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FPMT News Around the World
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lama Yeshe, with babies and Italian students, Taceno, Italy, 1976. Photo courtesy of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. You can find scores of photos like these on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Image Gallery.
You don’t? Then let’s get you two acquainted.
The Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive (LYWA) is the organization responsible of collecting, organizing and preserving the works of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the founding teachers of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Since LYWA’s inception in 1996 at the behest of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the archive has collected thousands of hours of digital audio and video, and tens of thousands of pages of raw transcript, and is diligently working to edit the raw material to expand its already robust collection of free (or nearly free) books and DVDs.
The Archive (as they call themselves) also makes available a huge collection of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s spiritual advice, monthly podcasts, ebooks, historic audio teachings, a YouTube channel and an easy-to-navigate image gallery.
And to no surprise, the Archive is already in the works to release more invaluable materials for students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT. In addition to the recently released Bodhisattva Attitude: How to Dedicate Your Life to Others, the second book in the FPMT Lineage Series, How to Practice Dharma: Teachings on the Eight Worldly Dharmas, is being printed and prepped for distribution. Mandala will feature an excerpt out of this collection of teachings in the October-December 2012 issue – keep your eyes peeled!
The Archive also produces an excellent e-letter filled with important announcements about the organization’s progress. Not to sound alarmist, but if you haven’t signed up for it, you probably are missing something you’d be happier knowing.
Mandala has regularly made use of archived materials over the years, a kindness that makes us feel both privileged and indebted.
So it’s with great sincerity that we say, “We’re happy that you’ve finally met.”
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
November Course 2011, attended by 260. Photo by Susanne Kekonen.
Read Tenzin Ludup’s story about attending Kopan Monastery’s famous November Course and how the course connects him and his family to their spiritual and cultural heritage.
From Mandala July-September 2012.
FPMT News Around the World
Today is His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 77th birthday and the world is celebrating!
In recognition of the day, FPMT North America (FPMT NA), the regional group representing centers, projects, services and students from Canada and the United States, has launched Compassion Day, making special effort on July 6 to remember not only His Holiness’ presence and contribution to the world, but also “to come together and celebrate compassion.”
Compassion Day encourages people everywhere to participate in a variety of ways: rejoicing in His Holiness’ positive influence in our lives and sharing that with him; meditating on compassion and loving-kindness using instructions developed by Ven. Sangye Khadro; and engaging in compassionate actions for self and others.
Submissions of pictures, writing and videos from Compassion Day’s festivities can be posted on its Facebook page. You can post any time day or night to make a contribution.
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible.
FPMT News Around the World
Delegates at Young Minds conference, Sydney, Australia, June 2012. Photo by Brendan Read.
Vajrayana Institute, an FPMT-affiliated center in Sydney, Australia, is celebrating the success of its recent inaugural Young Minds conference. More than 600 delegates converged on the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre to attend the youth-focused event, held June 19-22. Attendees heard presentations by some of the world’s leading speakers (of all ages) on issues concerning the welfare, potential, minds and hearts of today’s young people.
Young Minds conference, June 2012. Photo by Brendan Read.
Speakers included Dr. Larry Rosen, Professor and Past Chair of Psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, whose research into the effects of technology on young people shatters some long-held myths; adult and child neurologist Dr. Judy Willis, who explores creative ways to captivate kids in the classroom; teenage sailor Jessica Watson, who captivated the audience with her story of what it took to be the youngest person ever to sail around the world; and Western Buddhist meditation teacher and chant master Lama Surya Das, who hopes to fan into flames the embers of buddha-nature residing in all of us, including our young folk.
Conference organizers received overwhelmingly positive feedback from Young Minds delegates. Attendee comments repeatedly used words like “inspiring” and “affirming,” and “tears” and “laughter.”
Vajrayana Institute has had many past successes organizing hugely popular public events, including the Happiness & Its Causes and Mind & Its Potential conference series.
For the Young Minds 2013 conference, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has accepted an invitation to speak, marking the fourth time that His Holiness has participated in one of the intitute’s events. “We are very blessed!” write conference organizers. Young Minds 2013 is scheduled for June 19-20, 2013, at the Sydney Town Hall. For more information, visit the Young Minds website.
Vajrayana Institute volunteers at Young Minds conference, Sydney, Australia, June 2012. Photo by Brendan Read.
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
Alan Joyce, 2011, http://ventenzinchogkyi.com/2011/08/31/fundacion-dharma-bogota-colombia/
Alan Joyce, founder of the Dharma Foundation in Bogotá, has been working with dying children in Colombia for 12 years. The former mechanical engineer and his Colombian fashion designer wife, Monica, have been married for 30 years. Ten years into his Buddhist life he stopped manipulating the Dharma to suit his own ego – “I can cheat on my wife but I’m going to be honest about it because we Buddhists don’t tell lies.” It was around then that his work with dying children began.
From Mandala December 2001 – February 2002
FPMT News Around the World
His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrapped up his latest European visit on June 28 after five days in Italy. His Holiness taught for three days in Milan, concluding with an Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) empowerment offered to a stadium of 10,000 people, including many representatives from different religions. Fabrizio Pallotti, who served for many years as Ribur Rinpoche’s interpreter and is a familiar name at many FPMT centers, provided interpretation for His Holiness in Milan.
While in Italy, His Holiness also toured Mirandola, a city in Northern Italy struck by a powerful earthquake in May, killing 17 people, injuring 200 and leaving 14,000 homeless, according to DalaiLama.com. His Holiness also visited Matera in Southern Italy at the invitation of his friend and fellow Nobel Peace Laureate, Betty Williams, who is doing humanitarian work there.
His Holiness now returns to India, where he will teach in Leh (Ladakh) in July and August and Dharamsala for the rest of the year.
For more news on His Holiness the Dalai Lama, visit DalaiLama.com. Photographer Sirianni, whose images regularly grace the pages of Mandala, has shared many beautiful photos of His Holiness in Italy on his Facebook page.
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
FPMT News Around the World
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la offering khatas to Red Tara statue at FPMT International Office, Portland, Oregon, June 2012. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la visited Portland, Oregon, USA, from June 22 through June 24. Rinpoche and Khadro-la both offered well attended public teachings at Maitripa College.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche having tea with International Office staff, June 2012. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
Rinpoche and Khadro-la also met with FPMT International Office staff and blessed many holy objects in the building that Maitripa College and International Office share.
This was Rinpoche’s first visit to Portland and first public teaching in North America since manifesting a stroke. Students traveled from near and far to attend the event.
In addition, the FPMT Media Center for the first time streamed a webcast of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching, which was viewed live by more than 360 people around the world. The video of the teachings is also now available to watch online.
Institut Vajra Yogini in France organized a public showing of the live webcast. Twenty French students attended the middle-of-the-night viewing.
During the public teaching on June 23, Rinpoche gave an oral transmission of Praise to Avalokiteshvara by Songsten Gampo and The Longest Compassionate Buddha Mantra.
Khadro-la gave her first public teaching in North America on June 24. She taught on wisdom and compassion.
Rinpoche and Khadro-la continued their tour of the West Coast of the United States, traveling next to Washington State.
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.
Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom is an FPMT program of secular education for people of all ages and cultures. Until recently, UECW was called Universal Wisdom Education (UWE) and before that it was known as Essential Education (EE) as well as Universal Education (UE). The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) is the FPMT international project that oversees UECW.
From Mandala July-September 2012
A devotional poem for Lama Zopa Rinpoche by Singaporean Santi Yeo Her Chuen.
From Mandala July-September 2012.
Street kids in Kathmandu
Ven. Thubten Khunpel and several other monks from Kopan Monastery in Nepal are working to help the street kids of Kathmandu. Their organization Illuminating Darkness Nepal seeks to make the lives of street children more meaningful. More than an estimated 50,000 street children live in Kathmandu, many begging and rummaging through garbage to survive.
From Mandala July-September 2012.
Susan Drolkar lost 67 kilograms (147 pounds) using a sensible vegetarian diet and moderate exercise. She also found benefactors willing to sponsor her weight loss and raised enough money for approximately 13,500 meals for the monks supported by the Sera Je Food Fund. She dedicates her whole effort – a three-year process – to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, her guru.
From Mandala July-September 2012.
FPMT News Around the World
From dalailama.com photo gallery: His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Bishop of Manchester in Manchester, England, June 17, 2012. Visit dalailama.com for more news and photos.
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama returned to England on Friday, June 15, arriving in Manchester where he gave a series of teachings and public talks. On June 17-18, His Holiness taught on Eight Verses for Training the Mind and Nagarjuna’s In Praise of Dharmadhatu. On Tuesday, June 19, His Holiness spoke in London at Royal Albert Hall on “Real Change Happens in the Heart.”
Jamyang Buddhist Centre had a stall at the Manchester teachings, staffed by many volunteers. They gave out Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive books and leaflets for UK FPMT groups.
His Holiness focused on speaking to young people in Manchester on Saturday, June 16. According to dalailama.com, he told a gathering of leaders from youth organizations, “I belong to the twentieth century, an era that has now passed. It was a time when many people thought that violence was the way to solve our problems. Although the motivation to solve problems was often positive and good, the method, the use of force, was wrong, because invariably violence creates more problems than it solves. What have we learned? that we need to employ non-violence and dialogue to solve our problems.”
Later in the day, the Dalai Lama spoke at the youth-center event “Stand Up and Be the Change.” British comedian Russell Brand introduced and joked with His Holiness and moderated the question and answer period after the talk. More than 10,000 attended the event; tickets were offered free to those 25 and under.
Also while in England, His Holiness traveled to Leeds to speak to the Yorkshire International Business Convention on ethics and business and lectured at the University of Westminster on “Values of Democracy and Tibet.” In addition, he met with the press, a group of Gurkha soldiers based in Manchester and his old friend Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine monk, who has been active in promoting Christian meditation. On June 22-23, His Holiness will be in Scotland, speaking in Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness. Next week, His Holiness travels to Milan before returning to India. For more, visit His Holiness’ website dalailama.com.
With 158 centers, projects and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.