Sogyal Rinpoche (1947–2019)
Author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
About the Author
Sogyal Rinpoche was born in Tibet and brought up by one of the most outstanding spiritual masters of the twentieth century, Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro. He studied at universities in New Delhi and Cambridge and acted as translator and aid to many eminent Tibetan Buddhist masters. He is the show more founder and spiritual director of Rigpa, an international network of Buddhist centers and, through his tireless traveling around the world, he has become one of the best-loved interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism today show less
Image credit: Photo courtesy of Hay House, Inc.
Works by Sogyal Rinpoche
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: The Spiritual Classic & International Bestseller; Revised and Updated Edition (1993) 1,059 copies, 8 reviews
A Brief Guide to Sogyal Rinpoche's Best Teachings since 1995 on How to Overcome Depression. 5 copies
Natural Great Peace 5 copies
Face to face : meditation experience 3 copies
La Grande Pace Naturale 1 copy
Cánh Cửa Cuộc Đời 1 copy
Dzogchen & Padmasambhava 1 copy
Ngondro Manual 1 copy
LONGCHEN NYINGTIK NGONDRO 1 copy
TAKING THE TEACHINGS TO HEART:Some Suggestuins on How Best to Recive the Teachings and Empowerment 1 copy
Advice for a dying practitioner : dedicated to the memory of Ian Maxwell [video recording] (2006) — Speaker — 1 copy
Compassion, tonglen 1 copy
Canh Cua Cuoc Doi 1 copy
Ngöndro: Taking Refuge 1 copy
Rigpa Practice Booklet 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Rinpoche, Sogyal
- Legal name
- Lakar, Sonam Gyaltsen (birth)
- Birthdate
- 1947
- Date of death
- 2019-08-28
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Cambridge (Trinity College, Comparative Religion)
University of Delhi - Occupations
- Buddhist monk
Lama - Organizations
- Rigpa
- Short biography
- Sogyal Rinpoche (born 1947) is a Tibetan Dzogchen Lama of the Nyingma tradition. He has been teaching for over 30 years and continues to travel widely in Europe, America, Australia and Asia. He is also the founder and spiritual director of Rigpa—an international network of over 100 Buddhist centres and groups in 23 countries around the world—and the author of the best-selling book The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, which has been printed in 30 languages and 56 countries. In addition, Rinpoche is a frequent speaker at major conferences in all areas of society, including medicine and healing, universities and educational institutions, interfaith dialogue, movements for peace and non-violence, the world of business and leadership, and the field of serving the dying and hospice care.
- Cause of death
- pulmonary embolism
- Nationality
- Tibet (birth)
- Birthplace
- Kham, Tibet
- Places of residence
- Kham, Tibet
- Place of death
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Associated Place (for map)
- Kham, Tibet
Members
Reviews
I've wanted to read The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying for a long time—over twenty years—but have been too intimidated. I can't remember where the intimidation comes from because I'm almost positive I've never even looked between the covers, but something was holding me back. Then I asked a friend for Buddhist book recommendations and was told that this is one of her favorite books. I don't know if I'd call it one of my favorites, but I did like it a lot. Over my life I've had trouble show more with death (both the death of loved ones and my eventual death) and discipline, and this book helped me with both; with death, more than anything else I've read.
I am at my best when I am regularly meditating. I've found myself in an absurd amount of intense situations in my life, and I can draw a straight line between whether or not I'm meditating and how well I handled it. Although I've been meditating for almost twenty years, it's been very on and off, mostly off. My path toward becoming more balanced and peaceful has been clunky and slow, but this book reminded me it’s still a path—and I’m doing just fine .
A title like The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying feels bold—maybe even arrogant—but Sogyal Rinpoche delivers. After reading this book I have many more different styles of meditation to access, I'm more interested in and have better access to my expansive mind, I can look at death with a more rational lens, and I'm excited to learn more and prepare myself for what the future inevitably holds. Talk of life after death and reincarnation felt, at times, like the kind of doctrine that has been used to pacify and manipulate people. I don’t think that’s the goal of this book—or Buddhism in general—but the echoes of that were hard to ignore. Still, it's neat to think about and I'm not 100 percent sure that there's nothing after we die.
I've heard and read other teachers talk about the expansiveness of the mind, but it never really clicked. Last year while listening to a guided meditation by Lama Rod Owens, he said something (I can't remember what) that made everything fall into place, that helped me start to grasp how truly limitless my inner world is. And reading this book gave me the tools to explore that more and the knowledge that it is perhaps the most important part of meditation.
Another insight I had while reading and contemplating was of being on the right path. I've spent decades both trying to live more simply (having less stuff, a smaller dwelling, setting up my life in a way where I can spend ample time doing things that I love) and finding some balance. Things have happened in my life to make me believe that this path was a selfish path or immature or naive, but hearing someone as enlightened as the author talk about simplicity and balance in depth helped me realize that I'm doing the right thing. I'm spending a lot of time in my head, I'm trying to increase my compassion, and I'm working on my attachment. Am I headed towards my goals at a tremendous speed? No, and that's ok.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, like everything ever written, is not a perfect book. As I stated earlier, I have an issue with telling people that the most important part of life is focusing on what happens after we die; this has been used to manipulate large percentages of Earth's population for centuries. I respect Buddhism a lot more than Christianity, and therefore don't believe that this is their goal, but it feels strange nonetheless.
The concept that I most struggled with was (and I'm probably not saying this as clearly as I'd like to) is that all negative emotions arise from not recognizing their true nature. I can't find the section of the book that talks about this, but it was something like if we recognize anger for what it truly is, we would see joy. That all these negative emotions are actually positive ones in disguise. Clearly, by the fact that I don't even remember where in the book this is, I need more help understanding this.
I remember when I first became an EMT, there was a man whose house we went to multiple times per week. He was probably in his 80s and had bad dementia, and I remember one time him staring at his reflection in a mirror, absolutely petrified, and saying, “who the fuck is that.” The terror in his eyes filled me with dread. One day I may slowly lose my mind; I'll almost definitely experience my body breaking down, and that scared the living shit out of me. It's haunted me since, and it's something that I think about and try to work through on a regular basis. I see so many people who probably have the same or similar fears, but constantly distract themselves so as to avoid thinking about it, and I know I don't want to be like them. This book helped me take a step in the right direction.
Another thing I've been struggling with lately is the feeling that I need to leave the place where I live. I love living in a cabin on ten acres in a town of 2000 people and I thank the stars every day that I've gotten to experience this. But the solitude that at first felt peaceful and clarifying has sunk into isolation. The author's insistence that in order to achieve the enlightenment he talks about, we need a teacher, felt like the final nail in the coffin that will soon hold my time in this little place.
If you're one of the many people struggling with the concept of death or loneliness or spiritual discipline, then this book is for you. It's not a quick read and it's worth having someone to talk to while reading, but it's such a helpful 366 pages. show less
I am at my best when I am regularly meditating. I've found myself in an absurd amount of intense situations in my life, and I can draw a straight line between whether or not I'm meditating and how well I handled it. Although I've been meditating for almost twenty years, it's been very on and off, mostly off. My path toward becoming more balanced and peaceful has been clunky and slow, but this book reminded me it’s still a path—and I’m doing just fine .
A title like The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying feels bold—maybe even arrogant—but Sogyal Rinpoche delivers. After reading this book I have many more different styles of meditation to access, I'm more interested in and have better access to my expansive mind, I can look at death with a more rational lens, and I'm excited to learn more and prepare myself for what the future inevitably holds. Talk of life after death and reincarnation felt, at times, like the kind of doctrine that has been used to pacify and manipulate people. I don’t think that’s the goal of this book—or Buddhism in general—but the echoes of that were hard to ignore. Still, it's neat to think about and I'm not 100 percent sure that there's nothing after we die.
I've heard and read other teachers talk about the expansiveness of the mind, but it never really clicked. Last year while listening to a guided meditation by Lama Rod Owens, he said something (I can't remember what) that made everything fall into place, that helped me start to grasp how truly limitless my inner world is. And reading this book gave me the tools to explore that more and the knowledge that it is perhaps the most important part of meditation.
Another insight I had while reading and contemplating was of being on the right path. I've spent decades both trying to live more simply (having less stuff, a smaller dwelling, setting up my life in a way where I can spend ample time doing things that I love) and finding some balance. Things have happened in my life to make me believe that this path was a selfish path or immature or naive, but hearing someone as enlightened as the author talk about simplicity and balance in depth helped me realize that I'm doing the right thing. I'm spending a lot of time in my head, I'm trying to increase my compassion, and I'm working on my attachment. Am I headed towards my goals at a tremendous speed? No, and that's ok.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, like everything ever written, is not a perfect book. As I stated earlier, I have an issue with telling people that the most important part of life is focusing on what happens after we die; this has been used to manipulate large percentages of Earth's population for centuries. I respect Buddhism a lot more than Christianity, and therefore don't believe that this is their goal, but it feels strange nonetheless.
The concept that I most struggled with was (and I'm probably not saying this as clearly as I'd like to) is that all negative emotions arise from not recognizing their true nature. I can't find the section of the book that talks about this, but it was something like if we recognize anger for what it truly is, we would see joy. That all these negative emotions are actually positive ones in disguise. Clearly, by the fact that I don't even remember where in the book this is, I need more help understanding this.
I remember when I first became an EMT, there was a man whose house we went to multiple times per week. He was probably in his 80s and had bad dementia, and I remember one time him staring at his reflection in a mirror, absolutely petrified, and saying, “who the fuck is that.” The terror in his eyes filled me with dread. One day I may slowly lose my mind; I'll almost definitely experience my body breaking down, and that scared the living shit out of me. It's haunted me since, and it's something that I think about and try to work through on a regular basis. I see so many people who probably have the same or similar fears, but constantly distract themselves so as to avoid thinking about it, and I know I don't want to be like them. This book helped me take a step in the right direction.
Another thing I've been struggling with lately is the feeling that I need to leave the place where I live. I love living in a cabin on ten acres in a town of 2000 people and I thank the stars every day that I've gotten to experience this. But the solitude that at first felt peaceful and clarifying has sunk into isolation. The author's insistence that in order to achieve the enlightenment he talks about, we need a teacher, felt like the final nail in the coffin that will soon hold my time in this little place.
If you're one of the many people struggling with the concept of death or loneliness or spiritual discipline, then this book is for you. It's not a quick read and it's worth having someone to talk to while reading, but it's such a helpful 366 pages. show less
Who dies? The answer to this question goes straight to the heart of Dzogchen, a 1,200-year-old school of Tibetan Buddhism that sees impermanence as the very essence of existence.
Sogyal Rinpoche grew up in the last generation of Tibetans who learned Buddhism as it was traditionally taught in Tibet. Schooled by his country's most revered masters, and later educated at Cambridge, Sogyal Rinpoche is uniquely prepared to bring this ancient tradition to the Western world today.
On Tibetan Wisdom show more for Living and Dying, Rinpoche presents a grand and transforming vision of life and death, introducing you to Tibetan practices that can help anyone live fully, while preparing for the extraordinary adventure that death offers each one of us.
What we call life and death, Rinpoche teaches, are merely shades of the same unbroken wholeness. By daring to see clearly the truth of our lives, and by exploring the part of us that is changeless and eternal, we can face the last moment of life without fear.
Masterfully taught, Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying is both a guide to this inner technology and a sacred document for listeners of all faiths and traditions. show less
Sogyal Rinpoche grew up in the last generation of Tibetans who learned Buddhism as it was traditionally taught in Tibet. Schooled by his country's most revered masters, and later educated at Cambridge, Sogyal Rinpoche is uniquely prepared to bring this ancient tradition to the Western world today.
On Tibetan Wisdom show more for Living and Dying, Rinpoche presents a grand and transforming vision of life and death, introducing you to Tibetan practices that can help anyone live fully, while preparing for the extraordinary adventure that death offers each one of us.
What we call life and death, Rinpoche teaches, are merely shades of the same unbroken wholeness. By daring to see clearly the truth of our lives, and by exploring the part of us that is changeless and eternal, we can face the last moment of life without fear.
Masterfully taught, Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying is both a guide to this inner technology and a sacred document for listeners of all faiths and traditions. show less
I think this book has sat on my physical TBR longer than any other book I have owned, somewhere in the region of 10 years. Since then I have tried to read it several times, each time not getting more than 50 pages into it before having to put it aside. I always put it aside due to the fact it is pretty heavy going, this is not a book to read when you are tired or distracted. In recent months my reading has been going great so I decided to pick it up again and this time to finish it. Along show more the way I also read something lighter to give me some entertainment when I felt a big bogged down.
Looking at reviews of the book online it appears that it does live up the claim on the cover, it is widely regarded as a spiritual classic. My forays online also revealed something that I was unaware of. Sogyal Rinpoche has been implicated is a sexual abuse scandal involving his female disciples. He took advantage of his position of master and as a result has been widely shunned by the Tibetan Buddhist community. This put me in a bit of an awkward situation, I wanted to read the book but felt his actions are very contradictory with regards to his message. I felt I should plow on with the book though and see what it had to offer.
Sadly for me the book was a miss despite it being loved by many people. I have had an interest in Buddhist for most of my adult life but I wouldn't really consider myself a religious person. I am agnostic by nature and one thing I have always admired about Buddhism is the message to make use of what you find value in and let the rest go. Unquestionable belief is not a requirement and I find this comforting. This book contained far too many tales of miracles and mystical woo woo for my liking. The parts about compassion, empathy, and caring for the dying were fantastic but too often they were packaged with unbelievable 'facts'. If i had been a fully signed up Buddhist with a leaning towards the Tibetan traditions I'm sure I would have loved this book.
Large sections of the book are very pressing on the importance of the master-disciple relationship. This was uncomfortable reading as it is easy to see in hindsight how he has used these beliefs take advantage of women by giving them 'special teachings'. For the relationship to work I would imagine there has to be complete trust and as someone who held such a highly respected position to abuse this trust is unforgivable. This is even more troubling when you consider many people went to him for guidance on dealing with death of either themselves or their loved ones. show less
Looking at reviews of the book online it appears that it does live up the claim on the cover, it is widely regarded as a spiritual classic. My forays online also revealed something that I was unaware of. Sogyal Rinpoche has been implicated is a sexual abuse scandal involving his female disciples. He took advantage of his position of master and as a result has been widely shunned by the Tibetan Buddhist community. This put me in a bit of an awkward situation, I wanted to read the book but felt his actions are very contradictory with regards to his message. I felt I should plow on with the book though and see what it had to offer.
Sadly for me the book was a miss despite it being loved by many people. I have had an interest in Buddhist for most of my adult life but I wouldn't really consider myself a religious person. I am agnostic by nature and one thing I have always admired about Buddhism is the message to make use of what you find value in and let the rest go. Unquestionable belief is not a requirement and I find this comforting. This book contained far too many tales of miracles and mystical woo woo for my liking. The parts about compassion, empathy, and caring for the dying were fantastic but too often they were packaged with unbelievable 'facts'. If i had been a fully signed up Buddhist with a leaning towards the Tibetan traditions I'm sure I would have loved this book.
Large sections of the book are very pressing on the importance of the master-disciple relationship. This was uncomfortable reading as it is easy to see in hindsight how he has used these beliefs take advantage of women by giving them 'special teachings'. For the relationship to work I would imagine there has to be complete trust and as someone who held such a highly respected position to abuse this trust is unforgivable. This is even more troubling when you consider many people went to him for guidance on dealing with death of either themselves or their loved ones. show less
The Tibetan book of living and dying / Sogyal Rinpoche ; edited by Patrick Gaffney and Andrew Harvey. by Sogyal Rinpoche
REVIEW From LibraryThing
Who dies? The answer to this question goes straight to the heart of Dzogchen, a 1,200-year-old school of Tibetan Buddhism that sees impermanence as the very essence of existence.
Sogyal Rinpoche grew up in the last generation of Tibetans who learned Buddhism as it was traditionally taught in Tibet. Schooled by his country's most revered masters, and later educated at Cambridge, Sogyal Rinpoche is uniquely prepared to bring this ancient tradition to the Western world show more today.
On Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying, Rinpoche presents a grand and transforming vision of life and death, introducing you to Tibetan practices that can help anyone live fully, while preparing for the extraordinary adventure that death offers each one of us.
What we call life and death, Rinpoche teaches, are merely shades of the same unbroken wholeness. By daring to see clearly the truth of our lives, and by exploring the part of us that is changeless and eternal, we can face the last moment of life without fear.
Masterfully taught, Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying is both a guide to this inner technology and a sacred document for listeners of all faiths and traditions. show less
Who dies? The answer to this question goes straight to the heart of Dzogchen, a 1,200-year-old school of Tibetan Buddhism that sees impermanence as the very essence of existence.
Sogyal Rinpoche grew up in the last generation of Tibetans who learned Buddhism as it was traditionally taught in Tibet. Schooled by his country's most revered masters, and later educated at Cambridge, Sogyal Rinpoche is uniquely prepared to bring this ancient tradition to the Western world show more today.
On Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying, Rinpoche presents a grand and transforming vision of life and death, introducing you to Tibetan practices that can help anyone live fully, while preparing for the extraordinary adventure that death offers each one of us.
What we call life and death, Rinpoche teaches, are merely shades of the same unbroken wholeness. By daring to see clearly the truth of our lives, and by exploring the part of us that is changeless and eternal, we can face the last moment of life without fear.
Masterfully taught, Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying is both a guide to this inner technology and a sacred document for listeners of all faiths and traditions. show less
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 60
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 4,300
- Popularity
- #5,841
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 41
- ISBNs
- 124
- Languages
- 21
- Favorited
- 3