Chögyam Trungpa’s Parinirvana

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Chogyam Trungpa‘s parinirvana. As we’ve pointed out before, his was, interestingly, ten-years-and-a-day before Allen’s. With every passing year, the sheer wealth of on-line content related to Trungpa has grown exponentially (for more info on him via the inestimable Chronicles Project see here). To commemorate this year we’ll keep it respectfully brief, and open with a tribute by his son (and accomplished filmmaker), Gesar Mukpo, then close with Allen’s poem, from 1991, “Supplication for the Rebirth of the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche.” (According to Tibetan tradition, Rinpoche was indeed re-incarnated).

And if this leaves you short, wanting more, Shambhala Times have gathered together a formidable list of tributes also very much worth perusing.

Supplication for the Rebirth of the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche

Dear Lord Guru who pervades the space of my mind
permeates the universe of my consciousness,
still empties my balding head and’s stabilized my wand’ring thought
to average equanimity in Manhattan & Boulder

Return return reborn in spirit & knowledge in human body
my own or others as continual Teacher of chaotic peace,
Return according to your vow to pacify magnetize enrich destroy
grasping angry stupidity in me my family friends & Sangha
Return in body speech & mind to enlighten my labors
& the labors of your meditators, thousands from L.A. to Halifax
to relieve sufferings of our brothers, lovers
family, friends, fellow citizens, nations and planet.

Remember your vow to be with us on our deathbeds
in living worlds where we dwell in your tender perspective
breathe with your conscious breath, catch ourselves thinking
& dissolve bomb dream, fear of our own skin & yelling argument
in the sky of your mind
Bend your efforts to regroup our community within your thought-body
& mind-space, the effects of your non-thought,
Turbulent ease of your spontaneous word & picture
nonmeditative compassion your original mind

These slogans were writ on the second day of June 1991
a sleepless night my brother’s 70th birthday on Long Island
my own sixty-fifth year in the human realm visiting his house
by the Vajra Poet Allen Ginsberg supplicating protection of his
Vajra Guru Chögyam Trungpa

June 2, 1991, 2:05 A.M

Reprinted from Collected Poems: 1947-1997 Harper Perennial/Modern Classics, 2006

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