Lama Zopa Rinpoche joined the ABC community in Singapore for a special birthday celebration and puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, following Rinpoche’s discharge from the hospital for a simple medical procedure, July 6, 2022.

On Friday we shared the news that Lama Zopa Rinpoche was in Singapore for a simple medical procedure, and Khandro Kunga Bhuma (Khandro-la) advised on particular practices for students to engage in at this time and for a period following the procedure.

We are delighted to share Ven. Roger Kunsang’s most recent update from today:

This morning Rinpoche was discharged from the hospital here in Singapore. The doctor was very pleased with the results of the procedure.

 Rinpoche says he is feeling very well and a little bit lighter!

 Sincerely,

roger

Following his discharge from the hospital Rinpoche joined the Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) community in Singapore for their special celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday with puja. Prior to the puja, Rinpoche talked with the group and offered a short teaching. Rinpoche shared, “So thank you very much. Due to all your prayers I’m feeling better. The operation was like a short sleep. I fell asleep, then finished! It was very efficient.” 

All are welcome to watch this event which was livestreamed: 

We encourage all students to please continue with the recommended prayers and practices advised by Khandro-la until July 15:

1. Animal Liberations

Liberating Animals from the Danger of Death
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Liberating-Animals-from-the-Danger-of-Death-PDF_p_1115.html

2. Tara Mantra and Tara Praises 

Tara Praise and Mantras
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Tara-Praise-and-Mantras-PDF-_p_3582.html

Abbreviated Praise to the Twenty-one Taras
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Abbreviated-Praise-to-the-Twenty-One-Taras-PDF_p_3466.html

3. Vajrasattva Mantra to be recited as much as possible

A Short Vajrasattva Meditation Purification with the Four Opponent Powers
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/A-Short-Vajrasattva-Meditation-Purification-with-the-Four-Opponent-Powers-eBook-PDF_p_1223.html

4. Padmasambhava Prayers

Recitations of The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche that Spontaneously Fulfills All Wishes (Sampa Lhundrupma)
Available for download: https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/d09kz5j5gzk1z0eggx8dr5hfaqt565lz

Recitations of The Supplication to Guru Rinpoche Clearing the Obstacles on the Path (Barchey Lamsel)
Available for download: https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/rmlbbci39tsyihe2lt00gf50iwuv8kxw

Students can also recite the long life prayer that Khandro Kunga Bhuma composed for Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2016.

A complete list of the long life prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche is available to all. 

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.

Visit our Long Life Puja Fund page to learn more about the purpose of long life pujas and opportunities to offer support for them.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, May 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Every year Ven. Roger Kunsang, on behalf of the FPMT organization, consults Khandro Kunga Bhuma to determine what practices should be done to help create the conditions for Lama Zopa Rinpoche to have a long life and good health for the coming year. Khandro-la also offers advice as necessary for Rinpoche’s health. Rinpoche is now in Singapore for a simple medical procedure and Ven. Roger has just shared some new advice from Khandro-la which all FPMT centers, projects, services, and students are being asked to engage in as soon as possible and to continue over the next two weeks for Rinpoche’s health:

Current Advice for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Health

1. Animal Liberations

Liberating Animals from the Danger of Death
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Liberating-Animals-from-the-Danger-of-Death-PDF_p_1115.html

2. Tara Mantra and Tara Praises 

Tara Praise and Mantras
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Tara-Praise-and-Mantras-PDF-_p_3582.html

Abbreviated Praise to the Twenty-one Taras
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/Abbreviated-Praise-to-the-Twenty-One-Taras-PDF_p_3466.html

3. Vajrasattva Mantra to be recited as much as possible

A Short Vajrasattva Meditation Purification with the Four Opponent Powers
Available from the FPMT Foundation Store: shop.fpmt.org/A-Short-Vajrasattva-Meditation-Purification-with-the-Four-Opponent-Powers-eBook-PDF_p_1223.html

4. Padmasambhava Prayers

Recitations of The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche that Spontaneously Fulfills All Wishes (Sampa Lhundrupma)
Available for download: https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/d09kz5j5gzk1z0eggx8dr5hfaqt565lz

Recitations of The Supplication to Guru Rinpoche Clearing the Obstacles on the Path (Barchey Lamsel)
Available for download: https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/rmlbbci39tsyihe2lt00gf50iwuv8kxw

In addition, Ven. Roger reports that pujas are being arranged in monasteries and nunneries in India and Nepal for Rinpoche’s health at this time.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja offered to him, March 11, 2022, Kopan Monastery. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Completed and Planned Practices for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Health in 2022

We also ask you to join us in rejoicing in the following which has been completed and planned for Rinpoche as advised.

• A White Tara long life puja was offered on March 11, 2022, at Kopan Monastery. This special long life puja involved seven days of preparation led by Khandro-la with the Kopan monks.
• In March, Khandro-la advised that students recite Chenrezig and White Tara mantras for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health, for the fulfilment of all their wishes, and for the benefit of all in the FPMT organization. Incredibly, during the most meritorious period from Losar up to and including the last of the Days of Miracles, Chotrul Duchen, a total of 12,719,479 mani mantras and 1,759,396 White Tara mantras were offered by FPMT students and centers around the world. 
• In May, Khandro-la advised FPMT students to recite refuge and bodhicitta prayers, and FPMT students and centers around the world have been offering these prayers.
• An all day Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong, was offered by the Kopan Lama Gyupas and senior monks and nuns of Kopan on June 24, 2022.
• 17,417 pounds of cockles were liberated for Rinpoche’s health by Ven. Drachom at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore.
• Three long life deity thangkas will be painted and consecrated in one day in July 2022.
• Painting for the three main stupas in Kathmandu will be offered in July 2022.
• One horse and ten sheep will be liberated in Mongolia in July 2022.
• Lama Chopa long life puja will be offered at Kopan Monastery at the end of the November lamrim course.
• Guru Rinpoche bum tsog and raising of the great thangka of Guru Rinpoche at Kopan Nunnery will happen at the end of 2022. 

Please join the entire FPMT community by engaging in these powerful advised practices for the long life and health of our most precious spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

Students can also recite the long life prayer that Khandro Kunga Bhuma composed for Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2016.

A complete list of the long life prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche is available to all. 

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.

Visit our Long Life Puja Fund page to learn more about the purpose of long life pujas and opportunities to offer support for them.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Khandro Kunga Bhuma, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Every year FPMT CEO Ven. Roger Kunsang, on behalf of the FPMT organization, checks with Khandro-la (Khandro Kunga Bhuma) to determine what practices should be done to help create the conditions for FPMT’s Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to have a long life and good health for the coming year. In addition to the pujas and practices already advised, Khandro-la’s recent observation is that there are still obstacles to Rinpoche’s health.

Ven. Roger shared, “Khandro-la is therefore strongly advising students to continue to offer practices dedicated for Rinpoche’s good health, and now specifically to recite refuge and bodhicitta prayers. We sincerely request students to start this now or as soon as possible, and to continue over the coming two months. Individual students can offer this practice themselves, and we encourage centers to organize group practice sessions for this.”

We appreciate everyone’s swift engagement with these recommended prayers, dedicating strongly for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and very long life.

Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhicitta

Sang gyä chhö dang tshog kyi chhog nam la 
Jang chhub bar du dag ni kyab su chhi 
Dag gi jin sog gyi päi tshog nam kyi 
Dro la phän chhir sang gyä drub par shog

I take refuge until I am enlightened
In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.
By my merits of generosity and so forth,
May I become a buddha to benefit transmigratory beings. 

From FPMT Education Services’ Daily Prayers.

* Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised to replace sö nam (Tib. gsod rnams) in the third line with tshog nam (Tib. tshogs rnams), in accordance with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice, and to translate tshog nam as “merits,” rather than “accumulation” or “collections.” Rinpoche explains that the two types of merits are the merits of virtue and the merits of wisdom, which are often translated as the “accumulation of merit” and the “accumulation of wisdom,” respectively.

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.

For Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s explanation of the prayer for taking refuge and generating bodhicitta, students can follow the Living in the Path module “The Refuge and Bodhichitta Verse” (free, registration require). In it, Lama Zopa Rinpoche unpacks each word of these deceptively simple four lines to reveal their great profundity and tells us how to meditate on the whole path to enlightenment while reciting it.

The Long Life Puja Fund always contributes to long life pujas offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. You can also learn about the many Charitable Projects of FPMT and discover how the various funds and projects are benefiting others.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering a Milarepa initiation in Shavapuri Village, Nepal, April 6, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The great yogi Milarepa (1040-1123) is one of the most revered figures in Tibetan history and among all sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Milarepa’s guru was the famous translator, Marpa (1012-1097), himself the main disciple of Naropa (1016-1100).

Marpa taught Milarepa through a variety of seemingly futile tasks. One famous story records that Milarepa was instructed to build a large tower out of nearby boulders. Once the tower was complete, he was asked to tear it down and rebuild it in another location. Once this task was complete, he again was instructed to tear it down and rebuild. Other stories account for Marpa’s teachings on enduring and persevering through hardships. Milarepa’s devotion to his guru enabled him to progress on the path quickly. 

Statue of Milarepa that was brought to the initiation by Ven. Drachom. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.

On April 6, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered a Milarepa initiation and teachings to a small group of senior Kopan monks, senior Khachoe Ghakyil Ling nuns, Western sangha, and some lay students. The occasion of this initiation was for Ven. Tenzin Drachom (Fred Cheong), a long-time Singaporean student who required the initiation prior to engaging in personal retreat. The initiation was offered in Shivapuri Village, an eco-resort and conservation farm a short distance northwest of Kopan Monastery. The resort is located within the beautiful hills of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, which is a protected area for a diversity of wild animals.  

Rinpoche arrived at Shivapuri Village at 11 a.m. for the initiation preparation while the attendees had lunch, kindly sponsored by Ven. Drachom. The teachings started around 3 p.m. with Rinpoche offering profound commentary on “Milarepa’s Hymn,” including the advice that the way to really enjoy happiness in this life is by giving up desire.

According to Ven. Thubten Khadro, who was in attendance, “Rinpoche also taught on the benefits of taking this initiation, which includes being reborn as a disciple of Milarepa and receiving direct teachings from him, and by virtue of reciting Milarepa’s mantra seven times daily, one won’t be reborn in the lower realms. Rinpoche also read ‘Calling the Guru from Afar,’ a prayer composed by Jamyang Chokyi Lodro, as a motivation for the initiation. The initiation itself was short and concluded with a blissful tsog that included vegan cakes!”

We invite you to watch the teaching that Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered prior to the Milarepa initiation. A full transcript of this teaching is available. 

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 during the long life puja offered to him, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Since our last update, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has remained in Nepal, engaging in a variety of auspicious activities, including doing a personal retreat. Rinpoche also was offered a long life puja, met with important people and lamas, offered prayers and pujas during the Fifteen Days of Miracles, created merit in relation to holy objects, attended the inauguration of a new dialysis clinic, and offered two new teachings. We invite you to read more about these activities below and to join us in rejoicing in the compassionate service Rinpoche offers every day, inspiring us all to live a full and beneficial life. 

Long Life Puja

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the Sherpa dancers following the long life puja offered to Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 11, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

A long life puja was offered on behalf of the entire FPMT organization to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, on March 11. The puja was a joyful occasion that included lama and Sherpa dances in the courtyard and a picnic in the stupa garden. There were several days of preparatory practices done by Kopan monks and nuns leading up to the long life puja. On the day of the puja, Kopan Abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Yangsi Rinpoche, Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, Rigsel Rinpoche, Kopan monks and nuns, and many others were in attendance.

Teachings and Advice

From Kopan Monastery, Rinpoche offering a talk to Sangha at the beginning of a three-month Vinaya course helded at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On February 25, Rinpoche offered timely advice regarding practices to reduce the war in Ukraine and to help stop violence and suffering. Rinpoche also arranged a number of powerful pujas, such as controlling fire pujas, wrathful fire pujas, and Drugchuma (Sixty-Four Offerings to Kalarupa).

Rinpoche also gave two teachings recorded on video recently, which we’ve shared in blog posts complete with summaries:

• The Western Sangha Are the Real Heroes, a teaching Rinpoche offered at the beginning of a three-month course on the Vinaya being held at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa.
• Why Buddhism Is So Important, a teaching Rinpoche offered to the Vajrasattva retreatants at Kopan Monastery.

Meeting with Important Individuals

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with Geshe Jampa Tsundue, resident teacher of Lobsang Dragpa Centre in Malaysia, at Kopan Monastery, January 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In early January, Rinpoche invited Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) for lunch at a nice resort outside of Kathmandu with breathtaking panoramic views of snow-capped mountains. While there, Rinpoche and Khadro-la also offered prayers and pujas. Later in January at Kopan Monastery, Rinpoche met with Geshe Jampa Tsundue, resident teacher of Lobsang Dragpa Centre, Malaysia.

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Phuba Chhbe Sherpa (Bikkhu Thubten Jikdol), Chairman of the National Planning Commission of the Ministry of Education, and Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, Vice Chairman, discussing education topics during a visit to Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 23, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche met the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission of the Ministry of Education in February. They spoke about many subjects, such as the Mount Everest School at Kopan Monastery, education within monasteries, Dharma education, as well as secular education focusing on compassion and kindness. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lama Ngawang Chokyab at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 13, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In March, Rinpoche met with Lama Ngawang Chokyab, a Nyingma lama and disciple of Trulshik Rinpoche, at Kopan Monastery. Rinpoche also met with Serkong Dorje Chang at his monastery in Swayambhunath. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with Serkong Dorje Chang at his monastery in Swayumbhunath, Nepal, March 13, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

New 3.5-foot (1-meter) tall Dzambhala statue being welcomed to Kopan Monastery.

Holy Objects

Rinpoche greeted a new 3.5-foot (1-meter) tall Dzambhala statue, which arrived at Kopan in January. Rinpoche personally welcomed the statue with prostrations, a five-colored khata offering, a mandala offering, and tsog. Rinpoche wrote a special letter to Dzambhala with prayers and requests for the organization and all beings, and offered this letter of requests to Dzambhala. 

Rinpoche made trips to Swayambhunath and Boudha stupas, offering teachings, prayers, and khatas with others. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche writing out the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche continued to write out the 8,000 verse Prajnaparamita Sutra in pure gold. Under Rinpoche’s guidance several students have been writing out the Prajnaparamita on archival quality rainbow paper, including Ven. Tsering, who is now based at Kopan Monastery and is writing out volumes from the 12,000 verse Prajnaparamita, as well as Jane Seidlitz in United States and Ven. Nina at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery in Nepal.

Offering Prayers and Pujas

Rinpoche offered sur practice at night at Kopan Monastery in front of the 1,000 Buddha altar on the roof of Kopan’s main gompa. Rinpoche has explained that by offering sur practice, one will have success and be born in a pure land, and whatever work one is doing will be successful and not have obstacles.  

Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong was offered at Kopan for Rinpoche’s long life and for the success of the entire organization on March 2. Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, and Kopan monks offered Palden Lhamo puja to start the new year auspiciously on March 3. Lama Chopa was also offered at Kopan Monastery on Losar. On the third day of Losar, Rinpoche led incense puja with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and senior Kopan monks on Kopan Hill, where they made strong prayers for all beings and to remove obstacles and bring success.

On April 2, Rinpoche attended a long life puja for Khadro-la. 

Long life puja offered to Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme), Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche leading an incense puja on Kopan Hill with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and monks of Kopan Monastery, Losar, March 3, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Maya Daya Clinic

Maya Daya Clinic, established in 1992 at the foot of Kopan Hill, is one way Kopan Monastery has been actively serving the local community. At the time it was created, there was very little medical care in the area, with doctors and pharmacies only accessible in Boudhanath, a forty-five minute walk away. The aim of the clinic was to provide basic healthcare for the local population, with a doctor and nurse available three days a week and regular access to medical supplies at the clinic’s pharmacy. In the years since then, the clinic has benefited thousands of local patients as well as the monks and nuns of Kopan and of other monasteries.

With the need for basic medical care in the local area now well covered by other clinics and pharmacies, Maya Daya Clinic, in cooperation with Karuna Hospital, is taking the next step in its development. As part of an expansion of Karuna Hospital, the clinic will be serving the local community by providing dialysis to those with chronic kidney disease in a comfortable and modern environment. This is an incredible achievement for Kopan Monastery to be able to offer support to the local community in this way. Through the leadership of Ven. Sangye Tenzin, government support has also been obtained for this clinic, which is desperately needed by the local population who will be able to receive dialysis for free.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche attended the inauguration of this clinic on March 5 with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi. Rinpoche offered a statue of Buddha for the front of Karuna Hospital and also designed the beautiful image of Shakyamuni Buddha with mantras that you can see below in the photo. Please read more about this amazing project.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi attending the inauguration of the Maya Daya Clinic at Karuna Hospital on March 5, 2022. Rinpoche designed the image of Shakyamuni Buddha with mantras in the background. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

We invite you to see more photos of Rinpoche in our January–March 2022 photo album:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/nepal-january-march-2022/

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.

Sangha from Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery doing prayers and practices in preparation for the long life puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

A White Tara long life puja will be offered to FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche on March 11, 2022, at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. Currently, the monks and nuns from Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery are doing seven days of practice in preparation for this special long life puja.

A long life puja offered to one’s teacher is a powerful opportunity to show devotion. The heartfelt prayers and praises along with the procession of symbolic offerings made to a spiritual guide create extensive merit. In addition, one is able to purify the mistakes that occur in relation to a teacher and to create the causes and conditions to continue to receive benefit from that teacher for a very long time. And, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche regularly mentions, offering long life pujas is a cause for one’s own long life.

We are pleased to share a short video of the long life puja preparations at Kopan Monastery:

The long life puja on March 11 will be offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Our prayers have tremendous power, and we invite you to join us by rejoicing in the puja being offered, generating your own prayers for Rinpoche’s health and long life, or making an offering toward the expenses associated with the pujas and practices for Rinpoche’s health and long life.

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.

Visit our Long Life Puja Fund page to learn more about the purpose of long life pujas and opportunities to offer support for them.

For additional recent advice on mantra recitations to do for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the entire FPMT organization see:
fpmt.org/lama-zopa-rinpoche-news-and-advice/mantra-recitations-for-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-lama-zopa-rinpoche-and-fpmt

Ven. Roger Kunsang offering a mandala to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the April 19, 2021 long life puja at Kopan Monastery

Every year Ven. Roger Kunsang, on behalf of the FPMT organization, checks with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus and/or Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la), to determine what practices should be done to help create the conditions for Lama Zopa Rinpoche to have a long life and good health for the coming year. 

The first offering to Rinpoche arranged this year will be a White Tara long life puja on March 11, 2022, at Kopan Monastery. This special long life puja will involve seven days of preparation led by Khadro-la with the Kopan monks. At a later date there will be a Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong and a Guru Rinpoche bum tsog also offered according to the advice received. 

Khadro-la making an offering during a long life puja to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, April 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Our prayers have tremendous power and we invite you to join us by rejoicing in the puja being offered, generating your own prayers for Rinpoche’s health and long life, or making an offering toward the expenses associated with the pujas and practices for Rinpoche’s health and long life.

For additional recent advice from Khadro-la on mantra recitations to do for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the entire FPMT organization see: fpmt.org/lama-zopa-rinpoche-news-and-advice/mantra-recitations-for-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-lama-zopa-rinpoche-and-fpmt

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.

The Long Life Puja Fund always contributes to long life pujas offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. You can also learn about the many Charitable Projects of FPMT and discover how the various funds and projects are benefiting others.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, India, January 2020. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

At the beginning of each Tibetan year, Ven. Roger Kunsang requests advice for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and the success of the FPMT organization. This year  Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Dronme (Khadro-la) has advised that it would be extremely beneficial if FPMT students can recite Chenrezig and White Tara mantras for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health, for the fulfilment of all their wishes, and for the benefit of all in the FPMT organization.

The request is to recite these mantras during the most meritorious period starting with Losar (March 3), and up to and including the last of the Days of Miracles, Chotrul Duchen, on March 18. Please dedicate using the FPMT dedication prayers (in the FPMT Essential Prayer Book and Complete Dedication Prayer Book), including the long life prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Whether you are doing them individually or as part of a group at your local center, project, or service; please keep track of the numbers of mantras you complete. You can send your individual recitation numbers on March 19 to Claire Isitt, and if you are connected to a local FPMT center, please send them your recitation numbers. Ven. Roger will then offer that accumulation of meritorious activity to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of us all.

• Chenrezig mantra:

OM MANI PADME HŪM (link to a short practice from Education Services)

• White Tara mantra:

 OM TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE MAMA ĀYUR PUṆYE JÑĀNA PUSHTIM KURUYE SVĀHĀ (link to a short meditation from Education Services)

These practices are in addition to the long life puja being offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on March 11 (with seven days of preparatory pujas being offered). We will send more details and a reminder about this auspicious long life puja at the end of the week. 

His Holiness the 14th the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. 

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 at Light of the Path, Black Mountain, North Carolina, US, September 2017. Photo by Kalleen Mortensen.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche led the first Light of the Path retreat in 2009 in North Carolina, US, hosted by Kadampa Center. The last retreat was in 2017 and the next highly anticipated retreat is this year, August 14 – 28 2022! 

Kadampa Center shares this important update:

The Light of the Path Retreat is returning this year (August 14-28) , in a new model that we hope will allow students all over the world to hear Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s precious teachings together.

We have requested Rinpoche to teach each day, for approximately two hours, beginning at around 8 p.m. Nepal time. You will be able to find Rinpoche’s teaching time for your local time zone.

We are putting the finishing touches on a hybrid retreat, with both online and in-person opportunities. As we get closer to August, we will share our schedule and offer some suggestions for designing schedules for personal retreat. 

We have invited retreat and residential centers from around the world to hold in-person retreats on their home sites, so that retreatants can experience true retreat in person and in community with other students. We are still working out the details with several centers; watch for more news about where to attend the retreat in person!

We also encourage students who are unable to attend in person to take this time off work and do retreat from home, following the teachings, prayers, and practices online. Some students are forming “pods” to rent space and do retreat in person together in small groups. 

We expect to open registration in March. Watch for more information as we finalize the details.

We recommend that students prepare for Light of the Path 2022 by reviewing Rinpoche’s teachings in previous Light of the Path retreats.

Please refer to Kadampa Center’s website for registration details in March. 

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In the new book The Power of Mantra: Vital Practices for Transformation, Lama Zopa Rinpoche guides students through understanding the power and benefit of mantras. Rinpoche explains many popular mantras, giving specific instructions for practicing them, including Shakyamuni Buddha, Chenrezig, Manjushri, Tara, Medicine Buddha, Vajrasattva, and more. In an excerpt from the book’s introduction, Rinpoche explains that mantras protect our minds:

The Sanskrit word mantra (which is ngag in Tibetan) has two syllables: man, which means “mind,” and tra, which means “protect,” so a mantra is something that protects our mind.

The benefits of mantra recitation are vast. There are many stories about terrible diseases such as cancer being cured by mantras, or people or animals being helped to have a peaceful death and a positive rebirth through mantras being recited to them. But the supreme benefit of a mantra is its ability to transform our mind. When we recite a mantra such as Shakyamuni’s mantra, we are recalling the Buddha’s name over and over, helping us increase our closeness and devotion to the Buddha, and devotion is our real protection from suffering. By transforming our mind, it has the power to break negative habits and develop positive ones. As our mind changes, our ability to help others increases, so we are reciting mantras for others as well.

By linking us to the omniscient mind—the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha and all the enlightened beings—reciting a mantra invokes that great power, leading us from nonvirtue to virtue. The Buddha said,

Do not commit any nonvirtuous actions,
perform only perfect virtuous actions,
subdue your mind thoroughly—
this is the teaching of the Buddha.

The whole Buddhist path comes down to these two pieces of advice—to not harm others and to benefit them. In order to do that, we must subdue the mind, which means both collecting merit through doing only virtuous actions and purifying any negative imprints on our mindstream from negative actions we have done in the past.

Reciting a mantra such as OM MANI PADME HUM, the mantra of Chenrezig, is not only the most unbelievable purification—purifying defilements and negative karmas collected from not just this life but from beginningless rebirths—it also collects extensive merits.

In the West, when soccer players win, they throw their arms up in the air and run around. It’s very intense. When I first saw this, I thought they were very angry because of the strong emotion. If they feel that strongly about winning a match, we should feel a billion times more strongly about being able to purify all that negative karma and accumulate all that merit, simply by reciting a mantra.

Westerners have asked me many times to explain how mantras work. This is a question that comes from the Western mind; it’s not asked in Asia, certainly not among the Tibetans, because they have faith. When there is water, what does water do? It makes things wet; that is its nature. Fire has its own nature; its nature is to burn. Everything has its own nature. Mantras too have their own nature; their nature is to transform the mind. Any word we say affects another person’s mind, making them happy or sad or angry or whatever. The power of the mantra comes from the sound, and that sound has the power to transform the mind into one of virtue.

Thinking of mantras as just some Sanskrit sounds to be chanted is an extremely limited view of what they are; they are much more than that. The sound of a mantra has the power to protect us, holding our mind from nonvirtuous thoughts and fostering virtuous ones, thus allowing us to develop toward enlightenment. In the same way that the Dharma in general holds us, protecting us from suffering—Dharma literally means “that which holds”—mantras are mind protection. In A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, the great being Shantideva said,

Therefore, I should focus my mind correctly,
and keep a careful watch over it.
What good will it do to keep many vows,
if one neglects the vow of watching over the mind?

It is vital to remember Shantideva’s advice. If we forget to protect our mind, what is the use of any traditional form of discipline? Even though we may do hundreds of other things, if we leave out this most important practice and leave the mind unprotected, we cannot stop our problems and achieve happiness, especially ultimate happiness. Everything comes from the mind; it is the source of all our suffering and all our happiness, so if we neglect to protect our mind, we cannot close the door to suffering or open it to happiness.

In the West, there are so many external rules: you can’t do this, you can’t do that. Sometimes I think there are too many rules. When we rely on external discipline, we can never solve our problems. The discipline has to come from our own mind. As a Buddhist, we might take certain vows to protect ourselves from committing any of the ten nonvirtuous actions, but unless we protect our mind, those vows will be impossible to keep. As Shantideva said, what good will having vows be if we can’t watch over our mind?

Modern Western life is full of distractions. Everywhere are objects of the senses to keep our mind busy, enticing us away from the Dharma. If you check you will see this is true. Being preoccupied with working for this worldly life, as so many people are, makes it extremely difficult to remember the necessity of Dharma practice and to find the time to practice it. Buddhism has many methods to overcome a distracted mind, such as meditating on impermanence and death or on the disadvantages of the self-cherishing mind. When we are not meditating, however, what is the best method? Reciting mantras will keep our mind in virtue and protect it from nonvirtue.

From The Power of Mantra: Vital Practices for Transformation by Lama Zopa Rinpoche; compiled and edited by Gordon McDougall; published by Wisdom Publications (WisdomExperience.org), where you can order the paperback or digital versions of the book. You can also find the ebook and PDF version in the Foundation Store (shop.fpmt.org).

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 teaching at Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Since our last update, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has remained in Nepal, concluding his teachings at Kachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery, celebrating a birthday, visiting Pokhara and Patan for a variety of auspicious activities, and taking a pause from teachings. We invite you to rejoice in Rinpoche’s compassionate service to others and enjoy some new photos we have made available.  

Kopan Monastery and Kachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s seventy-sixth birthday was celebrated on December 3 at Kopan Monastery. The festive day included the offering of a large Tara statue to Rinpoche during the early morning Sixteen Arhats long life puja. The statue was offered to Rinpoche on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Also, a special lunch was prepared for all Kopan monks, nuns, and guests, which included presenting a birthday cake to Rinpoche, young monks singing “Happy Birthday,” and short plays. You can read more about these auspicious activities.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the Sixteen Arhats puja offered to him on his birthday, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2021. Photo by Ven. Topgye.

Starting on December 10 and over the course of a few days Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered Yamantaka initiation at Kopan Monastery.

For nearly two months, Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught at Kachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery. The teachings ended right before the Christmas holiday on December 22. These teachings were translated into Nepali from Tibetan, providing a rare opportunity for Nepali people to have access to Rinpoche’s teachings in their own language and were made available on the FPMT Tibetan YouTube channel. Among many other topics, Rinpoche focused on how to distinguish between holy Dharma and worldly Dharma, and how to make sure all actions become holy Dharma.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, the abbot of Kopan, Pokhara, Nepal, December 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Pokhara and the Ashoka Stupas in Patan

Following the conclusion of the teachings at the nunnery, Rinpoche traveled to Pokhara, which is Nepal’s second most populated city after Kathmandu. Located about 120 miles west and north of Kathmandu, Pokhara is a major tourist destination and is where the FPMT center Ganden Yiga Chözin Buddhist Meditation Centre is located. While there, Rinpoche used every moment to benefit others—offering Heruka incense puja, a teaching at the center, and blessing the fish and all beings in the lake.

Rinpoche with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, monks, and students blessing the sentient beings in the lake, Pokhara, Nepal. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

At the new year, Rinpoche traveled to Patan, which is now the third largest city in Nepal, located just south of Kathmandu. There Rinpoche and Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) consecrated and offered prayers in front of three of what are known as the “Ashoka Stupas.” These ancient stupas are located around the historic city of Patan, where trade routes cross the city going towards India and Tibet. The western, southern, and eastern stupas are still in the form of grassy mounds although later additions were added by both Newari and Tibetan Buddhist. The northern stupa was renovated and plastered over half a century ago and looks more like Boudhanath Stupa. Nobody knows how old these stupas are or what is contained inside them because they have never been excavated. Legend tells us that either King Ashoka, or his daughter, or his emissaries came to the Kathmandu Valley and constructed them. 

Ibahi Thur, the north Ashoka Stupa, where Rinpoche and Khadro-la offered prayers and did consecration, Patan, Nepal. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

King Ashoka was the warrior king, who famously converted to Buddhism and took the relics from seven of the original stupas constructed after the Buddha passed away, which he then distributed in stupas constructed throughout the Indian subcontinent. King Ashoka is said to have constructed or sponsored 84,000 stupas containing Buddha’s ashes. He visited Lumbini to worship at the birthplace of the Buddha in 249 BCE—a fact that was verified upon excavation of the site by the British, who uncovered an inscribed pillar recording the visit. If the Ashoka Stupas were constructed on the command of King Ashoka they are very old. 

The northern stupa is called Ibahi Thur; the eastern stupa is Teta Thur; the southern stupa is Lagan Thur; and the western stupa is Pulchowk Thur. Although three were originally constructed outside the historical boundaries of Patan, the city has recently become so developed that they are now mostly on busy roads or surrounded by buildings. There is also a central stupa, the Pimbahal Stupa, which is quite different in style, since it was destroyed in 1350 CE during an attack by Muslim invaders from Bengal and subsequently restored.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la consecrating one of the Ashoka Stupas and offering prayers, Patan, Nepal. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la consecrating one of the Ashoka Stupas and offering prayers, Patan, Nepal. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Stay Connected and Please Rejoice!

Rinpoche will be taking a break from teachings, but we look forward to their continuation in the near future, and we will share new videos and summaries as they become available. Meanwhile, we will continue to offer excerpts from Rinpoche’s teachings of recent years. 

Please rejoice in Rinpoche’s continued auspicious activities, benefiting others at every opportunity. We have created a new photo album of Rinpoche, including activities we didn’t mention above, which we invite you to enjoy. 

Visit the November–December 2021 photo album:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/nepal-november-december-2021/

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.

Thanks to Ven. Sarah Thresher for her research on the Ashoka Stupas.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during Sixteen Arhats long life puja offered to Rinpoche on his birthday, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2021. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Topgye.

The celebration of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday on December 3 began in the early morning with the offering of a Sixteen Arhats long life puja to Rinpoche in the main gompa at Kopan Monastery in Nepal.

During the offerings part of the puja, a group of monks carried in a beautiful large Tara statue. Ven. Roger Kunsang, Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT Inc, offered the golden statue to Rinpoche on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Rinpoche later offered the statue to Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la). 

Tara statue offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the Sixteen Arhats long life puja at Kopan Monastery

After the puja, a delicious buffet lunch with many dishes was prepared for all in the stupa garden at Kopan. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan monks and nuns, and guests sat among the stupas for Geshe Lama Konchog and Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup. A tent and table were set up for Rinpoche. Kopan Abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi was present for the events as well as Rinpoche’s brother Sangye and his family.

After lunch, Rinpoche was presented with a large tiered birthday cake. A group of young monks, including Rigsel Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, sang “Happy Birthday” to Rinpoche while holding khatas. They also sang praises to different gurus.

Rinpoche turned the birthday cake into a tsog offering. He made a nice dedication to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He then cut the first slice of cake.

Offering cake to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his birthday, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 3, 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the birthday cake offered to him, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2021. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Topgye.

Birthday cake offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his birthday, celebrated at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 3, 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Also during the afternoon, there was a musician playing dramyin, who accompanied the young monks singing. A group of monks, some dressed in costumes, including young monks dressed up as goats, performed a series of short plays for all gathered in the garden. The final play was a story from the life of Geshe Ben Gungyal. Afterwards, the performers offered khatas to Rinpoche.

Monks who offered plays for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday celebration with Rinpoche at the close of the event, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2021. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Topgye.

Thanks to Ven. Roger Kunsang, CEO of FPMT Inc., and Frances Howland, FPMT South Asia Regional Coordinator, for details on the event. For more, you can find videos of the celebration of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday on the Facebook pages of Kopan Monastery and Kopan Monastery School.

You can watch videos from the ongoing series Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings on Thought Transformation, recorded at Kopan Monastery. Find links to transcripts, MP3s, additional practice advice, and more on the video series page on FPMT.org.

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.