Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Yangsi Rinpoche, Portland, Oregon, US, April 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught in January 9-15 at Choe Khor Sum Ling in Bangalore, India. On January 13, Ven. Roger Kunsang shared on his Twitter page: 

Lama Zopa: We have had an ordinary view from beginningless time. Even [if] Buddha appeared to us, we wouldn’t recognize. [We’d] just see [him] as ordinary.

Ven. Roger Kunsang, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT Inc., shares Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent pith sayings on Ven. Roger’s Twitter page. (You can also read them on Ven. Roger’s Facebook page.)

More information, photos 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.

“I tell people that the FPMT organization is here to help. I think it is so fortunate that we, the FPMT, are able to provide help at the time of death, because death is really a most difficult, most hard time. So the benefits provided by the organization to help at that time are so good. It’s very good to do, it helps people in the world very much, and especially students. In the world, especially in Western countries, I don’t think there are other organizations who put together all the ways to help with death, to help people who are dying.

Of course those who have realizations, who have good heart, they don’t go to the lower realms, they have happy mind, they know where they’re going. But for most people there’s only suffering.

If you are able to help the person dying, not only to save the person from the lower realms, but also help the rest of the living family, it’s big, it makes them so happy. Wow! Somebody able to help.”

Excerpted from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s comments about FPMT’s Prayers for the Dead service, made while Rinpoche was visiting FPMT International Office, Portland, USA, in April 2014

Read the full advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, October 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

“The benefit that we have been able to offer to sentient beings and the teachings of the Buddha, particularly to spread the teachings of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism in this world, this is due to the kindness of our Gurus. That we have been able to offer service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is the sole object of refuge of all of us sentient beings and the originator of all our peace and happiness; to the Tibetan people — particularly the monasteries; and all the extensive service that we have been able to offer sentient beings — not only with Dharma but also with the various social services — all of this is due to His Holiness the Dalai Lama the Buddha of Compassion’s kindness. And particularly it is due to the Lama whose holy name is very difficult to express and who is kinder than all the three times Buddhas — Lama Yeshe’s kindness. It is due to his brave heart, his big heart, as well as the idea of building a very large Maitreya Buddha statue that blows away many living beings’ minds and hearts,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche said during a long life puja at Land of Medicine Buddha in California in 2001, also acknowledge Ribur Rinpoche, who was in attendance as well as “other Gurus who pray every day for the success of the activities, the projects.” 

Photos of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Yeshe on the throne above Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the retreat in Australia, October 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

“It is because of this that we can have some success. There is a lot to do. What has been done so far is very little. What is going to happen is more. All of this is completely due to the kindness of the Gurus,” Rinpoche continued. “Then, next, I am not going to mention the names of all the students because I wouldn’t remember them and even if I could it would take many days, but there is [Ven.] Roger [Kunsang] who for many years has been my attendant, and many students whose nature is compassionate and faithful. The most important thing is harmony, unity in the organization. That is what has brought success so far — unity. There are many students who are like gold, like diamonds. The most important quality is to have the nature of compassion towards others, to be kind-hearted, next is to be intelligent, understanding the Dharma, and then to be responsible. It is particularly due to the harmony, the unity, that there has been success and that we have been able to offer this much service.

“So there is a lot of potential to be able to offer much much more extensive benefit than this. The Maitreya project didn’t happen yet. It did not get actualized yet. Because it has such immense benefit, skies of benefit to sentient beings, of course it has a lot of obstacles, it takes time. But it’s just a question of time. When the merit is more and more increased, then there will be less obstacles. So I would like to thank very much all the members of the FPMT organization, all the students at the centres in the different countries for all their prayers, not only for my long life but for all the other things and particularly for the Maitreya project. The benefit that we are able to offer, that I am able to offer, is due to the kindness of so many students who are compassionate to sentient beings, faithful, and responsible. And it is due to unity, harmony in the organization. So we can offer much more, many more times extensive benefit to the teachings of the Buddha and more and more service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So I want to thank very very much.”

From “The Most Important Thing in the FPMT”  on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, October 2014. Photo by Cynthia Karena.

“Lama Zopa: [The] moment you are born, wrinkles begin and you speed non-stop to death. Without hesitation, cut attachment and benefit others.”

– From Ven. Roger Kunsang’s Twitter page, posted on September 19, 2014

Ven. Roger Kunsang, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT Inc., shares Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent pith sayings on Ven. Roger’s Twitter page. (You can also read them on Ven. Roger’s Facebook page.)

More information, photos 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, Bendigo, Australia, September 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“A few days ago, when Rinpoche was going down to the teachings at the Great Stupa in Australia, an ant slipped under his shoe,” executive assistant to FPMT International Office’s CEO and FPMT Charitable Projects coordinator Ven. Holly Ansett shared with Mandala. “Rinpoche was very affected and spent some time reciting mantras, including Rinchen Tsugtor, a mantra he had given a lung for the evening before. Rinpoche advised us that we should memorize the mantra so we can recite it anytime we come across a dead being – an insect, animal, person, etc. – without having to get out our prayer books.

“Later during the teachings, Rinpoche led the 250 participants to recite one mala of OM MANI PADME HUM, dedicated to the small ant as well as any other ants and beings that had died.”

How to Make Charity to Ants by Lama Zopa Rinpoche is available through the Foundation Store.

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

Peace in the World:  Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered advice to help bring peace to Israel and Palestine.

Extensive Advice on Practices to Dispel Fire:  Last month, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered advice regarding the wildfires that were burning in Washington State, US, close to a number of students’ homes. We’ve combined that advice with advice which Rinpoche gave in 2007 so you have a complete set of Rinpoche’s advice on practices to do in case of fire.

FPMT Mission Statement: Lama Zopa Rinpoche wished to update the FPMT Mission Statement in order to make it clear that FPMT’s mission of preserving the Mahayana tradition includes listening to correct teachings of the Buddha, then reflecting, meditating on, practicing and actualizing those teachings – and then with that experience, spreading the teachings to sentient beings.  The FPMT Inc Board has now finalized the edits, so we are delighted to share the updated FPMT Mission Statement.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave a talk to the recent European Regional Meeting in Italy which included this teaching on the benefits of offering service to the guru. We invite you to read the edited transcript of Rinpoche’s talk and watch Rinpoche giving this teaching on video.

An excerpt from the talk follows:

“Our reason to be here in Italy, at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, where the director, the SPC [spiritual program coordinator], all the staff here, with FPMT Italy arranged to receive His Holiness to give all the different teachings. Everything went so well. Unbelievable, unbelievable accomplishment, service. Wow. People have really enjoyed. The happiness they normally achieve is just external, sensual, attachment, just like that, nothing new, just the same story, from beginningless rebirths. His Holiness is sooo extremely pleased. It went extremely well, and so I want to say from my heart, billions, zillions, trillions, numberless thanks! Billions, zillions, trillions, numberless thanks! It’s really wonderful, the best accomplishment, as an individual and as an organization.

“So of course, body and mind is under the control of karma and delusion, in the nature of suffering, so of course [we have] tiredness, feel worn out – these things happen. During beginningless rebirths we did not achieve liberation from samsara; we created the cause of these contaminated aggregates. But what I want to tell you, what you have to understand, is that many eons of negative karma have been purified. Sooo many eons of negative karma, heavy negative karma has been purified through bearing much hardship, serving the teachings of the Buddha, sentient beings, the guru, or Compassion Buddha. Sooo many eons, from beginningless rebirths, so many years of negative karma is purified. You have to understand, you have to rejoice about that. So the more you feel difficulty, the more you feel tiredness, whatever happens – oh, it’s great purification.”

Read in full

Lama Zopa Rinpoche wrote a thank-you letter to the volunteers who had made the recent Light of the Path retreat go so well.  Rinpoche’s focus is on how meaningful it is to serve sentient beings:

“My very dear, very precious, very kind wish-fulfilling ones,

Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for your really beautiful, amazing, joyful dedication; really beautifully done, all your service, well done!

Taking care of sentient beings from the heart: so this is the really most meaningful life. Cherishing sentient beings and serving them as well as serving the teachings of Buddha to educate sentient beings to practice and actualize the path, in order to free them from the oceans of samsaric sufferings, not only that, but to achieve the peerless happiness, the state of omniscient mind. … Therefore, what you are doing is most pleasing to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, by cherishing sentient beings and taking care of them and serving them … wow … wow … wow.”

Read the full letter

“If it was possible, I should offer you each trillions of dollars for learning about Buddhism. This means your mind is open for real happiness, to be free from the gross suffering in the three lower realms and even not to be satisfied with the temporary happiness of the three upper realms. Most importantly, once you can meet and practice Dharma, this frees you from samsaric happiness, which is only suffering; and Dharma can give you full enlightenment, peerless happiness. Learning Dharma and practicing it is so important for yourself as well as others, countless others, as once you can achieve enlightenment, you can free countless living beings – all living beings – from the oceans of suffering. So you can see there is nothing more important than this: to learn Dharma and practice.”

Read the full advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche replied to a student who had concerns about health and having given back their ordinations vows, which led to them feeling very isolated and depressed and being unable to study or practice:

“If you can study lam-rim, that should be the main teaching – just like the wandering ascetics, the monks whose only belonging is the Lamrim Chenmo. They don’t have anything else, don’t carry anything but the lam-rim, so like that. So that is the main one to study, to meditate on – the lam-rim. You have to actualize this, otherwise we will suffer. Without realizations on guru devotion, renunciation, bodhichitta, right view and particularly tantra, you will be suffering in samsara endlessly. Do you want to do that? I don’t think so.

You should know it’s not just practice for this lifetime. The practice becomes preparation for all your lives, so eons, eons, eons, all your future lives, to go to a pure land, then enlightenment, to be free from samsara, enlightenment and then to benefit all sentient beings and enlighten them. Don’t think you are alone.” …

Read the full advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche typed up this advice on his iPad, and asked that it be made widely available:

“Practicing patience doesn’t mean that if someone asks you to immediately kill a gigantic lady, the size of Mount Meru or the size of a louse, you do everything that the person asks. It is not like that! What it means is that in your heart you feel or think that this person is the most kind, the most precious, the most dear one. This is what guru Buddha has taught – you need to practice patience with somebody, because the person who is called ‘enemy,’ the one who has anger towards you, then if you practice patience towards that person and don’t get angry back, then that person gives you the most precious thing, enlightenment, the state of omniscient mind. With that person you can bring the numberless sentient beings to enlightenment, free them from the oceans of samsaric sufferings and bring them to full enlightenment. So this becomes the reason to practice patience.”

 Read the full advice

“The whole point of our FPMT education programs is not to produce ‘sharp minds’ but to ‘subdue the mind.’ Between an intelligent, sharp mind and a good heart, a good heart is the most important. Without a good heart it is only possible to become an arhat. Good heart means subduing the mind.

Subduing the mind is the whole essence, as then enlightenment is possible. The ultimate purpose of life, the reason for living, why we eat and drink, sleep, work, and do listening, reflecting, and meditating is to free the numberless suffering sentient beings from each suffering realm and bring them not only to ultimate happiness, liberation, but to full enlightenment. “