Philippe Cornu

Philippe Cornu (b. 1957) began studying Tibetan at the age of 18 and became a Buddhist in 1978. He was one of the first Rigpa students in France and has studied and practised Tibetan Buddhism with Dudjom Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, and other teachers of the Nyingma tradition.

Philippe is an author and translator from Tibetan into French of several books on the Nyingma school and Dzogchen. He has also devoted a large part of his career to teaching and transmitting Buddhist philosophy in French speaking universities such as the French National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO), and at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), as well as in different Buddhist centres.

He now also directs the Buddhist Studies Institute and the Khyentse Wangpo Institute (Paris) with scholars from different Buddhist schools.

He joined Rigpa's new Vision Board in 2019.

Philippe accepted the nomination of 'Rigpa Senior Teacher' in August 2021. Senior Teachers are those who take responsibility for overseeing and guiding the study and practice of the Rigpa sangha internationally; they teach on a wide range of Dharma topics and teach both Rigpa sangha and public audiences.

Publications

As Author

• Padmasambhava, La Magie de l’Éveil, Paris, Seuil, Points Sagesse Sa 116. 1997, 2e éd. 2003, translation in italian, Padmasambhava, il Buddha dei tesori nascosti, Turin, Amrita Edizioni 1999.
• Dictionnaire encyclopédique du bouddhisme, Paris, Seuil, 2001, réédition en 2006. Translation in. italian : Dizionario del Buddhismo; Translation in Spanish: Diccionario Akal del Budismo, Madrid, Akal, 2004.
• Manuel de bouddhisme (Manual of Buddhism, in 3 volumes (I: Ancient Buddhism, Hinâyâna; II : Mahayana Buddhism, III: Vajrayâna, including History, Topics, Philosophical Doctrines, Principles of main Practices, and main schools in Asia) Paris, Rangdröl, 2018.

As Translator

• Longchenpa, La Liberté Naturelle de l’Esprit (Rangdröl Korsum), présentation et translation of the trilogy of Longchenpa (XIVe siècle), Paris, Seuil, 1994, Points Sagesses Sa66. 2d edition in 2005.
• Le Miroir du Cœur, tantra du Dzogchen (Dorje sempa nying gi me long), presentation and translation of this tantra from Nyingmapa Dzogchen, Paris, Seuil, Points Sagesses Sa82.
• Soûtra du Diamant et autres soûtras de la Voie médiane, translation from Tibetan and Presentation of Diamond Sûtra-, Heart Sûtra and Rice Sprout Sûtra in collaboration with P. Carré, Paris, Fayard, coll. Trésors du bouddhisme. 2000.
• Le Soûtra du dévoilement du sens profond, Sandhinirmocānasūtra, Translation from Tibetan and Presentation, Paris, Fayard, coll. « Trésors du bouddhisme », 2005.
• Cinq traités de Vasubandhu sur l’esprit seulement, translation from tibetan et presentation Paris, Fayard, coll. « Trésors du bouddhisme » (including Sum bcu pa and Sthiramati Commentary; Nyi shu’i pa and Nyi shu’i pa’i tshig le’u, Las grub pa’i rab tu byed pa, Phung po lnga’i rab tu byed pa and Rang bzhin gsum nges par bstan pa)
• Padmasambhava : Le livre des morts tibétain, Complete Translation of the cycle of Bar do Thos grol chen mo, Paris, Buchet-Chastel, octobre 2009.
• Tsélé Natsok Rangdröl, Le Miroir de la Vigilance—Vie, mort, bardos et renaissances dans le bouddhisme tibétain (Éditions Rangdröl, Mai 2022)

Teachings Available on Prajna

• Dharma Talk: Karma—Neither Fatalism nor Free Will