Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Shambhala Day Address,
Year of the Wood Rat, 1984
Listen to the talk
CTR: Cheerful Shambhala Day.
Students: Cheerful Shambhala Day Sir.
CTR: It is a great pleasure for me to talk to you all. Not only in this room alone, but overseas and students of Vajradhatu. I hope that we all will have good time and good year, particularly good practice. We had a very positive year, and no doubt we will have also positive year in this year.
It is particularly year for us to develop sense of humor. Particularly it is year for [us to] express non-theism, and no doubt that it is year for further cheering up. It is year of experiencing interesting gap in our lives. Some people might feel that there is a sense of loss, confusion, and some people might experience year of making decisions of our lives. But we shouldn't be afraid of those problems.
The reality, strangely enough, has four legs and it's hairy [laughter]. Occasionally it has two wings. Sometimes it is ornamented with two horns. Life is not all that bad. It has enormous cheerful possibilities. Wherever you are, you will find great smile. One never knows who is smiling, or for that matter, what we are smiling for. In short, please make sure that there is no frivolity, and make your decisions [in] accordance with the practice of meditation, and with sense of humor. This is year of making decisions: economic, social, education, and so forth.
As far as the Vajradhatu is concerned, we are grown up, growing further. We are learning more. We have learned from both mistakes and wisdom. It is year for us to not panic, and develop sense of humor.
I am very pleased with all the students — how much exertion they put in their practice, and effort. It will cause longevity for me, and therefore I would like to thank all of you. But let us continue, let us go on. Let us expand. Cheerful Shambhala Day to all of you with lots of love. Let us play together.
Thank all of you. Please enjoy today, and rest of the year. Don't give up. Continue. Thank you.
© 2008 Diana J. Mukpo
Audio and unpublished transcript used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo and the Shambhala Archives. Recorded on March 3, 1984 at the 1984 Vajradhatu Seminary, Bedford Springs, Pa. This talk was broadcast live to the international sangha via phone hookup.
Thank you to the Shambhala Archives for making this recording available.
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