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 [...]
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 [...]
Mingyur Rinpoche reveals what happened during his four years as a wandering yogi
In March 2012, Lion's Roar published "The Wanderer," about the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's secret plans to disappear and go on what would be a four-year-long wandering retreat. In November 2015 came the news that he'd returned. Now we bring you an exclusive interview, conducted by senior students of Mingyur Rinpoche immediately after he [...]
Photos and letter emerge from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s ascetic retreat
The Tibetan Buddhist world was abuzz Friday with the sudden appearance on Facebook of images of a thin, bearded young lama in a remote Himalayan cave retreat whose equally sudden disappearance two and a half years ago caused just as much of a stir. As Lion's Roar editor Andrea Miller chronicled in an extensive profile published in the March 2012 issue of the magazine, Yongey [...]
The Wanderer
He was a bestselling author and rising star of the Buddhist world, but one day Mingyur Rinpoche just walked out and left it all behind. Andrea Miller reports on a modern lama braving the ancient path of the wandering yogi. The old monk Lama Soto knocked on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s door. Then he knocked again. It was noon at Tergar Monastery in Bodhgaya, India, and Lama [...]
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 [...]
Mingyur Rinpoche as wandering yogi: An “interesting parallel with the Buddha”
The bestselling author and internationally renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher Mingyur Rinpoche has been on a private pilgrimage since early June of this year. "He took no money, and no possessions," explained his brother Tsoknyi Rinpoche. "He didn't take his passport, his mobile phone or even a toothbrush." In a June letter, Mingyur wrote, "I have harbored the wish to stay [...]
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 [...]
