Shambhala Buddhism
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, an exiled Tibetan monk educated at Oxford, introduced Shambhala Buddhism to North America in the early 1970s. Today, there are over 170 Shambhala centers and meditation groups around the world.
I have been personally involved with Shambhala Buddhism for nearly four years, and I have just spent the last year working and living at Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado, the largest of five global land centers devoted to hosting programs for the public on many topics, including meditation, Buddhism, and yoga.
Shambhala’s historical relationship with gender has been somewhat troubled. Prior to his death in 1987, founder Chögyam Trungpa employed a unique and rather controversial teaching philosophy, including drinking and taking drugs with his students, and sleeping with many of his female followers. Furthermore, the foundation of traditional Tibetan Buddhism, while often more inclusive than many world religions has not been a bastion of gender equity. Despite the recognition of the import of both masculinity and femininity, there are very few female Tibetan lamas, or religious teachers – many of the most famous and revered Tibetan women are the wives and mothers of important men. Despite this tenuous groundwork, contemporary Shambhala Buddhism has incorporated gender diversity in an impressive manner.
One of the essential ambitions of Shambhala is to create enlightened society, which necessitates gender equality and the celebration of diversity. A fundamental component of Shambhala is “basic goodness,” which Shambhalians believe is an intrinsic quality of all humans – regardless of gender, race, sexuality, and behavior – so discrimination based on these factors is contrary to the very nature of the religion.
In practice, Shambhala has been fairly true to their theoretical principles. Twelve of the thirty current acharyas, or senior teachers, in the organization, are women. These women are some of the most impressive religious scholars and teachers I have ever encountered. One notable female acharya, Pema Chödrön, has become a prominent author and distinguished speaker both within the global Buddhist community and beyond. These women act as excellent role models for young girls and women growing up in Shambhala – they are strong, wise, well spoken, and deeply committed to the future of Shambhala Buddhism.
Gender and diversity issues have recently been confronted on an organizational level as well. Shambhala International has created a Diversity Council of Shambhalians from around the world to work with individual Shambhala centers and groups on issues of diversity in every facet, including gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, abled-ness, and socio-economic background. They have even added a Diversity Resources section to their website, offering articles that celebrate diversity as well as help individual centers and practitioners incorporate gender and diversity into their lives. I’ve worked with many diversity programs in the past, and the Shambhala resources have been some of the most remarkable I’ve encountered. Gender and diversity play an important role in creating enlightened society, and Shambhala Buddhism, both in theory and in practice, is creating a space for much-needed change.
