by Steve Roth Reprinted with permission from The Miraculous 16th Karmapa: Incredible Encounters with the Black Crown Buddha. In eighth century Tibet, Padmasambhava made a prophecy: "When the iron bird flies, when horses run on wheels, the king will come to...

Remembering Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

Our beloved guide, Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, left his physical body behind on June 22, 2024. As with all great teachers, his passing has magnified his presence in the hearts and minds of his students, making this a moment of profound sadness and inspiration. When the sun of dharma, the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, disappeared from view,...

Suffering as Blessing

By Ken Bowles In the early 1970s at age 29, I was diagnosed with an incurable medical condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa that would result in progressive deterioration of my eyesight and blindness. In 1972, I attended a weekend seminar with Chogyam Trungpa on The Mandala of the Five Buddha Families held in a gymnasium in Barnet, Vermont....

What to expect at the Visit of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche

In this nine-minute talk, the Loppon explains the significance of this visit for Trungpa Rinpoche’s vajrayana students, those who encountered him during this lifetime, and those who have come along since then.

The Passing of Bernie Flynn

Bernie first came to our Sangha after college and roaming around the country in the usual hippy pursuits of the early 70's. The "VT back to the land" movement was in full swing and he was going to write the "Great American Novel". He found a house in Barnet and as it turned out, it was not...

The Passing of John Baker

The family of John Joseph Baker, 81, of Boulder, Colorado share the news of his passing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at his beautiful mountain home in Boulder, Colorado with his family by his side. He experienced a gentle “fading of my life” over a period of many months. John was born on September 13, 1944,...

Interview with Khenpo Karma Tenkyong

Drala Mountain Center is looking forward to hosting Khenpo Karma Tenkyong, the resident teacher at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, for Open, Spacious, and Free: A Mahamudra Meditation Retreat, August 26th-29th.

Harsh Splendour First Screening

In 1959 Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche led 300 refugees on a nine-month journey across Tibet to India – a journey now seen to rank among the greatest of history’s great escapes. Among those following him was the Washutsong family and their daughter Palya, aged 15. With music composed and performed by India Gailey and Jeff Reilly, narration by Grant MacLean, Harsh Splendour tells Palya’s story. Through HD satellite images and a flight simulator, we follow the route the refugees took, see the towering mountain terrain they crossed, the fearsome weather they faced. It is a journey to inspire us all.

You Are The Masterpiece

Exploring unconditional sacredness: the display of innate goodness, the worthwhileness of everyday life

21 Years of Tributes from the Mahasangha

Contribute your poems, stories and tributes to this ongoing collection

Four Artists Reflect on CTR’s Visual Dharma Teachings

Photo by George Holmes, used by permission A reminiscence from Jack Niland Here's the story. In 1974 at the start of Naropa, Trungpa told me I had to teach a class..."Just tell them everything I've told you" were his only instructions. The first year I assisted others to learn the ropes. Then, starting in 1975, he had me...

Datun Study Program

Buddhism: View and Path: A 7-month study program from Siddhartha's Intent: January - July 2026. The course is being taught by senior instructors and students of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, along with several excellent guest teachers.

The Passing of Lama Yonten

Lama Yonten passed away in Nepal on February 7. Yonten was Trungpa Rinpoche's attendant during their escape from Tibet, 1959-1960. He also attended Trungpa Rinpoche's root guru, Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche. Years later in India, he attended Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Here is a recent passage from Rabjam Rinpoche's Facebook page In Loving Memory of Lama Yonten, Personal Assistant to...

50 Years of Dharma at the Philadelphia Shambhala Center

In December of 2020, during the pandemic, the Philadelphia Shambhala Center hosted a virtual gathering with fourteen of the founding members of Shambhala in Philadelphia.  Coming together from coast to coast, some of them had not seen each other for decades.   They talked about the early days of practice, the sangha house in West Philly, the visits...

Offerings for Parinirvana Day 2006

Supplication to the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Kind root guru, Vajradhara in person, Essence of the buddhas of the fourth moment, Source of dharma more profound and vast than the ocean, Your galaxy...

The Simplicity of This Moment

The world is not perfect, not black and white. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche could be seen as a madman or a scholar. It's pointless to try to come to an...

A Penny for Your Thoughts

During the 1984 Kalapa Assembly in Bedford Springs, the Vidyadhara requested that I visit with him. At one point during the visit there was a long silence. I asked...

It’s Much More Interesting Than That

During the 1985 Seminary at RMDC, now Shambhala Mountain Center, the Vidyadhara was hosting a number of guests at Prajna for cocktails, followed by a dinner. I was on...

Tribute to Jean Claude

Jean Claude van Itallie died on September 9, 2021 in Manhattan. He was a central figure in the experimental theater movement for decades and an early friend and student...

At Waterways Duck Farm

Trungpa stayed with a spiritualist healer called Robert Copley on his duck farm in ST Ives Huntingdon, U.K. in, or around 1962, where I met him. He described his...

Three Spiritual Icons of the Early 20th Century

I was a student in the Gurdjieff* work in San Francisco and London in the early 1960's. During that time I also attended a number of Krishnamurti** talks in...

First Drive / First Passenger

Unlike most young men of my generation I was not particularly focused on getting my driver's license when I turned 16. Just by chance and lack of money for...

Interview with the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

Khyentse Foundation Translators' Conference, Bir, India by Stephanie Lai, March 17, 2009 Stephanie Lai: Rinpoche, what were the reasons that brought you to this conference?— The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche: Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche...

Chokling Rinpoche: A Powerhouse of Dharma

The passing of Tsikey Choking Rinpoche, 1953-2020

Some Moments in Vancouver

In his humble way, he listed the many wonderful qualities of the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche while declaring he himself had none of those qualities.

Effortless Beauty by Julie DuBose

Preparing to write this review, I sit down, then pause, put aside my pen, and gaze out the window, taking in the soft moist greens and tawny golds of...

Introduction to The Art of Calligraphy: Part I

Venerating the past in itself will not solve the world's problems. We need to find the link between our traditions and our present experience of life.

Dön Season Retreat on Ocean

During the final days of the Year of the Water Rabbit, we will focus our evening practice on Vajrakilya and Pacifying the Turmoil of the Mamos.
Loading...