There are two kinds of refuge, says Mingyur Rinpoche—outer and inner. The reason we take refuge in the outer forms of enlightenment is so that we may find the buddha within. Everyone takes refuge in something. Often it’s in relationships, locations, or activities that offer the body or mind a sense of security and protection. Even neurotic or unhealthy habits—like eating [...]
About Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
When a Buddhist Teacher Crosses the Line
The teacher-student relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism is intense and complex. It is easy to misunderstand and can even be misused. The respected Tibetan teacher Mingyur Rinpoche explains Vajrayana ethics, how to find a genuine teacher, and what to do if a teacher crosses the line. As a Buddhist teacher, I am often asked questions about meditation and profound Buddhist [...]
When the Retreat is Over
Mingyur Rinpoche recently spent more than four years on wandering retreat in India and the Himalayas. In an interview with Buddhadharma, he shares his most challenging moments as well as practical advice for returning home. Let's start with what people can people do to support and cultivate the insights they’ve gained on retreat once the retreat is over? First, you need [...]
Lasting Happiness
It’s surprisingly easy to achieve lasting happiness — we just have to understand our own basic nature. The hard part, says Mingyur Rinpoche, is getting over our bad habit of seeking happiness in transient experiences. I have traveled all over the world teaching people how to meditate. Whether I am talking to a large group or chatting with a few people in private, it seems [...]
Moving Beyond Meditation
Grounded in our formal practice of meditation, we can relax into the vast, open awareness that is our ultimate nature. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche tells the story of his own introduction to the Great Perfection. My introduction to the world of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen in Tibetan) occurred when I was just a small boy. The first years of my life were spent in my mother’s [...]
We Always Have Joy
The sun doesn’t stop shining just because there are clouds in the sky. Our buddhanature is always present and available, even when life gets difficult. In his book, Joyful Wisdom, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shows us how to discover the joy and awareness that are never affected by life’s ups and downs. When I’m teaching in front of large groups, I often confront a rather [...]
Rest in the Sky of Natural Mind
The tantric path of Buddhism is complex and arduous, but its surprising culmination is the practice of spaciousness, ease, and simplicity known as Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. One of the first things I learned as a Buddhist was that the fundamental nature of the mind is so vast that it completely transcends intellectual understanding. It can’t be described in words or [...]
