Shambhala Vision

Shambhala vision is rooted in the principle that every human being has a fundamental nature of basic goodness. This nature can be developed in daily life so that it radiates out to family, friends, community and society.

According to the Shambhala teachings, we are now living through a dark age of greed, willful ignorance and aggression. We harm ourselves, each other and our planet, asleep to the sacredness of life.

The Shambhala teachings offer an antidote to the crisis we face. These principles form the foundation of the legendary kingdom of Shambhala, an enlightened society which fostered the inherent goodness of its people. Shambhala vision is a way of being which allows us to experience a natural source of radiance and brilliance in the world, the innate wakefulness of human beings. Shambhala Buddhism emphasizes the potential for enlightenment inherent in every situation or state of mind. Through discipline, gentleness and a sense of humour, the practitioner is invited to let go of conflicting emotions and wake up on the spot.

By making friends with our own mind through the practice of meditation, we can relate to our life as it is with wisdom and compassion; then we can extend this out to help create what in the Shambhala tradition is called “enlightened society”. This vision offers the possibility of a radical shift—not a utopia but a culture in which life’s challenges are met with kindness, generosity and courage.

The most extensive public presentation of Shambhala vision is presented in Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s book, The Shambhala Principle.

Shambhala is both a spiritual path of study and meditation that helps us work with our minds, and a path of serving others and engaging with our world. These vital and timely teachings open the door to the compassionate care of ourselves and others.

Although the Shambhala tradition is founded on the sanity and gentleness of the Buddhist tradition, at the same time, it has its own independent basis, which is directly cultivating who and what we are as human beings. With the great problems facing human society, it seems increasingly important to find simple and non-sectarian ways to work with ourselves and to share our understanding with others. The Shambhala teachings or “Shambhala vision” as this approach is more broadly called, is one such attempt to encourage a wholesome existence for ourselves and others.

– Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche,
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior