The Sakyong was recognized by Penor Rinpoche in 1995 as the tülku (reincarnation) of Ju Mipham Gyatso, the renown Rimé teacher of the late 19th century who stated he would only be reborn in the legendary Kingdom of Shambhala.

[2] His mother Lady Konchok Peldron in 1992 joined with the Shambhala organization at Karmê Chöling in Vermont, then moved to Boulder, Colorado.

[1] Upon Trungpa's death, the leadership of Vajradhatu was first carried on by his American disciple, appointed Vajra Regent and Dharma heir, Ösel Tendzin (Thomas Rich).

In July 2018, and after more than two decades, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche agreed to temporarily step back from his administrative and teaching duties to allow space for an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

[4] Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche was born Ösel Rangdröl Mukpo in Bodh Gaya, India on the 15th day (full moon) of the 10th Lunar month, in November 1962 although his mother was not certain of the exact Western date.

[7] Ösel was left at Samye Ling in the care of Akong Tulku Rinpoche when his father moved to North America in 1970.

[7][8] Diana Mukpo returned to retrieve the boy from the couple who were caring for him near Samye Ling but they refused to surrender him.

British Social Services took custody of young Ösel and he was moved to Pestalozzi Village, a boarding school in East Sussex for displaced children of war conflicts, established before WWII.

[9] He resided there until Social Services could conduct a home inspection in the U.S.[8] Young Ösel was released to his father's custody in 1972 after more than two years of separation in Britain.

[7] In 1979, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche performed a ceremony officially investing his son Ösel Rangdröl with the title of Sawang ("Earth Lord").

They first met when Penor Rinpoche invited the Gesar Lingdro dancers to perform at Namdroling monastery where the Sakyong was studying.

[14] In late 2008 and early 2009 the Sakyong received the Rinchen Terdzo, or the complete cycle of terma teachings of the Nyingma school of Buddhism from Namkha Drimed Rinpoche in Orissa, India.

In 2018, he temporarily stepped back from all teaching and administrative duties to allow for an investigation and public discussion of his alleged sexual misconduct.

[23] In 2000, the Sakyong began talking about Shambhala Buddhism as a single entity and path, with no separation between spiritual and secular.

In 2009 the Sakyong sent a letter to the community providing guidelines and restrictions on inviting teachers from other lineages to teach at Shambhala centers.

By the time of the #MeToo sexual abuse scandals, older students had decided clearly that they were following the Shambhala Vajrayana of the Sakyong, or they had found other teachers.

[26][27][21] In response, and in order to allow time for the community to investigate these accusations, Sakyong Mipham temporarily stepped aside as leader, and the Shambhala governing council resigned and appointed an interim Board of Directors and a Process Team.

[28][29][30] In response, Sakyong Mipham issued a letter to the community, saying that: ...some of these women have shared experiences of feeling harmed as a result of these relationships.

In addition, I would like you to know that over the years, I have apologized personally to people who have expressed feeling harmed by my conduct, including some of those who have recently shared their stories.

[39] In February 2019, Shambhala International's interim governing council issued a report by Wickwire Holm, a Canadian law firm, that detailed two credible allegations of sexual misconduct against Sakyong Mipham.

[40][41][42] Later that month, six members of his Kusung, the Shambhala body protectors, wrote an open letter corroborating a pattern of physical and sexual misconduct and other concerns.

[22] In September 2020, The Walrus published an investigative report detailing a culture of abuse dating back to early days of the Shambhala Buddhist organization, with all three leaders of the organization, including its founder, Chögyam Trungpa, having been credibly accused of sexual misconduct and abuse of power.

This tradition emphasizes confidence in the basic goodness of all beings and teaches courageous self-rulership based on wisdom and compassion.

[48] Khandro Tseyang was officially empowered as Sakyong Wangmo by Penor Rinpoche at a ceremony in Halifax in August 2008.