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Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the Kadampa stupa with Geshe Gelek Chodha, Geshe Tenley and Geshe Sangpo at Kadampa Center, Raleigh, North Carolina, US, May 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.
On his way to the Light of the Path retreat, Lama Zopa Rinpoche spent a day at Kadampa Center on Saturday, May 3. During the visit, Rinpoche taught two sessions on the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Kadampa Center, May 3, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.
Kadampa Center is a thriving FPMT center in Raleigh, North Carolina, US. During Rinpoche’s visit he blessed their beautiful Kadampa stupa, which they completed last year. Geshe Gelek Chodha serves as the center’s resident teacher and offers weekly teachings at the center. The center also has a successful and popular children’s program.
You can read more about this active and growing center in “Kadampa Center’s Past, Present and Future Times” from Mandala’s January-March 2014 issue.
Children offering khatas to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kadampa Center, May 3, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.
Waiting to meeting Lama Zopa Rinpoche upon his arrival in North Carolina, April 30, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving in North Carolina with Ven. Roger Kunsang, April 30, 2014. Photo copyright David Strevel.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Ven. Robina Courtin, Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, US, March 2014. Photo by Marc Sakamoto.
During March 14-16, Maitripa College welcomed special guest teacher Ven. Robina Courtin. Over the weekend, Ven. Robina taught on karma and emptiness to a devoted and enthusiastic crowd. Student and lead volunteer Anita Bermont sent Mandala this reflection from the event:
The word “reflection” has taken on new meaning since becoming a student at Maitripa College. We write reflection papers and reflective questions based on our readings for each class. These reflections allow for deep integration of what was studied, help set clear motivation, as well as reveal where obstacles may have been elusive.
Reflecting on Venerable Robina’s visit this year brings the added dimension of having served as lead volunteer. Little could I have known the impact this would have had on how the teacher and teachings would be received. The content of her teachings this visit was entitled ”Understanding Karma: A Perfect Example of Dependent Arising to Prove Emptiness.” She spoke strongly to how delusions exaggerate the aspects of the object, to include both positive and negative aspects. Surely, I was suffering from just this very thing!
Students listen to Ven. Robina Courtin’s teachings, Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, US, March 2014. Photo by Marc Sakamoto.
I had quite the large construction project built up in my mind as to how specifically Ven. Robina was going to want things to go over the weekend. I showed up in complete surrender to her wishes. What I had not expected was her simple faith and trust that the volunteers knew what would be best for this situation and her complete surrender to our wishes. We met somewhere in the middle, in a place best described as mutual care and respect. With the excellent support of her attendants, everyone was able to enjoy a weekend full of rich teachings, much laughter and the deepening of community.
Maitripa College offers regular public programs and degree programs for students at the graduate level.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving in Portland, Oregon, US, April 18, 2014. Photo by Mandala.
FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived on Friday, April 18 in Portland, Oregon, US, where he is giving an initiation and oral transmission on Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21. Rinpoche was greeting by Yangsi Rinpoche, president of Maitripa College, and the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors along with FPMT International Office and Maitripa College staff.
On Saturday at 7 p.m. PDT, Lama Zopa Rinpoche will offer a Vajrasattva initiation at Maitripa College. Then on Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m., Rinpoche will offer the oral transmission of the preliminary practice of Dorje Khadro. All public portions of the Vajrasattva initiation and oral transmission will be webcast live courtesy of Maitripa College.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche being greeted by Karuna Cayton, chair of the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors, Portland, Oregon, US, April 18, 2014. Photo by Mandala.
More information, photos, schedule and updates about FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be found on Rinpoche’s homepage. If you’d like to receive news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche via email, sign up to Lama Zopa Rinpoche News.
The Waite family during their 3:30 pm spin, April 2014. Photo via Facebook, Land of Medicine Buddha.
On April 6, students of Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California launched a 24-hour “Wheelathon” fundraiser for the construction of a four-story replica of the Mahabodhi Stupa on their property. The original Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, India, marks to the site where Buddha achieved enlightenment.
At least 25 people, including nuns and monks, took shifts spinning Land of Medicine Buddha’s large prayer wheel with the goal of raising US$1,000 an hour. Community members were invited to help spin the wheel as well as recite prayers and mantras. The Great Prayer Wheel contains over 170 billion mantras and millions of Buddhist texts printed on microfilm. Students prepared a promotional video to encourage community members to participate:
Over 193 sponsors offered or pledged more than US$35,000 by the end of the event, a huge step forward for the estimated US$815,000 project. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has already personally pledged US$50,000 in support of the immense undertaking.
Ven. Steve Carlier leading “Prayer to the Six Syllable Great Compassionate One,” April 2014. Photo via Facebook, Land of Medicine Buddha.
The Mahabodhi Stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha will not only help to preserve pan-Buddhist culture and serve as an educational site, but will also be designed to honor people such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh and others who have tirelessly promoted world peace.
The ground blessing ceremony for the new stupa with Geshe Ngawang Dakpa, resident geshe of Tse Chen Ling in San Francisco, and a group of Gyuto monks is scheduled for April 25.
Visit Land of Medicine Buddha online to learn more about the planned Mahabodhi Stupa and its current campaign.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Khadro-la teaching at Tushita Meditation Centre, McLeod Ganj, India, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.
Tushita Meditation Centre is a bustling FPMT center in Dharamsala – the seat-in-exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Tushita staff recently wrote Mandala, sharing news about a visit from Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la), an extraordinary Tibetan woman and teacher respected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and His Holiness.
Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la) very kindly accepted our request to give a teaching and Q&A session on Sunday, March 9. Although Khadro-la has been to Tushita Meditation Centre many times as a special guest of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, this was the first time that she had given a teaching here alone.
Our main gompa is currently being extensively decorated and our only option was to squeeze our 58 “Introduction to Buddhism” course students, 13 “Pre-Ordination Course” attendees, Tushita staff and volunteers and the many visitors from the local area into our very small Medicine Buddha gompa. Some people had to sit outside on the balcony in the freezing cold weather (and through the thunderstorm that began halfway through the teaching!)
It was an incredible event, translated beautifully by Ven. Namdak.
One highlight was Khadro-la’s humbling answer to a playful question from our audience. A student from our “Introduction to Buddhism” course asked, “When you’re not teaching or meditating, what do you do for enjoyment?”
Khadro-la was warmly welcomed by Tushita Meditation Centre staff and students, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.
Ven. Namdak explained to us that he had translated this question as “what do you do to relax?” While our more mundane minds were thinking “watching movies” or “going out for dinner,” Khadro-la’s answer floored us:
“In order to relax, (one should) examine the mind in a way that you look at the mind and how the mind reacts to the different objects of the senses – so the different objects of the eye sense power or the different objects of the ear – and then see how the mind actually engages in different imputations towards those objects. Then also realize, or think about, that the mind basically by itself – in its nature – doesn’t have to engage in those objects, and can just abide in the nature of the mind itself. And that is more or less the only thing to say about that.
“Basically, in short, I feel extremely lazy and I don’t have much knowledge of the Buddhadharma. The only thing I aspire to in life, and the only thing I really feel a lot of affection for, is bodhichitta and emptiness. They are two aspects of mind I really aspire a lot to, and really like to think about and like to put into practice.”
Listen to the audio recording of the full teaching and find more photos on Tushita’s Facebook page.
Khadro-la at Tushita Meditation Centre, McLeod Ganj, India, March 9, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tushita Meditation Centre.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Stupa work party, Tonasket, Washington, US, October 2013. Photo courtesy of Su Ianniello.
On a smaller scale than the Maitreya Projects and the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, dozens of FPMT centers, projects and services have built or are in the process of creating their own stupas, often representing a true community effort. Each one of these stupas brings FPMT closer to realizing Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish to build 100,000 stupas around the world. (To learn more, visit the FPMT Stupa Fund page.)
Pamtingpa Center, a small center located in Tonasket, Washington, US, shared with Mandala their story of building a stupa, demonstrating that even when resources seem limited, it is possible to do it. You can read their story online.
Here are photos of their progress over the last year …
From Mandala April-June 2014
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Clock from Tara Redwood School, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Tara Redwood School.
Pam Cayton, founder of Tara Redwood School, a pre-school and elementary program near Santa Cruz, California, that “strives to develop the whole child: mental, physical and spiritual,” and Creating Compassionate Cultures (CCC), an organization dedicated to providing tools and training to help educators offer children a deeper, holistic education, shared this news with Mandala:
On Saturday March 22, Tara Redwood School held their annual fundraising auction. Each classroom creates a group art piece to raise money for the scholarship program and the school development fund.
This clock was created by the children in the kindergarten and first grade class. The teacher asked them what message they thought would be helpful for people to live a happy life. This was generated from their discussions and voted on as the message they all wanted to send. Each child drew their self-portrait and their artwork was placed under clear glass jewels, set into a circle around the clock face. This represented the potential we all have to bring those jewel-like qualities into every moment, affecting ourselves, our friends, family and communities, thus making this world a happier, more peaceful planet and home for all! The classroom projects are always the most popular items for parents to bid on and this is a wonderful example of one of them.
The classroom projects are also a great representation of the Creating Compassionate Cultures organization and curriculum, which officially launched their Online Institute for Creating Compassionate Cultures (OICCC) on March 31. The Online Institute offers a 12-course online certification course to educators and anyone interested in learning the CCC curriculum and its methodology – the Seven Steps to Knowledge, Strength and Compassion, the theoretical basis that helps the curriculum develop a child’s natural ethics, wisdom and compassion.
Some of the children of Tara Redwood School. Photo courtesy of tararedwoodschool.org.
Creating Compassionate Cultures invites parents, teachers, psychologists, counselors and coaches to explore the Online Institute for Creating Compassionate Cultures (OICCC).
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Geshe Jampa Tarchin, resident geshe at Chandrakirti Centre
Chandrakirti Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre is situated in the rolling hills of Nelson, New Zealand, on the northern end of the country’s South Island.
In the online edition of Mandala April-June 2014, we share a video by Peter Kemp of the center’s beautiful grounds and featuring the center’s resident geshe, Geshe Jampa Tharchin.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Dr. Yangdron Kalzang leading women’s health workshop, March 7, 2014. Photo courtesy of Tibetan Wellness & Healing Center.
On March 7, The Tibetan Wellness & Healing Center in Daly City, California and FPMT center Tse Chen Ling in San Francisco, organized and hosted the second annual workshop with Menpa (Doctor) Yangdron Kalzang on Tibetan medicine for women. In celebration of International Women’s Day, Dr. Kalzang taught self-care techniques – including hormey, a hot oil poultice – and discussed health topics such as thyroid problems, hormonal imbalances, menstruation, menopause as well as modern day stress and mental health.
Dr. Kalzang focused on the relationship between stress and hormonal imbalances and what therapies can be helpful besides taking hormonal replacement. According to Tibetan medicine, the symptoms of menopause – including hot flashes, osteoporosis, night sweats, PMS and dry eyes, throat, mouth, and skin – are connected with the imbalance of the “five elements.”
Dr. Kalzang demonstrated the use of hormey, which she promotes as a simple, cost-effective method to alleviate stress, improve sleep or insomnia, calm over-thinking, promote relaxation and boost the immune system. Used for thousands of years in Tibet, Tibetan grandmothers have been using this poultice for so long that it is called “grandmothers’ remedy,” Dr. Kalzang explained. Ingredients include nutmeg and caraway seed, and oil – either ghee or sesame oil – applied to “11 common points,” which she demonstrated during the workshop.
Dr. Yangdron Kalzang
“One member of the group had been having some neck pain and was happy to let Dr. Kalzang work on her,” said Lisa Nystrom, center director of Tse Chen Ling. “Dr. Kalzang applied the poultice, which did wonders for our member. Her pain was relieved almost immediately! She said her neck hadn’t felt that good in a long time. Dr. Kalzang is an esteemed member of the Tse Chen Ling community and we look forward to continuing to host her talks and workshops in the future.”
At the workshop’s end, all participants went out for dinner and the student celebrated her relief from pain by treating the group!
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Pamtingpa Center’s nearly complete stupa, Tonasket, Washington, US, January 2014. Photo by Su Ianniello.
Su Ianniello, spiritual program coordinator at Pamtingpa Center, a small FPMT center in north central Washington in the United States, shares in the April-June 2014 issue of Mandala the story of how the students there came together to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice to build a stupa.
“A few years ago, Lama Zopa Rinpoche came to the land. As we were all leaving, Rinpoche turned and looked out over the mountains and said, ‘A stupa here.’ That’s how our stupa building project began,” Su writes. “We were still trying to figure out how complete the project two years later. When Lama Zopa Rinpoche came back to town, he told us to build the gompa first, giving us some funds to begin this new project. However, a few weeks after Rinpoche left, we got a message to go back to the stupa project, using the funds for the gompa. These were some good lessons in flexibility.”
Read the complete story with our online edition for Mandala April-June 2014.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
The bust of the Kundun Chenrezig, which is currently being repaired at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy, 2012. Photo courtesy of Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa.
Francesca Sala, a student at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, shares in the April-June 2014 issue of Mandala the center’s new project to restore the large Chenrezig statue used in the 1997 Martin Scorsese film Kundun, about the life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
She writes, “By 2012, the statue had made its way to Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Pomaia, Italy, and was displayed in the main square to awestruck residents. The giant sculpture, almost eight meters (26 feet) high, had lost some of its initial splendor as its last months in the Atlas Studio in Morocco had damaged its brittle polystyrene body. However, the extraordinary potential of the statue was clear from the beginning. …”
Read the complete article with Mandala’s online edition for our April-June 2014 issue.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the students and staff of Experience Buddhism at the Root, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Ven. Lozang Khadro.
Ven. Lozang Khadro, spiritual program coordinator at Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India, shares news from the center’s annual “Experience Buddhism at the Root” event, a combination pilgrimage and lam-rim course, which ended March 14:
Our annual course “Experience Buddhism at the Root” took its experiential component to the maximum this March!
The students who attended ranged from 19 to 55 in “wisdom years” and they all came together to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha during the 10-day exploratory course. Ven. Sarah Thresher was our teacher and enthusiastic pilgrimage leader with Andy Melnic as our experienced meditation leader. Teachings and meditations at the holy sites of the Mahabodhi Stupa, Mahakala Caves, Vulture’s Peak and Nalanda University allowed Buddhism to come to life.
Under the shade of the Bodhi tree, Ven. Sarah Thresher shared the story of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment, Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India, March 2014. Photo courtesy of Ven. Lozang Khadro.
The group had incredible karma, meeting His Holiness the Sakya Trinzin after their pilgrimage to the Mahakala Caves. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was also in residence at Root Institute and offered much of his precious time to the group, leading an extensive Guru Puja, giving sutra transmissions at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya and Vulture’s Peak at Rajgir, as well as spontaneous Dharma talks. At the conclusion of the course each student was given a blessed mala and picture of the Mahabodhi Buddha statue by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Our annual “Experience Buddhism at the Root” course aims to take advantage of the amazing holy sites in and around Bodhgaya. Being able to hear teachings at the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, contemplate beside the cave of Shariputra and meditate near the Mahakala Caves provides a uniquely rich and realistic context to the teachings, allowing each person to become personally engaged. Students described it as a meaningful experience which made the teachings very accessible.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. Students, staff and volunteers all made it a course to remember! We also wish to send a heartfelt thank you to Lama Zopa Rinpoche for his great kindness throughout the course.
Root Institute for Wisdom Culture is a socially engaged center providing a special environment for study, practice and retreat and is just a short walk from the Mahabodhi Stupa, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and many other holy Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.