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New Releases for Parinirvana

Photo: "Leaning In" by Robert Del Tredici

New Releases for Parinirvana Day

This April 4th will be the 36th anniversary of the parinirvana (passing) of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. In celebration of his life and work, the library is releasing a new seminar, a community talk, and a radio interview. These selected recordings are more personal in nature as Chogyam Trungpa talks about different aspects of his life, death, and reincarnations. In the 1975 Line of the Trungpas seminar (the basis for the book The Mishap Lineage) he describes his lineage, childhood, and the profound meeting of his root guru, Jamgon Kongtrul. In a 1971 radio interview on CKGM Montreal, Chogyam Trungpa discusses his background and answers the question “What is Buddhism?” Finally, in an arresting 1973 community talk, “Parrots and Rhinoceroses”, Chogyam Trungpa addresses the possibility of his early death and the responsibility of the community to move forward and rise to the occasion.

Parinirvana Playlist

Select a recording to listen with captions and transcripts:

Community Talk Excerpt

Below is a particularly relevant excerpt from the 1973 community talk, “Parrots and Rhinoceroses”, where Chogyam Trungpa talks about the “great possibility that I might not last all that long” and how the students should conduct themselves after his death:

Photo courtesy of Michael Wood