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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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We hear religious people talk a lot about morality. What is morality? Morality is the wisdom that understands the nature of the mind. The mind that understands its own nature automatically becomes moral, or positive; and the actions motivated by such a mind also become positive. That’s what we call morality. The basic nature of the narrow mind is ignorance; therefore the narrow mind is negative.
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 Fund News
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Rejoicing in the Progress of Forty-two Foot Stupa in Hunsur, India
Earlier this year we shared the news that a magnificent new forty-two foot stupa was sponsored and being built at Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement in Hunsur, India. We have been supporting an elderly home at this settlement caring for twenty residents since 2015.
We are so pleased to update you that tremendous progress on the stupa is being made. Mantras, relics, and holy images have been acquired to fill this beautiful stupa which will bless the entire settlement, anyone who visits the stupa, and all those who support it.
With holy objects such as statues, stupas and scriptures you do not have to have a mind unstained by anger, ignorance or attachment to create merit. For human beings or even animals, simply seeing the holy object becomes the cause to achieve inconceivable awakening and enlightenment by purifying so many defilements. The special advantage is that just by their existence these holy objects make it easy for us ordinary living beings to create merit. — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Please join us in rejoicing that another holy object is being built in the world which will be such a source of purification and merit for so many and help fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for the FPMT organization and world.
If you would like to contribute to the building of stupas around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Stupa Fund and help ensure that holy object grants like this continue.
- Tagged: elderly home, hunsur, stupa, stupa fund, stupas
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In 2019 we shared Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish to offer 1,000 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his long life on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. The funds for this ambitious project were raised quickly and the statues were created, filled, painted, gold-gilded, all 2,000 eyes carefully opened, and then consecrated. This process took over a year with artists staying at Tushita Meditation Centre to complete. The statues were filled with the appropriate mantras and in January 2020 Rinpoche met with His Holiness in Bodhgaya and formally offered the 1,000 statues. His Holiness immediately started prayers and offered the consecration of all the statues.
Due to pandemic restrictions, there was some delay in getting the physical statues to His Holiness, so they were all carefully boxed and kept dry and safe at Tushita Meditation Centre. In late October 2021, the actual offering was finally arranged, and we are so delighted to report that now all 1,000 Buddhas have been offered.
We would like to offer a heartfelt appreciation and thanks to Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery, especially to Gen Tenpa Choden for working so hard to actualize this amazing offering and also to the director of Tushita, Pema Wangmo, the monks and nuns of Kopan and Gyudmed monasteries, and the artists who worked extremely hard. We also gratefully acknowledge all the donors who made this incredible offering possible.
Please join us in rejoicing in the creation of 1,000 beautiful statues of Buddha for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on behalf of all within the FPMT organization.
To help ensure grants like this continue toward holy objects, all are welcome to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.
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New Ksitigarbha Statue in Nepal Village for Protection and Blessings
Recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche sponsored a beautiful standing Ksitigarbha statue for a remote village in Nepal as protection from disaster and the elements, and for the benefit all of beings. Moved by Rinpoche’s generosity in sponsoring this magnificent holy object for the village, the villagers came together to build a beautiful temple in which to house the statue. The temple has prayer wheels around the outside for anyone to turn and special mandalas and protections on the inside and outside to bless people upon seeing. The statue was filled and blessed at Kopan Monastery before being sent to its final home in the new temple. Monks from Kopan traveled to the village to consecrate the statue and bless the temple.
The bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is relied on to avert danger and purifies obstacles. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has recommended Ksitigarbha mantras and practice to mitigate disasters of the elements such as earthquakes and tsunamis. You can listen to audio of Rinpoche reciting the long mantra of Ksitigarbha.
“Every single holy object is the basis for you to create all the merits that bring every success and pleasure that you experience now, as well causing your future liberation and enlightenment. Whether a person is Buddhist or not, just seeing a holy object allows them to create soooo much merit.” —Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Please enjoy this short video of the consecration:
In this short video you can see the vast and beautiful landscape of the site for the new statue:
Please join us in rejoicing in the creation of this incredible holy object in Nepal!
You can read more about other powerful holy objects that we have sponsored recently.
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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Rejoicing in Offerings to Holy Objects in 2021
When discussing his Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, Lama Zopa Rinpoche said, “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 create extensive merit, which also makes it so easy to achieve the realizations of the path to achieve liberation and enlightenment.” In his March 10 thought transformation teaching, Rinpoche explained that, “Every single holy object is the basis for you to create all the merits that bring every success and pleasure that you experience now, as well causing your future liberation and enlightenment. Whether a person is Buddhist or not, just seeing a holy object allows them to create soooo much merit.”
Further, as Buddhism continues to spread around the world, clear and accurate translations of Buddhist texts, prayers, and teachings—which are also holy objects—are crucial; and distribution of these texts is essential so that interested students can retain access to authentic teachings.
Please find details on how a number of the FPMT Charitable Projects recently supported the creation of holy objects, such as stupas, prayer wheels, and statues; arranged monthly offerings to precious holy objects; and offered grants for the translation, printing, and circulation of Dharma texts.
Stupas
About the benefits of building stupas, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said, “We can build stupas to inspire people without even teaching Dharma. However many hundreds and billions of years the holy object lasts, it continues to liberate many sentient beings every day, freeing them from the lower realms, causing them to actualize the path, liberating them from samsara and bringing them to enlightenment. After we die, even if we are in another universe, in the hell realms or a pure land, wherever we are, the stupa that we built or helped to build, is continually benefiting sentient beings. It is incredible how we can continually benefit sentient beings by building a stupa.”
Mahabodhi Stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, US
On the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Land of Medicine Buddha has been building a 39-foot-tall Mahabodhi Stupa in California for the past seven years. This stupa will be the main attraction of the 100,000 Stupa Project in a beautiful garden featuring an area to meditate, thousands of memorial stupas, places to perform prostrations, and areas with spots for reflection and contemplation. While observing proper protocol for themselves and others during the pandemic, work continued at the Stupa Project in 2020 and is ongoing.
Highlights from the ongoing work include: Artist Gelek Sherpa continued to create and apply decorative panels to the main stupa and is now working on the fifth of the seven levels of the stupa and creating silicone molds, casting cement, and doing finishing artist work; last year the first twenty Kadamapa stupas were placed on the inner mandala wall. In the coming month these stupas will be painted and filled. More than twenty new stupas have been sponsored this year! In 2021, US$25,000 was offered for the stupa and an amazing US$137,743 in total has been offered from the Stupa Fund. You can learn more about this stupa and support it directly.
Thame Stupa
The Thame region of Nepal was seriously damaged during the 2015 earthquake. Almost all the homes in the area were damaged and also a large very precious stupa was destroyed. The monks from Thame Monastery requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s help to rebuild the stupa, as it was the biggest holy object in the region. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was very happy to do this and through the Stupa Fund covered the entire cost of the building of the stupa as well as a large prayer wheel inside and prayer wheels around the stupas. The new stupa stands nearly 46 feet tall with a base measuring 54 feet across, took two years to complete, and is larger than the one which previously stood. This impressive stupa features a large prayer wheel inside making it possible for pilgrims and locals to enter the stupa and spin it to create so much merit, even when the area is covered by snow.
The stupa was to be officially consecrated in June 2021, but unfortunately Lama Zopa Rinpoche was not able to travel there due to the pandemic and restrictions. A smaller consecration occurred, as all the materials had already been prepared, and at the same time Rinpoche offered the puja and prayers and consecrated the stupa from afar at Kopan Monastery.
Prayer Wheels
About prayer wheels, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained, “Prayer wheels are my hobby, there are so many benefits from building prayer wheels. It blesses all the insects on the ground and in the area, this is besides all the people who turn it. It is such a great blessing for the area! It is a quick way to liberate sentient beings from the lower realms, which is where they have been for numberless times, and enlighten them.” Reciting OM MANI PADME HUM as much as possible while turning the prayer wheel is a quick way of enlightening one’s self and others. Just by turning one time provides the benefit of having done many years of retreat, in a few seconds. It is unbelievable purification and one can collect skies of merit. Why? Because, as Rinpoche has explained, you receive the blessings from the heart of Chenrezig, the buddha of compassion. This is a quick way of developing compassion for sentient beings and in this way you can help others develop enlightenment more quickly.
Prayer Wheel Sponsored in Taplejung, Nepal
A new 9-ft high, 6-ft wide prayer wheel is being built in Taplejung, Nepal, for the benefit of all in the area which includes a school for children which the Social Services Fund has recently started supporting, as well as an elderly home for those in advanced age in the community. In 2021, US$30,100 was offered through the Prayer Wheel Fund for the building of the prayer wheel, prayer wheel house, and mantras needed for this project.
Ongoing Offerings to Precious Statues and Stupas
From the Sutra of the Mudra of Developing the Power of Devotion:
The minute you see a holy object you create infinite merit,
So no question, if you actually make prostrations,
Offerings and so forth, you create far greater merit.
Every full moon and on each of the Buddha multiplying days, on behalf of all FPMT, the Puja Fund sponsors the repainting of the Boudhanath and Swayambunath stupas, as well as the best quality cloth to the umbrellas at the pinnacles. Gold and robes are offered to the Jowo Buddha statue in Tibet and robes are offered to the Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. Rinpoche has advised that these important offerings happen for as long as FPMT exists, to generate merit for all those working within the organization and to help ensure the success of all the beneficial activities within FPMT.
Statues
“Just seeing a portrait or statue of Buddha purifies our mind and plants the seed of enlightenment. Whether we are believers or non-believers, we get that benefit, to be free from oceans of samsaric suffering. We have never been free from suffering, since beginningless rebirths up until now, so it gives us that incredibly precious opportunity.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Padmasmabhava Statue at Nalanda Monastery, France
Following the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Nalanda Monastery is building a 1.82 meter (almost 6 feet) statue of Padmasambhava. The statue will be very visible to everyone who visits Nalanda and will be placed above the lake. The Padmasambhava Project for Peace was so happy to offer US$5,000 toward the statue. The total project cost €45,000 and this includes making the statue, gilding it with 24-carat gold, shipping it from Nepal to France, and filling it with mantras and life tree, and building the platform and roof. You can learn more about this statue and donate directly.
108 Aspects of Chenrezig at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered over US$65,340 toward the creation of 108 aspects of Chenrezig, these statues will be three dimensional tiles that are on the walls of the newly built Chenrezig gompa at Kopan Monastery.
Padmasambhava Statue in Maratika, Nepal
A 45-foot tall Padmasambhava statue with a 15-foot tall throne is planned to be built in Maratika, the holy place where Padmasambhava achieved immortality through his practice of Amitayus. This incredible statue will have a gold face, hands, and body. The aspect of this statue is the first manifestation of the Twelve Manifestations of Padmasambhava, Gyalwey Dungdzin (Padma Gyalpo), and is Guru Rinpoche’s magnetizing form. Recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) offered pujas and consecrated the land where the future statue will be built. The construction will take approximately five years.
Texts
Sponsorship of Bengali Translation of Nalanda and the Seventeen Pandits
Through the Education and Preservation Fund we were delighted to sponsor the translation of Nalanda and the Seventeen Pandits from Tibetan to Bengali. The seventeen pandits of Nalanda refers to a grouping of seventeen of the most important and influential Mahayana Buddhist masters from India’s past. Translations like this are instrumental in reviving Mahayana Buddhism in Bengali from where great Buddhist masters like Santaraksita, Atisha, and Santideva were born.
Printing Rare and Precious Heruka Body Mandala Commentary in Tibetan
After many years in process, the two volume commentary on Heruka Body Mandala by His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche has been completed by Geshe Rinchen with a team of Lamas of Sera Mey Monastery! Lama Zopa Rinpoche sponsored the printing of 2,000 copies for free distribution to 20 different monastery libraries in India, which cost over US$20,000. The translation of this commentary was worked on for many, many years and is a tremendous accomplishment.
Writing of the Prajnaparamita
Ven. Tsering has been continually writing out the Prajnaparamita Sutra in gold ink on rainbow paper for more than sixteen years and is working on volume six of twelve. Recently we shared the news that after a ten year pause, Lama Zopa Rinpoche is again writing the 8,000 verse Prajnaparamita Sutra. Two other students in the US and Nepal are also working on writing different volumes of this precious sutra and a monk at Kopan Monastery is also beginning to write it out. Rinpoche has explained that by writing even one word of Prajnaparamita, the teachings on emptiness, you create far greater merit than making skies of offerings to numberless buddhas for many eons. The Prajnaparamita Project offers US$25,000 a year which includes all the costs related such as gold and paper. Recently, Rinpoche shared on video some of the history of this project, the benefits of writing out this most precious sutra, extensive commentary on the incredible benefits of the sutra, the process for doing so, the quality needed in the writing and supplies, and other details related to the process.
Please Rejoice!
Lama Tsongkhapa taught that the best way to collect merit is through rejoicing. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that every time you rejoice in an offering, the construction of a holy object, and in the effort of all those who are working to actualize beneficial activities, the merit doubles. When you rejoice the second time, the merit is multiplied by four. The third time, it is multiplied by eight. It simply makes good sense to incorporate rejoicing into one’s daily practice!
All of these offerings toward the creation and preservation of holy objects as well as the translation and distribution of precious Buddhist texts are made possible by the kindness of so many people who offer support to the Holy Objects Fund, as well as to those who work on building, taking care, and making offerings to the holy objects; translating texts; and through offering service in so many ways to these most powerful and beneficial projects.
All of these offerings are made on behalf of all the FPMT centers, projects, services; and all students, benefactors, and anyone offering service to the FPMT organization.
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: chenrezig statue, Education and Preservation Fund, holy objects fund, mahabodhi stupa, maratika, nalanda monastery, padmasambhava project for peace, padmasambhava statue, taplejung stupa
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Taru Gayphel Tsogspa Animal Welfare Society is an animal care facility located in Taru, Leh, Ladakh. Tsering Dorjay Malik first developed the idea in 2013 to help the animals in the village by drawing inspiration from Buddha’s teachings that every living being has Buddha nature and is deserving of care and kindness.
In the village, abandoned donkeys, cows, and other farm animals were running around loose, many of whom were victims of road accidents or could not find the necessary resources to survive. Taru Gayphel Tsogspa Animal Welfare Society started by rescuing these animals, offering care, and feeding them. In the beginning there were many challenges due to there not being enough food, shelter, and medicine for the animals. Slowly, concerned animal lovers in the area began supporting this project, but even with this interest, and also due to the increasing numbers of animals needing care, the available resources were exhausted and it was not possible to accept more animals.
Currently there are fifty bulls, twenty cows, ten sheep, and five donkeys being cared for at Taru Gayphel Tsogspa Animal Welfare Society, many of these animals have been saved from death and now are able to live the rest of their lives for on the land.
Thanks to the kindness of a generous donor, the Animal Liberation Fund recently offered a grant of US$20,000 for the continual care of all the animals at the facility including for food, medicine, and shelter; and for upkeep of the premises. Some of these funds will also be used for essential needs such as:
- Building ten new animal sheds
- Compound walls for the center which is nearly 54,000 square feet
- Staff accommodation on the premises and salaries for four caretakers
- Medical care for sick and injured animals
- Food for all the animals (the total for this alone is US$59,000 a year)
Additionally, Lama Zopa Rinpoche personally asked that eight stupas (5-feet high) also be built on the land, so that the animals can circumambulate the stupas. Through the Stupa Fund we were very happy to offer the cost for all eight stupas. In this way, we are not only supporting the animals with essential material needs required to live, but also offering Dharma imprints to help purify negativities, create merit, and plant positive seeds for their future lives.
Thank you to all the kind donors of the Animal Liberation Fund and the Stupa Fund who enabled us to make these grants, and benefit over 100 animals.
All are welcome to support the Animal Liberation Fund and Stupa Fund and help ensure beneficial grants like this can continue.
- Tagged: animal care, animal liberation fund, animal rescue, animals, social services fund, stupa fund
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Important Update on the Maitreya Project in Bodhgaya
The creation of Holy Objects for World Peace is an important aspect of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for the FPMT organization. Specifically, Rinpoche envisions the creation of many statues of Maitreya Buddha around the world. Currently, there are two separate FPMT projects to build very large Maitreya Buddha statues in India. One based is in Bodhgaya, Bihar, and one based in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Ven. Roger Kunsang’s CEO letter for this year’s Annual Review was a concise overview of a challenging yet beneficial year for FPMT International Office and the whole FPMT organization. In this letter he shared an important update about the Maitreya Project land in Bodhgaya. We are pleased to share this update with you.
Another major highlight for 2020 is that Lama Zopa Rinpoche could finalize the offering of the Maitreya Project land in Bodhgaya to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is an amazing offering and an incredible achievement for the organization that we can all rejoice in!
The donation of about thirty acres (twelve hectares) of valuable, prime land in Bodhgaya will help fulfill His Holiness’s wish to build an international institute in this most sacred place of Buddhism. His Holiness’s vision is that the institute will share the wisdom of the Nalanda tradition in order to create happiness and peace in the world. The project includes three aspects:
- To create a learning center for studying philosophy of the mind; emotional health; as well as methodology, etymology dialects, and meditation as embodied by Nalanda masters.
- To build a replica of the ancient Nalanda University to connect with Buddhists around the world and bring the world into the “ecosystem” of Bodhgaya.
- To promote the four principal commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, inspired by the Nalanda tradition.
The plan to build a large Maitreya statue at this site has been integrated into the overall vision for His Holiness’s institute. FPMT will continue to sponsor the statue.
Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, the president of the Tibetan government in exile, wrote to me recently, thanking FPMT for the offering of the Maitreya Project land:
“I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to FPMT for offering land to His Holiness the Dalai Lama through the Nalanda Institute of Dalai Lama at Bodhgaya. The institute, as envisioned by His Holiness, will be a secular international institution that will preserve and promote India’s ancient wisdom that flourished at Nalanda University.
“The land offered by FPMT to His Holiness will be specifically used by the institute to provide an opportunity for people from around the world to study His Holiness’s philosophy and vision. The land will host seven core structures, which are the Maitreya statue, a temple, a museum, an international Buddhist library, a meditation center, classrooms, and a state of the art convention hall.”
In January 2020, Rinpoche had an appointment with His Holiness seeking advice on other matters. During the meeting, His Holiness expressed gratitude for the offered land and also for the role Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche have played in establishing the Gelug tradition in the West. His Holiness also praised Rinpoche’s generosity and other qualities as well as the work of the FPMT organization.
What Rinpoche has offered to His Holiness is something that helps to actualize a strong wish of His Holiness. As Rinpoche has taught, fulfilling the wishes of the guru is the most enjoyable thing in life. When Rinpoche told Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) about the donation, she said that offering land to His Holiness for the institute is far more beneficial than building thousands of Maitreya statues. (Of course, we are still going to build Maitreya statues.)
So please rejoice in the merit created by the donation of Maitreya Project land to His Holiness. And also rejoice in the merit generated by all those who have helped with and donated to the Maitreya Project in Bodhgaya over the years. This generosity has created the conditions for Rinpoche’s amazing offering to His Holiness—all of this fulfilling the wishes of our gurus!
You can read Ven. Roger’s full CEO letter in this year’s Annual Review which includes many important and inspiring updates from 2020.
You can read about the many beneficial grants offered through the various funds of FPMT Charitable Projects in this year’s Annual Review.
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: bodhgaya, holy object fund, maitreya buddha project, maitreya buddha project bodhgaya, maitreya project trust, maitreya projects
9
Since 2015, FPMT Charitable Projects has been supporting Rabgayling Old Aged Home in Hunsur, India, which is part of the Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement and serves 20 elderly residents. Over several years, funds have been offered for daily food for the residents, for the annual operating costs of the elderly home, the building of accommodation for the residents, medical needs, and a community hall. Most recently, a 42-foot stupa has been sponsored near the elderly home on the settlement.
This stupa is being built for the all the people in the Tibetan settlement, but in particular for the elders, as it is close to the elderly home and they can circumambulate it without much difficulty. This is an easy way for the elders to collect merit and purify negative karma by going around the hold object.
“Circumambulating holy objects [such as stupas] purifies negative karma collected from beginningless rebirths that are obstacles to happiness—temporary and ultimate happiness—and especially to actualizing all the realizations on the path to enlightenment. And it creates the cause to achieve the path to enlightenment—to actualize the teachings that you have heard and read in your heart.”
— Lama Zopa Rinpoche
This stupa is dedicated to an FPMT nun who passed away. This nun left her assets to FPMT and Lama Zopa Rinpoche wanted to use her offerings in the most beneficial way for her and therefore suggested to build this 42-foot stupa. For as long as the stupa is there, it will continually benefit her, even in her future lives, and all of the elders can use the stupa and it will benefit them. All the funds for the stupa have come from her offerings. Please rejoice!
“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
We are very grateful to Geshe Ngawang Sangye, Ngagramba Lhundrup Tsundu, and the monks of Gyudmed Monastery, who have been arranging all of the mantras for filling this very large stupa.
An original grant of US$99,591 was offered for this project, but recently the project ran over budget due to price increases of materials and supplies, so another grant of US$7,155 has also been offered to bring this project to completion. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown the stupa building had a delayed start. The projected date of completion is now October 2021.
Please rejoice in the progress of this stupa, the huge blessing to the entire area and all those who circumambulate it, as well as the merit generated by anyone who visits or supports this holy object which is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization.
“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
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, hunsur, rabgayling old aged home, stupa, vast visions
22
Center of White Mahakala an FPMT study group in Romania is building a 7.5-foot Kadampa stupa in Tranisu, Transylvania, fifty miles from where the study group is located. This will be the first stupa built in Transylvania!
The final plan is for two retreat cabins to be built on this land. This project will bring immeasurable benefit to the area: people who may not have had an opportunity to engage with holy objects previously will learn what a stupa is, connect to the study group and the land of this holy object, cultivate appreciation for this holy object and retreat space, and everyone in the area will benefit due to the power of the stupa.
The Stupa Fund was delighted to offer US$1,000 toward the completion of this historic holy object that is now in phase two of three phases. Phase three (completion) is anticipated for April 2022.
Included in the work of phase two includes finalizing the architectural and structural drawings of the stupa, rolling all of the mantras for filling the stupa which was undertaken by twelve volunteers, and wealth vases have been ordered from Kopan Monastery. They continue fundraising for this project.
Stupas are powerful symbols of the mind’s limitless potential as they represent the mind of enlightenment. Stupas are filled with sacred images, mantras, and the relics of holy beings. Building or sponsoring a stupa is a very powerful way to accumulate merit and purify negative karma.
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.
—the Sutra of the Mudra of Developing the Power of Devotion
Please join us in rejoicing that Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision for building 100,000 stupas around the world continues toward fruition. We are delighted to participate in offering toward holy object creation around the world including remote areas not previously blessed with such powerful objects of peace.
To learn more about or support this project:
gogetfunding.com/building-the-first-stupa-in-transylvania
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, romania, stupa fund, stupas
10
For the fifth year in a row, a very large thangka of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) was displayed and an auspicious 100,000 tsog offering event (Guru bumtsog) took place at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, Nepal, also known as Kopan Nunnery on January 23, 2020. The thangka, which is 75 feet (23 meters) high and 87 feet (27 meters) wide depicts, in stitched appliqué, the Padmasambhava merit field in the center. Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) attended this offering festival and the monks accompanying her, led the chanting for the puja.
Last year, due to the kindness of a benefactor, the nunnery was able to build a stable permanent structure for displaying the thangka. This will also help protect the thangka long-term and is a lot safer than the previous set up.
Guru Rinpoche is perhaps the most universally cherished realized being in all of Tibetan Buddhism. Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet from India in the 8th century and helped establish a pure lineage which is still practiced today by all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism around the world.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that displaying large thangkas is an auspicious way for anyone in the area to make a Dharma imprint and connection to the deity depicted. “You may think that a statue or thangka is just a statue or thangka,” Rinpoche has said, “but it is the transcendental wisdom of dharmakaya, which understands and directly sees absolute truth, as well as conventional truth.”
Rinpoche also expressed that it is his wish for many FPMT centers to have huge thangkas and once a year to display the thangka and have a festival day for the public based around the holy object. During the festival day, Rinpoche requested for there to be many thousands of offerings in front of the thangka, as well as offering banners. There could be some introduction to Buddhism offered to those in attendance, and then a puja, that is based on the deity of the thangka. Then, people can offer music, dances, and so forth to the thangka (and also for everyone to enjoy). People can also circumambulate the thangka. For example, the center could have a horse and carriage and children can ride along. In this way, even the horse collects merit, as well as any animal that comes on that day and goes around the thangka. This makes their life so meaningful! The main goal is to think that all are offering to Buddha. By offering to Buddha this becomes such a beneficial event.
The Padmasambhava for Peace Project sponsored the puja (offerings, lunch and small offerings to all the Sangha).
Please rejoice in this auspicious yearly event which is fulfilling Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions and has profound effects on those in Nepal and the the entire world.
The Holy Objects Fund offers grants to the creation of holy objects around the world. All are welcome to donate to this fund to ensure grants like this continue long into the future.
4
Namgyal Jyangchub Choeling is a monastery in Boudha, Nepal, established in 2008 by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche who is also the present director. Losang Namgyal Rinpoche studied at Kopan Monastery and is a highly regarded lama of the Tamang people. Namgyal Jyangchub Choeling is a new Rime monastery in the Mahayana tradition, representing and respecting all the traditions of Buddhism. It will be a center of Buddhist study and spirituality for both the monastic Sangha and the lay community and it will also contain a clinic and be the coordination center for outreach Dharma and social work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has offered grants toward different projects and holy objects, such as large stupas, prayerweels and gompas that Losang Namgyal Rinpoche is building in outlaying areas in Nepal. In 2020 Lama Zopa Rinpoche was also very happy to offer a large grant toward the building of four large Buddha statues that will be in the new gompa of Namgyal Jyangchub Choeling and in September Rinpoche visited the new gompa and blessed the statues, that are currently still being built.
“When you see a holy object you should think: All of these holy objects are my root guru who manifested this to liberate me from the lower realms. You should think of the kindness manifesting in every single holy object. Prostrate whenever you see any holy object because it causes you to achieve Buddha’s holy body, speech, mind, and all qualities. Whenever you are in a place with many holy objects, put your hands together while turning your body toward the holy objects and think, I prostrate to all the gurus.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Thank you to all the donors who make it possible to offer these grants and in this way offer substantial help for the continuation of Buddhism throughout Nepal.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund enables Rinpoche’s compassionate service to others to flourish. All the offerings from the fund are used toward the creation of holy objects and extensive offerings around the world; sponsoring young tulkus, high lamas and Sangha in India, Nepal, Tibet and the West; supporting FPMT centers, projects and services and sponsoring Dharma retreats and events.
25
Land of Medicine Buddha’s 100,000 Stupa Project Progresses
On the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) has been building a 39-foot-tall Mahabodhi Stupa in California for the past six years. This stupa will be the main attraction of the 100,000 Stupa Project in a beautiful garden featuring an area to meditate, thousands of memorial stupas, places to perform prostrations, and areas with spots for reflection and contemplation.
“Because we can’t see the Buddha now directly, this is something substantial that we can see, a manifestation of Buddha’s holy mind. It becomes so easy for us to purify and create merit with such holy objects. Even insects are able to purify negative karma and collect merit and create the cause to achieve enlightenment. Anyone who sees, touches, dreams of, or thinks of this stupa plants the seed of enlightenment and becomes meaningful to behold. In the Buddha’s teachings, it says that the benefits of making holy objects are like the sky.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The 100,000 Stupa Project progressed over several identified goals over 2019:
- Main Stupa: Master artist Gelek Sherpa continues to apply decorative panels to the main stupa and decorative aspects to the four corner stupas.
- Mandala Wall #1: The construction team built the first of three mandala walls that surround the main stupa. These mandala walls will be adorned with thousands of stupas: large and small.
- Garden: They continued to care for and refine the vision the 100,000 Stupa Project Japanese inspired gardens. Volunteers planted trees that were sponsored by individuals and an automatic irrigation was installed.
- Kadampa Stupas: Following advice received from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in August 2019 they began building Kadampa Stupas (3 ft tall). These large stupas will be placed along the top of the first mandala wall. Sponsorship of these stupas is now open.
While observing proper protocols for safety of themselves and others due to the COVID-19 pandemic, progress has continued in 2020:
- Main Stupa: Gelek Sherpa continues to create and apply decorative panels to the main stupa.
- Mandala Wall #1: They continue with refinements to the first mandala wall, finalizing the finishing plaster work.
- Garden/grounds: More trees were planted this year, dozens of shrubs in the garden; and expanded the drip irrigation system. The team at LMB reports that this year seasonal flowers in the gardens were “brilliant, brimming with colorful flower offerings.”
- Stupas: They are close to placing the first twenty Kadamapa stupas on the inner mandala wall. Efforts have gone into building, painting, and filling these stupas. Many people have secured sponsorships for these large stupas, one person is sponsoring seven for family members. As soon as funding allows, they will place a large order for thousands of smaller stupas to be placed in the mandala walls. These small stupas will be manufactured in Asia and will be available for sponsorship as soon as possible.
Land of Medicine Buddha continues to offer sponsorship opportunities for stupas and aspects of the garden. These directed campaigns are the only fundraising being undertaken by the center in 2020. They have deferred more formal fundraising efforts until the center has recovered financially from the impact of the pandemic on general operating funds.
“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
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Holy Objects Fund, has been happy to offer over US$187,053 to this incredible project. We invite you to rejoice in the ongoing progress of this beneficial stupa.
The Holy Objects Fund offers grants to the creation of holy objects around the world. All are welcome to donate to this fund to ensure grants like this continue long into the future.
- Tagged: kadamap stupa, land of medicine buddha, stupa
22
An Update on the Incredible Thame Stupa Project
The Mount Everest region of Thame, Nepal, is a special place for FPMT. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born there and it is located near Lawudo which was the home of Rinpoche’s previous incarnation. Many Kopan monks are also from Thame.
The Thame region was seriously damaged during the 2015 earthquake. Almost all the homes in the area were damaged or completely destroyed and several people died. During the destruction, a large very precious stupa was destroyed. The monks from Thame Monastery requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s help to rebuild the stupa, as it was the biggest holy object in the region. Lama Zopa Rinpoche through the Holy Objects Fund was very happy to offer a substantial grant for a new stupa to be built. The new stupa, which stands nearly 46 feet tall with a base measuring 54 feet across, took two years to complete and is larger than the one which previously stood. This impressive stupa features a large prayer wheel inside making it possible for pilgrims and locals to enter the stupa and spin it to create so much merit, even when the area is covered by snow.
Another grant was recently offered from the Holy Objects Fund toward the stupa project for the filling of the prayer wheel with mantras, and adding the auspicious artwork inside the stupa, which Rinpoche has been providing guidance on.
Enjoy this short video of the impressive Thame Stupa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd-M6FoQ3B4&feature=youtu.be
Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained in a recent thought transformation teaching that one collects incalculable merit from seeing a holy object, even without devotion due to the power of the merit field. And by making offerings to a holy object, one won’t be reborn in the lower realms for 84 million eons.
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 object, nepal, stupa, thame
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