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On Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche is the quintessential spiritual guide. His teachings—steeped in ancient tradition and presented with relaxed fluency in western language and culture—are profound, accessible, and fresh. In addition to the buddhadharma, he offered the secular path of Shambhala, cultivating an appreciation of inherent bravery, dignity and goodness beyond cultural and religious bounds. Through his many books, Trungpa Rinpoche continues to be an incomparable source of wisdom and courage in the world. The Chronicles is an ongoing celebration of his profound teachings and life example.
Copyright Diana J. Mukpo. Used here by arrangement with Diana J. Mukpo and Shambhala Publications, Inc.
These teachings by Chögyam Trungpa are selected at random from Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: the email service that brings Trungpa Rinpoche’s dharma to your inbox several times each week. For more information, or to add your name to the list, visit OceanofDharma.com.
Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week is edited and produced by Carolyn Rose Gimian. Thank you to Lady Diana Mukpo, Mrs. Gimian, and Shambhala Publications for making these teachings available on the Chronicles.
Not Too Tight, Not Too Loose
There is a story regarding the Buddha which recounts how he once gave teaching to a famous sitar player who wanted to study meditation. The musician asked, “Should I control my mind or should I completely let go?” The Buddha answered, “Since you are a great musician, tell me how you would tune the strings of your instrument.” The musician said, “I would make them not too tight and not too loose.” “Likewise,” said the Buddha, “in your meditation practice you should not impose anything too forcefully on your mind, nor should you let it wander.” That is the teaching of letting the mind be in a very open way, of feeling the flow of energy without trying to subdue it and without letting it get out of control, of going with the energy pattern of mind. This is meditation practice.
I Noticed the Grass
Poem by Allen Ginsberg
Reading by Patti Smith
Music by Philip Glass
Abhisheka
Talk nine from the Journey Without Goal seminar
Techniques of Mindfulness
Tail of the Tiger (Karme Choling), Barnet, Vermont; August 1974
Commentary
Introduction
The notes on Chronicles introducing the previous seminar, "Training the Mind," also provide a good introduction to this "Techniques of...
The Star of Bethlehem
You begin to experience the dawn or glimmer of light, which in Western language is called the Star of Bethlehem
Mindfulness and Awareness
Trungpa Rinpoche begins by pointing out the necessity of beginning at the beginning. Otherwise it is like "building a castle on an ice block, or an apartment on an airplane."
Cheerful Shambhala Day 1978
Here is the first ever Shambhala Day address, nine minutes and 17 seconds. It took place just after dawn in the newly renovated third-floor shrine room of Dorje Dzong, now the Boulder Shambhala Center. The room was packed with many students and many young children; it was a joyful moment.