FPMT Community: Stories & News

His Eminence Ling Rinpoche with Ven. Elisabeth Drukier seated to his left, Centre Kalachakra, Paris, France, April 7, 2014. Photo courtesy of Centre Kalachakra.

Long-time student Ven. Elisabeth Drukier, director of Centre Kalachakra in Paris, France, joyfully shared this news about an April visit from His Eminence the Seventh Ling Rinpoche. Rinpoche is the principal organizer of the Jangchup Lamrim with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and experienced a tragic car crash in November 2012.

Ling Rinpoche was on his way to the United States for surgery when he stopped in Paris at the request of Dakpo Rinpoche. Our resident geshe, Geshe Dakpa Tsoundou, invited him to the center and on April 7 Ling Rinpoche came to give some advice.

“I already came in 2005 and I am so happy to be here this evening to meet you,” Rinpoche began. “I like to emphasize how important it is to study. It has to be with the motivation to transform our mind, to practice what we study. The center isn’t only a place where you can heal transitory problems, you have to eradicate desire and attachment.

“Western people are attracted to tantric initiations, but you should be careful. Check the [teacher] and if you’re capable to do the practice. Tantra is based on sutra and shouldn’t be practiced to gain powers and fame.”

At the end, Rinpoche said he would pray for us to have harmonious lives and then offered students the opportunity to receive a blessing from him.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, 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.

Long-time student Annette van Citters shares news about the first group water bowl retreat held at Maitreya Instituut Loenen, one of the two thriving FPMT centers in the Netherlands:

Jaclyn Yip, Maitreya Instituut group water bowl retreat, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Instituut.

From February 28 through March 9, Maitreya Institute Loenen hosted its first group water bowl retreat. With just five participants, it was clear from the start that we wouldn’t meet our goal of offering 100,000 bowls, but we are very content to have reached 56,586.

In the very last session, we offered 4,138 bowls on 26 tables and 6 windowsills – a wonderful, colorful and inspiring sight! With an abundance of clean and fresh water, our country seems to be the perfect place for this practice. We hope to be able to make this a yearly event.

We give special thanks to Ven. Tenzin Chodron for her guidance, to Yke Krol and Geney Stans for their loving care, and to Koosje for organizing the Dorje Kadro offering. We also thank everyone else who assisted us during our sessions and to Di Carroll and Jaclyn Yip, who made a special effort to join our group.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Khadro-la doing prayers in Chenrezig Institute’s gompa, Eudlo, Australia, April 2014. Photo by Eva Mueller.

Andrea Dudley, a Dharma student at Chenrezig Institute in Eudlo, Australia, and participant of the April “Illuminating the Path of Wisdom and Compassion” retreat with Khadro-la, shares her experience:

Chenrezig Institute was honored to be chosen by extraordinary Buddhist teacher and practitioner Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) as the venue for her only retreat during her recent 2014 Australian tour. At the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro-la has been teaching at centers around the world, imparting profound insights into the Buddhist path. Regarded as a wisdom dakini and oracle, Khadro-la’s visit to Chenrezig Institute was a precious opportunity to receive teachings from an inspired and inspiring being. The retreat, held  April 14-21, was an immersion into Dharma entitled “Illuminating the Path of Wisdom and Compassion.”

A symphony of birdsong; a sunny, subtropical morning after days of rain; breezes flowing through the rainforest into the immaculately prepared gompa; the scent of flowers and incense – what a beautiful moment it was as Khadro-la stepped into this scene, preceded by her faithful attendants and interpreter. Her radiance, truth and beauty further illuminated our surroundings – her presence incandescent!

It is no exaggeration to say that Sangha and students were transfixed by the depth of Khadro-la’s teachings. Always humbly reminding us that she was not qualified to instruct on such matters, Khadro-la’s gentle humility pervaded the entire retreat. A living example of Buddha’s words and always speaking with great tenderness, Khadro-la emphasized the importance of placing complete reliance on the guru by choosing to give most precious oral transmissions of The Inseparability of the Spiritual Master and Avalokiteshvara by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Khadro-la’s profound teachings covered aspects of the path dear to her heart, bringing fresh and rare insights into the Dharma for all, whether novice or seasoned practitioner.

Among many, many precious teachings, Khadro-la spoke of the necessity to develop the wisdom that understands reality in order for altruism to increase. She also discussed the aspiration and realization of bodhichitta and emptiness, gave a discourse on the benefits of virtue and the negative effects of non-virtue, and explained why meditation is elemental to Buddhist practice.

Chenrezig Institute is most grateful to Khadro-la, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche for this exceptionally beautiful experience of the Dharma. 

Participants on “Illuminating the Path of Wisdom and Compassion,” Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Australia, April 2014. Photo by Eva Mueller.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Participants at the first annual Sanghata Sutra retreat, Rinchen Jangsem Ling, Triang, Malaysia, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Rinchen Jangsem Ling.

Selina Foong, director of Rinchen Jangsem Ling in Triang, Malaysia, reports on the virtuous activities the center engaged in during the Day of Miracles weekend, March 15-16:

There are so many projects in the pipeline at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre (RJL) that it was really no surprise when Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised us to do various practices in order to clear obstacles and accumulate enough merit in order to actualize them all! Included in the list was to read the Sanghata Sutra at the center itself, which would be “very, very powerful.” The only thing was that many RJL members and supporters do not actually live in Triang, which is approximately two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s capital. Good thing then that the Day of Miracles happened to fall on a Sunday this year – giving us the perfect time to put an intensive weekend of Sanghata Sutra reading into action.

In the end, we were overjoyed to not only achieve reading the sutra, but much more than we had ever dared to imagine (and all on a weekend when karmic merits were multiplied by 100 million times!) 

With strong participation and an enthusiastic response, we were able to offer to Rinpoche a total of 58 complete recitations of the Sanghata Sutra; two complete hand-written copies of the Sanghata Sutra; 16 complete recitations of the Golden Light Sutra as recommended by Rinpoche for flight MH370; one Medicine Buddha puja also as recommended by Rinpoche for flight MH370; the liberation of fish procured from the local market; the hanging of prayer flags on our new flagpoles; the consecration of a beautiful gilded Buddha statue under our bodhi tree by Geshe Tsundu, resident teacher of Losang Dragpa Centre; and the sponsorship of the recitation of 100,000 Buddha Names by Tsawa Khangtsen in Sera Je Monsatery. 

A very productive weekend it was! We are all so thrilled with how this inaugural Sanghata Sutra retreat went that we are now keen to make it an annual RJL event during the Losar period!

Geshe Tsundu consecrated gilded Buddha statue with Sanghata Sutra retreat participants, Rinchen Jangsem Ling, Triang Malaysia, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Rinchen Jangsem Ling.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Jhado Rinpoche arrives at Tushita Meditation Centre, McLeod Ganj, India, May 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Tushita Meditation Centre is a bustling FPMT center in Dharamsala – the seat-in-exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Tushita staff wrote Mandala, sharing news about a recent visit from Jhado Rinpoche, a highly-respected touring lama:

We were extremely fortunate in being able to spend the weekend in the esteemed company of Jhado Rinpoche. And as if this wasn’t enough, we heard his words in English via the translation skills of the incredible Geshe Kelsang Wangmo!

Jhado Rinpoche teaches with Geshe Kelsang Wangmo serving as translator, Tushita Meditation Centre, May 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Jhado Rinpoche taught three sessions over May 10-11, 2014, giving commentary on Six-Session Guru Yoga. With the skill of a true master teacher, Jhado Rinpoche moved progressively deeper into the explanation of the practice session-by-session, and provided opportunity for the gathered attendees to ask questions.

Jhado Rinpoche has also been advising our gompa painters on the mandalas on canvas they are currently working on for the ceiling space above our Lama Tsongkhapa statue. He has visited Tushita a couple of times in the past months for this purpose and also took time on both these teaching days to check on their progress.

Audio of the Six-Session Guru Yoga teaching is available on Tushita’s website. Tushita’s staff apologizes for “less-than-ideal” audio quality in the third session. More photos from the event can be seen on their Facebook page.

Jhado Rinpoche talks with head painter Pema Dawa about progress on the mandalas for Tushita’s gompa, May 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche making offerings to ants at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in north central Washington, US, April 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche works tirelessly to benefit all beings everywhere, including ants. While Rinpoche was at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in north central Washington, US, Rinpoche spent time making offerings to ants for their benefit. Rinpoche’s practice for benefiting ants is described in Charity to Ants, published by FPMT Education Services.

Ants and offerings made for their benefit, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, US, April 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Learn more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and Rinpoche’s vision for a better world. Sign up to receive news and updates. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche being offered tsog by Ven. Chantal, director of International Mahayana Institute, during Light of the Path retreat, May 2014. Photo by Kalleen Mortensen.

The Media Team for the Light of the Path retreat has been doing tireless work on the ground in North Carolina, making the best of some challenging technical issues and streaming Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings live over the internet.

For the rest of the retreat, which concludes on May 18, Rinpoche’s teachings will be streamed live in English and Spanish. Each day a live webcast will be done for the 10 a.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. EDT sessions – to date Rinpoche has usually come to some of the 4 p.m. sessions and most of the 7:30 p.m. sessions. 

A delayed live webcast of Rinpoche’s teachings translated into French is also available. Webcasts of Rinpoche’s earlier teachings during the retreat are available also in English, Spanish and French. 

Light of the Path Media Team members Antoine Janssen and Harald Weicharrt, North Carolina, US, May 2014. Photo by Ven. Thuben Kunsang.

Rinpoche has been teaching regularly during the two-week retreat that began on Sunday, May 4, 2014, in North Carolina, US. Kadampa Center in Raleigh, organized the retreat, which is being attended by more than 250 people.

All Light of the Path retreat resources from 2009, 2010 and 2014 are available on the Online Learning Center.

The Living in the Path online program has been created from the Light of the Path retreat teachings of 2009 and 2010. Organized into structured modules you will find this, and other, programs on the FPMT Online Learning Center.

More information, photos, schedule and updates about FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be found on Rinpoche’s homepage. If you’d like to receive news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche via email, sign up to Lama Zopa Rinpoche News.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the Kadampa stupa with Geshe Gelek Chodha, Geshe Tenley and Geshe Sangpo at Kadampa Center, Raleigh, North Carolina, US, May 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.

On his way to the Light of the Path retreat, Lama Zopa Rinpoche spent a day at Kadampa Center on Saturday, May 3. During the visit, Rinpoche taught two sessions on the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Kadampa Center, May 3, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.

Kadampa Center is a thriving FPMT center in Raleigh, North Carolina, US. During Rinpoche’s visit he blessed their beautiful Kadampa stupa, which they completed last year. Geshe Gelek Chodha serves as the center’s resident teacher and offers weekly teachings at the center. The center also has a successful and popular children’s program.

You can read more about this active and growing center in “Kadampa Center’s Past, Present and Future Times” from Mandala’s January-March 2014 issue.

Children offering khatas to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kadampa Center, May 3, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.

Waiting to meeting Lama Zopa Rinpoche upon his arrival in North Carolina, April 30, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving in North Carolina with Ven. Roger Kunsang, April 30, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Ven. Robina Courtin, Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, US, March 2014. Photo by Marc Sakamoto.

During March 14-16, Maitripa College welcomed special guest teacher Ven. Robina Courtin. Over the weekend, Ven. Robina taught on karma and emptiness to a devoted and enthusiastic crowd. Student and lead volunteer Anita Bermont sent Mandala this reflection from the event:

The word “reflection” has taken on new meaning since becoming a student at Maitripa College. We write reflection papers and reflective questions based on our readings for each class. These reflections allow for deep integration of what was studied, help set clear motivation, as well as reveal where obstacles may have been elusive.

Reflecting on Venerable Robina’s visit this year brings the added dimension of having served as lead volunteer. Little could I have known the impact this would have had on how the teacher and teachings would be received. The content of her teachings this visit was entitled ”Understanding Karma: A Perfect Example of Dependent Arising to Prove Emptiness.” She spoke strongly to how delusions exaggerate the aspects of the object, to include both positive and negative aspects. Surely, I was suffering from just this very thing!

Students listen to Ven. Robina Courtin’s teachings, Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, US, March 2014. Photo by Marc Sakamoto.

I had quite the large construction project built up in my mind as to how specifically Ven. Robina was going to want things to go over the weekend. I showed up in complete surrender to her wishes. What I had not expected was her simple faith and trust that the volunteers knew what would be best for this situation and her complete surrender to our wishes. We met somewhere in the middle, in a place best described as mutual care and respect. With the excellent support of her attendants, everyone was able to enjoy a weekend full of rich teachings, much laughter and the deepening of community.

Maitripa College offers regular public programs and degree programs for students at the graduate level.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving in Portland, Oregon, US, April 18, 2014. Photo by Mandala.

FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived on Friday, April 18 in Portland, Oregon, US, where he is giving an initiation and oral transmission on Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21. Rinpoche was greeting by Yangsi Rinpoche, president of Maitripa College, and the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors along with FPMT International Office and Maitripa College staff.

On Saturday at 7 p.m. PDT, Lama Zopa Rinpoche will offer a Vajrasattva initiation at Maitripa College. Then on Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m., Rinpoche will offer the oral transmission of the preliminary practice of Dorje Khadro. All public portions of the Vajrasattva initiation and oral transmission will be webcast live courtesy of Maitripa College. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche being greeted by Karuna Cayton, chair of the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors, Portland, Oregon, US, April 18, 2014. Photo by Mandala.

More information, photos, schedule and updates about FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be found on Rinpoche’s homepage. If you’d like to receive news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche via email, sign up to Lama Zopa Rinpoche News.

The Waite family during their 3:30 pm spin, April 2014. Photo via Facebook, Land of Medicine Buddha.

On April 6, students of Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California launched a 24-hour “Wheelathon” fundraiser for the construction of a four-story replica of the Mahabodhi Stupa on their property. The original Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, India, marks to the site where Buddha achieved enlightenment.

At least 25 people, including nuns and monks, took shifts spinning Land of Medicine Buddha’s large prayer wheel with the goal of raising US$1,000 an hour. Community members were invited to help spin the wheel as well as recite prayers and mantras. The Great Prayer Wheel contains over 170 billion mantras and millions of Buddhist texts printed on microfilm. Students prepared a promotional video to encourage community members to participate:

Over 193 sponsors offered or pledged more than US$35,000 by the end of the event, a huge step forward for the estimated US$815,000 project. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has already personally pledged US$50,000 in support of the immense undertaking.

Ven. Steve Carlier leading “Prayer to the Six Syllable Great Compassionate One,” April 2014. Photo via Facebook, Land of Medicine Buddha.

The Mahabodhi Stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha will not only help to preserve pan-Buddhist culture and serve as an educational site, but will also be designed to honor people such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh and others who have tirelessly promoted world peace. 

The ground blessing ceremony for the new stupa with Geshe Ngawang Dakpa, resident geshe of Tse Chen Ling in San Francisco, and a group of Gyuto monks is scheduled for April 25.

Visit Land of Medicine Buddha online to learn more about the planned Mahabodhi Stupa and its current campaign.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Khadro-la teaching at Tushita Meditation Centre, McLeod Ganj, India, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Tushita Meditation Centre is a bustling FPMT center in Dharamsala – the seat-in-exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Tushita staff recently wrote Mandala, sharing news about a visit from Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la), an extraordinary Tibetan woman and teacher respected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and His Holiness.

Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) very kindly accepted our request to give a teaching and Q&A session on Sunday, March 9. Although Khadro-la has been to Tushita Meditation Centre many times as a special guest of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, this was the first time that she had given a teaching here alone.

Our main gompa is currently being extensively decorated and our only option was to squeeze our 58 “Introduction to Buddhism” course students, 13 “Pre-Ordination Course” attendees, Tushita staff and volunteers and the many visitors from the local area into our very small Medicine Buddha gompa. Some people had to sit outside on the balcony in the freezing cold weather (and through the thunderstorm that began halfway through the teaching!)

It was an incredible event, translated beautifully by Ven. Namdak.

One highlight was Khadro-la’s humbling answer to a playful question from our audience. A student from our “Introduction to Buddhism” course asked, “When you’re not teaching or meditating, what do you do for enjoyment?”

Khadro-la was warmly welcomed by Tushita Meditation Centre staff and students, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Ven. Namdak explained to us that he had translated this question as “what do you do to relax?” While our more mundane minds were thinking “watching movies” or “going out for dinner,” Khadro-la’s answer floored us:

“In order to relax, (one should) examine the mind in a way that you look at the mind and how the mind reacts to the different objects of the senses – so the different objects of the eye sense power or the different objects of the ear – and then see how the mind actually engages in different imputations towards those objects. Then also realize, or think about, that the mind basically by itself – in its nature – doesn’t have to engage in those objects, and can just abide in the nature of the mind itself. And that is more or less the only thing to say about that.

“Basically, in short, I feel extremely lazy and I don’t have much knowledge of the Buddhadharma. The only thing I aspire to in life, and the only thing I really feel a lot of affection for, is bodhichitta and emptiness. They are two aspects of mind I really aspire a lot to, and really like to think about and like to put into practice.”

Listen to the audio recording of the full teaching and find more photos on Tushita’s Facebook page.

Khadro-la at Tushita Meditation Centre, McLeod Ganj, India, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.