FPMT Community: Stories & News

​Ven. Robina Courtin and students during retreat, Findhorn, Scotland, March 2015. Photo Martin McDonald.

“Togme Sangpo Study Group in Findhorn, Scotland continues to host weekend retreats, ongoing classes and pujas,” reports study group coordinator Margo van Greta.

“In March 2015, Ven. Robina Courtin brought us excellent teachings on karma and emptiness. She demonstrated joyful effort after being stranded at Kathmandu airport caused by a crash of another airplane. She drove all the way to Delhi instead and managed to arrive on time for the public talk! That was true compassion in action for which we are very grateful. Ven. Angie Muir visited us in May and guided us through a Medicine Buddha retreat. In October, Ven. Mary Reavey showed us how to develop the mind of bodhichitta. It is such a delight to see new people connecting to the Dharma!

Togme Sangpo during Medicine Buddha puja, Findhorn, Scotland, August 2015. Photo by Margo van Greta.

“Monthly Medicine Buddha pujas are held by a small yet dedicated group. We completed Module 8 of Discovering Buddhism this summer. One of our group started with Discovering Buddhism Online, which is an excellent option for a rural area, where most are not able to join weekly classes due to distance. We also expanded the group of volunteers, with people to take on tasks like our Dharma bookshop, organizing tea breaks during retreats, doing the accounts, posting on our Facebook page, etc. There was a questionnaire sent out to invite input on our study group. As Ven. Mary mentioned: it is a miracle we still exist! I am sure that is thanks to the blessings of our precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.”

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.

Students from Yogi Saraha Study Group, Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 2015. Photo courtesy of Ven. Thubten Kundrol.

“This is a photo of our weekend meditation group in the gompa of the center,” said Yogi Saraha Study Goup coordinator Ven. Thuben Kundrol. “When students come to our center, as a symbol of appreciation, I like give them something in addition to the practice and teachings. In this case, I gave everyone a flower with a piece of paper with a short Dharma quote on it. You can see the lily on on the altar. In return, they gave me huge smiles and thanks, which I wanted to share with everyone!”

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.

Kopan nun making incense, Pure Land Incense Factory, Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, Nepal. Photo courtesy of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling.

Since 1997, the Pure Land Incense Factory has employed nuns from Khachoe Ghakyil Ling (also known as Kopan Nunnery) in Kopan, Nepal to make traditional, Tibetan-style stick incense. Income from the sales helps cover the everyday expenses of the nunnery, where about 350 nuns live. The Pure Land Incense Factory has customers all over the world, including The Foundation Store.

“The nunnery started making incense in 1997, when a kind older Tibetan offered to teach the nuns how to make incense,” said manager of Kopan Monastery Ani Fran, who helps distribute the incense. “There are no lay Nepalis employed in the incense factory and all the work is done by the nuns, from the mixing of the ingredients to the packing of the boxes.

A machine processes incense ingredients into strands for drying, Pure Land Incense Factory, Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, Nepal. Photo courtesy of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling.

“Incense making is very labor intensive and hard work. Sometimes 20 to 30 different powdered ingredients are mixed together – quite a dusty affair! This is then mixed with water and put into a huge mixing machine, turning into a dough. Another machine turns it into long strings,  which are then cut and dried into sticks.

“The manager of Pure Land Incense Factory is Ani Lhundrup Choying, who is doing a great job in keeping this project going successfully. During the earthquakes, one of the buildings housing the incense factory was damaged but is now being repaired.

Dried incense is processed for packing and shipping, Pure Land Incense Factory, Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, Nepal. Photo courtesy of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling.

“It took a long time and a lot of effort to make it a viable business, but it now it is going well. New products are coming out, one of them the Guru Rinpoche incense, the recipe for which the nuns received from Lama Zopa Rinpoche himself.”

The nuns of Pure Land Incense Factory, Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, Nepal. Manager Ani Lhundrup Choying is center with glasses. Photo courtesy of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling.

You can find all your favorite incenses at The Foundation Store. Incenses created by Kopan nuns include: Lawudo incense powder, Lawudo incense sticks, Lotus Blossom incense, Medicine Buddha Healing incense, Pure Land incenses and Rhododenron Forest incense.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meets with Tibetan in London, UK, September 2015. Photo courtesy of Jamyang Buddhist Centre.

Alison Murdoch and Natascha Sturny share news from Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London, which recently helped welcome His Holiness the Dalai Lama in September and Geshe Thubten Jinpa, His Holiness’ principle English interpreter, in June.

In June, Jamyang enjoyed the privilege of hosting a book event to celebrate the UK launch of Geshe Thubten Jinpa’s new book: A Fearless Heart: Why Compassion is the Key to Greater Wellbeing (which goes by a slightly different title in the United States). The book follows the example of His Holiness the Dalai Lama – and the encouragement of FPMT founder Lama Yeshe – in bringing spirituality and science together in a way that is accessible to people of any religion or none, and weaves together Jinpa’s personal story and Buddhist training with the course –Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) – that he created at Stanford University School of Medicine in California. At Jinpa’s request, all proceeds from the sold-out evening, which included a talk, Q&A, refreshments, stalls, a raffle and an exhibition, went to support the charity Help Tibet. Jamyang was happy to donate all its costs to this good cause, which is working with victims of the 2015 Nepal earthquake. 

Thuben Jinpa visits London to discuss his book ‘A Fearless Heart,’ London, UK, June 2015. Photo courtesy of Jamyang Buddhist Centre.

Jamyang was also very fortunate to have His Holiness Dalai Lama visit the UK for a second time in September! We wanted to make sure His Holiness was greeted with the utmost warmth so we joined in the Tibetan community’s Phebsu/Welcome initiative.

To honor his visit, we arranged for the Tashi Lhunpo monks to create a Chenrezig mandala at Jamyang. They arrived on the September 14 and started right away. It was so inspiring to have the monks here once more, and to be able to see the beautiful mandala come into being.

Meanwhile, Alison Murdoch and Anna Colao helped launch the Open Arms initiative. The website was up and running within a few days, as well as the Facebook page. People from all over the UK, Europe and from further afield contributed images holding a khata in their arms, welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the UK! It was really amazing to see the positive reaction for this initiative.

Jamyang’s Ven. Barbara Shannon and many more welcomed His Holiness with Open Arms and posted their pictures. The Tashi Lhunpo monks also participated in the initiative and were very happy to be photographed with khatas surrounding the finished Chenrezig mandala.

The monks of Tashi Lhunpo create a Chenrezig mandala and offer khata to His Holiness, Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London, UK, September 2015. Photo courtesy of Jamyang Buddhist Centre.

An FPMT UK banner welcoming His Holiness was delivered from Leeds a few days before His Holiness landed in England. Jay Simpson, FPMT UK coordinator, did a great job on the banner design. There was also a call to all the FPMT UK friends to encourage one hundred people to participate at the welcoming event. Many more than one hundred turned up and this level of support made it possible for the Tibetan community to leave their welcome pitch and to have a private audience with His Holiness Dalai Lama.

FPMT UK banner welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama held by Roy Sutherwood, director of Jamyang Buddhist Centre, and Mike Murray, SPC, in the gompa at Jamyang, London, UK, September 2015. Photo by Natascha Sturny.

On September 20, members of Jamyang supported the Open Arms by creating the longest khata in the world. Together, with FPMT Europe coordinator Rafael Farrar and with the help of members of other FPMT UK centers, the parents and kids of the Tibetan community in their beautiful traditional dress and supplied with colorful balloons, and over 30 Swiss Tibetans, crossed Westminster Bridge holding the khata up in the brilliantly blue sky to once more greet His Holiness with the warmest welcome possible!

World’s longest khata offering in Central London, UK, September 2015. Photo by Natasha Sturny.

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.

Teachers and students of LRZTP7, Dharamsala, India, October 2015. Photo courtesy of LRZTP.

Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme (LRZTP) staff share news of the beginning of classes for their seventh cohort:

On a sunny October 2, fourteen Dharma students from all corners of this globe gathered together in a small classroom on the slopes of the Dhauladhar mountain range in the small town of Dharamsala, India. They came to celebrate the opening of the seventh LRZTP, FPMT’s course for Tibetan-language interpreters.

Together with them were all the school’s staff members – Gen Franziska Ortele, Geshe Wangdrak, Mr. Gavin Kilty and Ms. Ticca. The opening ceremony began with eating traditional auspicious sweet rice. After that, each student presented him or herself and were offered a khata and Buddha image from the school’s staff. The teachers and Yaron Bahir, the school’s director, each gave some advice about studying Tibetan. For the sake of auspiciousness, incense was offered together with hanging a prayer flag from the school’s roof top. Needless to say, the peak of the event was the school cook Acha Chozom-la’s traditional momos.

LRZTP hosts a class of students including many who are affiliated with FPMT as well as several freelancers. The FPMT-affiliated students will continue their training within FPMT centers after the two year program has been completed.

Two changes were made to the program for this cohort. The first is that all the students will volunteer their service in the Tibetan community every two weeks on Wednesdays. Why Wednesday? Because it is the day His Holiness the Dalai Lama was born and is considered as a special day within the Tibetan exile community. The second is that a listening comprehension class was added during the last hour of the day. This class is designed to help the students develop their listening, retention and translation skills.

We would like to wish Ven. Kim, Fillipo, Akira, Johanne, Nat, Helen, Rachel, Ana, Alejandro, Juan, Greta, Nam, Maureen, Tiphane Layne and Shire good luck with their studies and to say thanks for taking on the difficult mission of studying Tibetan to serve others and oneself.

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.

Devotee at the Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour event hosted by Aryatara Institut, Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany, September 2015. Photo by Sabine Kehl.

“It has been seven years since the holy relics have been on display in Munich,” said student Sabine Kehl of Aryatara Institut. “In September 2015, Aryatara Institut was very pleased to welcome the Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour back to the city.

“This time the relic tour took place at the historical setting of the Johannissaal in Schloss Nymphenburg, one of Munich’s most famous historical sites and therefore very suitable to exhibit the precious and beautiful relics.

Woman and dog receiving blessings by relic of Buddha Shakyamuni, Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany, September 2015. Photo by Sabine Kehl.

“An overwhelming number of interested visitors attended the opening ceremony on the evening of September 25. The audience was heartily welcomed by one of the board members of Aryatara Institut and got a short introduction to the history of the Maitreya Loving Kindness Tour and the relics by tour manager Juan Chacón-Grondman.

“The abbot of the Wat Thai Temple Munich, the Venerable Phrakhruvitejthammarangsi, and the Venerable Theeraphong Aum-Earb accompanied by members of their community chanted mantras and gave blessings to the tour followed by a song by the 17th Karmapa performed by a member of the Karma Dhagpo Gyurme Ling and a piece of Japanese music played on a shakuhachi.

“Over the following two days, more than 2,000 visitors came to see the relics, pray, meditate and show their devotion to them. Some people even came every day and stayed from opening to close.

“Many people were moved to tears by the beautiful objects and especially by the blessing they received by being touched on the crown of their head with a stupa containing relics of Buddha Shakyamuni. The event was a big success.”

Shakuhachi music being offered to relics and guests, Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany, September 2015. Photo by Alex Volk.

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.

We hope you enjoy our October edition of the FPMT International Office E-News!

This month you will find:

• News about the annual Long Life Puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• The latest on Rinpoche’s Teaching Schedule
• News about Living in the Path, and new mantras to download
• How FPMT Charitable Projects are supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama
• Three new FPMT Study Groups!

and of course much more!

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering a mandala during tsog puja, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Subscribe to the monthly International Office News to receive the latest information on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s schedule and advice; new Dharma practice materials; FPMT centers, projects and services around the world; and opportunities to offer service.

Yangsi Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Dorje and the family of Jim Blumenthal in front of the James A. Blumenthal Library, Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, US, October 8, 2015. Photos courtesy of Maitripa College.

Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon, marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Prof. Jim Blumenthal with a dedication ceremony for its library and a puja. Jim was integral to the Maitripa community and was also a frequent contributor to Mandala magazine. The FPMT International Merit Box Project helped fund new shelves for the library. Maitripa student Donna L. Brown shared this story on the event.

The James A. Blumenthal Library, dedicated to the memory of Prof. Jim Blumenthal, was launched on October 8 by Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon, with a moving ceremony that celebrated Jim’s full life. Jim taught at both Maitripa College and Oregon State University, and tragically passed away a year ago. Passionate about Maitripa College, he donated his collection of more than 1,300 books and journals to its library, which now bears his name. This gift has enabled the college to significantly expand its holdings, particularly into areas dear to Jim, such as social justice, peace, ecology, Madhyamaka philosophy, and Tibetan language and history.

The dedication ceremony was led by college president Yangsi Rinpoche and attended by 80 or so guests. These included Geshe Tenzin Dorje from Deer Park Buddhist Center in Wisconsin, Jim’s parents and brother, his wife Tiffany, his son Ben and Ben’s mother Sara, family friends, and Maitripa College’s community, as well many of the volunteers who worked tirelessly to integrate Jim’s collection with Maitripa’s.

Geshe Tenzin Dorje speaking about Jim Blumenthal’s connection to Buddhism

Jim’s brother Tom thanked the Maitripa community for its support to Jim and his family; Yangsi Rinpoche said the expanded library would ensure that Jim’s influence continued into the future by enhancing the development of scholars and practitioners; and Geshe Tenzin Dorje (translated by one-time Maitripa student Katrina Brooks) talked about Jim’s karmic connection to Buddhism, his kindness, his meaningful life, and how these would contribute to a fortunate rebirth. The ceremony was graced with music too: joking that Katrina should translate the lyrics into Tibetan, Jim’s good friend Jerry Joseph, a noted songwriter, performed a song he had written for Jim called “Craters of the Moon.”

Jim Blumenthal’s parents cut the ribbon for the library

After prayers led by Yangsi Rinpoche, Jim’s parents Jack and Susan Blumenthal cut the ribbon to officially open the James A. Blumenthal Library. The dedication ceremony was follow by Vajrasattva tsog.

The upgraded collection now offers substantially more material in support of academic work, Dharma practice and community service. A grant of US$3,000 from FPMT’s International Merit Box Project, alongside funds from other donors, helped pay for custom shelving to house the extra books. Maitripa College has also created a Friends of the James A. Blumenthal Library fund to encourage further expansion, and has developed a strategic plan for the library that includes further acquisitions, technology upgrades, training sessions in academic methods and professional staffing.

Jim would have smiled at the lyrics his friend Jerry Joseph wrote in his honor:

Eight long days
After you took your last breath
Well we all got the word and the monks all concurred
That your consciousness finally had left.

So we’re singing our prayers and the candles
We’re drawing mandalas in sand
We’re passing a pipe and a drum and a fight
And it’s time to kick up the band …

But hey now babe, were you ever with us in the room?
Or were you up there somewhere
Your fist in the air
In the craters of the moon?

… Are you up there somewhere
With our love, and our prayers
In the craters of the moon?

Some of the new library collection, Maitripa College

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

Welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama with balloons, banners, big smiles and a very long khata in London, September 2015. Photo by Robin Bath.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the United Kingdom in September 2015. Long-time FPMT student Alison Murdoch shared this report on how FPMT UK students united with the local Tibetan community and other Tibetan Buddhist groups to offer a very warm welcome to His Holiness.

Three FPMT students were among a four-person team who collaborated with the Office of Tibet and the Tibetan community in Britain to offer the warmest possible welcome to His Holiness The Dalai Lama during his September 2015 visit to the UK.

Jane Moore, assisted by Drukpa Kagyü student, Ilana Pearlman, started early in the year communicating with Tibetan Buddhist groups of all four main schools throughout the UK about His Holiness’ advice on the Dolgyal/Shugden issue. As a result, over 40 out of a potential 44 groups signed a ground-breaking statement in full and open support of His Holiness. The Tibetans were so impressed that it was broadcast on one of the Tibetan radio stations. They were also keen that the statement be presented to His Holiness.

Jane and Ilana also encouraged Buddhists from all four schools to stand alongside the Tibetan community in Britain in offering a peaceful and colorful phebsu (welcome) to His Holiness at every venue, in counter-balance to protesters, and organized 1,000 brightly-colored balloons with welcoming messages for everyone to hold. FPMT UK coordinator Jay Simpson created a particularly beautiful banner welcoming His Holiness to the UK on behalf of the FPMT, and all the FPMT centers and groups helped publicize the phebsu.

FPMT UK banner welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama held by Roy Sutherwood, director of Jamyang Buddhist Centre, and Mike Murray, SPC, in the gompa at Jamyang, London, UK, September 2015. Photo by Natascha Sturny.

Meanwhile, Anna Colao and Alison Murdoch worked together to set up a welcoming initiative called Open Arms. “The name ‘Open Arms’ was chosen because open arms are a universal symbol of welcome that remind us not only of our parents, friends and loved ones, but also of our responsibility and our potential to show kindness and goodwill to every other being,” said Anna, who masterminded the creation of a virtual khata offering to His Holiness on the Facebook site Open Arms 2015. This included many international contributions from FPMT students and centers and was quite a feat given that Anna was over eight and a half months pregnant at the time.

World’s longest khata offering in Central London, UK, September 2015. Photo by Natasha Sturny.

Alison organized a procession of hundreds of Tibetans and Westerners through Central London, carrying the world’s longest khata offering to His Holiness. It was 252 meters (827 feet) in length, stretching right across the River Thames to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The video of this joyful and auspicious occasion has now been viewed over 11,000 times at  https://www.facebook.com/welcomedalailama. When the procession reached its end, near Trafalgar Square, the giant khata plus a photo album containing all the virtual khata offerings was presented to His Holiness.

Album containing photos of ‘virtual’ khata offerings to His Holiness from around the world, September 2015. Photo by Alison Murdoch.

For the organizing team, it was a matter of great joy to be able to put into practice Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s often-repeated advice that the highest priority for FPMT is to serve His Holiness, as His Holiness is the greatest source of inspiration for FPMT, and that the FPMT should take a clear and public stand on the subject of the practice of Dolgyal/ Shugden.

Another wonderful outcome of these activities was the strengthening of friendships with the Office of Tibet and the Tibetan community in Britain.

“I think the visit was very successful, especially from our perspective in welcoming His Holiness, and it wouldn’t have been so without your help and support,” wrote one of the Tibetan organizers afterwards. “I personally would like to thank you for all your time and efforts in bringing our Western Buddhist friends and centers together to show their support for His Holiness. … We managed to give the warmest and the most unique welcome to His Holiness with your brilliant idea of offering the longest khata, which was truly a wonderful experience for all of us as well.”

Open Arms 2015 participants with khatas for offering to His Holiness, London, UK, September 2015. Photo by Claire Pullinger.

You can find the long life prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s prayer “Remembering the Kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan People,” Mandala stories on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and more 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.

A “downed” cow being examined by team members in Nuwakot, Nepal, May 2015. Photo by Phil Hunt.

World Animal Day is celebrated every year on October 4. In honor of the day, Mandala has published a new online feature story, “Animal Welfare in the Aftermath of the 2015 Nepal Earthquake,” by Phil Hunt and Tania Duratovic, coordinators for Enlightenment for the Dear Animals and for the Animal Liberation Sanctuary, a project of Kopan Monastery. Phil and Tania report on the conditions many animals faced after the devastating earthquake. They write:

“When disasters strike, the first response is naturally to search for and rescue people. Animals are often forgotten in the chaos even though they are often injured and in desperate need of food, shelter and medical attention. Getting help for animals in a disaster is a challenge, but it can benefit the entire community as well as the animals themselves. …” (Read the entire article here.)

You can also read updates from Nepal on the amazing work of the monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery, who formed Kopan Helping Hands and were immediately offering assistance to thousands of earthquake-affected people. For more see FPMT Charitable Projects blog posts.

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.

His Holiness the Karmapa giving a talk to students and teachers at Maitreya School, Bodhgaya, India, 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

On September 3, Wisdom Publications launched The Wisdom Podcast with an interview with His Holiness the Karmapa. In the 23-minute interview, His Holiness discusses a variety of topics including the appropriateness of using the internet to receive Dharma teachings, empowerments and vows; making space for people mostly concerned on improving their current lives; vegetarianism; and his involvement in the establishment of full ordination for nuns in the Tibetan tradition. 

Elijah Ary

The second episode features Buddhist scholar and author Elijah Ary, a Canadian recognized at the age of seven as the first Western reincarnation – tulku – of a Tibetan lama in the Gelug lineage. Elijah describes the process of being recognized; how his unique position allows him to act as a bridge between Western and Tibetan culture; and his new book Authorized Lives: Biography and the Early Formation of Geluk Identity (see Mandala July-December 2015 for an excerpt). 

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.

Tara Children’s Project in Bodhgaya, India, is the only orphanage for HIV-affected children in the state of Bihar and provides medical care and educational opportunities to over 20 children whose communities are unable or unwilling to support them.

“Saurabh’s Story,” a short promotional video from Tara Children’s Project, introduces Saurabh, rejected at the age of three by his village and remaining relatives after both of his parents passed away from AIDS. Watch the video to learn how Tara Children’s Project helped Saurabh to thrive.

Watch now: http://bit.ly/saurabhs-story

Canadian FPMT student Ryan Wright recently launched Anye, a non-profit organization dedicated to having a direct positive social impact, particularly on young people. By offering “suffering-free” and fashionable graphic t-shirts and tank tops, parts of Anye’s profits go to Tara Children’s Project.

FPMT.org 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.