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...
The Halifax Shambhala Centre: Who’s in Charge? The Mandala Governance System
In 1975, when Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche was asked how he saw his lineage continuing in America he replied that “the general plan, seemingly, or general intuitive plan, is that some kind of reign of sanghaship would take place for a while," and "this needs group spirit."
The Halifax Shambhala Centre is implementing a new governance model. The...
Journey to Taktsang 57 Years Ago
The Sadhana of Mahamudra was completed at Taktsang in Bhutan on September 6, 1968. Here, in his own words, is the story of traveling to Taktsang and receiving the sadhana.
Lack of Credentials
Excerpted from The Way of Basic Sanity, A Brief Overview of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Perspective on Sutric Buddhism
Why Now?
Tashi Colman's Review of The Sadhana of Mahamudra, a new title from Shambhala Publications
The Halifax Shambhala Centre Announces the Visit of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
The Halifax Shambhala Centre is pleased to announce that Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche—the grandson and spiritual heir of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of Trungpa Rinpoche’s principal teachers—will be visiting Halifax during the first week of August 2026.
Lady Diana’s Life Story
I’ve been asked by the family of Lady Diana Mukpo to make some remarks today about her life story: who she was, what she did and what her connection is to all of us! It’s difficult to do this for someone of her stature and also for someone who was such a beloved friend of many...
Ringu Tulku on the Sadhana of Mahamudra & the Four Dharma’s of Gampopa
Thank you to Ringu Tulku and his organization, Bodhicharya, for permission to post this talk.
The Passing of Lady Diana Mukpo
Dear Shambhala Sangha,
Our community has experienced an incredible loss. We write with heavy hearts to share that Lady Diana Mukpo - wife and widow of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, mother, grandmother, accomplished equestrian, and steadfast protector of the Shambhala teachings and vision - passed away surrounded by family and close friends at her home in Florida on...
In the Mandala of Mahamudra
Dear Students of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche,
The following are Trungpa Rinpoche's profound and excellent teachings from his Sadhana of Mahamudra. You should keep them in mind and practice them well....
Alice Haspray
Alice talks about Zen Center, RMDC, NY Dharmadhatu, the South American sangha, the Commission on the Status of Women and Feminine Principle, and the Council of Warriors
Light of Blessings: Supplication to the Eleventh Trungpa Chökyi Gyatso
At the request of Lady Könchok Paldrön (Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche's mother), Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche composed the following supplication to Trungpa Rinpoche.
Light of Blessings:
Supplication to the Eleventh Trungpa Chökyi Gyatso
View...
James Yensan
In this 4-minute video, Jim Yensan recalls the sense of trust he experienced as a student of Trungpa Rinpoche.
Totally Free from Agenda
I became a kasung by coincidence.
In 1975, I was a student of Trungpa Rinpoche and working as a waiter at the Canyon Inn restaurant in Boulder. Just before closing...
We Can Run!
Karme Choling, 1978. We were all excited that Rinpoche was coming to give a teaching program. I was 22 years old. I’d been on the staff at KCL for...
The Day I Shook Hands with my Guru
Note: This story takes place in Boston in March of 1982. The talk mentioned is the same one that was videotaped and titled "Creating Enlightened Society."
It was a beautiful...
Grandmother’s Audience
As told by Sarah Cox to Elizabeth Richardson
Born in 1890, Sarah Louise Buffington, was an unusually self determined woman for her generation. With the onset of the First World...
Interview with Chris Levy: Audio Recovery Technician
Shambhala Archives audio technician, Chris Levy, talks about the audio recovery project, and his ten-year experience of working with Chogyam Trungpa's audio library.
The Kids and the Garuda
A story told by Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche at Dorje Dzong, Boulder, May 18, 1990
Recalling Prajna
Prajna, the Shambhala Mountain Center home of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and since 1987 Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, burned to the ground in an early morning fire on April 7, 2009.
Prajna...
The Court
Then, seemingly out of the blue and certainly not to my liking, Rinpoche announced on Christmas Day that he would like to invite my mother to dinner ...
Shambhala Mountain Center Forty Years Ago
by Jim Lowrey
"There was a valley with pine trees and rocks that had never been cultivated. Should we buy an empty desolate valley without any facilities? We drove through...
Interview with Karma Senge about Kyere Gompa
The Chronicles (TC): Rinpoche, rather than asking you for further stories about Trungpa Rinpoche today, I'd like to ask you to talk about Kyere Gompa. I'd also like to...
How the Pygmies Came to the Land
Excerpted from an interview with Don Winchell in February, 2003
Shambhala Mountain Center
(photo borrowed from the SMC site)
"I saw it first from the back, and the only thing we...
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Buddhist Rebirth III: Modern Takesby Roger Jackson
Rebirth, or reincarnation, was assumed by most premodern Buddhists – and is believed by many modern Buddhists – to be “the […]
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The Key Points of Trekchö with Gerardo Abboudby Gerardo Abboud
In person at the Halifax Shambhala Centre, and here on Ocean We are very pleased to welcome Gerardo Abboud to the Halifax […]
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Samsara, Nirvana, and the Pathby Jakob Leschly
Samsara represents the painful cycle of dysfunction and suffering, whereas nirvana epitomizes the liberation inherent in our true […]
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The Kagyu Lineageby Jonathan Barbieri
Lineage is the unbroken transmission of wisdom and skillful means that is passed down directly from teacher to student – from […]
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The Interconnectedness of The Mandalas of Taktsang and of the Sadhana of Mahamudraby Lodro Sangpo
In the first class we will present a slideshow and videos of the walk up to the temple complex, as well as the other important […]