Tribute to Steven Goodman

It was with very great sadness that we learned that on August 3rd, Steven Goodman passed away at home in California.

Steven was close to so many of the great masters of the Nyingma and Dzogchen lineages. He received his PhD after studying with the renowned scholar Herbert V Guenther, writing his dissertation on the Longchen Nyingtik revelation, and went on to become the Research and Program Director of Asian Philosophies and Cultures in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, where he taught and advised graduate students in Buddhist Studies.

Known as a brilliant, charismatic, inspiring and exhilarating teacher, and a unique scholar and translator, Steven became a highly influential adviser for many of the pioneering Tibetan Buddhist foundations and projects of his time (including the Milinda Teacher Training Project). He was also an incredibly kind, generous and endearing person, who taught the Rigpa Sangha a number of times, and lots of us will remember him as a dear friend, always ready to help, and always a steadfast supporter of the community and its vision.