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FPMT Community: Stories & News
Participants in European Regional Meeting, Jamyang Buddhist Centre, July 2013. Photo by Natascha Sturny.
Jamyang Buddhist Centre London “hosted a successful and very happy Europe Region Annual meeting in July,” wrote Jamyang’s Adnan Hadzi.
Meeting delegates enjoy the sun and a chance to talk, Jamyang Buddhist Centre, July 2013. Photo by Natascha Sturny.
“Sixty delegates from 15 countries in Europe met to discuss the benefits of five-year rolling plans, how they could improve their governance and improve the range of courses they offer, and to formulate plans for their groups for next year. It was very inspiring meeting our FPMT family members from all over Europe,” Adnan wrote.
Jamyang also shared some great photos from the event with Mandala.
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.
European Regional Meeting, July 2013. Photo by Natascha Sturny.
Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Victoria, Australia, August 2013. Photo courtesy of Ian Green via Twitter.
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion continues to rise from the bush of Victoria, Australia. The massive project has been captured in an impressive new video that shows the current development of the 50-meter [164-foot] stupa in Maiden Gully, near Bendigo.
Video: Great Stupa of Universal Compassion
The video was shot by a camera attached to a “mini-drone,” providing amazing aerial views of the grounds and stupa, which when completed will be the same size and design as the Great Stupa of Gyantse in Tibet and will house a gompa, many large holy statues as well as sacred relics. In addition to construction on the stupa, workers are busy with planting and landscaping the grounds. Rosemary and lavender are currently being planted.
Planting rosemary at Great Stupa, September 2013. Photo courtesy of Ian Green via Twitter.
The development of the Great Stupa began in the mid-1990s. Ian Green, a long-time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, directs the $20-million project. In a 2011 interview with Mandala, he talked about the history of the site, its progress and his involvement with FPMT.
Reflecting on the project’s pace of development, Ian said, “Rinpoche has commented that the way the Great Stupa has been built is a good example for other major projects to follow. He described our careful, steady progress as being like an aircraft on a runway which takes quite a while to get to maximum speed before taking off and soaring to great heights. He said, and I agree totally with him, that the biggest danger is to leap into things before you are prepared. These leaps can lead to crashes which can set major projects back for a very long time. Unfortunately, first impressions really do last a very long time.”
Three-dimensional model of master plan for development at Great Stupa. Image courtesy of Ian Green via Twitter.
Atisha Centre and Thubten Shedrup Ling share the large grounds with the stupa and are integral to the flowering of the vast long-range vision of a Buddhist community, which Ian describes in the interview and can be seen in a three-dimensional model of the master plan for the site, currently with the local Bendigo Council.
You can find more photos and news from the Great Stupa on Twitter and Facebook. For more information on the project, visit the Great Stupa’s website.
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.
Ven. Robina Courtin with members of Shen Phen Ling Study Group, Victoria, Australia, June 2013. Photo courtesy of Shen Phen Ling Study Group.
Shen Phen Ling Study Group, based in Albury/Wodonga, Victoria, Australia, hosted Ven. Robina Courtin in late June. Ven. Robina gave a weekend teaching on “Courageous Compassion” in the small rural town of Yackandandah, located in northeastern Victoria, not far from Albury/Wodonga. For the teaching event, study group members transformed an old courthouse into a beautiful gompa.
An “eclectic assortment of people” turned up for the teaching. In addition to more experience students, a few people with no prior experience with Buddhism attended. “Taking it all in her stride, Ven. Robina presented an engaging discussion that weaved in humor, personal experience and audience participation,” study group coordinator Julie Klose shared with Mandala. The audience was inquisitive and participated in energetic and topical debate Julie reported.
“After covering the fundamentals of wisdom on Saturday, Sunday’s teaching focused more on compassion and great compassion. Not only did we get valuable individual advice and guidance over the weekend, but we also gratefully received instruction and guidance for our small bur keen study group,” Julie 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.
Ven. Jesús Revert (Champa Shenpen) lead the procession of the Kangyur at O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros, Orgiva, Spain, July 2013. Photo courtesy of Ven. Fabio Poza.
From Ven. Fabio Poza, O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros spirtual program coordinator
On July 22, we organized a procession of the Kangyur to celebrate the temporary installation of the texts in the center’s big gompa.
On August 2, we finished our one-month lam-rim retreat, which was led by Ven. Jesús Revert, our resident teacher. In total, eight people engaged in retreat, either doing the complete month or a couple of weeks.
Our offering during summer were very exciting and included Ven. Sangye Khadro, who led a one-week shamatha-vipassana retreat; Jimi Neil, who led a combined tonglen and Tara retreat; and Paco Hita, father of Tenzin Ösel Hita, who led a weekend course of yoga combined with meditation. During Ven. Khadro’s course in August, we hung prayer flags for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health.
Hanging prayer flags, O.Sel.Ling, Spain, August 2013. Photo courtesy of Ven. Fabio Poza.
In the Alpujarras of southern Spain, O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros provides ideal conditions for individual and group retreats. Visit their website to learn more about upcoming retreats and programs.
Find details on prayer and practices for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health on fpmt.org.
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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at 100 Million Mani Retreat, Mongolia, August 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
The 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia concludes on Friday, August 30, with a long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who led the retreat. FPMT Mongolia organized the retreat, which began August 1 at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang (College), Gandan Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT Ven. Roger Kunsang wrote that 108,939,500 recitations of OM MANI PADME HUM were counted during the retreat. Ven. Roger also reported that Rinpoche has been emphasizing impermanence and death in his teachings.
Idgaa Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Rinpoche and FPMT built and sponsored Idgaa Monastery, which can sit up to 1,000 monks. Idgaa is officially a part of Sera Je Monastery in India.
FPMT has taken an active role in rebuilding Buddhism in Mongolia. The history of Buddhism in Mongolia dates back to the 3rd century B.C.E. But with the rise of communism in the 1920s and Mongolia’s close alignment with the Soviet Union, Mongolian Buddhists suffered heavy oppression and witnessed the destruction of monasteries and temples and the purging of an extraordinary number of monks and lamas in the late 1930s. You can read more of Mandala’s coverage of FPMT activities in Mongolia and FPMT Mongolia online.
Western Sangha at 100 Million Mani Retreat, Mongolia, August 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
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.
Two friends at the Fifth Annual Milarepa Day, Milarepa Center, Vermont, US, July 2013. Photo courtesy of Ven. Amy Miller.
From Ven. Amy Miller, director Milarepa Center
On July 6, Milarepa Center celebrated our Fifth Annual Milarepa Festival Day. This year, we incorporated the enchanting music of Tibetan anthro-musicologist Penpa Tsering with an interfaith service to celebrate our region’s Compassion Day and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
Kitchen in Tiny House, Milarepa Center. Photo courtesy of Ven. Amy Miller.
More than 100 participants attended along with Village Harmony, a youth choir who sang songs from South Africa. It was a glorious day! We also had two large birthday cakes for His Holiness and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” and wrote personal notes on a card that will be delivered.
Milarepa Center also recently completed construction on a new “Tiny House!” The lovely one-bedroom cabin was built in record time and will no doubt be a tremendous asset to Milarepa Center.
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.
Students studying in Chandrakirti Centre’s Basic Program with Geshe Tarchin, June 2013. Photo courtesy of Chadrakirti Centre.
From Phillipa Rutherford, director Chandrakirti Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre
Nine students at Chandrakirti Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, in Richmond, New Zealand, completed their first subject from the Basic Program, passing their exam after studying the Wheel of Sharp Weapons. New resident teacher Geshe Jampa Tharchin began the second subject on August 1, Awarenesses and Knowers, covering the intermediate lam-rim. We have now made it possible to follow the teachings from our web site with online students sending in weekly homework.
Chandrakirti Centre’s fiberglass Buddha awaiting painting. Photo courtesy of Chandrakirti Centre.
Chandrakirti Centre has a new 8-foot [2.4-meter] fiberglass Buddha – a replica of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. We are busy painting and decorating the Buddha and throne, a very majestic and holy presence in the center’s grounds. We send our thanks to the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion near Bendigo, Australia, for the Buddha.
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 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.
Geshe Ngawang Dakpa checking the torma for Padmasambhava incense puja, Land of Medicine Buddha, California, August 13, 2013. Photo by Dionne Wilson; courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.
Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) in Soquel, California, has had a busy summer. In June, they celebrated their Eleventh Medicine Buddha Festival Day, which also included a visit from the Maitreya Heart Shrine Relic Tour. Hundreds of people attended the festival. Lama Zopa Rinpoche attended in 2008 and gave much encouragement and advice, which LMB each year reviews and works to fulfill.
Denice Macy, LMB’s director, wrote, “The accomplishment this year was following Rinpoche’s advice to ‘have many performers, not just one or two.’ By following Rinpoche’s advice, we found that people stayed longer; it was Rinpoche’s observation that people left after the puja, and he wanted them to stay longer, so by adding more musical offerings, people did stay! It was a very moving and joyful day. We had music and dance offerings from India, Mongolia, Japan, Indonesia and Tibet!” A YouTube video was made of the performances.
Large Medicine Buddha thangka painted by Peter Iseli at LMB’s Medicine Buddha Festival, June 2013. Photo courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.
The festival has become a significant community event, even being written up in the local newspaper, and attracting community involvement. “This year, as in the previous year, we offered a free lunch to at least seven hundred people,” Denice wrote. “The Santa Cruz Tibetan community made nearly three thousand momos. Also this year we received food offerings of green curry donated by Star of Siam Thai restaurant as well as Indian food that was donated by an Indian family. We also sold more than 50 sweet pies that were made by a team of volunteers and nearly 300 fresh coconuts!”
Then, LMB welcomed Choden Rinpoche, who gave lam-rim teachings at the center and who was offered a long life puja. On July 6, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday and FPMT North America’s Compassion Day were celebrated with an incense puja and prayers followed by a picnic. Later in the afternoon, LMB community members performed the Blessing for the Sentient Beings in the Ocean (and who touch the ocean or have anything to do with the ocean) out on a pier in the Pacific Ocean. They placed their Namgyälma mantra board into the water and did a short meditation with mantra recitation, following the instructions of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Hanging prayer flags at Land of Medicine Buddha, August 21, 2013. Photo courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.
The center celebrated Chokhor Duchen with a Shakyamuni Buddha puja and the liberation of 1,400 worms, the merit of which was dedicated to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s good health, and quick and full recovery. Many more teachings and pujas took place over July and August.
On August 21, which was a full moon day, the day His Holiness the Dalai Lama finished his three-week retreat in Ladakh, India, and a Wednesday, which is a special day for His Holiness astrologically, LMB’s community of students, staff and local Tibetans gathered to perform the sang (incense) offering and made prayers advised by His Holiness for the Tibet cause and offered prayers for the long lives and good health of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for all their holy wishes to be fulfilled.
Then they hung many Tendrel Nyesel prayer flags as advised by Khandro-la for Rinpoche’s health and long life. These prayer flags were designed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
LMB community members after hanging new prayer flags, August 21, 2013. Photo courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.
You can see more photos and learn more about the activities of Land of Medicine Buddha by visiting them on Facebook.
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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in a Mongolian jacket, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 19, 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Live and recorded webcasts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching during the 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia can be watched on FPMT’s livestreaming webpage.
Several videos of Rinpoche’s teachings, the first from August 16, have already been posted. Rinpoche will continue offering teachings that will be streamed live through the end of the month. The recordings of the teachings will also be made available to watch later.
The teachings are taking place at the 100 Million Mani Retreat. FPMT Mongolia organized the retreat, which is being held at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang (College), Gandan Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Check the FPMT Facebook page for updates on new webcasts. You can find photos from the Mongolia retreat on the FPMT Facebook page as well as the FPMT Mongolia Facebook page.
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.
Villagers of Nimi finally have water as a result of MATRI’s work, Fatehpur, India, July 2013. Photo courtesy of MAITRI.
From Adriana Ferranti, director of MAITRI Charitable Trust
Since February, MAITRI Charitable Trust, an FPMT-affiliated project in Bodhgaya, India, has been carrying out sterilizations of street dogs from Bodhgaya with a major three-week camp and two smaller ones. We’ve seen 395 dogs that have been sterilized, vaccinated against rabies and released to their territories after full recovery. We seem to be catching many “latest-generation” dogs. Amazing how many have managed to escape our drives and how many puppies have managed to survive.
Post-operative ward for street dogs, Bodhgaya, India. Photo courtesy of MAITRI.
In April, we finalized the results of the end-of-year test in our three village schools. Since only pupils with regular attendance were admitted, 326 took the exam in all six grades in both formal and non-formal classes and 108 were promoted. The new school year started with 547 pupils, inclusive of promoted, failed and newly registered children.
In May, we organized and paid for a deep boring tube-well and hand pump in the extremely undeveloped and destitute village of Nimi in Fatehpur province. There are hundreds of such villages in the district, which somehow fall in the blind spot of the government services that are supposed to provide hand pumps to all villages.
The blasts of July 7 in and around the Mahabodhi Temple have marked a fault-line in Bodhgaya. Gone are the shops and hawkers that crowded, littered and polluted with unbearable noise the space outside the temple, but in have come armed guards and detectors of various kinds that are certainly at odds with the seat of enlightenment. But finally the International Buddhist Council has found some common cause to pray for besides electricity bills, taxes and so forth – every week we meet to pray for peace.
MAITRI Charitable Trust does humanitarian work in Bihar, one of India’s poorest and most densely populated states, providing programs addressing the needs of people in the areas health, nutrition and education as well as care for animals.
Mandala brings you news of FPMT activities, teachers and events from more than 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
Webcasts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching this year (and in previous years), including the teachings Rinpoche gave during this year’s Light of the Path retreat are available online 24/7 on FPMT’s livestreaming webpage.
Also, all Light of the Path Retreat Resources 2009, 2010 and 2014 are available on the Online Learning Center.
Rinpoche doing prayers for those who have died and who are seriously sick at the end of the day’s teaching at the Llight of the Path retreat.
Photo: Ven.Roger Kunsang, May 2014
DNSJ students liberating fish, Tokyo, July 2013. Photo courtesy of Doc O’Connor.
From Doc O’Connor, director Do Ngak Sung Juk Centre
One of the many benefits of a being a small center in a large organization is joining with our global friends in activities to increase blessings. Do Ngak Sung Juk Centre (DNSJ) in Tokyo participated in FPMT North America’s Compassion Day on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
DNSJ students doing animal liberation practice, Tokyo, July 2013. Photo courtesy of Doc O’Connor.
It was perfect timing for our annual animal liberation. Fifteen participants and 1,000-plus animals survived that day’s sweltering heat and humidity. The small fish weren’t the only ones wanting to jump in the river! Our activity was also dedicated to our most kind and generous Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life.
We appreciate centers including DNSJ in their activities and we’d like to invite everyone, especially our Asian friends, to DNSJ’s nyung nä! The intense three-day practice is scheduled for September 20-23 in Mitake, north Tokyo, at a mountain shrine that’s been in existence for almost 2,000 years. Ven. Thubten Dechen, the multilingual translator from Heruka Center in Taiwan, will lead the practice. Visit our website for more information.
Mandala rejoices in the practices of dedicated FPMT students from the more than 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the world and seeks to shares their stories of beneficial activities. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.