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Supporting our Lamas
Daily Sutra of Golden Light recitations at Institut Vajra Yogini.
The students of Institut Vajra Yogini, France, have committed to engage in yet another one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT. This is the third Vast Vision they are actively supporting. In addition to hosting yearly Nyung-Nä retreats and building a large studio so that large thangkas can be painted, they will now recite the Sutra of Golden Light every day as a group with each participants’ recitation counted toward the accumulation of recitations. They organize two sessions daily to complete the entire sutra: 12pm-1pm and also 6pm-7pm. Students are also encouraged to recite from a distance. In the first nine days of beginning this new commitment, 35 full recitations of the sutra were accumulated and about 80 different students have taken part.
Institut Vajra Yogini decided to take on this commitment once they heard Lama Zopa Rinpoche advise about the benefits of the Sutra of Golden Light.
The holy Golden Light Sutra is the king of the sutras. It is extremely powerful and fulfills all one’s wishes, as well as bringing peace and happiness for all sentient beings, up to enlightenment. It is also extremely powerful for world peace, for your own protection and for the protection of the country and the world. Also, it has great healing power for people in the country.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Please rejoice in these recitations. Anyone can join in this accumulation of merit and support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions by reciting this incredible sutra which you can download freely in several languages.
After five weeks of recitations, Institut Vajra Yogini’s students have accumulated 160 full recitations of the Sutra. Almost 200 people have taken part in these recitations! Please rejoice!
FPMT Education Services has created a resource page to help you learn more about and start reciting the Sutra of Golden Light. You can download the sutra in 12 languages, report completed recitations, share your experiences, and ask questions about the text itself.
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, September 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.
From September 13-October 23, a successful CPMT meeting was held and followed by a retreat with Lama Zopa Rinpoche. These events were jointly hosted by three Australian FPMT entities: The Great Stupa, Atisha Centre and Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery.
Following the moving long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, which came after the CPMT meeting (there was also a second long life puja offered to Rinpoche following the retreat), Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered over $24,000 to The Great Stupa, Atisha Centre and Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery towards their incredible work.
Please rejoice in this kind offering towards these amazing beneficial activities happening in Australia.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund or the Long Life Puja Fund, which funds annual long life pujas for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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.
Ian Green thanking Rinpoche on behalf of the entire retreat and the three centers hosting, and requesting Rinpoche to continue the teachings.
At the conclusion of the recent retreat in Australia, inside the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, all of the participants and many others offered a beautiful and moving long life puja to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on October 23.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche being led into the long life puja.
At the beginning of the puja Rinpoche was led into the stupa by a local aboriginal elder playing the didgeridoo and two geshes, Geshe Doga from Tara Institute, Melbourne and Geshe Wangchen from Dorje Chang Institute, New Zealand.
The entire stupa was filled with people and it was a very joyous occasion and ending to an incredible retreat.
Amitabha Buddha Center will be offering a long life puja to Rinpoche in Singapore later this month and at the end of the annual November course at Kopan Monastery a long life puja will be offered to Rinpoche in December.
The five dakini dance was offered to Rinpoche.
Please rejoice in all of these recent long life pujas offered and planned for Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
To understand why a long life puja is essential, we must understand the value of the Guru. He is our guide in this life, the bardo, and future lives. He is immensely important. It is not a case where if we ask him to live he will, and vice-versa, but that to offer such a ceremony purifies our own broken samayas.
—Geshe Lama Konchog
You can learn more about the Long Life Puja Fund and offer your support to long life pujas for Lama Zopa Rinpoche as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The foundation for a new prayer hall at Ngari Khangsten is complete.
Earlier this year we reported on a $US100,000 donation that was made by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, from the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, toward the building of a much-needed new prayer hall at Ngari Khangtsen, at Sera Je Monastery in south India.
We are pleased to report that the foundation is now finished. The project is employing a “small army” of local laborers who are working hard to build this wonderful new prayer hall.
There is not yet a projected date of completion as they have not yet acquired funds necessary to begin the next stage of construction. You are welcome to contribute directly to this next important phase of building.
This time of year, the monks of Ngari Khangtsen are pleased to have finished their annual exams. It was reported that the monks did very well this year.
Please rejoice in the completion of the foundation for this important project which will benefit so many monks studying Dharma so sincerely.
If you would like to learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund and how you can contribute to the many worthy projects which it supports, or if you’d like to know more about other charitable activity within the FPMT organization, you can see a list of the FPMT Charitable Projects and their descriptions.
Sangha at Kachoe Dechen Ling create tsa-tsas and stupas daily for those who are sick or have died. Photo by Chris Majors.
On Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s request, the Sangha at Kachoe Dechen Ling make tsa-tsas and stupas every day. This activity is sponsored by the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund. The holy objects created are:
1. Long life tsa-tsas (Three long life deities and Medicine Buddha)
2. Mitrugpa tsa-tsas
3. Three stupas each day which are filled with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras
Photo by Chris Majors.
The tsa tsas are made and dedicated for any person who is sick and the stupas are made and dedicated for any being who has died.
After the dedications the tsa tsas and stupas are used in various ways, one main way is around other stupas and holy objects at Kachoe Dechen ling that people can circumambulate when entering the house and create merit that way. They are also used around the bigger stupa that all the animals that are liberated are taken around each week.
In this way there is constantly practices happening at Rinpoche’s house dedicated for all beings
Rinpoche has said the only reason to have a house is for it to be a way to create merit for sentient beings and the organization, in this way Rinpoche takes care of all the sangha in the house and request they doing specific practices all day (and into the night) with dedications for the whole organization and all beings.
Please rejoice in this daily creation of holy objects which create so much merit for individuals and all of FPMT.
You can learn more about the activities of the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, which supports the creation of these tsa-tsas and stupas, or enjoy an overview of other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
One of the statues being consulted as a prototype for the Five Dhayani Buddhas being created.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, is sponsoring the creation of Five Dhyani Buddha statues, a Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) statue and a number of other Buddhist statues which will go inside a large stupa that is being built in India. Rinpoche recently offered the first payment toward this holy object project, US$54,452
The statues are 4-ft high with full gold plating and will take two years to complete. They are being made by one of the best statue makers in Nepal. Rinpoche has been involved with the artist to make sure the art is best quality.
Holy objects purify karma just by seeing [them]. It purifies the mind, plants seed for the path to liberation. That’s how stupas liberate each day.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
You are welcome to offer any amount toward this incredibly holy object offering.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during long life puja with Geshe Doga, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, September 19, 2014. Photo by Laura Miller.
Five dakini dancers entering the gompa, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, September 19, 2014. Photo by Laura Miller.
Each year, a long life puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche is offered on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. This puja takes place at the close of the yearly Kopan lam-rim course, or at the end of a CPMT meeting. This year, it was offered following the CPMT 2014 meeting.
A long life puja with the five dakinis was offered on Friday, September 19, in the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion. A video recording of the puja is available on the CPMT livestream page.
A beautiful collection of praises and requests from FPMT centers, projects and services around the world were read aloud to Lama Zopa Rinpoche by regional and national coordinators who were present:
“We offer this praise to you Rinpoche, on behalf of all of your disciples throughout the world. We offer this praise on behalf of all sentient beings, who wander like blind children at the edge of the perilous cliffs of samsara, certain to fall to our deaths without your guidance….”
You can read this entire, moving collection of praises and requests here.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered an extensive dedication at the end of the puja, including all the people working within the FPMT organization and all FPMT centers, projects and services around the world.
The purpose of the long life puja is for students to purify the mistakes that occur in relation to their teacher, and to create the causes and conditions to continue to receive benefit from that teacher for a very long time. Please rejoice that we can make this offering and may it create the cause for our most precious Guru to have a very long long life.
You can contribute anytime towards future long life pujas offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
You can learn more about the Long Life Puja Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Italy earlier this year.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, recently offered US$50,000 toward a new place for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to stay when in Bylakuppe, India. This new accommodation is being built by the Tibetan Settlement Office in Bylakuppe.
Please rejoice that FPMT is able to offer service to His Holiness, in this way.
Recently, Lama Zopa Rinpoche composed a beautiful prayer, “Remembering the Kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan People.”
You are welcome to donate any amount to the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund toward the cost of this offering.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Holy objects and extensive offerings at Kachoe Dechen Ling. Photo by Chris Majors.
It takes Sangha many hours each day to offer waterbowls as part of the extensive offerings at Kachoe Dechen Ling. Photo by Chris Majors.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has requested Sangha at Kachoe Dechen Ling to make extensive offerings daily including the extensive offering practice. These offerings have been done every day for 16 years and include water bowls, light offerings and flower offerings outside in the beautiful gardens. The waterbowl offerings alone can take many hours to perform each day.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche personally engages in the extensive offering practice daily, no matter where he is. The offerings at Kachoe Dechen Ling and also at other centers and students’ homes around the world are used as a basis for the offerings that Rinpoche then offers in his daily practice.
Extensive Offering practice is very important to Lama Zopa Rinpoche who engages in this practice daily, usually before lunch. Photo by Chris Majors.
All of these offerings and the practice are dedicated to the success of all FPMT centers, projects and services, and that they all may be of most benefit, to all the kind benefactors, students, volunteers, to those who are sick and have passed away, for world peace, and to all beings everywhere.
Please rejoice in these offerings and please also use them in your practice. You can enjoy a gallery of photos documenting the beautiful extensive offerings at Kachoe Dechen Ling and Amitabha Pure Land.
You are welcome to contribute to these daily extensive offerings by donating to the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund.
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Rejoice…
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing an elephant in Bodhgaya, India, 2012. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Since 2011 Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, has been covering the cost of food for a large elephant Rinpoche named “Bodhichitta” who lives in Bodhgayga, India. Rinpoche gave one condition to the owner of this elephant: He must circumambulate the elephant regularly around the Bodhgaya Stupa or the holy objects at Root Institute. This, of course, is to help the elephant create merit and ultimately bring to enlightenment.
When Rinpoche met Bodhichitta the elephant for the first time, as Rinpoche was reciting mantras to it, the elephant was observed having tears running down its face. Please enjoy this moving video of an incredible sweet moment.
You are welcome to donate to the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund and contribute to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s compassionate service to others:
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast visions for the FPMT organization is to sponsor 1,000 Nung-Nä retreats. Upon hearing about Rinpoche’s vision, Institut Vajra Yogini quickly picked up the project of hosting these retreats and has now started a third set of 108 Nyung-Näs, from mid-November 2013 to mid-June 2014.
More than 125 students from 12 different countries took part in one or more Nyung-Näs, accumulating an amazing total of about 1,000 individual Nyung Näs! Four people offered a consecutive year of their lives engaging in these retreats.
The Nyung-Nä retreat is an intensive practice that carries great blessings and is highly praised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche as a supreme method for transforming the mind. The practice includes taking the 24-hour Mahayana precepts every day, with the addition of complete fasting and silence every second day. One does four – 2 ½ hour sessions of well-structured practice that includes meditation, prostrations and mantra recitation each day. It is a powerfully effective experiential practice that can be done by anyone with respect and faith for the practice.
16 people did more than eight Nyung-Näs, four of them managing to do more than 100 Nyung-Näs. This is something amazing in which to rejoice!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, sponsored some of these retreatants, as he had done for the two previous sets. The next set of 108 Nyung-Näs is scheduled from the November 18, 2014 to the 20th of June 2015. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is again offering sponsorship for up to 10 people able to commit for 100 Nyung-Näs.
These Nyung-Näs will be led in French but people can follow simultaneously in English or any other language.
Everybody is welcome to join for one or more Nyung Näs, you can contact Institute Vajra Yogini to enter any number of these retreats (1-100) when they begin the next set.
Contributing to the sponsorship of these Nung-Näs or completing one or more yourself is directly contributing to Rinpoche’s wishes.
Nyung-Näs are a most powerful, most beneficial and quickest way for you to develop bodhicitta, to collect extensive merit to quickly achieve enlightenment, to become Chenrezig, to liberate sentient beings from the oceans of samsara suffering and bring to enlightenment….This is an extremely powerful practice, it in an incredible way to develop bodhichitta.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
You can learn more about the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.