About Rigpa
Rigpa is an international network of centres and groups offering the Buddha’s teachings in a way that is based on an authentic tradition, yet also relevant and beneficial for people in the modern world. Rigpa offers courses and seminars in meditation and compassion, as well as a complete path of study and practice for every stage of the Buddha’s teachings.
Who are we?
Rigpa courses (Photo: KhrisKa Photos)
Rigpa was founded in 1979 by Sogyal Rinpoche, a Buddhist teacher from Tibet, who was also the author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Rigpa has the gracious patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and each national Rigpa association has charitable and non-profit status.
Meditation and Compassion through to traditional Buddhist studies
Our courses and programmes share simple meditation techniques and methods for training in compassion, which have been developed over centuries, yet help us deal with the challenges of everyday life. Meditation and compassion have been shown to be beneficial in many different ways, including bringing peace of mind, tackling stress, depression and other mental health problems. They can also help us to develop more kindness and warm-heartedness for ourselves, our families and those around us.
For those who wish to go deeper into studying and practising Buddhism, Rigpa also offers study and practice programs including courses in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition of Tibet, a traditional study college (shedra) and short and long practice retreats (drupdra).
Inviting teachers of all traditions
A unique feature of Rigpa’s event programme is that it regularly hosts teachers of all Tibetan Buddhist traditions who give teachings and empowerments, as well as Buddhist masters of other lineages, and teachers from different spiritual traditions.
Such diversity is a continuation of the rimé or ‘non-sectarian’ approach, advocated by Sogyal Rinpoche's master Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö who was an incarnation of one of the initiators of the rimé movement—the great 19th century master Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
Buddhism and western science: In more recent years this open spirit of enquiry has also resulted in an active and a mutually illuminating dialogue with experts from other disciplines, both spiritual and scientific, that continues to develop Tibetan Buddhism, in particular including through Rigpa's conference programme.
Rigpa’s Management Teams
Read more about the teams coordinating Rigpa’s activities internationally: VISION BOARD | MANAGEMENT TEAMS
Insights and Learnings from a Journey
In July 2017, serious complaints were raised regarding the relationship of Rigpa’s founder, Sogyal Rinpoche, with some of his students. In response to the complaints, Rigpa undertook a number of reforms. Alongside taking practical measures, we have reflected on how we contributed to this situation as a community. More about our insights and learnings from this journey can be found here.
If you, or someone you are in contact with, need support, several avenues are available to you. Find out more here.