About
The Oklahoma Rimé Foundation was created in April 2008 as a nonprofit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Oklahoma exclusively for religious and education purposes.
Purpose Statement
- To preserve the wisdom of Tibet and help make this unique tradition accessible to the Western world.
- To support translating classic Tibetan literature into the English language.
- To bring fully qualified Tibetan spiritual teachers into our communities to live and teach.
- To form conditions that will enable dedicated spiritual practitioners in our community to support themselves while engaged in spiritual study and retreat.
- To create institutions and resources to unify and support the spiritual community and to make the wisdom of the Tibetan tradition accessible to interested individuals and organizations.
The Foundation is not affiliated with any other organization, foundation or center. It is composed of Oklahoma natives with different backgrounds and practice lineages, who managed to connect through local teachings and events. Although they have different individual practices, they also share a common respect for all the Tibetan traditions and Buddhist teachings in general. This corresponds well with the Tibetan Rimé Tradition.
The Rimé Tradition
Rimé (pronounced ree-may) is a Tibetan word that means “without bias.” It refers to a nonsectarian movement of Tibetan Buddhism that began in the 19th century. The Rimé Movement was led by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892), Orgyen Chogyur Dechen Lingpa (1829-1870), and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1811-1892).
Rimé is an approach to spiritual practice where students are themselves rooted in one spiritual tradition while, at the same time, maintaining a respect for other approaches. Rimé honors the differences among lineages and fosters an environment of mutual support and harmony. Rimé promotes respect and knowledge of each other’s traditions.
Speaking of his teacher, Jamyang Khyentse, Sogyal Rinpoche has described the Rimé Movement in this manner:
“This was a kind of spiritual renaissance, which rejected all forms of sectarian, partisan bias, encouraging each tradition to master completely the authentic teachings and practice of its own lineage, while at the same time maintaining a spirit of openness, harmony and cooperation with other Buddhist schools. There was no blurring or synthesis of one tradition with another - the purity of each was ensured - but they coexisted and often drew inspiration from one another.”
The Spirit of Buddhism: The Future of Dharma in the West by Sogyal Rinpoche (Harper Books 2003).
Being of different traditions provides an opportunity for a variety of practices and teachers. Buddha Dharma and in particular the Vajrayana may not be suitable for everyone, and any particular practice is certainly not. It is the responsibility of the student to examine and select his or her own path and teacher, and for the teacher to scrutinize and tailor practices to the student. The Oklahoma Rimé does not intend to prescribe but hopes to facilitate that process.