FPMT Community: Stories & News

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Mahayana Buddhist Association, Hong Kong, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

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

This month you will find:

• New Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche about Earthquakes
• How to prepare for this year’s Light of the Path Retreat with Rinpoche
• New Materials from FPMT Education Services
• Extensive Prayers on Saka Dawa on behalf of the entire FPMT
• New FPMT Center and Study Group

and more!

Ösel Hita with friends before greeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama at teachings in Japan. May 12, 2016. Photo courtesy of Nad Prive’s Facebook page.

Tenzin Ösel Hita occasionally shares his insights and experiences on Facebook. Here Ösel discusses why compassion and humility are so important to put into practice: 

People tend to judge others, especially when they don’t know much about them. We tend to jump to conclusions easily. It is easier to find fault in others than oneself. It is easier to blame the rest for our problems. That is where we have to really understand why compassion and humility are so important. Even though it hurts and it’s something that has followed us all our life since childhood, sometimes we have to understand that it’s not part of us, but the way the human mind works. As long as we keep a good motivation and are humble, compassionate and open to criticism in order to learn and improve; the pain will dissipate. Do not take the burden of others if it cannot help them. Do not take any burden if you can, only joy and lightness in your heart. Adapt and move on. Be positive, I say. Be happy, for we are alive and it’s a new day where we can all grow and love each other. Biglove life, feel it and live.

Ösel saying hello to an owl.

La gente tiende juzgar a los demás, especialmente cuando no saben mucho de ellos. Tenemos la tendencia a sacar conclusiones fácilmente, es más fácil de encontrar faltas en los demás que en uno mismo. Es más fácil culpar a los demás por nuestros problemas. Ahí es donde tenemos que entender realmente por qué la compasión y la humildad son tan importantes. Aunque duele y es algo que nos ha seguido durante nuestra vida desde la infancia, a veces tenemos que entender que no somos nosotros, sino la forma en que funciona la mente del ser humano. Mientras mantengamos una buena motivación, la humildad, la compasión y ser abiertos a la crítica con el fin de aprender y mejorar; el dolor se disipará. No tomes la carga de los demás si no les puedes ayudar. No tomes ninguna carga si es posible, únicamente alegría y ligereza en tu corazón. Adaptarse y seguir adelante, ser positivo es lo que digo. Sé feliz porque estamos vivos y es un nuevo día en el que todos podemos crecer y amarnos unos a los otros. GranAmor vida, sentirla y vivirla.

The Big Love Fund helps support the education and creative endeavors of Ösel. You can learn more about this project or follow news about Ösel.  

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Palden

By Ven. Jampa Khedrub

Sera Je Khensur Rinpoche Acharya Geshe Lobsang Palden manifested passing beyond his coarse body on the evening of May 1, 2016, in Taipei, Taiwan, and subsequently remained in the clear light meditation (thuk-dam) until May 6. 

His holy body was finally cremated on the morning of May 12 amidst fervent prayers entreated by many of his students from Sera Je who had traveled abroad for the event as well as local devotees. It was the culmination of a life spent in earnest service of the Dharma and others.

Khensur Rinpoche was born within the Kardze district of Tehor Kham in eastern Tibet in around December 1935. At age 11 he entered nearby Dhargyey Monastery, and later at 17 he moved to Sera Je Monastery in Lhasa. Fleeing to India in 1959, he finally achieved the rank of Lharampa Geshe in 1980.

His fame as a scholar and practitioner quickly attracted many hundreds of students, and besides the many formal teachings and initiations he bestowed along the way, he taught Buddhist philosophy to students of the debate program more or less daily for more than 20 years. He was later approved by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 73rd Abbot of Sera Je Monastery, a position which he held for seven years (2005-2012).

Mandala will have a complete obituary for Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Palden in the January-June 2017 issue.

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Palden’s body while in clear light meditation, May 2016. Photo courtesy of Ven. Jampa Khedrub.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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 Rigsel, the recognized reincarnation of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup

On May 3, 2016, His Holiness the Dalai Lama officially recognized the three-year-old Tenzin Rigsel as the reincarnation of the beloved abbot of Kopan Monastery Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel, who died in early September 2011. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche said in a message on May 14, “This news is so great and encouraging to our minds.”

Tenzin Rigsel was born January 29, 2013, to mother Drolma Choezom (Mochung) and father Karsing Phuntsok (Apey), who are also parents of the well-known Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, the recognized reincarnation of Geshe Lama Konchog. 

Tenzin Rigsel’s parents, senior Kopan nun Ani Chodron and Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche all shared with the search committee several stories that suggested that young Tenzin Rigsel was no ordinary child. The stories include Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup’s encouragement of the parents to continue having children that become Kopan nuns and monks; Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche’s prediction at Lama Lhundrup’s cremation that the reincarnation would be born in his family; Tenzin Rigsel’s desire to make prostrations and joy whenever watching video clips of His Holiness or Lama Zopa Rinpoche; the young boy’s consistent statements that Kopan Monastery is “his monastery” and his reluctance to leave once he arrived at Phuntsok Labrang at Kopan; his unhesitating wish to become a monk; his insistence that he already has many robes himself and that he not wear lay clothes; and his report that he remembers the staircase leading to the top of Kopan’s main gompa and that he used to sit in that top room, although he’d never been there as Tenzin Rigsel.

According to Ven. Roger Kunsang, CEO of FPMT, “Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been looking for Lama Lhundrup’s incarnation for some time now. When these stories were shown to Rinpoche by Geshe Tenzin Zopa, Rinpoche presented the name and stories to His Holiness with two other candidates. A few days later, His Holiness replied by letter confirming the recognition of Tenzin Rigsel.” His Holiness said, “Tenzin Rigsel to be recognized as a reincarnation of the late Lhundrup Rigsel comes out extremely positive.” The enthronement will be planned for next year.

Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche with his baby brother, Tenzin Rigsel

On September 7, 2011, the beloved abbot of Kopan Monastery Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel showed the aspect of passing away. You can read Mandala’s tribute to Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, an account of his last days, photos, videos and reminiscences from students on our page dedicated to Lama Lhundrup.

Read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s complete message on the recognition on FPMT.org.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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 Yeshe, California, 1975. Photo by Carol Royce-Wilder.

In late April 2016, the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive released How to Meditate, a new multimedia title based on the fourth chapter of the book Freedom Through Understanding: The Buddhist Path to Happiness and Liberation by FPMT founder Lama Yeshe. 

How to Meditate is the Archive’s eighth multimedia title, a new way of presenting Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings by enhancing fully edited transcripts with images, audio and video. Each title has links to additional supplemental resources related to the topic presented.

All the titles are free to the public with the hope that this new format for receiving teachings will “deepen your experience of the teachings, almost as if you had attended the teachings in person.”

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.

Geshe Tenzin Namdak. Photo by Deepthy Shekhar.

On April 26, 2016, the Dutch monk known as Ven. Tenzin Namdak received the title of “Geshe” from Sera Je Monastic University in recognition of his completion of the advanced Buddhist studies and practice program. Completing the geshe studies program is a remarkable achievement in itself. As a Westerner, Geshe Namdak’s completion of the program speaks to his exemplary dedication to the study and practice of Dharma. We rejoice in his outstanding accomplishment.

In addition, Ven. Tenzin Legtsok, who also studies in the geshe program, wrote about Geshe Namdak’s outstanding service during his time at Sera Je, which you can read below.

In Service to Others: Ven. Tenzin Namdak

By Ven. Tenzin Legtsok 

In November 2015, Dutch monk Ven. Tenzin Namdak completed the final exams for the 19-year geshe studies program at Sera Je Monastery in South India. He is perhaps the only Westerner to complete this program from beginning to end at any of the three seats [Sera, Ganden and Drepung Monasteries]. Due to the rigor and length of the study program, the most extensive of Tibetan Buddhism available anywhere, less than a third of the Tibetan monks who begin the geshe studies program finish, and for Westerners, the dropout rate is much higher.

Once, while onstage during a public talk in Bangalore, His Holiness the Dalai Lama quietly asked Ven. Namdak which class he had reached at Sera. On hearing that Namdak had reached vinaya, or monastic ethics, His Holiness placed his palms together as a sign of his pleasure that a foreigner had come so far in the study program. Ven. Namdak has not only completed the full 19-year program but done so in grand style. However, to give an account of his efforts by measure of grades, reputation, or time spent debating and meditating – although impressive – is perhaps less meaningful then to relate some of his service to others over the past years.

Ven. Namdak serves as director of Sera IMI House (Shedrup Zung Drel Ling), where Western FPMT monks live while studying at Sera Monastery. From its inception in 2002, Ven. Namdak has helped many Western monks find their way at Sera and provided continual encouragement to those who stay on. In 2004, Lama Zopa Rinpoche asked him to give Dharma talks to people in Bangalore. Gradually, a study group formed, and his initial groundwork has blossomed into one of FPMT’s newest centers, Choe Khor Sum Ling. Six years ago, at the request of Sera Je Monastery, he set up and began teaching an extra-curricular program training monk-students to translate Dharma into English, which continues today as the Sera Je Monastic Translators Training Program. He was one of the main organizers of an extensive series of teachings by the late His Eminence Choden Rinpoche at Sera, beginning in 2006, during which the transmissions of many rare and important teaching lineages were passed on to thousands of monks. Finally, for the past five years, as requested by His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Private Office, he has led the annual pre-ordination course for aspiring monks and nuns at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala.

This is to list some obvious achievements that, as those of us who have lived and worked closely with him can attest to, have arisen from following the advice of his gurus with single-minded devotion, mindfully maintaining pure moral conduct, using each day and hour meaningfully in recognition of the value and transience of this precious human life, and sincerely wishing to benefit other sentient beings and the Buddhadharma.

From Mandala January-June 2016.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.

Release of Institut Vajra Yogini’s newest French-language edition of the Sutra of Golden Light, Marzens, France, March 2015. Photo courtesy of IVY.

By Institut Vajra Yogini staff

In September 2014, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the transmission of the Sutra of Golden Light at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion and Wisdom in Bendigo, Australia. Inspired by Rinpoche’s emphasis on the sutra’s contribution to world peace, Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY) in France decided to launch a daily recitation of the sutra on site. Students were also encouraged to read at home to participate in a collective accumulation of sutra recitations for world peace. Editions Vajra Yogini released a revised translation of the sutra and thanks to many benefactors, 1,000 copies were printed and distributed for free.

When the news came in January 2016 of the long life puja to be offered to Rinpoche on March 13 in Singapore, IVY students had already accumulated more than 800 recitations. An email was sent to members to motivate them to put some more effort in order to reach 1,000 full recitations to offer to Rinpoche during the long life puja.

The last few weeks were quite intense with many people joining the recitations both on site and from a distance. “At some point, we thought we would not reach the 1,000 recitations in time for the long life puja,” shared one student. “But some miracle happened, the momentum kept growing, and we finally made it a few days before the Singapore event.” 

Institut Vajra Yogini’s offering to Lama Zopa Rinpoche

From October 2014 to March 2016, student accumulated 1,046 full recitations, which means IVY students have recited on average two full sutras a day in the last 16 months. On the basis of an average of 3 hours 30 minutes for a full recitation, this corresponds to an amazing 5 months of continuous recitation, 24 hours a day. It is estimated that 400 to 500 different IVY students participated in these recitations.

“This really shows how all our practice, virtues and merits come from the Guru,” said one staff member. “If Rinpoche had not inspired us in the first place to start the project, IVY students might have only accumulated a few dozens recitations in these last 16 months. But thanks to Rinpoche’s inspiration, so many people have come closer to enlightenment and we have been able to make such a wonderful and needed contribution to world peace.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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 during a talk given at Kasih Hospice Service, Malaysia, April 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

We hope you enjoy our April edition of the FPMT International Office E-news.

Highlights include:

• Photo collage of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching
• Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Long Life Puja – update and thanks
• Visualise a Food Offering for 30,000
• New Online Feature from Mandala magazine
  Two Foundation Service Seminars

  and more!

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with ABC director Hup Cheng Tan, Peter Griffin and Ven. Losang Sherab making offerings to ABC’s new Chenrezig statue, February 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In late January, Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) in Singapore released A Thousand Hands: How the Chenresig Statue Arose at ABC, a six-part video illustrating the creation of the large Thousand-Arm Chenrezig statue sculpted by Denise and Peter Griffin. Each video gives viewers a glimpse at an aspect of the project that took 17 years to plan and execute.

Watch A Thousand Hands: How the Chenresig Statue Arose at ABC on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/KpzN2we9WXE

In February 27, 2016, Lama Zopa Rinpoche saw the statue for the first time reports TENDREL, ABC’s community newsletter. “Immediately upon seeing the statue, Rinpoche wanted to offer a khata. Rinpoche then explained the motivation we should all have as we offered the khata together: ‘Offering to the vajra holy body of Chenresig with my inseparable devotion, then, may I and all sentient beings achieve the vajra holy body, Chenresig’s vajra holy body.'”

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.

The Cittamani Hospice Service team, Palmwoods, Australia, January 2014. Photo courtesy of Cittamani Hospice Service.

Joanne Newman from Cittamani Hospice Service on Australia’s Sunshine Coast recently sent Mandala news of the FPMT project celebrating its 20th anniversary:

Cittamani  Hospice Service celebrated 20 years of specialist in-home palliative care to residents of the Sunshine Coast,  Australia, with a wonderful conference “Spiritual Care: Bringing a Calm and Compassionate Mind to the Care of the Dying.” Inspirational speakers included Geshe Tsultrim, Ven. Chodron, and TY Alexander, and the conference was attended by many professionals working in palliative care in our region.

Recently we were honored to be able to be involved in end-of-life care for two senior FPMT Sangha members. From November 2014 to her death in June 2015 we assisted in the care of Ani Marg, senior nun at Chenrezig Institute, and we subsequently supported in the care of Ven. Trisha Donnelly who became ill and died during a visit to Australia towards the end of last year. Our team felt especially privileged to be able to offer our services to these two extraordinary Sangha members.

Trisha commented that she had been unaware that hospice services were a part of FPMT, and she was very pleased and moved to know that we were doing such work in the community and able to provide care for Sangha members who were facing their own death.

Around the same time we were also involved in providing end-of-life care to one of our founding members, Leanne Bennet. Leanne began with Cittamani as a volunteer book-keeper, and as the service grew, Leanne assumed the role of business manager, which she performed with great skill and commitment. She was also very involved in providing support for other members of the Cittamani team as her desk was a regular stop-off for staff to debrief when they returned from seeing clients. Her calm manner, compassion for others, and commitment to her practice up until her death is an inspiration to us all.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.

Group water bowl retreat participants Inge Eijkhout, Ven. Tenzin Chodron, Diana Carroll, Jaclyn Yip, Annette van Citters, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Instituut.

“In the last couple of years, four water bowl marathons have been held in Europe, and they are an example of FPMT centers helping each other on many levels,” said Marina Brucet, spiritual program coordinator for Centro de Meditación Tushita in Spain. “The marathon itself is a great example of collaboration, and this is so much thanks to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who has given permission for doing retreats in which all the water bowls filled by everyone participating in the retreat are counted as having been offered by oneself. This is a very beautiful way of practicing and doing the preliminary practice of water bowl offering.

Maitreya Instituut group water bowl retreat, December 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Instituut.

“Four of such retreats have recently been held in Europe: the first two at Maitreya Instituut Loenen, the Netherlands, in March and December 2014; at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, in August 2015; and at Centro de Meditación Tushita, Spain, in October 2015. The organizers of the first retreat were so kind to help with their expertise to organize the other retreats. We especially thank Annette van Citters (whom, by the way, we recommend to be contacted by anyone interested in organizing a water bowl marathon). They also lent all the materials, including baskets, towels, jars and even the bowls themselves to the other centers. In this way, resources have been going up and down the continent, with one center adding this, the other adding that. 

“Institut Vajra Yogini will organize another water bowl retreat in August 2016, and Centro de Meditación Tushita also plans to organize others in the future as well as group retreats for other preliminary practices, such as the Dorje Khadro burning offering in October 2016.

“This is definitely a very beautiful retreat that we recommend to everyone, a great way of purifying, accumulating merit, and collaborating with each other.”

Centro de Meditación Tushita group water bowl retreat, October 2015. Photo courtesy of Marina Brucet.

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.

Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar distribute blankets to Musahar community, Koluha, Kushinagar, India, January 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.

Every January, with the help of generous donors, Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar offers heavy woolen blankets to Kushinagar’s poor. January is the coldest time of the year and temperatures fall to freezing at night. Atul Chopa, who led the initiative and is legal counsel to Maitreya Project Trust, describe the impact of this year’s blanket distribution.

The Musahar Community in Koluha Village

In January 2016, the Maitreya Project Team distributed blankets to nearly 100 Musahar people in Koluha Village.

The Musahar are the poorest of the poor and are generally landless laborers. The word “Musahar” is derived from the Hindi words “moos” (rat) and “har” (eat) as it is said that out of necessity they catch and eat rats for food. 

There is still a very strong caste system prevailing in India, and the small community of Musahar in the caste system hierarchy are considered even below the better-known Dalit (Untouchable) community. Musahar are only found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the Tarai Regions of Nepal. One of the largest groups lives in in Koluha Village in Kushinagar. 

Blanket Distribution in Hospital Corridors

In the Indian villages it is very common that when someone suddenly falls sick or meets with an accident, the whole family immediately rushes to the hospital in the nearest city. Relatives, family members and attendants who come from the village simply end up sleeping on the floors in the hospital corridors and verandas. As most villagers use huge cotton sleeping quilts at home, it is not possible to carry these into the hospital. Poor families are forced to sleep in the winter on the hospital floor without any protection from the cold.

Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar staff distribute blankets to people sleeping in hospital corridors, Kushinagar, India, January 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.

The Maitreya Project team goes every night and visits the hospital corridors and verandas, offering blankets to the families sleeping in the floor, giving priority to families with older people and children. Our blanket distribution teams starts patrolling the hospital corridors around midnight, when people are forced to leave the tea shop fires.

Anirudhwa Village

During the land acquisition phase for the Maitreya Project, the largest amount of land was given by the farmers of Anirudhwa. This land is most important as it touches the boundary wall of the Maha Parinirvana Stupa as well as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Villagers from Anirudhwa use a coupon system to receive blankets from Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, India, January 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.

Blankets in Anirudhwa are distributed using a coupon system with input from the elected village head as well as government officials from the Revenue Department. This system ensures that each and every eligible person receives a blanket in the peak of winter, and there is total transparency in the distribution. This year 1,000 blankets were distributed.

Hospital Blankets

With the help of nurses and hospital staff, the Maitreya Project offers blankets to poorer patients using only government-supplied hospitals blankets not suitable for winter. Except for the critical care ward, hospitals here do not have central heating. Priority is given to women, children and older people. The team works every night until the early hours of the morning. 

Poorer patients receive supplemental blankets at local hospital, Kushinagar, India, January 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.

Blankets for People with Leprosy

Generally, stigma toward the disease has resulted in leprosy (Hansen’s disease) wards being treated as taboo. The Maitreya Project team makes a special effort to distribute blankets to every patient being treated for leprosy.

Patients being treated for leprosy (Hansen’s disease) receive blankets every year during the winter, India, 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar

Home for the Elderly and Destitute

Blankets were given to each and every room in a small home for elderly and destitute people in Kushinagar.

A Buddhist monk offers a blanket to a resident at a home for the elderly and destitute, Kushinagar, India, January 2016. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.

A very big thank you on behalf of all who received blankets this winter to all who made this year’s distribution possible!

During the summer months the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar distributes mosquito nets to the very poor in the area. If you would like to support either of these programs or to contribute generally to Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar, please visit: www.mbpkushinagar.org

FPMT.org brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 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.