Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Chögyam Trungpa's eldest son, was born in India in 1962. He spent his early years with his mother in a Tibetan refugee village in northwest India. When he was seven, he went to live with his father in Scotland, moving to Colorado in 1971 with his father and stepmother. There he continued his Buddhist studies, as well as his western education.

In 1978, the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche performed a ceremony conferring on his son the title of Sawang, meaning earth lord, formally empowering him as his heir. The Sakyong also received many teachings and empowerments from other great teachers of the Karma Kagyü and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism.

After the death of his father in 1987, the Sakyong moved to Nepal and studied with the great Nyingma teacher and previous head of the Nyingma lineage, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He received many teachings and empowerments there.

In 1990 the Sakyong returned from this period of study and practice to lead the international Shambhala community and direct the work his father had begun. In the decade since then, the Sakyong has divided his time between teaching activities – such as leading the Vajradhatu Seminary – and practice and writing retreats. In 1995 he was formally installed as the Sakyong, or earth protector, at which time he was also recognized as an incarnation of the revered 19th century Tibetan master Mipham Jamyang Namgyal Gyatso. He now serves as president of Shambhala International, as well as Tsendzin (supreme head) of the Mipham Institute, a Tibetan government-approved organization dedicated to protecting and building upon the cultural, educational and spiritual traditions in Tibet.

The Sakyong's publisher maintains a website about his life, schedule, and publications.