Ricard, M.

Ricard, M. on the DRL

Authors of English Works • Ordained (Monks and Nuns) • Translators

Matthieu Ricard

English Phonetics	Matthieu Ricard
Sort Name	Ricard, Matthieu

Alternate names

• Gelong Könchog Tendzin

Dates

Birth:	1946
Place of birth:	France

Tibetan calendar dates

Dates of birth

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

Dates of passing

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

About

Primary Affiliation (Workplace)

Shechen Monastery

Secondary Affiliation

Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery

Religious Affiliation

Tibetan Buddhism; Kagyu

Teachers

Kangyur Rinpoche · Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Biographical Information

Born in France in 1946, son of philosopher Jean-François Revel and artist Yahne Le Toumelin, Matthieu Ricard is a Ph.D. in cell genetics turned Buddhist monk who has studied Buddhism in the Himalayas for the last 50 years under respected masters such as Kangyur Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He is a humanitarian, an author, a photographer, and a speaker at various international events.   His books in English include The Monk and the Philosopher; The Quantum and the Lotus; Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill; Why Meditate?; Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World, A Plea for the Animals, Enlightened Vagabond, Beyond the Self: A conversation between Neuroscience and Buddhism, In Search of Wisdom, Freedom for All and Our Animal Neighbours.

As a translator from Tibetan, in English, his works include,

Dilgo Khyentse, The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, Shambhala Publications.

Dilgo Khyentse, The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones, Shambhala Publication.

Dilgo Khyentse, The Excellent Path to Enlightenment, Snow Lion Publications.

Dilgo Khyentse, The Hundred Verses of Advice, Shambhala Publications.

Dilgo Khyentse, The Heart of Compassion, Shambhala Publications.

Rabjam Rinpoche, The Great Medicine that Vanquishes Ego Clinging, Shambhala Publications.

Shabkar, Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin, SUNY Press, reprinted Snow Lion Publications.

On the Path to Enlightenment: Heart Advice from the Great Tibetan Masters. Shambhala Publications, 2013.

The Enlightened Vagabond, The life and teachings of Patrul Rinpoche, Shambhala Publications.

As a photographer, he has published a number of albums in French, including, in English Journey to Enlightenment (Aperture), Tibet: An Inner Journey (Thames and Hudson), Motionless Journey: From a Hermitage in the Himalayas (Thames and Hudson), Bhutan: Land of Serenity. Henri Cartier Bresson wrote about his photographic work: "Matthieu's camera and his spiritual life are one. From there, spring these images, fleeting yet eternal."

As a scientist and Buddhist monk, under the umbrella of the Mind and Life Institute, he has been an active participant in the scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain and has co-authored a number of scientific publications.

He presently lives at Shechen monastery in Nepal and devotes all the proceedings of his books and activities to humanitarian projects in India, Nepal and Tibet, through Karuna- Shechen, the organization he founded twenty-one years ago (www.karuna-shechen.org), which benefit over 400,000 people every year. (Source: Matthieu Ricard, personal communication, Oct. 12, 2021.)

www.matthieuricard.com

Links

Wiki Pages

• Ricard, M. on the DRL
• Ricard, M. on the LIB
• Ricard, M. on the RTZ
• Ricard, M. on the BNW

Buddha Nature Project

Person description or short bio

Expand to see this person's philosophical positions on Buddha-nature.

Is Buddha-nature considered definitive or provisional?
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All beings have Buddha-nature
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If "Qualified", explain:
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Which Wheel Turning
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Yogācāra vs Madhyamaka
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Zhentong vs Rangtong
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Promotes how many vehicles?
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Analytic vs Meditative Tradition
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What is Buddha-nature?
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Svātantrika (རང་རྒྱུད་) vs Prāsaṅgika (ཐལ་འགྱུར་པ་)
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Causal nature of the vajrapāda
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Other Names

Matthieu Ricard (Gelong Könchog Tendzin) Könchog Tendzin Konchog Tendzin Gelong Konchog Tendzin

The Kagyu school traces its origin to the eleventh-century translator Marpa, who studied in India with Nāropa. Marpa's student Milarepa trained Gampopa, who founded the first monastery of the Kagyu order. As many as twelve subtraditions grew out from there, the best known being the Karma Kagyu, the Drikung, and the Drukpa.

State University of New York

Refers to something that is taught for a specific reason, rather than because it is entirely true.

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

The state of being devoid of that which is wholly different rather than being void of its own nature. The term is generally used to refer to the ultimate, or buddha-nature, being empty of other phenomena such as adventitious defiling emotions but not empty of its true nature.

The state of being empty of self, which references the lack of inherent existence in relative phenomena.

Tsen Khawoche's "meditative tradition" of exegesis of the Uttaratantra; it is one of two major Tibetan traditions of exegesis, both stemming from students of Sajjana.