Projects

2010 Meeting of Geluk Committee in Nepal.April 2013: The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund is very happy to be able to offer US$11,500 towards 2013 Special debate held in Nepal in August 2013.

This year the special debate will be held at Kopan Monastery for fifteen days. There will be 450 monks attending from ten different Gelug 2010 Meeting of Geluk Committee in Nepal.monasteries in Nepal. These are the top debating students from each monastery. In addition this is the first time ever that nuns are participating in the special debate and there will be 90 nuns participating from two Gelug nunneries in Nepal, one of  them being Kopan’s own Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery.

This is the fifth year the special debate has been held in Nepal for the Gelug monasteries. Each year a different monastery hosts the actual debate.

For more information on the annual winter debate, its history, the texts debated and the overall incredible importance of the debate please read more here.

Please rejoice that we can make this offering and thank you to all the kind donors of the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund. The support given by FPMT’s Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund ensures that the Mahayana teachings are preserved for the benefit of all sentient beings and is critical to FPMT’s mission of transmitting and preserving the Mahayana Buddhist teachings worldwide. 

Kitchen helpers working hard. Please visit Sera Je Food Fund Office’s Facebook page for a photo gallery of a typical day in the Sera Je Kitchen, which is sponsored by the Sera Je Food Food.

You can also read Geshe Thubten Sherab’s account of a typical day at Sera Je Monastery here.

DONATE

Buckets of vegetables and tofu.

Monks returning to their own quarters.

Some of the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns undertaking 100 Million Mani Retreats.April 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche just received this message from the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns who are currently doing their 2^nd 100 million mani retreat:

The Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns wanted to send their heartfelt thanks to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and donors who are supporting them and caring for them like their own lovely children.

The nuns wanted to say that they would have no other food or support if Lama Zopa Rinpoche had not requested them to offer the 100 Million Mani Retreats each year and support them during the retreats.

Some of the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns undertaking 100 million mani retreats.The Geshe who is guiding them during the retreats and offering lam-rim teachings said this is 100%  true. I have been with them now for two years and I know their condition and how much these retreats have supported them. We have now also been able to build a kitchen for them and it is almost complete. On  behalf of the nuns and myself, again, thank you so much for helping the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery.

You can learn more about the 100 million mani retreats offered by the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns every year.

April 16, 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund are very happy to offer US$100,000 toward new classrooms being built at Sera Je Monastery, India. (Photos, right, from April 2013.)

The Sera Je Monastery Secretary, Geshe Thupten Monlam, explains that the classroom will initially be used for debate classes so the monks won’t be disturbed by rain and or too  much sun.

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

The classroom building facility is planned to be complete in time for the upcoming visit of His Holiness The Dalai Lama in July 2013. 

It is a high priority of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s and of the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund to offer support directly and indirectly towards the next generation of Dharma teachers.

This support can be annual offerings toward food expenses or donations toward projects or specific needs, such as contributing to the building of the incarnation’s monastery, labrang (house), geshe degree etc.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche helps in whatever way he can to support the next generation of teachers who will continue to hold the lineages and pass on the Dharma.

Next Generation Dharma Teachers

Lama Zopa Rinopche with Tenzin Osel at Kopan Monastery Dec 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche taking transmission from Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche, with Ven. Tsenla and Ven. Yeshe Khadro offering tsog. Bodhgaya, January 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche Kopan Monastery 2012.

Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche, Bodh Gaya Jan 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Zong Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Serkong Dorje Chang in Kopan Monastery 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Domo Rinpoche in India Dec 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with His Eminence Ling Rinpoche, Bodh Gaya Jan 2012.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with young Ribur Rinpoche, India 2012.

Charok Lama with young tulkus of Kopan Monastery Feb 2006.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with young Sengye Rinpoche.

A look at a typical week’s worth of dinners provided by the Sera Je Food Fund to all the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.

You can also view a typical day’s menu including breakfast and lunch.

Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.

Monday: Rice with vegetables.
Tuesday: Noodle soup.
Wednesday: Rice with tofu and vegetable.
Thursday: Noodle soup.
Friday: Vegetable biriyani with soup.
Saturday: Vegetable buns and soup. Sunday: Fried rice with soup.

DONATE

Have you ever wondered how to offer food to the 2,600 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery?

By donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund, you contribute to the daily offering of three healthy vegetarian meals prepared for and offered to all of the monks of Sera Je Monastery.

Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.

DONATE

What Does a Meal for 2,600 Look Like?

Buckets of soup to be offered to the monks. Making giant pots of vegetarian dahl. Photo by Losan Piatti. Monks cutting the vegetables. Photo by Losan Piatti. The monks recite prayers together and dedicate to all the donors of the Ser Je Food Fund before the food is offered. Photo by Losan Piatti. Making bread dough.Monks enjoying cutting the vegetables together.

January 2013:The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund and the Stupa Fund recently donated US$10,000 toward the completion of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel’s second stupa being built at Kopan Monastery. Donations such as this contribute directly to the Stupa Fund’s mission of building 100,000 large stupas around the world.

The stupa will be consecrated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche May 3, 2013.

 
From the Sutra Essence of Earth:

While there are the three rare sublime ones
Fulfilling the hopes without any effort
Like the unimaginable wish-granting tree and wish-granting jewel;
[But] believing the method to achieve happiness is something else

All the activities one attempts become only negative karma
And this precious human rebirth with qualified freedoms and richnesses,
Which is rarer than a wish-granting jewel, becomes meaningless and empty;
It becomes only a cause of harm;
This is more foolish than an animal.

Friend, by realizing this body, this life is like a water bubble
And material enjoyments like the dew on the tip of the grass
Attempt the white (virtuous) actions, offer to the three rare sublime ones (Buddha Dharma, Sangha)
And take the essence from this essenceless body and possessions.

Due to this merit may I and each and every sentient being respect
And make offerings to the three rare sublime ones;
By the happiness of the joyful occasion of listening, reflecting, meditating and practicing
May all the transmigratory beings’ wishes be completely fulfilled.

Colophon: Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche regarding having many holy objects. Scribe Ven. Holly Ansett, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, USA, November 2003. Lightly edited by Ven. Thubten Labdron, May 2004.

First day of Nyung-Nä Retreat at Institut Vajra Yogini, France.March 2013: In November, 2012 we reported that Lama Zopa Rinpoche was sponsoring students to do 108 Nyung Nä retreats at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, from November 18, 2012 to June 20, 2013. We are happy to provide you with an update on this retreat!

The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhicitta Fund has just offered 4,800 EUR toward the first half of the retreat. The students are now halfway through the 108 Nyung Näs. Nine students registered at various points but several canceled due to various reasons.

Nyung-Nä thangka painted by Peter Iseli. There are now five students completing this retreat and others continue joining the retreatants for one Nyung Nä or more, sometime even for only one session.

Four people did 16 Nyung Näs including Madeleine Maso who is 90 years old.

Five other people did 8 Nyung Näs and about 50 others did one or more Nyung Näs.

In short: 65 participants in total have participated in one or more Nyung-Näs and almost 500 individual Nyung Näs have been accumulated since mid-November!

Please rejoice in the merit created and because this contributes to one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast visions for the entire organization!

You can read about Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice regarding the incredible power of doing Nyung-näs on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive’s Online Advice Book.

The Tashi Lhunpo Health Care CenterFebruary 2013: The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund and the Tibetan Health Services Fund donated US$5,677 (300,000 irs) towards the Tashi Lhunpo Health Care Center. The Tashi Lhunpo Health Care Center is extremely important in providing quality health care since 1992 to the monks of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and local Tibetans and Indians in the area.

 Lama Zopa Rinpoche was very inspired by their work and wanted to make this donation.

We just received this kind message from Tashi Lhunpo Health Care Center regarding how the donation is being used:

 “First of all we would like to convey our heartfelt greetings and gratitude for your kind support. Because of your financial support we were able to buy sufficient medicine, and also hepatitis syringes which are very expensive.”

Young monks waiting in line at the health care center.	Doctor giving check-up to the oldest monk, 105 year old Kachen Laktho, tantric teacher of the monastery.
Allopathy doctor giving check-up to monk patient.

The roof of Kopan Hostel being repaired. February 2012: The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund donated US$22,709 toward a much needed new roof for Kopan Hostel under Tsawa Khangtsen at Sera Je Monastery, India. Kopan Hostel is where all the monks of Kopan Monastery stay when they are studying in Sera Je Monastery.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan House, offering light.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with all of the monks at Kopan House, December 2012.

Rejoice! The 3,000 monks of Sera Je Monastery are offering 9 days of prayers and pujas dedicated to all our kind and generous benefactors.

We have just received this letter from the Abbott of Sera Je Monastery thanking Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FPMT and all the benefactors of the Sera Je Food Fund project.

Due to the kind and generous support of so many, FPMT has been able to offer food to all the Sangha at Sera Je Monastery now for the past 22 years. THANK YOU.