Longchen Foundation is a Buddhist organisation whose name is associated with one of the great yogins and scholars of the Tibetan Nyingma school of Buddhism, Longchen Rabjam who lived in the 14th century.
Nyingma means ‘old’ and refers to the earliest tradition of Buddhism that was originally established in Tibet. The Longchen Foundation can thus trace its roots back to the beginning of Buddhism in Tibet and even before.
The Longchen Foundation was established in 1975 by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, both acknowledged as accomplished masters of the Kagyu-Nyingma and Nyingma traditions respectively and as two of the great meditation masters of the 20th century. They appointed Rigdzin Shikpo as spiritual director of the Longchen Foundation and entrusted him to realise their vision for the development and spread of the teachings.
Longchen’s mission is to preserve and disseminate the essence of the Buddha’s teaching, in accordance with Nyingma tradition, whilst at the same time creatively adapting its teaching style and methods to the needs of modern Western students. This rare combination – having ancient and authentic teachings and practices conveyed in a way that is directly applicable to our current times and culture is one of the unique hallmarks of the Longchen approach and something that those practising within the tradition value very highly. The emphasis throughout is to present the teachings directly in English using methods and language appropriate to Western students.
Rigdzin Shikpo, Dharma Director
Rigdzin Shikpo has spent over 50 years studying and practising Buddhism. When he met his principal teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1965, he had already been training in Buddhist meditation for a number of years, and was closely associated with the Buddhist Society in London.
As his principal teacher, Trungpa Rinpoche gave him extensive and detailed teaching on all the practices of the Nyingma Dzogchen tradition. Trungpa Rinpoche later left for America and Rigdzin Shikpo continued to study and practise under his direction, visiting him in America from time to time. Trungpa Rinpoche also encouraged Rigdzin Shikpo to take teachings and guidance from his own teacher HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. In 1975 Trungpa Rinpoche established the Longchen foundation in consultation with HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and they appointed Rigdzin Shikpo as Dharma director.
HH Khyentse Rinpoche told Rigdzin Shikpo to take further Dzogchen instruction from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, an eminent yogin and scholar who was also a student of HH Khyentse Rinpoche. Since the deaths of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche has been Rigdzin Shikpo’s main source of guidance.
In 1993 Rigdzin Shikpo completed a three year solitary retreat in Oxford under the direction of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. One unusual feature of this retreat was that it took place in an otherwise ordinary semi-detached house, in an urban setting.
Following this retreat and in recognition of his realisation, Khenpo Rinpoche gave him the title Rigdzin Shikpo and encouraged him to teach according to his inspiration in response to the needs of western students. Rigdzin Shikpo continues to teach his students the whole of the path he has received from his own teachers.
Rigdzin Shikpo emphasises that the Longchen Foundation lineage is more than simply an organisation. It is the living embodiment of the Mahayana and Dzogchen teachings and as such has a particular significance for the expression of the Buddha’s teachings in the West.
Phone: 01766 513131
EMail: porthmadog@longchenfoundation.org
Website: www.longchenfoundation.org
