Dear Friends of the Chögyam Trungpa Institute,
Today marks the anniversary of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s parinirvana (nirvana-after-death), or passing. Remarkably, thirty-eight years after his death, Trungpa Rinpoche continues to inspire people around the world on the Buddhist path through his innovative and powerful teachings. To commemorate his incredible life, the Digital Library is releasing a collection of fascinating interviews he gave during his time in North America. In these interviews—for radio, magazine articles, and even live TV—Trungpa Rinpoche masterfully distills his vision, teachings, and life story for the general public. It’s a wide range of conversations including a spirited group dialogue hosted by Allen Ginsberg, an episode of a series on the “Transmission of Essential Teachings”, and in-depth profiles with a variety of journalists. Trungpa Rinpoche referenced himself very little in his talks, so these recordings are especially precious.
Michael McKnight: I asked Trungpa to reflect on the success that he has had in spreading Tibetan Buddhism in this country. And this is the way he answered me.
Trungpa Rinpoche: … I think it’s partly because of what we call it, we are “practicing lineage.” And the more we put emphasis on the sitting practice of meditation, then you don’t have to say too much. And people begin to discover in themselves, how they should go about, and where their neurosis is and what their neurosis is, and where the discipline is required. So it’s due to the technique, and the style of our particular lineage has become sort of always timely. There is no situation where the teaching is not applicable. So that helped a lot.
(From an interview with Professor Michael McKnight, Karmê Chöling, 1980.)
READ MORE, WATCH A CLIP, AND ACCESS RECORDING
SAVE THE DATE! UPCOMING EVENT
Chögyam Trungpa: The Spiritual, Humanitarian, Artistic, and Scholarly Vision in his Life and Work
An Online Zoom Forum sponsored by the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace
Senior students of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche will speak, followed by discussion and Q&A. The presenters are Judith Lief, Judith Simmer Brown, Carolyn Gimian, Lee Worley, and Mitchell Levy. The session will be chaired by Dr Brion Sweeney.
Date: Wednesday 7 May 7 2025,
Time: 7 to 9pm, UK / 2pm to 4 pm, Eastern / 12pm to 2 pm, Mountain
For further information and registration, please follow the link.
If you are inspired by these teachings and the work we do at the Chögyam Trungpa Digital Library, please consider supporting our work! Every donation brings us closer to our mission of preserving and releasing every single one of Trungpa Rinpoche’s recorded talks.
Yours in the dharma,
The Digital Library Team