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An amazing assembly of top scholars from Sera, Drepung, Gaden, Tashi Lhunpo, Gyuto, Gyudme, Rato and Dhakpo Shedrup Dhargeyling monasteries participate in the annual winter debate at Sera Je Monastery.
Monks from various Gelugpa monasteries participated in the extensive month-long debate on Buddhist logic at Sera Je Monastery, India, this January known as the Winter Jang Debate.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche enjoyed dinner with the Abbot of Sera Je Monastery during a break from the winter 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 3 great monasteries met to revive the annual winter debate, however due to costs the monasteries were only able to sponsor about 200 monks to attend the annual winter debate.
Seeing the incredible importance of the winter debate, where the best scholars gather to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings, due to the kindness of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, became the primary sponsor for this debate. In January 2015 Lama Zopa Rinpoche was able to attend part of this debate and enjoy dinner with the Abbot of Sera Je Monastery.
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 very incredible in which to rejoice. You are welcome to participate in this offering at any time.
You can learn more about the activities of the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund or the many Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lama Jamyang Garpo. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang, September 2014.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, recently made a substantial offering toward the costs associated with a young Mongolian tulku, Lama Jamyang Garpo, said to be an emanation of White Manjushri, entering Sera Je Monastery.
Traditionally, on the first day that a tulku enters Sera Je Monastery, offerings and food and tea are given to all the 2,500 monks of Sere Je. This offering from the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, was put toward those costs.
Please rejoice that this auspicious offering has been made. This is an incredible opportunity for this young tulku to study at Sera Je Monastery.
Making offerings to the Sangha is a way of collecting unbelievable merit because all the Sangha are the pores of the Guru. They are all disciples of the same Guru – His Holiness the Dalai Lama. By offering to pores of the Guru one collects more merit than offering to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, as well as numberless statues, stupas. If you offer with the recognition that they are the Guru’s pores then that is an unbelievable way to collect merit. When you offer to many Sanghas who have the same Guru then you are making offerings to that many pores of the Guru. So this is the easiest way to collect skies of merit by offering. By offering even just one candy, flowers or even one grain of rice to a statue of Buddha or even a visualized Buddha you collect skies of merit but here 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 no question if offering to really the same Guru’s disciple. These benefits should be understood so that when you make offerings to the Guru’s pores you think correctly. This is the best business.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lama Jamyang Garpo. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang, September 2014.
About Lama Jamyang Garpo
Lama Jamyang Garpo’s twenty-first reincarnation, Dorjsuren Dashbaljir, was born August 24, 2005 in Asaat, Jargalant sum, Arkhangai Province, Mongolia.
On April 2, 2014, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized Dorjsuren Dashbaljir as Lama Jamyang Garpo’s twenty-first reincarnation.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, the Sera Je Food Fund which supports the monks of Sera Je Monastery every day with three nutritious meals, or the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
8,300 meals are offered every day to all of the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
The Sera Je Food Fund offers 8,300 meals every single day to the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery. 3,300 monks are offered breakfast and 2,500 monks are offered lunch and dinner.
65,900 pounds of rice is needed every year to offer lunch and dinner to 2,500 monks.
Amazingly, approximately 65,900 pounds of rice are needed for one year of daily lunches and dinners. Additionally, 1,300 pounds of tea are required for breakfast for one year. An incredible amount of other fruits, vegetables, starches and other ingredients are also required to offer this ongoing commitment o three nutritious meals daily. You can see more details about what the monks are offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The cost of offering all the food to all the monks is currently US$280,000 yearly. If you would like to contribute to the Sera Je Food Fund, you may offer any amount you are able.
You can learn more about the Sera Je Food Fund or the other Charitable Projects of FPMT which offer support to many beneficial activities around the world.
The nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.
Due to the kindness of a very generous benefactor, a full set of robes are being made by tailors in Kathmandu and then will be offered to the 75 nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery and three monks (the abbot, a geshe and a teacher). The robes will be offered during Chinese New Year.
During Lhabab Duchen the nuns offered Guru Padmasambhava Bumstok (100,000 tsog offerings to Padmasambhava). These pujas were dedicated to the good health of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, students of FPMT, the sponsors of the 100 million mani retreats, and all the kind donors of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.
If you were Sangha but you didn’t wear robes, then people would not know [that you were ordained], but with robes on there is no question. That is how the robes have such incredible benefit for the mind. It is planting the seed for enlightenment when people show respect to your wearing of the robes, or to the robes themselves: This is planting the seed of liberation, and is a way of benefiting sentient beings.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The geshe of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery sent the following message to Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently:
“On Lama Tsongkhapa Day, the nuns started seven days of Amitabha Bumtsok here at nunnery. These pujas organized are dedicated to all sentient beings and particularly for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life and members of FPMT.”
Please rejoice in this offering to the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery and also in their amazing practice and dedication to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the students of FPMT.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, or about the 100 million mani retreats that the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery have offered in alignment with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision for FPMT.
The Tashi Chime Gatsal nuns planting vegetables at the nunnery.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, continues to support the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery (also known as Bigu Nunnery) by sponsoring the 100 million mani retreats which the nuns continue to offer at least two times a year.
The Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery nuns cleaning around the existing and new hostel.
This includes funding for a geshe to teach the nuns lam-rim and there are also funds offered to help the little nunnery grow and improve.
The sponsorship of 100 million mani retreats is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, something so precious to rejoice in as well as the nuns’ ongoing effort toward the advancement of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision.
During the 100 million mani retreats extensive dedications are made for the FPMT organization, all the centers, services and projects, benefactors, students, volunteers and all beings.
The improvements to the nunnery also helps to create a conducive environment in which the nuns can continue to live in and offer their practices.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund or about Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s collective Vast Visions for the FPMT organization.
FPMT geshes awaiting the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2006 FPMT Geshe Conference, Sarnath, India.
On Losar this year, as a token of appreciation and gratitude for the incredibly kind service offered to the FPMT organization and to the teachings of Buddha, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the FPMT Puja Fund sponsored 49 sets of robes for FPMT’s resident geshes and touring teachers.
This offering was kindly facilitated by Ven. Fran and many at Kopan Monastery, who helped with measurements, making and sending of the robes and also by Center Services Director, Claire Isitt.
By offering these soft, light, divine clothes
With indestructible faith in those
Who have attained the indestructible holy body,
May I (and all sentient beings) also achieve the vajra holy body.
—from Lama Chopa Jorcho
Please rejoice in the kindness of these resident geshes and touring teachers whose service enable us to access Buddha’s teachings around the world. This offering of robes allows them to use their limited resources for other necessities.
You can learn more about the Puja Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund sponsored 673 monks to participate in this year’s Winter Debate.
The Lama Tsong Khapa Teachers Fund was very pleased to offer US$22,570 for the 2013 Winter Debate (Jang Gun-choe). 673 of the top debaters from Sera Je traveled to Drepung Monastery to participate with 8,000 monks from 11 different monasteries. The main participating Institutes were Sera, Drepung, Gaden, Tashi Lhunpo, Gyuto, Gyudme, Rato and Dhakpo Shedrup Dhargeyling monasteries and they met to debate two sessions a day for a minimum of seven hours.
The Lama Tsong Khapa Teachers Fund covered the cost of travel and food for the 673 monks from Sera Je Monastery to attend the month-long debate. Please rejoice in this incredible offering!
The Great Winter Debate has been an integral part Tibet Buddhism and dates back to the time of Lama TsongKhapa. The debate mainly consists of the most earnest and competent scholars from the great monasteries. The primary course of study during the Winter Debate is Pramanavartika (Tsema Namdrel) by Acharya Dharmakirti on subjects such as epistemology, valid cognition, dialectics, and the Art of Liberation.
You can learn more about the annual Winter Debate here.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche received the following note of thanks from the Committee for Sere Je Philosophical Studies for this contribution:
“We are extremely thankful and grateful for your generous help and we pray for your long life of lovely compassion for the sake of all sentient beings in the universe.”
You can learn more about the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Sera Je monks help prepare meals for 2,500 in the Sera Je Food Fund kitchen.
Every day, 8,300 meals are offered to all the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery. 3,300 monks join for breakfast and 2,500 monks are offered lunch and dinner. Every three months, approximately 750,000 meals are offered through the Sera Je Food Fund. An astounding amount of food is required for this ongoing offering.
Just to give a glimpse of the amount of food that is offered over three months to the monks of Sera Je Monastery:
64,300 bananas are offered in a three month period through the Sera Je Food Fund.
Breakfast:
- Butter: 289 pounds
- Flour: 8,433 pounds
- Cooking Oil: 170 gallons
You can read more about a typical day’s breakfast offering.
Lunch:
- Bananas: 64,300 pieces
- Dal: 10,417 pounds
- Rice: 11,217 pounds
- Green Vegetables: 5,570 bundles
You can read more about a typical day’s lunch offering.
Green vegetables being prepared and cleaned for 2,500.
Dinner:
- Cooking Oil: 165 gallons
- Soy Sauce: 115 bottles
- Cheese: 432 pounds
- Potato: 1,000 pounds
You can read more about a typical day’s dinner offering.
Many other ingredients are used for the monthly meals, the above numbers are merely examples of certain foods and ingredients used. Please rejoice in this incredible offering.
You are welcome to offer any amount toward the US$280,000 needed each year for this project:
You can learn more about the Sera Je Food Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
800 young monks of the Serea Je School are offered breakfast daily through the Sera Je Food Fund. Photo courtesy of Sera Je Secondary School Facebook.
The young monks are able to focus on their studies without worrying about where there next meal will come from. Photo courtesy of Sera Je Secondary School Facebook.
In addition to offering three meals a day to all 2,500 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery, the Sera Je Food Fund offers breakfast daily to 800 young monks studying at the Sera Je School. Lunch and dinner are sponsored through another generous source.
The cost is US$29,200 to offer 800 meals per day which is 292,000 meals every year. This is something amazing to rejoice in as these young monks will later enter the Sera Je Monastery curriculum. Investing in their early education is a true investment in the future of qualified Buddhist scholars and teachers.
You are welcome to donate any amount toward this offering:
8,300 meals are offered every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery.
Every day, many volunteers at Sera Je Monastery shop, prepare, offer and clean up after each of the three meals offered to all 2,500 monks through the Sera Je Food Fund.
The cost of offering all the food to all the monks is currently $US280,000 yearly. If you would like to contribute to the Sera Je Food Fund, you may offer any amount you are able.
- US$10: Provides three vegetarian meals a day to one monk for one month
- US$120: Provides three vegetarian meals a day to one monk for one year
- US$780: Provides three vegetarian meals a day to all 2,500 monks for one day
- US$5,460: Provides three vegetarian meals a day to all 2,500 monks for one week
- US$280,000: Provides three vegetarian meals a day to all the 2,500 monks for one year
In this video, you can see thousands of these monks enjoying a meal provided by the Sera Je Food Fund.
There are extensive prayers and dedications made by the monks at Sera Je for those who contribute to the fund. These dedications continue to generate merit for those donating to the fund for as long as the monastery exists.
Please read about the benefits of the Sera Je Food Fund and the benefits of making offerings to the Sangha by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
DONATE
Learn more about FPMT Charitable Projects and all of the beneficial activities which they support. You can find further information about FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his beneficial activities by visiting Rinpoche’s webpage, where you will find links to Rinpoche’s schedule, new advice, recent video, photos and more.
Grounds are prepared for the foundation of the new temple at Ngari Khangtsen.
Ngari Khangtsen, the khangtsen of Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Thegchok in south India, has been making progress on their Temple Project, a project to build a much-needed new prayer hall that can seat 150 monks comfortably.
Earlier this year, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, US$100,000 to this project which has an estimated budget of over US$500,000.
The following update was recently sent to FPMT International Office:
Tashi Delek to all the friends of Ngari Khangtsen at Sera Je Monastery, South India.
Today, we have some new and exciting news for everyone.
The Ngari Khangtsen “Temple Project” is underway!
We finally received building approval from the local government and have broken ground. We are preparing the grounds and getting ready to start pouring the foundation at our new temple at Sera Je, South India.
We would like to say a special thank you to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and all the members of the FPMT organization. Because of the amazing kindness and generosity in donating US$100,000, we have been able to start the building of our new temple.
Prayers,
The Monks of Ngari Khangtsen
Please rejoice in this progress!
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Every day, the 2,500 monks of Sera Je Monastery are offered three vegetarian meals
through the Sera Je Food Fund.
You can see details of what they are offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This project is only possible due to a massive and collective effort of many volunteers at the monastery (who shop for, prepare, and clean up after each meal) as well as many kind donors who contribute to this fund.
Young monks enjoying their breakfast offered by the Sera Je Food Fund.
Please enjoy this short video of the monks sharing one of these meals together.
The Great Yogi Milarepa said: “The practitioner and benefactor offering food create the cause to achieve enlightenment together.”
Thanks to all who help make this offering possible.
