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Obituaries
Lama Zopa Rinpoche requested that “students who read these obituaries pray that the person mentioned finds a perfect human body, meets a Mahayana guru, and becomes enlightened quickly, or be born in a pure land where the teachings exist and they can become enlightened.” Reading these obituaries also gives us an opportunity to reflect on death and impermanence and to make the determination to live life in the most meaningful way. Rinpoche continuously reminded us to meditate on death and impermanence in order to motivate ourselves to practice Dharma right now! If we put off Dharma practice for when we are older or less busy, we assume that we will wake up tomorrow morning, and there is no promise of this.
More advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on death and dying is available, see Death and Dying: Practices and Resources. To submit an obituary for an FPMT student, please see our obituary submission guidelines.
Reminiscences of the late Venerable Thubten Gelek (Max Redlich)
Venerable Thubten Gelek (Max Redlich) passed away on November 26, 2023 in New Delhi, India. Venerable Gelek, born July 13, 1944, was an IMI sangha member who offered many decades of service to the Dharma, starting in the early years ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Sim Hong Boon: An Enduring Legacy
Sim Hong Boon passed away of cancer on August 13, 2023 at age 76 in Singapore. Sim Hong Boon was a longtime member of the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors and helped the Maitreya Project. He was an ardent supporter ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Venerable Jangchup Phegey: His Door Was Always Open
Venerable Jangchup Phegey passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 25th 2023. Written by Jacob Lindsley Ven. Jangchup leaves behind a life of Dharma practice, friendship, and service. Born Hawkins Mitchell in San Diego, California, Ven. Jangchup earned a ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Arunas Antanaitis, Longtime Director of Lama Yeshe Ling
Arunas Antanaitas, 62, passed away peacefully on Vesak, May 5, 2023 in Dundas, Ontario, Canada, of cancer. Arunas had embarked on his cancer journey 17 months prior with grace, dignity, and a contagiously positive outlook. His last days were filled ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of David Williams, A Hidden Gem of a Practitioner
David Williams passed away at the age of 65 years in his room at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia on January 25, 2023. Ian Green, the director of the Great Stupa, reflects some on David’s life ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of the 102nd Ganden Tripa Rizong Rinpoche: Representing the Pinnacle of the Sutra and Tantra Traditions
The 102nd Ganden Tripa Rizong Rinpoche, one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, passed away on December 8, 2022 at Drepung Monastery, Karnataka, India, at age 94. Ganden Trisur Rizong Sras Rinpoche was born in Ladakh, India in 1928, to an ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Geshe Thubten Soepa: Protecting the Helpless
Geshe Thubten Soepa. 67, passed away at a hospital in Mysore, India, on November 2, 2022 from a heart attack. Geshe Soepa was well regarded as a scholar with extensive knowledge about both sutra and tantra, and not only well ... Read more »
Bearing the Pain for Others: Rejoicing in the Life of Jody Galt
Jo Marie Galt, 71, died in Santa Cruz, US, on September 1, of cardiac arrest resulting from various contributing health factors. By Elaine Jackson Jo Marie Galt (Jody) was loved by her Dharma family at Vajrapani Institute where we met ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Gen Ngawang Namgyal
Gen Ngawang Namgyal died in Kathmandu, Nepal, on July 5, 2022. Gen Ngawang Namgyal was one of the first monks at Lawudo and Kopan Monastery. Before his passing on July 5, Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited him at Karuna Hospital, offering ... Read more »
Khyongla Rato Rinpoche Passes Away
We are saddened to share the news that Khyongla Rato Rinpoche peacefully passed away in Dharamsala, India, on May 24, 2022. Khyongla Rato Rinpoche was a reincarnate lama and scholar of the Gelugpa order of Tibetan Buddhism, who was born ... Read more »
Rejoicing in the Life of Dr. Giorgio Armato: A Man of Few Words and Many Actions
Dr. Giorgio Armato, 74, died at home in Genoa, Italy, on January 21, of cancer. Dr. Giorgio Armato graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Genoa, Italy, and specialized in oncology. He met Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1975 ... Read more »