FPMT News Around the World

Screenshot of Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching during the Twenty-one Tara statues consecration at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore.

Recently, Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) in Singapore completed an ambitious holy object project advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The three-year project added statues of all the Twenty-one Taras, each standing twenty-four inches high, to the altar in ABC’s beautiful gompa. As part of the October 2021 statue consecration ceremony activities, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered a teaching via Zoom. We are happy to share the video of this teaching with a complete transcript.

Here’s a summary of Rinpoche’s teaching:

Rinpoche begins by thanking everyone listening for their daily Dharma practice, specifically for benefiting others. Rinpoche then offers praise directly to Tan Hup Cheng, director of ABC, for his decades of service to Rinpoche, actualizing Rinpoche’s wishes. Rinpoche also thanks Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, resident teacher of ABC, explaining that, “Even if you offer him skies of wish-granting jewels, not just diamonds, it is never enough. It is not enough to repay the kindness of Khen Rinpoche teaching each word, each time, each class.” Rinpoche also thanks all of the people who have worked to develop ABC and have put effort in with body, speech, and mind over the years. (Watch a short history of ABC on YouTube.)

“Without ABC having started, then all those sentient beings wouldn’t get this opportunity,” Rinpoche explains. “They would not get this opportunity to be closer to freedom from samsara and closer to achieving enlightenment. So many didn’t get reborn in the lower realms and got a higher rebirth. You have to know that—it all came from all the members who worked at different times, who dedicated their precious time to ABC.” Rinpoche emphasizes that working for the center is fulfilling His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s wishes.

Several of the Twenty-one Taras statues at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore.

Rinpoche explains that everything you do with bodhichitta covers the six-realm sentient beings and benefits all the beings you see around you. When you help one single sentient being, you are fulfilling all the Buddhas’ holy wishes. In fact, helping sentient beings is the best offering to the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Even if you don’t believe in reincarnation and karma, Rinpoche says, you still need holy Dharma, you still need patience. Even if you don’t know Dharma, you need loving kindness and compassion, forgiveness, and moral discipline.

One of the completed Tara statues completed at ABC, Singapore.

You also need to practice contentment and satisfaction, Rinpoche urges. Without it, it is like your mind is in hell. Your happiness has to come from your mind and your suffering has to be stopped from your mind. The mistake is believing that happiness and suffering come from the outside. In fact, enlightenment and hell are in your hands and depend on how you think.

Rinpoche then offers some practical advice for practicing thought transformation in daily life:

1. When you experience suffering think that it finishes your negative karma and that you will have happiness in the future.
2. When you experience suffering take others’ suffering on yourself.

Rinpoche then spends time discussing Mother Tara, who Rinpoche says is the manifestation of all the buddhas’ holy actions. The consecration of the statues followed this teaching. 

Please join us in rejoicing in the completion of this beautiful holy object project, the ongoing success of ABC fulfilling Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wishes, and the offering of this teaching from Rinpoche during the auspicious consecration event. 

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.

To help ensure grants like this continue toward holy objects, all are welcome to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving a teaching during the opening of Buddha House in its new location, Adelaide, Australia, May 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche inspired thousands of students from around the world through the teachings they offered at Kopan Monastery in Nepal during the 1970s and 80s. The centers started by those early students formed the basis for the international FPMT organization. Many of those centers continue to thrive, bringing Dharma teachings to a new generation of students. This year two FPMT centers, Nalanda Monastery in France and Buddha House, in Adelaide, Australia, celebrated their fortieth anniversaries. Here’s an update on Buddha House, based on an article by Lyndy Abrams, who was both key to the founding of the Buddha House and currently serves as the center’s director.

In early December, Buddha House hosted a celebration of its fortieth anniversary. Due to the pandemic, the event was smaller than anticipated. Regardless, forty people gathered for a celebratory dinner, which included a special video from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a presentation on the history of the center with 200 photos, and lots of shared reminiscing, laughter, and rejoicing. 

In Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s video, he sends his greetings and reminisces about the times he has spent at Buddha House. Rinpoche named and thanked all the past directors many times and said they created “skies of merit” and “sacrificed their lives” with patience and dedication. He thanked all the past teachers making special mention of the incredible kindness of Khensur Kangyurwa Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche. He called him Khensur Rinpoche Guru, saying he had helped very much, was very knowledgeable, and was an expert on all the teachings. After giving specific teachings on emptiness, developing bodhicitta, and not wasting our lives, Lama Zopa finished by saying if you help the FPMT center, you help so many sentient beings and this is why the center exists. This is most important, Rinpoche says, to give the opportunity to study the Buddha’s teachings.

Lama Yeshe with Will, Lyndy, and Sarah Jay Abrams, Adelaide, Australia, 1981. Photo courtesy of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Buddha House’s history goes back to the 1970s when Lyndy and Will Abram attended a month-long lamrim courses at Kopan Monastery in Nepal with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 1981, when Lyndy and Will heard that Lama Yeshe would be doing a teaching tour of Australia, they extended an invitation for him to come and teach in Adelaide. 

In late July of that year, Lama Yeshe arrived in the South Australia capital city and taught for three days on The Three Principal Aspects of the Path. The teachings were attended by about seventy-five people, many asking if there was a local center where they could learn more about Buddhism. While in the car driving Lama Yeshe to the airport, Lyndy asked Lama Yeshe if they could start a center in Adelaide. 

“Lama said, ‘Yes,’ and to call it Buddha House, Centre for Advanced Buddhist Studies,” Lyndy writes about the historic moment. “He added that it was up to the students to make it happen, and he advised that we do lamrim meditation.”

Lama Yeshe was accompanied by Ven. Thubten Dondrub on the visit, who is from Adelaide and was by then an ordained monk. Gen Dondrub, as his students call him, became the resident teacher of Buddha House in 2012. This year the center purchased an adjoining property for Gen Dondrub to live in, ensuring he is well cared for even after retirement. The center also offered him a long life puja in June. “We are most fortunate to have him as our teacher,” Lyndy writes.

Tony Migalka, Judy Wagner, Jan Vaughan, and Cathy Davis making long life offerings to Gen Dondrub at Buddha House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 2021. Photo by Joanne Foo.

Over the years, Buddha House has been served by many excellent resident teachers, who Lama Zopa Rinpoche listed and thanked in the video he recorded for the anniversary. The center has also been blessed with visits by many inspiring and well regarded teachers. In particular, in 1992 the center organized a visit to Adelaide by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which included a multi-faith event, a Dharma teaching and Chenrezig empowerment, and a public talk attended by over 12,000 people.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also visited Buddha House on seven occasions over the years. Rinpoche’s first visit was in 1984. Rinpoche’s most recent visit was in 2018, when Rinpoche came to the opening of the center’s new building.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the opening of Buddha House in its new building, Adelaide, Australia, May 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“Buddha House has a very strong volunteer base, with no paid workers. Many have given over twenty years of service, either in the office or leading meditations. Some of the founding members still lead meditations,” Lyndy Abram writes. “Buddha’s Bowl Catering has brought in need funds during our evolving years with up to twenty volunteers cooking and serving food at major events. Buddha House volunteers supported the building of the stupa at DeTong Ling Retreat Centre, our sister center on Kangaroo Island, and volunteers have ensured the success of many other projects, including the initial visits of the Gyuto monks and events with the Maitreya Loving Kindness Relic Tour.” 

The center has an active spiritual program that includes regular Dharma teachings and several guided meditations offered each week. They also organize several popular outreach programs, including a program for those recovering from addiction, a children’s class, programs for those with life challenging illnesses, and a mental health first aid training course. The center also mentors the Himalayan Buddhist refugee community living in the northern suburbs.

Please join us in rejoicing in all the beneficial activities of Buddha House and its dedicated students for so many years. 

To learn more about Buddha House, visit their website Buddhahouse.org.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Gompa of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling during 100 Million Mani Retreat, which was streamed live to participants, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 2021. Photo courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is to sponsor 100 million mani retreats around the world. During a 100 million mani retreat, participants collectively recite 100 million OM MANI PADME HUM mantras. For a ninth year, FPMT Mongolia and Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, the FPMT center in Ulaanbaatar, have organized a successful 100 million mani retreat. Tuya Purevgonchig, who became director of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling and FPMT Mongolia in June 2021, shared the news of the completion of the retreat in a letter to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

“I am happy to report to you that we have successfully completed the ninth Mani Retreat, a hundred percent online, in accordance with the current guidelines and circumstances of the pandemic, as instructed by the Mongolian government,” Tuya writes. The retreat took place September 6 through October 6, 2021.

FPMT Mongolia and Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling organized their first mani retreat in 2013. That initial retreat was led by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and was the first big retreat that he led after he manifested a stroke in 2011. Since then, they have organized a 100 million mani retreat annually.

Offerings and altar in gompa of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling during 100 Million Mani Retreat, which was streamed live to participants, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 2021. Photo courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.

Ven. Thubten Gyalmo, resident teacher at Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, and four other nuns of Dolma Ling Nunnery in Ulaanbaatar led the retreat from 7:30 A.M. until 6:30 P.M. every day in the gompa at the center, which was streamed live to the public. 

Jhado Rinpoche spoke at the retreat’s opening ceremony. He also gave a talk on the benefits of the six syllables of the mani mantra during the retreat. Geshe Thubten Zopa, an FPMT touring teacher, attended the first and last sessions, giving a talk and concluding dedications. 

The center organized mantra recitations separately at the Battsagaan Temple of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery for the last three days of the retreat. Two hundred monks attended on the first day, then between thirty to fifty monks from Idgachoinzinling Dratsangs attended on the last two days. 

Gompa of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling during 100 Million Mani Retreat, which was streamed live to participants, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 2021. Photo courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.

“It was challenging and yet truly a rewarding first mani retreat experience for me as a new director. However, with the kindness of all the FPMT Mongolia staff, nuns, donors, and the Dharma students from all around the world, we managed to complete the Mani Retreat 2021 together successfully,” Tuya writes.

“This year, the total number of  mantra recitations was 114,442,502. On behalf of FPMT Mongolia, I’m delighted to offer Rinpoche this mantra number with all the merit accumulated. May it be a cause for Rinpoche to have a very long life and may it steadily accomplish all your wishes for Mongolia, bringing limitless benefit to sentient beings.”

Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 2021. Photo courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.

The Practice and Retreat Fund provides grants and sponsorships for students engaged in retreats such as 108 nyung nä retreats, 100 million mani retreats, recitations of sutras, and long term retreat.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Foundation Service Seminar participants at Nalanda Monastery, France, September 2021. Photo by Ven. Zoksang.

The Foundation Service Seminar (FSS) is the “FPMT immersion retreat.” It provides essential information and nourishment for all serving, or wishing to serve, in the FPMT organization. The FSS Retreat is key to deeply understanding the FPMT organization and the attitude we seek to cultivate as we offer service in the organization. This experiential retreat helps us to actualize the advice that service is practice and to enjoy and rejoice when offering service. Séverine Savignan, who participated in the recent FSS at Nalanda Monastery near Lavaur, France, shares her thoughts on the experience:

Those of us who gathered for the Foundation Service Seminar in late September were fortunate to be able to retreat for a few days at Nalanda Monastery in France. With beautiful gardens surrounding us, a great group of thirty-seven participants settled into the monastery’s amazing gompa for five days of sessions. I’ve been living and studying here in Lavaur since 2019, and it was truly refreshing to be able to connect with other Dharma practitioners, coming from Brazil, Romania, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

While we all can look at the FPMT.org website to learn more about what the FPMT organization has to offer, attending the FSS in person helped me really understand in-depth what this international mandala is about. Facilitators Annelies van der Heijden and François Lecointre walked us through FPMT’s lineage, its foundation by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and the history of its development. We learned about Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT and the Five Pillars of Service (Dharma, Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom, social/community service, interfaith activities, and revenue generating activities). Participants had opportunities to reflect and talk to each other throughout these sessions, making it highly meaningful.     

FSS facilitator Annelies van der Heijden, Nalanda Monastery, France, September 2021. Photo by Ven. Zoksang.

I was quite surprised to discover the amount of resources that are available within the FPMT network to support our individual and collective practices. There are many study programs and secular materials available. In addition, there are many charitable projects around the world. Navigating all of these activities and resources is a bit like a maze. Our challenge will be using these resources wisely in order to support our respective projects. 

Lama Yeshe created a sense of “family feeling” within the FPMT organization, and it was a key point of the FSS to foster that community feeling and help us set the intention for perpetuating it. Another key point was Lama Yeshe’s vision for the preservation of the Dharma. All this was quite powerful on a personal level, and I think that all of the participants went back to their respective centers and projects with many ideas and points to reflect upon.    

FSS participants in a break out group discussion, Nalanda Monastery, September 2021. Photo by Marine Cecilia.

FSS participants playing an Inner Job Description game, Nalanda Monastery, September 2021. Photo by Marine Cecilia.

The format of the seminar was both focused and participatory. There was so much to learn about offering service within the FPMT mandala. We could have spent two more days covering all the details. We nonetheless had time to exchange ideas during tea breaks and lunch time.                     

This seminar reinforced my conviction that for any Dharma project to succeed, we need a clear motivation, a solid common foundation, and an appropriate structure for doing the work. Our role while offering service within the FPMT organization is to think on how we can help support and actualize the vision and wishes of our lamas, whatever our competencies are, and whatever time we can wisely and happily give.

We know that serving a center, a monastery, a project, or a study group requires a lot of energy. And indeed, as mentioned during the seminar, I shall not forget to relax, rejoice, and rest!

Ven. Palmo Detchen taking notes during the Foundation Service Seminar, Nalanda Monastery, France, September 2021. Photo by Ven. Zoksang.

Séverine Savignan is a French student based in Lavaur, France. While living in Singapore, she and her husband met the Dharma in 2015 at Amitabha Buddhist Centre. Now both Séverine and her husband study at Nalanda Monastery, while also raising a nine-year-old son. 

For more information on the Foundation Service Seminar and to find out how to register for future events, visit FPMT Service Seminars. 

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.

International Mahayana Institute Sangha, Nalanda Monastery, Lavaur, France, 1983. Foreground left side: Francesco Prevosti. Photo (L to R): Dieter Kratzer, Murray Wright, Adrian Feldmann/Gyatso, Jean-Marie, Jimi Neale, David Marks, Geshe Tegchok, Pierro Siriani (rear), Steve Carlier, Martin Willson, Thuben Sherab Sherpa (rear), Lama Thubten Yeshe, Elizabeth Drukier, Joseph Fontaine, Merry Colony (middle), Martine Darrou (rear), Father Bastiani (a local priest, in blue), Sangye Khadro (middle), Thubten Chodron, Anne-Marie, Beppe Molinari, Celia Smith. Photo courtesy Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Nalanda Monastery, located in Labastide St. Georges, Lavaur, France, is a thriving international center for Dharma study and practice. As a way to celebrate four decades of hard work and devotion, former center director Ven. Tendar and Ven. Jampa (Joris van Bakel) hosted online interviews with many people integral to the founding and development of the monastery. Here Vens. Tendar and Jampa share more on the video series and anniversary activities:

More than forty years ago Nalanda Monastery was founded in an old run-down building in the South of France. Now Nalanda is a flourishing monastery with almost thirty monks, two resident geshes, and an incredibly rich history. As a way to celebrate our fortieth anniversary, we have taken the opportunity to go back in time and see how Nalanda has developed over the years into what it is today. In addition, we want to honor Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his wish to preserve our rich history, honor those who came before us, and understand where we come from. We also wanted to do this while we still have the opportunity to hear the direct experiences of those who started it all. 

With these things in mind we started a series of interviews that we call “Nalanda Monastery 40th Anniversary, Honouring Our Former Generations.” With our former directors spread out around the world and our newly acquired Zoom skills, we decided to stream the interviews, which are in English and French. The resulting video recordings create a kind of virtual time capsule, and thus they will be available for all those who come after us as well. In addition to the world-wide Zoom audience, we have a gompa filled with monks, students, and volunteers, who are all eager to learn more about the history of the place they call home.

Nalanda monks during a special 40th-anniversary event with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Nalanda Monastery, October 2021. Photo courtesy of Nalanda Monastery.

We started the series interviewing the French nun Ven. Elisabeth Drukier, who we might refer to as our founding mother as she was instrumental in acquiring the Rouzegas property that we now call our home. Ven. Elisabeth is currently the director of Kalachakra Centre in Paris. More than forty years ago, she was the director of Institut Vajra Yogini, which is also in the South of France. One day she had to call Lama Yeshe to notify him that one of the towers of the Vajra Yogini property had burned down. To this Lama Yeshe replied with great delight, and it turned out that this event would indeed be a great event. The insurance money for the fire allowed for the purchase of the Rouzegas property. It is these kind of priceless stories that make up the history of Nalanda Monastery. Toward the end of the video, Ven. Elisabeth was joined by Ven. Chantal, who is now the director of the nearby Monastére Dorje Pamo. Ven. Chantal also had many stories to share of her memories of these early Nalanda days.

Our second interview was with the first Nalanda monk: Ven. Thubten Gyatso (Adrian Feldmann), an Australian monk who has offered service in many capacities within the FPMT organization. Ven. Gyatso shared his very vivid memories of those first nights in the old building, which looked more like a ghost house than a monastery at that time. Ven. Gyatso told a precious story about the visit by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama to Nalanda in the 1980s. As His Holiness was preparing to depart from Nalanda by car, just before stepping into the car, His Holiness stood next to the old gate and suddenly looked back at Nalanda. Time seemed to stop while His Holiness made strong prayers. This particular instant was not only recognized by Ven. Gyatso as a defining moment for Nalanda, but also by others who we interviewed later. 

For our third interview, we talked to Geshe Losang Jamphel, our greatly respected and cherished current abbot. It is due to Geshe Jamphel’s incredible persistence that Nalanda is flourishing. Geshe-la came to Nalanda in 2000 and in the interview described his journey from a small Tibetan village to crossing the Himalayas into India to eventually arriving in the small French village that we now call our home. Not only did Geshe-la talk about his experiences in Nalanda, but he also took the time to thank all of those that helped him and that are still helping him today.

Our fourth interview was with English monk Ven. Steve Carlier, who joined us online from the United States. Ven. Steve served as a translator for Geshe Jampa Tegchuk, who was abbot of Nalanda in the 1980s, and now teaches at Land of Medicine Buddha in the United States. Our fifth interview was with the American student John Feuille, who served as an acting director of the monastery in the 80s and director during 1998-99. Both Ven. Steve and John talked about their time at Nalanda, mainly during the 1980s, and inspired a sense of wonder in us. As John Feuille said, “Think about Nalanda, about the whole FPMT, it is almost an impossible thing in this age.” 

In a highlight of this series, on October 16, a group of former directors and people who contributed greatly to the monastery were interviewed. This interview includes memories from Ven. Roger Kunsang, Ven. Gyaltsen, Ven. Tendar, Henri Charpentier, and Stephan (Pende) Wormland. Ven. Tendar symbolically handed over the keys of the monastery to our new director Ven. Tharchin. In a separate video interview, Canadian student Jean-François Bergevin, who was a monk at Nalanda in the 1990s and then served as director from 1999-2002, shares stories from this period and also talks about the construction of the public building at Nalanda, completed in 2008. A special video presentation on the building is included in this video.

On October 18, we received a great honor when Lama Zopa Rinpoche himself offered us a live teaching from his room at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. It was wonderful to have Rinpoche participate in our fortieth anniversary celebration in this way.

Please rejoice with us for all the years of Dharma study and practice at Nalanda Monastery. May it continue long into the future.

Group picture of sangha at Nalanda with Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin. Sangha at Nalanda Monastery with Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin, Geshe Jampel, and Geshe Gyaltsen, Nalanda Monastery, France, September 2019. Photo by Harald Weichhart. Also pictured: Attendant of Ganden Tripa, Vens. Sherab, Lektsok, Irene, Gendun, Sangpo, Choepel, Geshe Graham Woodhouse, Vens. Tenzin, Thekchog, Tharchin, Zopa, Tsultrim, Jamyang, Tsondru, Tenpa, Tendar, Thubten, Khunken, Tsultrim, Gendun, Zoksang, Gyaltsen, Ani Tenzin, and Ven. Raffa.

You can learn about Nalanda Monastery by visiting their website. Find the “Nalanda Monastery 40th Anniversary, Honouring Our Former Generations” videos and more on Nalanda Monastery’s YouTube channel.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from 150 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Screenshot of Light Offering Video created by the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia, October 2021

The Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia, which is an association of Malaysian Tibetan Buddhist centers and organizations, has created a beautiful video of advice and prayers, featuring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Ganden Tripa, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and many other high lamas from the various Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

The VBCM, of which the Malaysian FPMT centers are members, made a request to its teachers to pray for the victims of COVID-19 and give advice to Malaysians, who were facing many challenges.

This video is a result of VBCM’s request and includes light offerings and advice from a dozen precious teachers. In addition, many venerable ordained sangha and lay students also make light offerings. There are also many expressions of gratitude for the COVID support organized by VBCM members.

On this auspicious day of Lhabab Duchen, we invite you to please enjoy this video of light offerings, advice, and prayers from so many precious teachers:
https://youtu.be/qGbYNRsMqsk

You can learn more about the FPMT centers in Malaysia by visiting their respective websites.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Yangsi Rinpoche during the Vajrasattva retreat at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, August 2021. Photo by Tsanka Petkova.

In August 2021, Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY), an FPMT center in southeastern France, hosted a ten-day Vajrasattva retreat with Yangsi Rinpoche. Christian Charrier, the spiritual program coordinator at IVY, shared this story of the retreat.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety measures decided by the government, we could not, as usual, host Yangsi Rinpoche for our yearly Vajrasattva retreat at Institut Vajra Yogini. Still the conditions were not so bad, since we managed to organize this retreat online with Rinpoche giving talks every day from a remote location.

But this year, our repeated prayers and aspirations had proved successful! Rinpoche, out of kindness, accepted our invitation to come in person to visit us. After a few months of suspense, not knowing for sure if he would be able to travel to France from the United States, we were delighted to see him come out of the director’s car after arriving at IVY and greet all the people waiting in line to welcome him with colorful khatas, broad smiles, and “thanks” on their lips. This was August, the sun was bright, and we all had masks!

As soon as Rinpoche entered the chateau, he went straight to the gompa to do full-length prostrations in front of Geshe Tengye’s reliquary stupa. With tears pearling in our eyes, we felt so fortunate and grateful that Rinpoche had come from such a far distance and was with us in his “real” physical form to help us purify our negativities.

Yangsi Rinpoche with students at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, August 2021. Photo by Tsanka Petkova.

The next day, Rinpoche started the retreat as usual by giving Vajrasatta initiation and practice instructions. The sessions were structured as he advised, starting with prostrations to the Thirty-Five Buddhas of Confession and supplemented with Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga. As additional methods for transforming the mind during this Vajrasattva retreat, Rinpoche had us recite the Song of the Four Mindfulnesses, Calling the Guru from Afar, and stanzas on emptiness from the Wheel of Sharp Weapons.

Those who were not able to do the whole retreat or had not been tested for COVID could follow some sessions outside on the lawn. They could also join the evening events, which were organized every other day, and attend other practices such as reciting the Praises to the Twenty-one Taras, doing fumigation (smoke purification) practice, and receiving the lung of the Diamond Cutter Sutra from Rinpoche.

Yangsi Rinpoche with students at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, August 2021. Photo by Tsanka Petkova.

On the first day of the retreat, Rinpoche had suggested that we take notes of whatever insights on emptiness and of other experiences we had to be presented during a performance planned for the close of the retreat. Many people wanted to participate, and it was challenging to integrate everybody’s ideas and present them in a coherent and playful form. After a few rehearsals, it turned out that “COVID” and “emptiness” (“vide” in French) would make a tempting play on words and help us turn difficulties into humor. Several participants performed little sketches, accompanied by music, songs, duets, dances, scarfs, bubbles, … and much laughter.

In the same way that Rinpoche had led us to the open stage in the shade of the oak trees, he brought us all into bright light around the white stupa, where all the participants could fit in a complete circle. Finally, right in front of the main door, Rinpoche sang with us a homemade song created for the occasion, called “Tong pa nyi Blues.” Indeed it chased our blues away, giving us confidence that the lama is always at our heart’s door, ready to come in … whenever we invite him.

Learn more about Institut Vajra Yogini online.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Abbot Geshe Loden with nuns in the Monastère Dorje Pamo gompa, Fiac, France, 2021

Monastère Dorje Pamo is a monastery for FPMT nuns. It is located in southeastern France near Institut Vajra Yogini and Nalanda Monastery. Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi, coordinator of the monastery, shares this update:

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who together founded the FPMT organization, have both explained that the continuity of the teachings of the Buddha depend on the sustainability of the Sangha, which is the community of monks and nuns. They have advised that it is important, once ordained, to be able to live in a place that brings together the best conditions for studying and practicing Dharma, living in harmony, and taking care of each other.

Monastère Dorje Pamo aspires to be such a place.

The property that houses the monastery was donated in 2016 by a volunteer who was involved at Institut Vajra Yogini in the early eighties. After quite extensive renovation works on the building, three nuns took up residence during autumn 2018. They were myself, Chantal Tenzin Dekyi, in the role of project coordinator;  Ven. Losang Dekyi, who since has moved to O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros in Spain and has done a long retreat; and Peggy van der Hoogen, a postulant from the Netherlands. Following our settling in, there has been a lot of comings and goings of visitors, until more recently when the community stabilized.

Indeed, in December 2019, Béatrice, a long-time FPMT student, came to join us. Then a year later, Inge arrived from the Netherlands. Both stayed as aspirants preparing for ordination.

This year, on the auspicious day of July 14, 2021—which was Chökhor Duchen, the Wheel Turning Day that commemorates the First Teaching of the Buddha on the four noble truths—the ordinations finally occurred. Geshe Gyaltsen from Nalanda Monastery conferred novice ordination on three new nuns and three new monks.

Therefore, our two aspirants, Béatrice and Inge, became Ven. Gyaltsen Chökyi and Ven. Gyaltsen Palmo, in addition to Sophie, a student of Nalanda Monastery, now Ven. Gyaltsen Chötso. There are now altogether four nuns residing at the Dorje Pamo. Two other French nuns are regular visitors: Ven. Detchen, who is taking care of her sick father, and Ven. Lhamo, who came out of a long retreat in autumn 2020 and is currently visiting friends and family.

There are also several nuns who are part of our community although not as residents. They join us for regular pujas, special events, and to help with service. Ven. Tenzin Pema is our accountant. Some of the nuns take turns in guiding meditations and participating in our program. The program has been very reduced due to the pandemic’s restrictions. However, we continue to offer weekly meditations and Tara pujas online through Zoom. Some of our friends are glad to stay connected in this way.

In addition, on the auspicious full-moon day of July 24, we welcomed our abbot, Geshe Tenzin Loden, who was appointed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The enthronement was a very joyous celebration day. After inviting Geshe-la to the gompa, we recited Requests and Homage to the Sixteen Arhats, who are specially connected to the Sangha. The Sixteen Arhats, also known as the Sixteen Elders, were personally chosen by Shakyamuni Buddha, who asked them to remain in the world to maintain the Dharma. They vowed to stay until the time of the future Buddha Maitreya in order to help the Dharma flourish.

Geshe-la gave an inspiring talk about the importance and role of Sangha in preserving and developing the Dharma; the importance of training in ethics as the basis of all trainings; and the importance of harmony in monastic community as the necessary condition for temporal and ultimate happiness. And that is exactly what we are trying to implement.

After these happy events, our community life is taking shape. We are settling in a rhythm of joint, as well as personal, practice, study, and offering service to the community. And we are preparing for the expansion of our program and resources for our community to grow in harmony among ourselves and with the environment.

You can learn more about Monastère Dorje Pamo on their website, MonastereDorjePamo.org.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Tony Migalka, Judy Wagner, Jan Vaughan, and Cathy Davis making long life offerings to Gen Dondrub at Buddha House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 2021. Photo by Joanne Foo.

Buddha House, the FPMT center located in a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, celebrated their resident teacher Ven. Thubten Dondrub. Carole Migalka, Tara Hall coordinator, shares the story.

On June 20, 2021, Dharma brothers and sisters from around Australia and overseas gathered at Buddha House, Adelaide, Australia, in person and online, to offer a White Tara long life ceremony to Ven. Thubten Dondrub—fondly known to students as Gen Dondrub. Approximately 130 people participated in the event, with forty-nine people in our gompa and with the livestream being watched throughout Australia and as far away as Malaysia and Mongolia. People traveled from Western Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales to enjoy the puja. Following the event, a delicious lunch was served to fifty-three people in Tara Hall.

When Buddha House director Lyndy Abram and spiritual program coordinator Judy Wagner presented the idea of offering a long life puja, it took some convincing to get Gen Dondrub to agree. However, with the knowledge that full support was expressed from International Office and FPMT Australia, Gen-la humbly agreed to the event, making it the first long life puja offered to a member of the International Mahayana Institute (IMI), which is the community of FPMT monks and nuns, and an important example of honoring Western Sangha.

Pavel Janko, Ven. Drime, Ven. Kaye Miner, and Sandy Faber seated in the front row offering prayers at the White Tara Long Life Ceremony at Buddha House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 2021. Photo by Joanne Foo.

Leading the puja was Ven. Thubten Drime, one of four nuns living in temporary accommodation while working to establish the Machig Labdron nuns community at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo. Some students were unable to attend in person due to COVID-19 restrictions, but conducive conditions saw the South Australia border open to regional Victoria just in time for Ven. Drime, who took lay vows with Gen Dondrub, to travel to Adelaide to lead the ceremony.

Extensive offerings were made, an abundance of flowers arranged, and students—dressing for the theme—transformed the gompa into a sea of white. Sponsorship and offerings came, with gratitude, from across the globe, and true to Gen Dondrub’s manner he offered them on to fellow Australian monastics.

With skies of devotion and respect, Gen Dondrub has offered extensive service to Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche since meeting them both in 1976 and receiving gelong ordination from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Australia in 1979. Gen Dondrub has served as a director, on boards, and led the month-long November course at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, eight times. He continues to lead lamrim retreats at De-Tong Ling Retreat Center on Kangaroo Island in Australia.

Gen Dondrub has lived at Sera Je Monastery in India. He has taught in Taiwan as well as helped establish Jinsiu Farlin, the FPMT center in Taipei. He has been a resident and director at Nalanda Monastery in France and has taught in many additional countries, including New Zealand, India, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, United States, and Mexico. Gen Dondrub has served as IMI’s education officer, been the resident teacher at Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, in Perth, Australia, and supported and taught at the Tara Meditation Centre in Bunbury and the Gyalwa Ensapa Broome Study Group.

Gen Dondrub continues to teach an extensive Dharma program as resident teacher at Buddha House. The program includes Discovering Buddhism, lamrim, traditional practices and pujas, retreat days, and the popular Sunday talks, offering practical Dharma solutions for everyday living.

In “Preparing for Ordination” on the IMI website, Gen Thubten Dondrub writes, “Adopting the life of a renunciate is a life-long commitment in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. One takes ordination because one realizes that this human life really is rare and precious and wants to use it in the most meaningful way—both for oneself and others.”

Students around the globe touched by Gen Dondrub’s service and commitment can wholeheartedly agree he has, and continues to, use his life in the most meaningful way.

Gen Dondrub’s Thank You Letter

Gen Dondrub at Buddha House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 2021. Photo by Joanne Foo.

Dear Dharma brothers and sisters,

I would just like to thank everyone who was involved in any way, big or small, directly or indirectly, in the wonderful, auspicious White Tara long life puja that was held at Buddha House on Sunday, June 20, 2021.

Thank you to all the people who attended the puja in person at Buddha House, and to those who watched online in various places around Australia and even overseas.

Thank you to all those generous people whose sponsorship made the puja not just possible, but a genuinely beautiful and joyful event.

Thank you to all the many hard-working people whose enthusiastic efforts over many months made this puja a reality that went so smoothly and harmoniously.

Thank you,  Judy Wagner, the amazing spiritual program coordinator of Buddha House, whose original idea it was to have this puja and who meticulously planned and organized the event down to the finest detail.

Thank you to Lyndy Abram, the director of Buddha House and to Peter Stickels and Stephanie Brennan at FPMTA who gave their strong support to this project.

Although I don’t personally deserve such a wonderful event, I accepted on behalf of all the monks and nuns of the International Mahayana Institute, the Sangha arm of the FPMT organization, in the hope that the puja would be auspicious for people to develop a greater recognition and appreciation for the work that the IMI Sangha have done in spreading the Dharma and supporting people in their practice. I personally feel that the event was genuinely auspicious because there was such a joyful atmosphere throughout the puja and the meal that followed, but also a sense of lightness and calmness and a strong “family feeling” that Lama Yeshe always encouraged.

So this puja was a long life puja for everyone involved and an offering to all the Sangha. For this reason all excess sponsorship will be donated to Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery and Machig Labdron Nunnery in Bendigo. In addition a total of $4,417 was offered to me by various centers and students during the puja, which I also offer to the same two monastic communities.

Best wishes,
Thubten Dondrub

To learn more about Buddha House, visit their website Buddhahouse.org. You can find the International Mahayana Institute online at IMIsangha.org.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Tara altar prepared by Maria Berger for the New Year’s Eve practice at Tara Mandala Center, Bavaria, Germany, December 2020. Photo by Maria Kruming.

Tara Mandala Center, the FPMT center in Landau an der Isar, Bavaria, Germany, has continued to engage in Dharma practice during the past year. Katrin Veicht, a board member for the center, shares the story about their eight million Tara mantra goal and other activities:

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic everything that had felt normal became difficult. Meeting in our gompa was no longer possible and lots of teaching and courses had to be canceled. Before, we had not been particularly well equipped or technically experienced, but the COVID crisis taught us to move to online programs and establish Zoom meetings for the weekly lamrim courses with our resident teacher, Dieter Kratzer. Now we are very grateful to use these online resources. It has helped a lot to keep us connected.

In January 2021 we started to recite the Green Tara mantra upon the recommendation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to stop the pandemic, with the goal to recite eight million mantras by the end of 2021. Once a week, we meet online and recite “Praises to the Twenty-One Taras” and the mantra together. Two Sunday mornings a month, we do the Chittamani Tara Puja, led from Ven. Thubten Drolma. By mid of June 2021, we recited had 4,784,854 Tara mantras, accomplished by about twenty-five members reciting the mantra on a daily basis.

Weekly lamrim class taught by Dieter Kratzer, Tara Mandala Center, Bavaria, Germany, December 2020. Photo by Maria Kruming.

In February, at Losar, we started to do the recommended practice to protect from the Coronavirus by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on a daily basis. Every morning from Monday to Friday we come together via Zoom and do the daily morning practice by Rinpoche “The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness” and recite the Vajra Armor mantra and the Black Manjushri mantra. At the end we recite and contemplate on the wonderful prayer of Khadro Namsel Dorje Rinpoche. We dedicate all the merits accumulated by these prayers and recitations to all who are affected by the virus.

Another wonderful highlight for Tara Mandala Center was the twenty-four hour recitation of the Sanghata Sutra on Saka Dawa Duchen in May 2021.This was inspired by prayer marathons at other centers in the FPMT. Sixteen participants recited the Sutra six times completely. Please rejoice with us!

We are still very motivated and keen to continue with all these wonderful and helpful practice and prayers.

To learn more about Tara Mandala Center, visit their website:
https://www.tara-mandala.de/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Ven. Paloma Alba and Karen Molina at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain, May 2021. Photo by Steve Milton.

On May 20, 2021, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, the FPMT center in Valencia, Spain, joyously announced the publication of El Mundo Físico, a 568-page hardcover Spanish translation of Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Volume 1: The Physical World, published by Madrid-based Kailas Editorial. The English translation, edited by Geshe Thupten Jinpa and translated into English by Ian Coghlan, was published by Wisdom Publications in 2017. Center director Steve Milton shares the story.

Our center is pleased to have translated The Physical World into Spanish. It is the first in a series of four volumes of books called Science and Philosophy In The Indian Buddhist Classics. Conceived of and introduced by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this is a project very close to His Holiness’s heart and one that he is keen to see translated into as many languages as possible.

The wish to translate the book into Spanish (and many other languages) comes directly from His Holiness. The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama directly contacted Karen Molina, who has served as His Holiness’s Spanish translator at his events across Europe. They asked Karen if she was interested, and if so how much she would charge to translate the book and how long she would need to finish the project.

El Mundo Físico, Valencia, Spain, May 2021. Photo by Steve Milton.

Karen felt that it would be an honor and a privilege, but she realized she really didn’t have the time to dedicate to such a project. Karen serves as translator and attendant to Geshe Lamsang, our FPMT resident geshe, and  she is extremely busy taking care of our teacher and translating at our public events. She also translates for the FPMT Basic Program and travels to the other FPMT centers in Spain with with Geshe Lamsang to translate his teachings.

While discussing the opportunity with Karen, I remembered that in the past Lama Zopa Rinpoche had said that the purpose of the FPMT organization and centers is to fulfill His Holiness’s wishes. I encouraged Karen to agree to the project with the support of our center, and on the condition that it be volunteer work with no payment involved.

I suggested to Karen that instead of translating the text herself, that she seek permission from the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to form a team of volunteers from our center to translate the text. Since the text had already been translated into English, our team could translate from English into Spanish, and Karen could refer to the original Tibetan text if needed. Karen thought that two years would be a realistic amount of time to complete the project. The Office of His Holiness liked the idea and gave Karen permission to move forward.

Karen began to consider who should be on this translation project dream team of five people. The team would need four people to focus on translation work and one person to edit each contribution and the final text to ensure a consistent style, vocabulary usage, and seamless flow. Each volunteer would need to have an excellent level of English, a good understanding of the Dharma, and it would be great if some team members had a scientific background.

Karen quickly identified four people from our center who would be perfect for the project. German Torregroa and Carolina Gallego are biologists, and Carolina has a PhD in biotechnology. They have been studying the Dharma and the FPMT Basic Program at our center for a long time and are proficient in English. David Vivas is a medical doctor, a PhD, a professor of health economics and management at the University Polytecnic of Valencia, and a long-time Dharma student. David has also worked on our center’s publishing projects, helping to share Geshe Lamsang’s teachings with more people. Ven. Paloma Alba is our center’s spiritual coordinator, long-time Dharma student, and editor of the free distribution books we’ve published of Geshe Lamsang’s teachings.

Carolina, David, German, and Karen began by dividing the English translation of the text up into four sections. Each person would translate a different section. Ven. Paloma would check their translations, and correct the style and flow, and then edit the final Spanish translation. The team gathered together in our center to discuss the best translation of terms and scientific expressions, and to agree on which vocabulary words they would stick to. Karen managed the overall project, while Ven. Paloma inspired everyone with her infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy.

This was a difficult book to translate, and it took two years to complete the project. Readers will encounter Indian Buddhist scholastic concerns with the material elements, the sensory capacities, time, atomism, cosmology, theories of the body, the brain, and even discussions of micro-organisms found in the body. The language is very scientific, and the concepts presented are very complicated. This is why some members of our translation team come from scientific backgrounds. Despite the difficulties, they persevered, and now the first book is finally finished.

Although this was a big project, our center is grateful we had this opportunity to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish to serve His Holiness and fulfill His Holiness’s wish that this text be made available to everyone around the world. We felt it was particularly important to translate it into Spanish because so many people around the world speak Spanish. We also rejoice in the skies of merit our center members, donors, and volunteers created through our efforts.

Read more about it in the Spanish language online news outlet El Español: “Editando al Dalái Lama el día que señalan los planetas.”

Geshe Lamsang announced the book’s publication during an online Basic Program class, praising the students involved and thanking them for their hard work. He also thanked the publishers for printing the book. Due to the pandemic our celebration will have to wait, but we will definitely organize a rejoicing party at our center as soon as we can get together again. In the meantime our team has already started translating the second volume in the series.

Watch the thirty-minute video “Presentación del libro del Dalai Lama: ‘Ciencia y filosofía: El mundo físico'” (Presentation of the Dalai Lama’s book: “Science and Philosophy: The Physical World”):

To learn more about Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, visit their website:
https://nagarjunavalencia.com/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Karuna Hospice Services nurses Mel and Hollie testing new podcasting equipment with Ven. Tsultrim at Karuna Hospice Services in preparation for an interview with Alana Cresswell from Donate Life Queensland and Phillipa Lazenby from the Queensland Tissue Bank, April 2021. Photo by Verena Coombs.

Karuna Hospice Services in Windsor, Queensland, Australia, has a new initiative to help people prepare for their own death and the deaths of loved ones. Verena Coombs, who does community relations for the hospice, shares the story of their podcast, “What About Death!?”:

Karuna Hospice Service in Brisbane, Australia, launched a podcast in April called “What About Death!? Everything you wanted to know about death but were afraid to ask.” The purpose of the podcast is to bring the topic of death out of the dark and into the open by exploring the many aspects, perspectives, and nuances of dying and death with the hope of reducing some of the stigma, taboo, fear, difficulty, and discomfort that often accompanies this inevitable part of life.

Ven. Lozang Tsultrim, who is a counselor at Karuna and previously presented a community radio program for several years, interviews people from Australia and around the world, who share their various experiences, insights, and research into dying and death.

What About Death!? podcast. Image by Karuna Hospice Services.

We are hopeful that by listening to these many and varied perspectives and experiences that we can stimulate curiosity in a very non-threatening way, thereby opening up the conversation and sparking interest. We hope that will result in more people talking openly about dying and death with their friends and family, leading to a greater understanding, less stress and a more peaceful and spacious way of responding whether death is arriving for us or for others.

We have a new episode every two weeks and the podcast can be found on Apple, Spotify, Google, and on the Karuna website. Special thanks to our podcasting team Joshua Byrd, Shannon Callander, Ven. Tsultrim, and Verena Coombs.

In addition, Karuna is continuing to provide regular community education online, with mindfulness courses, and the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom courses Unlocking Your Potential and Building Balanced Empathy. We hope to continue with the 16 Guidelines in the not too distant future. Do take a look at our website for upcoming course information.

Host Ven. Tsultrim recording an introduction with volunteer podcast editor Kiara Fauzi at Karuna Hospice Services, April 2021. Photo by Verena Coombs.

As a free community hospice service that has been offering palliative care in Brisbane, Australia for twenty-nine years, we are so very grateful for the privilege and the gift of caring for the dying and those with life limiting illness. We are very aware that so few others are afforded such a worthwhile, satisfying, and profound opportunity. Karuna is hopeful that in supporting individuals and families as they navigate their way along this path that we can continue to relish this opportunity to offer people comfort, care, and clinical expertise free of charge. We are very happy to announce that 2022 is our thirtieth anniversary, an amazing achievement! 

To learn more about Karuna Hospice Services, including ways to offer support, visit their website:
https://karuna.org.au/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.