What do you think?
Rate this book
Dragon Thunder: My Life with Chogyam Trungpa
“It was not always easy to be the guru’s wife,” writes Diana Mukpo. “But I must say, it was rarely boring.” At the age of sixteen, Diana Mukpo left school and broke with her upper-class English family to marry Chögyam Trungpa, a young Tibetan lama who would go on to become a major figure in the transmission of Buddhism to the West. In a memoir that is at turns magical, troubling, humorous, and totally out of the ordinary, Diana takes us into her intimate life with one of the most influential and dynamic Buddhist teachers of our time.
Diana led an extraordinary and unusual life as the "first lady" of a burgeoning Buddhist community in the American 1970s and '80s. She gave birth to four sons, three of whom were recognized as reincarnations of high Tibetan lamas. It is not a simple matter to be a modern Western woman married to a Tibetan Buddhist master, let alone to a public figure who is sought out and adored by thousands of eager students. Surprising events and colorful people fill the narrative as Diana seeks to understand the dynamic, puzzling, and larger-than-life man she married—and to find a place for herself in his unusual world.
Rich in ambiguity, Dragon Thunder is the story of an uncommon marriage and also a stirring evocation of the poignancy of life and of relationships—from a woman who has lived boldly and with originality.
Diana led an extraordinary and unusual life as the "first lady" of a burgeoning Buddhist community in the American 1970s and '80s. She gave birth to four sons, three of whom were recognized as reincarnations of high Tibetan lamas. It is not a simple matter to be a modern Western woman married to a Tibetan Buddhist master, let alone to a public figure who is sought out and adored by thousands of eager students. Surprising events and colorful people fill the narrative as Diana seeks to understand the dynamic, puzzling, and larger-than-life man she married—and to find a place for herself in his unusual world.
Rich in ambiguity, Dragon Thunder is the story of an uncommon marriage and also a stirring evocation of the poignancy of life and of relationships—from a woman who has lived boldly and with originality.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
22 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Diana J. Mukpo
3 books2 followersLady Diana J. Mukpo (née Diana Pybus) is the widow of the Tibetan Lama Chögyam Trungpa.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 24, 2008
Diana Mukpo was a rebellious teenager when she first began studying with Chögyam Trungpa, a Buddhist Rinpoche who had escaped Tibet in 1959 and began teaching in England several years later. She was just sixteen when they defied both her family and his community to marry.
Dragon Thunder is Diana's memoir about her 17 years as the wife of one of the most influential Buddhist teachers in America. The book is written in straight narrative that lacks the literary flourishes common to modern memoirs, but the events of her life are interesting enough that I did find her story engaging.
Though Diana does discuss Trungpa's teachings in the sense of describing how he worked to integrate Tibetan wisdom in to American culture, there is no detailed outline of the finer points of Tibetan Buddhism. The story is told from her perspective and as such spends a fair amount of time relating tales of things like the time their two year old son bit the head off of a scared Buddha and her attempts to live a life independent of the sangha by developing her own career in dressage.
As Trungpa's wife, lover, friend and student, Diana offers a fascinating perspective on him that no one else can provide. But I found myself disturbed by her extremely detached discussion of some of his more controversial behaviors. Although she acknowledges that Trungpa slept many of his female students and talks about how upsetting that was for her at first, her justification of his actions seemed forced to me. I found it worrisome that she never addressed the problems inherent in a teacher encouraging his students to practice guru devotion while having sex with those same students.
Many people consider Trungpa to be a prime example of a "crazy wisdom" teacher, a being so enlightened and compassionate that this sort of unconventional behavior is acceptable because it is solely for the benefits of his students. Despite Diana's perspective on the matter, I remained unconvinced that the heavy drinking that killed him at 48 was anything more than alcoholism, and his physical mistreatment of some students was anything more than abuse.
The book did make it very clear, however, that Trungpa was an enormously powerful teacher who left an enduring stamp on Buddhist culture in America. Though I never studied Trungpa's teachings in depth, I am a graduate of the university he founded in an attempt to integrate the best of Eastern wisdom with Western scholarship. My Naropa education was enormously valuable to me, and though the school has grown well beyond its controversial founder, it remains guided by his vision. So I suppose this makes it a classic example of the fact that spiritual teachers, no matter how controversial, rarely leave a legacy that can be judged in black and white.
Dragon Thunder is Diana's memoir about her 17 years as the wife of one of the most influential Buddhist teachers in America. The book is written in straight narrative that lacks the literary flourishes common to modern memoirs, but the events of her life are interesting enough that I did find her story engaging.
Though Diana does discuss Trungpa's teachings in the sense of describing how he worked to integrate Tibetan wisdom in to American culture, there is no detailed outline of the finer points of Tibetan Buddhism. The story is told from her perspective and as such spends a fair amount of time relating tales of things like the time their two year old son bit the head off of a scared Buddha and her attempts to live a life independent of the sangha by developing her own career in dressage.
As Trungpa's wife, lover, friend and student, Diana offers a fascinating perspective on him that no one else can provide. But I found myself disturbed by her extremely detached discussion of some of his more controversial behaviors. Although she acknowledges that Trungpa slept many of his female students and talks about how upsetting that was for her at first, her justification of his actions seemed forced to me. I found it worrisome that she never addressed the problems inherent in a teacher encouraging his students to practice guru devotion while having sex with those same students.
Many people consider Trungpa to be a prime example of a "crazy wisdom" teacher, a being so enlightened and compassionate that this sort of unconventional behavior is acceptable because it is solely for the benefits of his students. Despite Diana's perspective on the matter, I remained unconvinced that the heavy drinking that killed him at 48 was anything more than alcoholism, and his physical mistreatment of some students was anything more than abuse.
The book did make it very clear, however, that Trungpa was an enormously powerful teacher who left an enduring stamp on Buddhist culture in America. Though I never studied Trungpa's teachings in depth, I am a graduate of the university he founded in an attempt to integrate the best of Eastern wisdom with Western scholarship. My Naropa education was enormously valuable to me, and though the school has grown well beyond its controversial founder, it remains guided by his vision. So I suppose this makes it a classic example of the fact that spiritual teachers, no matter how controversial, rarely leave a legacy that can be judged in black and white.
March 13, 2020
As a newer member of the Shambhala community I was devastated when the Sakyong (Chögyam Trungpa’s heir and lineage holder) and senior teachers were found guilty of numerous incidents of sexual violation upon members of the community. I’ve sat with various sanghas over 15 years from the east to west coast and even in Thailand without feeling a strong connection to the way Buddhism was presented. During my 3 years with Shambhala I was introduced to experimental methods of art, dance, meditation. When I was in college my very unconventional and well respected poetry teacher and mentor often exposed us to the equally experimental writings of poets associated with Naropa school that was founded by Chögyam Trungpa and it was a profound period in my life.
The Shambhala approach to introducing the teachings to me was far different from the “all life is suffering” that many sanghas teach. I read this book because I’m grappling with whether to continue supporting a group with a disgraced leader. I know his father was also full of controversy and I wanted to know the story behind it and the intentions behind Shambhala. As a woman it was also important to read this memoir from Chögyam’s wife and to learn from her perspective how she felt about his sexual relationships with students. I learned she is a vastly intelligent woman who felt she had known Chögyam in previous lifetimes. She had a large part to play in bringing him to the U.S. and she was admittedly young, naive as well as a witness and participant in history.
I learned that we live in different times. Our time is both woke and extremely conservative and it is causing many in spiritual circles to question reliance on spiritual leaders, especially when it is revealed they do not always lead “spiritual” lives. But we are also yearning for a way out of disconnection.
Chögyam lead a powerful movement during a time when Buddhism was very new and relatively unknown in the west, but also when groups of people were open to exploring the unknown. He led an unconventional life supposedly to encourage his students to go beyond their comfort zones and break through what we perceive as real. That is not without consequences, discomfort or repercussions. I was very moved by the book while equally troubled. I was delighted, surprised, awed and hurt. That is life. It is impossible to encounter only the good. I still don’t know if I’ll return to my sangha, but at least I know now how it all started and it is a light.
The Shambhala approach to introducing the teachings to me was far different from the “all life is suffering” that many sanghas teach. I read this book because I’m grappling with whether to continue supporting a group with a disgraced leader. I know his father was also full of controversy and I wanted to know the story behind it and the intentions behind Shambhala. As a woman it was also important to read this memoir from Chögyam’s wife and to learn from her perspective how she felt about his sexual relationships with students. I learned she is a vastly intelligent woman who felt she had known Chögyam in previous lifetimes. She had a large part to play in bringing him to the U.S. and she was admittedly young, naive as well as a witness and participant in history.
I learned that we live in different times. Our time is both woke and extremely conservative and it is causing many in spiritual circles to question reliance on spiritual leaders, especially when it is revealed they do not always lead “spiritual” lives. But we are also yearning for a way out of disconnection.
Chögyam lead a powerful movement during a time when Buddhism was very new and relatively unknown in the west, but also when groups of people were open to exploring the unknown. He led an unconventional life supposedly to encourage his students to go beyond their comfort zones and break through what we perceive as real. That is not without consequences, discomfort or repercussions. I was very moved by the book while equally troubled. I was delighted, surprised, awed and hurt. That is life. It is impossible to encounter only the good. I still don’t know if I’ll return to my sangha, but at least I know now how it all started and it is a light.
August 16, 2010
A pretty candid and revealing memoir of the author's life with the Tibetan Buddhist teacher. I enjoyed the book and read it quickly. (The middle chapters - full of digressions on the history and art of dressage, a specialized form of horse "riding" and equestrian competition - almost demand to be skimmed.)
Mukpo doesn't hold back. Early on she tells that Trungpa forgot her name the day after their wedding! She tells of numerous "adventures", his constant affairs, and her many and sometimes violent fights with him. Hard to say how much some of this might be part of any honest history of most marriages. Except that Trungpa was utterly unconventional, and a Buddhist master who we perhaps don't expect such outlandishness from. I admire Mukpo for not excessively glorifying him by hiding some of these unpleasant aspects. It's all very complicated, as Mukpo remains devoted to him and will write in the same paragraph a sentence or two about a fight with him and then a couple others on how much she learned from him and what a vast and moving presence he was in her life. And how all he did he did for others' benefit, out of a cosmic kindness!
I'm still on the fence on Chogyi, and leaning away from him. His early teachings on meditation (the path is the goal, e.g.) are brilliant, and he did have a supreme gift for the right image and unique, if shocking, phrase. But things turn bizarre in the mid-70's on, with the creation of a medieval-style "Kalapa Court", the increasing role of some weird militarist ideology and style, and the offensive luxury indulged by the Shambhala inner circle. I keep saying to myself, "now, I'm not going to go THERE with him." Which attitude, of course, he'd have a lot of fun cutting through.
Mukpo doesn't hold back. Early on she tells that Trungpa forgot her name the day after their wedding! She tells of numerous "adventures", his constant affairs, and her many and sometimes violent fights with him. Hard to say how much some of this might be part of any honest history of most marriages. Except that Trungpa was utterly unconventional, and a Buddhist master who we perhaps don't expect such outlandishness from. I admire Mukpo for not excessively glorifying him by hiding some of these unpleasant aspects. It's all very complicated, as Mukpo remains devoted to him and will write in the same paragraph a sentence or two about a fight with him and then a couple others on how much she learned from him and what a vast and moving presence he was in her life. And how all he did he did for others' benefit, out of a cosmic kindness!
I'm still on the fence on Chogyi, and leaning away from him. His early teachings on meditation (the path is the goal, e.g.) are brilliant, and he did have a supreme gift for the right image and unique, if shocking, phrase. But things turn bizarre in the mid-70's on, with the creation of a medieval-style "Kalapa Court", the increasing role of some weird militarist ideology and style, and the offensive luxury indulged by the Shambhala inner circle. I keep saying to myself, "now, I'm not going to go THERE with him." Which attitude, of course, he'd have a lot of fun cutting through.
August 5, 2013
This book could absolutely be used as a case study in psychology classes on the nature of co-dependent relationships. Diana comes from a broken home with a narcissistic mother, and marries Trungpa, 15 years her senior, when only 16 years old. The book is full of her excuses for his wild, narcissistic behavior. He was a charming leader, and, of course credited with bringing Buddhism to mainstream American culture, but he was also a huge personality who steam-rolled everyone around him, and lived a life of selfish indulgence at the expense of his wife and his disciples. The book was fascinating, although not terribly well written. I did end up skipping parts of it that got repetitive, and I wasn't terribly interested in all the talk about horse dressage, which was Diana's career.
Absolutely fascinating and bizarre.
Absolutely fascinating and bizarre.
July 10, 2023
A young Scottish lass marries an enigmatic Tibetan teacher following his drunk-driving accident when he crashed into a joke shop. (You can't make this stuff up!)
There's a lot of information, but mostly felt like skimming the surface. Chögyam Trungpa was, essentially, undefinable — and thus the difficulty.
The story is fascinating and bizarre. I knew a lot of it, but some of it (the court and the "monarchy" that grew up around Trungpa) was new to me. The book is interesting to those who are keen for a "behind the scenes" glimpse.
Diana Mukpo was very into horses, and all the horse stuff was boring to me, although I admired Mukpo's efforts to relate the discipline of dressage to mindfulness training. I constantly had money questions, though: who was paying for the white Mercedes and the horsey life in Vienna? This book ultimately raises more questions than it answers, and somehow, that's a good thing.
There's a lot of information, but mostly felt like skimming the surface. Chögyam Trungpa was, essentially, undefinable — and thus the difficulty.
The story is fascinating and bizarre. I knew a lot of it, but some of it (the court and the "monarchy" that grew up around Trungpa) was new to me. The book is interesting to those who are keen for a "behind the scenes" glimpse.
Diana Mukpo was very into horses, and all the horse stuff was boring to me, although I admired Mukpo's efforts to relate the discipline of dressage to mindfulness training. I constantly had money questions, though: who was paying for the white Mercedes and the horsey life in Vienna? This book ultimately raises more questions than it answers, and somehow, that's a good thing.
August 24, 2008
Dragon Thunder is Diana Mukpo's memoir of her marriage to the controversial Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the founder of what is now known as the Shambhala organization. The book can be a bit ponderous and is not recommended for the casual reader, but it provides a unique history of the evolution of Trungpa's life and teachings. Although Mukpo, like many of Rinpoche's students, has a tendency to explain away some of his apparent vices, she's remarkably candid and speaks honestly about several occasions unflattering to Rinpoche that could have easily been left out. The end of the book is almost heartbreaking, as she recounts watching Rinpoche seemingly spin out of control in a storm of strangely purposeful chaos in the final few years before his death. What emerges is a very humanizing portrayal of Rinpoche: one that allows that he was capable of poor judgment and moments of pettiness, and balanced with his incredible ability to read people and situations, and the vastness of his vision. A more important work than than Fabrice Midal's sycophantic biography.
May 30, 2021
A very interesting overview of the life and times of Trungpa Rinpoche. A little haphazardly written and keeps jumping timelines -- therefore quite early into the book I decided to ignore loose ends and just stay with the theme of understanding the arrival and growth of Vajrayana in the West, and life with a 'crazy wisdom' teacher. Diana's candidness + bravery (in sharing details that she knew would result in them being 'judged' by prevailing social mores) are admirable.
February 5, 2015
I gave this 5 stars because for me it was amazing. I have always had an affinity for the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is one of my favourite spiritual books), and I've always known about some of his controversial behaviors, so to be able to get such an intimate, first person account of his life from someone who most likely knew him better than anyone else, was something quite special.
The style of writing is very direct and simple, so you won't read this because it is beautifully written. I did find the stories and subject matter almost always interesting, and learning so much about the equestrian art of dressage was actually quite a delightful surprise. Diana Mukpo's life has been very fascinating in its own right, and it's clear what a remarkable woman she is, having been married to such a great and wise (although incredibly challenging, especially to the untrained, or less trained, mind of a westerner, and certainly even more so to someone taking on the domestic role of his wife) spiritual teacher.
I would say that if you have been involved with or read books surrounding the Shambhala lineage, have an interest in Tibetan Buddhism or the history of the Dharma coming to the west, or Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche specifically, then you will most likely enjoy and get a lot out of this book.
The style of writing is very direct and simple, so you won't read this because it is beautifully written. I did find the stories and subject matter almost always interesting, and learning so much about the equestrian art of dressage was actually quite a delightful surprise. Diana Mukpo's life has been very fascinating in its own right, and it's clear what a remarkable woman she is, having been married to such a great and wise (although incredibly challenging, especially to the untrained, or less trained, mind of a westerner, and certainly even more so to someone taking on the domestic role of his wife) spiritual teacher.
I would say that if you have been involved with or read books surrounding the Shambhala lineage, have an interest in Tibetan Buddhism or the history of the Dharma coming to the west, or Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche specifically, then you will most likely enjoy and get a lot out of this book.
July 4, 2011
This book was nothing like a expected. Knowing the spiritual background about Chogyam Trungpa left me with judgments of what I thought he would be like in everyday life. Boy was this book a lesson on judgments. I loved it because he was as human as human can get with all kinds of quirky "flaws", if you will. It gave me hope that even I can grow spiritually while still being very human....and very flawed!
Very interesting read if you like Biographies. I admire his wife a lot.
Very interesting read if you like Biographies. I admire his wife a lot.
October 31, 2023
I clearly recall taking this book wherever I went for ~2 weeks. I have vivid memory of feeling grounded but also some sense of altruistic elation – happy and sad. Grateful for Diana writing this and sharing her human family experience with the person of VCTR. IMHO well worth finding, reading, and (whenever) re-reading. I did so once. Cross-reference Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism written by Chogyam Trungpa.
October 6, 2021
very interesting but a little too much dressage.
Read
October 11, 2024A whole other world. Feels like I jumped into a Time Machine and I have the inside scoop as an outsider. Read for class. DNF.
November 27, 2008
This was a very intriguing book - a personal account of an English woman's marriage to a very influential Buddhist spiritual leader from Tibet. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was the founder of the Shambhala school of Buddhism (same lineage that Pema Chodron is a part of), and helped found the first Buddhist university in the United States. Married at only 16 years old (Chogyam Trungpa was 28 at the time), Diana found herself in a very unusual marriage to a dynamic and complex man. Towards the end I found myself losing a bit of interest, but overall I recommend this book, particularly if you have an interest in Buddhism (particularly Tibetan Buddhism), and the history of Shambhala in the United States.
December 13, 2008
This book is one of those "I lived with and loved a famous person" books...in this case one of the Buddhist spiritual leaders who was responsible for bringing Buddhism to the west - Chogyam Trungpa. His estranged British wife tells her tale of meeting him as a teenager, falling in love and marrying. Their wild ride takes them all over the world - landing for the longest time in Colorado. It's a bit gossipy, but interesting nonetheless.
Read
June 15, 2010Cross between celebrity bio and dharma discourse -- an extremely readable overview of the teachings of Trungpa Rinpoche in the west by his widow, the westerner Diana Mukpo. It has helped me to understand more the Shambhala practice and world-view which brought forth the ancient Tibetian Buddhadharma through Trungpa's vision and energy.
October 11, 2012
Super interesting book. This person brought Tibetan Buddhism to the west and I'm blown away by the information and knowledge he embodied. Also a humble reminder that one can be a person And make mistakes and still be an enlightened being. People's ideas of perfection don't apply. Even though I felt Diana at times could be viewed as pandering to his guru-mess or making excuses for him.
Read
December 12, 2009awesome read, though a bit wordy at times. intriguing story about a bold, european teen who marries a prominent buddhist against her family's wishes. then their extraordinary life in America, spreading the Buddhist word to this country. VERY INTERESTING!
March 2, 2010
This book is illuminating to say the least. It is not well written, but it is not hard to read. I am amazed by the scientific approach CTR approached teaching buddhism to Westerners. This book twisted my mind and led to a lot of debates among friends.
January 17, 2013
A very candid and insightful view into the live of Chögyam Trungpa, and especially interesting for seeing it from his wife's perspective. She led a most amazing life, married to (arguably) one of the most realized people of the 20th century. Fascinating
December 21, 2014
Greatly enjoyed reading this honest, very human account of Diana Mukpo's 17 year marriage to Chogyam Trungpa. Truly an extraordinary legacy that continues to deeply affect the lives of many people in the west who are thirsty for meditation training.
Read
March 18, 2010I saw a great life of an amazing, devoted person.
May 4, 2010
Interesting perspective of the Shambhala Community and Chogyam Trungpa's life.
February 20, 2019
Interesting insight into the early years of the Shambhala world. Cool to see names of people that I know in print.
March 26, 2013
I loved the parts about Chogyum, though I wished I had heard more about her own practice.
January 9, 2014
Brilliant, layered, telling. I found the book to be quite authentic and revealing of important secrets hidden in the life of a man whose very existence changed Buddhism. Thoroughly enjoyed the read.
Read
March 15, 2016Enjoyed seeing the intimate side of Chogyam Trumpa through the eyes of his wife.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews