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Holy Objects
Rendering of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Stupa of Complete Victory.
We are sharing big news about the undertaking of a new project: The Stupa of Complete Victory for Lama Zopa Rinpoche. This magnificent stupa will be 42 ft high (12.8 meters) and is being built at Kopan Monastery and is dedicated to the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
The intention is to create a significant monument situated on ground level covering an area of 180 square ft (55 square meters) and a semi-basement level spanning 715 square feet (218 square meters) and we are currently in the planning stage of this project.
The stupa will be located on the northeast side of the Stupa Garden at Kopan Monastery where the stupas of Geshe Lama Konchog and Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundup are situated. This stupa will be facing exactly mid-way between Swayambhunath stupa and Boudhanath stupa. While maintaining the vastness of Kopan’s beautiful gardens, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s stupa will be built from the level below thus enlarging the whole area and enabling for two retreat rooms under the stupa. The architect working on this project has integrated the circumambulation path to go around all three stupas and incorporating the whole area as a place for purification and creating merit.
Please watch a short video of this project to help visualize the overall vision:
Currently, we are in the process of determining the cost of all the holy objects that will be placed inside the stupa as well as collecting them. These objects include, but are not limited to, the Tengyur and Kangyur, the life tree – that goes in the center of the stupa, forty trillion mantras inscribed on nano technology film, and various other sacred items.
His Eminence Zong Rinpoche recently came to Kopan Monastery to offer prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the 49th day of Rinpoche showing the aspect of passing, he kindly offered guidance regarding the type of stupa to build. Zong Rinpoche advised for it to be a Stupa of Complete Victory, which represents the victory of Buddha over the mara of death.
Rendering of the placement in Kopan’s garden of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Stupa of Complete Victory.
The estimated construction cost of just the stupa monument is approximately US$459,252. This estimation was provided by one of the local Nepali architectural companies and includes the architectural plan. The major expenses involved in this estimate are related to the civil works required to prepare the ground and construct the main body of the stupa, as well as the landscaping, totaling US$272,699. Additionally, the estimate covers expenses for decorative painting, ornamentation works, the construction and installation of 32 small stupas around the perimeter, as well as scaffolding.
The actual building of the stupa will start on an auspicious day and as the project moves forward, we will provide updates to keep you informed of any developments, needs or milestones reached.
May this stupa quickly create the cause for the swift return of our precious Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for all his wishes to be actualized exactly as planned.
To learn more about this project and offer support: https://fpmt.org/projects/fpmt/lzr-complete-victory-stupa/
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.
Kopan geshes offering buddha statues to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
We have incredibly joyous news to share! Last week the remaining 458 Buddha statues from the 1,000 Buddha statues that were made for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and offered during the long life puja in May 2023 have all now been offered. Please rejoice!
In early September a number of Kopan geshes traveled to Tushita Meditation Centre in McLeod Ganj to receive the remaining 458 statues that were coming overland by truck from Nepal, where they had been made.
Once all the statues arrived the Kopan geshes, with great care and joyfulness, filled each of the 458 statues and then consecrated the statues and re boxed them so they could be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Once all the 458 statues were all completed the geshes went to His Holiness’s private office to find out the best way to offer the 458 statues and they received the incredible news that they could each offer a statue directly to His Holiness, as a representation of the 458 statues, the next day. The geshes made this incredible offering on behalf of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT the following day. The remaining statues were brought down in a truck.
Kopan geshes offering buddha statues to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche mentioned that he wanted the offering of Buddha statues to be ongoing, even after these 1,000 statues are offered. We are looking forward to trying to fulfil this request, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers the statues to visitors and dignitaries and Lama Zopa Rinpoche wanted to be able to provide these auspicious offerings, for as long as possible, to His Holiness.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible to make this precious offering on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s behalf and please join the entire FPMT community in this huge rejoicing.
You can read more about the inspiring history of this project: fpmt.org/projects/fpmt/holy-objects-fund/one-thousand-buddhas
Photos of the May 2023 long life puja offered by the FPMT organization can be seen here: www.dalailama.com/pictures/long-life-prayer-offered-by-fpmt
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa at Lawudo in process.
Anila Ngawang Samten, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s sister, is constructing an eight level, 12-foot high and 11-foot wide Victory Stupa at Lawudo Gompa, Nepal, for the swift return and success of all Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT’s projects.
We are so pleased to share an update on this stupa from Ven. Nyima Tashi Sherpa, a relative of Lama Zopa Rinpoche; and Ven. Tsultrim, a Swiss nun who has been at Lawudo since Spring 2022.
The Victory Stupa at Lawudo Gompa is being constructed according to the profound visionary instructions of Trulshik Rinpoche and carries significant implications for the global FPMT community, as well as for all sentient beings.
Ani Ngawang Samten has been unwavering in her dedication to preserve Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s legacy and fulfilling his aspirations. With a heart full of wisdom and compassion, Ani Ngawang Samten committed herself to ensuring that Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s rebirth occurs swiftly, while simultaneously upholding the visionary goals of FPMT. This extraordinary dedication extends to her ceaseless puja rituals conducted at both Lawudo and Thubten Choeling Monastery in Solukhumbu, and her recent request for a full reading of the Kangyur at Thubten Choeling Monastery to safeguard the construction of the stupa.
Ani Ngawang Samten and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lawudo Retreat Centre, 1976. LYWA collection.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ani Ngawang Samten, Kopan Monastery, 2018. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsag.
Ani Ngawang Samten has consulted with esteemed lamas within the Lawudo area, including Kerok Lama Ngawang Tsultrim Rinpoche, Charok Tenzing Tinley Rinpoche, and Khapa Pema, all of whom have been trained in the instructions for constructing this profound stupa by Trulshik Rinpoche, in order to ensure their support and receive their expert guidance for this monumental endeavor.
Various holy and precious objects which will reside in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
The Victory Stupa, as per Trulshik Rinpoche’s instructions, stands as a beacon of spiritual transformation for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s students and the FPMT family. This magnificent structure, adorned in red, black, and white; symbolizes love, the transcendence of ignorance, and the purity of purpose. It is a sanctuary for the perfect practice, equanimity, wisdom, diversity knowledge, and compassion. This sacred endeavor holds the power to nourish the very essence of these qualities in the hearts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s devoted students and FPMT practitioners, fostering a radiant transformation that transcends time and space. It houses essential articles, substances, mantras, and potent tsa tsa elements that serve to shield our universe from conflict, scarcity, and natural calamities rooted in the earth, water, fire, and wind elements.
Amitayus statue from Rinpoche’s cave which Anila offered to Rinpoche during a long life puja in Lawudo, which will reside in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
In addition, it is Ani-la’s wish that in accordance with the Mahayana tradition of reincarnation, since Lama Yeshe’s mind stream is also so precious to us, that this stupa help dispel ignorance, and protect and preserve the holy mind of Lama Yeshe so that Lama Osel can help to benefit the world.
Holy and precious objects which will reside in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
Furthermore, illuminating the sanctity of this project is Rinpoche’s dear childhood friend, Ngawang Nyendak, a Thame monk who has steadfastly performed regular practices, such as incense pujas for FPMT at Lawudo over the past eight years. His continuous efforts, including the powerful fortune-hooking puja after Rinpoche’s parinirvana, stand as a testament to the profound dedication that supports this sacred initiative.
Set of 10-inch statues of the Buddhas of the Five Types which will reside in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
In a most auspicious development, a precious tooth relic of Lama Zopa Rinpoche will be invited to Lawudo Gompa on the merit-multiplying day of Buddha’s return from the deva realm, November 4, 2023, Lhabab Duchen. This auspicious occasion aligns with Ani Ngawang Samten’s decision to consecrate both the renovated stupa of Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe and the stupa of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The construction of the stupa began on July 11, 2023, and is now nearing completion. The stupa is 12-feet high and 11-feet wide, and has eight levels. It is located at Changtang Gombu, 200 meters below Lawudo Gompa on a well-used track and occupies a position where it dominates the landscape and can be seen from around the valley and is in a natural spot for sitting, prayer, and circumambulation.
Central channel of the Victory Stupa surrounded by tsa tsas.
Some of the holy and precious objects which will reside in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
Eight levels of the Victory Stupa:
- The first level has different types of weapons to shield our universe from conflict and war.
- The second level has various nutritious grains to save the world from scarcity of food and famine.
- The third level contains the central channel surrounded by 400,000 to 500,000 tsa tsas of different types. Also surrounding the central shaft are various powerful mantras.
- The fourth level is “Rinpoche’s palace.” It contains various precious items that belonged to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, such as a set of complete robes used at Lawudo, a bell, dorje and damaru, a crystal rosary used by Rinpoche during long life retreat at Maratika, etc. There are also texts used by or books with Rinpoche’s teachings. Additionally, there are various offerings in Rinpoche’s palace, including a mandala set and a set of offering bowls containing the eight substances with the conch shell placed first as an auspicious gesture by Anila Ngawang Samten to be able to receive teachings from the Yangsi.
Mantras which will go inside Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Victory Stupa.
- The fifth level contains a 14-inch Amitayus statue from Rinpoche’s cave which Anila offered to Rinpoche during a long life puja in Lawudo.
- The sixth level contains a set of 10-inch statues of the Buddhas of the Five Types from the main Lawudo Gompa.
- The seventh level contain a holy body, speech and mind offering—a 10-inch statue of Guru Shakyamuni, an 8-inch statue of Guru Rinpoche and an 8-inch Enlightenment Stupa from the cave along with a text belonging to Rinpoche from the old library.
- The top level is the symbolic Victory Banner which crowns the stupa.
Ani Ngawang Samten’s constant presence in Lawudo for over 55 years has granted her profound insights into the challenges faced by individuals journeying from all corners of the world. With deep empathy, she ardently wishes for all those who visit Lawudo–whether for retreat, meditation, pilgrimage, or a simple day’s excursion–to be bestowed with the blessings of these sacred objects. Anila envisions Lawudo as a sanctuary where the weary souls of visitors find solace, healing, and relief from the burdens of discouragement, depression, fear, anger, and frustration inherent in the human experience.
Furthermore, Ani Ngawang Samten fervently prays that the serene grounds of Lawudo become a wellspring of compassion, renunciation, and liberation from delusions. The very essence of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to building Lawudo Gompa in 1967/68 is embedded within the mud, timber, and stones that comprise this blessed place. Ani Ngawang Samten believes that Lawudo Gompa is an invaluable haven for devotees of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
May the construction of the Victory Stupa at Lawudo Monastery bring boundless benefits to all sentient beings, while propelling Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision for FPMT toward a future unencumbered by obstacles.
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya, India, January, 2023. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
We have incredibly joyous news to share! On May 24, 2023 Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been given the opportunity to offer a long life puja, on behalf of the entire FPMT organization, to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Namgyal Monastery, Dharamsala, India.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is planning to offer one thousand statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, and these beautiful statues are in the process of being made, gilded in gold, filled with mantras, painted, and consecrated in Nepal. As it takes time to make one thousand Buddha statues, Rinpoche will be initially offering a few hundred statues in the actual long life puja. The remaining statues will be offered over the next few months as they are completed.
In addition, two beautiful life-size Padmasambhava and Namgyalma statues will be offered and presented to His Holiness during the long life puja.
The model of the 1,000 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha that will be offered to His Holiness.
All are invited to make an offering towards, or sponsor, one of these statues (US$300 each), which will then be offered directly to His Holiness. Any contribution towards the statues means participating in the entire offering to His Holiness. Right now, during the 15 Days of Miracles (February 21 – March 7) is also an extra special time to make offerings, when merit is multiplied 100 million times each day. Offerings are being accepted for the long life puja for His Holiness as well.
In 2019, Lama Zopa Rinpoche also offered, on behalf of FPMT, one thousand buddha statues to His Holiness. In recent teachings the statues were often seen in the livestreams, lined up behind His Holiness. These statues are not only an auspicious offering, but they are also very useful as His Holiness often gives the statues as gifts to people who visit him.
“By offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, you are making offerings to all the buddhas and numberless bodhisattvas. This generates limitless skies of merit—every day and every second.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche
May this offering create the cause for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to remain in this world for as long sentient beings remain.
You can learn more about Offering One Thousand Buddhas to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and join the offering. We also invite you to read more about the Long Life Puja Fund which funds long life pujas for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
You can follow important and inspiring news about His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the official website of His Holiness:
https://www.dalailama.com/news
The 42-foot stupa at Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement in Hunsur, India, October 2022. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Tsundu.
The Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement in Hunsur, South India is home to the Rabgayling Old Aged Home, a care facility serving approximately twenty residents. FPMT Charitable Projects, through the Social Services Fund, has been supporting this home since 2015, providing grants for annual operation costs, the construction of living accommodations, medical assistance, and a community hall for the elders.
In addition to this critical support for the basic needs of the residents and facilities, Lama Zopa Rinpoche sponsored the construction of a magnificent forty-two foot stupa close to the elderly home at the settlement, which was recently completed. The stupa will provide the elders and all other residents of the Tibetan settlement an easy opportunity to create merit and purify negative karma.
Padmasambhava taught in Instructions on Offerings to Stupas:
“Since all the three-time buddhas and bodhisattvas have actually absorbed into the holy object of the mind and are abiding in it, any request or prayer done to this great stupa will spontaneously and effortlessly succeed, for it is like a precious wish-granting jewel. The benefits received by any transmigratory being with a pure special attitude who does prostration or circumambulation or makes offerings are incalculable and cannot be expressed even by all the past, present, and future buddhas.”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche presiding over the consecration ceremony for the stupa at the Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement, joined by the abbott and monks of Gyudmed Monastery, Hunsur, India, October 16, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Tsundu.
On October 16, 2022, during his visit to South India, Lama Zopa Rinpoche presided over the consecration and opening ceremonies for the stupa, which included the planting of a juniper tree in front of the stupa. Alongside Rinpoche was the abbot and monks of nearby Gyudmed Tantric Monastery, who oversaw the building and planning of the stupa throughout its construction.
In addition to the consecration, Rinpoche offered blessings to the elder residents of the Rabgayling Old Age Home; a teaching on the benefits of seeing and circumambulating stupas and other holy objects, and the benefits of reciting mantras; plus the oral transmission of some mantras.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the consecration for the stupa at the Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement, Hunsur, India, October 16, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Tsundu.
Vast Vision for Building Stupas
One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization includes the construction of 100,000 stupas around the world, including in countries where there aren’t yet any holy objects present. Rinpoche explains, “Since there is unbelievable benefit, such as liberating sentient beings, then I thought we should aim to build 100,000 stupas (minimum size, one story, up to the distance from the earth to the moon) in different parts of the world and for the organization to do this as a whole.”
While this vision will take generations to fully accomplish, many stupas have been completed to date. To support this amazing endeavor, one of FPMT’s Charitable Projects is the Holy Object Fund which provides grants for holy objects such as this one at the Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement, and the impressive Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, which stands 164 feet (50 meters) high, in Bendigo, Australia.
We invite you to please rejoice in the actualization of this beautiful new stupa which took three years to complete and came through the generous legacy offering of an FPMT nun, and the great benefit the stupa will bring to many beings. We would like to especially thank Geshe Tsundu, who oversaw the whole building of the stupa and beautiful decorations, as well as the abbott and monks of Gyudmed Tantric Monastery, who helped to fill the stupa and participated in the consecration. Please enjoy this short video of the actual stupa consecration with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the abbott, and monks of Gyudmed Tantric Monastery.
To help support to the creation of stupas around the world, we invite contributions of any amount to the Stupa Fund. We also invite you to read more about all of our FPMT Charitable Projects.
FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 150 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friends of FPMT member, which supports our work.
Inauguration of the Thame Prayer Wheel (located in its house), on August 12, 2022.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born in The Mount Everest region of Thame, Nepal, located near Lawudo which was the home of Rinpoche’s previous incarnation. Rinpoche’s sister, Anil-la Ngawang Samten, had the wish to build a prayer wheel in Thame, near the house where Rinpoche was born. She offered some of her own money toward the building of the prayer wheel and the prayer wheel house, and thanks to a very kind benefactor we were able to offer a grant to fund the rest of this project. The prayer wheel is 9 ft x 6 ft in size and contains 100 trillion mantras on microfilm (using nanotechnology). This is possibly the most mantras contained in a prayer wheel in the entire world (to date)!
On August 12 the incarnation of the Thame Lama and other monks from Thame Monastery blessed the new prayer wheel. Lay people also came to offer song and Dharma dances during this auspicious inauguration. We are so happy to share a short video of this blessed event:
During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s August 13 teaching from Singapore, he shared news of the progress on this prayer wheel and also led participants in an a dedication prayer for this project. We invite you all to join in this extensive dedication composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
Dedications for the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Due to all the past, present and future merits collected by me, the three-time merits collected by numberless sentient beings, and the three-time merits collected by numberless buddhas, and, in particular, due to all the merits of having built and sponsored at much expense, and of having met, this most precious, wish-fulfilling mani wheel:
- May His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Chenrezig in human form, who is the sole object of refuge of us six-realm sentient beings, the originator of all sentient beings’ happiness, and the embodiment of all the past, present and future buddhas of the ten directions, have a long and stable life and remain until our samsara ends, and may all his holy wishes be fulfilled.
- May all the other holy beings and all the sangha in the different countries of the world have long and healthy lives, and may they be successful in preserving and spreading the Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings.
- May the precious, wish-fulfilling teachings of the Buddha, from where every sentient being receives happiness, last a long time and spread in the ten directions.
Dedications for the Benefactors and Generous People
In particular, due to the merits of building and sponsoring this prayer wheel:
- May all the benefactors who make offerings to and serve the sangha and the Buddha’s teachings enjoy good health and have long lives, and may all their wishes be fulfilled.
- May all the people from different countries who help others, such as MacKenzie Scott, Sonu Sood, Richard Gere, and Lady Gaga, and especially those who helped others during the time of COVID-19 by providing food, organizing transport for migrant workers in India, and so forth, have good health, a long life, and may all their wishes to benefit others be fulfilled.
Dedication for Evil Beings
Due to the merits of building and sponsoring this prayer wheel, may all evil-doers meet the Buddhadharma and come to understand karma—the consequences of the actions they did with a negative mind—and be able to abandon creating negative karma, the cause of suffering, and only practice the cause of happiness, virtuous actions of body, speech, and mind. May they generate bodhicitta in their hearts, stop harming others, and only benefit them up to enlightenment.
Dedications for the Sentient Beings of the Six Realms and Intermediate State
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless hell beings. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless hell beings never be reborn in the lower realms again. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless hungry ghosts. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless hungry ghosts never be reborn in the lower realms again. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless animals. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless animals—those in the ocean that are so small they can only be seen with a microscope and those that are as large as mountains, as well as every single ant, tiny fly, mosquito, louse, and so on—never be reborn in the lower realms again. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless human beings. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless human beings in the numberless universes—especially those lacking a home, food, medicine, or a livelihood, as well as the billionaires, trillionaires, and zillionaires who experience the greatest dissatisfaction and so much happiness and are the real poor people—never ever be reborn in the lower realms. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless asuras. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless asuras never ever be reborn in the lower realms. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless suras. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless suras never ever be reborn in the lower realms. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
The prayer wheel itself, the work of building it, the money that sponsored it, and the merits that were created are all dedicated to the numberless intermediate state beings. In this way, they themselves become the constructors and benefactors of the prayer wheel and collect unbelievable merits. Due to these merits, may the numberless intermediate state beings never ever be reborn in the lower realms. May they be free from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. May they generate bodhicitta and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment—the total cessation of the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all realizations—as quickly as possible.
By dedicating in this way, every single samsaric sentient being has been able to collect extensive merits. This is what they need in order to become free from the suffering of pain, to experience temporary happiness within samsara, and to achieve the peerless happiness of full enlightenment. All sentient beings, including myself, have been able to collect such unbelievable merits entirely due to the kindness of Ani-la Ngawang Samten, by whose inspiration this project was initiated.
Dedications to Stop the Dangers Causes by the Four Elements
Due to the inconceivable merits of all the people who built and sponsored this prayer wheel, and the skies of merits of those who built and sponsored it with bodhicitta, may the world immediately be free from:
- war, famine, and disease, including all the different present diseases, such as COVID-19, and all the diseases that will come in the future;
- disharmony, fighting, and killing;
- the dangers caused by earth, including earthquakes, landslides, and other disasters that cause great harm and fear to living beings, who have no control over them;
- the dangers caused by water, including tsunamis, floods, droughts, famines, and so forth that are happening in many countries, including large, rich countries like China and America;
- the dangers caused by fire, such as the wildfires that cause great harm to animals and human beings and take governments months and sometimes even years to put out;
- the dangers caused by wind, such as cyclones, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
May all these dangers be pacified immediately and may the world be filled with perfect peace and happiness. May bodhicitta be generated in everyone’s heart, and may they achieve enlightenment, the fully awakened mind, as quickly as possible.
Dedications for Specific People and All Sentient Beings
I dedicate all the merits of building and sponsoring this prayer wheel:
- to my father to repay his kindness, even though I didn’t have a chance to see him in this life;
- to my mother, due to whose unbelievable kindness I have received a human body, met the holy Dharma, and been able to benefit others in the world a little bit;
- to the original benefactor, my sister Ani-la Ngawang Samten, my brother Sangye, and my other sister Chokyi who died when she was very young, and all my aunts and uncles;
- to Ven. Tenzin Drachom and all the people from Singapore who sponsored the microfilm with the mantras, due to which sentient beings can receive all these merits;
- to Tendar, who was a key person in helping make the prayer wheel, Tobgye, Sherab, Roger, Tenpa Choden, Holly, Ani Janne, Tenzin, Tharchin, Anet, Angie, Katie, the late Nyima, and all those who work for the FPMT;
- to Ven. Thubten Pemba Sherpa, who is always very helpful for Kopan and its branches and many other projects;
- to every single person who built or has offered service at Lawudo Gompa, including Sangmu Sherpa, Tsultrim Norbu, Pemba Tsering, and so forth;
- to everyone who has helped support Lawudo, including Mingma Yangji Sherpa and her husband Pemba Nuru Sherpa, Sangye’s wife Nyima, and Nyima Tashi;
- and to all the animals at Lawudo, including the dzomos who gave milk, the cows, and the dogs.
I dedicate all the merits of building and sponsoring this prayer wheel to everyone who comes here to see it and to everyone who turns it. (Now you can see that every sentient being is the benefactor of this prayer wheel, including you.)
I dedicate all the merits of building and sponsoring the prayer wheel to all the sentient beings who rely on me, all those for whom I have promised to pray, and all those whose names have been given to me, both the living and the dead.
May they all achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment as quickly as possible.
I dedicate all the merits of having built this prayer wheel for everyone in this world to achieve temporal and ultimate happiness.
Numberless Thanks
I would like to thank Yangji and her husband Pemba, who guided and completed this work of building the prayer wheel, and all the workers who built it. May they all quickly become free from the oceans of samsara and achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment as quickly as possible.
From the depths of my heart, numberless thanks to everyone.
Lama Zopa, Lawudo Lama
To help ensure our support to the creation of holy objects around the world, we invite you to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.
One of the stupas which are part of the 1,000 Buddha altar at Kopan Monastery.
Holy objects are so powerful one can purify negativities and create merit just by seeing them. According to the Sutra of the Mudra of Developing the Power of Devotion, “The minute you see a holy object you create infinite merits, so no question, if you actually make prostrations, offerings and so forth, you create far greater merit.”
The Holy Objects Fund provides the resources to create holy objects around the world for the success of the FPMT organization and to benefit of all beings.
We are so happy to share with you of some new holy objects that have come into being recently.
Large Dzambala and Ganapati statues
Two new statues have been sponsored and will be at Kopan Monastery. These statues are specifically for the success and abundance of the whole FPMT organization. Special offerings will be made daily to each and regular practices will be done in front of them as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. These statues were jointly offered by FPMT International Office and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche greeting the new Dzambala statue on arrival to Kopan Monastery.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche manifested joy when the 3.5 ft Dzambala statue arrived at Kopan, personally welcoming the statue with prostrations, five-colored khata offering, mandala offering, and tsog, Rinpoche had written a special requesting letter to Dzambala with prayers and requests for the organization and all beings, and Rinpoche offered this letter of requests to Dzambala. Please enjoy this very precious video of Dzambala’s arrival to Kopan:
The new Ganapati statue at Kopan Monastery will be based on this statue.
Rinpoche has also advised for a Ganapati statue, which is in the process of being built. It will be 7 ft tall and based on the details of this smaller Ganapati statue (to the right) at Kopan Monastery.
Prayer Wheel in Thame, Nepal
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.
A new 9 ft x 6 ft prayer wheel is being built outside of the house where Rinpoche was born. Rinpoche explains, “My sister Ani-la Ngawang Samten, the key person at Lawudo Gompa, initiated the project to build this prayer wheel near the house where I was born. She herself offered several 100,000 rupees toward the building of the prayer wheel as she wanted very much to see it actualized. I became involved because she alone could not afford to sponsor this prayer wheel containing 100 trillion mantras on microfilm (using nanotechnology) and more than 1.5 billion mantras on paper, along with the building needed to house it.”
Rinpoche wrote an extensive dedication prayer for this project, dedicating the merit of sponsoring and commissioning the building of the prayer wheel to the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, for all the benefactors and generous people, for all evil beings (those who cause harm), for all the sentient beings of the six realms and intermediate state, and also dedicating the merit to stop the dangers caused by the four elements.
Rinpoche mentions: “I dedicate all the merits of building and sponsoring this prayer wheel to everyone who comes here to see it and to everyone who turns it. I dedicate all the merits of building and sponsoring the prayer wheel to all the sentient beings who rely on me, all those for whom I have promised to pray, and all those whose names have been given to me, both the living and the dead. May they all achieve the peerless happiness of enlightenment as quickly as possible. I dedicate all the merits of having built this prayer wheel for everyone in this world to achieve temporal and ultimate happiness.”
Eight Aspects of Stupas
1,000 Buddha altar at Kopan Monastery. Eight more stupas will join the holy objects which are already there to help Ven. Roger create as much merit as possible while circumambulating on the phone.
Eight new stupas are being added to the 1,000 Buddha altar outside of Rinpoche’s room at Kopan. Rinpoche wanted to add an extra eight stupas to this extensive altar “for Venerable Roger Kunsang’s quick enlightenment, as Roger spends so much time on the phone doing business, while walking around the 1,000 Buddha altar, so to add eight more stupas will allow him to have more holy objects to circumambulate.” These eight different aspects of stupas are in the process of being made and will be placed at either end of the 1,000 Buddha altar.
Rinpoche previously offered advice on how to make talking on the phone beneficial by circumambulating holy objects while doing so.
Tremendous thanks to Kopan for helping to actualize all these new holy objects.
Tara Statue for a Retreat House
Khadro-la with the Tara statue recently offered to her by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s seventy-sixth birthday at Kopan Monastery, a large Green Tara statue was offered to Rinpoche during the Sixteen Arhats long life puja by a number of students and FPMT International Office. Rinpoche proceeded to offer this beautiful statue to Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) for her retreat place.
The Benefits of Holy Objects
Holy objects provide easy opportunities for one to purify negative seeds in the mind and to accumulate merit needed on the path to enlightenment. Further, they provide inspiration as they represent the limitless potential (and perfection) of our own body, speech, and mind. They remind us that liberation is possible, they habituate our mind toward happiness rather than suffering, and they help to preserve the Buddhist culture of which we’re a part.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained, “Every time you look at holy objects – pictures of the Buddha, statues, scriptures, stupas – they plant the seed of liberation and enlightenment in your mental continuum. So every time you look at them they purify your mind. How? When you look at them they plant a seed or positive imprint on your mental continuum so that later when you meet Buddhadharma, either in this life or in future lives, you are able to understand the words and the meaning of the teachings. From that, you are able to practice the meaning of the Dharma you have understood, which causes you to cease the gross and subtle defilements by actualizing the path and then your mental continuum becomes omniscient mind. This is what is meant when we say that by seeing holy objects it plants the seed of enlightenment on the mind – it contains the whole path from guru devotion and the three principles up to the two stages of tantra and enlightenment.”
All are welcome to contribute to the creation of holy objects and support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wishes. Rinpoche has expressed, “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.”
To help ensure grants like this continue toward holy objects, we invite you to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.
Beautiful thirty-five foot stupa being built in Hunsur, India.
Mantras and blessed holy objects which will fill the finished stupa.
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
Intricate design detail on the beautiful stupa in Hunsur, India.
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.
Work on the new large stupa in Hunsur, India.
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.
One of the 1,000 statues completed for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life.
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.
All of the 1,000 statues of buddha, packaged carefully for transport.
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.
Consecration of new Ksitigarbha statue in Nepal.
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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the new Ksitigarbha statue at Kopan Monastery before it was sent to the village.
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!
Beautiful new Kstibarbha statue.
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.
The completed Thame Stupa.
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.”
Kadampa stupa wall at the Mahabodhi stupa, Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, US.
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.
Mahabodhi stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha with holy object artist Gelek Sherpa and Ven. Samten sitting at the base. Photo courtesy of Land of Medicine Buddha.
Thame Stupa
Lama Zopa Rinpoche consecrating a stupa the Holy Objects Fund is sponsoring in Thame, Nepal. Rinpoche offered this consecration remotely from Kopan Monastery, June 21, 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
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.
New prayer wheel being built in Taplejung, Nepal.
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.
Depiction of the six-foot Padmasambhava statue which will be located in the lake next to Nalanda Monastery, France.
108 Aspects of Chenrezig at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
One of the manifestations of Chenezig statues
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.
Cows being cared for by Taru Gayphel Tsogspa Animal Welfare Society.
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.
Cows of the Taru Gayphel Tsogspa Animal Welfare Society.
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)
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.