About

Vision & Mission

Vision

Drawing from ancient Buddhist wisdom, science, education, and the generosity of supporters, Tergar’s vision is to alleviate suffering and promote human flourishing for the welfare and harmony of all sentient beings. 

Mission

Rooted in the profound lineage,  guiding principles, and philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism  and in Mingur Rinpoche’s vast vision, Tergar Monastery and its mandala of organizations facilitate the cultivation of awareness, compassion, and wisdom.

Our guiding teacher, Mingyur Rinpoche, does this through the teaching of the VIEW (Buddhadharma), MEDITATION (Education and practice  to embody these teachings) and APPLICATION (Social Engagement projects that engage and support local communities and indigenous ways of flourishing). Each organization within the mandala forges a balance between unity and uniqueness, while striving to do this with upaya (skillful means).

Guiding Principles - The Six Perfections

Our guiding principles reflect how we aspire to treat each other and the planet, and serve our sangha, while providing guidelines to inform our choices and conduct.

  • We do our work in the spirit of open-hearted sharing, viewing our offerings as priceless gifts that have the potential to alleviate suffering and help us be the very best versions of ourselves.

    Our motivation is to care for all beings and the world we share.

  • We strive to embody a clear set of ethical principles in the way we treat ourselves, our colleagues, and in the way we interact with the environment and the people and communities we serve.

    Our ethics are focused on avoiding harmful actions, consciously engaging in virtuous actions, and doing our best to help others whenever possible.

    We hold ourselves, everyone in our mandala and our community to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability.

  • We give ourselves and others the time and space they need to navigate challenging situations with awareness, compassion, and wisdom.

    We remain calm and kind in the face of difficulties.

  • It is an honor and a privilege to serve others and our environments in the way we do. We work hard, but we also take joy in our work and do not take ourselves too seriously. Laughter, connection, and time to practice are just as important to us as accomplishing specific objectives.

    We nurture friendship and trust as the foundation of community.

  • We cultivate focus, balance, and equanimity by training our minds through meditation.

    We recognize one another’s basic goodness, compassion and wisdom.

  • We are guided by an insatiable curiosity in our work. We are humble and recognize that we have much to learn from each other and from the communities we serve.

    We support one another by creating an environment in which people of all backgrounds and social identities feel welcome and valued.