On Thursday morning, Buddhist Project Sunshine released its latest report on sexualized violence in the Shambhala community, alleging four more cases of sexual assault in the community going as far back as 1983. In one of the accounts in today’s report, a woman under the pseudonym "Ann" alleges that between 2003 and 2005 Sakyong Mipham, the head of the Shambhala Buddhist [...]
Shambhala leader to “step back” from duties during investigation of sexual assault allegations
The leader of the Shambhala Buddhist community, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, will “step back from his administrative and teaching responsibilities” while allegations against him of sexual assault and clergy sexual misconduct are being investigated. The statement by Sakyong’s Mipham’s office follows yesterday’s announcement that the nine members of the Shambhala organization’s [...]
Shambhala leadership council resigns; names investigator of sexual abuse allegations
The nine members of the Kalapa Council, the highest leadership body in the Shambhala Buddhist community, stepped down on July 6 following allegations of sexual assault and clergy sexual misconduct against the community’s leader, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Stating that the resignations will begin “a healing process for our community,” the Kalapa Council writes, “We recognize [...]
Report alleges sexual misconduct by leader of Shambhala community
Buddhist Project Sunshine released its second report today, containing allegations of sexual assault and clergy sexual misconduct by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, leader of the Shambhala Buddhist community. The report includes three victim impact statements by female members of Shambhala. The anonymous statements detail allegations of sexual assault in the form of unwanted sexual [...]
Shambhala leader makes public apology
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the leader of the Shambhala community, published a letter on Monday apologizing for hurt caused by past relationships with women in his community. In the letter, addressed to the Shambhala community, Sakyong Mipham writes that “there have been times when I have engaged in relationships with women in the Shambhala community. I have recently learned [...]
The Mahayana Motivation
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on the Mahayana Buddhist path of the bodhisattva. The great tradition of Buddhism begins with the simple experience of looking at our minds and seeing that we want some kind of contentment. In a way, it is no more abstract than that. We look at our mind and we see the turmoil and we say, “How am I going to get out of this situation?” In the Buddhist [...]
The Path Through Obstacles
Obstacles aren’t to be avoided. When we apply the right antidotes, they are the path itself. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche diagnoses the different types of obstacles we face and prescribes the proper remedies. Whatever our level of meditation practice, there will always be obstacles. The Tibetan word for obstacle, parche, means “what cuts our progress.” In fact, sometimes the [...]
What Is Suffering? 10 Buddhist Teachers Weigh In
The Pali word dukkha is most commonly translated to English as "suffering." Dukkha presents in an array of emotions — from happiness to despair. While counterintuitive, it is a central concept in the Buddha's teachings. In these passages, adapted from longer teachings on Lion's Roar, 10 teachers explain what suffering is, how we feel it, and why it isn't a condemnation — it's a [...]
How to Practice Mindfulness
“Mindfulness practice is simple and completely feasible, says Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. "Just by sitting and doing nothing, we are doing a tremendous amount.” In mindfulness meditation, or shamatha, we are trying to achieve a mind that is stable and calm. What we begin to discover is that this calmness or harmony is a natural aspect of the mind. Through mindfulness [...]
The Myth of Permanence
No matter how hard we try to solidify our lives, says Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, nothing stays the same or lasts forever. Our denial of that basic truth is the reason we suffer. Human beings always want something. We are continually looking for pleasure and we are rarely satisfied with what we have. Even being able to afford a great vacation is not what we thought it was [...]
