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Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
The FPMT is an organization devoted to preserving and spreading Mahayana Buddhism worldwide by creating opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha and based on that experience spreading the Dharma to sentient beings. We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility and service. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion. Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founders Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
- Willkommen
Die Stiftung zur Erhaltung der Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) ist eine Organisation, die sich weltweit für die Erhaltung und Verbreitung des Mahayana-Buddhismus einsetzt, indem sie Möglichkeiten schafft, den makellosen Lehren des Buddha zuzuhören, über sie zur reflektieren und zu meditieren und auf der Grundlage dieser Erfahrung das Dharma unter den Lebewesen zu verbreiten.
Wir bieten integrierte Schulungswege an, durch denen der Geist und das Herz der Menschen in ihr höchstes Potential verwandelt werden zum Wohl der anderen – inspiriert durch eine Haltung der universellen Verantwortung und dem Wunsch zu dienen. Wir haben uns verpflichtet, harmonische Umgebungen zu schaffen und allen Wesen zu helfen, ihr volles Potenzial unendlicher Weisheit und grenzenlosen Mitgefühls zu verwirklichen.
Unsere Organisation basiert auf der buddhistischen Tradition von Lama Tsongkhapa von Tibet, so wie sie uns von unseren Gründern Lama Thubten Yeshe und Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche gelehrt wird.
- Bienvenidos
La Fundación para la preservación de la tradición Mahayana (FPMT) es una organización que se dedica a preservar y difundir el budismo Mahayana en todo el mundo, creando oportunidades para escuchar, reflexionar, meditar, practicar y actualizar las enseñanzas inconfundibles de Buda y en base a esa experiencia difundir el Dharma a los seres.
Proporcionamos una educación integrada a través de la cual las mentes y los corazones de las personas se pueden transformar en su mayor potencial para el beneficio de los demás, inspirados por una actitud de responsabilidad y servicio universales. Estamos comprometidos a crear ambientes armoniosos y ayudar a todos los seres a desarrollar todo su potencial de infinita sabiduría y compasión.
Nuestra organización se basa en la tradición budista de Lama Tsongkhapa del Tíbet como nos lo enseñaron nuestros fundadores Lama Thubten Yeshe y Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
A continuación puede ver una lista de los centros y sus páginas web en su lengua preferida.
- Bienvenue
L’organisation de la FPMT a pour vocation la préservation et la diffusion du bouddhisme du mahayana dans le monde entier. Elle offre l’opportunité d’écouter, de réfléchir, de méditer, de pratiquer et de réaliser les enseignements excellents du Bouddha, pour ensuite transmettre le Dharma à tous les êtres. Nous proposons une formation intégrée grâce à laquelle le cœur et l’esprit de chacun peuvent accomplir leur potentiel le plus élevé pour le bien d’autrui, inspirés par le sens du service et une responsabilité universelle. Nous nous engageons à créer un environnement harmonieux et à aider tous les êtres à épanouir leur potentiel illimité de compassion et de sagesse. Notre organisation s’appuie sur la tradition guéloukpa de Lama Tsongkhapa du Tibet, telle qu’elle a été enseignée par nos fondateurs Lama Thoubtèn Yéshé et Lama Zopa Rinpoché.
Visitez le site de notre Editions Mahayana pour les traductions, conseils et nouvelles du Bureau international en français.
Voici une liste de centres et de leurs sites dans votre langue préférée
- Benvenuto
L’FPMT è un organizzazione il cui scopo è preservare e diffondere il Buddhismo Mahayana nel mondo, creando occasioni di ascolto, riflessione, meditazione e pratica dei perfetti insegnamenti del Buddha, al fine di attualizzare e diffondere il Dharma fra tutti gli esseri senzienti.
Offriamo un’educazione integrata, che può trasformare la mente e i cuori delle persone nel loro massimo potenziale, per il beneficio di tutti gli esseri, ispirati da un’attitudine di responsabilità universale e di servizio.
Il nostro obiettivo è quello di creare contesti armoniosi e aiutare tutti gli esseri a sviluppare in modo completo le proprie potenzialità di infinita saggezza e compassione.
La nostra organizzazione si basa sulla tradizione buddhista di Lama Tsongkhapa del Tibet, così come ci è stata insegnata dai nostri fondatori Lama Thubten Yeshe e Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Di seguito potete trovare un elenco dei centri e dei loro siti nella lingua da voi prescelta.
- 欢迎 / 歡迎
简体中文
“护持大乘法脉基金会”( 英文简称:FPMT。全名:Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) 是一个致力于护持和弘扬大乘佛法的国际佛教组织。我们提供听闻,思维,禅修,修行和实证佛陀无误教法的机会,以便让一切众生都能够享受佛法的指引和滋润。
我们全力创造和谐融洽的环境, 为人们提供解行并重的完整佛法教育,以便启发内在的环宇悲心及责任心,并开发内心所蕴藏的巨大潜能 — 无限的智慧与悲心 — 以便利益和服务一切有情。
FPMT的创办人是图腾耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。我们所修习的是由两位上师所教导的,西藏喀巴大师的佛法传承。
繁體中文
護持大乘法脈基金會”( 英文簡稱:FPMT。全名:Found
ation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition ) 是一個致力於護持和弘揚大乘佛法的國際佛教組織。我們提供聽聞, 思維,禪修,修行和實證佛陀無誤教法的機會,以便讓一切眾生都能 夠享受佛法的指引和滋潤。 我們全力創造和諧融洽的環境,
為人們提供解行並重的完整佛法教育,以便啟發內在的環宇悲心及責 任心,並開發內心所蘊藏的巨大潛能 — 無限的智慧與悲心 – – 以便利益和服務一切有情。 FPMT的創辦人是圖騰耶喜喇嘛和喇嘛梭巴仁波切。
我們所修習的是由兩位上師所教導的,西藏喀巴大師的佛法傳承。 察看道场信息:
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Superficial observation of the sense world might lead you to believe that people’s problems are different, but if you check more deeply, you will see that fundamentally, they are the same. What makes people’s problems appear unique is their different interpretation of their experiences.
Lama Thubten Yeshe
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The Foundation Store is FPMT’s online shop and features a vast selection of Buddhist study and practice materials written or recommended by our lineage gurus. These items include homestudy programs, prayers and practices in PDF or eBook format, materials for children, and other resources to support practitioners.
Items displayed in the shop are made available for Dharma practice and educational purposes, and never for the purpose of profiting from their sale. Please read FPMT Foundation Store Policy Regarding Dharma Items for more information.
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FPMT Community: Stories & News
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“First thing in the morning, Lama Zopa Rinpoche is doing prostrations to the altar in his room,” Ven. Roger Kunsang, Rinpoche’s assistant wrote on August 10 from Kopan Monastery in Nepal. “There is one altar that has many holy relics on it and Rinpoche circumambulates it every day. Rinpoche is making a very quick stop here on the way to Mongolia.”
“Rinpoche this morning doing prayers before breakfast, with a view of the Kathmandu Valley (from Kopan ),” Ven. Roger wrote. “The valley is very green at the moment. … It’s monsoon and there has been plenty of rain.”
Meanwhile in Mongolia the 100 Million Mani Retreat is underway. Participants are looking forward to Rinpoche’s arrival. FPMT Mongolia organized the retreat, which is being held at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang (College), Gandan Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and which started on August 1. Rinpoche is guiding the retreat and is expected to arrive on August 13.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
- Tagged: 100 million mani retreat, fpmt mongolia, kopan monastery, lama zopa rinpoche, mandala, mongolia
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Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery
FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche is making a brief stop at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. Rinpoche arrived on August 8 and will be staying for a few days. Rinpoche had been in private retreat in northern India for several weeks and had also been visiting Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala. Rinpoche travels on to Mongolia next to lead the 100 Million Mani retreat organized by FPMT Mongolia.
Upon returning to Kopan, Rinpoche made prostration in the Kopan Nunnery gompa with a small lama who is staying with the nuns.
Rinpoche’s assistant Ven. Roger Kunsang wrote, “The very small young Lama wanted to copy everything Rinpoche did! … Watching very closely how Rinpoche does prostrations.”
By the third prostration the young lama “had it down very well,” Ven. Roger wrote.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
- Tagged: kopan monastery, lama zopa rinpoche, mandala
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Blessing the Waters of New Zealand’s North Island
“It felt like an odyssey imbued with divine inspiration, magnitude and benefit,” shared long-time student Murray Wright. “During the worst New Zealand drought in 65 years, Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi, Brian Rae and I offered holy crystals to bless the waters of New Zealand’s North Island this year. From the guidance received, we felt like instruments of the guru-buddhas’ compassionate activity.
“To benefit people in Bodhgaya, Lama Zopa Rinpoche commissioned glass crystals engraved with a special mantra of Guru Padmasambhava. Due to Padmasambhava’s stainless prayers impregnated with bodhichitta and wisdom, the minds of those drinking water touched by the mantra are blessed. Veteran stupa builder Tom Waggoner brought the crystals when he visited in 2011. We offered them into several large reservoirs around Auckland. An enthusiast of holy objects he said, ‘Wow, it’s so easy to create merit with these crystals. All you have to do is place them in the water!’ He urged me to ‘get some inventory’ from the FPMT Foundation Store to offer more.” …
From Mandala July-September 2013
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In July, FPMT’s Animal Liberation Fund announced that it had donated SGD$2,500 (US$2,051) toward animal liberations – the practice of extending and protecting an animal’s life and exposing it to Dharma – organized by student Fred Cheong and fellow students from Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore. Amitabha Buddhist Centre regularly organizes large animal liberations, generally freeing up to six types of shellfish and occasionally larger fish (see “10 Million Lives for the Guru” Mandala October-December 2011).
“On His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, July 6, Amitabha Buddhist Centre liberated 11,000 kg (24,250 lbs) of [shellfish], an estimated 1 million lives,” Animal Liberation Fund reports. “On Chokor Duchen, July 12, when merit is multiplied 100 million times, Amitabha Buddhist Centre liberated another 700,000 animals.
“Strong prayers and dedications were made for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and to stay with us and guide us, and for all of His Holiness’ prayers and wishes to come true. Dedications were also made for the long life and perfect health of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for all of Rinpoche’s wishes and prayers to succeed.”
Animal liberation is one of the practices that have been recently advised as important to do for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and long life.
The fund continues to support smaller weekly animal liberations by the Sangha at Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s house.
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During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s most recent visit to Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala, India, Rinpoche gave the following advice to the Tushita cooks:
I have been hearing from people that the food at Tushita is fantastic. Generally, they tell me they are very happy with the place and especially the food. I was amazed to hear this and particularly that you have been able to improve the flavor and quality of the food without using onions, garlic or other black foods. Of course, the initial reason why people come to Tushita is not the food, but for the teachings and meditations; they are a little bored with the lives they have and are looking for something new. However, the conditions at Tushita –and especially the food – are a very important support for the teachings and meditations. Sometimes in the past, for example, when I would teach on impermanence, the hells and the eight worldly dharmas, people would get scared and leave, but if the food was good, they would stay. That’s one way to keep them!
So I’ve been thinking for many days to come to the kitchen and explain a short meditation to the cooks. There is a short morning motivation I have put together with a direct meditation on the graduated path to the peerless happiness of full enlightenment. (Most of the time in English we use the expression “fully enlightened” but in Tibetan it is sang gye; sang means that all the obscurations, gross and subtle have been purified, and gye that all the realizations have been fully developed and there is nothing more to achieve. “Fully enlightened” has a different meaning; it’s better to say “fully omniscient mind.”) [This meditation is] followed by some verses explaining how precious and kind sentient beings are.
Every single sentient being is most precious, dear and wishfulfilling – fulfilling all your wishes for the happiness of future lives, liberation and enlightenment. Every hell being, hungry ghost, animal, insect, ant, mosquito, bird, goat, human being, sura and asura does this. That is because all our beginningless past lives’ happiness, present happiness and future happiness comes from good karma and that good karma comes from your mind, from mental intention. Buddha’s enlightened activity is of two types: one comes from Buddha’s holy mind and one from your mind. Buddhas come from bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas come from bodhichitta and bodhichitta comes from great compassion. Great compassion comes from every single obscured suffering sentient being. There is no way to generate great compassion without depending on every single suffering sentient being. Therefore, there is no bodhichitta, no bodhisattva, no Buddha and no way to create good karma, the cause of happiness, without them. In other words, every single happiness and comfort comes from sentient beings, even a cool breeze or a drink of water when you are thirsty. Without sentient beings there is no way to experience happiness in this life, future lives, liberation or enlightenment. All our happiness comes from every single sentient being.
For example, all my happiness comes from every one of you and from all the rest of the sentient beings; every hell being, hungry ghost, animal, human, sura and asura. All my past, present and future happiness comes from everyone because Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in whom I take refuge and with whom I purify every single negative karma and achieve the peerless happiness of full enlightenment come from everyone. That is why sentient beings are most kind, dear, precious and wishfulfilling.
Sentient beings are more precious than a wishfulfilling jewel because you can’t practice morality, purify negative karma and achieve a higher rebirth with a wishfulfilling jewel. Nor can you practice the three higher trainings and achieve the ultimate happiness of liberation or generate great compassion and achieve enlightenment with a wishgranting jewel, but you can with sentient beings. If you pray to a wishgranting jewel you can get a house, car, swimming pool and so on, but not higher rebirths, liberation and enlightenment. That’s why sentient beings are most unbelievably precious. Which one is more precious – skies of wishgranting jewels or sentient beings? Sentient beings are more precious!
Therefore, dedicating your life to others and helping them is the best, most exciting thing you can do. Serving them in any way you can and giving them whatever help you can give is what brings the most happiness. For example, helping an old man carrying a very heavy load or giving your seat to somebody in a bus, train or car. Doing whatever it is that sentient beings need, whether big or small, is the most satisfying, exciting thing you can do.
That’s why making delicious food and offering it to the people who come here is a really great opportunity. Wow, wow, wow, wow. It is a way of offering comfort and happiness to sentient beings who are most wishfulfilling. That’s what brings the most happiness and excitement. It’s the real Dharma. Dharma is something that protects your life, protects you from suffering and guides you to happiness….
There is a great deal to rejoice in that you have this very precious opportunity to offer food to sentient beings who are most precious, dear, kind and wishfulfilling.
Practicing bodhichitta mindfulness in the kitchen
Here are some ways to think while you are preparing and cooking the food:
When you are cutting anything, for example onions, think,
I am cutting the root of all sentient beings’ suffering which comes from ignorance and the self-cherishing thought, with the knife of the wisdom realizing emptiness (shunyata) and bodhichitta.
When you are washing pots and so on think,
I am washing away all the obscurations and negative karmas from all sentient beings’ minds.
You can think that you are washing away your own obscurations and negative karmas but most important is to think you are washing away those of all sentient beings. And you can think the water is nectar coming from Vajrasattva, the Guru, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. There is always a lot of washing up to do in the kitchen and you can use the opportunity to purify all sentient beings’ obscurations. It’s very good if you can sincerely think this way because all the washing up becomes Dharma practice purifying your negative karma and defilements and collecting merits. In India even the beggars keep their pots very clean!
When you are sweeping the floor think that the broom is the whole path to enlightenment, especially wisdom and bodhichitta, and that the dust is all sentient beings’ obscurations.
I am sweeping away the dust of all sentient beings’ obscurations with the broom of the path to enlightenment and especially wisdom and bodhichitta.
If you sincerely think this while you are cleaning it becomes real Dharma practice that benefits all sentient beings. In the lam-rim it says to think that you are abandoning the dust of the three poisonous minds – anger, attachment and ignorance – which are the gross obscurations and also the stains of the three poisonous minds, the subtle obscurations.
When you are kneading dough so that it can be made into any shape think,
I am taming all sentient beings’ minds by softening them with my two hands of the wisdom realizing emptiness and bodhichitta.
When you are making momos or shapale – rolling out pastry and filling it with cheese, potato and vegetables – think,
I am filling all sentient beings’ minds with the realizations of the path from guru devotion up to enlightenment so that they can actualize all the qualities of a buddha.
When you are cooking soup or other food you can think that the fire is the Six Yogas’ tummo fire that causes the kundalini to melt. Do the same meditation that is used to bless the inner offering in highest yoga tantra. Or you can think that the fire is the wisdom realizing emptiness and the uncooked food is the unsubdued mind. By cooking the food all the gross and even the subtle delusions are purified and all the realizations of Buddha are achieved.
These are some ways of thinking as you are working in the kitchen. You can think in a similar way with other kitchen activities.
Typed and edited by Ven. Sarah Thresher at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India, June 17, 2013.
Mandala brings you news of FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
- Tagged: cooking with bodhichitta, lama zopa rinpoche, mandala, teachings and advice, tushita meditation centre
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A Grand First Visit: Jangtse Chöje at Vajrapani Institute
By Heidi Oehler
Jangtse Chöje Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, second in line for the Ganden throne (Ganden Tripa), arrived at Vajrapani Institute near Boulder Creek, California, for the first time June 11, 2013. It had been over two years since Lama Zopa Rinpoche acted on our behalf and presented the initial request for Jangtse Chöje to teach here and for the conditions to manifest his actual arrival. It was well worth the wait!
While welcoming Jangtse Chöje to our center over tea and sweet rice in the gompa, he commented to our staff that the most important thing for us to remember is study. Study, he said, is more important than center work, and while of course we need to make sure the center functions, we need to also remember study.
The day after Rinpoche’s arrival, almost the entire staff along with 40 others attended Rinpoche’s teachings on the 37 practices of the bodhisattvas. Rinpoche’s teachings were very clear, precise and illuminated the essential meaning of each topic he spoke on. His teachings continued through June 20 and covered not only teachings on the general path and bodhichitta, but a Yamantaka initiation and commentary as well.
We even had a surprise visit from Ven. René Feusi who graced us with reviews and meditations on the Yamantaka practice, helping students to immediately put Rinpoche’s teachings into practice and demystify its complicated aspects. This all combined with the dedication and enthusiasm of the students helped to make this retreat a great success. Students left inspired to carry on or start their practice and Rinpoche manifested genuine enjoyment at his time here on the land. For us, this is what keeps us motivated to carry out our mission to provide conducive conditions where minds can be transformed and the Dharma can flourish.
Jangtse Chöje is truly a great Tibetan Buddhist master with all the qualities of a great teacher. We feel so fortunate to Lama Zopa Rinpoche for requesting him to come teach us and pray that Jangtse Chöje will live long and will return again soon to teach us for many more years to come.
To learn more on Vajrapani Institute’s programs and activities, visit Vajrapani’s website.
Mandala brings you news of FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
- Tagged: jangtse choje, mandala, vajrapani institute
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Watch Artist Andy Weber at Ganden Tendar Ling in Russia
Artist Andy Weber visited Ganden Tendar Ling Center, the FPMT center in Moscow, Russia, in June 2013, where he led workshops on thangka painting and Buddhist art. Andy has taught at FPMT centers around the world and his work is well known to FPMT students.
Filmmaker Roman Sukhostavsky documented Andy’s visit with two videos available on YouTube: a 26-minute profile of Andy Weber and a two-hour long video of Andy’s presentation on drawing Buddha Shakyamuni.
While the narration in the videos is in Russian, Andy speaks in English, making the two pieces well worth watching. In addition, Andy, who was an early student of Lama Yeshe, shares some of his memories of Lama Yeshe along with his insight and knowledge of the tradition of creating images of the Buddha.
In August, Andy teaches a 10-day course on “Emanations of Compassion” at Maitreya Instituut in the Netherlands.
You can find out more about Andy Weber on the Andy Weber Studios website and Facebook page.
Mandala brings you news of FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
- Tagged: andy weber, ganden tendar ling, mandala, thangkas
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Australian Sangha Visit FPMT International Office and Mandala
Vens. Lozang Yonten, resident teacher at Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre in New South Wales, Australia, and Tenzin Chodron, a student in the Masters Program at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia, visited Mandala and FPMT International Office in Portland, Oregon, U.S. The nuns had a tour of International Office, FPMT Foundation Store and Maitripa College.
While in the United State, Vens. Chodron and Yonten also visited Land of Medicine Buddha, Vajrapani Institute and Tse Chen Ling in California.
We enjoyed meeting our Australian Dharma sisters and wish them save travels!
If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work. Friends of FPMT at the Foundation level and higher receive the print magazine Mandala, delivered quarterly to their homes.
- Tagged: mandala, ven. lozang yonten, ven. tenzin choden
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Look at What We Did Together to Celebrate Compassion Day 2013!
July 6 was His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 78th birthday, and in recognition of the day, FPMT North America (FPMT NA), the regional group representing centers, projects, services and students from Canada and the United States, launched Compassion Day, making special effort to remember not only His Holiness’ presence and contribution to the world, but also “to come together and celebrate compassion.”
FPMT centers, projects and services in North America celebrated Compassion Day with gusto. Compassion Day’s Facebook page has dozens of photos and we’re happy to share some of our favorites here.
- Tagged: choden rinpoche, gendun drubpa centre, gomo tulku, guhyasamaja center, gyumed khensur rinpoche lobsang jampa, lama yeshe ling centre, land of medicine buddha, mandala, milarepa center, vajrapani institute
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Archana Bharatee, a student of FPMT’s Choe Khor Sum Ling Study Group in Bangalore, India, reported to Mandala that several Choe Khor Sum Ling members attended teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala June 1-4, 2013.
“It was a special teaching for Indian students on Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara. Every morning the teachings began with the recitation of Prajñaparamita Sutra and praises to the Seventeen Nalanda Masters. This teaching was focused on the first three chapters of the text.”
During the teachings, His Holiness emphasized the need for all people to practice love and compassion, gave an overview of the four noble truths, and discussed bodhichitta drawing from Shantideva’s writings. On the final day of teaching, His Holiness offered a Chenrezig initiation.
If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work. Friends of FPMT at the Foundation level and higher receive the print magazine Mandala, delivered quarterly to their homes.
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Drolkar McCallum Visits Enthusiastic LRZTP6 Students
In June 2013, Drolkar McCallum, regional coordinator for FPMT North America, visited the students of Lostawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme 6 (LRZTP6), FPMT’s four-year Tibetan language program aimed at providing interpreters to FPMT centers worldwide:
“The monsoon has begun in Dharamsala, Northern India, but that does not in any way detract from the enthusiasm and joyfulness of the LRZTP6 students.
“Fourteen people from eight different countries began their four-year Tibetan translator program in October of 2012. Gen Sherab Dargye, the Tibetan language teacher, seems very happy with the progress so far and reports that ‘they are harmonious and are happy to help each other.’
“I was delighted to experience this myself. As I entered the peaceful courtyard, rain dripped down from the colorful Tibetan tent cover onto the stone patio, two baby monkeys chased each other in the trees above and I heard the low soothing sound of chanting coming from the ground floor classroom. Claire Yeshe Barde, then the director, led me up onto the spacious patio and offered me a hot drink to warm my chilled bones. When the dedication prayers after the morning class finished, there was a brief moment of silence before excited chatter broke out. Students tumbled out of the classroom laughing and headed towards the tea and food tables. After helping myself to a delicious looking lunch of traditional rice, beans and salad, I sat down among them. They welcomed me with warm smiles and shy questions. I felt comfortable as I had participated in the second program [LRZTP2] when the most awesome Merry Colony was at the helm. I understood what the students were experiencing.
“In India on a brief holiday, I thought I’d meet the students while there. As the new FPMT North American regional coordinator, I’ll help next year when it comes time to place the students in centers in Canada and the United States for the two-year training portion of their program.
“In the afternoon, the courtyard was filled with Tibetan phrases spoken with Russian, Dutch and American accents as the students conversed with their Tibetan conversation partners. When I spoke privately with the students later, each used the word ‘intense’ when I asked them how the course was going! I sensed from them a determination to master the course work, reach their goal, and they seemed excited and looked forward to being sent to an FPMT center.
“When asked where they wanted to be placed, most said that they would be happy to discover a new part of the world and could be sent wherever there was a need. Ven. Tenzin Pelha from Holland thought she would first learn Tibetan and then study Dharma but shared that every moment in the course they are learning and practicing Dharma and she is very grateful for the opportunity to do so.
“If your center will have need of an interpreter in late 2014, don’t wait till the last minute to request one of these fine interpreters as I think they will be scooped up quickly!”
More information on Lostawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme’s exciting opportunities be found on their new website.
Mandala brings you news of FPMT activities, teachers and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
During His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s tour of New Zealand, June 9-12, the resident geshes of the FPMT centers in New Zealand had their picture taken during a moment with His Holiness. Geshe Wangdu from Dorje Chang Institute and Geshe Jampa Tharchin from Chandrakirti Centre as well as Phillipa Rutherford, co-director of Chandrakirti Centre, posed for the photo.
About the visit, Phillipa Rutherford shared with Mandala:
His Holiness visited Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland in New Zealand. The main theme of His Holiness teachings was secular ethics – bringing good conduct back into mainstream society – and how we can do this. His Holiness also visited two universities and spoke to hundreds of students.
This photo was taken at 5 a.m. at the hotel in Auckland. As His Holiness was leaving, he gave a short talk to the Tibetans, concluding with telling them to enjoy themselves while in the West.
From New Zealand, His Holiness toured Australia, June 14-23, visiting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin. While in Sydney, His Holiness participated in the Young Minds conference, organized by Vajrayana Institute, the FPMT center in Sydney. In Melbourne, His Holiness spoke at Happiness & Its Causes, another project of Vajrayana Institute.
For reports on His Holiness’ activities in New Zealand and Australia, visit dalailama.com.
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