FPMT Community: Stories & News

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, India, January 2020. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In the January FPMT International Office e-News, we bring you news about:

• The Official Long Life Puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• Rejoicing in Another Year of Animal Liberation
• A New Translation of the FPMT Ethical Policy

…and more!

Have the e-News translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page.

The FPMT International Office e-News comes from your FPMT International Office. Visit our subscribe page to receive the FPMT International Office News directly in your email box.

Prostrations at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre, Triang, Malaysia, August 2019. Photo courtesy of Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre.

On August 25, 2019, a large prostration event took place at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre, the FPMT center in Triang, Malaysia. FPMT Southeast Asia regional coordinator, Selina Foong, shares the story. This is a short excerpt from Selina’s published online story, Prostrating Up a Hill at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre in Malaysia.

I’ve made countless trips to beautiful Rinchen Jangsem Ling over the years. On previous trips the highlight was the arrival, not the journey.  We’d be in our car chatting away, typically heading to an executive committee meeting or a retreat. The scenery would zip by, familiar but fleeting. A recent trip, however, could not have been any more different!

A few months earlier I had been pleasantly shocked to learn that a tour group from out of town had visited Rinchen Jangsem Ling and decided to organize an impromptu prostration event. (Often large groups of friends and acquaintances will visit Rinchen Jangsem Ling in large tour buses.) For every three steps they took they would prostrate once. And not just over a short distance, but all the way from the bottom of the hill up to the Rinchen Jangsem Ling gompa!

Prostrations at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre, Triang, Malaysia, August 2019. Photo courtesy of Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre.

“Wow!” I marveled. That’s more than 1.2 kilometers (three quarters of a mile) on a variety of purification-inducing surfaces including red dirt, sharp loose gravel, and knee-punishing concrete! Throw in regular whiffs (not to mention actual patches) of cow dung. Add in the relentless tropical heat and high humidity. And top it off with the fact that many of these visitors were new to Rinchen Jangsem Ling and had not done even one prostration before, let alone 1.2 kilometers worth!

Incredibly, this impromptu prostration event turned out to be a huge hit. So much so that there were immediate calls for a repeat event. “Yes!” I thought. ”Here comes my own chance to burn off eons and eons of negative karma!” After all, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has taught us time and again about the effectiveness of doing prostrations with body, speech, and mind. And the more atoms of our bodies that are in contact with the ground when we prostrate, the better. What’s more, the higher the location of our prostrations, the better that would be too. (All the more atoms below us!)

Keen to take Rinpoche’s advice to heart, I had to nonetheless concede that my chances of prostrating all the way up to Mount Everest were rather slim. I could indeed, however, try to prostrate all the way up to Rinchen Jangsem Ling! And that was how I found myself at the base of the Rinchen Jangsem Ling hill one Sunday morning, standing in pitch darkness among the trees with Oi Loon Lee and several hundred others. Already sweating and tingling with anticipation, we were at the back of the huge crowd but could easily hear Rinchen Jangsem Ling’s center director, Ven. Sonam Yeshe, who was at the front leading the motivation and prayers on a loudspeaker. It all felt quite surreal. Then very slowly everyone started moving forward and the prostrating began. …

Read Selina’s full online story, “Prostrating Up a Hill at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre in Malaysia,” and view more photos online:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/in-depth-stories/prostrating-up-a-hill-at-rinchen-jangsem-ling-retreat-centre-in-malaysia/

For more information about Rinchen Jangsem Ling Center, visit their website:
http://www.jangsemling.com/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Tenzin Ösel Hita at Vajrapani Institute, Boulder Creek, California, US, August 2019. Photo by Liz Chisler.

Tenzin Ösel Hita, the recognized reincarnation of FPMT co-founder Lama Yeshe, visited California, US, in August 2019, touring the four FPMT Bay Area centers. Osel visited Vajrapani Institute in Boulder Creek, where he gave a talk and participated in the center’s Big Love Annual Community Celebration. Then he led a five-day retreat, “Being Your True Nature: A Meditation and Yoga ‘Being Experience,'” at  Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel. Ösel also gave public talks at Gyalwa Gyatso (Ocean of Compassion) Buddhist Center in Campbell and Tse Chen Ling in San Francisco. Heidi Oehler, Vajrapani Institute center director; Catherine Graham, Vajrapani Institute spiritual program coordinator; Urs von Matt, Ocean of Compassion center manager; and MaryEllen Kirkpatrick, Tse Chen Ling spiritual program coordinator, all contributed to this story. 

A remarkable energy of harmony and open-heartedness permeated the air at Vajrapani Institute during the events Tenzin Ösel Hita attended in early August. Many older students of Lama Yeshe joined a handful of relative newcomers to connect with Lama’s reincarnation on Saturday, August 3. Some appeared to be visibly sparkling by the end of the day and many seemed deeply moved by Ösel’s presence.

Then on Sunday, August 4, more than a hundred people gathered around the Enlightenment Stupa at our “Big Love Day” annual summer festival, and soaked up the wisdom, honesty, and humor Ösel Hita shared with the crowd.

The day-long event held here on  August 3 was created to offer a container for Ösel’s vision of creating “being” experiences for others. Attended by 32 people, the day’s theme was “Reconnecting with Your Authentic Nature and Healing into Wholeness.” Participants were led through a variety of meditation, yoga, movement, and self-expression activities. This prepared them for the day’s highlight: an afternoon talk delivered by Ösel, also attended by staff and community members.

Many present were struck by the courageous and deeply authentic way Ösel spoke, and some former students of Lama Yeshe’s remarked afterwards upon the uncanny similarities between some of Ösel’s comments and those Lama used to make.

Afterwards there was an opportunity to offer khatas. Ösel seemed to really enjoy connecting personally with everyone in this way, and the atmosphere was light and joyful. Ösel even needed a little prodding towards the end to persuade him to leave on time so as not to be too late for his next appointment!

Ösel returned the next day for Vajrapani’s “Big Love Day” festival. Once again his talk was a highlight of the day. At the end many lined up to meet him individually.

Tenzin Ösel Hita at Ocean of Compassion, Campbell, California, US, August 2019. Photo by Urs von Matt.

Ocean of Compassion Buddhist Center was honored to host Tenzin Ösel Hita during his inaugural Bay Area tour.  His visit on Saturday, August 10, was arranged on very short notice, and thanks to the many volunteers we were able to take advantage of this unique opportunity. We were pleasantly surprised to see a lot of new faces at the center.  It seems that many people were intrigued to see a young recognized reincarnation of a Tibetan lama. 

Ösel was very happy to answer questions about his lineage and his place in the Buddhist world. Ösel showed a genuine humility.  He gave hugs to people and made them feel welcome.  We had to lower his teaching seat as he didn’t want to sit higher than the audience. Ösel was able to connect very well with people.  He treated the event as a workshop and encouraged people to ask questions, acting as a bridge between Buddhist philosophy and the modern Western mind. The event was also live streamed on Facebook and reached a large worldwide audience.

Tenzin Ösel Hita at Ocean of Compassion, Campbell, California, US, August 2019. Photo by Urs von Matt.

What a wonderful gift it was to have Ösel come to Tse Chen Ling on Sunday, August 11, and give a talk called “Taste of Buddhism: ‘One Big Love.'” Some people came because they had a personal connection with Lama Yeshe; some had a connection through familiarity with the archives of Lama Yeshe’s precious teachings; others were drawn to the charismatic presence of this young man, this “radical free thinker.”

Ösel pointed out that each of us has our own perspective, and from that place we project the world around us. He remarked that it has been a challenge for him to be able to differentiate between who he really is, what people have projected onto him, and who they expected him to be. He emphasized, “I am not going to fall into a box for you. I am not going to play your game.” Remarking that he was making himself very vulnerable, he encouraged us to really try to get to know him. Rather than delivering a Dharma talk Ösel asked the audience for questions, promising that he would do his best. He impressed on us that we should see him not as a lama but as a friend.

When someone asked about his needs and what we as a community could do to help him he responded that the best thing that we could do for him is to really put the Dharma into practice. Ösel described this as a lifestyle and personal responsibility. He encouraged us to follow the examples set by the holy beings in human form: our gurus His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and so on. We have to help ourselves and adapt the Dharma to our lives. We must put into practice what we are learning, and we should not separate learning and meditation. We must be aware and conscious.

Tenzin Ösel Hita at Tse Chen Ling, San Francisco, California, US, August 2019. Photo courtesy of Tse Chen Ling.

He shared that what he studied in the monastery for nearly half of his life really helped him when he “dove head-first into samsara.” Ösel expressed that he sees Dharma as a lifestyle and ourselves as a process: “You are happening; you are being.” Without an active and dedicated commitment to confront ourselves, he compared the Dharma to a light bulb without electricity. “It’s about your own experience; you have to walk it.” He challenged us to share only the best of ourselves with others. Be patient with ourselves but be responsible. “Don’t follow your thoughts wherever they take you,” he said. Thinking “I have no choice is very cowardly.” We need to recognize that “circumstances don’t make us; we make the circumstances.”

At the end of the program Ösel recommended that if we just try to be kind, we will all be happier. He stood up and greeted us as we approached to say goodbye: embracing each of us in turn, seeing each of us, and not rushing.

Watch Tenzin Ösel Hita’s talk at Ocean of Compassion or listen to the audio recording:
https://www.gyalwagyatso.org/2019-08-10-tenzin-osel-hita.html

Watch Tenzin Ösel Hita’s talks at Vajrapani Institute:
https://youtu.be/Is1iG5DeY5g
https://youtu.be/pZWQ0w-5-T4

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events fromover 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Offering a mandala to H.E. Ling Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, October 2019. Photo by Geshe Thubten Jangchub.

Kopan Monastery welcomed His Eminence the Seventh Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in October 2019. Ani Fran (Ven. Fran Mohoupt) shared the story of H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s visit to the monastery in Nepal.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s visit to Kopan Monastery was short and delightful. Rinpoche arrived before lunch on Monday, October 21. Geshe Thubten Jangchub traveled with him from Pharping to Kathmandu. On arrival, Rinpoche was welcomed in the Kopan courtyard by all the monks and quite a few students from the course at that time. He then proceeded to the gompa for the ritual welcome offering of a body, speech, and mind mandala, prayers, and the traditional sweet rice and tea. 

H.E. Ling Rinpoche teaching at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, October 2019. Photo by Geshe Thubten Jangchub.

In the afternoon, Rinpoche gave a teaching to the assembly of monks and nuns, which was the oral transmission and short commentary on the “Foundation of all Good Qualities.”

During a short tour of the monastery grounds in the late afternoon with the manager Tenpa Choden, Rinpoche commented on the beautiful environment, the pure air, and how conducive this was to study and practice.

Rinpoche very kindly accepted a request by the course coordinator to give a short talk and take questions from the students in the evening. There was much laughter and delight at the wonderful teaching Rinpoche gave on the fleeting nature of the sensations we experience moment by moment, and how we cling to these very momentary sensations as permanent. Rinpoche then took some questions from the audience, followed by a group photo.

Rinpoche left early the next morning, for a quick visit to the nunnery, Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, where he gave oral transmissions, and then to his next destination, Samten Ling and Shelkar Monastery in Boudhanath.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche in the gompa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, October 2019. Photo by Geshe Thubten Jangchub.

For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule, visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/

Learn about Kopan Monastery and the courses on Buddhism offered there:
https://kopanmonastery.com/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Vens. Thubten Tenzin, Tenzin Ngeunga, Tenzin Péma, Chantal Dekyi, Irene Turner, and Michèle Paldreun at Dorje Pamo Monastery, En Baut, Fiac, France, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Tsékyi.

Monastère Dorje Pamo (Dorje Pamo Monastery), an FPMT nunnery in En Baut, Fiac, France, welcomed Lama Zopa Rinpoche, as well as visiting and resident nuns, and volunteers in 2019. Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi (Chantal Carrerot), coordinator, and Gabrielle Leflaive, volunteer, share the story.

In 2018 we finished the first phase of renovation work for Dorje Pamo Monastery, and rejoiced in the beginning of a monastic community life in En Baut, Fiac, France. Many events have taken place in the past few months. Most significantly, the monastery accommodated a dozen nuns who came for the Vajrayogini retreat with Lama Zopa Rinpoche held at nearby FPMT center Institut Vajra Yogini in May-June 2019. Dorje Pamo Monastery welcomed these nuns, who came from all over the world: Australia, China, the United States, Holland, Italy, Singapore, and Switzerland. For the first time Dorje Pamo Monastery was full.

This was made possible thanks to work done in April by nuns and volunteers. By the time the visiting nuns arrived in May, all of the rooms had been furnished and set up, the necessary common services (laundry, kitchen, and more) organized, and the garden and outside grounds tended.

While coordinator Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi was guiding the retreat and staying at Institut Vajra Yogini, Ven. Michèle stayed at Dorje Pamo Monastery and ensured everything went well there. Ven. Michèle was supported by a team of lay volunteers, who carried out many tasks: driving the nuns to Institut Vajra Yogini early in the morning for the first session and then back to Dorje Pamo Monastery at night, as well as maintenance, cleaning, shopping, caring for the sick, and more. Many thanks to Dominique Carrérot, Jordane De Marliave, Annick Lainé, Annick Leclerc du Sablon, Gabrielle Leflaive, Anne Logréco, Ghyslaine Nivet, Sophie Minon, Michel Pradines, and Marie Vaysse.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with students at Dorje Pamo Monastery, En Baut, Fiac, France, January 2018. Photo courtesy of Dorje Pamo Monastery.

The nuns expressed their appreciation at the end of the retreat. They were very grateful for the warm welcome they received. They loved the monastery’s beautiful setting and peaceful environment, and very much appreciated the comfort, kindness, care, and services they were given.

The retreat was a great success; more than 400 retreatants were present during the first ten days, and 236 people finished the complete five-week retreat. The retreat came to a close with a long-life Initiation ceremony open to all, in which 750 people took part.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche widely expressed his satisfaction. He praised Institut Vajra Yogini’s many volunteers (up to a hundred), and was constantly dedicating the merits of practice to their well-being. Rinpoche found the dynamics of the retreat so positive that he said Institut Vajra Yogini should serve as an example for the entire FPMT organization.

Many retreatants took the opportunity to visit Dorje Pamo Monastery after their retreat period was over. They were delighted by the place and showed great interest in the continuation of the project. Rinpoche visited the new monastery during the retreat. He blessed the gompa, gave oral transmission of “The Protection Wheel of Vajra Armor” and “Black Manjushri,” and gave some advice.

Dorje Pamo Monastery volunteers Jordane De Marliave, Michel Pradines, Ghyslaine Nivet, Gabrielle Leflaive, and Sophie Minon in Lavaur, France, July 2019. Photo by Annick Lainé.

Dorje Pamo Monastery’s monastic community is slowly developing. The goal is to have a core group of a few nuns sharing a monastic life centered on common and individual practices, study, and service. The monastery reached its full accommodation capacity now that the main construction work has been completed and the bedrooms set up.

Various nuns and lay women have stayed in the monastery since September 2018, when we moved into the monastery. Ven. Losang Dekyi moved in with us but then left in mid-December 2018 after completing the Basic Program’s Lorig module at nearby FPMT monastery Nalanda Monastery; she went to do a one-year retreat at O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros, an FPMT center in Spain. This autumn a lay woman aspiring to become a nun is expected to come and stay at the monastery until her ordination.

Between January and March 2019, we enjoyed the energy and the know-how of Ven. Tsekyi, who came from Germany to help with renovation work. She sealed and painted the gompa and future library, built shelves for the laundry room, and did various repair and maintenance tasks. She moved like a tornado through house and premises and left cleanliness and order behind.

Vens. Michèle Paldreun, Tenzin Ngeunga, Robina Courtin, Thubten Tenzin, Tsékyi, and Tenzin Péma at Dorje Pamo Monastery, En Baut, Fiac, France, January 2019. Photo by Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi.

This past summer the monastery welcomed Ven. Dechen, an Australian nun who along with six other people was recently ordained by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Nalanda Monastery. Ven. Dechen is doing retreats at Nalanda Monastery and staying at Dorje Pamo Monastery the rest of the time.

Lea Israels, who is a Dutch carpenter, offered to come to volunteer for two weeks in August. We assembled an impressive list of tasks for her. Local nuns and lay volunteers will also be residing for short stays. In this way a monastic community is taking shape. Nuns now have a quiet and peaceful place to live and practice together while striving to preserve and spread the Dharma for the benefit of all beings.

Work on the gompa and library, which began in October 2018, is nearly finished. Teams of volunteers and monks from Nalanda Monastery have completed painting and other jobs. Many thanks to Ven. Yeshe Didier and Lea Israels, who are laying the floor boards in the gompa and library.

Carpenters Ven. Yeshe Didier, Lea Israels, Ven. Dechen, and Laurenz in front of the new altar at Dorje Pamo Monastery, En Baut, Fiac, France, August 2019. Photo by Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi.

The altar was installed by the cabinetmaker who built and painted it. Lama Zopa Rinpoche would like it to be decorated in classical Tibetan style and suggested a few local artists. We also have to chose the statues for the altar.

We are very grateful for all of the donations we received which enabled us to build the altar. Future projects include furnishings for the gompa, which include altar decoration, statues, thangkas, a throne, carpets, cushions, tables, and audio-visual equipment.

For more information about Monastère Dorje Pamo (Dorje Pamo Monastery), visit their website:
http://monasteredorjepamo.org/en/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche arriving at Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

Lama Tsongkhapa Day, or Ganden Ngamchoe, is a celebration of the anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar. In 2019 Lama Tsongkhapa Day falls on Saturday, December 21, and is the 600th anniversary. On December 30, 2018, the Geluk International Foundation proclaimed 2019 to be the International Year of Tsongkhapa. His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 18, 2019, to give public teachings at various Gelug Dharma centers in Malaysia, including FPMT center Lobsang Dragpa Centre, and to preside over a large event “Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa” held at Chempaka Buddhist Lodge in Selangor, Malaysia, from November 23-24, 2019. Pek Chee Hen, president of Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia and adviser to the organizing committee of Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa Malaysia, and Goh Pik Pin, organizing committee chairperson and FPMT center Losang Dragpa Centre director, share about the event.

His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche at Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

Over the weekend of November 23-24, 2019, hundreds of people attended the event “Celebrating 600 years of Lama Tsongkhapa.” The event was held in conjunction with the International Year of Lama Tsongkhapa to commemorate the life and great achievements of Lama Tsongkhapa. It was co-organised by the Geluk International Foundation and seventeen Buddhist organisations in Malaysia including FPMT centers Losang Dragpa Center, Rinchen Jangsem Ling, and Chokyi Gyaltsen Center. There was great cooperation and harmony between the many Malaysian Vajrayana centers involved in this joyous event. We all rejoice.

His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche at Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

The event was presided over by His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, and was attended by between four and five hundred people. This included  fifty ordained Sangha, many of them monks and nuns from the Gelug tradition who are resident Sangha in Malaysia and Singapore.

Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

The event included teachings by His Holiness the Ganden Tri Rinpoche on Lama Tsongkhapa’s “Dependent Arising: A Praise of the Buddha,” which was translated into English by Ven. Lobsang Tsundue from Sera Je Monastery and into Mandarin by Losang Dragpa Centre translator Kenn Ng. The teachings were livestreamed on Facebook. 

His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, with translator Ven. Lobsang Tsundue, at Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

On Saturday, November 23, Shartse Khensur Jangchup Choeden Rinpoche, the executive director of Geluk International Foundation, gave a talk on the life of Lama Tsongkhapa and the significance of celebrating the International Year of Tsongkhapa. Guests watched a brief video during the opening ceremony made to commemorate the life and works of Lama Tsongkhapa.

Watch the video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/opzSWfdcUnI

Guests could watch the video in the exhibition area throughout the two-day event and view a display of fifteen thangkas depicting the life story of Lama Tsongkhapa together with detailed description of each of the thangkas seen in “Chintamani Rosary Spreading the Buddha’s Teachings; Great Ocean of Benefit and Joy: A Method for Depicting the Sacred Biography of the Great Jetsun Tsongkhapa on Painted Cloth in One Hundred and Fifty-Three Parts” by Kunkhyen Jamyang Shepai Dorje and translated by Ven. Tenzin Legtsok.

Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

The weekend was made more auspicious with a long-life initiation conferred by His Holiness the Ganden Tri Rinpoche on Sunday, followed by a long-life puja offered to His Holiness the Ganden Tri Rinpoche. This was led by Geshe Deyang, Chokyi Gyaltsen Centre’s resident geshe; Geshe Jampa Tsundue, Lobsang Dragpa Centre’s resident geshe, who served as chanting master; Gen Sampell from Rinchen Jangsem Ling; and other Sangha.

Goh Pik Pin speaking at Celebrating 600 Years of Lama Tsongkhapa, Selangor, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo courtesy of the Organizing Committee of Celebrating 600 Years of  Lama Tsongkhapa  Malaysia.

Find Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recommendations for the 600th anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana on December 21:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/rinpoches-recommendations-for-the-600th-anniversary-of-lama-tsongkhapas-parinirvana-on-december-21/

For more information about Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, visit their website:
http://www.fpmt-cgc.org/

For more information about Losang Dragpa Centre, visit their website:
http://www.fpmt-ldc.org/

For more information about Rinchen Jangsem Ling, visit their website:
http://www.jangsemling.com/

Watch the archived livestream of the event on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtHRv8SUjCFFd-JF5LOrVwXy2y5vYJmZh

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bangalore, India, December 2019. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

All good wishes of the season, from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his International Office, to you! 

Please go to our December FPMT International Office e-News in order to see our full greeting, and advice from Rinpoche.

We also bring you news about:

• Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Schedule
• Giving Where it’s Most Needed
• A Complimentary Module of Living in the Path
• A New FPMT Study Group

…and more!

Have the e-News translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page.

The FPMT International Office e-News comes from your FPMT International Office. Visit our subscribe page to receive the FPMT International Office News directly in your email box.

As we last reported on November 14, FPMT Inc. has received a report from an individual representing three women who have outlined allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Dagri Rinpoche. This report contains what we believe to be allegations of misconduct by a teacher at FPMT centers, in violation of FPMT policies. After receiving these allegations, we have hired FaithTrust Institute to assist us in taking appropriate steps to conduct a fact-finding assessment of these complaints.

FaithTrust Institute is a national, multifaith, training and education organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA. We invited FaithTrust to conduct this assessment as they are experienced in helping religious organizations, including Buddhist communities, respond to spiritual leader abuse and sexual boundary violations. Further we believe that using an independent organization to conduct the assessment will encourage people to speak more freely.

Anyone who may have experienced or witnessed harm from Dagri Rinpoche in his role as spiritual teacher at FPMT centers, is invited to contact FaithTrust Institute. You can report your experience via email and, if you choose, participate in a confidential phone/Skype interview. All information will be held in confidence by FaithTrust Institute in the course of the assessment and report.

To contact FaithTrust Institute send an email to their confidential email address: confidential@faithtrustinstitute.org.

FaithTrust Institute will promptly follow up with you via email. If you prefer to be called, please indicate a phone or Skype number.

At the conclusion of the fact-finding and interview phase, FaithTrust Institute will provide the Board of Directors of FPMT Inc. with a confidential review and assessment of the findings, along with recommendations for next steps that FPMT Inc. can take related to the findings.

FPMT Inc. takes this matter very seriously and will not tolerate any retaliation against anyone who comes forward. Harm and abuse by a spiritual teacher is antithetical to our community. We strive to be transparent as we respond to these allegations, and plan to keep the FPMT community updated during each phase of our process with FaithTrust Institute.

If you want to contact the FPMT Inc. board regarding this, please email Andrew Haynes: chairofboard@fpmt.org.

If you have questions about the interview process or want to speak with FaithTrust Institute, please contact Emily Cohen via the confidential mailbox listed above or call +01 206-634-1903.

Sera Jey Monastic University, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, August 2019. Photo by Marieke van Vugt.

Neuroscientists Marieke van Vugt, PhD, and Amir Moye, MSc, visited Sera Je Monastic University in South India on August 7-21, 2019, to continue their research into the brain functions of debating monks. Ven. Tenzin Gache, a Sera Je geshe program student and resident of Shedrup Zung Drel Ling (Sera IMI House), an International Mahayana Institute monastic community, and Marieke van Vugt, PhD, assistant professor, Cognitive Modelling Group, University of Groningen in the Netherlands, share the story.

Starting in 2016, Marieke van Vugt of University of Groningen, Netherlands, and her colleague Amir Moye from the University of Bern, Switzerland, have been coming to Sera Je to examine the brains of monks as they debate. Originally Marieke connected through the nonprofit organization Science for Monks with Geshe Ngawang Norbu, director of the Sera Je Science Centre, who encouraged her to take on this project.

Marieke van Vugt and group at Sera Je Monastic University, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, August 2019. Photo by Amir Moye.

Geshe Ngawang Norbu pointed out that just as scientists test meditating monks they should likewise examine the state of monks debating because debate at advanced levels becomes a kind of analytical meditation. In their first joint paper with the Sera Je Science Centre monks, they introduced this form of meditation to the scientific field. A second paper is currently under review and, based on the brain activity of debating monks, suggests that monastic debate helps to cultivate attention.

Of course debate is likely to have many more effects. In an attempt to measure those effects the team also subjected more and less experienced monks to a battery of tests routinely used in the Western psychology laboratory. However, the results of those studies were fairly confusing. This prompted Marieke and Amir to begin thinking about designing tasks grounded in the monastic education system (rather than a Western modern education) that would demonstrate these positive changes in an observable fashion.

Sera Je Monastic University, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, August 2019. Photo by Marieke van Vugt.

Marieke realized that as a part of this undertaking she and Amir would need to become more familiar with the system of debate. Thus during her most recent visit, she requested Ven. Tenzin Gache and Ven. Losang Donyo, two American monks studying at Sera Je, to give basic instruction in the fundamentals of debate—in English.

Ven. Tenzin Gache and Ven. Losang Donyo put together a short course syllabus and over the course of several weeks taught Marieke and Amir about the basic debates that monks learn in the initial months of the monastic education program. However, they soon recognized that these scientists had much greater fluency with scientific systems of thought, and therefore training in debate using modern scientific paradigms allowed them to quickly incorporate more complex subjects.

Ven. Tenzin Gache and Amir Moye debating at Sera Je Monastic University, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, August 2019. Photo by Marieke van Vugt.

This video is an example of one of the attempts to use the traditional debate format to discuss an issue in modern cognitive science: the nature of mindfulness.

Watch Ven. Tenzin Gache and Amir Moye debate in this YouTube video:
https://youtu.be/ThoFSuJWOmg

To learn more about the International Mahayana Institute visit the website:
http://imisangha.org

Supporting Sangha, which includes the Supporting the Ordained Sangha Fund, is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT:
https://fpmt.org/fpmt/vast-vision/#ordainedlay

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

A scale replica of the Maitreya Buddha statue to be built, Kushinagar, India, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

The creation of Holy Objects for World Peace is an important aspect of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s charitable work as carried out by FPMT Inc. More specifically, Rinpoche envisions the creation of many statues of Maitreya Buddha around the world. Currently, there are two separate FPMT projects to build very large Maitreya Buddha statues in India, one based in Bodhgaya, Bihar, and one based in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.

The project to build a Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar is overseen by the Maitreya Project Trust (MPT). During the week of November 12, Indian newspapers were reporting that the Uttar Pradesh cabinet had approved the cancellation of the Memorandum of Understanding/Lease Agreement between MPT and the Uttar Pradesh government. This action concerns 250 acres of land that the Uttar Pradesh government has offered to the project.

The director of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, which is the project overseen by MPT, said that the news of the cancellation came as a complete surprise to the project and that they first learned about the cabinet’s action through a Times of India article. The article quoted government officials claiming that the MPT had breached the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar updated FPMT Inc. about the status of the project and the work that has been done related to the MOU (see below). The project strongly disputed the government officials’ claims. Their update outlines how the project has been engaged in consistent work to meet the terms of the agreement and the requirements of other government agencies. The project also points out that the MOU included a requirement of a 90-day notice period should the UP government terminate the MOU, which has not been observed.

Since 2016, when the land agreement between the MPT and the Uttar Pradesh government was signed, the project has built a fence around the project’s land. There has been a feng shui evaluation undertaken by an international team, which will be integrated into the master plan. And senior Geshes and Sangha have conducted a ground breaking ceremony on the land.

In addition for several years now, humanitarian activities have been ongoing, including the distribution of blankets and mosquito nets. A mobile medical clinic sponsored by the project has also been serving people in need in rural areas.

The Maitreya Project Trust is currently working to get a complete understanding of the current situation and remains committed to creating a large Maitreya statue in Kushinigar and setting up social and education programs in connection with it.

Key points from the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar update are outlined below:

• The Uttar Pradesh cabinet’s decision regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) came as a surprise to the Maitreya Project Trust (MPT), who first learned about the decision through a Times of India article. There was no prior official communication of this given to MPT, despite one of the MOU’s provisions requiring that the government issue a legal termination with a 90-day notice period.
• MPT strongly disagrees with the reported statements of the Uttar Pradesh government officials that say that MPT breached the terms of the MOU.
• Since the signing of the MOU in August 2016, MPT has been in touch with the administrative authorities frequently, working with them to complete the process of transferring the land.
• MPT succeeded in getting the authorities to survey the land in April 2018, with this survey completed in June 2018.
• On completion of the survey, MPT became aware that out of the 250 acres of land that was supposed to be conveyed to MPT as part of the MOU, only 176 acres were acquired by the government while 74 acres were not acquired.
• Another issue uncovered by the survey was that the 176 acres acquired by the government and conveyed by way of lease deed to MPT were not a contiguous piece of land. The remaining 74 acres are made up of 187 lots still in the possession of other owners and are interspersed throughout the acres the government had conveyed to MPT in the lease deed.
• MPT raised these issues with the local authorities in June 2018. They were told that once they completed installing fencing around the outer boundary, the remaining land would be granted to the project. This fencing of the 250 acres was completed in September 2018. When they were informed of this, the local authorities reaffirmed their commitment to MPT that the transfer of all the land would then be completed.
• The local authorities also wanted MPT to start the construction phase of the project. While waiting for the land transfer to be completed, MPT worked with India’s leading design and engineering company. The architect for this firm told MPT that they would not be able to conceive a master plan as the land was fragmented and that no project could easily be implemented when other land owners were interspersed throughout the project area.
• Another step taken during this time was to try to secure the required approvals and clearances from the Airport Authority and the archeological departments. MPT was informed by these bodies that MPT would need to submit a master plan along with all our development designs for us to be able to get the approvals. They also informed MPT not to start any work without their approvals.
• The local authorities were then informed of these updates with another request for them to resolve any remaining issues with the land handover so that MPT could finalize the master plan design and submit the design to the Airport Authority and the archeological departments for approval. Again, the local authorities requested work to be begin despite the protocols outlined by the other authorities.
• In April 2019, in an attempt to keep the project moving, MPT met with the local authorities again requesting them to facilitate granting to MPT at least 20 out of the 187 plots not handed over to allow the statue construction work to begin. The authorities assured MPT that this would happen and based on this assurance, MPT completed all geotechnical studies and also appointed various other vendors to facilitate the commencement of the statue work. MPT also reached a final stage of discussion with the statue manufacturer, architect, engineering firm, and main contractor. However despite the assurances received, even these 20 plots were not transferred by the local authorities.
• MPT was very disappointed to read the newspaper articles that said that MPT breached the MOU. MPT is actively working to understand what has led to the cabinet’s decision and to resolve issues with the local authorities.

FPMT News brings you updates from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from more than160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like receiving these updates, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports this work.

Tenzin Ösel Hita giving a talk at the Wotel, Miami, Florida, US, August 2019. Photo by Marcelo Paez.

On Thursday, August 15, 2019, Tenzin Ösel Hita gave an evening talk “A Taste of Buddhism: One Big Love” at the Wotel in Miami, Florida, US, hosted by the FPMT study group in Miami, Namdrol Ling Study Group. On Saturday, August 17, Ösel gave an afternoon talk “Inner Creativity: How to Overcome Attachment” at Thubten Kunga Ling Center, the FPMT center in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Maria Cersosimo, Namdrol Ling Study Group co-founder and coordinator, and Nicole Zito, Thubten Kunga Ling Center director, share the story.

We rejoice in the visit of Tenzin Ösel Hita to Miami! The event was a huge success with seventy-five people registered, a record for our little study group! The majority of the crowd were non-Buddhists, and the event took place in the totally secular environment of an advertising agency.

Ösel gave a very sincere, straightforward talk, covering Buddhist values, the importance of a daily meditation practice, and simple tips in order to lead a happier life. His sense of humor was present during the talk, and overall his joyful and humorous energy kept the crowd hooked, even the children in the audience. There were questions from the audience, including some from the kids, that he answered very truthfully and humbly.

As the co-founder and director of Namdrol Ling Study Group, this has been such a precious and memorable experience. I received many messages and thanks from the attendees, telling me how grateful they were for the opportunity to have met him. We hope Ösel can come back soon!

Tenzin Ösel Hita with volunteers Cynthia Zak, Alejandra Paez, co-founder and director Maria Cersosimo, co-founder Ana Paula Ruano, and volunteer Claudia Regazzio at the Wotel, Miami, Florida, US, August 2019. Photo by Marcelo Paez.

The auspicious visit to Thubten Kunga Ling by Tenzin Ösel Hita was surely one to remember and will go down in our center’s history. We were sold out and had reached our building’s maximum capacity within a few weeks of announcing this precious visit, and we had less than two months to prepare. We worked together to make this a most special day for the center and the community, and to honor the lives, service, kindness, and love of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Tenzin Ösel Hita.

Tenzin Ösel Hita with Anthony Sherbondy at Thubten Kunga Ling Center, Deerfield Beach, Florida, US, August 2019. Photo by Carly Zito.

Teams of volunteers began mentally and physically preparing for the big event weeks ahead of time. We invited two Lynn University film students from nearby Boca Raton, Florida, to record the event. We are very grateful to Yaren and Brian for volunteering their time and efforts. Adrienne donated and arranged an abundance of flowers, and Sonny offered dinner to Ösel, both of which were lovely offerings of generosity and kindness.

Ven. Lhundub Tendron, the FPMT resident teacher at Thubten Kunga Ling, opened the August 17, 2019 event at 1 p.m. with a meditation on interdependence and emptiness. Ösel arrived at 2:30 p.m. and spoke for one-and-a-half hours on “Inner Creativity: How to Overcome Attachment.” He walked into a room packed with enthusiastic students, both old and new, of different backgrounds and ages, but with one thing in common: a very strong connection to Dharma and to him.

Tenzin Ösel Hita with George Propps at Thubten Kunga Ling Center, Deerfield Beach, Florida, US, August 2019. Photo by Nicole Zito.

Ösel shared about the insight and wisdom he has gained along his path. He spoke about his time spent in the monastery, how he puts the Dharma into practice in his daily life, and how his teachers continue to have a major influence in his life.

The talk was very light and humorous, and his words touched the hearts of everyone who attended this special event. The energy at the event was slightly euphoric. Many beings came together that afternoon as strangers and left as friends.

We had seventy-one guests, twenty-six volunteers, three board members, and five sponsored students attend the event. Many of our guests came from out-of-town: two students came from Washington, DC, two students came from North Carolina, three from the west coast of Florida, five from central Florida, and over ten students from Miami. A handful of these visitors were students of Lama Yeshe’s in the 1970s.

Tenzin Ösel Hita with Nicole Zito at Thubten Kunga Ling Center, Deerfield Beach, Florida, US, August 2019. Photo by Carly Zito.

We received such positive feedback from this event. Everyone said they were honored to meet Ösel, that they look forward to staying connected with him, hope he will return again, and wish him the best along his journey ahead. Students loved his humor, the way he addressed “spiritual bypass,” his way of sharing life’s lessons, and his Bob Marley and Bruce Lee quotes!

Ösel’s unique style—the way he shares his own experiences and wisdom to bridge the gap between the East and West—helped us connect with our own experiences. We were reminded that our own inner wisdom and disturbing emotions serve as a constant platform for introspection, reflection, and self-growth. Change is possible and is up to each individual person.

Watch Tenzin Ösel Hita’s talk at the Wotel:
https://youtu.be/qzc4DAz1IYw

Watch Tenzin Ösel Hita’s talk at Thubten Kunga Ling Center:
https://youtu.be/pjqXZnbHZXM

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events fromover 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Shantideva Meditation Center, Brooklyn, New York, US, July 2019. Photo by Leonard J. Wilson.

His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Ling Rinpoche visited North America from June to August 2019 and engaged in many activities including teaching at US FPMT centers Shantideva Meditation Center in Brooklyn, New York, Milarepa Center in Barnet, Vermont, and Kurukulla Center in Medford, Massachusetts. On July 31 Rinpoche taught the Eight Verses of Mind Training at Shantideva Center, sponsored by Himalayan Elders Project; from August 9-10 Rinpoche taught “The Importance of Private Retreat in the Development of Your Dharma Practice” and “How to Develop Bodhicitta and Emptiness” at Milarepa Center; and from August 16-18 Rinpoche taught The Bodhisattva Jewel Garland by Atisha and gave the Amitayus Long Life Initiation at Kurukulla Center. Jennifer Kim, Shantideva Center board member, and Dawn Holtz, Milarepa Center director, share the story.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche taught on the Eight Verses of Mind Training at Shantideva Center as part of Rinpoche’s North American tour, which has been part of Rinpoche’s Sentient Being tour—visiting the world of us sentient beings who are trapped by the mental afflictions that create suffering situations for ourselves and others.

Like others who make world tours, Rinpoche is a bit of a rock star. Recognized as the reincarnation of the senior tutor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche is well-known and the visit was much anticipated.  

H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Shantideva Meditation Center, Brooklyn, New York, US, July 2019. Photo by Leonard J. Wilson.

Yet unlike a stereotypical rock star, Rinpoche highlighted the greatness of others instead of highlighting Rinpoche’s own. Rinpoche repeatedly emphasized the kindness of others. Without our mother caring for us in the womb and looking after us day and night, and without the unnoticed beings who provide our food, shelter, and necessities for survival, we could not be here today. The only reason we are here is because of the love and care from others. Sentient beings are also essential on our path to Buddhahood. Without them we could not practice the six perfections. For instance, if we give charity to others we usually consider ourselves the benefactor. But if looked another way they are our benefactors, giving us the opportunity to practice Dharma and benefit from it. If we are given harm by others we usually consider ourselves the victim. But if looked another way they test the strength of our own wisdom and our willingness to help.  

Rinpoche also offered advice on how to subdue our own minds, the aim of Buddha’s teachings. Rinpoche warned us about the bias we often have for those within our social class, nationality, religion, or ethnicity. Rinpoche reminded us of our current state, fraught with uncertainty, as we might be in another existence before the sun rises tomorrow. Rinpoche also shared advice for how to respond to the habitual delusions that arise in our minds, especially when we are provoked by others who remind us of our karmic role in a situation and blindly create suffering for themselves in the future.  

While sharing this wisdom of the eleventh-century master Geshe Langri Tangpa, Rinpoche said that these eight verses are easy to read but difficult to practice. Rinpoche also provided an oral transmission of the verses and suggested that we should take them up as our main practice to subdue our minds. Our bodhisattva rock star has shared the song, and now it’s up to us to practice the tune. With gratitude, we hope to create harmony with our practice and create the causes to see Rinpoche again soon.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche teaching at Milarepa Center, Barnet, Vermont, US, August 2019. Photo by Dawn Holtz.

Milarepa Center was incredibly fortunate to host His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche on August 8-10, 2019. Rinpoche arrived on the afternoon of Thursday, August 8, and departed after lunch on Saturday, August 10.

With its beautiful and serene private landscape, Milarepa Center was able to offer Rinpoche and attendants Ven. Tenzin Khentse and Geshe Lobsang Yonten a retreat atmosphere during their stay. Rinpoche, Ven. Tenzin Khentse, and Geshe Lobsang Yonten enjoyed walks on the beautiful land and surrounding areas, and a sailing trip on a local lake. 

As a very small and simple center hosting such a highly realized and amazing being was far more than we could have ever imagined. Months and months of planning were involved, especially since we are in a rural area that does not have access to a lot.

Almost immediately upon Rinpoche’s arrival we could feel the blessings raining down, and the energy in the air was electrifying. It was a very special time for us. There were no teachings scheduled for the first evening of Rinpoche’s arrival, so we were able to enjoy some very special and private time with Rinpoche, just relaxing and talking in the dining room. Rinpoche and I even traded eyeglasses to see who had the stronger prescription (we were pretty even!), and Rinpoche joked with me that my glasses “look ancient, like from a museum!” Many many laughs were shared during the visit; we were so incredibly fortunate.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche and Dawn Holtz at Milarepa Center, Barnet, Vermont, US, August 2019. Photo by Meri Stiles.

Rinpoche gave the first teaching at 7 p.m. on Friday evening titled “The Importance of Private Retreat in the Development of Your Dharma Practice.” This teaching was requested to coincide with advice given from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2017 for Milarepa Center to focus on offering students a private solitary retreat facility. With Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice currently being at the forefront of our operations, we made a request that His Eminence Ling Rinpoche offer a teaching on the importance of private retreat in developing one’s  Dharma practice.

During that particular teaching Rinpoche spoke about the extreme importance of study, and also having a conducive environment in which to engage in both practice and study. Rinpoche also spoke about how the environment here at Milarepa Center is very very good for this and that there are many very happy nagas present here, which is why our land is so beautiful and feels so incredibly prefect for retreat.

The Saturday morning teaching that Rinpoche gave was titled “How to Develop Bodhichitta and Emptiness.” The program was attended by a mix of lay and ordained students from both near and far, including local Tibetans from the Burlington, Vermont, area as well as a few local Sherpa families. Both talks were very well attended.

For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule, visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/

For more information about Shantideva Meditation Center, visit their website:
https://shantidevanyc.org/

For more information about Milarepa Center, visit their website:
http://milarepacenter.org/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.