Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization include supporting practice and realizations, including sponsoring 100 Million OM MANI PADME HUM mantra retreats, sponsoring individuals to complete 1,000 Nyung Na retreats, and encouraging the recitation of the Golden Light Sutra as much as possible in as many places as possible around the world to create the causes for peace.

This page reports the current count of completed 100 Million OM MANI PADME HUM retreats, 1,000 Nyung Na retreats, and Golden Light Sutra recitations around the world to track the fulfillment of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions and for rejoicing!

100 Million Mani Retreats  |  1,000 Nyung Na Retreats  |  Golden Light Sutra Recitations

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching during the 100 Million Mani Retreat, ILTK, Italy, October 5, 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

100 Million OM MANI PADME HUM Retreats

[I would like] for the organization to establish 100,000 recitations of 100 million OM MANI PADME HUM mantras. This can be retreats of 100 million recitations, so 100,000 different retreats in different parts of the world and where it is happening, then for it to happen regularly, each year.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below tracks the progress of Rinpoche’s Vast Vision to sponsor 100,000 retreats of 100 million OM MANI PADME HUM mantras, in different parts of the world, each year.

Participants of the 108 Nyung na retreats being held at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, June 2022.

1,000 Nyung Na Retreats

Nyung Na does not just purify many eons of negative karma, especially developing compassion, which means bodhicitta, it makes us so much closer to enlightenment, so close to being able to enlighten all sentient beings, which is our ultimate goal in life. It also brings you closer to the Guru-Compassion Buddha.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find Nyung Na retreats sponsored by the FPMT organization in fulfilling Rinpoche's Vast Vision to sponsor individuals to complete 1,000 Nyung Na retreats in their lifetime.

Completed Nyung Na Retreats

Nyung näs take such a short time, but bring strong purification. So many eons can be purified in this life; it makes it so easy to have attainments.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ven. Charles and Ven. Namdrol, who both have completed over 1,000 Nyung Na retreats, Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy, October 2017.

Rejoice! Individuals who have completed more than 1,000 Nyung Nas

A few individuals thus far in the FPMT mandala have completed more than 1,000 Nyung Na retreats in fulfillment of Rinpoche’s wishes. They are Ven. Ani Chodron, Ven. Charles Trebaol, Ven. Tenzin Namdrol, and Valentino Giacomin. Please take a moment to rejoice in their incredible efforts and devotion.

Sponsored 108 Nyung Na Retreats

Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY) in France offers annual 108 Nyung Na retreats. 

As of 2025, 14 series of 108 Nyung Na retreats have been completed at IVY.

The Practice and Retreat Fund offers 10,000 Euro each year towards the annual 108 Nyung Na retreats at IVY, in accordance with Rinpoche’s Vast Visions.

Help Us Sponsor Nyung Na Retreats

Make an offering to the Practice and Retreat Fund below:

DONATE

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering an oral transmission of the Sutra of Golden Light, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, October 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Reciting the Golden Light Sutra

“The most beneficial thing to have peace and to stop the wars is recitation of the Golden Light Sutra. This is the most beneficial thing to bring peace, everyone should try to do this, no matter how busy they are, even to recite one or two pages, even a few lines.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find the total count of recitations reported around the world since 2008! You can also visit the Golden Light Sutra Homepage for detailed information and resources, receiving the oral transmission of the sutra from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and reporting your recitations.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization including building many beautiful holy objects around the world.

This page reports the current count of holy objects built in fulfillment of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions, including stupas, prayer wheels, Maitreya statues, Padmasambhava statues, and large thangkas to be displayed around the world at FPMT centers on special occasions—to track the fulfillment of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions and for rejoicing.

100,000 Stupas  |  100,000 Prayer Wheels  | 1,000 Maitreya Statues  |  Padmasambhava Statues | Large Thangkas

The magnificent Thame stupa, Nepal.

100,000 Stupas Around the World

Since there is unbelievable benefit such as liberating sentient beings, then I thought that the whole organization could aim to build 100,000 stupas (minimum size of one story up to the distance from the earth to the moon) in different parts of the world and for FPMT to do this as a whole.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find a list of stupas that have been completed or are in progress, which meet the criteria for Rinpoche’s Vast Visions. Also please enjoy a short photo gallery of completed stupas.

Stupas Completed or In Progress

Building stupas helps develop so much peace and happiness for numberless sentient beings. As a result, wars, disease, and desire will all be pacified. Instead of feeling hopeless, people will gain courage.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

To date, 55 stupas, a minimum of one story high (10 feet/3 meters), have been completed or are in progress, at FPMT centers and by FPMT students, toward this goal of 100,000 stupas around the world. Please see the worldwide list below.

Northern & Central America

Kalachakra Stupa at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts USA

• 3m/10ft – Kadampa Stupa at Kachoe Dechen Ling, California, USA
• 2m/6ft – Lama Yeshe Cremation Stupa at Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
• 5m/16ft – Lama Yeshe’s Enlightenment Stupa at Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
• 2m/6ft – Kadampa Stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA
• Mahabodhi Stupa, at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA
• 4.5m/15ft – Kalachakra Stupa at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts, USA
• 5.5 m/18ft – Kadampa Stupa at Kadampa Center, North Carolina, USA 
• 4.2m/14ft – Auspicious Stupa of Many Doors at Milarepa Center, Vermont, USA
• 4.9m/16ft – Enlightenment Stupa at Pamtingpa Center, Tonasket, Washington, USA
• 2.7m/9ft – Enlightenment Stupa at Gendun Drubpa, Canada
• 4.9m/16ft – Enlightenment Stupa, Vancouver Island, Canada

South America

• 6m/20ft – Turning of the Dharma Stupa, Mexico
• Kalachakra Stupa for World Peace at Serlingpa Retreat Center, Mexico
• 3m/10ft – Descent from Tushita Stupa, containing 15 relics, in all I think, many of 26 different mantras including the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras. Cozumel, Mexico.

Europe

• Kadampa Stupa built for Lama Yeshe and International Year of Tibet (1991) at Institut Vajra Yogini, France
• 4m/13ft – Enlightenment Stupa at Nalanda Monastery, France
• Descent from Tushita Stupa at Kopavogur, Iceland
• 1 Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe, Geshe Rabten, Geshe Yeshe Tobden, and Gomo Tulku, at ILTK, Italy
• 1 Reconciliation Stupa built for Lama Yeshe, Geshe Rabten, Geshe Yeshe Tobden, and Gomo Tulku, at ILTK, Italy
• Kadampa Stupa at Kushi Ling Retreat Centre, Italy
• Lama Yeshe Enlightenment Stupa at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London, UK (Built in 1988, contains, Lama Yeshe’s bone relic, and was consecrated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche)
• Kadampa Stupa at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain
• Kadampa Stupa with Geshe Thubten Tsering’s ashes at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain
• Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe at Osel Ling, Spain
• Eight stupas at Centro Muni Gyana, Palermo, Italy.

Pacific Region

• 50m/164ft – The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Atisha Center, Victoria, Australia, in progress
• 9m/29.5ft – Enlightenment Stupa at De Tong Ling Retreat Centre, Kangaroo Island, Australia
• 3.6m/12ft – Stupa at Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre, New South Wales, Australia
• Victory Stupa at Vajrayana Institute, New South Wales, Australia
• Garden of Enlightenment Stupa at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia
• Victory Stupa at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia
• Auspicious Stupa with Many Doors at Dorje Chang Institute, Auckland, New Zealand
• 5.2m/17ft – Long Life Stupa at Chandrakirti Buddhist Meditation Centre, Nelson, New Zealand
• Enlightenment Stupa at Mahamudra Center, New Zealand

Asia

• Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• Auspicious Stupa of Many Doors built for Geshe Rabten at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• Parinirvana Stupa built for Geshe Wongdu at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• 1m/3ft – Stupa at IMI House in Sera Je Monastery, India
• 6.4m/21ft – Kadampa Stupa (8 smaller stupas) at Root Institute in progress
• 6m/20ft – Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother, located between Lawudo and Namche Bazaar in a village called Samshing, Nepal
• 3m/10ft – Stupa for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother’s incarnation, Nawang Zhimay, located below Lawudo in a village called Teshok
• Eight Stupas at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• 10.7m/35ft – Geshe Lama Konchog’s Dharmachakra Stupa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Thousand Buddha Relics Stupa for Geshe Lama Konchog’s relics, a row of 8 stupas and a golden stupa for Lama Yeshe’s relics, at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• 7.6m/25ft – Lama Lhundrup’s Stupa, Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Lama Lhundrup’s Stupa at Kopan Nunnery
• Lama Yeshe’s Stupa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• 3m/9.8ft – Enlightenment Stupa in Boudhanath, Nepal at one student’s house
• Namgyalma Stupa, Losang Drakpa Center, Malaysia
• Victory Stupa at Golden Light Sutra Center, Mongolia
• Enlightenment Stupa at Shakyamuni Buddhist Center, Taiwan
• 6m/20ft – Geshe Sengye’s stupa in Tibet
• 5.5/18ft – Enlightenment Stupa, Taplejung District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 5.5/18ft – Enlightenment Stupa, Okhaldunga District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 6.4/21ft – Enlightenment Stupa, Lalitpure District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 5.5m/18ft – Stupa, Okhaldunga District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 5.5m/18ft – Nirvana Stupa, Rasuwa District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 5.5/18ft – Pepung Stupa (Lotus Stupa), Nuwakot District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 5.5m/18ft – Stupa in Rasuwa District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 7.5m/24.5ft – Stupa in Rinchen Jansem Ling, Malaysia. 

Offerings Made to Build Stupas

•  32m/105ft – Chogyey Trichen Rinpoche’s Stupa (with a 16.5m/54ft diameter dome), Nepal, US$7,700 offered.

Further Resources

• FPMT’s Holy Objects Resources Page

Offer Your Support

The Stupa Fund provides the resources needed for building 100,000 stupas around the world. This is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT.

Photo Gallery

Please enjoy this photo gallery of stupas at FPMT centers around the world, inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision to build 100,000 stupas. Some of the stupas pictured have received sponsorship from the FPMT Stupa Fund.

Giant prayer wheels at the Namche Stupa and Mani Park, Namche Bazaar, Nepal.

100,000 Prayers Wheels Around the World

“[I would like] for the whole organization to build 100,000 prayer wheels in different parts of the world, [including prayer wheels under the ocean], a minimum height of six feet. Prayer wheels are a great blessing for each country.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find a list of large prayer wheels that have been completed or are in progress, which meet the criteria for Rinpoche's Vast Visions, as well as a photo gallery of prayer wheels.

Prayer Wheels Completed or In Progress

“The reason why I’d like to build as many as possible is because in the texts it says: If you do prayers as a group, then it is a hundred times more powerful than doing it alone in the room…If we do it as the whole organization, as a project, then if everybody offers $10 or $5 or even smaller thinking that you are contributing to building a stupa, then in this way it becomes everyone’s project. In this way the karma is very powerful if we do it with many people, all together.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Prayer Wheels Completed/In Progress

 To date, approximately 13 large prayer wheels and many smaller prayer wheels have been built. Please rejoice!

H.E. Ling Rinpoche after the consecration for the prayer wheel at Vajrapani Institute, USA, June 2024.

Northern & Central America

• Prayer wheel containing over 170 billion mantras as well as many sets of texts, Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, USA
• Prayer wheel containing 12 billion mantras, Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, USA
• Pagoda prayer wheel containing 64 billion mantras, Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, USA
• Prayer wheel at Vajrapani Institute, CA, USA.

Europe

•  1.7m x 3m/5.56ft x 9.94ft – Prayer wheel containing 24,660,651,040 mantras on paper and more on microfilm, at Maitreya Institute, The Netherlands.
• 2.5m x 2m/8.2ft x 6.5ft – Prayer wheel containing millions of mani mantras, and other mantras advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, as well as a set of the Kangyur and the collection of Lama Tsongkhapa’s writings, at Kushi Ling Retreat Center, Italy.
• 2.5m x 1.2m/8.2ft x 3.9ft – Prayer wheel containing 108 billion MANI mantras, at Institut Vajra Yogini, France.
• Large prayer wheel and prayer wheel house at Osel Ling Retreat Center, Spain. 

Pacific Region

• Prayer wheel containing 111 billion OM MANI PADME HUM mantras, over 500 Buddhist texts (2 Kangyur, 1 Tengyur, 2 Je Sungbum and others), as well as 5 million other prayers and mantras including Guru Rinpoche prayer and mantra, Five Powerful Deities Purifying Mantras and Vajrasattva and Medicine Buddha mantras as advised by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, at Dorje Chang Institute, New Zealand. 
• Prayer wheel at Chenrezig Institute, Australia
• 3m x 2.1m/10ft x 7ft – Prayer wheel containing over ten billion mantras at Chandrakirti Meditation Center, New Zealand. 
• Large prayer wheel at Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand. 
• 1.8m x 1.8m/5.9ft x 5.9ft – Prayer wheel containing approximately 250,000,000 mantras including copies of the Dharmakaya Relic Mantras; also inside the wheel is the complete set of kangyur and half of the tengyur, at Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery, Australia. 

Asia

• Large prayer wheel and surrounding smaller wheels – the large prayer wheels contains 100,000,000 OM MANI PADME HUM mantras and nearly 400,000 are included in the smaller prayer wheels, at Dickey Larsoe Tibetan Settlement, a Tibetan settlement in Bylakuppe, South India.
• Gigantic prayer wheel containing the Kangyur, one set of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings, Sutra of Long Life; Chenrezig longest mantra, Kurukulla mantra, Padmasambhava mantra; five powerful deity mantras, at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India. 
• Prayer wheel at Lawudo Gompa, Nepal
• Prayer wheel at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• 4.3m/14ft – Prayer wheel with over 100 million mantras, built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, at Hetauda, Makwanpure District, Nepal 
• IN PROGRESS: 4.8m x 3.6m/15ft x 12ft – Prayer wheel at Rinchen Jansem Ling, Malaysia. 

Prayer Wheels inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

• 32 – 0.3m/1ft – Prayer wheels surrounding the Ksitigharba Statue at Land of Medicine Buddha, CA, USA.
• 10 – 14 inch x 10 inch prayer wheels, at Milarepa Center, VT, USA
• 22 – 0.6m x 0.5m/2ft x 1.5ft – Prayer wheels, containing about 12,000,000 mantras in each wheel, at the Garden of Enlightenment, Australia.
• 10 prayer wheels (10 more ordered from Nepal) 0.5m x 0.3m/1.5ft x 1ft at the Garden of Enlightenment, Australia.
• 200 – 0.6m x 0.3m/2ft x 1ft – Prayer wheels mounted directly onto the walls of The Great Stupa, Australia. In progress.
• 7 – 0.6m x 0.58m/2.1ft x 1.9ft – Prayer wheels at Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, Australia.
• 1.2m x 0.3m/4ft x 1ft – Prayer wheel filled with microfilm at Nagarjuna Valencia Center, Spain
• 1.5m x 1m/5ft x 3.5ft – Universal Peace Wheel houses billions of traditional mantras and thousands of handwritten peace statements in Elko, Nevada.

Further Resources

• FPMT’s Holy Objects Resources Page

Offer Your Support

The Prayer Wheel Fund provides the resources needed for building 100,000 prayer wheels around the world. This is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT.

Photo Gallery & Video

Please enjoy this photo gallery of prayer wheels sponsored by the Prayer Wheel Fund.

Also, please enjoy this short video below by Land of Medicine Buddha, “Turning the Great Prayer Wheel”

Long Life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche by Sera Je Monastery in front of the Maitreya Statute, Bodhgaya, January 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

1,000 Maitreya Statues

A special thing about contributing to Maitreya, whether it be money or time or energy, is that it makes a connection with Maitreya Buddha, and the result is that one becomes a direct disciple of Maitreya Buddha when Maitreya returns to manifest enlightenment as Shakyamuni Buddha did.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find a list of Maitreya statues that have been completed or are in progress, which meet the criteria for Rinpoche's Vast Visions.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching next to the 6.5 foot Padmasambhava statue at Osel Ling Retreat Center, Spain, May 2019. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Padmasambhava Statues for Peace

Building Guru Rinpoche statues will bring immeasurable benefit, peace, happiness, and freedom to the world. They will have immeasurable impact.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Below find a list of statues that have been completed or are in progress, which meet the criteria for Rinpoche's Vast Visions.

Padmasambhava Statues Completed or In Progress

Padmasambhava has said that when he no longer abides in Tibet, that his statues will become like lights that dispel the darkness of ignorance. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has compiled the many benefits of building and making offerings to Padmasambhava statues such as The Benefits of Building Padmasambhava Statues and Benefits of Guru Padmasambhava Statues

Statues Completed So Far

To date, 27 statues have been completed with support from the Padmasambhava Project for Peace Fund:

Padmasambhava statue and stupa with reflections on a very still pond at De-Tong Ling retreat center in Australia. Photo by George Manos.

• Large statue at a Sakya Monastery in Asia
• Large statue at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion near Bendigo, Australia
• Life-sized statue at Milarepa Center in Vermont, USA
• (11 total) One 13.5 ft (4.1 m) statue, three other large statues, and statues of the seven aspects of Guru Rinpoche in Lawudo, Nepal
• (9 total) 70 ft (21.3 m) statue with two consorts, each 25 ft; also includes Eight Aspects of Padmasambhava, each over 6 ft (2 m) high in Asia
• 7 ft (2.1 m) statue at Chandrakirti Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre, New Zealand
• 9 ft (2.7 m) statue at De-Tong Ling Retreat Centre on Kangaroo Island, Australia
• 3 ft (1 m) statue in Nepal which will go inside a large stupa in India
• 6.5 ft (2 m) statue in Spain at Osel Ling, Spain.

Statue Project in Pokhara

The Project Guru Rinpoche, is currently being undertaken in the beautiful locations of Pokhara, Nepal.

The comprehensive cost of this remarkable project encompasses both land procurement expenses and the construction of a grand monument. The price of acquiring the land amounts to US$2,000,000 while the construction work itself totals US$993,217.84. Situated alongside the esteemed Annapurna Cable Car, the Guru Rinpoche statue, to be erected in Pokhara, will seamlessly blend with the surrounding natural landscape, creating a serene and captivating environment.

Covering a total site area of 3226.38 sq.m (34,728.46 sq.ft), the project includes various features such as a meditation hall capable of accommodating 100 individuals, additional rooms and a prayer hall, a mantra wall, vast green areas, and a magnificent 15-meter-tall statue that gracefully rises 1556.47 meters above sea level. The estimated cost for the statue itself is approximately US$298,625.54.

Following the successful acquisition of the land, the endeavor to secure water for the Pokhara Project commenced on July 24, 2023 following soil testing performed on July 7, 2023. By August 10, 2023 a reliable water source was successfully secured for the Pokhara Project.

Offer Your Support

Make a tax-deductible donation to the Padmasambhava Project for Peace:

DONATE

Photo Gallery

Please enjoy this short photo gallery of completed Padmasambhava statues.

Large thangka of Guru Rinpoche at Kopan. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Large Thangkas Around the World

My wish is for the big centers in FPMT to have these large thangkas." Rinpoche explained. "This is a way to leave imprints for all these people [who see them], for enlightenment.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT is for FPMT centers to display large thangkas and host festival days where these thangkas can be enjoyed.  Below find a list of thangkas that have been completed and displayed.

Sagarmatha School children on an educational tour to Maratika Cave, May 2025.

In the remote valleys and small local communities of India and Nepal, education is more than a classroom experience – it is a lifeline to opportunity, cultural preservation, and spiritual growth. FPMT’s Social Services Fund (SSF) continues to play an important role in this journey, offering consistent support to schools that serve children and young monks from Tibetan, Nepali, Sherpa, and Indian backgrounds. By the end of 2025, the SSF will have disbursed a total of US$226,563 across eight schools, reaching over 1,400 students. These grants helped cover essential needs such as nutritious meals, teacher salaries, classroom materials, and cultural activities. Through this support, the SSF not only strengthens access to quality education but also nurtures the values of compassion, wisdom, gratitude, and resilience in the next generation. Please learn below about the schools we are currently supporting, and how the grants were utilized this year.

Sagarmatha Secondary School | Sambhota Tibetan School CVP | Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics | Maitreya School | Rolwaling Sangag Choling Monastery School | Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School | Gaden Jangtse Monastic College |
Tashol Tengyur School | How to Help

Sagarmatha Secondary School, situated in Chailsa, Solukhumbu, Nepal, remains a shining example of holistic education for children from remote Himalayan communities. The school provides free education, uniforms, books, hostel accommodations, and nutritious meals to all students. The Social Services Fund has been supporting the school since 2015. In 2025, a grant was offered to sustain its educational and welfare programs. Currently, the school serves 275 students and is supported by 16 teachers and 2 staff members.

Sagarmatha School children receive blessings from Khenrinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi,
the Abbot of Kopan Monastery.

On April 23, 2024, the school hosted guests from Kopan Monastery and Singapore, including Khenrinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, who offered blessings and shared profound insights on the importance of ethical education. Uniforms and books were distributed to students, continuing the tradition of removing financial barriers to learning.

Among other highlights was an educational tour to Maratika Cave (the place where Guru Padmasambhava achieved immortality through meditation and blessings from Amitayus). This pilgrimage offered students a chance to deepen their spiritual understanding and personal growth. A short prayer session was held during the visit, where students expressed heartfelt wishes for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

On July 6, 2025, the school joyfully celebrated the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The day began with a traditional Sang-Sol incense offering puja (purification puja), followed by a formal ceremony in the prayer hall. The event brought together geshes, students, teachers, and members of the Chailsa Tibetan settlement. Students showcased their cultural heritage through vibrant performances, reinforcing the school’s commitment to preserving Tibetan identity and values.

Children at Sambhota School studying together.

The Sambhota Tibetan School CVP Bylakuppe, located in the Tibetan Dickey Larsoe Settlement in Karnataka. Established in 1971, the school currently educates 132 students from classes 1 to 10. Tibetan is the medium of instruction at the primary level, transitioning to English from class six onward. The school is supported by a committed team of 25 teaching and non-teaching staff.

Since 2015, the Social Services Fund has been supporting the school’s vegetarian midday meal program. This initiative has significantly contributed to students’ health, concentration, and academic engagement. In 2025, the SSF again offered a grant to continue this essential program, ensuring that students receive the nourishment they need to thrive academically and personally.

In a letter dated January 2025, Settlement Officer Chime Dorjee expressed deep gratitude for the continued support of the midday meal program, emphasizing its role in enhancing student well-being and learning outcomes.

Ngari Institute’s children enjoying a meal.

The Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, located in Saboo-Do Village, Ladakh, was founded in 2010 under the leadership of Geshe Tsewang Dorje, a Lharampa Geshe graduate from Sera Je Monastery. The institute was established with the vision of preserving the Tibetan Buddhist Nalanda tradition, Tibetan culture, and the unique way of life of the Himalayan people – especially at a time when such traditions face immense challenges inside Tibet.

The institute offers a unique blend of modern education and traditional monastic training, including debate classes, which are rare in Ladakh. Students receive regular schooling during the day and attend additional tuition and monastic classes in the mornings and evenings. This dual approach ensures both academic and spiritual development.

As of 2025, the institute supports 73 students and 22 dedicated staff members, with a long-term goal to serve 200 children. The institute has seen remarkable progress. Students have consistently performed well in government board exams, and alumni have gone on to pursue higher education at institutions like the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education. Infrastructure projects are underway, including a Buddha Relics Temple, Girls Hostel Extension, retreat rooms, and an ambitious tree plantation project to green the dry Ladakhi landscape.

Since 2013, the Social Services Fund has been a steadfast supporter of the institute, particularly in funding the daily meal program. This program has been vital in ensuring the health and well-being of both students and staff. For the year 2025, a grant was given to cover the full cost of meals for all students and teachers.

Maitreya School children visiting the Root Institute for Wisdom Culture.

The Maitreya School in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India, continues to serve as an educational sanctuary for children from some of the most underserved communities in the region. Rooted in the compassionate vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the school’s mission transcends conventional academics. It aims to nurture children who are not only intellectually capable but also spiritually grounded and socially responsible.

In 2024–25, the school organized a wide range of enriching activities, including:

• Creative writing, quiz, and speech competitions in Hindi and English, with over 300 participants.
• A pilgrimage to Rajgir, Nalanda, and Pawapuri, where students recited the Heart Sutra alongside international pilgrims.
• A visit to Root Institute for Wisdom Culture, where Class 5 students had an opportunity to explore Buddhist teachings and practice meditation.

The school has also begun meditation classes, introduced group discussions based on the 16 Guidelines for Life (practical methods to incorporate wisdom and compassion into every facet of our daily lives), and is actively transforming its infrastructure. Six new rooms are being renovated for music, dance, drama, yoga, and arts, and plans are underway to develop the rooftop and garden into creative and permaculture-based learning spaces. The library, revitalized by dedicated volunteers, has become a hub of literacy and imagination, where students are learning to read, write, and care for books.

Despite its many successes, the school faced significant challenges. Bihar remains one of India’s most economically disadvantaged states, where poverty, malnutrition, and limited access to quality education are widespread. Many students arrived at school hungry, which severely impacts their ability to learn and thrive. To address this, the school urgently sought support to provide nutritious, protein-rich morning snacks for all students. Additionally, the school plans to offer afternoon tuition support for struggling students. This initiative will be led by three to four additional teachers or alumni, providing both academic help and a small income for former students.

In 2025, the school received a grant from the Social Services Fund that will support its ongoing efforts to provide free, value-based education to 277 children from Lower Kindergarten through Class 8.

Rolwaling School: Trail repair work in progress.

The Rolwaling Sangag Choling Monastery School, nestled in the Himalayan valley of Rolwaling, Nepal, continues to provide holistic education to 36 students, rooted in Buddhist values, cultural preservation, and compassionate service.

By 2025, the school successfully completed the construction of two winter hostel buildings and a temporary kitchen-dining facility in Lamabagar, enabling year-round education despite the harsh climate. The academic year began in February with the arrival of students and staff, including the enrollment of eight new children from nearby villages. In April, the school community returned to Beding village, where classes will continue through November. Two senior students completed their primary education and traveled to Namdroling Monastery in South India for further studies. The school also organized vocational training in hospitality, bakery, and barista skills for fifteen local women, empowering them with practical livelihood skills. Throughout the year, students actively participated in traditional ceremonies, preserving the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Rolwaling valley.

Among their many impactful initiatives, two stand out:

Protection of Yaks in Rolwaling

In alignment with the vision of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the school continues to support the protection and care of over 108 rescued yaks. These animals were originally saved from slaughter in Solukhumbu and brought to Rolwaling by crossing the Yalung La Pass. Today, they roam freely in the valley, where the local Sherpa community strictly forbids the killing or selling of animals. The school founder, Ngawang Labsum Rinpoche, along with students, regularly visits the grazing areas and ensure their well-being. A dedicated herder has been employed to protect the yaks from mountain wolves, reinforcing the school’s commitment to animal liberation and environmental stewardship.

Trail Maintenance and Emergency Relief

On July 5, 2024, a devastating flash flood struck the Rolwaling valley, destroying over 10 kilometers (6 miles) of trail, sweeping away four bridges. In response, the school and monastery mobilized immediate relief efforts. They led the reopening of trails, provided emergency support to affected families, and constructed temporary shelters for travelers.

In 2025, the school received a grant from the Social Services Fund for the school operations and for classroom furniture and beds for the winter school in Lamabagar.

Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School children receive blessings from Khenrinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, the Abbot of Kopan Monastery.

The Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School, situated in Taplejung, Nepal, is making significant progress in offering comprehensive education to children in the area. Established in 2007 and affiliated with the National Examination Board (NEB), the school currently serves 171 students with the support of 16 dedicated teachers.

The school’s core vision is to integrate modern academic instruction with moral and spiritual education under the guidance of Kopan Monastery. This approach aims to nurture students into not only academically capable individuals but also responsible and compassionate people.

In 2024, the school achieved praiseworthy academic results, with students excelling in Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Beyond academics, the school has placed strong emphasis on extracurricular development such as the inter-school football competition and cultural dance, quiz competitions, reflecting children’s diverse talents and enthusiasm.

Infrastructure-wise, the school comprises four buildings with 18 classrooms, a stupa, a prayer wheel, six washrooms, a dining and kitchen facility, and a large playground that supports inter-school sports events. These facilities create a well-rounded environment for both academic and personal growth. Additionally, the school’s commitment to its staff is evident in its structured salary system, which includes a 13-month pay scale and government-aligned compensation. This ensures stability and motivation among the teaching and administrative team.

In 2025, the grant given supported its ongoing educational mission.

Gaden Jangtse Monastery (source: Gaden Jangtse Monastery Facebook page).

The Gaden Jangtse Monastic College, re-established in 1969 in Mundgod, South India, is a renowned institution within the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, dedicated to the preservation and transmission of Buddhist philosophy, scripture, debate, and meditation. As part of its broader educational mission, the Gaden Jangtse School serves as a vital platform for educating young monks, ensuring they receive both traditional monastic training and formal academic education.

The school currently supports approximately 500 monk students and employs 13 salaried teachers, with additional support from senior monks who volunteer as tutors. These teachers play a crucial role in shaping the intellectual and spiritual development of the next generation of Buddhist scholars and practitioners.

In 2025, the grant provided supported the annual salaries of the school’s teachers. This funding is essential to maintain the quality and continuity of education at the school, especially as it aligns with the guidance of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who has encouraged the integration of monastic education with the Indian secondary school system. This allows monk students to receive recognized academic qualifications alongside their spiritual training.

Tashol Tengyur School children with Tenzin Gyurmey Rinpoche.

The Thubten Shedrubling Foundation, a Gelug Buddhist Center founded in 2014 by Tenzin Gyurmey Rinpoche in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, is dedicated to preserving and promoting Tibetan Buddhism and culture through education. The Foundation’s vision aligns with the aspirations of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe to spread the Dharma and expand Universal Education Programs.

Over the years, the Foundation has offered free courses in English, computer literacy, Tibetan language, and Buddhism to both adults and children, benefiting over 600 individuals. It has also hosted workshops on secular ethics and teachings by Tibetan lamas, building a vibrant community of around 100 active members.

In 2023, the Foundation launched the Tashol Tengyur School, a Buddhist primary school that admitted 30 first-grade students and provided a well-rounded curriculum including Tibetan and English languages, mathematics, physical education, and morning prayers. Despite its success and positive feedback from parents, the school had to close due to challenges in retaining qualified teachers in the remote and climatically harsh region of Tawang.

In 2025, a grant from the SSF was given for the first time, The Foundation plans to resume its educational programs with renewed focus. The funding will support salaries and operational costs for a two-year initiative that includes:

• For children: Out-of-school and weekend classes in Tibetan language, Buddhism, and Social Emotional Ethical Learning (SEEL), each offered three times a week.
• For adults: Introductory and intermediate Buddhism classes held six times a week, Tibetan language classes three times a week, and regular pujas on holy days.

Thank You and How to Help

The Social Services Fund remains a source of hope and opportunity for children and monastic students in some of the most isolated and under-served areas of India and Nepal. Thank you so much to all our kind donors, as well as Yeshe Norbu Association and Unione Buddhista Italiana (U.B.I.), who make these grants possible and provide these young learners with not just an academic education but also spiritual guidance and emotional support based on Buddhist principles. This support has a profound impact, empowering future generations to become compassionate, capable, and culturally aware individuals.

All are welcome to offer toward the Social Services Fund, to support the education of those who are truly vulnerable and in need in India and Nepal.

The Social Services Fund, established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.

Phuntsokling OPH residents receiving blessings from the His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India.

Since 2016, FPMT’s Social Services Fund has been providing essential support to Tibetan elder refugees living in homes across India and Nepal. Elderly individuals are especially vulnerable, many of these senior Tibetan citizens have no remaining family, and the help they receive through this fund ensures their most basic needs are met with dignity.

In 2025, through FPMT’s Social Services Fund, US$202,715 was granted to nine elderly homes in India. This year’s support includes not only food, accommodation, and medical care, but also upgrades to facilities and assistance to the most at risk in the settlements. 

This ongoing effort continues to be inspired by the profound great compassion and wisdom of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, whose vision was to care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of these elders. Rinpoche strongly emphasized that in addition to meeting material needs, we must also help create the conditions for spiritual practice, the accumulation of merit, and the purification of negative karma – especially at this precious time of life.

As we reflect on this year’s work, we also remember that this year is the year of compassion, in honor of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on July 6, 2025. This historic milestone is a time for heartfelt celebration and deep gratitude for His Holiness’s tireless advocacy for the Tibetan people, global peace, and universal compassion. Many of the elders supported through this fund have drawn strength and inspiration from His Holiness throughout their entire lives. This year, our offerings are also dedicated to His Holiness – with prayers for His long life and continued flourishing of His vast activities.

The ability to offer this continued support is due to the kindness of our donors, and we are deeply grateful. As we look ahead, we remain committed to upholding this meaningful work and repaying the kindness of our elders for as long as we are able.

Jampaling – Dharamsala | Kalimpong | Dhonden – Kollegal | Lugsam Samduling – Bylakuppe | Doeguling – Mundgod |
Rabgayling – Hunsur | Dhondenling – Bir | Phuntsokling – Odisha | Dhargyeling – Tezu

Jampaling Old People’s Home joyful residents.

Jampaling Old People’s Home, located near the kora in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, has long served as a sanctuary for elderly Tibetan refugees. Established in 1991, it is the largest Tibetan elderly home, currently housing 75 residents and supported by 13 dedicated staff members. In 2025, with the continued support of FPMT’s Social Services Fund, the home was able to meet their running expenses – ensuring residents receive nutritious meals, medical care, and a spiritually enriched environment. The grant played a crucial role in maintaining stability and dignity for these elders.

Kalimpong Old People’s Home is located in a charming hill town nestled in the beautiful Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. Rich in history, it once served as a crucial trade hub connecting Tibet and India. Since 1950s many Tibetan refugees bravely crossed the Himalayas, seeking refuge in India, with a significant number finding a new home in Kalimpong.

Today, the town hosts over 3,000 Tibetan residents, yet their communities are spread out rather than organized in traditional, close-knit groups. Many of these individuals face economic hardships, struggling with unstable incomes and financial insecurity.

In response to the needs of the community, the Kalimpong elderly home was established in 2008. Opened in 2012, this home provides care for 12 elderly Tibetans who lack financial and family backing. The Old Age Home extends its reach to support elders from neighboring regions such as Darjeeling, Gangtok, and Bhutan, with the capacity to welcome 35 residents and a dedicated team of 5 staff members. The 2025 grant supported their annual running expenses, helping them maintain their high standards of care.

Dhonden elderly home residents.

Located in the picturesque Bir Tibetan settlement, Dhonden Old People’s Home cares for 18 elders and is staffed by five caregivers. In 2025, FPMT’s Social Service Fund supported both the running expenses and a special furniture upgrade project, enhancing communal spaces such as prayer and dining halls.

Here’s a glimpse of what the elders now enjoy:

• Kitchen shelves, utensil cabinets, and sink units for better organization and hygiene.
• Prayer shelves to support spiritual practice.
• A patient bed and office chairs for medical and administrative needs.
• A 25-liter geyser and pressure cooker for daily comfort.
• A big-screen TV in the dining hall for shared moments of joy and watching teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
• A computer to support the home’s operations.

The transformation is more than physical. Residents now live in a space that feels like home – organized, peaceful, and respectful of their needs. The upgraded prayer and dining halls have become places of meaningful connection and laughter. As the Department of Home (Central Tibetan Administration) beautifully put it in their gratitude note, this initiative has created a “dignified and nurturing environment for our senior citizens.”

Offerings in front of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s photo at Lugsam elderly home .

Residents of Lugsam elderly home offering their prayers.

At the heart of the Lugsam Tibetan Settlement in Bylakuppe, Lugsam Samduling Old People’s Home continues to be a sanctuary for 36 elders. This home employs 6 dedicated staff members who assist residents with daily tasks such as room cleaning, bathing, and laundry. Each day is structured with compassionate care – from nutritious meals to spiritual gatherings in the prayer hall at 4 PM.

Residents also benefit from weekly health check-ups, thanks to the collaboration with Men-Tse-Khang and Tso-Jhe Hospital. This holistic approach ensures both physical and emotional well-being.

The 2025 grant from the Social Services Fund covered their annual expenses, including food, medical support, salaries, and utilities. This contribution enabled them to continue providing this important aid while preparing to welcome more residents moving forward.

Doeguling Mundgod elderly home resident enjoying a meal.

Doeguling Old and Infirm People’s Home, located within the Doeguling Tibetan Settlement in Mundgod, has been a recipient of FPMT’s Social Services Fund for many years. In 2025, the home continues to provide essential care to 50 elderly residents – 27 men and 23 women – with the dedicated support of eight staff members.

Among the residents, 28 are over the age of 80, and nine are bedridden, requiring 24-hour assistance. The home is able to offer daily sunbathing sessions and social interaction for these individuals, ensuring they remain connected and comforted. Many residents are managing chronic conditions such as carcinoma, HIV, hepatitis, diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis, and receive both allopathic and homeopathic treatments tailored to their needs.

This year, several residents underwent critical medical procedures, including cataract surgeries and radiation therapy for cancer. The home also provided palliative care for elders who can pass away peacefully after battling serious illnesses.

In January 2025, 46 residents were taken on a spiritually enriching journey to Bylakuppe to receive blessings from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The trip, supported by individual sponsors and the local settlement office, brought immense joy and fulfillment to the elders, many of whom described it as a deeply meaningful experience.

The 2025 grant offered supported both their daily operating needs and building maintenance.

Residents of Rabgayling elderly home posing in front of inauguration plaque commemorating Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s support

Rabgayling Old People’s Home, located within the Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement in South India, has been a recipient of Social Services Funds since 2015. As of January 2025, the home cares for 12 elders. The home remains committed to providing essential support and a sense of belonging to each individual.

This year has also brought some changes in leadership and operations. Ms. Tenzin Nordon now serves as the in-charge of the home. Under her guidance, the home continues to uphold its mission with renewed dedication. In accordance with updated guidelines from the Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC), staff salaries have been revised, resulting in an increase in recurring expenses. The  grant provided the costs for food, medical care, staff wages, and administration costs. This support ensures these seniors living peacefully, with dedicated care tailored to their needs.

Dhondenling elderly home residents in Bylakuppe.

Dhondenling Old People’s Home, located in the heart of the Dhondenling Tibetan Settlement in Kollegal, continues to provide consistent, high-quality care for its elderly residents. With the steadfast support from FPMT and other partners, the home has made significant strides in improving both the quality of life for elders and the infrastructure that supports them.

In 2025, the grant offered enabled the successful completion of several impactful projects:

• A new concrete road was constructed, enhancing safety and accessibility for residents and staff, especially during the monsoon season.
• A nutrition program provided fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein-rich foods, boosting immunity, energy, and overall well-being for 20 residents.
• Urgent building maintenance, including kitchen drainage repairs and repainting of prayer wheel railings, helped preserve hygiene and safety.

These improvements have not only enhanced daily life but also reduced long-term maintenance needs – laying the groundwork for a more resilient future. Additionally, they are looking at taking bold steps toward long-term sustainability. A generous community member has offered land previously used as a student hostel for commercial development. Plans are underway to build a shopping complex and restaurant, with the goal of generating sustainable income to support the home’s operations for years to come. 

Phuntsokling elderly home resident with local children.

The Old People’s Home in Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement, Odisha, continues to be a place of warmth and deep community connection for its elderly residents – from enabling elders to receive blessings from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, to supporting cultural exchanges with local schoolchildren, and providing regular health checkups and vaccinations through Menlha Hospital. Currently, the home cares for 13 elders, including four residents who are bedridden and require extensive daily assistance. A dedicated team of five staff members ensures that each elder receives the attention and care they deserve.

In May 2025, the home faced a sudden and severe challenge. A powerful rainstorm tore through the settlement, ripping open the roof of the elders’ residence and bathrooms – structures last renovated in 2016. Though no one was injured, the incident underscored the urgent need for a more durable, cyclone-resistant roofing solution in this vulnerable region.

In light of this emergency, the Phuntsokling Settlement Office has respectfully requested to reallocate the previously approved grant from FPMT which was for much needed renovation, to be now used toward the immediate roof repairs and reinforcement. This shift in priority is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of the elders, many of whom are frail and highly susceptible to environmental hazards.

Dhargeyling residents enjoying their lunch together.

Dhargyeling Old People’s Home is nestled in the Dhargyeling Tibetan Settlement in Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh. This home is undergoing a vital transformation to ensure the health, safety, and comfort of its elderly residents. With 16 elders currently residing at the facility – and more expected as the region becomes a central hub for elder care – the need for a secure and climate-resilient living environment has never been more urgent.

In 2025, the home began reconstruction with support from the Department of Home and the Tibetan Administration’s Welfare Society. However, the intense summer heat in Tezu, combined with prolonged monsoon rains, has made it clear that the existing concrete structure requires additional protection. Without proper roofing, residents face serious risks such as heatstroke, dehydration, and respiratory issues.

To address this, the settlement office proposed the installation of Corrugated Galvanized Iron (CGI) sheet roofing – a durable, cost-effective solution that will significantly reduce indoor temperatures and protect the building from water damage. The roofing will cover an area of 12,348 square feet. The grant from FPMT is covering the cost of this roofing project, to protect the residents from extreme heat and monsoon damage, dramatically improving their quality of life.

We deeply appreciate your support, together, we can help these resilient communities build stronger and safer environments, ensuring that the Tibetan elders continue to live with dignity and peace. 

Your continued support to the Social Services Fund, helps ensure continuous assistance for elderly homes and those who are in need.

Buffalos rescued from slaughter now living out their lives at the Animal Liberation Sanctuary near Kopan Monastery.

Recently we shared that three young buffalos were saved from impending death in Kathmandu in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday and for the health and long, long life of His Holiness.

Ven. Roger Kunsang requested H.E. Ling Rinpoche to give names to the three buffalos and the following names were given: Losang (meaning: wise), Ngawang (meaning: Lord of speech), and Jampal (meaning: gentle glory).

His Holiness emphasizes the concept of “universal responsibility” for animals and the environment. As part of this universal responsibility, there is a duty to show compassion and care for all sentient beings, which of course includes animals. 

We are so happy to share a video of these beautiful rescued creatures being cared for at the Animal Liberation Sanctuary, near Kopan Monastery, where they will live out the rest of their lives. In addition to food and shelter, which they need to survive, the video shows them being blessed in a variety of ways (including a Guru Rinpoche relic, special mantras, and strings blessed by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche) while listening to an audio recording of Rinpoche reciting mantras. They also have stupas to circumambulate at the sanctuary to create extensive merit. 

Due to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s perfect example and guidance, these buffalos and all the animals at the Animal Liberation Sanctuary now have such fortunate lives. Rinpoche made sure they are not only are saved from death and have a safe place to live, but most importantly they receive all these blessings and imprints that will bring ultimate benefit to them in the future. 

The liberation of these buffalos have been made on behalf of the entire FPMT family, and we deeply request His Holiness to have a stable life for eons, numberless like the drops in the ocean, and to continuously guide us, in all lifetimes without separation.

These three buffalos were sponsored by the Animal Liberation Fund, This fund sponsors animal rescue, care, and liberation. The Animal Liberation Sanctuary cares for the ongoing care of all the animals living in the sanctuary near Kopan Monastery. 

Ven. Roger Kunsang, Ven. Topgye, Ven. Elisabeth Drukier, Ven. Kunphen, and Frances Howland in procession during the long life puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, July 5, 2025.

On July 5, 2025 five FPMT representatives joined in the long life puja being offered in Dharamsala by Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in honor of His Holiness’s ninetieth birthday. They successfully offered 100 Shakyamuni Buddha statues on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. The statues were created in Nepal and filled and consecrated by Gyudmed Tantric Monastery in Dharamsala, India.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama receiving one of the Shakyamuni Buddha statues on behalf of the FPMT organization during the long life puja, July 5, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama receiving a Shakyamuni Buddha statue on behalf of the FPMT organization and praying for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s incarnation. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Ven. Roger Kunsang (CEO of FPMT), Ven. Topgye (Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s attendant who also helped arrange the creation of the 100 statues, along with delivery from Nepal to Dharamsala with Gen Tenpa Choden), Ven. Elisabeth Drukier (Director of Kalachakra Centre in Paris), Ven. Kunphen (co-director and SPC of Tushita Retreat Center), and Frances Howland (FPMT South Asia Regional Coordinator) had the great fortune (representing all of us within the FPMT family including everyone within the centers, projects, services, students, volunteers, and benefactors), to join in the actual long life puja. They offered 13 of the 100 statues within the long life puja procession. Ven. Roger Kunsang was able to personally offer three statues directly to His Holiness during the puja.

The remaining 87 statues were brought to His Holiness’s Private Office earlier on. These statues and offering were made on behalf of the entire FPMT family.

After the long life puja we received two incredibly precious photos of His Holiness directly receiving one of the statues. We also received a message that His Holiness was making prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s incarnation. Please rejoice! 

Please enjoy this beautiful video that shows the filling, consecrating, and offering of the statues to His Holiness. 

Thank you to everyone who made these offerings possible. You can view more photos from this long life puja. 

By making these offerings, we are deeply requesting His Holiness to have a long and stable life, and to continue guiding the FPMT organization and all students, now and in all future lifetimes, without separation. 

For more on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his beneficial activities, please visit DalaiLama.com.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. 

Three young buffalo liberated in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.

We are so happy to share with you that three young buffalos were saved from impending death in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday and for the health and long, long life of His Holiness. These buffalos were tied up outside a butcher’s shop in Kathmandu, were bought and liberated from death. They will now live out the rest of their life at the Animal Liberation Sanctuary that is managed by Kopan Monastery.

Apart from having shelter and food for the rest of their lives, they will be able to listen to mantras and sutra recitations that are playing in the sanctuary. They will also receive blessings from the special mantras printed billions of times on microfiche, that Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche had made up for all the animals that live in the sanctuary.

Please rejoice in this offering that has been made on behalf of the entire FPMT family, and we deeply request His Holiness to have a stable life for eons, numberless like the drops in the ocean, to continuously guide us, in all lifetimes without separation.

These three buffalos were sponsored by the Animal Liberation Fund, This fund sponsors animal rescue, care, and liberation. The Animal Liberation Sanctuary cares for the ongoing care of all the animals living in the sanctuary near Kopan Monastery. 

Kopan monks in puja, June 10, 2025. Photo by Kopan Monastery.

Boudhanath Stupa.

During the twenty-four hours of Saka Dawa (June 11, 2025), which commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, and when karmic results are multiplied by 300 million times as it commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s three major life events, The FPMT Puja Fund sponsored a number of pujas and prayers on behalf of the entire FPMT organization.

These auspicious activities included: 100,000 recitations of the Praises to the Twenty-one Taras which was recited twice at two nunneries; the recitation of the Guhyasamaja Root Tantra; 1,000 set of offerings to Buddha Namgyalma; and Extensive Medicine Buddha Puja. Additionally, the stupas of Boudhanath and Swambyunath in Nepal were freshly painted and the umbrellas at the pinnacle of each stupa was replaced; and a new set of robes was offered to the Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. Animals were liberated, sutras recited and printed; and offerings were made to all of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus and to all the IMI Sangha communities in FPMT.

Altar in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s room at Kopan Monastery in front of the holy body relic on Saka Dawa.

We are so happy to share with you a few videos of the different pujas and the Sangha undertaking these prayers. Each puja was offered by ordained Sangha, who are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with strong motivation and dedications for the entire FPMT family including every center and activity, all the students, volunteers, and kind benefactors; for the swift return of our most precious and kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche; for obstacles to be removed; for the long life and health of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all the gurus and teachers who are benefiting sentient beings.

Every practice offered starts with bodhichitta motivation and concludes with bodhichitta dedication. When you generate bodhichitta, it is for everyone. There is no partisanship where you do it for some sentient beings, but not others. It is for everyone.

Twenty-Four Hours of Merit

In Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s room at Kopan Monastery, in front of Rinpoche’s holy Kudung (holy body relic), the senior monks and Lama Gyupas offered the morning puja. This puja is performed on the basis of Solitary Hero Yamantaka and The Precious Lamp: A Ritual of Making Offerings to and Purifying the Remains of a Special Being [Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche] based on Bhagavän Vajrasattva. This puja has been happening every single morning for over two years. This is a brief video of the practice offered on Saka Dawa:

During the day at Kopan Monastery the monks offered extensive Medicine Buddha Puja, please watch a short video:

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche chose this puja to be offered every Saka Dawa because Medicine Buddha practice is very powerful to overcome problems and to have success. Rinpoche explained: “If you pray to Guru Medicine Buddha, you will quickly accomplish all that you wish. Just hearing the holy name of Guru Medicine Buddha and the sound of his mantra closes the door to rebirth in the suffering lower realms. It is written in the scriptures that you should not have a two-pointed mind (doubt) with regard to these benefits. …”

The five thousand monks of Sera Je Monastery and Sera Mey Monastery joined together and offered 1,000 sets of offerings to Buddha Namgyalma. Please enjoy the video:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained the incredible benefits: “Namgyalma is a deity for long life and purification. The mantra has infinite benefits; it is so powerful. It is said that for anyone who hears this mantra, this will be the last time that person is born in the womb. If animals hear it, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.” You can read more of the benefits and hear Rinpoche reciting this precious mantra.

At Kopan’s nunnery Khachoe Gyakyil Ling Nunnery, the nuns offered 100,000 Praises to the Twenty-One Taras. Please watch this short video:

Rinpoche explained that the benefits of practicing Tara are uncountable. By reciting the Praises to the Twenty-One Taras with devotion, at dawn or dusk, and remembering Tara and reciting her mantra at any time of the day or night, we are protected from fear and danger, and all our wishes are fulfilled. If we pray to Tara, Tara will grant help quickly.

Tara statue offered to Rangjung Neljorma Khandro Tseringma.

She is especially quick in granting us success in obtaining the ultimate happiness of enlightenment, but there are also many temporal benefits of reciting the Tara mantra or the Praises to the Twenty-One Taras prayer. Tara can solve many problems in life: liberating us from untimely death, helping us recover from disease, bringing us success in business. Somebody with a serious problem, such as a life-threatening disease, who relies on Tara will very commonly be freed from that problem.

Rinpoche also has said, “The best way we can become close to Tara, what pleases her the most, is when we fervently try to develop the mind of bodhichitta. The more we are able to practice bodhichitta and cherish others more than ourselves, the closer we will be to Tara, and the easier it will be for her to offer us help quickly.”

The monks who are all students at Gaden Jangtse School offered the whole day of Saka Dawa reciting Migtsema and Jampal Tsenjoe for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return according to His Holiness Dalai Lamas guidance. FPMT’s Social Service Fund has been supporting this school for the last three years and we were extremely touched by their offering of prayers. Please watch this short video: 

Rejoice and Remember

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Boudhanath Stupa, 2020.

During each puja mentioned above, FPMT is making a small money offering to each of the kind Sangha offering the prayers, as well as tea and bread. Rinpoche has said that there is nothing compared to making offerings to the Sangha of these monasteries, because they are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Offering tea to one disciple is better than making an offering to all the Buddhas.

Rinpoche has said that even just by remembering that these pujas happened, rejoicing in the activities, and dedicating the merits—This is the best business and the best way to create the most extensive merit and these pujas are dedicated for anybody who needs these prayers, and the merit that is created from all these prayers is also your merit, so you can dedicate to having realizations yourself and achieving enlightenment.

This is the thirtieth consecutive year that we have arranged these pujas on each of the four holy Buddha multiplying days, following the advice of our most kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who explained how important these continual prayers are for the success of the organization. We sincerely thank all the kind donors who enabled us to arrange these pujas and also everyone who rejoiced in the practices. Thank you.

The whole FPMT mandala, including every center, was engaged in prayers and virtuous practices on Saka Dawa, It was such an incredible day to join in the collective prayers and to rejoice in how much merit was being created.

May all of these powerful prayers be the cause of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return, for peace and harmony within the FPMT organization; for all obstacles to be removed; for the activities to be successful and of most benefit to all beings; for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all of our teachers; and for the success and benefit of all the FPMT Dharma activities around the world.

The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to provide resources for continuous pujas dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. You can learn more about the Puja Fund, or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity. 

Following the precious advice of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, we have arranged the following extensive pujas and practices to be offered throughout the day of Saka Dawa*, (June 11, 2025), and is one of the most powerful days of the year to create merit and engage in practice.

• Two recitations of the 100,000 Praises to the Twenty-One Taras by two nunneries
• The recitation of the Guhyasamaja Root Tantra
• 1000 Offerings to Buddha Namgyalma and Medicine Buddha Puja
• Recitations of Jampal Tshen Jo (Chanting the Names of Manjushri)
• Offerings will be made to all the sangha undertaking these practices and to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus.
• The stupas of Boudhanath and Swambyunath in Nepal will be freshly painted, and the umbrellas at the pinnacle of each stupa will be replaced and a new set of robes will be offered to the Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.

We would like to invite anyone who feels inspired, to join in this day of merit and extensive prayers by offering any amount.

This is the thirtieth year that FPMT Puja Fund has been arranging extensive pujas and prayers on behalf of the entire FPMT organization – offered monthly and on every Buddha Day, including Saka Dawa.

Nuns offering Cittamani Tara Puja, Kopan Monastery, April 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained that these offerings and pujas are to continue forever, or for as long as the monasteries exist. By making an offering towards the pujas, you can also consciously rejoice on the actual day, reflect on the practices being done, and dedicate the merits. As Rinpoche said: “This is the best business – the best way to create the most extensive merit.” 

All the merit created from all these pujas is also your merit. Everyone can rejoice in the practices undertaken, and dedicate the merits created toward your own realizations and enlightenment for all sentient beings.

All the Sangha undertaking these prayers are dedicating them to the swift return of our most precious guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche; for the overall success of the entire FPMT organization; for all the kind donors, students, and volunteers; and especially for the supporters of the FPMT Puja Fund.

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*All of these prayers are happening on Saka Dawa day and merit created on that day is multiplied 300 million times, as it commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s three major life events.

The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to provide resources for continuous pujas dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. You can learn more about the Puja Fund, or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a long life puja offered to him by Shang Gaden Choekhorling Monastery Nepal, along with the Chatring and Phari Communities at Thekchen Choeling Tsuglakhang in Dharamshala, May 7, 2025. Tenzin Choejor, courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

On the joyful occasion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday on July 6, 2025, FPMT International Office—on behalf of the entire organization —will be offering one hundred statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness. These beautiful statues are  currently in the process of being made with great care. They will be gold-gilded, filled with mantras, have their faces painted, and consecrated before being brought to India for the offering. In addition, we will be making a significant financial offering to His Holiness, on this momentous and auspicious occasion, with sincere prayers and requests for His Holiness’s long life.

One of the gold Shakyamuni Buddha statues which will be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Ven. Roger Kunsang, on behalf of FPMT, will be arranging the offering of the one hundred Buddha statues and attending His Holiness’s long Life puja on July 5, 2025.

Anyone who would like to contribute toward these offerings is warmly invited to do so:

• Support the statue offerings
• Contribute to the offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Each of the Buddha statues costs $300 to create and bring to India. Your contribution—whether small or large—will directly support these offering.

“By offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, you are making offerings to all the buddhas and numberless bodhisattvas. This generates limitless skies of merit — every day and every second.”  Lama Zopa Rinpoche

By making these offerings, we are deeply requesting His Holiness to have a long and stable life, and to continue guiding the FPMT organization and all students, now and in all future lifetimes, without separation.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. 

The monks of Sera Mey Monastery offering Extensive Medicine Buddha puja being during Losar on behalf of the FPMT organization.

During the Fifteen Days of Miracles (February 28-March 14), when any merit created is multiplied 100 million times, the FPMT Puja Fund has been sponsoring a number of pujas and prayers, including the recitation of the entire Kangyur, Guhyasamaja Root Tantra, 1,000 set of offerings to Namgyalma, and Extensive Medicine Buddha Puja.

We are so happy to share with you a few videos of the different powerful pujas that have been occurring. Each puja is being offered by ordained Sangha, who are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with strong motivation and dedications for the entire FPMT organization— for the swift return of our most precious and kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche; for harmony among students and for obstacles to be removed; and for the long life and health of all the gurus and teachers who are benefiting sentient beings.

At Gaden Jangtse Monastic College, South India, the Sangha offered Medicine Buddha puja and Druk Chuma. Please watch a short video.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that, “The Medicine Buddha encompasses all the buddhas. This means that when we practice the seven-limb prayer and make offerings with the seven limbs, we receive the same merit as we would if we had made offerings to all the buddhas. Similarly, when we recite the mantra of Medicine Buddha, we collect unbelievable merit, just as when we offer the seven-limb practice to Medicine Buddha.”

At Gyuto Monastery, Dharamsala, India, the Sangha offered 1,000 sets of offerings to Namgyalma and Druk Chuma. Please enjoy this  short video.

Rinpoche offered a beautiful visualization for the Namgyalma practice: “Visualize His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all the gurus. Beneath them are the Sangha, who help to preserve and spread the Dharma. On the moon disc are all sentient beings.” Read the full visualization.

The Sangha at Sera Mey Monastery offered Extensive Medicine Buddha Puja. Please watch this short video.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained that, “The seven Medicine Buddhas, attainers of bliss, strongly prayed for the temporal and ultimate happiness of yourself and all sentient beings. They vowed that their prayers would be actualized during these degenerate times when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. As the buddhas’ holy speech is irrevocable, you can wholly trust in their power to quickly grant blessings to help all sentient beings in these degenerate times.”

Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery recited the entire Kangyur over two days. Please watch a short video of day one: 

And another video of day two:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained the unbelievable merits in making it possible to read these holy scriptures by the Sangha members. The benefits are explained in The Condensed Jewel Quality:

“The merit created by reading, writing, keeping, making offering to, and paying respect to the Mother Prajnaparamita and Kangyur, taught by Buddha, who possesses the Ten Powers, the benefits are infinitely greater than: building a stupa of the sorrowless state, making the stupa from the seven jewels, making as many stupas as to fill many thousands of ten million worlds equaling the number of sand grains in the River Ganges, and infinite sentient being making offerings to these stupas three times a day for eons.”

Rinpoche also explained how important it is to have the Kangyur recited at the beginning of every year for the success of the FPMT organization and to create merit so the organization can be of most benefit to all beings.

The merit that is created from all these pujas is also your merit. So, you can dedicate all these merits to having realizations and to achieving enlightenment

Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery also recited the Ksitigharba Sutra. Please watch a short video.

Rinpoche often advised that prayers to Ksitigarbha are much more powerful than those made to other bodhisattvas, “This dharani mantra is the best one to do for any problems in any situation. Even reciting four or five times, just a few times, is very powerful. [The sutra] talks about so much power, how important the bodhisattva is; even reciting or just thinking of the name of the bodhisattva is very, very powerful.”

This recitation, following the advise of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, is specifically dedicated “to avert harm from the elements (fire, water, wind, and earth) such as tornados, hurricanes, heavy rain, storms, floods, earthquakes, fires; as well as disasters that destroy crops; disasters that destroy entire towns and cities within one hour; disasters that cause so many billions of dollars of damage and so much money has to be spent to rebuild the towns; disasters where so many hundreds and thousands of people die or lose their homes, have no food or clean water; disasters where so many animals and insects are killed and harmed.”  

Rejoice and Remember

During each puja mentioned above, FPMT is making a small money offering to each of the kind Sangha offering the prayers, as well as tea and breakfast. Rinpoche has said that there is nothing compared to making offerings to the Sangha of these monasteries, because they are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other gurus. Offering tea to one disciple is better than making an offering to all the Buddhas.

Rinpoche has said that even just by remembering that these pujas are happening, rejoicing in the activities, and dedicating the merits—This is the best business and the best way to create the most extensive merit and these pujas are dedicated for anybody who needs these prayers, and the merit that is created from all these prayers is also your merit, so you can dedicate to having realizations yourself and achieving enlightenment.

This is the thirtieth consecutive year that we have arranged these pujas on each of the four holy Buddha multiplying days, following the advice of our most kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who explained how important these continual prayers are for the success of the organization.

May all of these powerful prayers be the cause of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return, for peace and harmony within the FPMT organization and for obstacles to be removed, for the long life of all of our teachers, and for the success and benefit of all the FPMT Dharma activities around the world, long into the future.

The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to provide resources for continuous pujas dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. You can learn more about the Puja Fund, or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity. 

Progress on the Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery. Photo thanks to Kopan Monastery.

The Stupa of Complete Victory, being built at Kopan Monastery in Nepal for the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, is progressing impressively. We are delighted to share this recent update and rejoice in this significant milestone that has reached in its construction.

In early February many of the monks of Kopan Monastery assisted with the filling of the stupa, carefully wrapping all the precious texts in cloth (this is like offering robes to the texts) and carried up the 42 ft stupa to be placed respectfully inside the stupa.

Next, the life tree was brought up. This is a hugely important step to building a stupa. The life tree has the four dharmakaya relic mantras painted in gold around it.

Please enjoy this short video of the placing of the life tree, mantras, and incense inside the stupa:

Rinpoche has explained “by having these mantras inside, written with gold on the life tree then that gives the holy object much, much, much more power; it becomes hundreds, thousands, millions of times more powerful. It’s already powerful, but on top of that, it becomes incredibly powerful to purify sentient beings’ negative karma, to collect extensive merit, all that.”

As the life tree was placed in the very center of the stupa the monks consecrated it and recited auspicious prayers and then huge bags of incense were carried up the ladders and carefully placed inside the stupa.

Rinpoche has further explained about the incredible benefits of the mantras: “There’s a special mantra in the stupa that goes on the life tree, the root that goes in the center. There are four very powerful mantras that have been written with real gold. So, there are four mantras called Dharmakaya Relics and one of them says Secret Relic. That mantra has unbelievable skies of benefit for the sentient beings who circumambulate, make offering and prostration. By having this mantra in the stupa, human beings, animals, anybody who circumambulates around it one time has the power to purify the negative karma to be born in the hells. The hell realm has eight hot hells and eight cold hells—these are the immeasurable ones—then there are six or four neighborhood hell realms, then the ordinary hell realms. I’m not going to expand any more on this, which is my favorite subject. Anyway, by going around one time, the negative karma to be born in the eight hot hells is completely purified—just by going around one time! By having this mantra, the secret relic, inside the stupa, it’s just so easy to liberate ourselves and other living beings.”

The intricate designs on the outside of the stupa are also now underway.

Progress on the Stupa of Complete Victory’s intricate detail. Photo thanks to Kopan Monastery.

Progress on the Stupa of Complete Victory’s intricate detail. Photo thanks to Kopan Monastery.

Thank you to everyone who is working to actualize the stupa at Kopan Monastery,  as well as to all the donors, who make this possible. As Padmasambhava explained  “All those who rejoice in the stupa will generate every single quality of a buddha in their mental continuum.”

We still need funds to complete this beautiful and powerful stupa, please consider supporting in whatever way you can.

Please read our last previous update on this stupa, Placing the Treasure Vases. 

Please read more about the holy objects supported through the Holy Objects Fund.