Please enjoy this inspiring new video, filmed by Ven. Thubten Kalden and edited by Ven. Lhundrup Daychen, that shows the annual Hayagriva Retreat of Sera Je Monastery. The entire retreat was dedicated to all the kind benefactors of the Sera Je Food Fund.

The Sera Je Food Fund provided all the food for the retreaters and the video also shows the preparation and offering of the food. 

The Great Yogi Milarepa said: “The practitioner and benefactor offering food create the cause to achieve enlightenment together.”

Monks offering puja on behalf of the Puja Fund.

This year Chokhor Duchen, the annual celebration commemoration of  Lord Buddha’s first teaching, took place on July 12. Please rejoice in the incredible array of pujas and activities sponsored by the Puja Fund with strong prayers. Some of these activities were: The recitation of the entire Kangyur offered by the Kopan nuns; A new set of robes were offered to the Jowo Buddha statue in Tibet and offerings of paint and an umbrella were made to the two precious stupas: Bouddhanath and Swayambunath.

You can be a part of these incredible pujas and offerings by donating to the Puja Fund.

Monks participating in the daily clean up at Sera Je Monastery.

Starting at 4 a.m. every morning, on-duty cooks start the work of preparing breakfast for 2,500. These cooks are monks studying at Sera Je Monastery who also benefit daily from the three nutritious meals offered by the Sera Je Food Fund. Each day, between 50-70 monks are assigned kitchen work. Breakfast is served at 6:30 a.m. and after clean-up, lunch preparations begin. Lunch is served at 10:30 a.m. and dinner at 5:00 p.m. Promptly at 6 p.m. the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned to ensure that the food program is operating in the most hygienic way possible.

The work and enthusiasm put into making this program a success is astounding: Truly this is an example of community in action, a collective effort that is beneficial to all involved.

To help illustrate the scale of what is offered, and thus, prepared, here is a list of some of the food and cooking items used in June of this year:

• 19,600 bananas were offered
  
  

  Monks working together to prepare food for 2,500.

• 5,736 pounds of rice and 3,329 pounds of dahl were prepared
• 10,968 pounds of baking powder and flour were incorporated into recipes
• 1,987 bundles of green vegetables and 5,840 pounds of combined other vegetables were served
• 89 bottles of soy sauce were utilized
• 3,796 cups of cooking oil and 86 gas cylinders were needed

You may join in this colossal effort to offer three nutritious meals every day to the 2,500 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.

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Vegetarian savory puffs.

A giant batch of delicious vegetarian puffs were prepared for 2,500 monks as a test for a possible new addition to the regular rotation of menu items offered every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery through the Sera Je Food Fund.

The puffs were stuffed with green beans, cheese and white noodles. The monks enjoyed this addition very much!

To see the amazing food offered every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery visit photo galleries of seven days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Sera Je Kitchen Crew preparing to offer the vegetarian puffs to 2,500 monks.

The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund is extremely honored to sponsor another 10 people to do 108 Nyung-Nä retreats at Institut Vajra Yogini, France. The 108 Nyung-Nä retreats starts in November 2013 and lasts until June 2014. In 2012 the fund also sponsored 10 people to complete 108 Nyung-Nä retreats.

Please enjoy this amazing account from Ven. Lhundrup Chodron, former director of the International Mahayana Institute, regarding her experience of completing the 108 Nyung-Näs.

Compilation of photos taken during the seven-month Nyung-Na retreat.

108 Nyung-Nä Retreat

by Ven. Lhundub Chodron   

At the outset of the seven month-108 Nyung-Nä retreat at Institute Vajra Yogini (IVY) I felt certain that it would be a transformative experience, one that would alter my mind in some definitive way.  But as the days, weeks and months passed it became clear  that  there probably wouldn’t be any major shift in my heart/mind, no big breakthrough in my gnarly habits. What I did know was that every day I was planting many positive seeds in my mind  that were being watered by the unfathomable skill and kindness of Lama Chenrezig.

We had the most perfect conditions for the retreat. All the staff at IVY were incredibly supportive, always encouraging and rejoicing for us. Many staff said that often they would wake up at 5 a.m and think:  “They are in there doing Nyung-Näs. I rejoice!” Then roll over and go back to sleep.  We really felt that the Institute was happy we were there and honored to take care of and support us. “C’est mon plaisir (it’s my pleasure)” is something we heard over and over again.

Retreat leader Ven. Charles.

There was a core group who did the entire retreat, specifically Vens Charles and Namdrol, both of whom have done many, many Nyung-Näs.  Other people came and went, staying for a session, a Nyung-Nä, a month or more. As the retreat leader, Ven. Charles created an environment that was spacious, loving and inclusive for all who wished to join the practice. Over the course of seven months dozens of people engaged in Nyung-Näs with us.

A friend of mine had an opportunity to receive advice from Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) about a retreat she was planning. Khadro-la said “If you don’t harm the self-grasping mind retreat is  worthless and you might come out worse than when you went in.” The Nyung-Nä is a very beautiful and powerful practice for harming self-cherishing and the underlying self-grasping mind.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche indicated that it is very, very beneficial for Ven. Charles to lead another 108 Nyung-Nä retreat at IVY beginning in November. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone interested in expanding their capacity to live solely for the benefit of others.

Director of IVY, François Lecointre, reports:

“If we add up everybody, almost 100 different participants in total have participated in one or more Nyung-Näs and almost 850 individual Nyung-Näs have been accumulated during these seven months.”

Institut Vajra Yogini is hosting another round of 108 Nyung-Näs November 15, 2013 – June 19, 2014. Once again Lama Zopa Rinpoche wishes to sponsor 10 students to do the 108 Nyung-Näs. This sponsorship is the continued expression of one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT which he explained in 2007. For more information please contact Institut Vajra Yogini.

 You can also be a part of this incredible offering by donating any amount to the
Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund.
DONATE

Monks help with clean-up after a meal.

The Sera Food Fund kitchen continues to stay within the budget and be able to offer excellent nutritious vegetarian meals to all the monks of Sera Je Monastery (see photos of 7 days of breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Some recent expenses included:

• US$5,015 for a new steam boiler using wood (to reduce usage of LPG gas cylinders) plus fittings and materials and a new rice cooking vessel.
• US$3,779 for new potato peeling machines, a new wood-cutting machine, seven new steel gas stoves and two steel storage boxes for storing baked breads.

To help illustrate the scale of what is offered through the Sera Je Food Fund, in one month:

• Nearly 25,000 bananas were offered
• 6,166 pounds of rice and 4,369 pounds of dahl were prepared
• 10,579 pounds of baking powder and flour were incorporated into recipes
• 2,509 bundles of green vegetables and 6,382 pounds of combined other vegetables were served
• 107 bottles of soy sauce were utilized
• 3,580 cups of cooking oil and 65 gas cylinders were needed

You may join in this colossal effort to offer three nutritious meals every day to the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.

DONATE

Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL.

In April 2013 the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund was very happy to offer $100,000 towards the building of the new classrooms at Sera Je Monastery. The classrooms will also primarily be used to teach subjects such as science and other fields of knowledge within the monastic curriculum. This is a direct request from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and is a long term objective of Sera Je Monastery to be in line with the vision and recommendations of His Holiness The Dalai Lama in integrating this kind of study into the monastic education.

In July 2013, during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Sera Je Monastery, His Holiness was able to visit the new classrooms. The photo above is a student monk describing a science experiment. Science classes are now part of the curriculum at the Tibetan monastic universities in India.

Animal liberations in Singapore, July 2011.

In July the Animal Liberation Fund was very happy to donate SGD$ 2500 (US$2051) toward larger animal liberations that are organized by Fred Cheong and Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore. Prayers and dedication were included for all the donors of the Animal Liberation Fund, as well as those who have requested prayers and are ill.

On His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, July 6, Amitabha Buddhist Centre liberated 11,000 kg (24,250 lbs) of sea shell, an estimated 1 million lives. On Chokor Duchen, July 12, when merit is multiplied 100 million times,  Amitabha Buddhist Centre liberated another 700,000 animals.

Strong prayers and dedications were made for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and to stay with us and guide us, and for all of His Holiness’s prayers and wishes to come true. Dedications were also made for the long life and perfect health of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for all of Rinpoche’s wishes and prayers to succeed.

Animal Liberation practice is one of the practices that have been recently advised as important to do for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and long life.

Please rejoice in all the lives saved and thank you to all the kind donors, Fred Cheong and the students of Amitabha Buddhist Center who help to make all this possible.

The Animal Liberation Fund continues to support smaller weekly animal liberations, with strong prayers, by the Sangha at Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s house. 
 
If you would also like to participate in future animal liberations:
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Kitchen helpers preparing for meals to feed 30,000 visitors expected on July 6 for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 78th birthday celebration.

The Sera Je Food Fund Kitchen is preparing to offer food to 30,000 visitors to the monastery in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Sera Je from July 5-12, and in celebration of his 78th birthday on July 6. Many monks stayed all night to help prepare the food; a massive, collective effort.

The menu includes: tea and bread for the morning long life initiation, tea and sweet rice for the birthday celebration, and fried rice and butter tea for lunch.

To support the Sera Je Food Fund:
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 In June, $52,950 in grant awards from the 2012 International Merit Box Project offerings were disbursed to 14 FPMT centers, projects and funds for their use. From the kindness of Merit Box Practitioners chipping in their Merit Box donations from all over the world, much-needed funding help has been given to a hospice in California, a retreat land in France, a flood-damaged gompa in Argentina, and an inspiring list of others. To see a PDF of the 2012 Merit Box Project grant recipients please click here.

Thakpa Kachoe’s retreat chalet in the Southern Alps of France, under final construction, received a 2012 Merit Box grant award in June.

LYWA received a grant award to help publish Big Love: Lama Yeshe’s official biography. The book is scheduled for release in 2014.

The following is an extensive list of all the pujas and offerings sponsored by the FPMT Puja Fund. A description of these pujas follows below.

   Annual: Four Buddha Days

Losar (Tibetan New Year and the 15 days of miracles)
Saka Dawa (Day 15 of Month 4: Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana)
Chokhor Duchen (Day 4 of Month 6, commemorating  Lord Buddha’s first teaching)
Lha Bab Duchen (Buddha’s Descent from Tushita)

Prayers and Offerings:

• Sera Lachi (6,000 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, Zangcho (King of Prayers)
• Ganden Lachi (3,400 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Zangcho
• Drepung Lachi (4,200 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog, Zangcho
• Gyurme Tantric College (650 monks): Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions)
• Gyuto Tantric College (600 monks): Namgyäl Tong Chö, Zangcho.
• Rs 20 is offered to every monk at these monasteries
• Offerings made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Sakya Trizen, Jhado Rinpoche, Dhakpa Tritul Rinpoche, Khyongla Rato Rinpoche and Rinpoche’s other gurus.
• Offering are made to all the Sangha at international Sangha communities: Nalanda Monastery, France; Thubten Shedrup Ling, Australia; Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy; Chenrezig Institute, Australia; Sangha doing service at Rinpoche’s house, USA

In addition to the prayers and offerings listed above, the following are additionally offered on the following Buddha Days respectively:

Losar

• Kopan Monastery and Nunnery (370 monks, 400 nuns): offering lunch and money offering, NPR 100 offered to all Kopan monks and nuns
• A full set of robes is offered to all FPMT geshes and resident teachers
• Monetary offerings to the 700+ monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery during the annual Monlam festival

Saka Dawa

• Making and filling of stupas and lunch offering to participants at Chenrezig Institute, Australia
• Kopan Monastery (370 monks):Tukchuma puja and Medicine Buddha puja, NPR 50 offered to all of the monks
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): 100,000 recitations of praises to 21 Taras, NPR 50 and lunch offered to all of the nuns

Chokhor Duchen

• Kopan Monastery (370 monks): Namgyal Tsechok, Rs 50 offered to each monk
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): Kangyur recitation, Rs 50 offered to each nun over three sessions

Lha Bab Duchen

• Kopan Monastery (370 monks): Druk chu ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Tsang Cho, Rs 50 offered to each monk
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): Druk chu ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Tsang Cho, Rs 50 offered to each nun

   Monthly Activities

Full Moon

Prayers and Offerings:

• Offering of white-washing, Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• Offering new umbrellas to the stupas’ pinnacles, Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• Saffron flowers offered in each of the four directions. Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• 16 Arhant puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life, Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• A new set of robes of the most precious material with meditation practice is offered each month to the Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple, Bodhgaya, India
• A new set of robes of the most precious material is offered monthly to the Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokhang, Lhasa Jokhang, Tibet
• Gold is also offered to the holy face of the Jowo Buddha, Lhasa Jokhang, Tibet
• Robes offered to special Chenrezig statue inside Potala palace (when possible), Tibet

Tibetan 8th day

Prayers and Offerings:

• Extensive Medicine Buddha puja on the 8th day of the Tibetan month to bring success to all one’s activities, and for long life and also when anyone has passed away, Sera Me Monastery, India
• Rs 20 offering to approx. 2000 monks, Sera Me Monastery, India

Tibetan 29th day

Prayers and Offerings:

• Hayagriva Tsog Kong: all-day puja to Hayagriva with extensive offerings offered by 40 senior monks at Sera Je Monastery
• Rs 150 offering to approx. 40 monks, Sera Je Monastery, India

May- June: Tibetan 10th – 25th of the 5th month

One week before Saka Dawa

Prayers and Offerings:

• 100,000 Tsog Offerings to Padmasambhava offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche, Khadro-la, Sangha and high lamas from Gelug, Nyingma and Kagyu monasteries
• Offerings and meals for all the sangha for that week

While this is intended for each year, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s and Khadro-la’s schedule may not always allow for this.

Anniversary of His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche’s passing

Location: Ganden Lachi, India

Prayers and Offerings:

• Lama Chopa, and tsog and light offerings offered

  Lama Tsongkhapa Day

• Special dessert for the International Mahayana Institute Sangha (the monks and nuns of FPMT) in their respective monastic communities around the world. 

 Descriptions of Pujas Offered

• Druk Chu Ma: 64 offerings to Kalarupa to eliminate obstacles to one’s activities or projects that are bringing benefit to others
• Namgyäl Tong Chö: One thousand sets of offerings to Buddha Namgyälma
• Namgyäl Tsechog: Is performed to Buddha Namgyälma is performed to remove all obstacles to one’s life and to have a long life. This puja is specifically dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to all beings who are benefiting others and practicing virtue.
• Medicine Buddha Puja: To bring success to all one’s activities, for long life, and for when someone has passed away

Since the pujas are to be performed for as long as the monasteries exist, somebody can, if they want to participate, put in one dollar. This goes into many of the funds and benefits all the monasteries including Kopan, Nalanda and wherever there are large groups of sangha as well as the [FPMT] organization and the Maitreya Buddha statue. I thought these things might help for that. We need to create good karma for success.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to the FPMT Board of Directors, September 1990

These ongoing worldwide pujas and offerings are something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer and dedicate towards and also something you can also participate in by donating any amount … How amazing!

You may donate any amount to help ensure these pujas and offerings continue long into the future.

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Some of the monks of Dhakpo Khangtsen.

Dhakpo Khangtsen in much need of renovations.

June 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund was very happy to offer US$21,058 to Sera Je Dhakpo Khangtsen for the building of new rooms for the monks. Dhakpo Khangtsen remains one of the poorest Khangtsens (houses) at Sera Je Monastery. It does not have its own Gompa and the monks living there do not have adequate rooms, kitchen, toilet and bathroom facilities. This donation will go toward new rooms for the monks and will help with some much needed renovation.