We hope you enjoy the May FPMT International Office E-News.

In this e-News we bring you:

• An overview of the resources available following the earthquakes in Nepal
• Highlights from our blogs about Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• News from FPMT Charitable Projects
• New opportunities to offer service

and more!

Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the way to consecrate the stupa at Mahamudra Centre, Colville, New Zealand, May 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang

Kopan monks distribute aid to villagers after earthquake, Nepal, May 1, 2015. Photo via Ven. Nawang Thinley’s Facebook page.

FPMT.org makes available a variety of resources to help concerned students and supporters stay abreast of the latest updates and news from Kopan Monastery and other FPMT centers and projects in Nepal affected by the earthquake.

Learn more and offer support to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund, a fund offering initial aid in some of the most remote areas and helping to rebuild Kopan Monastery, Kopan Nunnery and Lawudo (https://fpmt.org/support/socialservices/).

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice regarding “Prayers and Practice for Earthquake in Nepal” to help prevent earthquakes and benefit those who have recently died (https://fpmt.org/edu-news/prayers-and-practices-for-earthquake-in-nepal/).

For FPMT.org’s coverage of Nepal after the earthquake, visit our “Updates from Nepal after the Earthquake” page (https://fpmt.org/nepal-earthquake/).

Consider receiving an email daily digest of news from FPMT.org, which includes our updates from Nepal (https://fpmt.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=97e3ebb09472d09e0e699efd3&id=b248a1a45e). 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in Kopan Monastery’s main gompa, Nepal, April 28, 2015. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.

28 April 2015, 9 p.m. Kathmandu time

From Ven. Roger Kunsang:

Services have started to come back. Kopan just got electricity and internet just now.

Rinpoche taught this afternoon, but still no initiation. Rinpoche taught mostly on emptiness and how earthquakes and Chöd are similar– they raise fear and you can use that. Rinpoche also taught, “The earthquake came from one’s own self-cherishing mind. … So take all the blame and put it on one’s own self-cherishing. … Don’t blame outside, don’t point the finger outside to others.”

Rinpoche is keen to help Thame, the town where he was born [near Mount Everest in the Solu Khumbu region], in particular, two families he has connections with. And so he sent US$3,500 for both families to help them with a tent and food. Through a lama there who does all the pujas for the dead of the poor families, we are trying to identify the families who now need help with food and tents. (Nobody wants to stay inside buildings.) We are going to try and focus on helping poor families in the area who have lost their homes. [FPMT International Office has established the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund to support these efforts.]

Still people are camped out and won’t go into their homes, if still standing. They are too scared another tremor will come. People were really freaked out with the big aftershock quakes and their effects.

I’m inside while writing this and am ready to run if tremors happen. That’s happened a few times and quite freaky as the building really shakes and trembles! And we really don’t know if the building will come down or not!

Lots of commercial flights coming in now to the airport, so I think things should be more settled by the time we need to leave. [Rinpoche’s teaching tour begins in New Zealand next week.]

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in the gompa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 28, 2015. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.

Damage to Chenrezig gompa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 27, 2015

From Ani Fran, who works as a manager at Kopan Monastery:

The damage is heartbreaking [at Kopan], especially the Chenrezig gompa. It is possible it will have to be pulled down and rebuilt. 

But we are so lucky that Rinpoche is here, camping out with everybody else. Can you believe it!

Damage to Chenrezig gompa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 27, 2015

For the latest updates and news from Kopan Monastery and other FPMT centers and projects in Nepal affected by the earthquake, visit our “Updates from Nepal after the Earthquake” page: https://fpmt.org/nepal-earthquake/

To learn more and offer support to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund visit: 
https://fpmt.org/support/socialservices/

For “Prayers and Practice for Earthquake in Nepal,” see: 
https://fpmt.org/edu-news/prayers-and-practices-for-earthquake-in-nepal/

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang in the enlightenment garden at Kopan Monastery, where they have been camped out, Nepal, April 2015. Photo by Ueli Minder.

Looking down at Kopan Nunnery after the earthquake, Nepal. Photo by Ven. Sangpo Sherpa.

27 April 2015, 10 p.m. (Kathmandu time) 

From Ven.Roger Kunsang:

All at Kopan Monastery are spending the third night sleeping outside. Most people in the area are doing the same. People are very scared to sleep inside the houses as many homes are poorly constricted and damaged.

Today Rinpoche heard that half of the houses in Thame, which is Rinpoche’s birthplace in the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal, have been completely destroyed. Rinpoche immediately offered to sponsor tents and food to help the people in Thame.

I have asked FPMT International Office to set up a Nepal Earthquake Support Fund. This fund will begin the task of supporting Kopan Monastery and Nunnery and other affected FPMT centers in the area with any initial emergency needs, and then later on, will offer ongoing support for rebuilding. We will also use these funds to help others, as in the example of Thame.

This evening Rinpoche did prayers for all those who have died or are injured with all the Sangha of Kopan. Rinpoche gave the motivation for Most Secret Hayagriva initiation and is planning to give the initiation tomorrow.

Thank you all for your support of prayers and offering support to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund.

27 April 2015, 8 p.m. (Kathmandu time) 

From Kopan Monastery staff: 

Nepal chaos by nature (Report from day one)

It’s the biggest tragedy from a powerful earthquake to happen in Nepal in 82 years. It was at 11:54 a.m., just after the lunch here at Kopan Monastery. Afterwards, we learned that it measured 7.9 magnitude, which is considered as very strong. It is officially report that more than two thousands people died within 3-4 hours from the initial quake. Fortunately, it hit during the daytime, otherwise the number of human casualties may be doubled.

Image from Kopan Monastery School Facebook page, Nepal, April 27 2015

At first there’s nothing much to do except stay away from the any building. All the monks moved back to Ri-gyab. Rinpoche started to pray along with monks, while we were looking around trying to find any casualties. We found that Chenrezig gompa and old guest room got pretty bad damages. All the staff members are busy sorting out problems. Tents were prepared for Rinpoche, monks and all the guests.

As soon as we came to know about the many tragedies that had happened in the city, we setup an Emergency Relief Team. The first thing that came into our minds to do was to donate blood. We went off to the Red Cross blood bank of Nepal to check. On the way, we witnessed on the roads and heard from the radio that many people were dead. 

At night, all the people across the city are camped either in the road or open places. There is no light. All the medium of communication are jammed. You can feel the fear from people’s faces. Hospitals are full of corpses. Helicopters are flying all over the city. The government announced to stay away from any tall buildings or the like. It was declared five days off for all the schools across the country. It’s so creepy to see the affected area. Many buildings got cracked. Some might go down if it shakes again. People across the country are scared and tense. The government announced relief teams are on the way and international teams are arriving.

Updates from Ven. Roger Kunsang at Kopan Monastery:

27 April 2015, 10am (Kathmandu time) Lama Zopa Rinpoche, all the Kopan monks and nuns (approximately 800) and about 25 foreigners who are at Kopan slept outside for a second night, tremors continued, many people piled in tents and outside, trying to keep dry from the rain. No one wants to stay inside the buildings while tremors are still happening. The situation is unclear, so we are conserving water and food.

Many of the 800 monks and nuns are very young (7-15 years old) so the older sangha are trying to look after them, help them not to be scared and try to answer their questions on why the earth moves.

Please continue to do prayers for all those affected. 

From Ven.Sarah Thresher: From shortly after the earthquake began the main center at Kopan has been the garden of enlightenment where the big stupas of Geshe lama Konchog and Lama lhundrup are built. Rinpoche has been living there, daytime and nighttime, leading prayers, teaching, greeting people who come up, keeping people relaxed and in a positive state of mind. The very first day Rinpoche told us there is no point being worried and afraid, we must pray. So we have been doing prayers to control the earthquake, prayers for the people who have died, prayers to destroy the self-cherishing and self-grasping minds from where the negative karma as arise that cause all the suffering. With Rinpoche always present and the two great stupas as well, it feels like we are in a tranquil oasis of calm protected by all the BUDDHAS.

Last night was cold and wet and many more people slept in the tents. I heard they could hear Rinpoche chanting mantras loudly all night for sentient beings, for all sentient beings. 

Tents around the stupa at Kopan Monastery

26 April 2015,  7pm (Kathmandu time) Lama Zopa Rinpoche and all the monks, nuns and students staying at Kopan are still sleeping outside (some in tents) as there continue to be aftershocks, some as big as 6.7.

There is still no internet, phone lines jammed and no electricity (although once a day generator at Kopan is turned on so phones can be charged). 

Rinpoche is well and has been in the Kopan garden all day doing prayers, right now doing the  King of Prayers dedicated for all those who have died in the earthquake.

Earlier today Rinpoche requested the monks and nuns to recite the Golden Light Sutra many times to prevent the continuing aftershocks and also the recitation of the Kangyur.

There is substantial damage to Kopan Monastery and Nunnery, a number of buildings are seriously damaged.

Ven.Sarah Thresher reports: The earthquake happened yesterday around lunchtime. It was Saturday and a holiday. Many people were gone. We were in the dining room when everything started to shake and most people ran out. In Rinpoche’s room there are many things and they were falling down. Rinpoche was sitting in the main room doing tonglen, taking the suffering of others and giving happiness. Rinpoche said this is the best practice, lojong, using whatever negative situation arises to destroy the self cherishing. After a while the attendants carried Rinpoche down to the stupa garden and everyone gathered around him. For hours Rinpoche led us in prayers. We did the prayers for earthquakes and we did tonglen. As we prayed the earth was shaking, sometimes quite strongly. Then Rinpoche began to teach and also give lungs for thought transformation practice. We were all so fortunate that Rinpoche, Osel and Khen Rinpoche were here along with the senior monks who took full control of the situation. Amongst the damage at Kopan is broken pipes. The internet also became very scarce and electricity off. We were fortunate we could get dinner and then many people slept outside. Rinpoche also was outside.
This morning again people were outside. The monks did prayers and also relaxed a bit. Rinpoche had lunch out in the garden and we listened to chanting and spent time with him. This evening Rinpoche led prayers for all the people who died until it started to rain heavily. There are still tremors and there has been a lot of destruction and deaths. But at Kopan we are all safe. Now it is raining and people are outside. Thankyou all for your concern and prayers.

Please continue to do prayers for all those affected.

Some of the damage at Kopan, 26 April 2015

Lama Zopa Rinpoche leading prayers at Kopan

Emergency relief set up at Kopan

26 April 2015, 10.30am: Last night everyone slept outside, there were many aftershocks. There is substantial damage to a number of buildings at both Kopan Monastery and Nunnery (the Chenrezig gompa, guest house, Norbalinka, Nunnery old gompa and kitchen) exact details will come later. Kopan Monastery and Nunnery will need our support soon. Currently there is no electricity, no internet and limited lines open for calls.  So this is just a short update.

25 April 2015, 4pm: Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Tenzin Osel Hita and all at Kopan Monastery and Nunnery are fine after the strong earthquake that hit Nepal today. There has been some damage in Kopan (to buildings). Rinpoche’s sister –  Ani Ngawang Samten and those in Lawudo are also fine (also some damage).

Please hold all those who have been affected by the earthquake in your prayers.

Prayers that can be done:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given advice on practices to do after earthquakes and also always recommends Medicine Buddha practice, Golden Light Sutra and King of Prayers.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Root Institute, Feb 2015. Photo by Ven.Thubten Kunsang

We’re pleased to announce that International Office’s FPMT Annual Review 2014: Preserving, Developing and Spreading the Mahayana Tradition is available for the worldwide FPMT community in eZine and PDF formats.

“All the work we are doing in FPMT is to accomplish the most important thing, not only for oneself, but for the numberless sentient beings, who are the most important. Our aim is to benefit them in many ways,” FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche says in the FPMT Annual Review 2014. 

You can read Rinpoche’s letter along with updates from FPMT Inc. CEO Ven. Roger Kunsang and FPMT Inc. Board of Directors chair Karuna Cayton in this year’s review. We also highlight the accomplishments of FPMT International Office in its work to help actualize Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT. Please take a moment to rejoice with us for all that has been achieved! 

FPMT International Office is based in Portland, Oregon, and provides the necessary framework for all FPMT activity, develops and delivers high quality education programs and materials, maintains several primary channels for communication, manages charitable projects key to FPMT’s mission, coordinates communication between Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the larger organization and provides support to FPMT centers, projects and services.

Good wishes for Losar from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and all at FPMT International Office!

We also hope you enjoy our February E-News, in which you will find:

• Updates to Rinpoche’s Schedule
• Remembering the Kindness – Tenzin Osel Hita Turns 30!
• New Materials and other news from FPMT Education Services
• Time to send in your Merit Box donations!

  and more!

  

  Lama Zopa Rinpoche making a request to His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Jangchup Lamrim teachings, South India, December 2014.
  Photo by Bill Kane.

CPMT,  FPMT’s international meeting, which was recently hosted in the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, successfully concluded with the official long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on September 19th.

We invite you to read our wrap up of CPMT 2014, and also review the blogs sent during the meeting.  You can still watch video of Rinopche’s advice given during the meeting and the long life puja here.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is currently teaching during the month-long Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa retreat in the Great Stupa, and Rinpoche’s teachings are available via livestreaming.

In addition to the live webcasts, mp3 audio recordings of Rinpoche’s teachings in English and translated into Spanish, French and Italian are uploaded each day.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche circumambulating the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, September 12, 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche wished to update the FPMT Mission Statement in order to make it clear that FPMT’s mission of preserving the Mahayana tradition includes listening to correct teachings of the Buddha, then reflecting, meditating on, practicing and actualizing those teachings – and then with experience spreading the teachings to sentient beings.

The FPMT Inc Board has finalised the updated FPMT Mission Statement, and we are delighted to share it with you here:

FPMT Mission Statement

The FPMT is an organization devoted to preserving and spreading Mahayana Buddhism worldwide by creating opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha and based on that experience spreading the Dharma to sentient beings.

We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility and service. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion.

Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and our spiritual director, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering all the flowers in the park to the guru, Leeds, UK, July 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The 2014 International Merit Box grant award winners have been chosen! Fifteen projects which further the mission of FPMT have gotten much-needed funding support thanks to the generosity of Merit Box practitioners.

$54,743 in grants have be distributed for the following projects:

Hayagriva Statue for Gendun Drupa Center in Switzerland

Retreat support for IMI Sangha who attended Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Light of the Path retreat in May 2014

Repaying the Kindness program to support carers in the United Kingdom

Gompa prayer book expansion project at Kadampa Center, USA

Developing a spiritual carer training program through Karuna Hospice Service in Australia

Feeding the homeless at the Soup Kitchen of Lamp of the Path Mongolia

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lamp of the Path Mongolia staff and beneficiaries, September 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Providing Mandala magazine subscriptions for prisoners through the Liberation Prison project

Support toward the publishing costs of Big Love Lama Yeshe: The Official Biography of Lama Yeshe, through the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, USA

For the ongoing operations for Osel Labrang, and the recent distribution of Long Life Prayer Flags for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund

Developing the Research Library and Tibetan language program at Maitripa College, USA

Construction work on a vulnerable roadway at Milarepa Center, USA

IMI Sangha at the Light of the Path retreat, May 2014

Funding the live webcasts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings

Work on the Lama Yeshe statue shrine at Vajrapani Institute, USA

If you would like to become a Merit Box practitioner and support the 2015 grants, please click here. With a Merit Box practice kit, you can start collecting your spare change over the next year to help virtuous projects like these come to fruition!

Past editions of the FPMT International Office e-news are always available to enjoy.

Ven. Tenzin Gyeltsen, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Dagri Rinpoche going to the ocean to bless sentient beings, Aptos, California, USA, October 2013.
Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang

Webcasts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching this year (and in previous years), including the teachings Rinpoche gave during this year’s Light of the Path retreat are available online 24/7 on FPMT’s livestreaming webpage. 

Also, all Light of the Path Retreat Resources 2009, 2010 and 2014 are available on the Online Learning Center.

Rinpoche doing prayers for those who have died and who are seriously sick at the end of the day’s teaching at the Llight of the Path retreat.
Photo: Ven.Roger Kunsang, May 2014