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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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Cherishing others opens the door to every happiness for self and others.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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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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Charitable Activities
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Due to the kindness of very generous donors, the Holy Objects Fund has invested US$61,600 in gold leafing for 31 statues of the incarnations of Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche. The 31st incarnation of this lama who passed away in 2011, was revered as one of the most learned and respected living masters of the Nyingma tradition and is one of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachers and one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus.
These statues will live at Maratika Monastery, the small monastery built adjacent to the entrance of Maratika Cave. This holy site is where Padmasambhava achieved immortality.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has a strong connection with the Maratika Lama, Khenpo Karma Wangchuk, who takes care of the area. The Maratika Lama is the son of Lama Ngawang Chophel, who was a close disciple of the Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s previous incarnation. (For more on this important pilgrimage site, see “The Caves of Maratika,” published in Mandala June-July 2008.)
Trulshik Rinpoche included this in his verses of praise, “The Vajra Song Melodiously
Praising Maratika”
I, an ordinary person cannot express this Place in mere words
No one can deny the truly powerful blessing of this Place
By the prophesy of the all pervading two great Terton Lords
And the prayers from past life karmic connections
Amitayus, Protector of Boundless Life and Wisdom
Shakyamuni, Excellent Refuge Buddha
And Padmasambhava, the Saviour of the Dark Age
Consecrated and established the Maratika Monastery.
Please rejoice in the creation of these statues and the continued support FPMT is able to offer to Maratika Monastery.
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, maratika, maratika cave, maratika monastery
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The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund is now offering support to the sixty-two monks of Zigar Thupten Shedrupling Institute, a Kagyu monastery located in Darjeeling, India.
The monastery sent a letter of thanks and praise to Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
Today on this special day of Sutra and Tantra
To you who is illuminator of nonsectarian Buddha’s teaching: Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, for a long time you have generated the holy wish for the teachings of the Buddha and for migratory beings. It has now ripened into fruition, due to the conjunction with noble dependent arising of karma and prayers. By providing livelihood conditions to the Sangha who are engaged in the three activities of study, contemplation, and meditation practice on the teachings of the Buddha.
In the Araya land of Darjeeling’s Thubten Shedub Ling Institution for higher study, we are indebted to the incredible kindness of your holy deeds, and this cooperative condition. Today on the third month of the 15th day of the Tibetan calendar, we have started the needed facilities and food offering to the Sangha. Currently there are 62 Sangha residents who are part of Shedra study discipline, likewise there are one to two new admissions each month.
On behalf of all who are part of the team of Dzigar Shedra monastery’s well-wishers, in and outside, and all the lamas, tulkus, monks, nuns, and the public — We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. To you, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, and the FPMT organization, staff, and followers under your guidance:
May all your holy wishes for the scriptural and realized teachings of the Buddha, which is the source of all help and happiness, be spread widely and remain for a long time in this universe.
May all the holy beings who practice and preserve the teachings have long lives and may all their holy wishes be fulfilled as they wish. Especially Rinpoche, may you live long and may all your holy activities and deeds spread extensively. Today at the Shedar we offer incense offering through the ritual of Tashi Rekong (Fulfilling Wishes of Auspiciousness) and make heartfelt requests to The Three Supreme Ones and the Three Roots. May all come true as requested.
Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, the source of all the help and happiness
With willpower of tolerance to lift up very high
You are empowered with extraordinary thought and bodhichitta
Glorifying the nonsectarian teachings
May you live long.
This year, the grant for food was US$14,432. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, has pledged US$200,000 for this monastery. About offering food to Sangha, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said:
The ultimate point is that this offering also benefits all the six-realm sentient beings. Any practice that the Sangha do in the monastery, they do for all the six-realm sentient beings, to benefit them. Every sadhana or practice starts with the motivation for “mother sentient beings,” which means all the six-realm sentient beings.
Every dollar offered – even just one dollar, even the smallest amount of money offered – has all these benefits. And the benefits go to all sentient beings: every mosquito, every fish, every pitiful chicken that is taken by a truck to be killed, every sentient being in numberless universes receives these benefits.
Please rejoice in this ongoing offering of support to the monks of Zigar Thupten Shedrupling Institute.
If you want to help Sangha, please learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries around the world.
2
Saka Dawa is the most important Tibetan Buddhist festival day, celebrating Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. Buddhists around the world engage in many auspicious and merit-making activities such as sponsoring or engaging in beneficial pujas, practices, and prayers; and making extensive offerings to teachers, holy objects, and auspicious charitable activities. This year, Saka Dawa took place on June 17.
Each year on Saka Dawa and other Buddha multiplying days, as well as other auspicious days of the Tibetan calendar, the FPMT Puja Fund sponsors prayers, pujas, and offerings around the world.
Please rejoice in the following activities that were sponsored this year on Saka Dawa!
Pujas Offered by Over 15,650 Ordained Sangha
- Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions) read by the 650 monks of Gyurme Tantric College.
- Recitation of the 100,000 Praises to 21 Taras offered by 400 nuns of Kopan Nunnery.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, and Zangcho offered by 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by 3,400 monks of Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog and Zangcho offered by 4,200 monks of Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monasteries.
- Namgyäl Tong Chö and Zangcho offered by 600 monks of Gyuto Tantric Colleges.
- Druk Ch Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 370 monks of Kopan Monastery.
- Making and filling of stupas and lunch offering to participants at Chenrezig Institute, Australia.
Offerings are made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, such as:
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
- Jhado Rinpoche
- Khongla Rato Rinpoche
Offerings are made to over 15,650 Sangha at:
- Sera Je and Sera Mey Monastery
- Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monastery
- Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monastary
- Gyurme and Gyuto Tantric College
- Kopan Monastery and Nunnery
Offerings are made to Sangha at IMI communities:
- Nalanda Monastery, France
- Thubten Shedrup Ling, Australia
- Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy
- Chenrezig Institute, Australia
Offerings Made to Holy Objects in Nepal, India and Tibet:
- Bouddhanath and Swayambunath stupas: Offering white wash and four giant saffron flower petals and new umbrellas to the stupas’ pinnacles
- Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple: Offering a new set of robes of the most precious material
- Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokang: Offering gold to the holy body of the Jowo Buddha
Extensive offerings (water, lights, fruit) were also made in all the FPMT centers around the world, as well as many recommended prayers, practices and activities.
The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche so that beneficial prayers and pujas on holy days, as well as other occasions, can be offered and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors, and those serving the organization in any way.
All are welcome to participate in all of this beneficial activity by rejoicing in this incredible list of activities. All are also welcome to donate any amount to the many prayers, practices, and offerings sponsored by the Puja Fund so that this activity can continue far into the future.
Extensive prayers, practices, and offerings will be sponsored during the next Buddha multiplying day, Chokhor Duchen, which takes place this year on August 4.
Learn more about the Puja Fund or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
- Tagged: fpmt puja fund, saka dawa
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Goats Liberated and Sponsored in Maratika, Nepal
In 2016 Lama Zopa Rinpoche saved three goats that were destined to be killed in Maratika, Nepal. The goats were blessed and offered animal liberation practice which includes various mantras, beneficial prayers, tying blessed red cloth around their necks, and several dedication prayers. Since then, another goat has been been liberated in dedication of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life. The goats are cared for by Poojari, who has been looking after liberated goats for high lamas for many years and was formerly the caretaker of Maratika Cave. The animals live in town, go out to pasture during the day, and are often seen at the cave. They are fed well, get medical attention when needed, and prayers are done for them.
The Animal Liberation Fund offered a grant of US$1,090 this year in support of these goats and continued support will be offered for the duration of the goats’ lives.
Animal liberation practice is an incredible practice for anyone who has illnesses or is experiencing life obstacles. FPMT Education Services makes available many resources for those wishing to engage in this practice.
Please rejoice in the ongoing support to these animals who were not only saved from death, but are continually being blessed and cared for so that positive imprints are made in their minds, contributing to a more fortunate rebirth.
All are welcome to contribute to the Animal Liberation Fund to help ensure that our work sponsoring animal liberations around the world continues.
- Tagged: amimal liberation, goats, maratika, maratika cave
18
Continued Investment in the Geluk International Foundation
For the second year in a row, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund has invested in the Geluk International Foundation which was established to preserve and promote Buddhist heritage in general and the Gelug tradition in particular. This year, approximately US$18,000 was offered toward the foundation’s expenses.
This foundation was established as result of the aspirations and vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Gaden Tri Rinpoche, and various important senior Gelug masters and leaders, in order to insure coordination, cooperation, management, and organized continuity of the precious Gelug tradition.
The vision of the foundation is to promote, propagate, develop, enrich, and preserve the Gelug tradition established by Lama Tsongkhapa. The goal is to unite and harmonize all Gelug monasteries and Dharma centers throughout the world under a single umbrella in order to improve and maintain coordination, cooperation, development, function, and friendship.
Member monasteries include: Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo, Sera Mey, Sera Je, Rato, Namgyal, Gaden Jangtse,Gaden Shartse Norling, Drepung, Drepung Loseling, and Drepung Gomang.
Geluk International Foundation Current Accomplishments
- Construction of headquarters has been completed.
- Revisions of the directives of monasteries of Gelug tradition have been completed, published, and circulated.
- GOLDEN KEY: a Clear Presentation of Truth and Falsehood about Dholgyal through Quotes and Reasoning, was recently published.
- Offerings, rituals, and prayers were organized in Dharamsala, June 2015, for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Please rejoice in another year of sponsorship to the Geluk International Foundation which is a tremendous investment in the future and preservation of the Gelug tradition, and an offering of support toward His Holiness’s wishes for a unified tradition.
You can learn more about the activities of this foundation and read news updates about current events and support the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund to ensure that grants like this can continue into the future.
11
Supporting Elderly Tibetans through the Social Services Fund
In recent years, due to the kindness of benefactors, the FPMT Social Services Fund has been able to offer support to elderly homes in India caring for Tibetans of advanced age who have no access to other means of support. Offering these grants to elderly homes is one way to help repay the kindness and bravery of the Tibetan people. There are many Tibetan elders in the exile community who have either been rendered destitute or whose families are not capable of taking care of them due to dire circumstances. In 2019 we were so happy to offer grants to five elderly homes and directly benefit to 370 elders.
In total, US$287,085.23 was offered in 2019.
This is the fourth year that FPMT has been offering substantial support to elderly homes in India. Without these homes, many elderly first-wave Tibetan refugees have very little prospect of accommodation or support as many are without families of their own.
We invite you to rejoice in some details about each of the homes we supported in 2019.
Jampaling Elder’s Home, Dharamsala
Providing care to 124 destitute elders, this home offers accommodation, medication, monthly pocket money, and supplemental nutrition. The residents normally wake up at 5 a.m. and are served fresh tea and then set out on their morning walk then congregate at the prayer hall at 6 a.m. to perform daily prayers for about an hour before breakfast. Until lunch they spend leisure time reciting prayers and circumambulating the temple and large prayer wheel as well as engage in chores they enjoy such as clean and planting beautiful flowers around the home. We provided a grant for the shortfall of this home’s annual operating budget.
Lugsam Samduling Home for the Aged and Disabled, Bylakuppe
This home has 36 elders including one resident who is 96 years of age. This year we provided a grant for the shortfall of annual operating budget for 2018 and 2019, plus new cushions and chairs and curtains needed on the premises.
Mundgod Home for the Elderly and Disabled, Mundgod
This home has 86 elders, some of which are HIV +, have cancer, psychiatric problems, diabetics, and/or chronic arthritis. A lot of the annual expenses are medical. This year we offered a grant toward their corpus fund which pays some of their annual operating budget. They are fundraising for this fund so that in the future it will fully support the operating costs of the home from the interest. We also offered another grant toward annual expenses, that they were not able to cover.
Hunsur Old Aged Home, Hunsur, Gurupura
This home provides accommodation for 20 elders, the eldest is 94 years old. This year we offered a grant toward this home’s annual operating budget shortfall.
Dhondenling Old Age Home, Kollegal
30 residents ranging in age from 59-96 receive care at this home. A grant was offered this year which went toward food, medical expenses, gas, staff expenses, and pocket money for the elders.
Tremendous thanks to all who make these grants to those in dire need possible by offering support to the Social Services Fund.
Since 2015 we have offered $819,671.76 directly to support Tibetan elder homes and communities in India
FPMT Charitable Projects is honored to support the homes of the eldest and destitute Tibetan refugees. Please consider supporting the Social Services Fund.
- Tagged: dhondenling old people home, doeguling home for elderly and disabled, elderly, elderly home, jampaling elders home, lugsam samduling home for the aged and disabled, rabgayling tibetan family welfare association, tibetan refugees
4
Namche Stupa and Mani Park Completed in Namche Bazaar, Nepal
In 2016, the Holy Objects Fund offered a substantial grant to the Namche Stupa and Mani Park, a project in Namche Bazaar, Nepal, located in the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ). The grant was used for five prayer wheels filled with mantras, which are turned by flowing water, thus blessing all of the water used throughout the entire park. This project also includes a restored stupa that was damaged in the 2015 earthquake. In May, the park was completed and an auspicious inauguration was attended by many.
Namche Bazaar, locally known as “Nauje” is the gateway to Khumbu (Mt. Everest region). This small town is a tourist and trading hub and a popular resting stop, especially for altitude acclimatization. It is also a junction from where different Everest region trekking routes diverge.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche wrote a letter explaining the benefits of this new park:
“This is an incredible great gift to make the prayer wheel that purifies the “digpa” negative karma of so many beings so that they get a higher rebirth. For a prayer wheel turned by water… The Tsogshin, the life tree inside, should go underneath to have a connection to the wheel. The water that turns the wheel gets blessed, by the how many million or hundred thousand mantras in the prayer wheel. So that blessed water goes down and joins the river, and gets bigger and bigger, and finally goes to the ocean.
“That blessed water spreads in all the waters that go to the ocean, so suffering, obscurations, and negative karma “Digpa” are purified for numberless sentient beings and all kinds of fish, mammals, and insects. When they die they may get a higher rebirth and hopefully meet the Dharma. So rejoice, now the prayer wheel is not one, but five. This brings unbelievable benefit.”
You can read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s full letter here.
Please rejoice in the inauguration of this beautiful new park which will bring so much benefit to residents of Namche Bazaar and tourists alike due to the incredible power of the prayer wheels and stupa.
You can read more about the architecture of this park in Spaces Nepal.
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, namche bazaar, namche stupa, namche water park, prayer wheel fund, prayer wheels, stupa, stupa fund
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Every year the best scholars from the main Gelug monasteries come together for the annual Gelug Examination. This year, which is an annual custom, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund offered US$20,955 for daily food, travel expenses, and for teacher stipends for the main teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition. 864 monks participated in this year’s exam at Sera Lachi, South India, in September.
Stipends were offered to the 128 current abbots, past abbots, and main teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition. This small offering of money supports these teachers’ basic needs and allows them to be able to focus more of their time on transmitting Dharma to their students at the monasteries and strengthening their own practices.
The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund would like to congratulate all the monks for their successful completion of this challenging event. Due to the grant offered each year from this fund, all qualified monks are able to participate in the debate and examination, rather than being exempt due to prohibitive costs.
For twenty years, FPMT has been sponsoring this important event. Please rejoice in this ongoing support to past, present, and future teachers of the Gelug tradition.
Since its inception, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, an extension of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, has supported senior teachers each year of the main Gelug monasteries, plus hundreds of monks attending the traditional winter debate and annual Gelug exam.
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Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund Invests in Nuns’ Education
For the second time, the annual Nuns’ Jang Guncho (annual winter debate session) was held at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery (Kopan Nunnery), in Kathmandu, Nepal, from October 3-November 3, 2018. Approximately 710 nuns, 17 teachers, and some lay women from ten nunneries in India and Nepal gathered for one month-long training session in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, was happy to offer food for one day of this event plus a small cash offering for each participant.
The first Nuns’ Jang Guncho took place in Dharamsala, India, in 1995 and provides an opportunity for nunneries to gather together to train in and practice debate. This is an incredible opportunity for the nuns to receive such a valuable and thorough education, an opportunity that was previously not offered.
After the conclusion of the Nuns’ Jang Guncho, a two-day celebration was observed for the Geshema Damcha, the final step in the geshema ceremony rituals. Every nun from each nunnery debated five major texts of Buddhist philosophy during the celebration. Two Kopan nuns are already geshemas from Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery and four more will become geshemas in 2020 after successful completion of two more exams.
Please rejoice that this annual event, which for centuries was only available to monks, continues to take place and bring together so many nuns in such a beneficial way.
You can read more about the 2018 Nuns’ Jang Guncho and firsthand details of the event from participating Kopan nuns.
Please learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries around the world.
- Tagged: khachoe ghakyil ling, kopan nunnery, nunnery, nuns
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“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
Land of Medicine Buddha is building a 39-foot-tall Mahabodhi Stupa in California on the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. This stupa will be the main attraction in a beautiful offering garden featuring an area to meditate, thousands of memorial stupas, places to perform prostrations, and ponds with spots for reflection.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche through the FPMT Stupa Fund has offered over US$100,000 toward this stupa project to date including a grant toward the creation of a life-size Buddha statue that will live in the alcove of the stupa. This statue, which took two years to complete, was made in Nepal by an extremely talented statue maker. About this statue, project manager Denice Macy said, “The engraving and detail on the statue is phenomenal. There are auspicious symbols on the arms and knees and finely detailed designs on the robes. When I wrote Ven. Roger after it came, I said, ‘Our minds are blown.’ That’s the closest I could come in my limited vocabulary to expressing my feeling. We are profoundly honored by how, since the very beginning, Rinpoche has been right there, engaged in every way, in bringing an inspiring holy object to our land. When people walk up the hill, they will first see the stupa, and then they will look into the alcove and see the statue in there and will be blown away.”
After installing a new entrance to the stupa project received a final approval from the County of Santa Cruz. This was a major milestone.
Grading around the stupa, which refines the site for beginning the garden layout has been completed and a deer fence was installed so that the garden would be protected from the deer which share Land of Medicine Buddha’s 108 acres.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited the stupa site in August 2018 and provided more advice on the layout of the grounds and decoration of the Mahabodhi stupa. Rinpoche stressed to Denice the importance of keeping the project moving along at a good pace. “We need to finish this because we might die, then the project might not be finished.” Rinpoche also met with Gelek, Land of Medicine Buddha’s resident artist and gave advice and instruction.
In April the team broke ground on the first of the walls of a dharmakaya mandala that will surround the stupa. Several sizes of smaller stupas will be placed in niches and on top of the mandala walls once the mandala walls are completed. These stupas will fulfill the center’s 100,000 Stupa Project which will be sponsored and/or dedicated by individuals around the world.
On May 19th Land of Medicine Buddha will begin accepting sponsorship of the gardens. A total of 23 trees will be planted at the site including: Weeping Cherry, Japanese Maple, Mimosa, Black Pine, Dogwood, Redbud, Flowering Plum, Hinoki Cypress, and Cryptomeria Japonica.
Please rejoice in the progress of this incredible stupa which helps fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision for the FPMT organization to build 100,000 large stupas around the 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.
- Tagged: land of medicine buddha, stupa, stupa fund
7
Every month on the full moon as well as on all four great Buddha multiplying days, the Puja Fund sponsors a new set of robes made of high quality material for the precious Buddha statue inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, India. Root Institute kindly organizes this every month.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche frequently quotes Buddha’s teachings on the subject of offering to statues:
Any sentient being who, during the period of my teachings, makes charity well
(even if the material is the size of a hair),
For 80,000 eons there will be great results of great enjoyment:
No pain, no disease, and enjoyment of happiness.
Like that, one will be enriched with the desirable things.
At the end, you can actually achieve the result: the peerless cessation and completion (enlightenment).
Verse of OfferingRobes
By offering these soft, light, divine clothes
With indestructible faith in
Those who have attained the adamantine holy body,
May I also achieve the vajra holy body.
Various garments that are strong like a bow string and extremely fine,
Whoever touches them experiences bliss,
To train my mind, I offer these precious, quality clothes
May I be adorned by the pure robes of patience.
Please rejoice in this monthly offering. This is something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer yourself, dedicate toward, and participate in by donating any amount.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
- Tagged: holy object, mahabodhi stupa, puja fund
30
Recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche arranged for several practices, sponsored by the Puja Fund, for the long life of Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la).
57,232 animals were liberated by the Sangha at Kachoe Dechen Ling in California, and Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State. These animals were offered extensive prayers and blessed water before being released. Additionally, the Kangyur was recited by Drati Khagten; and Lama Zopa Rinpoche led extensive Medicine Buddha Puja at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, four mandala offering pujas to Tara, and later on led Lama Chöpa Tsog with 3,000 tsog offerings dedicated to Khadro-la’s health and long life. During Lama Chöpa Rinpoche movingly spoke extensively about the incredible qualities of Khadro-la, and explained some of her extraordinary activities.
This is one way that the Puja Fund is able to benefit our kind teachers. Thanks to all for continued support to this fund, please rejoice in these practices done for Khadro-la’s long life and may she remain among us for a very, very long time.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
- Tagged: khandro kunga bhuma, long life, puja fund
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