Chögyam Trungpa (1939 - April 4, 1987) was a Buddhist meditation master, scholar, teacher and artist.
Born in Tibet, Chögyam Trungpa was the eleventh in a line of Trungpa tülkus, important figures in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1959, after having already achieved wide renown for his teachings in his native country, he fled the Chinese invasion and crossed the Himalayas on foot into India.
After familiarizing himself with the English language he studied at Oxford and then came to the United States at the invitation of several students.
In 1974, Trungpa founded the Naropa Institute, which later became Naropa University, in Boulder, Colorado. Naropa was the first accredited Buddhist university in North America. Trungpa also founded more than 100 meditation centers throughout the world.
In 1976, Trungpa began giving teachings, since gathered and presented as Shambhala training , inspired by his vision (see terma) of the legendary Kingdom of Shambhala. Shambhalian practices focus on connecting with one's basic sanity and using that insight as inspiration for one's encounter with the world.
Two of his famous and well known students are Pema Chödrön and Allen Ginsberg. Allen Ginsberg was also Teacher at Naropa University.
In 1986, Trungpa, in failing health, established his headquarters in Nova Scotia, where he shortly thereafter died of a heart attack.
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Last updated: 08-23-2005 23:43:44
