The Essential Chogyam Trungpa

by Chögyam Trungpa, Carolyn Gimian

Chögyam Trungpa wrote more than two dozen books on Buddhism and the Shambhala path of warriorship. The Essential Chögyam Trungpa blends excerpts from bestsellers like The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Meditation in Action, and other titles into a concise overview of Trungpa's teachings. Forty selections from fourteen different books articulate the secular path of the Shambhala warrior as well as the Buddhist path of meditation and awakening. This "new classic" vividly demonstrates Trungpa's great appreciation of Western culture which, combined with his deep understanding of the Tibetan tradition, makes these teachings uniquely accessible to contemporary readers. It will appeal to beginning students of meditation as well as seasoned readers of Eastern religion.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 1999

About the author

Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Tibetan: ཆོས་ རྒྱམ་ དྲུང་པ་ Wylie: Chos rgyam Drung pa; also known as Dorje Dradul of Mukpo, Surmang Trungpa, after his monastery, or Chökyi Gyatso, of which Chögyam is an abbreviation) was a Buddhist meditation master, scholar, teacher, poet, and artist. He was the 11th descendent in the line of Trungpa tulkus of the Kagyü school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also trained in the Nyingma tradition, the oldest of the four schools, and was an adherent of the rimay or "non-sectarian" movement within Tibetan Buddhism, which aspired to bring together and make available all the valuable teachings of the different schools, free of sectarian rivalry.

Trungpa was a significant figure in the dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism to the West, founding Naropa University and establishing the Shambhala Training method, a presentation of the Buddhadharma largely devoid of ethnic trappings. In 1963, he moved to England to study comparative religion, philosophy, and fine arts at Oxford University. During this time, he also studied Japanese flower arranging and received an instructors degree from the Sogetsu school of ikebana. In 1967, he moved to Scotland, where he founded the Samye Ling meditation centre.

Shortly thereafter, a variety of experiences—including a car accident that left him partially paralyzed on the left side of his body—led him to give up his monastic vows and work as a lay teacher. In 1969, he published Meditation in Action , the first of fourteen books on the spiritual path published during his lifetime. The following year he married Diana Pybus and moved to the United States, where he established his first North American meditation centre, Tail of the Tiger (now known as Karmê-Chöling) in Barnet, Vermont.

In 1986, he moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, where hundreds of his students had settled. That Autumn, after years of heavy alcohol use, he had a cardiac arrest, and he died of heart failure the following Spring. His legacy is carried on by his son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, under the banner of Shambhala International and the Nalanda Translation Committee.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

All I can say is thank you to Pema Chodron for being able to make these concepts understandable.

[Bruce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boldly breaking the trend of my tendency to give 5 stars to dharma/spirituality books! I read a few chapters of this and was not moved or interested or touched. I'm very impressed with his facility with the English language, however.

Maybe the individual books are better? This is a few short chapters from a number of different books, so maybe it's the editor's fault for selecting blandness.

One star is harsh but my personal review code awards 1* to books I put down before finishing, so there ya go.

[Myslenstwo · Rating 5 out of 5]

dla średnio-zaawansowanych:

i tu trochę skłamałam - nie czytałam tej książki. Czytałam jedynie jej część, wydaną w Polsce jako "Mit wolności a droga medytacji". Oczywiście, nie jestem szczęśliwa z tłumaczeniem, ale podobnie jak z Osho - warto zacisnąć zęby. Świetny opis pułapek, w które się wpada medytując.

[Bez Ego · Rating 5 out of 5]

dla średnio-zaawansowanych:

i tu trochę skłamałam - nie czytałam tej książki. Czytałam jedynie jej część, wydaną w Polsce jako "Mit wolności a droga medytacji". Oczywiście, nie jestem szczęśliwa z tłumaczeniem, ale podobnie jak z Osho - warto zacisnąć zęby. Świetny opis pułapek, w które się wpada medytując.

[Michelle Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful compilation of some of his publications from bestsellers to more obscure work. With an emphasis on meditation the book is accessible and articulate. An excellent overview of this important Buddhist's work.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

B Interesting; full of some of Trungpa's most important talks and theories

[Blair]

will go back to this compendium in the future.

[Nico Labra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting compilation. Totally enjoyable except for the first chapters because the lack of relation with the rest of content of the book.

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trungpa was a con man who formed a cult, in some ways similar to Donald Trump. Contrary to the descriptions of his sexual relations with students provided by other reviewers, he was a predator who, for example, had his cult followers violently sexually assault poets W.S. Merwin and Dana Noane while he watched and taunted them with racist insults. Trungpa's Shambhala successors carried on his hateful legacy - one of them concealed his HIV infection and infected many students, at least one of whom died, and Trungpa's son has been accused of multiple accounts of rape. I attended a tradition Tibetan temple with my family for years and we were always treated with love consistent with the teachings of the buddha and when I asked about Shambhala, I was told that it had nothing to do with buddhism. I recommend reading Andrea Winn's Buddhist Project Sunshine.

[Nicole Cleary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been inspired by Pema Chodron for many years and was curious to read the teacher's teacher's teachings. That curiosity is now satisfied and for me, Pema's insights, warmth and wisdom are much more accessible.

[Ruben Revillas Yoga, Mindfulness & Compassion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent compilation of works from the best clarity and insights of Chögyam

[Lia Hulit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short chapters that don't necessarily build off each other meant I could pick up at any place in the book and get a little tidbit of insight. A good primer, now I think I'll read more of Trungpa.

[Brian Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chogyam Trungpa was a genius in his field of expertise. Some of his work is dense, indeed. Despite reviewers who favor the writings of his student, Pema Chodron, above Chogyam, I cannot for varied reasons. Linguistically Chogyam is far superior. Additionally, Chogyam's writings have an energy true to his tradition of energy over content, reading Chogyam is inspirational in this sense, even when informative. Last, Chogyam's work is bright, while even speaking of difficulties or challenges along the Way, his work projects a spirit of optimism. Pema tends to the gloomy. Yet, yes, for most persons Pema's work will be more understandable. Likewise, recall, Chogyam was a native Tibetan transplanted to the West, and he is one step closer for those who want something from the home soil, so to speak.

I have read Chogyam over 20 years, and in light of that, see this compendium - read now a second time after a first almost 2 decades ago - of selections as an excellent introduction and overview, and one that does not have the same density as some of his other work.