H. E. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche XI as a young monk
The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya at Shambhala Mountain Center at Red Feather, Colorado
Chogyi Gyatso (1939-1987), the eleventh Trungpa Rinpoche, was born in the Kham region of eastern Tibet. He trained in both the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions with H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche being one of his main teachers. He was head of the Surmang monasteries (founded in 14th century) in eastern Tibet. He founded a network of Shambhala Meditation Centers around the world and retreat centers at Shambhala Mountain Center near Red Feather, Colorado; Karme Choling near Barnet, Vermont; and Gampo Abbey at Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He also founded what became Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. At his traditional Tibetan cremation ceremony in 1987 at Karme Choling (Tale of the Tiger), rainbows appeared in the clear sky along with other auspicious signs. These events were reported in the East Coast newspapers. [See Buddha Lights] The current Trungpa tülku, Chokyi Sengay, was recognized in 1991 by Tai Situ Rinpoche. His eldest son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche continues his work, as temporal and spiritual director of the Shambhala network. The American nun, Pema Chodron (1936-), a popular author and resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, is one of his most famous students. The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya (108 feet) at Red Feather, Colorado, has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world since its completion in 2001 as one of the largest and most elaborate examples of Buddhist sacred architecture in North America.