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Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
The FPMT is an organization devoted to preserving and spreading Mahayana Buddhism worldwide by creating opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha and based on that experience spreading the Dharma to sentient beings. We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility and service. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion. Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founders Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
- Willkommen
Die Stiftung zur Erhaltung der Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) ist eine Organisation, die sich weltweit für die Erhaltung und Verbreitung des Mahayana-Buddhismus einsetzt, indem sie Möglichkeiten schafft, den makellosen Lehren des Buddha zuzuhören, über sie zur reflektieren und zu meditieren und auf der Grundlage dieser Erfahrung das Dharma unter den Lebewesen zu verbreiten.
Wir bieten integrierte Schulungswege an, durch denen der Geist und das Herz der Menschen in ihr höchstes Potential verwandelt werden zum Wohl der anderen – inspiriert durch eine Haltung der universellen Verantwortung und dem Wunsch zu dienen. Wir haben uns verpflichtet, harmonische Umgebungen zu schaffen und allen Wesen zu helfen, ihr volles Potenzial unendlicher Weisheit und grenzenlosen Mitgefühls zu verwirklichen.
Unsere Organisation basiert auf der buddhistischen Tradition von Lama Tsongkhapa von Tibet, so wie sie uns von unseren Gründern Lama Thubten Yeshe und Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche gelehrt wird.
- Bienvenidos
La Fundación para la preservación de la tradición Mahayana (FPMT) es una organización que se dedica a preservar y difundir el budismo Mahayana en todo el mundo, creando oportunidades para escuchar, reflexionar, meditar, practicar y actualizar las enseñanzas inconfundibles de Buda y en base a esa experiencia difundir el Dharma a los seres.
Proporcionamos una educación integrada a través de la cual las mentes y los corazones de las personas se pueden transformar en su mayor potencial para el beneficio de los demás, inspirados por una actitud de responsabilidad y servicio universales. Estamos comprometidos a crear ambientes armoniosos y ayudar a todos los seres a desarrollar todo su potencial de infinita sabiduría y compasión.
Nuestra organización se basa en la tradición budista de Lama Tsongkhapa del Tíbet como nos lo enseñaron nuestros fundadores Lama Thubten Yeshe y Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
A continuación puede ver una lista de los centros y sus páginas web en su lengua preferida.
- Bienvenue
L’organisation de la FPMT a pour vocation la préservation et la diffusion du bouddhisme du mahayana dans le monde entier. Elle offre l’opportunité d’écouter, de réfléchir, de méditer, de pratiquer et de réaliser les enseignements excellents du Bouddha, pour ensuite transmettre le Dharma à tous les êtres. Nous proposons une formation intégrée grâce à laquelle le cœur et l’esprit de chacun peuvent accomplir leur potentiel le plus élevé pour le bien d’autrui, inspirés par le sens du service et une responsabilité universelle. Nous nous engageons à créer un environnement harmonieux et à aider tous les êtres à épanouir leur potentiel illimité de compassion et de sagesse. Notre organisation s’appuie sur la tradition guéloukpa de Lama Tsongkhapa du Tibet, telle qu’elle a été enseignée par nos fondateurs Lama Thoubtèn Yéshé et Lama Zopa Rinpoché.
Visitez le site de notre Editions Mahayana pour les traductions, conseils et nouvelles du Bureau international en français.
Voici une liste de centres et de leurs sites dans votre langue préférée
- Benvenuto
L’FPMT è un organizzazione il cui scopo è preservare e diffondere il Buddhismo Mahayana nel mondo, creando occasioni di ascolto, riflessione, meditazione e pratica dei perfetti insegnamenti del Buddha, al fine di attualizzare e diffondere il Dharma fra tutti gli esseri senzienti.
Offriamo un’educazione integrata, che può trasformare la mente e i cuori delle persone nel loro massimo potenziale, per il beneficio di tutti gli esseri, ispirati da un’attitudine di responsabilità universale e di servizio.
Il nostro obiettivo è quello di creare contesti armoniosi e aiutare tutti gli esseri a sviluppare in modo completo le proprie potenzialità di infinita saggezza e compassione.
La nostra organizzazione si basa sulla tradizione buddhista di Lama Tsongkhapa del Tibet, così come ci è stata insegnata dai nostri fondatori Lama Thubten Yeshe e Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Di seguito potete trovare un elenco dei centri e dei loro siti nella lingua da voi prescelta.
- 欢迎 / 歡迎
简体中文
“护持大乘法脉基金会”( 英文简称:FPMT。全名:Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) 是一个致力于护持和弘扬大乘佛法的国际佛教组织。我们提供听闻,思维,禅修,修行和实证佛陀无误教法的机会,以便让一切众生都能够享受佛法的指引和滋润。
我们全力创造和谐融洽的环境, 为人们提供解行并重的完整佛法教育,以便启发内在的环宇悲心及责任心,并开发内心所蕴藏的巨大潜能 — 无限的智慧与悲心 — 以便利益和服务一切有情。
FPMT的创办人是图腾耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。我们所修习的是由两位上师所教导的,西藏喀巴大师的佛法传承。
繁體中文
護持大乘法脈基金會”( 英文簡稱:FPMT。全名:Found
ation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition ) 是一個致力於護持和弘揚大乘佛法的國際佛教組織。我們提供聽聞, 思維,禪修,修行和實證佛陀無誤教法的機會,以便讓一切眾生都能 夠享受佛法的指引和滋潤。 我們全力創造和諧融洽的環境,
為人們提供解行並重的完整佛法教育,以便啟發內在的環宇悲心及責 任心,並開發內心所蘊藏的巨大潛能 — 無限的智慧與悲心 – – 以便利益和服務一切有情。 FPMT的創辦人是圖騰耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。
我們所修習的是由兩位上師所教導的,西藏喀巴大師的佛法傳承。 察看道场信息:
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It’s the foggy mind, the mind that’s attracted to an object and paints a distorted projection onto it, that makes you suffer. That’s all. It’s really quite simple.
Lama Thubten Yeshe
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The Foundation Store is FPMT’s online shop and features a vast selection of Buddhist study and practice materials written or recommended by our lineage gurus. These items include homestudy programs, prayers and practices in PDF or eBook format, materials for children, and other resources to support practitioners.
Items displayed in the shop are made available for Dharma practice and educational purposes, and never for the purpose of profiting from their sale. Please read FPMT Foundation Store Policy Regarding Dharma Items for more information.
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Holy Objects
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Progress Made on Mani Chungyur, Stupa, and Water Park
Last year, the Holy Objects Fund offered a substantial grant to the Mani Chungyur, Stupa, and Water Park, a project being built in Namche Bazaar, Nepal, located in the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ). The grant is being used for five prayer wheels which will be turned by flowing water, thus blessing all of the water used throughout the entire park. This project is also a restoration of original prayer wheels and artwork and will become a tourist attraction that is beneficial for the visitors.
Mandala Publication’s managing editor Laura Miller recently visited the park and reports that all appeared to be finished except for the actual prayer wheel installation. She also commented, “It was beautiful and amazing to see. The fresh water rushing down the hill, through the houses for the prayer wheels and the fountain shooting a spray of water up.”
The park is attending to practical as well as spiritual needs of the community. The water from the water park runs under a small bridge to a laundry area. In this way, locals can bring their washing to be cleaned in the blessed water!
Please rejoice in the progress of the new Mani Chungyur, Stupa, and Water Park which will bring so much benefit to residents of Namche Bazaar and tourists alike due to the incredible power of the prayer wheels.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
- Tagged: holy objects, namchee bazaar, prayer wheel fund, prayer wheels
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Stupa for Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gendun Choephel
A new stupa is being built at Sera Je Monastery for Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gendun Choephel who passed away on July 31, 2016. Among Khen Rinpoche’s many students is Tenzin Ösel Hita, the recognized reincarnation of FPMT founder Lama Yeshe.
“My dearest and most precious Teacher, Friend, Mother, Father and Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Gendun Choephel, just passed away in a very sudden way,” Ösel wrote on his Facebook page on July 31. “He was the closest person in my life, he raised me and gave me everything, taught me and loved me like no one else. It is devastating and so hard to accept, but I feel joy for having known him and it has been such an honor to grow up under his guidance. Thank you so much Gen-la, you are always in my heart.”
Ösel requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche to assist with this precious stupa, and Rinpoche, through the Stupa Fund, offered US$20,000 toward its completion.
“Building stupas helps develop so much peace and happiness for numberless sentient beings. As a result, wars, disease, and desire will all be pacified. Instead of feeling hopeless, people will gain courage. This is about peace – for the beings who see it, for the whole country, for the entire world, for all sentient beings.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Geshe Gendun Choephel was born in 1941 in Karze in eastern Tibet. He later joined Sera Je Monastery in 1955 and went into exile in India in 1959, joining the Buxa Duar community to study and practice. He was among the foremost group who re-established Sera Je in Bylakuppe, South India. After earning his Lharampa Geshe degree, Khen Rinpoche began teaching at the monastery and did so for the rest of his life. He was enthroned as the 75th abbot of Sera Je Monastery on July 18, 2016.
The total cost for this stupa is US$27,000 and the remaining US$7,000 will be raised by Sera Je monks. Please rejoice in the creation of this holy object dedicated to a most kind teacher, Geshe Gendun Choephel.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues. The Stupa Fund is a sub fund of the Holy Objects Fund.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche translated “Padmasambhava’s Instruction on Offerings to Stupas,” which details the benefits of prostrating to, circumambulating, making offerings, and offering service to stupas. Also available is, “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Advice for Circumambulation.”
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Mahamudra Centre to Build Large Prayer Wheel
In May 2015 Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised Mahamudra Centre in New Zealand to build a large prayer wheel similar in design and size as the one constructed at Root Institute in Bodhgaya.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Holy Object Fund, offered US$30,000 toward the construction of this new prayer wheel. The Mahamudra team estimates completing this project in approximately one year.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that he would like to sponsor the building of 100,000 prayer wheels for world peace. Wherever a large prayer wheel is built, it becomes a great blessing for that country.
A prayer wheel is a cylindrical wheel on a spindle made from metal. Inside the prayer wheel are many million or billions of the mantras, printed on paper or microfilm. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has commented that the presence of a prayer wheel creates peace and harmony in the area. You can read more from Rinpoche about the benefits of making prayer wheels.
“Even for the person who turns this precious wheel, any sentient being who sees, hears, remembers, or touches him or her completes the merits, purifies defilements, and achieves enlightenment.” — The Tantra of the Circle of Six Thousand
The inconceivable merit of building a prayer wheel is not limited to those who physically build it. Those who support the project financially, materially, or through prayer also receive the merit of its creation.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
- Tagged: holy objects, mahamudra centre, prayer wheel, prayer wheel fund
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Progress on Land of Medicine Buddha Mahabodhi Stupa Continues
Progress continues on Land of Medicine Buddha’s 39-foot-tall Mahabodhi stupa project in California.
Earlier this year the community filled the final structural chamber of this stupa and celebrated by enjoying a picnic in the meadow after the work of the day was complete. The filling of this final structural level was the culmination of over two years of effort on the part of staff members and volunteers. A lot of details go into the filling of a stupa of this size. The first level holds four complete sets of the Kangyur which needed to be organized, labeled, and wrapped. A team of volunteers called the Stupa Work Party gathered often to create a collage of holy images, paint tsa-tsas, and wrap texts and reams of over one billion mantras that would fill all the subsequent levels. All the contents were then packaged in boxes for the journey from the LMB gompa up to the stupa site. The weight of each level had to be carefully monitored from the second level upward, finding a balance between the benefit of having as many holy objects as possible and structural limitations and considerations.
At the stupa site each of the ten chambers was cleaned, painted, and lined with yellow cloth and the sog shing (life tree) was painted and wrapped with the four dharmakaya relic mantras. For the first leg of the journey to the site, the holy objects were passed from hand-to-hand from the gompa, loaded into a truck, and then driven up the hill to the stupa. The precious load of holy objects was again passed hand-to-hand up to the uppermost level via ladders and scaffoldings and finally placed inside the stupa, filling the empty places with fragrant wood shavings and incense.
Earlier in the year, LMB friend and resident artist, Gelek Sherpa began work on the outer details of the stupa. He created and mounted the Kadampa stupas at the four corners and created the crown Kadampa stupa and some of the various molds needed for the exterior.
While Gelek Sherpa worked on artistic elements, another team worked on the layout of the stupa grounds. They rerouted a road that previously ran in front of the stupa, creating terraces where memorial stupas may be sponsored and built in the future. They also built a wheelchair accessible parking space and walkway, so those who are challenged by the terrain of the land will have an opportunity to circumambulate the stupa. In addition, the team installed electrical and water lines, so that light and water offerings can be made.
The crown Kadampa stupa was recently filled with mantras and Gelek Sherpa is now preparing the next structure which will support the pinnacle of the stupa. He will continue the decoration of the exterior throughout the coming year.
The LMB Stupa Team would like to share grateful thanks to FPMT Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche for guiding the center community in this amazingly beneficial project. “Without Rinpoche’s kind advice about the benefits of building a stupa, we wouldn’t have had the wisdom to take on such a large project. Geshe Ngawang Dakpa and Geshe Lobsang Wangdu gave indispensable advice, encouragement, and blessings. We are thankful to kind benefactors who stepped in to offer the financial support that created the causes for the stupa to become a reality. We have a lot of work left, and happily rejoice that great progress has been made in 2016!”
You can learn more about this project, watch videos of the progress, and read more about the long-term plans and benefits of this stupa.
The Stupa Fund was very pleased to offer US$50,000 toward this magnificent stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha.
- Tagged: holy objects, landof medicine buddha, mahabodhi stupa, stupas
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Guru Rinpoche Statue Arrives at Lawudo
“My wish is for FPMT to build many holy objects everywhere, as many as possible. Making it so easy for sentient beings to purify their heavy negative karma and making it so easy for sentient beings to create extensive merit. Which makes it so easy to achieve the realizations of the path and so easy to achieve liberation and enlightenment.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Lawudo Retreat Centre is situated in the highest area of Solu Khumbu (altitude of 13,000 feet) , the northeastern region of Nepal bordering Upper Tsang in Southern Tibet. Getting a human body up to Lawudo is no simple matter. The quickest and (relatively) easiest way is to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and then walk for two days from Lukla to Namche Bazaar. Lawudo is a further 4-5 hours walk up a very steep path from Namche Bazaar. The other way is to first travel by bus from Kathmandu to Jiri which takes ten hours. The trek from Jiri to Namche Bazaar takes nine days.
What about getting eleven large Guru Rinpoche statues—one 13.5-foot-tall and the others over 2-foot-tall—up to Lawudo? Amazingly, this was accomplished and it was no simple matter! The large statue had to be airlifted (by the largest helicopter in Nepal) but there were delays due to bad weather. A special permit was required to even operate this immense aircraft. A test flight had to be arranged before the run with the large statue could be initiated to make sure the mission would be successful. After twelve days of delays due to bad weather the large statue was finally airlifted to Lawudo in good condition. The smaller statues will be airlifted in the same way.
The Padmasambhava Project for Peace was able to offer the costs for this incredible effort getting these most precious holy objects to their new home at Lawudo Retreat Centre. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has expressed, time and again, the unimaginable power of holy objects to purify negative karma and create extensive merit for all who come in contact with them. About Guru Rinpoche statues, Rinpoche has said, “Building Guru Rinpoche statues will bring immeasurable benefit, peace, happiness, and freedom to the world. They will have immeasurable impact.”
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
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Progress Made on Prayer Wheel Restoration Project, Namche Bazaar, Nepal
Last month we reported that a grant was issued from the Prayer Wheel Fund to the Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park, a project being built in Namche Bazaar, Nepal to be used for five prayer wheels which are turned by flowing water, thus blessing all of the water used throughout the entire park.
We are pleased to report that, due to this grant, all of the prayer wheels houses, mechanical turbines, and paintings have been completed. Once all of the parts are assembled, the prayer wheels can be fixed in the housing units and repainted to original form. This next step may take few more months but we are pleased to report so much progress has already been made due to the grant issued by the Prayer Wheel Fund.
“The benefit of turning the Dharma wheel is that negative karma and disturbing thought obscurations accumulated over beginningless rebirths are purified without effort. Even other mantras are without doubt completed.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche quoting Lord Buddha in “The Benefits of Prayer Wheels”
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
- Tagged: holy objects, prayer wheel fund, prayer wheels
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The Holy Objects Fund recently offered a US$50,000 grant to the Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park, a project being built in Namche Bazaar, Nepal, located in the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ). The grant will be used for five prayer wheels which are turned by flowing water, thus blessing all of the water used throughout the entire park. This project is also a restoration of original prayer wheels and artwork and will become a tourist attraction that is beneficial for the visitors.
Sagarmatha National Park (SNP) is one of the major tourist destinations for expedition and trekking in Nepal. Since the 1950s, and especially since the 1970s, highly skilled mountaineers and causal tourists have visited the “top of the world,” in order to summit or just get a glance of Mount Everest. To honor this special area, the government of Nepal created in Sagarmatha National Park in 1976. Later the SNP was extended by a buffer zone, and Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone was created.
The SNPBZ headquarters has many lodges, trekking and mountaineering equipment shops. The village also has three small museums, a stupa, monastery and many well stocked stores. This new development will bring tourist money into the area and help revitalize its history.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has advised the coordinators on the prayer wheels, stressing the importance of using high quality materials and filling them with the appropriate texts and mantras. Rinpoche also explained that there are “infinite, infinite benefits” to constructing holy objects correctly.
Please rejoice in the development of the new Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park which will bring so much benefit to residents of Namche Bazaar and tourists alike due to the incredible power of the prayer wheels.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
- Tagged: holy objects, nepal, prayer wheel fund, prayer wheels
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Grant Offered to New Stupa Being Built at Rinchen Jangsem Ling
At the end of the Medicine Buddha retreat at Rinchen Jangsem Ling in Malaysia in April, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the kindness of several benefactors, offered a US$10,000 grant to the center for a two storey Namgyälma stupa which will be built. This grant was issued through the FPMT Stupa Fund. This stupa will be dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama all the holy beings who work for others in this world; all FPMT centers, projects, services, benefactors, volunteers, students and all the people in the world who do good things for others; and for those who do harm to meet the Dharma to understand karma in order to start to benefiting others.
Stupas are powerful symbols of the mind’s limitless potential. In other words, they represent the mind of enlightenment. Building or sponsoring a stupa is a very powerful way to accumulate merit and purify negative karma.
One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is for 100,000 large stupas to be built around the world. To date, over fifty have been built.
The large Namgyälma stupa project at Rinchen Jangsem Ling has not yet begun and we will keep all updated on its progress as it develops.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche translated “Padmasambhava’s Instruction on Offerings to Stupas,” which details the benefits of prostrating to, circumambulating, making offerings, and offering service to stupas. Also available is, “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Advice for Circumambulation.”
- Tagged: holy objects, stupas
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After receiving news that scientists were forecasting a huge earthquake and possible tsunamis on the West Coast of the United States, Lama Zopa Rinpoche began offering advice about how to help mitigate the effects of karma that can result in this kind of suffering. Recently Rinpoche suggested that Bay Area students and centers, supported by others from around the world, should complete the following:
- 1,800,000 recitations of the long Kshitigarbha mantra done as part of a Kshitigarbha practice.
- Taking the Eight Mahayana precepts 300 times.
- Performing the extensive Medicine Buddha puja – ongoing.
- Reading of the Tengyur four times – to be done at Sera Je Monastery.
FPMT Bay Area centers have created a website with more information and ways to make pledges and report mantra recitations; contribute to the Tengyur recitations; and report the taking of the Eight Mahayana precepts. This website also has a weekly blog to help students keep up on how many accumulations have been reported.
As of Tuesday, January 5, the following has been completed:
Kshitigarbha Mantras: 389,782 out of 1,800,000; Tengyur Recitations: $23,810 out of $28,000 needed; 8 Mahayana Precepts: 1,677 out of 300.
All are welcome (and encouraged) to contribute to the global efforts to pacify and minimize harm due to an earthquake on the West Coast of the United States (including subsequent tsunami caused by the earthquake). With only three weeks remaining to reach the goals put forth by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a strong effort from many will be required.
To learn more about the recommended practices for pacifying earthquakes and to make pledges and report mantra recitations: www.pacifyearthquakes.org
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Stupa Fund Offers Grant to Repair Stupa at Swayambhunath
At Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s request, the Stupa Fund has offered a grant to the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office to repair a stupa at Swayambhunath, Nepal, which was damaged during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April. This stupa was built by the Tibetan community in Nepal for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Please rejoice that this precious stupa will be rebuilt!
As Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained, “Building stupas helps develop so much peace and happiness for numberless sentient beings. As a result, wars, disease, and desire will all be pacified. Instead of feeling hopeless, people will gain courage. This is about peace – for the beings who see it, for the whole country, for the entire world, for all sentient beings.”
You can read more from Lama Zopa Rinpoche about the benefits of stupas or about the Holy Object Fund which was established to offer grants toward the completion of holy objects around the world.
- Tagged: nepal stupa, stupa fund, stupas
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The Sangha living at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land (BAPL), located in North Central Washington state in the United States, engage in weekly practices for animals and make extensive offerings to holy objects.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche often explains the benefits of offering to many holy objects and encourages extensive offerings around the world.
We are not aware of the limitless skies of benefits we achieve from the practice of offering, what we can achieve and enjoy from life to life. Even while you are in samsara, you enjoy good rebirths, wealth, and every happiness. Even just the samsaric perfections are amazing, without adding all those incredible realizations that allow us to offer deep benefit to sentient beings, liberating them from oceans of samsaric suffering and its cause, delusion and karma.
Weekly animal liberation practice and charity for ants, extensive daily offering practices, and nightly dharma protector practices and sur are offered. All of this is done with extensive dedications and prayers for the entire FPMT organization and all beings, as requested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said that by having as many holy objects as possible, when you enter the room then you can put your palms together in the mudra of prostration to all the holy objects, looking at each tiny holy object and prostrating. You can look around the room with your hands in the mudra of prostration and think “I am prostrating to all the buddhas.” When you do this you collect eight benefits in that second so for however many thousands or hundreds of pictures of buddhas, statues, tsa-tsas etc. you have, merely by placing your palms together respectfully you receive these eight benefits, the last benefit is that you will be enlightened.
In this way, in just one second, it is so easy to collect merit because there are so many pictures of deities and buddhas; even in one photo there are many buddhas, such as the Guru Puja merit field or the thirty-five buddhas, even in one picture there are so many merit fields. Each time you prostrate to them you collect that many causes of enlightenment, that many causes of liberation from samsara and, by the way, happiness of future lives.
So you can see that it is very helpful to have many pictures and statues for prostrations, it helps the visualization and also with each prostration you do to just one holy object you create incredible causes, so the more holy objects the more causes you create.
When you prostrate you can think of all the ten direction buddhas, Dharma, sangha, statues, stupas, scriptures, tsa-tsas etc.; if you have many, many pictures of holy objects it makes it very easy to visualize the ten directions actually filled with buddhas. This is also very good if you can’t visualize very well.
When you are not prostrating, but even just entering the room where you have all the holy objects (the gompa or your meditation room), if you put your palms together to the holy objects every time, then in that second it is an unbelievable easy way to collect extensive merit.
It is explained by Buddha in the Sutra of the Mudra of Developing the Power of Devotion:
The minute you see a holy object you create infinite merits, so no question, if you actually make prostrations, offerings and so forth, you create far greater merit.
Please rejoice in the offerings and practices that take place daily at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land and the beautiful photography of Chris Majors which shows the extensive offerings to the holy objects.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund enables Rinpoche’s compassionate service to others to flourish. You can learn more about other beneficial activities this fund supports.
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New Prayer Wheel Being Built in Mongolia
One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is to build 100,000 large prayer wheels around the world.
The Prayer Wheel Fund recently offered a grant to the creation of a new very large prayer wheel in Mongolia. This was a seed donation for this project and as it progresses, updates will be made on its expected overall costs, needs, and how people can support it directly.
According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Buddha said:
The benefit of turning the Dharma wheel is that negative karma and disturbing thought obscurations accumulated over beginningless rebirths are purified without effort. Even other mantras are without doubt completed.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also recently offered grants to new prayer wheels being built at Mahamudra Centre and Chandrakirti Centre, both located in New Zealand. Please rejoice in the building of these prayer wheels which are helping to actualize Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wishes. Tremendous thanks to all donors who make these grants to the creation of prayer wheels possible.
The Benefits of Prayer Wheels
By Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Buddha said:
The benefit of turning the Dharma wheel is that negative karma and disturbing thought obscurations accumulated over beginningless rebirths are purified without effort. Even other mantras are without doubt completed.
Karma Pakshi, the Second Karmapa, said:
When this great wheel called OM MANI PADME HUM is placed above [a house or roof], the wind that touches the prayer wheel liberates all those transmigrating beings touched by it from the sufferings of the lower realms.
When the prayer wheel is turned by fire, those transmigrating beings who are illuminated by the firelight or who smell the smoke are liberated from the sufferings of the lower realms.
When the prayer wheel is placed on the ground, sentient beings who are on the ground or who are touched by the dust are liberated from the sufferings of the lower realms.
If the prayer wheel is placed in water, all the sentient beings who are touched by the water, or who drink the water that has touched the prayer wheel, are liberated from the lower realms.
Padmasambhava purified the land of Tibet and spread the Dharma, especially tantra, all over Tibet. When the Dharma king Songtsen Gampo was constructing the first monastery in Tibet, whatever the workers would build up during the day, spirits would tear down at night. So Padmasambhava came from India, hooked the spirits and subdued them, putting them under pledge as Dharma protectors to protect the teachings. Padmasambhava said in his teachings:
Those who lack effort to study the Buddhadharma will receive realizations by turning the Dharma wheel and those who do make effort will be supported in their recitation, practice and so forth by turning it. Inconceivable negative karmas will be purified without effort and they will achieve all the deities together.
The origin of this prayer wheel is as follows: the Arya Compassionate Buddha Avalokiteshvara predicted to Master Nagarjuna, “In the palace of the country of the nagas, the bodhisattva naga king has a Dharma wheel. Anybody who merely sees, hears, touches or remembers this wheel is quickly liberated from the sufferings of the lower realms. Take this profound Dharma wheel from them and extensive great benefit for sentient beings will come about.”
Nagarjuna went to collect the prayer wheel from the naga king who told him, “Place this prayer wheel on the earth, in water, fire and wind and accomplish extensive benefit for sentient beings and the teachings of the Buddha.”
Nagarjuna then brought the prayer wheel to India and passed it to the Lion-faced Dakini. From the Lion-faced Dakini it went to the great Indian yogi Tilopa, then to Naropa and on to Marpa, who brought it to Tibet and gave it to Milarepa, who in turn passed it to Gampopa.
Also it is mentioned in the Avalokiteshvara tantra of Guhyasamaja:
Beams emitted from the Dharma wheel to sentient beings naturally cause the four immeasurable thoughts of loving kindness, compassion, joyfulness and equanimity to arise in their hearts and they complete the paramitas of charity, morality, patience, perseverance, concentration and wisdom.
Shakyamuni Buddha said to the bodhisattva Dikpa Namsel:
It is said that for the intelligent practitioner turning the Dharma wheel once is more sublime than doing retreat for one year, for the middling practitioner turning the Dharma wheel once is more supreme than doing retreat for seven years and even for the lowest practitioner turning the Dharma wheel once is more supreme than doing retreat for nine years.
Vajrapani said:
[Turning] this great Dharma wheel can stop all the harms caused by the dey above (who cause epilepsy and so forth), the birth nagas down below and the tsen, yakshas and rakshas in between.
Dictated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and scribed by Ven. Sarah Thresher, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, February 2015.
You can download a PDF of this advice on the benefits of prayer wheels.
If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues.
You can read more from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the benefits of building prayer wheels.
- Tagged: holy objects, prayer wheel, prayer wheel fund, prayer wheels
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