DONATE
  receive our newsletters     join Friends of FPMT
MENUMENU
  • DONATE
  • Home
    • FPMT Homepage
      • 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.

        • Belgien
        • Deutschland
        • Die Schweiz
        • Österreich
    • 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.

        • Colombia
        • España
        • México
    • 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

        • La France
        • La Suisse
        • Polynésie française
        • Ile de la Reunion
    • 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.

        • L’Italia
    • 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:Foundation 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:

        • 台湾 / 臺灣
  • News/Media
        • What's New: Teachings, Updates, Stories & More
        • Latest Blog Posts
          • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News & Advice
          • Lama Yeshe’s Wisdom
          • Charitable Projects News
          • Study & Practice News
          • Updates from the FPMT Inc. Board
          • FPMT Community: Stories & News
          • In-depth Stories
          • Obituaries
        • Monthly e-News
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Latest Videos
          • Full-Length Teachings
          • Essential Extracts
          • Short Clips
          • ༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་བཟོད་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་ནས་སྩལ་བའི་བཀའ་སློབ་བརྙན་འཕྲིན།
        • FPMT YouTube Channel
        • Podcasts
        • Photo Galleries
        • Social Media
        • Mandala Magazine
          • Mandala Magazine Archive
          • This Issue
          • Subscribe
          • Support Prisoners
        • Submit a Story/Obituary
        • Subscribe
          • Daily & Weekly Blogs
          • Unsubscribe Daily & Weekly Blogs
          • Monthly FPMT e-News
          • Unsubscribe Monthly FPMT e-News
        • Important Announcements
          • Resources for the Coronavirus Pandemic
          • Updates Regarding Dagri Rinpoche
        • Resources
  • Study & Practice
        • About FPMT Education Services
        • Latest News
        • Programs
          • New to Buddhism?
          • Buddhist Mind Science: Activating Your Potential
          • Heart Advice for Death and Dying
          • Discovering Buddhism
            • Online Learning Center Modules
            • Watch Discovering Buddhism Videos
            • FAQ
            • Statements of Appreciation
            • Shared Resources for Discovering Buddhism
          • Living in the Path
          • Exploring Buddhism
          • FPMT Basic Program
            • Standard Texts and Commentaries
            • Subject Descriptions
            • Preparatory Study and Practice
            • Centers
            • Homestudy
            • Homestudy Teachers
            • Homestudy FAQ
          • FPMT Masters Program
          • FPMT In-Depth Meditation Training
          • Maitripa College
          • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
          • Universal Education for Compassion & Wisdom
        • Online Learning Center
        • Prayers & Practice Materials
          • Overview of Prayers & Practices
          • Full Catalogue of Prayers & Practice Materials
          • Explore Popular Topics
            • Benefiting Animals
            • Chenrezig Resources
            • Death & Dying Resources
            • Lama Chopa (Guru Puja)
            • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Compendium of Precious Instructions
            • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Life Practice Advice
            • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Practice Series
            • Lamrim Resources
            • Mantras
            • Prayer Book Updates
            • Purification Practices
            • Sutras
            • Thought Transformation (Lojong)
          • Audio Materials
          • Dharma Dates - Tibetan Calendar
            • Purchase Calendar
            • Dates Explained
        • Translation Services
        • Publishing Services
        • Ways to Offer Support
        • Teachings and Advice
          • Find Teachings and Advice
          • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advice Page
          • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Compendium of Precious Instructions
          • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Video Teachings
            • Full-Length Teachings
            • Essential Extracts of Teachings
            • Short Video Clips of Rinpoche
          • ༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་བཟོད་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་ནས་སྩལ་བའི་བཀའ་སློབ་བརྙན་འཕྲིན།
          • Podcasts
          • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
          • Buddhism FAQ
          • Dharma for Young People
          • Resources on Holy Objects
            • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
              • Information on How to Fill a Prayer Wheel
              • Benefits of Making Prayer Wheels
              • How this Latest Mani Microfilm was Developed
        • *If a menu item has a submenu clicking once will expand the menu clicking twice will open the page.

  • Centers
        • Center Directory
        • Center FAQ
        • Resident Teachers
        • FPMT Service Seminars
          • Overview
          • Foundation Service Seminar
          • Inner Job Description
          • Teacher Development Service Seminar
          • Hosting and Attending an FPMT Service Seminar
          • Upcoming Service Seminars
        • Retreat Information
          • Retreat Schedule
          • FPMT Basic Program and FPMT Masters Program Retreat Schedule
        • Community Service
        • Monks and Nuns
        • Affiliates Area
  • Teachers
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche's Homepage
          • Updates Regarding Rinpoche
          • News
          • Videos
          • Photos
          • Advice
        • Lama Thubten Yeshe's Homepage
          • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
          • Photo Gallery
          • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
          • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
          • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
          • Lama Yeshe's Incarnation - Tenzin Osel HitaTorres
        • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
          • Long Life Prayers
          • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
        • About Teachers
        • About Teacher Registration
  • Projects
        • Supporting Our Lamas repaying the kindness
        • Charitable Projects
          • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
          • Supporting Our Lamas
            • Unmistaken Incarnation Fund
            • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
              • News
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
            • Long Life Puja Fund
              • Photos
          • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
            • Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
          • Social Services Fund
            • Animal Liberation Fund
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
          • Holy Objects Fund
            • Offering Buddha Statues to H.H. the Dalai Lama
            • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Stupa of Complete Victory
            • Zangdog Palri: Guru Rinpoche Pure Land Project
            • Stupa Fund
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
            • Padmasambhava Project for Peace
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
            • Maitreya Projects
            • Prayer Wheel Fund
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
          • Practices and Pujas
            • Puja Fund
              • News
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
            • Prajnaparamita Project
              • Photos
              • Donate Now
            • Practice and Retreat Fund
          • Education and Preservation Fund
          • FPMT Community Support Fund
        • Make a Donation
        • Applying for Grants
        • Support International Office
          • Fulfilling Our Lamas' Wishes Fund
          • Friends of FPMT Membership
          • Planned Giving
          • Endowment Fund
        • News about Projects
        • Projects Photo Galleries
        • Give Where Most Needed
        • Other Projects within FPMT
          • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
          • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
          • Land of Calm Abiding
          • FPMT Mongolia
            • Donate Now
          • Tara Puja Fund
          • Tsum
            • Living Conditions
            • Plans for the Future
            • A Personal Account
            • Health Survey
            • Photo Album
            • Donate Now
        • *If a menu item has a submenu clicking once will expand the menu clicking twice will open the page.

  • FPMT
        • Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition

        • Realize that the nature of your mind is different from that of the flesh and bone of your physical body. Your mind is like a mirror, reflecting everything without discrimination. If you have understanding-wisdom, you can control the kind of reflection that you allow into the mirror of your mind.

          Lama Thubten Yeshe
        • About FPMT
          • Mission Statement
          • Vast Visions for FPMT
          • The Origins of FPMT
          • Wisdom Culture
          • Video Documentary
          • Messages of Appreciation
        • FPMT Announcements
        • International Office
          • Staff - Key Positions
          • Contact Us
          • Donate
        • Board of Directors
          • Meet Our Members
          • Updates from FPMT Inc. Board
        • Regional & National Offices
        • Annual Review
        • Safeguarding
        • Volunteer & Jobs
        • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Shop
        • 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.

        • The Foundation Store
        • New Arrivals
        • Specials
        • Foundation Store Newsletter
        • Practice Generosity
Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice Page 49

Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice

Mar
7
2018

Thank You Message from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Read all posts in FPMT Community: Stories & News, Rinpoche’s Health – Official Updates and Practices.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has recorded a message to thank all who recited the practices requested for his health and long life.

Listen to Rinpoche’s message, and read the edited transcript:

“This is a message from Mickey Mouse, little one, little Mickey Mouse from Lawudo, expressing from the heart a billion, zillion, trillion thanks for alllllllllllllll your prayers: 15,249.5 recitations of the Diamond Cutter Sutra and 19,265 recitations of Dependent Arising: A Praise to Buddha, that is showing us dependent arising, the subtle one, that which shows exactly what emptiness is unified.

Even if you recited OM MANI PADME HUM, or even recited OM AH HUM, or even recited just OM day and night, or weeks, months and years.

So I thank a billion, zillion, trillion times.

This is also a big puja for yourself, for purification and to collect merits. Therefore, to free yourself from samsara and achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, so that means it is for all sentient beings that you have done this. Thank you very much.

If I stay longer, one year or a month or a week or day or an hour, I will try to benefit the fish, or pigs, or dogs—something simple. OK? Thank you very much.”


Listen to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s message, recorded March 4, 2018, in Nepal:
https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/v6ekdwvz1ttedg44tw1ypo2wwlqimdzg

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.

  • Tagged: audio, lama zopa rinpoche
Mar
5
2018

Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery and Maratika Cave

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-kopan-201802

Lama Zopa Rinpoche sitting outside the cafe at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche was at Kopan Monastery during February, between travels, and met with a number of people, including Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khandro Namsel Drönme) and a group of Chinese Sangha from Wutaishan. He gave an oral transmission to them in his room. 

lama-zopa-rinpoche-kopan-cafe-201802

Rinpoche talking with Kopan monks outside the cafe, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

After a magnitude 6.4 earthquake with many strong aftershocks affected Hualien, Taiwan, in early February, Rinpoche requested Sangha to recite the Vajra Cutter Sutra and do prayers for Taiwan and those impacted by the earthquake.

lama-zopa-rinpoche-losar-kopan-2018

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during Palden Lhamo puja early on the morning of Losar, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

kopan-nuns-losar-201802

On Losar, Kopan nuns taking a pinch of chemar, part of the New Year’s celebration, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On the first day of Losar, Rinpoche joined with Kopan Sangha for Palden Lhamo puja in the early morning and then did Guru Puja. 

trulshik-rinpoche-tulku-nepal-201802

Rinpoche with Ven. Pemba Sherpa, Ven. Jangsem, and Ven. Shenphen meeting the reincarnation of Trulshik Rinpoche, Tenzin Choekyi Lodoe Rinpoche, at Sitapaila on the fourth day of Losar, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche went and visited the reincarnation of Trulshik Rinpoche on the fourth day of Losar. 

maratika-cave-nepal-201802

Rinpoche with Oser Dorje Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery lower tantric college monks, and others doing prayers at Maratika Cave, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Then Rinpoche traveled to Maratika Cave, the sacred cave associated with Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and longevity. While there Rinpoche, joined monks from Kopan and others, doing prayers and practices. Kopan’s lower tantric college monks were at Maratika reciting the Amitayus Long Life Sutra and the Guhyasamaja root text every day for Rinpoche’s long life.

group-at-maratika-cave-nepal-201802

Group photo of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Oser Dorje Rinpoche with Kopan Monastery lower tantric college monks and others at Maratika Cave, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.


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.

  • Tagged: kopan monastery, lama zopa rinpoche, losar, maratika cave
Mar
2
2018

Rinpoche on Proper Respect for Dharma Texts [Video]

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-khadrola-text-bhutan-2016

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la blessing people with a Dharma text, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“My iPad contains the Kangyur, the Tengyur, many teachings. It is the same as a Dharma text. You can’t put it on the bed or down [low]. You have to respect it and put it higher,” Rinpoche explained in a short teaching on how to show proper respect for Dharma texts, including when they are in electronic form, during a session at the 2017 Light of the Path retreat. 

“You can’t put glasses or malas on top of Dharma texts. You have to respect them, treat them as Dharma, the holy body, revealing the path to liberate you from samsara and to achieve enlightenment. You have to respect them as Rare Sublime Dharma,” Rinpoche advises in a short video clip of the teaching.

Rinpoche emphasizes this point by talking about how Choden Rinpoche said that even one’s hand should go around, and not over, a Dharma text. Also objects such as a tea mug should not pass above a Dharma texts as it shows disrespect to the Rare Sublime Dharma.

Referring to the refuge part of lamrim teachings, Rinpoche stressed that it is very important to know the instructions on what is to be avoided and what to practice. If you are disrespecting Dharma texts, Rinpoche warns that it “pollutes the mind and obscures the mind. So by respecting [Dharma texts], then you create much good karma.”

Watch the teaching in this video clip “Proper Respect for Dharma Texts”:
https://youtu.be/aqUtQYAzKf4


Quoted text based on the unedited transcript for the 2017 Light for the Path retreat, which you can find here with video recordings of the complete teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/light-of-the-path-teachings-2017/

Find more video clips from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5F6A5E3C2873F2EA

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.

  • Tagged: dharma care, essential extract, lama zopa rinpoche, light of the path, texts, video
Feb
26
2018

Practicing Dharma Skillfully with Bodhichitta

Read all posts in Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-sarnath-201701

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during a visit to the stupa at Sarnath, India, January 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

By generating a bodhichitta motivation throughout each day, we can benefit ourselves and sentient beings, Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained while teaching at the 100 Million Mani Mantra Retreat in Italy.

Rinpoche’s advice, captured in a video clip from the October 10, 2017, teaching, emphasizes that by having a bodhichitta motivation in any number of activities, you are able to generate heaps of merit and become profoundly beneficial.  

Making Offerings

“Of course if you have an actual realization of bodhichitta, there is no question of merit,” Rinpoche says. “But even if you have an effortful motivation of bodhichitta, when you offer light—one light, even one Christmas light, whatever light, a butter lamp, one candle—you collect merits more than the sky. Wow, wow, wow!”

Circumambulating Holy Objects

Rinpoche says, “If you generate a bodhichitta motivation when you circumambulate, with each step going around circumambulating, you collect merits more than the sky.”

Eating and Drinking

“When you eat food, with each bite or drink, if it is done with a motivation of bodhichitta, then you are eating food for sentient beings, to serve sentient beings, to bring them to enlightenment,” Rinpoche says.

“And then also to make offering, make yourself in oneness with the guru-deity Chenrezig. Visualize Chenrezig in your heart, same as the guru. So with each bite, with each drink, you collect more than skies of merit. You collect with each spoonful, with each sip, merits more than the sky.”

Speaking

“If you generate the motivation of bodhichitta for when you talk, whether you are consulting, whether you are teaching Dharma, if you generate the motivation of bodhichitta, not even the realization, but effortful bodhichitta, then with each word you collect merits more than sky,” Rinpoche advises.

Walking

Rinpoche adds, “The same thing as circumambulation, when you are going for a walk, going shopping, going for pilgrimage, whatever, if it is done with a bodhichitta motivation, then with each step you collect more than skies of merits.”

The Best Motivation Is Bodhichitta

“As the Buddha said, to work for yourself and others, numberless sentient beings, the best motivation is bodhichitta. So all the buddhas, they checked, they see, it is like that,” Rinpoche says.

“Even if you don’t have a realization of bodhichitta, but you generate a bodhichitta motivation, for any activity you do—in every minute, in every second—you collect merits more than the sky! There is no time for depression. There is no space for depression. Depression, goodbye!”

Your Main Refuge Is Bodhichitta

If you pay attention to having a bodhichitta motivation throughout your life, your whole day, and with every activity, then it is your main practice and your main refuge.

Rinpoche explains, “When your life is so busy, your main refuge is bodhichitta. So every hour—not only every day, every hour, every minute, every second—is bodhichitta.” By doing this, you create so much merit, “more than the sky! Amazing, amazing!”

“By generating the motivation of bodhichitta, then when you do prayers all day long or for one hour, with each word you collect more than skies of merit. Can you imagine?” Rinpoche asks.

“You have to realize how you are most unbelievably fortunate! You are so fortunate. You are so fortunate this time. Next, next life not sure, but this life ….”

Rinpoche concludes, “With a bodhichitta motivation, whatever you are doing, working for the center, working for the company or the family, with bodhichitta, the merits you create, wow, wow, wow!”

To see Rinpoche giving this teaching, watch the video “Practicing Dharma Skillfully with Bodhichitta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcHrkEP8I8


The quotes from Rinpoche have been lightly edited and are based on the unedited transcript of the 100 Million Mani Mantra retreat in Italy, which you can find here with video recordings of the complete teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/100-million-mani-mantra-retreat-2017/

Find more video clips from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5F6A5E3C2873F2EA

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.

  • Tagged: bodhichitta, essential extract, lama zopa rinpoche, video
Feb
23
2018

Khadro-la Visits Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Rinpoche Celebrates Losar at Kopan

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-khadrola-kopan-201802

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived at Kopan Monastery in early February after spending two weeks at Tso Pema in India. Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khandro Namsel Drönme) visited Rinpoche at Kopan after he returned to the monastery.

Khadro-la joined Rinpoche for lunch. They then walked around the monastery, where they met Kamal, a long-time worker at Kopan who now has cancer. Khadro-la and Rinpoche did prayers with Kamal and blessed him. 

lama-zopa-rinpoche-khadrola-kamal-kopan-201802

Rinpoche and Khadro-la meeting with Kamal, a long-time worker at Kopan who has cancer, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On a tsog day, Khadro-la went with Rinpoche to Khachoe Ghakyil Ling, the Kopan nunnery, and did Vajrayogini self-initiation with the nuns. And on another day, Khadro-la and Rinpoche had lunch and then went to circumambulate the the base of Swayambhunath hill.

lama zopa rinpoche kopan losar 201802 kopan fb

Lama Zopa Rinpoche celebrating the second day of Losar, giving a White Tara long life initiation, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery’s Facebook page.

In mid-February, Rinpoche celebrated Losar, the Tibetan New Year, at Kopan. 

lamas kopan losar 2018 kopan fb

Phuntsok Rinpoche, Charok Lama, Rigsel Rinpoche, Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi on the second day of Losar at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery’s Facebook page.

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Kopan’s current abbot; Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Geshe Lama Konchog; Thubten Rigsel Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, Kopan’s former abbot; Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, a high lama of the Tamang people; Charok Lama; and many other young lamas were also in attendance at Kopan’s Losar activities, which included pujas and a White Tara long life initiation given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

kopan losar 201802 kopan fb

Kopan monks attending a White Tara long life initiation given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the second day of Losar, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery’s Facebook page.


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.

  • Tagged: khandro kunga bhuma, kopan monastery, lama zopa rinpoche, losar
Feb
19
2018

See Photos from Rinpoche’s Visit to India and More!

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-khyongla-rato-rinpoche-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Khyongla Rato Rinpoche at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Keep up with Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his travels throughout the world by viewing new photo albums of Rinpoche’s journeys. The new photo album of Rinpoche’s recent trip to India contains sixty photos, covering Rinpoche’s time at Root Institute in Bodhgaya and in Tso Pema:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/india-january-2018/

maitreya-school-children-india-201801

Students at Maitreya School during a visit by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

More photos from Rinpoche’s December visit to Nepal, to India in November, and to Italy, Austria, and the United States earlier in the year, plus many more, can be found on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s photo gallery page:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/

The photo gallery display has been updated to optimize viewing on mobile phones and tablets. New features have been added; click or tap on photos to see captions and enter slideshow mode.

lama-zopa-rinpoche-tso-pema-korwa-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche circumambulating the lake at Tso Pema, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.


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

  • Tagged: lama zopa rinpoche, photo gallery
Feb
16
2018

Rinpoche Receives Oral Transmissions in Tso Pema, India

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-tso-pema-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Tso Pema, India, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived in Tso Pema, a place of pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh, India, on January 21, coming from Bodhgaya.

zigar-monastery-tso-pema-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche receiving oral transmissions at Zigar Monastery, Tso Pema, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche traveled to the holy site associated with the 8th-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche, to receive oral transmissions from Khenpo Thinle Dorjee, the abbot of Zigar Monastery, a Kagyu monastery. The transmissions included various texts, such as Milarepa’s life story. At the conclusion of the oral transmissions, Rinpoche offered a long-life praise that he composed and other long-life items to the khenpo. 

lama-zopa-rinpoche-khenpo-thinle-dorjee-tso-pema-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Khenpo Thinle Dorjee, Tso Pema, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The story of Padmasambhava’s association with Tso Pema, also known as Rewalsar, is that Padmasambhava angered the king of the area by teaching Dharma to his daughter, Mandarava. The king had Padmasambhava burned alive in a pyre that created great clouds of smoke.

But after several days, a lake appeared in the same spot and Padmasambhava was sitting in the middle of the lake on a lotus and the king came to see the error of his ways. “Tso Pema” is Tibetan for “Lotus Lake.”

During his two-week visit, Rinpoche also spent time circumambulating the lake. On a tsog day, Rinpoche did Vajrayogini self-initiation until 4 a.m. And on another day, he did Trukchuma (Kalarupa) puja for several sick people and all who need it until 2 a.m.

Near the end of Rinpoche’s stay in Tso Pema, he went up to a sacred cave where Padmasambhava meditated and offered tsog.

guru-rinpoche-cave-tso-pema-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche making tsog offerings in the Guru Rinpoche cave above Tso Pema, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

A very large 123-foot (37.5-meter) tall Padmasambhava statue, completed in 2011 and blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2012, overlooks the lake.

tso-pema-india-201801

Tso Pema, Himachal Pradesh, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.


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.

  • Tagged: lama zopa rinpoche, tso pema
Feb
12
2018

When Offering Flowers or Tea, Dedicate for Worms and Calves

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-flowers-singapore-20160307

Lama Zopa Rinpoche shopping for flower offerings, Singapore, March 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche sent this letter to a family with whom he stayed. The letter contains advice on how to make this precious human life meaningful, suggesting a dedication for the worms and insects who are harmed when growing, picking, or offering flowers, and for any calves who are harmed in the production of milk for tea. Here’s an excerpt from Rinpoche’s letter:

I wanted to mention one thing. These days I have added in my prayers for the worms and insects harmed by growing, picking, and offering flowers. So many worms die or are killed for the flowers. Often where I go there are flowers in my room, therefore after lunch, if I do purification of pollutions received, I also normally try to do dedication, especially for the calves, because I drink so much tea. I dedicate like this:

Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by me and all the three-time merits collected by numberless sentient beings and numberless buddhas, may all the calves who suffered so much, or who have died for this milk—the mothers and babies who are separated, with so much suffering and worrying—may they never be reborn in the lower realms and may they immediately be reborn in a pure land where they can get enlightened. May they receive a perfect human body, meet the Mahayana teachings and meet a perfectly qualified Mahayana guru revealing the unmistaken path to enlightenment, and by pleasing the holy mind of the virtuous friend, may they achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

These days I also include the worms that have died. I guess worms died for the flowers. I should also dedicate for the people who killed the animals, so I also started to dedicate for the people.

Anyway, of course, flowers are very beautiful. Of course when people own flowers, it’s not so easy, and they have to indirectly kill worms and insects for the flowers to grow.

For this enjoyment we can also collect so many causes of happiness, all the happiness, as I have mentioned, and especially the happiness of enlightenment, by offering these beautiful flowers to the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. All this is received by the kindness of sentient beings, the animals that died for this, the human beings who worked so hard.

baby-cows-lawudo-201701

Calves at Lawudo Gompa, Nepal, January 2017. Photo by Laura Miller.

What I wanted to say is this, if there are a lot of animals and worms that die, then I think it’s better not to dig for the plants in the garden. If you want flowers, you can buy them from the flower shop. You can put flowers there in pots, so you don’t have to dig.

Anyway, in case some worms get killed or something, maybe you can offer candles to the Buddha for those worms and dedicate like this:

I dedicate all the past, present and future merits collected by me, and all the three-time merits collected by numberless sentient beings and numberless buddhas, for that worm to never ever get reborn in the lower realms and to have a higher rebirth, and to generate bodhichitta and achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

At least do something like that, to pray for that worm, in case one gets killed.

Regarding flowers, maybe buy flowers which are in a pot from the garden shop. You can buy them and make offerings with them, and it is easy.


From the advice “How to Make This Life Most Beneficial,” given in October 2017 and published in December 2017 by Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive on “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book”:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/how-make-life-most-beneficial

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

  • Tagged: advice from lama zopa rinpoche, flower offerings, lama zopa rinpoche
Feb
9
2018

How to Think When Making Charity to Beggars [Video]

Read all posts in Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
Lama-Zopa-Rinpoche-charity-Russia-2017

Lama Zopa Rinpoche talking with a person begging on the street after making an offering, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renat Alyaudinov.

When making charity to people who are begging, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches, first think of bodhichitta. In a short video clip recorded during the 2017 Light of the Path retreat, Rinpoche explains that one should think, “The purpose of my life is to free the numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsara and bring them to peerless happiness, buddhahood. Therefore, I must achieve state of omniscience. Therefore, I must make charity.”

“Then, think that all the past, present, and future happiness up to enlightenment came from that sentient beings. Think of the kindness,” Rinpoche says.

“Then after that, think of the three-times happiness you receive from this beggar, who is most precious, most kind, most dear, most wish-fulfilling. Trying to think like that is good.”

When making the offering, Rinpoche says, “I try to remember to make the offerings respectfully, with two hands. I offer to them like this, with the two hands.”

“Then when you offer, if possible, seal the offering with emptiness,” Rinpoche explains. “[Think that] I and the action of giving and to whom you are giving are empty. They do not exist from their own sides as they appear to you. Looking at emptiness, ultimate reality, you offer.”

So when charity is offered not only with bodhichitta but with emptiness, Rinpoche explains, “it becomes the remedy to samsara. Your charity becomes the remedy to samsara.”

“Then, you see, it becomes most pleasing. It becomes the best offering,” Rinpoche concludes.
“It becomes the offering to all the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—numberless Buddha, numberless Dharma, numberless Sangha.”

Watch Rinpoche teach on “How to Think When Making Charity to Beggars”:
https://youtu.be/_9d-ok1xows


Quoted text based on the unedited transcript for the 2017 Light for the Path retreat, which you can find here with video recordings of the complete teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/light-of-the-path-teachings-2017/

Find more video clips from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5F6A5E3C2873F2EA

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.

  • Tagged: charity, essential extract, lama zopa rinpoche, light of the path, video
Feb
5
2018

Remedy for Obstacles, Fear, and Worry

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
lama-zopa-rinpoche-young-monk-india-201801

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ven. Tenzin Jamyang, a young Kopan monk now studying at Sera Je Monastery, at the entrance to Maitreya School and Tara Children’s Project, Bodhgaya, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche sent a letter to a student who was experiencing a lot of obstacles, as well as fear, unhappiness, and worry. Here’s an excerpt from Rinpoche’s advice given in January 2016:

My most dear, most kind, most precious, wish-fulfilling one,

I heard about your difficulties. As you know, all these difficulties do not exist from their own side, even though they appear like that to our hallucinated mind. The difficulty appears to exist from its own side, to exist by itself. It appears real, using ordinary language.

Basically, what you believe is difficult is just your mind thinking, your mind merely labeling, “This is difficult.” Your mind is merely labeling that it is difficult and that’s how it came into existence. When the difficulty appeared to you, even though it is merely imputed, it appears totally opposite, as though it never came from the mind and it was never merely labeled by the mind. That is totally a hallucination.

For example, we are living our whole life in a hallucination, so like that, everything—including the I, form, sounds, smell, tangible objects; everything that appears to our senses, to our hallucinated mind—appears as real, as if something is existing from there. However, it doesn’t appear real unless our mind merely imputes it first. Everything that appears real is not true, it is a total hallucination. It is a totally hallucinated real I, a totally hallucinated real action and a totally hallucinated real object.

While everything—I, action, object—is totally empty of existing from its own side, it exists in mere name. Everything—I, action, object—exists in mere name; it is merely labeled by the valid mind, on the valid base.

What we think is difficult, in a complicated way, is all made up by our own concepts, and is to do with our own concepts.

Let me say something, what the great bodhisattva Shantideva has advised:

Whatever befalls me,
I shall not disturb my mental joy;
For having been made unhappy, I shall not accomplish what I wish,
And my virtues will decline.
  — [Bodhicaryavatara, Ch. 6, v. 9]

There are so many problems in the West; also in the East, but especially in the West. If there is a way for the problem to be fixed or mended, what is there to dislike about it? If there is a method then do it, and if there is no method and no way to fix it, then why dislike it? If there is a way to fix the problem, then do it, and if there isn’t, then no need to be worried. It just makes us mentally sick and it also causes physical sickness. As it increases more, it brings more problems.

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?
  — [Bodhicaryavatara, Ch. 6, v. 10]

Please think about this. It is what Shantideva advised and this is my advice to you. When you think this way, it will bring happiness to your life. …


Read the complete advice “Remedy for Obstacles, Fear and Worry,” posted in January 2018 by Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive on “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book”:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/remedy-obstacles-fear-and-worry

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

  • Tagged: fear, hardships, lama zopa rinpoche
Feb
2
2018

Change the Label, Change Your View [Video]

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
Lama-Zopa-Rinopche-Root-Institute-Prayer-Wheel-Jan-2018

Lama Zopa Rinpoche turning the prayer wheel at Root Institute, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

How you see something depends on past karma as well as on how you label it, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches in a short video clip recorded during the 100 Million Mani Mantra Retreat in Italy in October 2017. 

“Even if it is an unpleasant object, even if it is problem, in a relationship or whatever, the way you view it is the way you label it—positive label or negative label,” Rinpoche teaches. “You make a positive label by thinking of the benefits of the problem.”

“When you don’t think of the benefits,” Rinpoche continues, “then you just carry on putting on a negative label. Then you suffer like this; you torture yourself like this.”

“Therefore, you see that Dharma practice, meditation, is soooooooooooooooo important!” Rinpoche concludes. “If you know Dharma, if you practice Dharma, meditation, then you completely transform [problems] into happiness! So you enjoy your life, especially your life every day, every hour, minute. With bodhichitta, you make beneficial your life to numberless sentient beings!”

Watch “Change How You Experience Karma with Mind Training”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTPSieECQTk


Quoted text based on the unedited transcript of the 100 Million Mani Mantra retreat in Italy, which you can find here with video recordings of the complete teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/100-million-mani-mantra-retreat-2017/

Find more video clips of Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5F6A5E3C2873F2EA

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.

  • Tagged: 100 million mani retreat, essential extract, karma, lama zopa rinpoche, lojong, video
Jan
30
2018

Many Lamas Join Lama Zopa Rinpoche to Celebrate Root Institute

Read all posts in Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
ling-rinpoche-lama-zopa-rinpoche-root-institute-india-201801

His Eminence Ling Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting Root Institute and its projects, Maitreya School and Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Clinic, India, January 12, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s stay at Root Institute, he was joined there by many important lamas. On January 12-13, His Eminence Ling Rinpoche visited Root Institute and gave teachings, which were attended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and many Sangha members and lay students.

While at Root, Ling Rinpoche also visited Maitreya School, where he gave a short talk. The students recited “Praises to the Twenty-One Taras” in Sanskrit as an offering. He then visited Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Clinic, another project of Root Institute, and spoke to the staff and doctors there.

ling-rinpoche-lama-zopa-rinpoche-maitreya-school-bodhgaya-india-20180112

Ling Rinpoche at Maitreya School giving a talk with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Principal Pema Tsering, Bodhgaya, India, January 12, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

maitreya-students-chanting-for-ling-rinpoche-bodhgaya-india-20180112

Maitreya students chanting for Ling Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, India, January 12, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

During Ling Rinpoche’s visit to Root, he praised Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s activities and spoke about how kind he was for helping the children with education and helping sick people with the health clinic. Ling Rinpoche commented on how clear the vision for Root Institute has been and on how much has been accomplished.

Teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama resumed on January 14. Then on the following day, Root Institute celebrated its thirtieth anniversary after His Holiness’s teaching for the day.

root-institute-30-anniversary-india-20180115

Ling Rinpoche speaking during the thirtieth anniversary celebration at Root Institute, India, January 2015, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Ling Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro-la, Dagri Rinpoche, Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche, Ribur Rinpoche’s reincarnation, Geshe Sengye’s reincarnation, Richard Gere, and many others attended the joyous event.

Ven. Tenzin Paldron, the center director of Root, gave a short speech to the gathered crowd. Ling Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and others also spoke briefly about the center. Lama Zopa Rinpoche thanked everyone who had made it possible, including the sweepers and the secretary of the center. Then they all watched a seventeen-minute video of Root Institute’s history.

richard-gere-root-institute-india-201801

Hollywood actor Richard Gere speaking at Root Institute’s thirtieth anniversary celebration, India, January 15, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On January 17, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered the Sixteen Arhats puja for the long life of Khyongla Rato Rinpoche. Since Khyongla Rato Rinpoche is a teacher of many lamas, the offering was attended by a number of high lamas, abbots, and former abbots.

long-life-prayers-for-khyongla-rato-rinpoche-root-institute-india-201801

The Sixteen Arhats puja offered for the long life of Khyongla Rato Rinpoche by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Root Institute, January 17, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

lama-zopa-rinpoche-mandala-khyongla-rato-rinpoche-root-institute-india-20180117

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering body, speech, and mind mandala to Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, Root Institute, India, January 17, 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

In between all of these activities, Lama Zopa Rinpoche had non-stop meetings with many lamas and geshes. Also during his time in Bodhgaya, Rinpoche made several visits to the Mahabodhi Stupa, which marks the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

At the stupa, Rinpoche would recite the mantras for circumambulation and then lead people around the stupa, explaining the mantras and what to think while circumambulating. Rinpoche also made many flower offerings to the stupa with extensive offering prayers.


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.

Learn more about Root Institute at http://www.rootinstitute.ngo/.

  • Tagged: bodhgaya, dagri rinpoche, khandro kunga bhuma, khyongla rato rinpoche, kyabje ling rinpoche, lama zopa rinpoche, maitreya school, richard gere, root institute
«‹49 of 124454647484950515253›»
  • DONATE
  • Home
    • FPMT Homepage
    • Willkommen
    • Bienvenidos
    • Bienvenue
    • Benvenuto
    • 欢迎 / 歡迎
  • News/Media
    • What’s New: Teachings, Updates, Stories & More
    • Important Announcements
      • Resources for the Coronavirus Pandemic
      • Updates Regarding Dagri Rinpoche
    • Latest Blog Posts
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News & Advice
      • Lama Yeshe’s Wisdom
      • Charitable Projects News
      • Study & Practice News
      • Updates from the FPMT Inc. Board
      • FPMT Community: Stories & News
      • In-depth Stories
      • Obituaries
    • Monthly e-News
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Latest Videos
      • Full-Length Teachings
      • Essential Extracts
      • Short Clips
      • ༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་བཟོད་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་ནས་སྩལ་བའི་བཀའ་སློབ་བརྙན་འཕྲིན།
    • FPMT YouTube Channel
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • Social Media
    • Mandala Magazine
      • Mandala Magazine Archive
      • This Issue
      • Subscribe
      • Support Prisoners
    • Submit a Story/Obituary
    • Subscribe
      • Daily & Weekly Blogs
      • Unsubscribe Daily & Weekly Blogs
      • Monthly FPMT e-News
      • Unsubscribe Monthly FPMT e-News
    • Resources
  • Study & Practice
    • About FPMT Education Services
    • Latest News
    • Programs
      • New to Buddhism?
      • Buddhist Mind Science: Activating Your Potential
      • Heart Advice for Death and Dying
      • Discovering Buddhism
        • Online Learning Center Modules
        • Watch Discovering Buddhism Videos
        • FAQ
        • Statements of Appreciation
        • Shared Resources for Discovering Buddhism
      • Living in the Path
      • Exploring Buddhism
      • FPMT Basic Program
        • Standard Texts and Commentaries
        • Subject Descriptions
        • Preparatory Study and Practice
        • Centers
        • Homestudy
        • Homestudy Teachers
        • Homestudy FAQ
      • FPMT Masters Program
      • FPMT In-Depth Meditation Training
      • Maitripa College
      • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
      • Universal Education for Compassion & Wisdom
    • Online Learning Center
    • Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Overview of Prayers & Practices
      • Full Catalogue of Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Explore Popular Topics
        • Benefiting Animals
        • Chenrezig Resources
        • Death & Dying Resources
        • Lama Chopa (Guru Puja)
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Compendium of Precious Instructions
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Life Practice Advice
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Practice Series
        • Lamrim Resources
        • Mantras
        • Prayer Book Updates
        • Purification Practices
        • Sutras
        • Thought Transformation (Lojong)
      • Audio Materials
      • Dharma Dates – Tibetan Calendar
        • Purchase Calendar
        • Dates Explained
    • Translation Services
    • Publishing Services
    • Teachings and Advice
      • Find Teachings and Advice
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advice Page
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Compendium of Precious Instructions
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Video Teachings
        • Full-Length Teachings
        • Essential Extracts of Teachings
        • Short Video Clips of Rinpoche
      • ༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་བཟོད་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་ནས་སྩལ་བའི་བཀའ་སློབ་བརྙན་འཕྲིན།
      • Podcasts
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Buddhism FAQ
      • Dharma for Young People
      • Resources on Holy Objects
        • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
          • Information on How to Fill a Prayer Wheel
          • Benefits of Making Prayer Wheels
          • How this Latest Mani Microfilm was Developed
    • Ways to Offer Support
  • Centers
    • Center Directory
    • Center FAQ
    • Resident Teachers
    • FPMT Service Seminars
      • Overview
      • Foundation Service Seminar
      • Inner Job Description
      • Teacher Development Service Seminar
      • Hosting and Attending an FPMT Service Seminar
      • Upcoming Service Seminars
    • Community Service
    • Affiliates Area
    • Monks and Nuns
    • Retreat Information
      • Retreat Schedule
      • FPMT Basic Program and FPMT Masters Program Retreat Schedule
  • Teachers
    • About Teachers
    • About Teacher Registration
    • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
      • Long Life Prayers
      • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
    • Lama Thubten Yeshe’s Homepage
      • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
      • Photo Gallery
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
      • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
      • Lama Yeshe’s Incarnation – Tenzin Osel HitaTorres
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Homepage
      • Updates Regarding Rinpoche
      • News
      • Videos
      • Photos
      • Advice
  • Projects
    • Charitable Projects
      • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
      • Supporting Our Lamas
        • Unmistaken Incarnation Fund
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Long Life Puja Fund
          • Photos
      • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
        • Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Social Services Fund
        • Animal Liberation Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Holy Objects Fund
        • Offering Buddha Statues to H.H. the Dalai Lama
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Stupa of Complete Victory
        • Zangdog Palri: Guru Rinpoche Pure Land Project
        • Stupa Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Padmasambhava Project for Peace
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Maitreya Projects
        • Prayer Wheel Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Practices and Pujas
        • Puja Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Prajnaparamita Project
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Practice and Retreat Fund
      • Education and Preservation Fund
      • FPMT Community Support Fund
    • Make a Donation
    • Applying for Grants
    • News about Projects
    • Other Projects within FPMT
      • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
      • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
      • Land of Calm Abiding
      • FPMT Mongolia
        • Donate Now
      • Tara Puja Fund
      • Tsum
        • Living Conditions
        • Plans for the Future
        • A Personal Account
        • Health Survey
        • Photo Album
        • Donate Now
    • Support International Office
      • Fulfilling Our Lamas’ Wishes Fund
      • Friends of FPMT Membership
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
    • Projects Photo Galleries
    • Give Where Most Needed
  • FPMT
    • About FPMT
      • Mission Statement
      • Vast Visions for FPMT
      • The Origins of FPMT
      • Wisdom Culture
      • Video Documentary
      • Messages of Appreciation
    • FPMT Announcements
    • International Office
      • Staff – Key Positions
      • Contact Us
      • Donate
    • Board of Directors
      • Meet Our Members
      • Updates from FPMT Inc. Board
    • Annual Review
    • Regional & National Offices
    • Safeguarding
    • Volunteer & Jobs
    • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Shop
    • The Foundation Store
    • New Arrivals
    • Specials
    • Foundation Store Newsletter
    • Practice Generosity

Translate*

*powered by Google TranslateTranslation of pages on fpmt.org is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which FPMT has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content. The translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide.

Renunciation of samsara is not only the business of monks and nuns. Whoever is seeking liberation or enlightenment needs renunciation of samsara.

Lama Thubten Yeshe

Contact Info

1632 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214-4702 USA
Tel (503) 808-1588

About FPMT

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is an organization devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. more…

About Buddhism

If you're new to Buddhism, please read our Buddhism FAQ. A place to learn about Buddhism in general, FPMT, and our Discovering Buddhism at Home series.
Contact Us | Privacy & Security | Copyright ©2025 FPMT Inc.