Sera Lachi Sangha participating in the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa earlier this year.

Earlier this year when Lama Zopa Rinpoche was in Bangalore, he was requested to help with a desperately needed new sewage system at Sera Lachi.  Sera Lachi is made up of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries in southern India. 6,000 monks study between the two monasteries. 

Rinpoche immediately said he wanted to help and then during a long life puja which Sera Je Monastery offered to Rinpoche after, Rinpoche offered all of the cash offerings made to him which totaled about US$2,988. Recently an additional US$2,156 was offered toward the completion of this project which has an estimated total cost of US$71,112.

The Sera Lachi monks. Photo courtesy of the Sera Lachi Facebook page.

This grant contributes to making the environment at Sera Lachi clean, hygienic, and conducive to thoughtful study for the Sangha on the grounds. The monasteries are still raising money for this important project. Grants such as this are just one way the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund is working to care for monks and nuns. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries. 

Completed construction on the headquarters for the Geluk International Foundation in South India.

The Geluk International Foundation was established to preserve and promote Buddhist heritage in general and the Gelug tradition in particular. The vision of the foundation is to promote, propagate, develop, enrich and preserve the Gelug tradition established by Lama Tsongkhapa. The foundation seeks 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.

At a meeting held in South India in December 2014, His Holiness the Dalai Lama stressed the extreme importance of establishing offices for the long-term preservation of the Gelug tradition. Lama Zopa Rinpoche immediately responded to this advice from His Holiness and over a few years offered US$421,400 toward the construction of the building needed for this project. The construction of the foundation’s main building is now complete.

His Eminence Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, the 104th Gaden Tripa.

The tradition of the Gaden Tripas (the throne holders of the Gelug tradition) began with Lama Tsongkhapa (1357 – 1419). Before passing away, Tsongkhapa passed the leadership of the newly established Gelug tradition to Gyaltsab Je (1364-1432), who then passed it on to Khedrub Je (1385-1438). Since then the precious legacy established by Tsongkhapa has continued up to this day. His Eminence Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche was appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 104th Gaden Tripa on June 24th, 2017. The offices of Gaden Tri Rinpoche are located at the Geluk International Foundation headquarters in Mundgod, South India.

Member monasteries include: Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo, Sera Mey, Sera Je, Rato, Namgyal, Gaden Shartse Norling, Drepung, and Drepung Gomang.

Moving forward, the foundation will establish programs which will include the running of educational centers such as schools, colleges and universities, science education centers, meditation courses, meditation centers, medical centers, hospitals and medical colleges. The foundation will establish publications and engage in research and development in the fields of humanity, religious harmony, interfaith dialogue, relief activities, devotional activities, vocational training, environmental preservation and ecological care.

Activities of the Geluk International Foundation will be extended all over the world through the creation of administrative hubs in different continents and nations.

To support the development of this important foundation, The Lama Tsongkhapa Teacher’s Fund is offering US$40,000 annually for the next two years which is approximately half of the operating budget. This 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 Gelug tradition.

You can learn more about the Geluk International Foundation’s important work and future plans.

Some of the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.

Young nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.

Since 2009 sponsorship has been offered to the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal, to complete two 100 million mani retreats (100 million recitations of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM). In addition to the 100 million mani retreats, funds are offered to cover the cost of food to all the nuns for this period as well as the cost of a very qualified geshe to stay during the retreat in order to give lamrim teachings. With the help of donors, we are hoping to offer this again in 2017. US$14,000 is offered each year for these two retreats.

Progress on the new accommodation continues at Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.

Nuns planting a garden on the grounds.

In 2014 a grant was offered for new accommodation needed for the resident nuns. Progress is being made on on the housing and the last row of rooms is now finished and the nuns have moved in. Construction is still in progress and the nuns quarters is expected to be finished by the end of the year. 

In a recent note of thanks, Geshe Lobsang Gyaltsen passed on the following from the nunnery: “Thank you [Lama Zopa] Rinpoche all FPMT members who kindly support the nunnery. Our sincere prayers and dedications are offered for the long lives of our gurus and good health for all friends, benefactors, donors, and well-wishers.” 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

Some of the work in progress on the new construction at Kopan House at Sera Je Monastery to accommodate the monks of Kopan Monastery who study there.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, issued a grant for US$85,400 to assist with much needed construction, maintenance, and repairs at Kopan House at Sera Je Monastery, India. Kopan House is occupied by sixty monks from Kopan Monastery including incarnate lamas (Charok Lama, Lama Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, Lama Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Lama Lobsang Rigzin Rinpoche, and Lama Kundrol Rinpoche), geshes, monks who are part of the Geshe Studies Program, and younger monks who attend the school there and will eventually enter the Geshe Studies Program. Kopan House is part of Tsawa khangtsen. Generally, the monks reside at Kopan House until they finish the Geshe Studies Program which extends over a period of twenty-six years.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at  Kopan House Tsawa khangtsen at Sera Je Monastery. January 20016.

Kopan House was built in 2000. At that time there were about thirty monks in the hostel. Over time the number of monks residing in the hostel doubled and the capacity of the residential building needed augmentation. There are currently forty-nine rooms including sixteen new units that are in the process of being built. 

The cost of this expansion and improvements will be approximately US$156,130 and will include expenses incurred from painting the premises, relaying of electrical wires, installation of a new electrical transformer necessitated by the increase in the projected consumption of electricity by the addition to the hostel’s capacity, relocating of the generator to a new generator room, maintenance of the lawn and garden.

To date a total of thirty-six geshes have graduated from Kopan House including Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, Geshe Lobsang Sherab, Geshe Thubten Gyurmey, Geshe Lobsang Yeshe and Geshe Lobsang Jamyang.

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

New robes were offered to 213 scholars who memorized texts.

For seventeen years the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund sponsors an oral examination of Sera Je Monastery’s top scholars who have shown a propensity for memorization. This year, 213 monks were awarded new robes for their successful memorization of particular texts. Please rejoice in these incredible accomplishments!

• eighty-nine monks memorized Commentary Clarifying the Meaning by Haribhadra
  
• seventy-three monks memorized Essence of the Good Explanation by Lama Tsongkhapa
• thirty-six monks memorized Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds by Shantideva
• seven monks memorized The General Meaning of the First Chapter by Lama Jetsunpa
• five monks memorized The General Meaning of the Middle Way by Lama Jetsunpa
• two monks memorized Six Scriptures on Reasoning by Nagarjuna 
• one monk memorized Five Treatises of Maitreya’s Doctrine

Please rejoice in the offering of robes to these future teachers who contribute to the preservation the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in the monasteries. Supporting the Sangha of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition is the main objectives of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund.

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains: “The continuity and spread of Buddhadharma throughout the world depends upon highly qualified teachers. The three great monasteries are the only place in the world where the entire, complete teachings of the Buddha are studied and practiced with deep logic.”

All are welcome to join in on this offering by contributing any amount to the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund. 

You can learn more about the many activities of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund including support given to the most senior teachers of the Tsongkhapa tradition, the annual Gelugpa Exam, and the annual Winter Debate in India and Nepal. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche enjoying reading about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund in the recent issue of Mandala magazine.

The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund was established to support monasteries, nunneries, and individual monks and nuns with food, accommodation, health care, education and Dharma practice. Supporting monks and nuns is one of the highest priorities for the FPMT organization, because the preservation of the Buddhadharma is dependent on the existence of Sangha.

We invite you keep up on all the beneficial projects that this fund supports. Recent grants have been released or are soon to be given toward the following initiatives: The rebuilding of Maratika Gompa in Nepal; the renovation and expansion of Iggda Chozing Monastery in Mongolia; food offered to monks in Mongolia and Thame, Nepal; support to nuns in Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal; the health of various khangtsen in Sera Je Monastery, India. 

All are welcome to support these beneficial grants offered to Sangha. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche prostrating to a precious Guru Rinpoche statue during visit to Chailsa. Rinpoche sponsors the butter in the butter lamp in front of this statue 365 days a year.

Chailsa is in Solu Khumbu, north-eastern Nepal, the district where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born. Chailsa is in the southern part of the district.

In May, Lama Zopa Rinpoche stayed at Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery for a month and visited the Sagarmatha Secondary School which is located there. More than two years ago, the Social Service Fund took on the commitment of sponsoring this school which has about 120 students and is managed by Kopan Monastery.  

While in the area, Tsipri Lama approached Rinpoche about the need of these retreat houses in the area, specifically for geshes from the monasteries of Kopan, Sera, Drepung, and Ganden who have completed their studies and then wanted to engage in retreat. Rinpoche was very inspired by the project and immediately wanted to help actualize it and Rinpoche now has offered the full amount to complete this project: US$80,000. 

The sloping land below the buildings is where the new retreat area will be located. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Tsipri Lama was once a Kopan monk and is also the recognized reincarnation of a lama from the Tsipiri region of Tibet. Tsipri Lama fled Tibet and settled in the Solu Khumbu region in Nepal. The offering is to fund the building of retreat huts and a gompa for geshes who have finished their studies and want to meditate on the path in isolation. There are currently five geshes on the property who are engaged in retreat, occupying very temporary and inadequate housing. 

Providing the conditions needed for sincere practictioners to actualize the path to enlightenment is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization. 

Please rejoice in this offering which will enable many precious geshes to engage in retreat in a meaningful way in a blessed place. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries, nunneries, and individual ordained Sangha. 

An Incredible Accomplishment: An Endowment Supporting the Monks of Sera Je Monastery Long into the Future

The monks of Sera Je Monastery.

For the last ten years FPMT International Office has been building an endowment large enough to support the long-term health of the Sera Je Food Fund, whereby the interest from the endowment would cover the annual costs associated with offering three nutritious meals daily for all the monks of Sera Je Monastery, for as long as the endowment remains.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the new abbot of Sera Je Monastery, Ven. Choesang Rinpoche.

Amazingly, due to the kindness of so many generous donors, we have now reached our targeted amount for the endowment fund. This is a monumental achievement and we could not have done it without all of the kind, generous, and ongoing support that has been offered to the Sera Je Food Fund for the last twenty-six years. Thank you!

This is an incredible accomplishment for the entire FPMT organization. Lama Zopa Rinpoche started the Sera Je Food Fund in 1991 on the occasion of Tenzin Ösel Rinpoche entering Sera Je Monastery. Rinpoche wanted to make an offering to the whole monastery, not just one time, but continuously.  At the time it seemed like such an ambitious plan to offer meals to every monk studying at Sera Je Monastery every day of every year. In 2017 this amounts to an incredible 700,000 meals per year, 2,900 meals per day.

Thanks to the support of so many people, this fund operated without interruption for twenty-six years. In the beginning we were only able to offer a small amount of money to each monk for their midday meal. Then we started to provide a cooked meal that was served to every monk. Later we added dinner, and then breakfast. We built a kitchen and catered to the thousands of monks every day with special attention given to maintaining a hygienic environment for meal preparation, and a balanced offering of nutritious food.

When Rinpoche first mentioned his wish to start this project, we had no idea how we were going to make it happen. Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang were the main fundraisers for so many years. Then slowly FPMT International Office took on the entire responsibility so Rinpoche didn’t have to personally raise the funds. In addition, a few centers were key in helping with fundraising and tens of thousands of supporters over the years have also been inspired to donate. Each year we covered the annual costs and eventually were able to create an endowment fund so the project could continue to run on the interest accrued each year.

Sangha participating in the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Sera Je Monastery. January, 2017.

At the beginning of this year, the abbot and monks of Sera Je Monastery offered a long life puja to Lama Zopa Rinpoche to thank Rinpoche and the FPMT organization for this incredible offering made over a quarter of a century. At that time we discussed with the monastery that the endowment and the ongoing management of the food fund now be managed entirely by Sera Je Monastery.

FPMT has always had a close connection with Sera Je Monastery. Most of our resident geshes come from this highly respected monastery and we are very happy to make such a substantial offering. It’s also wonderful that the monastery is now able to manage this next chapter.  

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and many geshes who were serving as resident teachers in FPMT centers at the 2007 Geshe Conference organized by FPMT.

We are working to ensure that this transition is smooth and that the endowment and ongoing interest raised will be exclusively used for the food fund. The official handover of the project began in May 2017 and the endowment will be transferred over a period of a few years.  Therefore the Sera Je Food Fund is no longer an FPMT charitable project. 

Please rejoice in this incredible offering, the benefits of which will continue long into the future. Every person who has contributed to the Sera Je Food Fund — whether with donations, time, or prayers — all of this incredible merit of offering to the Sangha will continue to grow and benefit.  

The Next Chapter in Supporting Sangha 

The monks of Idgaa Choizinling College are offered lunch every day through the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund.

Supporting monks and nuns has always been one of the highest priorities for Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT organization because the preservation of the Buddhadharma is dependent on the existence of Sangha.

We invite you to please join us in developing the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund which is offering support to monasteries, nunneries, and individual monks and nuns for food, accommodation, health care, education and practice.  

Since 2009 we have offered support to the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal.

This fund is not limited to any one institution and able to benefit many nunneries, monasteries and Sangha in need.

From our hearts we sincerely thank you for helping to actualize this incredible offering. May the food fund and endowment continue to grow and benefit the Sangha at Sera Je Monastery for as long as space endures and as long as sentient beings remain.

“Offering even one cent to the Sangha community brings uncountable benefit and merit. As long as the Sangha community exists your merit exist. It will not be exhausted.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

Some of the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery (also known as Bigu Nuns).

In 2014 a grant was offered to Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery for new accommodation needed for the resident nuns. The nunnery recently sent an update that three rows of rooms are nearly finished and some nuns have already begun moving in. They are anticipating the entire project to be finished by the year’s end. 

The nuns are very pleased with their new accommodations and offered, “Our sincere prayers and dedication to the long life of our gurus and good health of all friends, benefactors, donors, and well wishers.”

The new accommodations for the nuns.

Since 2009 sponsorship has been offered to the nuns to complete one and now two 100 million mani retreats (100 million recitations of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM). In addition to the 100 million mani retreats, funds are offered to cover the cost of food to all the nuns for this period as well as the cost of a very qualified geshe to stay during the retreat in order to give lamrim teachings. With the help of donors, we will offer this again in 2017. 

Rinpoche has said about 100 million mani retreats: “The benefits of reciting the Compassion Buddha mantra are infinite, like the limitless sky. Even if you don’t have much intellectual understanding of Dharma, even if the only thing you know is OM MANI PADME HUM, still the happiest life is one lived with an attitude free of the eight worldly concerns. If you live your life with the pure attitude free of attachment clinging to this life and simply spend your life chanting OM MANI PADME HUM—this six-syllable mantra that is the essence of all Dharma—that’s the purest Dharma. Whoever attends a mani retreat is unbelievably fortunate. This retreat also blesses the country where it is held and brings so much peace, happiness and prosperity. Without bodhichitta, you cannot cause all the happiness for all sentient beings. You cannot do perfect work for all sentient beings, and you cannot achieve the complete qualities of the realizations and cessation, even for yourself. “

Please rejoice in the progress of these new rooms for the sincere nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

57 monks are offered lunch daily at Idgaa Choizinling through the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund.

The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund offers sponsorship for daily lunch for the 57 monks studying at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang in Mongolia. Recently US$9,000 was offered to cover all of 2017. 

Idgaa Choizinling was established in 2003 through FPMT Mongolia due to the kindness of many benefactors. Idgaa is strongly connected to Sera Je Monastery in India and serves as a focal point of Buddhist learning in Mongolia. Since its inception, FPMT has been offering food to the monks studying there. 

In a letter to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the monks expressed their gratitude, “Your very generous support of meals provides a most important condition for us to be well nourished, to be free to engage in practices, to listen to our Dharma teachers, and to contemplate and meditate on the Dharma.” 

Young monks at Idgaa Choizinling enjoying daily lunch together.

“If you offer with the recognition that they are the guru’s pores,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche said in 2011 in reference to the Sera Je Food Fund which offers three vegetarian meals every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery, “then that is an unbelievable way to collect merit. When you offer to many Sangha who have the same guru, then you are making offerings to that many pores of the guru. This is the easiest way to collect skies of merit by offering. By offering even just one candy or flowers or even one grain of rice to a statue of Buddha or even a visualized Buddha, you collect skies of merit. It is much more powerful than offering to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) as well as all the statues, stupas and scriptures existing in all directions, so there is no question if really offering to the same guru’s disciple. These benefits should be understood so that when you make offerings to the guru’s pores that you think correctly. This is the best business.”

The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund supports ordained monks and nuns as well as monasteries and nunneries by providing sponsorship for food, accommodations, educational needs, and health care for Sangha. 

Please rejoice in this offering of daily food to these earnest monks who study and practice so sincerely to keep Buddhism alive in Mongolia. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

The monks of Sera Je Monastery are offered three nutritious meals every single day through the Sera Je Food Fund.

The Sera Je Food Fund (a project of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund) has been in operation for twenty-five years, offering free meals to the sincere monks of Sera Je Monastery daily.

In a typical month, nearly 22,000 bananas, 120 bottles of soy sauce, and an incredible 5,500 pounds of flour, among many other ingredients including vegetables, rice, noodles, and tea, are utilized in preparation for this offering of vegetarian meals for, on average, 1,600 monks every day.

Approximately 50 monks help prepare meals for in the Sera Je Food Fund kitchen.

The Sera Je Food Fund doesn’t just supply food. A tremendous amount of work must go into the planning, cooking, serving, and cleaning up of the daily meals.

Every day each khangtsen (monastic house made up of monks from the same regions) informs the Sera Je Food Fund Kitchen how many monks will be joining for meals so the cooks can always prepare the right amount of food. There is almost no waste from the kitchen because any leftovers are offered to monks who engage in evening debate or classes allowing the monks to enjoy a second dinner if they are studying or debating late. Any food bought by the kitchen that is not used is sold back to the market making the waste for the kitchen extremely low. This is quite impressive when considering the volume of food being prepared and cooked. 

Typically, about 50 monks are assigned to kitchen duties every day.  They help ensure that the ingredients are top quality, that the kitchen is always hygienic and efficient, and that the food is tasty for the monks. Lunch is often eaten as a group in the Sera Je gompa when there are pujas or practices happening.

It takes a tremendous amount of food, supplies, equipment, and collective work to offer meals every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery.

Equipment and kitchen supply needs are ongoing, maintenance and repairs are frequent, office supplies are needed for administration and accounting, pujas and prayers for the project’s success are regularly sponsored, and dry food is organized during special occasions such as holidays and major teaching events when the monastery kitchen is closed down. All of this costs approximately US$200,000 every year to actualize. A small price considering the incredible benefit offered to so many. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has taught extensively on the benefits of offering to Sangha.

The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund was established to support monks and nuns with a focus on the health and sustainability of monasteries and nunneries. While the Sera Je Food Fund has been our most successful and ambitious project to date, future plans for this fund will enable FPMT to make ongoing offerings in a much broader way.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the nuns of Kopan Nunnery.

“Educating monks and nuns is one of the most important things in the world.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The Sera Je Food Fund was established with very clear goals and recently one of those major objectives has been achieved. We look forward to releasing details on this in weeks to come.  We invite all to connect with the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund to keep up on news,  information on new initiatives, and opportunities to get involved and support these efforts to help monasteries and nunneries thrive. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

Thousands of monks from the great monasteries, including eighteen Kopan monks, are currently participating in the annual Winter Jang Debate at Drepung Monastery, India.

Monks from various Gelug monasteries are currently participating in an extensive twenty-two day debate on Buddhist logic at Drepung Monastery, India, known as the Winter Jang Debate. There are two sessions daily: prayers for world peace, and debate.

This annual debate dates back to the time of Lama Tsongkhapa and was continued each year until 1959. In 1981 the present and former abbots of the three great monasteries met to revive this debate. However, due to costs the monasteries were only able to sponsor about 200 monks to attend. Seeing the incredible importance of this tradition of bringing together the best scholars to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, became the primary sponsor for this debate. Now thousands of monks participate. 

Eighteen monks from Kopan House, Tsawa Khangtsen, are participating in this year’s Winter Jang Debate at Drepung Monastery.

Eighteen monks from Kopan House, Tsawa Khangtsen, are among the thousands of participants attending this year. We offer all of the monks participating our best wishes for a transformative and fruitful event. 

Tremendous thanks to the many donors who support the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund and enable FPMT to sponsor this powerful annual debate. This is something incredible in which to rejoice. You are welcome to participate in this offering at any time.

You can learn more about the beneficial activities of the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund or the many Charitable Projects of FPMT.