Phakchok Rinpoche at Harvard Divinity School: What Does It Mean to Awaken Our Dignity?

Phakchok Rinpoche’s teaching on “What Does It Mean to Awaken Our Dignity” at Harvard Divinity School provides a fresh perspective on dignity from a Tibetan Buddhist viewpoint. This teaching was part of Rinpoche’s 2023 Awakening Dignity North American book tour. In this teaching, Rinpoche explains that dignity is an innate quality that we all have, manifesting when we realize that our nature is pure. This understanding gives us confidence in our wholeness and completeness, allowing us to face life’s challenges with compassion and wisdom.

Rinpoche then shares some practical exercises called “dignity training” to help us awaken and cultivate our dignity. He emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with our inherent dignity, which we may have lost touch with. Rinpoche’s teaching highlights the power of mindfulness practices to develop our inner strength and live with greater dignity.

Phakchok Rinpoche’s book, Awakening Dignity: A Guide to Living a Life of Deep Fulfillment, contains reflections, examples, and simple meditations—such as embracing adversity and practicing compassion—to embody our fundamental dignity fully.