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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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Buddhism is not at all a tactful religion, always trying to avoid giving offense. Buddhism addresses precisely what you are and what your mind is doing in the here and now. That’s what makes it so interesting.
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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FPMT News Around the World
19
Shedrup Zungdel Study Group Welcomes Ven. Rita Riniker
Student Marguy Krier from Shedrup Zungdel Study Group in Beligum sent Mandala a short news update:
On a rather cool December 2014 weekend, Ven. Rita Riniker worked with more than 22 students from Shedrup Zungdel Study Group in Burg-Reuland, Belgium in order to adjust our internal compasses so as not to let fear and shame grow into feelings of guilt. We examined our expectiations, our motivations and our goals. We learned about how setting limits, taking responsibility and not identifying with “the dirt” will lead us to more compassion for ourselves and for others. Looking with empathic eyes at our karma, seeking opportunities for growth and learning will certainly help us to become more resilient and agreeable for all living beings around us.
We do wish that again and again that we may have the opportunity to greet and enjoy Ani Rita in our midst. Her kind and simple way of being helps us so much. And her loving and wise way of teaching opens up our hearts!
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: belgium, shedrup zungdel study group, ven. rita riniker
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15
Romania Celebrates Lama Tsongkhapa Day
Thubten Saldron, study group coordinator of Grupul de Studiu Buddhist White Tara in south central Romania sent news about the group’s activities and how it spent Lama Tsongkhapa Day in 2014:
In September, we started to study Discovering Buddhism online, which bring us so much understanding. All our gratitude for all who are involved in this meaningful project!
On December 16, we honored Lama Tsongkhapa Day by practicing what we studied. In the morning, we blessed food for poor children with a tsog. We also went with other gifts to one center for children with developmental disabilities and to a home for older people abandoned by their families. At the end of the day, we liberated some fish.
We did all these activities with the motivation to make people happy and at the end, all of us experienced the real happiness of serving others.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: grupul de studiu buddhist white tara, romania
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8
Two FPMT Centers Participate in First Swiss Buddhist Fesitval
Francesca Paoletti from Longku Center in Switzerland sent Mandala news of the country’s first annual Swiss Buddhist Festival in early September 2014.
The Swiss Buddhist Union, which encompasses most Buddhist groups in Switzerland, has launched its first Swiss Buddhist Festival in order to increase the public awareness of Buddhist groups in Switzerland and to provide a public platform for their activities and projects.
The two Swiss FPMT centers, Longku Center in Berne and Gendun Drupa Centre in Martigny, were both present at the festival with an information stand, a small FPMT shop and a food stand. This was a beautiful way to get in contact with many new people and inform them about the activities in our centers.
The festival took place on September 6, 2014, in the city center of Berne, the capital of Switzerland, not far from the federal parliament. The participants to the festival were a large variety of Buddhist groups, representing a diversity of traditions and geographic areas. In a large tent, public talks, teachings, ceremonies and meditations were offered throughout the whole day to a large public audience. This was a unique opportunity for many people to gain an insight of the multitude of Buddhist traditions. Around the tent there were several stands with Dharma shops and food. It was like a small, colorful Buddhist bazaar enriched by the numerous, high-spirited and interested visitors.
FPMT registered teacher and long-time student Ven. Rita Riniker from Longku was among the Buddhist teachers giving a public talk in the tent. With her usual lively and humorous style she explained the significance of Buddhist rituals in a clear, understandable way that inspired many listeners. As you can see from the picture, Ani Rita was committed with her full power as usual!
Many interesting conversations and exchanges of opinions and experiences took place both with the visitors and with the representatives of other Buddhist groups. It was a beautiful event, a nice success for our center and truly a positive experience of the connectedness of the Dharma within the diversity of the various Buddhist traditions.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: switzerland
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5
Video Inspiration for the New Year!
FPMT.org now makes dozens of videos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and other Buddhist teachers available for free to students anywhere in the world as part of its recently redesigned FPMT Video Resources page.
Students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche can access his teachings from the Kopan November Course, which took place in Nepal this December; the Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa retreat held at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Australia in September and October; and the extensive Light of the Path 2014 teachings completed in North Carolina, USA in May. (The other years of Light of the Path have been condensed into the videos for the Living in the Path online learning program.) When time is limited, students can get a quick dose of inspiration by watching shorter, miscellaneous clips or checking out the preview for Mystic Tibet, the successful 90-minute documentary chronicling an important pilgrimage Rinpoche made to Tibet in 2002.
The site also features FPMT: A Documentary, a short video that explores the history and future of FPMT and the Mahayana tradition; and nine of the 13 videos that are part the Discovering Buddhism education program, introduced by Richard Gere and Keanu Reeves.
FPMT International Office is the administrative headquarters for the FPMT, 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, spread the Dharma to sentient beings. Your support allows us to continue our work.
3
Panchen Losang Chogyen Puts Animal Liberation on TV
“A small action can often reach an unexpected number of people and beings, like as happened in Panchen Losang Chogyen Gelug-Zentrum in Vienna recently,” said director Stefan Seidler in late October. “For some years now, most Buddhist temples in Austria have been organizing an open house once a year. This day happened to be just some weeks ago. We, like many other groups in Vienna, had our doors wide open for an afternoon and were planning to liberate a few boxes of worms. To our delight and despite bright autumn weather, not only did many visitors come, but also Austrian television visited us. Our announcement of a ‘Life Saving Ceremony’ [animal liberation] made them curious, and the TV crew put together a wonderful report about the liberation of the worms. This program aired a week after. And the wonderful thing is, in addition to the freedom of the worms, was that the practice was seen by about 200,000 people, who probably didn’t know anything about it until now!”
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: animals, panchen losang chogyen gelugzentrum
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1
Bringing the Dharma to ‘Tchops’
“After five weeks of teachings in the city of Papeete on the beautiful island of Tahiti,” said Naropa Meditation Center member Hinatea Demolliens, “the Mahamudra teachings and retreat led by FPMT registered teacher Sixte Vinçotte at Teahupo’o was the icing on the cake!
“Thirty-six people gathered for two days over the weekend to attend his teachings, 27 of which stayed for the next five days in silence at Fare Mahora, known as ‘Tchops’ by surfers worldwide. We had exceptionally beautiful weather, which allowed for deep introspection. The location, by the sea and surrounded by the magnificent mountains of Tahiti Iti, allowed for the perfect backdrop for our cleansing of the mind.
“Our vegetarian meals were delicious and our unique guests – five dogs and four cats – behaved well. The neighbors were quite impressed with the calming atmosphere of this first annual retreat.
“A fire puja was performed on September 28. On September 30, at Tahiti Faa’a airport, Sixte was literally covered with sea shell necklaces before he flew back to Toulouse, France – a 24-hour trip! It is the custom in Polynesia to welcome visitors with flowers and then to say goodbye with shell necklaces.
“Sixte Vinçotte began the study program Discovering Buddhism at the Naropa Meditation Center in August 2013.
“Everyone adamantly requested Sixte to come back during his holidays in 2015 to continue with the training modules in Discover Buddhism and to lead another retreat.”
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: naropa meditation center
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In October, Tim McNeill, CEO and publisher of Wisdom Publications, had the opportunity to offer His Holiness the Dalai Lama a copy of the new book Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions, authored by His Holiness with Ven. Thubten Chodron and published by Wisdom. The book explores the similarities and differences within Buddhist traditions.
McNeill was able to see His Holiness at His Holiness’ talk on the “Eight Verses of Thought Transformation” at the Wang Theater in Boston, US, on October 30, 2014, organized by the Prajna Upadesa Foundation.
Ven. Chodron told Mandala about her work on Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions, during an interview published in Mandala October-December 2014:
“There were certain topics that His Holiness definitely wanted included, for example, the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths. The other topics were fundamental topics common to all the traditions: refuge, the three higher trainings, selflessness, the four immeasurables. The Pali tradition also speaks of generating bodhichitta and following the path of the perfections, so that, too, is included. These topics are vast but are presented as succinctly as possible in the book.
“Something I was enthused to talk about in the book is similarities between the traditions that I didn’t know existed before. Since the time I lived in Singapore, where there are a variety of Buddhist traditions, I’ve been aware that Buddhists have a lot of misconceptions about other traditions. For example, many Chinese think Tibetan Buddhists practice magic and that Tibetan Buddhism is degenerate because of tantra. Most Tibetans believe that the Chinese do blank-minded meditation and that all the people who practice in the Pali tradition are selfish. The Pali tradition looks at the Tibetans and says, ‘Do they practice vinaya? It doesn’t look like it,’ and ‘tantra isn’t the Buddha’s teachings.’ None of these ideas are correct.
“Seeing this, I understood His Holiness’ reason for wanting to have this book show, from the side of the teachings, what we have in common and where we have differences. Then people can see that all the traditions adhere to the same basic teachings and that a lot of the misconceptions that we have about each other are just that – misconceptions.”
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
27
Lawudo Gompa from Above: A Place of Stillness
Gregor Beer, a student and helicopter pilot who has flown Lama Zopa Rinpoche to visit Lawudo Gompa and Retreat Centre and Tsum in Nepal, shared this amazing aerial shot of the Lawudo complex with Mandala.
Lawudo Gompa and Retreat Centre, located where Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s predecessor Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe lived and meditated, is open to students who seek ideal conditions for personal retreat and reflection.
“The best word to describe Lawudo is ‘still,'” said Ven. Tenzin Namdrol (Ani Jan), a resident at Kopan Monastery in Nepal who recently visited Lawudo. “The mountains are big and unmoving. Even though the wind blows, the clouds come and go, the fog rolls in, the river below is always flowing, and small planes and helicopters pass through the valley – like the yaks – it’s quiet and still. If you meet a yak as you walk, he will just look at you with his big eyes. Still.
“Lawudo has developed a lot as Ani-la Ngawang Samten, Rinpoche’s sister and Lawudo’s caretaker, will tell you. There are many comforts to make staying there very pleasant. The Lawudo family cares for whoever walks through the gate or moves on that mountain side, visitors and locals alike. The cows are loved and cared for, as are the humans, with potato pancakes, Sherpa stew and the like. There’s even a warm shower.
“The Lawudo Lama’s meditation cave is like visiting a wonderland, blessed by one holy being’s decades of meditation. The blessings literally drip from the ceiling. The gompa has been renovated, preserving the devotion and labor of love that built it. There’s a bell ringing with the turns of the big prayer wheel, and a sunny deck overlooking the snow-covered mountains for library users who prefer a view.
“There’s also so much time and space. Time to do practice, uncluttered due to simplicity and the space is enormous. Welcoming rooms, complete with meditation boxes and altar await their occupants. Combined with the stillness, it’s a great place for meditation. Many people comment that it’s the best place they’ve been to!”
Read more about Lawudo on FPMT.org.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: gregor beer, lawudo
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Many of the Western students who came to Kopan Monastery to hear FPMT founders Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche teach in the 1970s came from Christian backgrounds. Recognizing this, each year Lama Yeshe gave teachings that touched on these students’ experiences of Christmas celebration. In 1978, Wisdom Publications published a collection of these teachings called Silent Mind, Holy Mind. Here’s a short excerpt of Lama Yeshe’s teachings:
“… It is characteristic of materialistic people that they believe their happiness and frustration to be totally dependent on internal phenomena and possessions. If they do not receive enough ice cream and cake they are despondent: ‘I feel so empty. This Christmas has been such a flop I could die!’ For them, the success or failure of a religious holiday depends entirely on material things. They cannot discover peace and happiness within their own consciousness, depending instead on some external, physical sign of ‘love.’ It does not matter how much they might profess to be spiritual; their minds are completely obsessed by the gross, material level of reality.
“The investigation of such matters is Dharma, the true religious pursuit. Dharma study does not mean something coming out of the sky from another world. It deals directly with such questions as our motivation, what we are thinking and feeling right now in the midst of our everyday life.
“If we don’t not make an attempt to control the negative, confused mind, then there is no such thing as Christianity, there is no Buddhism, no Mahayana. There is nothing worthwhile! We must recognize the negative mind for what it is, and then slowly begin to find a solution for the pain it causes ourselves and others. In this way our mind can be brought to a state of everlastingly peaceful realization. If we do nothing to correct our motivation and distorted ways of thinking, then Christmas exists merely for the ego. Although supposedly making a celebration for Jesus, what we are actually doing is completely degenerate.
“Therefore, if you want to come to this Christmas celebration and bring a present, the best present you can bring is a peaceful mind. If you can make such an offering with true love for one another, that is enough. …”
The above excerpt is taken from Mandala December 2006-January 2007.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: lama yeshe
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22
Candy Tan, spiritual program coordinator at Losang Dragpa Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, recently told Mandala about the center’s 15th annual 1K Event, a two-day prayer festival for the public.
Located just 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the heart of the city of Kuala Lumpur, Losang Dragpa Centre (LDC) was first established in 1993 and after a lengthy registration process at the local authorities, was formally registered in 1995 through the kindness of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 1999, Rinpoche was scheduled to visit the center with a rich treasure of holy relics. In an effort to honor the presence of Rinpoche and these sacred jewels, the first One Thousand Offerings to the Buddhas event, now known at the 1K Event, was organized to enable as many people as possible to make connection with Rinpoche and the Dharma. It also had the unexpected but happy result of being a good fundraiser for the center’s activities.
2014 marks the 15th anniversary of LDC’s annual One Thousand Offerings Event as it continues to open doors to our gurus, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Why do we call it the 1K Event? Because LDC offers literally over 1,000 items, including gold leaves, crystal jewels, food, flowers, lights and water in cups and bottles.
Held over a weekend in a public hall, the 1K Event always presents an elaborately decorated stage complete with large Buddha thangkas, long altars with large photos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a teaching throne. There are several altars dedicated to a different buddha, e.g. Medicine Buddha, Tara, Maitreya Buddha, each set up with beautiful offerings. The festival offers a wide range of Dharma activities to suit the various inclinations of the public. For instance, they can elect to participate in a range of activities such as incense puja; Medicine Buddha jangwa for the dead; Chabdu, a cleansing puja to clear health-related obstacles; oral transmissions by the presiding lama; Tara puja; sur offering; light offerings; public talks, etc.
These activities also serve as a platform to offer support to other projects like the Sera Food Fund and the Tsum Project. In more recent years, Sangha members from Kopan have been invited to perform special events like construct mandalas, perform lama dances and conduct house and office pujas upon request.
Presiding lamas of the 1K Event bring blessings and their own brand of grace and skillfulness to their interactions with the public. The late Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lundrup, Dagri Rinpoche, Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi, just to name a few, have been among the high lamas presiding over this event. Their presence has given the Malaysian public a special opportunity to meet the Dharma and create merit.
Although enthusiasm runs high during an event of such a scale, it also means much hard work and has its share of logistical nightmares! Center members and our executive committee volunteer their efforts months ahead in preparation for the event. Amazingly, even non-members, including friends and relatives of members come forward to help!
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
18
Taiwan Organizes First Lam-rim Retreat with Geshe Tsethar
Ven. Thubten Dechen, who interpreted for Geshe Tsethar during FPMT Taiwan’s and Heruka Center’s first jointly organize lam-rim retreat, reports on the special event:
FPMT Taiwan and Heruka Center in Kaohsiung jointly organized its first guided meditation lam-rim retreat during Taiwan’s National Day weekend on October 10-12.
The retreat was held in Zengwen Youth Activity Center, a sanctuary sitting amid a ring of emerald green hills and bordered at one end by the largest dam in the country by volume, the Zengwen Reservoir.
Geshe Tashi Tsethar, resident teacher of Heruka Center, led the retreat which was attended by 46 participants from primarily the southern parts of Taiwan, one third of whom we met for the first time.
Each day of the retreat began with Geshe Tsethar leading us through the practice of the six preparatory practices with steps of meditation and visualization clearly explained in great detail. The rest of the days were then spent, at intervals of an hour or so, in several sessions on the actual lam-rim meditation, prostrations to the 35 Buddhas, Q & A, and tea offering ritual to the protectors.
“One of the most touching facts of this retreat,” Heruka Center’s deputy director Dorothy Hung said, “is that you could see people really trying to help each other, the seniors helping the less experienced, and the younger ones assisting the elderly. You feel the togetherness of this group, and that is very beautiful.”
Many participants commented that they had never heard such lucid explanation on the six preparatory practices, while others mentioned that despite having studied lam-rim repeatedly for years, they had never learned how to put the instructions into practice until they attended this retreat.
Overall the retreat was very successful and beneficial, with many already expressed their wish to attend the next one! This marks an important milestone in FPMT Taiwan’s history – we are now a big step closer to actualizing Rinpoche’s vision in making lam-rim meditation retreat a regular practice in this part of the world!
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
- Tagged: fpmt taiwan
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16
2014 Inspiring Year for Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour
“2014 has been an inspiring year for Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour,” said staff member Michael Fouts. “In Russia, the relics visited Gunzechoinei Datzan which is the oldest temple in St. Petersburg and has hosted teachings from both Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche. More than 3,000 people from many different backgrounds came to be blessed by the relics.
“In Canada, relic exhibitions were held in both Saskatoon and in Toronto where the relics were displayed at the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre. On Sunday morning during the Toronto exhibition, 100 Tibetan children of different ages came to do their weekly meditations and prayers – this time in front of the relics! Many of the children offered khatas to the relics while others made prostrations and circumambulated the altar while praying.
“Recent United States exhibitions included the cities of Des Moines, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Grand Rapids, where 3,000 people from many different walks of life attended. The Grand Rapids exhibition was profoundly moving for many of the local visitors. As Grand Rapids exhibition volunteer Eric Wilkins put it, ‘The relics radiate the very depths of a sacred silence that continues to welcome me home and they sing an ineffable unified chorus throughout my blood, bone and tissues.’
“As the events of 2014 draw to a close, the schedule for 2015 is already brimming full with events in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Vietnam, USA, Mexico, Canada and Colombia. The tour soon enters its 15th year with no end in sight. Please join us in rejoicing and giving thanks to the kindness of Lama Zopa Rinpoche for founding this historic and beneficial tour.”
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*powered by Google TranslateTranslation of pages on fpmt.org is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which FPMT has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content. The translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide.The most happy thing in my life, most fulfilling thing is to work for and to benefit sentient beings. Even just the mere thought to cause happiness to sentient beings, to benefit them, to free them from suffering is the BEST offering to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is the best offering, the best puja; this is what pleases their holy mind most.