"The one time people ask me about ethics is when scandals or controversies happen in Buddhist communities," says Mingyur Rinpoche. But, as he notes, ethical conduct has always been central to the Buddhist path. Here he explains what it means to live a virtuous life, what a student a should look for in a teacher, what to do when serious ethics violations occur, and more. As [...]
About Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
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 [...]
Why We Take Refuge
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 too much chocolate or giggling compulsively—can function as a protective shield to ward off feelings of anxiety or vulnerability. Ask yourself, “Where do I look for happiness? [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]