Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche handing out blessing strings at a flower show, Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“In 1959, Lama Zopa Rinpoche escaped Pagri, Tibet, through Bhutan and from there was sent to Buxa in India. Rinpoche stayed in Bhutan about a week in the temple of Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro,” said Ven. Holly Ansett, executive assistant to the the CEO of FPMT, Inc., during her recent June 2016 travels with Rinpoche through Bhutan.

“When Rinpoche was there, some local Bhutanese came to know that a young rinpoche was staying there and went to ask for blessing strings. Rinpoche up to then had never given out blessing strings like this, but his attendant who was traveling with Rinpoche rushed to the market, bought the strings, and Rinpoche passed them out. Rinpoche had remarked that this was the beginning of him doing the actions of a lama.

“Rinpoche also recently reconnected with a Bhutanese family with whom he had a close connection. The mother of the family took care of Rinpoche when he was studying in Tibet. Rinpoche says she was like his mother and he would go to her house every month to do puja. She married a Bhutanese man, had four daughters, and now lives in Bhutan. The second youngest daughter, Kesang, met Rinpoche when Rinpoche was in Japan.”

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 the flower show in Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

On June 6, Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited the beautiful annual flower exhibition in Paro, Bhutan, in front of the magnificent Rinpung Dzong in the gardens of the Kings Palace.

“Rinpoche walked around all the beautiful flower offerings, reciting the multiplying mantra and then doing the extensive flower offering practice,” said Ven. Holly Ansett assistant to Ven. Roger Kunsang, CEO of FPMT, Inc. “Rinpoche also spent some time reminding us that we were there not just to look at the flowers, but to offer them.”

The annual flower exhibition in Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The annual flower exhibition in Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and a young boy covering his mouth in respect, Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“At one point, a very small Bhutanese boy came up to Rinpoche and stood in front of Rinpoche for a long time, respectfully covering his mouth. He ran away and then came back. Rinpoche gave him a blessing string, and after that, many Bhutanese people who were visiting the flower show came up for blessings. The line became longer and longer, never ending until the exhibition closed and we ran out of blessing strings.”

People at the flower exhibition lining up to receive blessings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The line became longer and longer to receive blessings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the flower show, Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The annual flower exhibition in Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The annual flower exhibition with a view of Rinpung Dzong in Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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 with Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche (left) and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche (standing) at Satsam Chorten, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

On June 4, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche, the reincarnation of the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche invited Lama Zopa Rinpoche for lunch at Satsam Chorten in Paro, Bhutan.

Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche is the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s grandson and his spiritual heir. Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche’s mother, Dechen Paldron, was also present. 

After the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche fled Tibet in the 1950s, he and his family were welcomed to Bhutan by the royal family. Over time, Rinpoche became revered throughout the country for his teachings and service to the Dharma.

“It was very enjoyable relaxed lunch,” shared Ven. Roger Kunsang, assistant to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and CEO of FPMT, Inc. “After lunch, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche took Rinpoche upstairs to where the actual skull of the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was kept.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche having lunch with Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche  (left) and Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche (center) at Satsam Chorten, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche receiving blessings from the actual skull of past life Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Satsam Chorten, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“The previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche visited Kopan Monastery in the early days at Lama Yeshe’s invitation and gave a teaching on Lama Atisha’s Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment. Lama Zopa Rinpoche always expresses in amazement that Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche gave the teaching from beginning to end like he was reading a text – but he wasn’t, it just came from his holy mind.”

In the past, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche has come to bless the land for Buddha Maitreya Bodhgaya, a project to build a large statue of Maitreya in Bodhgaya, India, with His Holiness the Karmapa and Tai Situ Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche at Satsam Chorten, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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 in front of the 169-foot (52-meter) Buddha statue, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On June 1, 2016, Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Ven. Roger Kunsang, CEO of FPMT, Inc. and Rinpoche’s assistant, described the trip:

“On a mountain above Thimphu is an extraordinary 169-foot (52-meter) statue of Buddha Shakyamuni called Buddha Dordenma. We were fortunate to be traveling with someone who was very much involved in the building of the statue and who had made arrangements for Rinpoche to enter inside the base of the statue, where there is a beautiful gompa, and to meet the head monks and project director.

“Rinpoche led a very extensive seven-limb practice in front of the statue, spending a lot of time on rejoicing in those who had the idea to build the statue, the benefactors, and those who actually built it.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche doing prayers in front of Buddha statue in Thimbu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The Buddha Dordenma statue in Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche touring the inside of the Buddha Dordenma statue, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“Later in the day, Rinpoche went to Tashichö Dzong, a Buddhist monastery and castle reconstructed in 1641 and reestablished as the main seat of the Druk Desi (the secular rulers of Bhutan) and the summer residence of the monastic body headed by the Je Khenpo. It also houses the office of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, the cabinet and the council of ministers. The monastic system and religious institutions run alongside the government, as it was once in Tibet, when Dharma and the political system were fully integrated.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting Tashichö Dzong with Geshe Tenzin Khenrab and students, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with  Abbott Lopen Sangay Dorji at Tashichö Dzong, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“Rinpoche was given a tour of Tashichö Dzong, which has over 30 temples. There are some very important and old gompas inside Tashichö Dzong. While in Tashichö Dzong, Rinpoche met the Chief Abbott Khenpo, one of the five lopons (religious scholars and ministers) under the 70th Je Khenpo.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Tashichö Dzong with Geshe Tenzin Khenrab and students, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“After that, Rinpoche went to the oldest monastery in Bhutan, Simtokha Dzong, built in 1629. When Rinpoche arrived, the monks were actually doing a puja for Rinpoche that had been sponsored by one student.

“Rinpoche offered pearl necklaces to a number of the very old and important statues in the gompa with prayers. Then, he recited ‘In Praise of Dependent Origination’ by Lama Tsongkhapa and protector prayers in front of the altar for the protectors.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting Simtokha Dzong with Geshe Tenzin Khenrab and Ven. Thubten Tendar, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Simtokha Dzong at night, Thimphu, Bhutan, June 2016. 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.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche listening to Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi as he describes the details of the holy site Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

On the May 28, Rinpoche visited Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, a Buddhist stupa-shaped temple in Western Bhutan between Paro and Dopchari valleys, built by Thangtong Gyalpo in 1421 (or 1433 depending on the source) to counteract malevolent spirits.

Thangtong Gyalpo (1385–1464), according to a protection image recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in May 2016 to mitigate the effects of earthquakes, “built in his lifetime 58 iron bridges, 60 wooden bridges, 118 ferries, 120 assembly halls and temples, 111 stupas and many hundreds of large and small statues and innumberable paintings. Also a few life time’s ago he was Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.” Thangtong Gyalpo (also known at Drubthob Thangtong Gyalpo) is famous for completing civil engineering projects not only in Bhutan, but also in Tibet. 

Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

According to Wikipedia, “In 1433, Drubthob Thangtong Gyalpo and his disciples traveled to Pagri in the Chumbi Valley of Tibet, and from there to Paro Taktsang in Bhutan. According to his biography, while performing rituals of Vajrakilaya there, he had a vision of the assembly of the Eight Classes of Heruka (Wylie: sgrub pa bka’ brgyad) meditational deities with Vajrakumara as the central figure.

“It is said that a nine-headed naga spirit, who was the guardian of the sacred place of Paro Taktsang, declared ‘your religious inheritance was concealed here by Ogyen Rinpoche, please make your discovery and reveal it.’ Thereupon Drubchen Thangtong Gyalpo extracted a sacred scroll ten body lengths long from the cliff of Taktsang.

Inside Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi shows Lama Zopa Rinpoche sacred objects, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“The line of mountains where Taktsang is located is shaped like a black snake with its head in the middle of the Paro valley. On the nose of this snake the Drubthob constructed Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, a stupa-shaped temple and pronounced that all diseases caused by evil spirits residing under the ground were suppressed and that the valley would be free from leprosy.”

Rinpoche climbed up the three levels inside the building on very steep ladders in darkness. On each level, the walls are covered in paintings of deities, and on the top level is a statue of Milarepa that is said to have miraculously spoken. Rinpoche spent time doing prayers and making offerings in front of all the statues for the benefit of all beings.

Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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 Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

On May 31, Lama Zopa Rinpoche made a special pilgrimage to Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest), a very special temple complex associated with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) on the steep cliffsides of the upper Paro valley. According to legend, in the 8th century Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tigress (sometimes considered to be the magically transformed yogini Yeshe Tsogyal) to Taktsang Senge Samdup cave and meditated there for just over three years to subdue obstructive forces and bless the environment.

Many notable practitioners are said to have visited the cave, including Milarepa, the Tibetan yogini Machig Labdrön and Thangton Gyalpo. In 1692, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye built a temple complex at the site.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in a palanquin, beginning the pilgrimage to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Twelve men divided into two rotating teams carried the palanquin Lama Zopa Rinpoche needed to make the three-hour journey to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“Rinpoche had to be carried in a palanquin due to the steep and very long climb from 7,900 feet [200 meters] to 10,800 feet [274 meters], a three hours’ walk one way,” said Ven. Roger Kunsang, Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT, Inc. “We had to make arrangements for a group of 12 strong Bhutanese men to come from Thimbu to Paro to help carry the palanquin. A group of six would carry it and then they would change places every 15 to 20 minutes. The climb was very steep and very difficult in some places, with just a narrow dirt trail most of the way. Sometimes the palanquin would be at more than a 45 degree angle. But, the Bhutanese men were very enthusiastic and joyful in carrying Rinpoche. Rinpoche chanted different mantras and prayers much of the time, blessing the people carrying him and others around. In total, there was about 30 to 35 people in our group. 

On the trail to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, pray wheel houses such as these utilize the stream’s current to help the wheels continually spin, blessing the water and surrounding environment, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“More than half way, we arrived at a small tea shop built on the edge of the cliff. There was a small room with a view of Tiger’s Nest across the valley. It was a tsog day so Rinpoche offered Most Secret Hayagriva tsog for about two hours. We had a quick lunch during which a number of Bhutanese gathered around Rinpoche for blessings. Rinpoche blessed a lot of water for them to take back to their homes.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and entourage stop for a short break along the trail to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It had just started to rain, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche stopped two-thirds of the way to have lunch and to perform a puja in a tea house with a view of Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In a small tea house, Lama Zopa Rinpoche performed a Most Secret Hayagriva tsog in view of Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“It took a further 90 minutes up a steep climb to arrive on the cliff opposite Tiger’s Nest Monastery. By this time, it was getting late. The light was disappearing, rain was coming and Rinpoche felt it was too difficult to complete the last part of the journey to the cave, which he would have had to walk to himself without the palanquin due to the steep and narrow stairs. Instead, Rinpoche did extensive prayers from a place directly opposite the monastery. While doing prayers, a few people went off to make the last part of the pilgrimage to the actual cave and monastery.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Khenrab, the men who helped carry Rinpoche’s palanquin, and others in front of Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“After this, we made our way as fast as we could down the mountain as it was now raining and the dirt path was getting more and more slippery and dangerous. It took about two hours to come down and we were very fortunate that nobody slipped and fell! Rinpoche chanted mantras and prayers all the way down.

“When we reached the bottom we were greeted by many Bhutanese who had gathered there to greet Rinpoche with tea and cheese momos. They had also quickly erected a tent to keep off the rain.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrives back at the trailhead after three hours in the rain with the assistance of generous volunteers, Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Several local Bhutanese came to greet Lama Zopa Rinpoche when he returned from attempting to visit Taktsang Senge Samdup cave, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“When everyone arrived and settled and had tea, Rinpoche was so very grateful to those who had carried him that he gave them more blessings, holy objects and a short teaching on the three principles of the path.

“Rinpoche plans to visit one more time while in Bhutan to actually compete the journey and visit the cave of Guru Rinpoche.”

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.

Medicine Buddha statue at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, USA.

When Lama Zopa Rinpoche heard about the June 12 attack on a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, USA, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 50 people and injuries to at least 50 more, he began offering prayers immediately. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche always advises to make strong prayers to Medicine Buddha for anyone who is dying, sick, injured or has already passed away. These prayers can also be dedicated to anyone who needs protection, support, strength and love.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche doing naga torma puja by the river, Taiwan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In May 2016, Lama Zopa Rinpoche made a private visit to Taiwan. While there, Rinpoche found plenty of time to benefit others. Rinpoche, with the assistance of Sangha members, preformed naga torma puja near the river next to Shakyamuni Center where he stayed. The puja is meant to benefit the beings in the immediate area and the entire country.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche doing naga torma puja by the river, Taiwan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Over his short stay, Rinpoche converted the rooftop veranda where he was staying into a beautiful practice space for circumambulation. A table with a large main stupa and many tsa-tsas was set up and Rinpoche went out a few times to shop for offerings, including potted flowers and trees. Rinpoche circumambulated the table a few times each day.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche shopping for flowers, Taiwan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche circumambulates rooftop veranda altar at night, Taiwan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Also, Rinpoche found time to meet with the board of FPMT Taiwan before departing for Bhutan. 

Rinpoche meets with board of FPMT Taiwan, May 2016. 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.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la enjoying lunch together on Rinpoche’s first day in Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In May, Lama Zopa Rinpoche traveled to Bhutan, a Buddhist country located in the Eastern Himalayas. On his first day there, he was joined by Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) and they had lunch and visited the holy temple of Kyichu Lhakhang, in the Paro district of the Bhutan. “The Jowo Temple of Kyichu is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, originally built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songtsän Gampo. It is considered to be one of the four border taming temples he built. In the 8th century the temple was visited by Padmasambhava and it is believed he concealed many spiritual treasures here,” according to Wikipedia.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la offered butter lamps, did tsog offering in the temple and gave blessings to people during their visit to Kyichu Lhakhang.

Khadro-la and Rinpoche blessing people with texts at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la offering a butter lamp at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la doing tsog at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche and Khado-la offering butter lamps at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Prayer wheels at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche and Khadro-la at Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Outside Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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 with attendant Ven. Sangpo Sherpa at Maitreya Instituut Loenen, July 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

While Lama Zopa Rinpoche was at Maitreya Instituut Loenen in July 2015, he gave a short impromptu talk during lunch on offerings. Rinpoche talked about the incredible merit that one can collect making offering to different beings from parents up to numberless buddhas and gurus. 

“If you offer to one bodhisattva who has generated bodhichitta, you collect … [much, much] … more merit than offering to numberless arhats,” Rinpoche explained, while making one of his trademark gestures for incredibly huge amounts of merit.

“If you look at a bodhisattva, you look with a calm, devotional mind, you make more merit than giving your eyes to three realms sentient beings. … Why? Because having generated bodhichitta and completely abandoned self-cherishing, they cherish numberless sentient beings, numberless animals, numberless sentient beings in the ocean, on the ground, in the grass, the sky, the trees, numberless hell beings, numberless pretas, numberless humans, numberless suras and asuras. They cherish everyone – no one is left out.”

Watch the video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche talking about making offerings on YouTube. 

You can find this video and more video clips of Rinpoche on FPMT.org at:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/videos-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

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, with the assistance of Osel Dorje Rinpoche, departing from Maratika Caves, Nepal, Febraury 2016. Osel Dorje Rinpoche is a famous Nyingma lama and teacher of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On May 2, Ven. Roger Kunsang shared on his Twitter page this very brief teaching from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Lama Zopa ; quoting HHDL [His Holiness the Dalai Lama] … If you follow delusion only suffering follows, if you follow the good heart only happiness follows.

Ven. Roger Kunsang, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s assistant and CEO of FPMT Inc., shares Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent pith sayings on Ven. Roger’s Twitter page.

Video recordings from Rinpoche’s recent teaching tour in Southeast Asia are now freely available on FPMT.org’s “Rinpoche Available Now” page:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

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

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in front of the new Chenrezig statue, Singapore, March 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

A student wrote Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “I have suffered from a torturing mental illness for eight years. I have seen doctors and even counselors, but nothing helps. I’m completely unable to control my mind to think any positive thing.”

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

I am very sorry you have this. I am also very sorry for the delay in replying to your email.

If you really want to listen to me, then do this attached practice every day. It shows the meaning of life and how to transform life – like iron into gold, like kaka into gold, like poison into medicine. This is the best medicine for the mind and through that, cures all the physical problems.

I am also doing some practices specifically for you.

Have you met Tibetan Buddhism? Are you familiar with it? I checked and you should recite the Compassion Buddha (Chenrezig) mantra – OM MANI PADME HUM. Here are some links that have some of the benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM. You can read the benefits.

Teachings from the Mani Retreat

Chenrezig Mantra (Audio and Unedited Transcripts) [particularly, the chapters “Benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM” and “Benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM (con’t)”]

I will be producing one book in English and Tibetan that has different prayers to recite every day to Chenrezig when you recite the mantra. So you can get that when it is finished, but in the meantime, do this.

Reciting OM MANI PADME HUM purifies negative karma – all the obscurations – collected from beginningless rebirths. It is unbelievable. Even by reciting the mantra one time, a fully ordained monk who has broken the four root vows (to not have sexual intercourse, steal what belongs to others, kill a human being, or tell lies that he has realizations while he doesn’t have them) is purified. Just reciting OM MANI PADME HUM purifies the five heavy negative karmas (it saves from being born in the lower realms) of even having killed this life’s parents; caused blood to flow from a buddha; killed an arhat, who is free from samsara, who has removed the causes of samsara – delusion and karma; and caused disunity among the Sangha. If somebody commits all of these five heavy negative karmas without break (or even just one of these), the ripening of all other negative karmas get delayed and then immediately as soon as death happens, that person is reborn in the eighth hot hell of unbearable suffering, where one’s body is in the shape of a rock, but on fire, and the only way you can tell it is a sentient being is by hearing the screaming. This heaviest suffering lasts one intermediate eon, but even if this world becomes empty, there are numberless other universes and so there are other universes’ hell realms where you get reborn into until the karma is finished. This gets purified not only by reciting this mantra, but even just by seeing the syllables OM MANI PADME HUM – it is so powerful – wow, wow, wow!

The 10 non-virtuous actions also easily get purified by reciting this mantra. That means we are unbelievably, most unbelievably fortunate to be able to recite OM MANI PADME HUM – wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!

Mani stone at Rinpoche’s house at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, US. Photo by Chris Majors.

Even to recite it without bodhichitta, which is the purest motivation, the ultimate good heart, even without that, if you recite this mantra, you collect unbelievable good luck, more than the drops of water in the Pacific Ocean. (Good luck is something that comes from the mind. There is no good luck from the outside, existing without the mind, even though this is what normal people believe – that good luck is something that really exists by itself, does not comes from the mind, is not created by the mind.) You collect merit, the cause of happiness and success, and not just the happiness of this life, but the happiness of future lives: good rebirth as a deva or human, or rebirth in a pure land. It unbelievable, unbelievable! Also, ultimate happiness – total liberation from oceans of samsaric suffering and their causes – wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!

This means forever, not just for a few days, a few years and then come back to suffering realms, samsara – it’s not like that. Here you can achieve full enlightenment; it plants the seed of enlightenment.

Enlightenment is a word commonly used by Buddhist people and non-Buddhists as well. It means “buddhahood,” or in Tibetan, the word is sangye – the total cessation of all the gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of all the realizations. That means there is no suffering at all; so that’s the first thing you achieve.

You collect good luck and merit, more than the number of sand grains in the Pacific Ocean, more than the numbers of drops of water when there is rain.

If you recite OM MANI PADME HUM even one time with the purest motivation, the ultimate good heart, bodhichitta, the precious thought of enlightenment, the thought to free the numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and to bring them to full enlightenment – wishing to achieve buddhahood, the cessation of all the obscurations and the completion of all the realizations – oneself, you collect merit more than the sky. To recite one mala of OM MANI PADME HUM – wow, wow, wow! With each mantra you collect more merit than the sky! Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! You should feel so unbelievably lucky with the opportunity you have.

I want to send you a picture of Chenrezig so you can look at it when you recite. When you get the photo, if it has no brocade, you can put two-colored yellow cloth around the borders and then frame it. The two-colored cloth is like offering dress to the holy object. Also, it looks very beautiful.

Thank you very much, thank you so much. I think you should know that what you are experiencing is due to your past karma, having harmed others, and things like that. That is the main cause. There is an outside spirit influencing your mind, making you think this and that harms you. You don’t have to listen. Only listen to worthwhile things that don’t harm you and aren’t harmful to others. Only listen if what you are hearing is for the peace and happiness of others. So you have to check whether it’s worthwhile or not. If it is harmful, then don’t do it, don’t trust it. You have to check. Otherwise, if you do whatever your mind thinks, then it can be very dangerous and you could commit suicide. That is dangerous. Many people’s minds are influenced by spirits, due to past negative karma done with delusion – ignorance, anger, attachment and so forth.

The very wrong concept, ignorance – holding the “I” as truly existent, existing from its own side, or existing by nature, or, in ordinary language, as “real,” as it appears – is a total hallucination. It is not that there is no “I” there. There is “I,” but it is on the merely labeled valid aggregates, which are the basis to be labeled “I.” “I” is what is merely labeled relating to the aggregates by the valid mind. That’s all; that’s reality. But for us ordinary people who haven’t developed the mind in shunyata, emptiness, it looks like this “I” is what really exists. It exists in mere name; it’s so subtle, like it doesn’t exist for our mind. The “I,” which is a total hallucination, like a dream, it never exists anywhere, even for one second since beginningless time as it has never been real. When this hallucination appears, we believe it really exists and that’s why hell beings, hungry ghost, animals, human beings, asuras, suras suffer in the six realms of samsara.

Thank you very much. I’m happy you sent what you think, the difficulties you have, as it gives me a chance to be able to talk to you.

Thank you very much.

With much love and prayers,

Lama Zopa

Scribed by Ven. Holly Ansett, India, January 2016. Edited for inclusion on FPMT.org.

Learn more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and Rinpoche’s vision for a better world. Visit FPMT.org and sign up to receive news and updates.