Mitra Tyler was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. He has been engaged in the study and practice of Buddhism since 1996, becoming a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche two years later. He began studying the Tibetan language in 1997, and by 2000, began serving as an oral interpreter and textual translator for Nitartha Institute and Nalandabodhi.

Tyler formally joined the faculty of Nitartha Institute in 2003 and was appointed as a senior teacher in Nalandabodhi in 2005. He has served as an oral interpreter for several lineage-holding masters of the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism as well as for many Khenpos, Acharyas, and Lamas. The topics of the lectures and classes for which he served as an oral interpreter range from classic Buddhist philosophical texts to both traditional and contemporary presentations of contemplation and meditation. In terms of teaching, he enjoys group practice and offering guided meditations on such topics as the four immeasurables, as well as exploring the many ways in which the thought and example of the great Buddhist forebears can inspire and inform life in the 21st century.

Tyler is a musician and singer and has participated, in the footsteps of and alongside many others, in the creation of several ‘melodized’ liturgies and ‘dharma songs’; the latter are among the avenues that Nalandabodhi offers as opportunities to connect with the true meaning of the Buddha’s teachings in a fresh, enjoyable way.  He finds inspiration in listening for echoes of the dharma in the lyrics of songs from a wide variety of genres. He enjoys swimming and tennis and has an ongoing interest in physical and dietary health. He is father to an amazing daughter and lives in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

The “Mitra” title: In 2005, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche empowered a group of his long-time students to be senior teachers of Nalandabodhi. He gave each of them the title Mitra, which is drawn from the Sanskrit term Kalyanamitra, “spiritual friend.” The Mitras guide Nalandabodhi’s three paths of Study, Meditation, and Mindful Activity and teach throughout the world.