Chuck Stanford, Lama Changchup Kunchok Dorje

Chuck Stanford is an ordained Lama within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. His 20-year course of study has included multiple trips to Dharamsala India where he received teachings from H.H. Dalai Lama and to Golok, Tibet where he received teachings from one of his root teachers. Lama Stanford is co-founder of the Rime Buddhist Center & Institute of Tibetan Studies located in Kansas City.

Lama Stanford has been the Buddhist member for Kansas City’s Interfaith Council for 20 years. In addition he has written a monthly column on Buddhism for the religion section of the Kansas City Star since 1995. He has also written other freelance articles on Buddhism and Tibetan culture. In 1998 after doing extensive research in Dharamsala India he wrote an article on Tibetan Medicine that was published in the Kansas City Star newspaper. He has written and published a book on Buddhism designed to be used as a study guide by other Buddhist Centers.

Currently Lama Stanford serves as the spiritual leader and Executive Director of the Rime Buddhist Center that he administers on a day-to-day basis. In addition he teaches classes on meditation and Buddhism and performs Buddhist ceremonies, including weddings and funerals. He also serves on the following boards:

• Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council
• Friends of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas
• Missouri Department of Corrections Religious Programming Council
• Honorary Board Member of Inside Dharma
• Board of Bioethics for the Kansas City University of Medicine & Bioethics

Lama Stanford is very involved in prison outreach. He has Buddhist inmate groups at three area prisons he visits regularly. He worked as a part-time chaplain at Leavenworth USP Federal prison in 2004 and 2005 when it was a maximum-security prison. Currently he works as a part- time chaplain at the United States Disciplinary Barracks (U.S.D.B.) prison at Ft. Leavenworth. In addition he serves as a volunteer Chaplain at Lansing Correctional Facility.

In addition Lama Stanford has been asked to consult with and give Dharma teachings at Buddhist Centers in various cities around the U.S.

In addition Lama Stanford has been presented with the following awards:

• 2007 Peace Award presented by the Crescent Peace Society on Oct. 26, 2007
• 2009 Heroes of Humanity Award presented by the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values (IAHV)

From Khachab Rinpoche

From Khamtrul Rinpoche:

From Wangdor Rinpoche: