A Spiritual Life in Modern Times

On occasion there are people we meet in life who have an immediate effect on us. What strikes us is the strength of their un-self-centered presence, their confidence, the wisdom in their eyes or the warmth they radiate. Encountering such people awakens our intelligence, curiosity and longing, perhaps inspiring us to look deeper into the meaning of our ordinary lives. Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche is one of these people.

Unbroken lineages of wisdom traditions are rare in these times, and Dzigar Kongtrul descends from a pure lineage of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Recognized as a reincarnated lama he received traditional training from a young age, yet born in India to Tibetan refugee parents, his life evolved in ways that stretch far beyond a traditional setting. Sleeping on hemp roadside cots along the highways of India, with a sack of his only belongings, he traveled to study with different masters; later, marrying his wife Elizabeth, a surprising turn of events led them to make America their home; here, weaving his spiritual heritage with the many threads of a modern culture, Dzigar Kongtrul continues to follow what he calls his 'life-long assignment': to offer the genuine wisdom of the Buddhist teachings to those who have an interest.

Dzigar Kongtrul defines what it means to be a spiritual person in modern times. Whether through his teaching, his passion as an abstract painter, his steadfast loyalty to his lineage, family and students--which he describes as one of his most cherished qualities--or through his joy in solitude, his fierce independence and his unshakable determination to engage his own path, throughout it all, Dzigar Kongtrul mixes practice and life. "Isn't that the goal of the spiritual path?" Rinpoche often asks. Indeed it is--to be flexible, courageous and exploratory in the face of life's joys and paradoxes, while never parting from a connection to its deepest meaning.

If you are interested in finding out more about pursuing the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual path of the Dzogchen Longchen Nyingtik lineage under Rinpoche's guidance, please DOWNLOAD the MSB General Information Letter and visit the Becoming a Student webpage.