Passing of Peter Cornish, Dzogchen Beara’s founder
Dzogchen Beara
A letter from the Dzogchen Beara Trustees
Peter Cornish, Founder of Dzogchen Beara Retreat Centre, Ireland
Dear Rigpa sangha friends,
We’re writing to let you know that our dear friend Peter Cornish, founder of Dzogchen Beara, passed away peacefully on the 27th of October, following a short illness.
50 years ago Peter and his wife Harriet bought the 150 acres of rugged clifftop farmland that would become Dzogchen Beara.
Inspired by the wish to create a place that would offer a spiritual home to people of all traditions and none, they transformed a cluster of ruins into a wooded retreat centre, learning to be builders, farmers and foresters, while bringing up a young family.
In an act of selfless generosity Peter and Harriet then gifted the land and original buildings of Dzogchen Beara to form a Rigpa charitable trust in 1992.
Since then, some of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist Masters of our time have taught here and tens of thousands of people have come to find respite and peace of mind, with the wish to connect with the wisdom and love that we all share in our deepest selves. Hundreds of Rigpa students have completed longterm group retreats and personal retreat in the retreat buildings created by Peter.
In 1993 Harriet died at the age of 44. Harriet’s death and the care she received at that time inspired the building of the Spiritual Care Centre at Dzogchen Beara.
In later years, Peter spent more and more time in retreat. He lived a simple, happy life, deepening his spiritual practice and preparing for his own death. Now that time has come, those who knew him or are aware of his huge contribution and those who have read his captivating memoir, Dazzled by Daylight, will be touched by sorrow.
While profoundly sad for us all, this is also a moment to celebrate Peter’s life; a life truly well-lived, marked by vision, purpose, never-failing kindness and extraordinary accomplishments that will continue to bring benefit to the world for many generations to come. And the culmination of his wishes, a Tibetan Buddhist Temple at Dzogchen Beara, will open its doors next year thanks to the generosity and prayers of the Rigpa Sangha.
With all of our community we invite you to take a moment to pause in gratitude, to reflect on everything that Peter made possible and to wish him every blessing on his onward journey.
May you be well, may you be happy, may you be safe,
The Trustees and Directors of Dzogchen Beara
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