Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Chögyam Trungpa interests me precisely because he refused to be tidy. Born in 1939 in Kham, Tibet, recognized as a high lineage holder, he could have stayed a remote, untouchable master. Instead he carried Tibetan Buddhism into the West and wrote it in living, unguarded language, as in Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior. He was a philosopher, writer and painter at once, and his life held real controversy alongside real brilliance. I find that honesty more compelling than a polished saint would be. To me his lasting gift is insisting that wisdom belongs in everyday speech, not behind a wall of jargon.
Overview
Chögyam Trungpa (Wylie: Chos rgyam Drung pa; March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987), formally named the 11th Zurmang Trungpa, Chokyi Gyatso, was a Tibetan Buddhist master and holder of both Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. He was recognized by both Tibetan Buddhists and other spiritual practitioners and scholars as a preeminent teacher of Tibetan Buddhism.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Chögyam Trungpa
- Name (Japanese)
- チョギャム・トゥルンパ
- Reading
- ちょぎゃむ・とぅるんぱ
- Born
- March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Rabbit
- Origin
- Kham, Tibet
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- philosopher / painter / writer / guru / scholar
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- St Antony's College
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior | — | |
| Notable work | divine madness | — |
6. Links
Philosopher — see all → · Painter — see all →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.