Matthieu Ricard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Matthieu Ricard |
|
|---|---|
| माथ्यु रिका | |
 |
|
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Vajrayana |
| Education | Pasteur Institute (PhD molecular genetics) |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | French, Nepalese |
| Born | 15 February 1946 (age 79) Aix-les-Bains, Savoie, France |
| Religious career | |
| Teacher | Kangyur Rinpoche Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche |
Matthieu Ricard, born on February 15, 1946, is a French and Nepalese Buddhist monk. He is also a writer, photographer, and translator. He lives in Nepal at the Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery.
Matthieu grew up around many smart people in France. He earned a PhD in molecular genetics in 1972. This was from the Pasteur Institute, a famous science center. But he chose to leave science behind. Instead, he wanted to study Tibetan Buddhism. He then moved to live in the Himalayas.
Ricard is on the board of the Mind and Life Institute. This group helps scientists and Buddhist scholars work together. He received a special award, the French National Order of Merit. This was for his amazing humanitarian work in Asia. He co-founded a charity called Karuna-Shechen in 2000. Since 1989, he has been the French interpreter for the 14th Dalai Lama.
Contents
Matthieu Ricard's Life Story
_by_Erling_Mandelmann.jpg)
Matthieu Ricard was born in Aix-les-Bains, France. His father was Jean-François Revel, a well-known French philosopher. His mother, Yahne Le Toumelin, was a painter and a Buddhist nun. Matthieu spent his childhood surrounded by smart thinkers in France.
He studied molecular genetics at the Pasteur Institute. He worked under François Jacob, a Nobel Prize winner. After finishing his PhD in 1972, Ricard made a big decision. He decided to stop his science career. He wanted to focus on practicing Tibetan Buddhism instead.
Ricard then moved to India. He lived in the Himalayas and studied with Kangyur Rinpoche. He also learned from other Buddhist teachers. He became a close student of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. They were friends until Rinpoche passed away in 1991. Since then, Ricard has worked to continue Khyentse Rinpoche's important work.
Some people have called Ricard "the happiest person in the world." He took part in a study about happiness. This study was done at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Ricard's scores were much higher than most people's. However, Ricard himself says this label is "absurd" and not true.
He also helped write a study about the brains of people who meditate a lot. This included himself. These meditators had spent at least three years in meditation retreat.
Ricard is part of the Mind and Life Institute. This group brings together scientists and Buddhist experts. They do research on how the mind works. His ideas are in books like Destructive Emotions. He studies how mind training affects the brain. He works with universities like Princeton and Berkeley. He also works with research centers in Germany, Belgium, and France.
Ricard spent four years taking care of his mother, Yahne. She passed away in 2023 at 100 years old. He felt very lucky to be able to care for her.
Books and Photography by Ricard
Ricard is also a talented photographer. He takes pictures of spiritual teachers, landscapes, and people. His photos of the Himalayas have been in many books and magazines. The famous photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson praised his work. He said Matthieu's camera and spiritual life are connected. This makes his photos both quick and timeless.
He has written and photographed several books. These include Tibet, An Inner Journey and Monk Dancers of Tibet. He also worked on photo books like Buddhist Himalayas. He has translated many Buddhist texts. One important translation is The Life of Shabkar.
Ricard wrote a book with his father, Jean-François Revel. It was called The Monk and the Philosopher. This book was very popular in Europe. It was translated into 21 languages. He also wrote The Quantum and the Lotus with Trinh Xuan Thuan. This book shows his interest in both science and Buddhism.
His 2003 book, Plaidoyer pour le bonheur, was a big hit in France. It was published in English as Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. This book explores what happiness means and how to find it.
In 2015, his book Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World came out in English. Parts of it were featured on the cover of Spirituality & Health Magazine.
Ricard also wrote Caring Economics: Conversations on Altruism and Compassion. This book shares talks between scientists, economists, and the Dalai Lama.
Awards and Humanitarian Work
Ricard received the French National Order of Merit award. This was for his important humanitarian work in Asia. He gives all the money from his books and talks to charity. He also gives much of his time. He supports over 200 projects in Nepal, India, and Tibet.
These projects help over 300,000 people every year. They provide health care, education, and social services. You can learn more at www.karuna-shechen.org. He also works to protect the culture of the Himalayas. You can find out more at www.shechen.org. Since 1989, he has been the French interpreter for the Dalai Lama.
Ricard has spoken at many big international events. These include the World Happiness Forum and the United Nations. He has also spoken at conferences in Sydney, London, and Singapore. He has been invited to the World Economic Forum ten times.
His Meditation Practice
Ricard uses three main types of meditation. These are compassion, open awareness, and analytic meditation. He has spent a total of five years meditating alone. Much of this time was in a quiet mountain hut.
Matthieu Ricard and Veganism
Matthieu Ricard is a vegan. He supports veganism and animal rights. He wrote a book about this in 2016. It is called A Plea for the Animals.
See also
In Spanish: Matthieu Ricard para niños
