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Devotion on the Buddhist Path

Playlist

Photographer unknown, courtesy of Shambhala Archives.
Likely a photo of one of The Sixteenth Karmapa's monks bowing to a Buddha statue at the De Young Museum of Art in San Francisco during the Karmapa's 1976 visit to the United States.

Devotion on the Buddhist Path Playlist

Presenting three seminars all on the subject of devotion. Read about each series and access the recordings below.

Click here to jump to a video clip.

Photographer unknown, courtesy of Shambhala Archives.
The shrine at Karmê Chöling, taken during H. H. The 16th Karmapa’s visit in 1976.

Devotional Buddhism of Tibet (Boulder, 1973. Audio)

A seminar on devotion in Tibetan Buddhism, specifically clarifying how it manifests differently in the hinayana, mahayana, and vajrayana paths. Presented in accessible but also subtle ways, the topics of this seminar include the idea of surrendering, examining devotion critically, and the teacher-student relationship in the three yanas. Chögyam Trungpa explains devotion as an important bridge between our confusion and experiencing reality as it is. Five of these talks were the basis for a section of Chögyam Trungpa’s book The Myth of Freedom (Shambhala Publications, 1976): “VII: Devotion.”

Bonus Public Talk (given the same week as this seminar):

A woman sits on a meditation cushion at the newly-built shrine room at Karmê Chöling
Photographer unknown, courtesy of Shambhala Archives.
A woman sits on a meditation cushion in the newly-built shrine room at Karmê Chöling

Cynicism and Devotion (Karmê Chöling, VT, 1975. Audio)

A seminar on working with cynicism and devotion on the Buddhist path. Cynicism is presented as a form of critical discernment crucial on the path and in studying with a teacher. Chogyam Trungpa discusses how devotion develops from cynicism, having devotion without ego, and finally, how to join cynicism and devotion together. Devotion is described as the union of intelligence and compassion on a large scale.

Photographer unknown, courtesy of Shambhala Archives.

Delivering Buddha Into Your Palm (Boulder, 1976. Video)

A seminar on spiritual materialism, the student-teacher relationship, and the necessity of sitting meditation. Chögyam Trungpa emphasizes the importance of continually returning to meditation, no matter where we are on the path.This series concludes with a lively talk on taking a “good morning” approach to meditation practice: maintaining a discipline of morning meditation, which cultivates an appreciation for the lineage holders who have gone before us.

Click here to watch the full talk, Talk 4: “Good Morning”

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The True Meaning of Devotion (Karmê Chöling, Vermont, 1973). Learn More and Access the Playlist Here.