor. Discipline is not a person at all. That makes it hard to relate with, because you can’t rebel against it. You can’t take the stick away from the disciplinarian and hit him back. It’s constant discipline. Cool mountain stream. It’s very boring. So let’s call it cool boredom. The boredom which such discipline consists of is cool boredom, refreshing boredom.

— Condensed from “Cool Boredom,” in Selected Community Talks, page 55.

Offerings for Parinirvana Day 2006

Supplication to the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Kind root guru, Vajradhara in person, Essence of the buddhas of the fourth moment, Source of dharma more profound and vast than the ocean, Your galaxy...

The Top Ten Reasons Why …

Asked to give a toast to the Vidyadhara at the events celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vidyadhara's parinirvana in Halifax, Barry Boyce began to compose a toast telling...

No Party Line

Photo by Rachel Homer   The first time I was a teaching assistant for Trungpa Rinpoche was at Naropa Insitute in the summer of 1974. Before the classes began, I went...

Compliments to the chef

In 1986 at the Vajradhatu Seminary, I signed on as the breakfast cook at Amakulo, the building used primarily as a family center. One day, the dinner cook became...

The Day I Shook Hands with my Guru

Note: This story takes place in Boston in March of 1982. The talk mentioned is the same one that was videotaped and titled "Creating Enlightened Society." It was a beautiful...

No Man’s Land

In No Man's Land, Robert Merchasin talks about an extraordinary day in September 1971, and reflects on the lasting impact the events of that day have had on his life.

Climbing the Stairs with Rinpoche

The Vajracharya placed his right hand in mine and the fleshy depth of his hand swallowed me whole.

When Chögyam Trungpa met Jules Chender

Yuli Shenderoff was born in Russia in 1920 at a time of pogroms against the Jews. As a very small boy, he learned to lie when strangers came to...

The Three Yana Journey

While in Halifax to confer the Vajrayogini abhisheka in June 2024, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche very generously offered this public talk for all who are practicing or interested in the buddhadharma.

Introduction to The Art of Calligraphy: Part II

...at the beginning you just learn to make straight lines on your paper -CTR

Ordinary Memories of an Extraordinary Man

I was privileged to spend many weeks at Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's side, only able to hold my seat because of the affection he lavished upon me and countless others.

Chokling Rinpoche: A Powerhouse of Dharma

The passing of Tsikey Choking Rinpoche, 1953-2020

Firsthand Account from Nepal

Photos from Tenzin Dolma Below is an inspiring and heartbreaking account just received from our adopted daughter in Nepal, Tenzin Dolma, who went through Thrangu Rinpoche's school in Kathmandu. If...