It was devastating and heartbreaking to hear about the bombing of the Boston Marathon. I clearly remember running that race myself, in similar running conditions, with the sun shining and enthusiasm streaming from the city. It is one of the most venerated sporting events in the United States––athletic excellence mixed with [...]]]>

It was devastating and heartbreaking to hear about the bombing of the Boston Marathon. I clearly remember running that race myself, in similar running conditions, with the sun shining and enthusiasm streaming from the city. It is one of the most venerated sporting events in the United States––athletic excellence mixed with community celebration. I especially remember coming toward the finish line, both exhausted and exuberant. Everyone was cheering and humanity’s goodness and spirit was palpable.

To hear that this precious and sacred moment of human celebration was terrorized is truly heartbreaking. As we try to come to terms with this act of senseless violence, a wide range of emotions will arise. In the face of this pain and confusion, we must allow ourselves to touch our own strength and goodness and open our hearts, generating love and compassion for the victims of this tragedy. As well, we must not give up on the spirit and courage of humanity, which this marathon so exemplifies.

At this poignant time, please join me in sending thoughts and prayers to the victims and to the courageous city of Boston.

With love and blessings,

The Sakyong

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche:  So let us begin this New Year with a global bow, where we all in our hearts connect worldwide. So from the center here in Kalapa, in Halifax, to around the world—in spirit and in heart and mind—please join me as we invoke the auspicious energy of this upcoming [...]]]>

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche:  So let us begin this New Year with a global bow, where we all in our hearts connect worldwide. So from the center here in Kalapa, in Halifax, to around the world—in spirit and in heart and mind—please join me as we invoke the auspicious energy of this upcoming year. Whatever your aspirations are, may it be so. [All bow]

So, good morning everyone.

Students: Good morning.

SMR: And a very cheerful Shambhala Day to all of you! I’m particularly delighted to be addressing everyone on Shambhala Day because over the last few years I have presented a vision and an inspiration—that as a community, we have within our own heart, mind, and literally, our hands, the wisdom and the teachings to benefit and help the world at this particular time. I’ve talked about this in many ways over this last period of time. For example, I presented “Being Brave” as we gathered in North America and in Europe, expressing that we have something that the world needs. At this point I think we are all quite familiar with it.

But this particular year I would like to highlight this vision because it is the fiftieth year since the Vidyadhara, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Dorje Dradül of Mukpo, brought these particular teachings of social transformation to the West. In particular, as we are gathered here, in Nova Scotia, and as we are gathered around the world at our Shambhala Centres—we are, in a sense, the legacy and aspiration of this one human being who wanted to help and offer to the world. For myself, as you can imagine, it has been a very personal journey of reflecting on the themes he introduced.

As a result, I have written a book entitled The Shambhala Principle—to be released this year—which centers on the topics of basic goodness and enlightened society. And I decided to do it in the format of a dialogue I had with my father on this subject. So in terms of the structure, it’s a first person narrative. And the reason that I’m mentioning this today is not because I’m trying to promote my book, but because I feel like this book is our book, In some ways, it is our public expression of Shambhala vision.

I am aware that we all have many personal responsibilities in our own lives, and at the same time, there is a common vision and inspiration that gathers us today. For myself—leading and teaching and trying to inspire in terms of what we are doing—I felt that trying to share this journey was important. It will be an interesting book and message for all of us, because the theme of the book is that this one human being made an incredible journey, venturing forth to teach and express—for what reason? I feel like it was not simply just the teaching; rather, the reason he was forging ahead was his commitment to humanity.

Globally, right now we are at a time when many of us are wondering about our own society and what will come about. Having known the notion of basic goodness as Shambhalians, it may be familiar—even old hat—at this point. But it is interesting to look at this principle because all of humanity has basic goodness.  This principle is not just a spiritual experience; I believe, and my father believed, that the principle of basic goodness can be a dynamic and socially transformative principle. From that arises all the Shambhala teachings, and all of what we are doing. It affects all of us—directly and indirectly.

In fact, I feel that the question of human nature is the most important global issue right now, and I feel like that is what the Vidyadhara was trying to present. We may consider the notion of human nature a spiritual quest or a deep form of meditation, but in the bigger picture it is relevant right now because essentially we are all wondering if people are good. Is our future—the way we work together in society—going to be good?

As our world shrinks and we are more interconnected, we are at a very interesting crossroads. Therefore, the message of basic goodness is not simply applicable to us as individuals; rather, it becomes a social message. For myself, as you can imagine (I don’t know if you can, but please play along today), from when I was first, to put it politely, asked to be the Sakyong—through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—I’ve worked with this issue. I actually start the book off by recalling the morning when my father called me into his bedroom and said, “You will be the next Sakyong.” That was more than thirty years ago, if you’re still counting.

The position of Sakyong is the notion of “earth protector,” and even though I hold the position, I feel like this responsibility is not solely mine. However, in the transference of the teachings of warriorship, the earth protector protects what is most sacred. As we move into a New Year, when we self-reflect in terms of how our last year has been, and as we think about what brings us forward, it is very much about now. Shambhala Day is very much about now, and Shambhala is very much a culture of nowness. As we gather here and go forward, my responsibility is to bring this message out. But now it is very much all of your responsibility, too, to bring the message of basic goodness out as we go forward.

In this way, for me personally, the publication of The Shambhala Principle marks a transition. It has come about because I have contemplated and cared about my responsibilities as Sakyong. And I feel like, in the same way, that’s how the Vidyadhara’s vision and inspiration will continue—by all of us caring about it and contemplating it. If we do not, it will literally not continue. That is definitely the crossroads where we stand. I also feel like that the Shambhala vision is not simply a utopian idea of society. Rather, it has very much to do with how we as human beings can bring about the profound and strong theme of basic goodness.

In that light, I would like to express three areas in particular in which we can work to make the Shambhala principle of basic goodness socially viable. Obviously, we are already engaging in these and will continue to do so. At a personal level, it is experiencing innate confidence, which manifests as the Ashe. That notion of personal truth—and how we reflect on it—has been expressed and presented in the Shambhala vow and the enlightened society vow. Social transformation is very much about how we personally deal with basic goodness, which is why I brought in my own personal story. Day-to-day we can easily become overwhelmed, but how we think about ourselves and who we are at heart—that reflection—is the basis of our experience. Whether we are overwhelmed by the world or whether we are inspired, how we feel about ourselves is an important personal link. In that light, through Shambhala meditation, we gain the ability to touch our basic goodness.

The next way to make it socially viable is how we live basic goodness. That is very much to do with household, and our personal culture. Speaking for myself, basic goodness is essentially an inexpressible and intangible experience, but its effect can be felt. I believe that as a global community—and especially with the heavy influence of materialism and capitalism—we are currently thinking that human nature is innately selfish, and that our whole structure is based upon this premise. By reflecting on humanity actually being good, complete, and worthy, we are actually challenging the very basic foundation by which we live.

So much of what we assume is based upon how we self-reflect, which begins to affect our culture. Culture is really the sharing of principles. Simply how we look at each other and how we talk—what we eat and do, and literally, how we relate to the planet and the environment—is an extension of our self-reflection. That is the culture we are creating. So for us Shambhalians, what kind of culture are we creating in our household, our living, and our centres? If we are going to continue, the deep spiritual tradition that we personally inherit and practice, as well as our community, will manifest in our culture. Therefore, the strength of our community will depend upon the strength of the principles that we adhere to and foster. The future of our community will depend on this.

The next basic level is the social level. When I introduce this principle of social transformation and social action, this part—which gets into economics, politics, the environment, and so forth—is what inspires and engages many people.

So, right now we are engaged in how we can relate with these three spheres— personally, culturally—in terms of how we live it—and socially. This book is an invitation for all of us to contemplate this. We can do it not only as Shambhalians, but also by inviting in others who would like to have this discussion. At the social level, I myself have been working on particular texts and teachings, and also I will be conducting a series of dialogues and public forums this next year. People in Chicago, San Francisco in the Bay Area,  New York, and London are working on these. Many things that we have started here in Nova Scotia, and at our major practice centers, are opportunities to learn how we go about doing this. This is very much an opportunity for us.

Of course, I always wish wealth for all of you, and now that I also a family man who has a beautiful family, I think about the future. What is it that we are presenting? What is it that we are trying to transmit? I myself feel that we as a Shambhala community have this opportunity. Right now, in many ways we take many of these teachings for granted. But it is not for us to look at them as simply medicine for ourselves. We must also look at them as principles that can be applied to the social mosaic and the world we are living in. This larger journey does not jeopardize our own personal journey, which is essential. But at the same time, we have to realize what was behind the Vidyadhara, this great being, persevering and presenting these particular teachings. It is a very interesting time that we are engaged in.

Many of us who have been Shambhalians for a long time feel like we are constantly developing the base, and there are many changes occurring. But I feel like the job of our generation is to provide a good base and foundation, much of which we have now built. I feel like this next year, we will begin to see the fruits of that.

I also feel like this next period is very much a year of taking our principles and making them more practical. I know that many of us are doing this currently, so I would like to mix those streams of inspiration. The principle of basic goodness and the notion of enlightened society can apply to the worlds of medicine, economics, and the environment, so in my book I touch upon these. These chapters are for all of you—and they are short—so that you can begin to apply them to your life and use them to have discussions with friends.

In this way I invite you to work with language and culture. Here I feel like as I am speaking not only to the English speaking audience but to people who speak many different languages, and I invite all of you to please engender and feel these principles and begin to express them in your own languages. The culture of basic goodness is universal and now is a time for that. In this way, Shambhala is very much becoming a diverse and universal community, as I know and as I have experienced.

This last year has been tremendous and this next year will be, I believe, truly victorious and energizing. The basic notion of the water element that we are engaged in is very much taking the energy that has occurred during this last period—which can be very dynamic—and putting it into effect. I know that for many of you Shambhala Day is a family and social time, and in this light, I didn’t want to overwhelm you, but I did feel like today was an important moment for me to share this, and I’ve been wanting to share this. As we proceed, we should consider how we begin to release the deep potential that we have.

And so on this particular day, I’d like to again send my blessing to all of you in Europe. Since it is later for all of you, you’ve already had most of your Shambhala Day festivities—enjoy your evening. Those of you who are in a completely different hemisphere—obviously it is a different experience altogether, but I encourage you to enjoy this particular day and this particular week. And those of you who have gathered on the West coast and in the Front Range, I send my greetings and look forward to seeing you there. And especially along the Eastern seaboard, I know it’s been quite a last few days with the blizzard, and so I hope you’ve dug yourself out and have made it to a Shambhala Centre. Those of you who are enjoying this broadcast from the other groups, I know many of you have a new space, so congratulations on that, and I very much hope that you enjoy the culture that we are creating. And I just want to remind you: food is important, so enjoy your food and drink—and as we tell our children, don’t forget to share. So please enjoy, please share.

I send you so much love and blessing, and I look forward to a wonderful year with everyone. On that note, we have a special greeting this year, from my daughter Jetsun Drukmo, who has a New Year’s greeting she would like to say. So hopefully that’s here…

[Recording is played.]

Jetsun Drukmo: Cheerful Shambhala Day! [Laughter] KI KI SO SO ASHE LHA GYAL LO TAK SENG KHYUNG DRUK DI YAR KYE!

SMR: DI YAR KYE! [Applause]

Year of the Water Snake

11 February 2013, Halifax, N.S.

At the core of the Mahayana Buddhist teachings is the crown jewel of bodhichitta. This is the supreme thought, the highest possible concept that the mind can generate. Bodhichitta is the intention [...]]]> The intention to benefit all sentient beings is the best of all thoughts. Dedicating ourselves to others, we become bodhisattvas.

At the core of the Mahayana Buddhist teachings is the crown jewel of bodhichitta. This is the supreme thought, the highest possible concept that the mind can generate. Bodhichitta is the intention to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. The person who has this thought of becoming awake in order to liberate others is a bodhisattva, who could considered to be the supremely thoughtful one.

At the conclusion of many lifetimes, a being may generate the supreme intention to benefit others. That is the first thought of a bodhisattva. It is also the last thought—the final result of a long journey through every conceivable thought. At that point, there are no other thoughts, for there is no “I” in other. This supreme thought is pure: there are no contorted logics about why it is good to think about others. It is how the bodhisattva really feels. Finally, this thought has beauty and balance because it naturally benefits the bodhisattva and everyone else.

The difference between our everyday thoughts and the bodhisattva’s thought is that most of us wake up with the thought of self—“What can I do to be happy?” Like the supreme thought of benefiting others, this thought is first, it is final, and it has its own kind of beauty, an innate symmetry in accord with its own needs. But with this ordinary thought, whether one engages in worldly or spiritual activities, they are all based upon the principle of self.

Just as that thought arises so easily and naturally for ordinary beings, the bodhisattva arouses a mind of bodhichitta, with “May others be happy” as the first thought. In that moment, the concept of self is completely evaporated. The bodhisattva’s consciousness and the intention to benefit others emerge together spontaneously.

The transition between ordinary thoughts and bodhichitta happens as thoughts of others’ benefit beginning to arise naturally and spontaneously. This is the pivotal step on the Mahayana path, for in it is the seed of full awakenment. It is the apex of concept and the lowest point of wisdom. It can be likened to dawn, which is both the brightest part of the night and the dimmest part of the day. In that light, wisdom is always there, and darkness is only a temporary state.

Bodhichitta is known as the crown jewel of all the mind’s concepts, representing power and authority. Random thoughts of others amidst those of self-concern are like the settings on the crown. It is called “wish-fulfilling” because when this thought of others is the first thought, always dawning, the natural result is the fulfillment of our own and others’ wishes.

Conceiving of the intention to achieve enlightenment in order to benefit others is a sign of maturity. It means that after spending eons at coarse and obscured levels of consciousness, considering only how to benefit the self, the bodhisattva has experienced a pivotal understanding: he or she sees that the self is a fabrication, simply a thought that has been animated by the mind, like a cartoon. Pondering this, the bodhisattva concludes that thinking about the self only causes further suffering. It is the most confused, ignorant, and untrue thought possible—and the one on which many people base their entire lives.

The bodhisattva understands that by gathering up the various attributes of consciousness and body, the mind has created a bundle known as a “self.” Rather than feel the free-flowing quality of perceptions and experiences, the mind has consolidated them into one bale of hay—all because it could not handle interdependence. From that moment onward, it has based all its experiences on this identity called “me.” Similarly, it regards others not as interdependent, but as separate selves too.

Because forcing the disparate elements of mind and body into a single “me” is unnatural, trying to hold the concept together always causes tension, and the natural outcome of tension is further tension. When others threaten this tension called “me,” the concept becomes angry. When others cater to and flatter this concept, it wants to draw in the praise, and desire is added to the mix. When others’ self-fabrications have more finesse, this self cannot handle it, and becomes envious.

Thus, the self experiences a perpetual universe of push and pull. To continue its storyline, it needs to fabricate a universe where it can act out its fantasy, which results in the process of birth, aging, and death. However, no matter what universe it fabricates, the concept of self is always in pain.

It is from this confusion and suffering that the bodhisattva awakens. Seeing that the suffering is completely unnecessary, the bodhisattva wishes to alleviate it. It would be another matter if there were, in fact, a self that was causing all the suffering. However, the only source—if it can be considered a source—is the mind’s confusion.

The thought of self is considered to be intelligence that cannot see things properly. We are in the dark, trying to feel our way. We might mistake a blanket for a dog, or grab a chair and think it is a table. Therefore, bodhichitta is considered to be the dawning of wisdom. When it is born, it continues; it is not a temporary state. When the supreme mind arises, it is joyful. Bodhisattvas’ minds are less coarse because they are more in line with the truth. Because bodhisattvas can see what they are doing, they enjoy their work of benefitting others. This work is delightful not because they are trying to suppress the notion of self, but because they are working in the open day. It is clear to them who they are and, more accurately, who they are not. Therefore, the bodhisattva is relieved of the thought of self, and delighted by working for the welfare of others.