Projects

Enthronement ceremony of Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gendun Choephel, Sera Je Monastery, Bylakuppe, South India, July 2016. Photo via http://www.serajeymonastery.org

A new stupa is being built at Sera Je Monastery for Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gendun Choephel who passed away on July 31, 2016. Among Khen Rinpoche’s many students is Tenzin Ösel Hita, the recognized reincarnation of FPMT founder Lama Yeshe.

“My dearest and most precious Teacher, Friend, Mother, Father and Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Gendun Choephel, just passed away in a very sudden way,” Ösel wrote on his Facebook page on July 31. “He was the closest person in my life, he raised me and gave me everything, taught me and loved me like no one else. It is devastating and so hard to accept, but I feel joy for having known him and it has been such an honor to grow up under his guidance. Thank you so much Gen-la, you are always in my heart.”

Ösel requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche to assist with this precious stupa, and Rinpoche, through the Stupa Fund, offered US$20,000 toward its completion. 

Young Osel with Geshe Gendun Choephel (left) and Lama Zopa Rinpoche (right) at Sera Je Monastery.

“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. This is about peace – for the beings who see it, for the whole country, for the entire world, for all sentient beings.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Tenzin Osel Hita with Geshe Gendun Choephel and brother Kunkyen.

Geshe Gendun Choephel was born in 1941 in Karze in eastern Tibet. He later joined Sera Je Monastery in 1955 and went into exile in India in 1959, joining the Buxa Duar community to study and practice. He was among the foremost group who re-established Sera Je in Bylakuppe, South India. After earning his Lharampa Geshe degree, Khen Rinpoche began teaching at the monastery and did so for the rest of his life. He was enthroned as the 75th abbot of Sera Je Monastery on July 18, 2016. 

The total cost for this stupa is US$27,000 and the remaining US$7,000 will be raised by Sera Je monks.  Please rejoice in the creation of this holy object dedicated to a most kind teacher, Geshe Gendun Choephel. 

If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels and statues. The Stupa Fund is a sub fund of the Holy Objects Fund. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche translated “Padmasambhava’s Instruction on Offerings to Stupas,” which details the benefits of prostrating to, circumambulating, making offerings, and offering service to stupas. Also available is, “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Advice for Circumambulation.”

The monks of Sera Je Monastery are offered three nutritious meals every single day through the Sera Je Food Fund.

The Sera Je Food Fund (a project of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund) has been in operation for twenty-five years, offering free meals to the sincere monks of Sera Je Monastery daily.

In a typical month, nearly 22,000 bananas, 120 bottles of soy sauce, and an incredible 5,500 pounds of flour, among many other ingredients including vegetables, rice, noodles, and tea, are utilized in preparation for this offering of vegetarian meals for, on average, 1,600 monks every day.

Approximately 50 monks help prepare meals for in the Sera Je Food Fund kitchen.

The Sera Je Food Fund doesn’t just supply food. A tremendous amount of work must go into the planning, cooking, serving, and cleaning up of the daily meals.

Every day each khangtsen (monastic house made up of monks from the same regions) informs the Sera Je Food Fund Kitchen how many monks will be joining for meals so the cooks can always prepare the right amount of food. There is almost no waste from the kitchen because any leftovers are offered to monks who engage in evening debate or classes allowing the monks to enjoy a second dinner if they are studying or debating late. Any food bought by the kitchen that is not used is sold back to the market making the waste for the kitchen extremely low. This is quite impressive when considering the volume of food being prepared and cooked. 

Typically, about 50 monks are assigned to kitchen duties every day.  They help ensure that the ingredients are top quality, that the kitchen is always hygienic and efficient, and that the food is tasty for the monks. Lunch is often eaten as a group in the Sera Je gompa when there are pujas or practices happening.

It takes a tremendous amount of food, supplies, equipment, and collective work to offer meals every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery.

Equipment and kitchen supply needs are ongoing, maintenance and repairs are frequent, office supplies are needed for administration and accounting, pujas and prayers for the project’s success are regularly sponsored, and dry food is organized during special occasions such as holidays and major teaching events when the monastery kitchen is closed down. All of this costs approximately US$200,000 every year to actualize. A small price considering the incredible benefit offered to so many. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has taught extensively on the benefits of offering to Sangha.

The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund was established to support monks and nuns with a focus on the health and sustainability of monasteries and nunneries. While the Sera Je Food Fund has been our most successful and ambitious project to date, future plans for this fund will enable FPMT to make ongoing offerings in a much broader way.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the nuns of Kopan Nunnery.

“Educating monks and nuns is one of the most important things in the world.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The Sera Je Food Fund was established with very clear goals and recently one of those major objectives has been achieved. We look forward to releasing details on this in weeks to come.  We invite all to connect with the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund to keep up on news,  information on new initiatives, and opportunities to get involved and support these efforts to help monasteries and nunneries thrive. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries.

Amitabha Buddhist Centre community liberates sea creatures at the shoreline in Singapore.

Benefiting animals in any way possible is a high priority for FPMT and one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the organization. The Animal Liberation Fund helps carry forth this work.

The Animal Liberation Fund sponsored the liberations of approximately 70,400 animals at Rinpoche’s houses in California and Washington State in 2016. Not only were the animals saved from untimely death by resident Sangha, but they were also taken around an incredible amount of holy objects, mantras were recited and blown on them and they were carefully placed where they could live out the rest of their life. When Sangha finish these liberations, they make strong prayers for all those who are sick, have recently died, or who have requested prayers. This is one of the most beneficial aspects of this practice as the merit is shared among so many. All are welcome to request prayers and dedications from the Sangha at Rinpoche’s residences for themselves or loved ones. In addition to the animal liberations in Washington State, the Sangha regularly bless the beings living in the lakes of this area. 

During the animal liberation practice, animals are carried around holy objects so they can create merit.

About once a month at Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC), Singapore, sea creatures are purchased at a seafood market to liberate. The animals are then circumambulated around center, which has 100 sets of the Kangyur and Tengyur as well as more than 300 stupas and many holy objects, including prayer wheels and statues. The community then offers animal liberation practice for  the animals according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s instructions and advice. Incredibly, 4,199,007 crabs, shellfish, and fish were liberated in 2016.  ABC estimates that they have helped liberate 218,000,000 lives to date. 

During animal liberation practice, an altar like this one designed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche filled with holy objects can be used for circumambulating the animals.

Recently, a student wrote to Rinpoche asking what they could do when finding dead insects. Rinpoche responded, not only to give advice but to describe in detail how he and Sangha at his residences work to benefit insects, birds, and other small animals.

Animal liberation is a specific practice done for animals which would otherwise be killed. The practice involves taking the animals-in-danger around holy objects to leave positive imprints in their minds, reciting mantras for them, blessing water to sprinkle onto their bodies, and then releasing them. This differs from general animal blessings which involve blessing any animal with mantras or a holy object. Animal blessings are, of course, wonderful to do for animals, but this is not what is meant by “animal liberations.”

Animal liberation practice is an incredible practice for anyone who has illnesses or is experiencing life obstacles. FPMT Education Services makes available many resources for those wishing to engage in this practice. 

All are welcome to contribute to the Animal Liberation Fund to help ensure that our work sponsoring animal liberations around the world continues. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ven. Yarpel outside Heruka Pure Land Retreat Cabin.

Out of control wildfires ravaged many parts of the United States’ Pacific Northwest during the Summer of 2015. Several fires occurred in Okanogan County, Washington, where Buddha Amitabha Pure Land (BAPL) is located. Among the damage done, a retreat cabin on BAPL land was partly destroyed, making it unusable. In addition, all of the contents of the kitchen, bathroom, and sitting area were destroyed.

We are very happy to report that the retreat cabin has now been fully rebuilt. Parts of the cabin that were not destroyed were utilized in the rebuild, contents of the previous cabin were replaced, burnt trees cleared, and repairs were made to the deer fence.

The new cabin is now 561 square feet with 433 square feet of living space. The new building was designed, partly built, and fully supervised by Ven. Yarpel (who is a retired builder and also long-term retreatant).

With the new building some essential upgrades were added, such as bringing a larger water storage tank up to the cabin (the previous one required pumping each day) and also joining the kitchen and bathroom to the existing cabin. Before there were separate buildings and this meant that a retreatant would have to go out in the snow to use the kitchen and bathroom. These upgrades have made the retreat cabin safer and more useful.

The finished cabin is 561 square feet with 433 square feet of living space.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently visited the cabin and was very happy with the additions, blessed the new retreat cabin, and gave it the name: Heruka Pure Land Retreat Cabin.

It has been the ongoing wish of Lama Zopa Rinpoche for retreat places to be established around the world where senior Sangha and longtime senior students of the FPMT can live in retreat or retirement. In order for this wish to become a reality in the United States, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT have made available a great majority of the land at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land for the purpose of establishing such a place. 

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

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with some of the Land of Joy community on the retreat center’s grounds, July 2014. Photo courtesy of Land of Joy website.

Land of Joy is an FPMT-affiliated Buddhist retreat center located in the Northumberland National Park in the north of England. We are pleased to report that due to the kindness of a generous benefactor, the Practice and Retreat Fund was recently able to invest in the current operations and growth of this retreat center. 

Land of Joy enables individuals and groups at all levels of experience to undertake retreats and find support for their Dharma studies and practice. All are welcome to visit, share their spiritual practice, volunteer to provide for the needs of the retreatants, and participate in other activities such as working in the garden and woodlands.

In the future Land of Joy  will develop Tara Hospice Care, providing compassionate support for terminally ill individuals and their families. Initially, hospice service will be provided to individuals in their own homes but in time the team will develop to include on-site care for patients who wish to end their lives in the quiet, contemplative environment of Land of Joy.

The lush and beautiful view from the Land of Joy property. Photo courtesy of Land of Joy website. 

About the importance of retreat centers, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said:

“A retreat place is not for gaining power like black magic, it’s not for a honeymoon or holiday. Also it is not a place to be spaced out. The whole purpose is to subdue the mind and to actualize lam-rim up to enlightenment. It is a place for a holiday from negative karma, a holiday from the three poisonous minds and the self-cherishing thought, a holiday from the self-grasping of the person and phenomena, a holiday from the wrong concepts: non-devotional thought toward guru up to the subtle dual view of white, increasing, attainment.”

Please rejoice that Land of Joy has received some generous support it needs to actualize its vision long into the future.  You can read more about this unique center including testimonials from those involved in the establishment and operation of Land of Joy. 

The Practice and Retreat Fund provides grants and sponsorships for students engaged in retreats such as 108 nyung nä retreats, 100 million mani retreats, recitations of sutras and long term retreat. Creating opportunities for and sponsoring students to engage in retreats is an essential component of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization.  

Ven. Tsering, a Kopan monk, spends eight hours every day writing out the Prajnaparamita Sutra in pure gold on archival quality paper.

According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, one of the main ways to create the cause needed to build the large Maitreya Buddha statue in India, is to write out the Prajnaparamita Sutra in pure gold. One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast visions for FPMT is to build 1,000 large Maitreya statues around the world.

To complete this project, Rinpoche has arranged the writing of the 8,000 verse Prajnaparamita in pure gold for fifteen years. Under Rinpoche’s guidance Jane Seidlitz and Ven. Tsering are writing out this sutra in gold ink on archival quality rainbow paper. The completed sutra will eventually go into the heart of the Maitreya statue in Kushinagar, India. 

Ven. Tsering has dedicated 15 years, eight hours a day, to this project. He is currently working on the fourth volume of twelve.

Every year, the Prajnaparamita Project disburses approximately US$25,000 to cover the costs associated with this project. The majority of the money is used to sponsor the real gold used in the calligraphy ink. Tremendous thanks to all who contribute to this fund, making it possible to continue until the final verse is completed. 

You can learn more about the Prajnaparamita Project as well as the other Charitable Projects of FPMT.

Approximately 700,000 meals were offered to the monks of Sera Je Monastery through the Sera Je Food Fund in 2016.

In 2016, FPMT Charitable Projects provided grants totaling US$3,512,326 toward various beneficial activities, including offering food to ordained Sangha and children; providing Buddhist philosophy scholarships; sponsoring beneficial pujas and practices; monthly offerings to the main teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition and sponsoring annual debates; offering grants to social services such as elder care homes, schools, hospitals, and monastic institutions; providing comprehensive Dharma programs; translating Dharma texts; sponsoring the creation of holy objects, such as statues, stupas, prayer wheels, and large thangkas; and saving animals from death and giving them Dharma imprints.

Elderly residents of a home in Dharamsala sponsored by the Social Services Fund

Of particular note in 2016 was the US$356,727 disbursed from the Social Services Fund. Supporting those in need—such as children, the elderly, the poor, and sick—is the main priority of this fund. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also indicated that in addition to offering much needed material resources, we should also help by offering Dharma talks and when possible holy objects, which helps change karma for the better and bring real lasting benefit.

This 13-foot Guru Rinpoche statue had to be airlifted to Lawudo, Nepal, and was sponsored by the Holy Objects Fund in 2016.

Another area we are so happy to have supported in 2016 is the creation of holy objects. The Holy Objects Fund contributes to the construction of holy objects for world peace, which is a high priority among Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization. This year, US$879,972 was offered toward these projects, including the Maitreya Projects in Kushinagar and Bodhgaya; seven large prayer wheels, including five water-turned prayer wheels in Nepal, one in a Tibetan settlement in India, and one in New Zealand; thirteen Guru Rinpoche statues for Lawudo Retreat Center in Nepal; and seven statues that will be placed inside a larger statue in India.

We’d like to invite you to rejoice in all the grants that FPMT Charitable Projects was able to offer this year. You can read more about this in this year’s FPMT International Office annual review. Tremendous thanks for the kindness and generosity of many who give to the various funds and initiatives this past year, enabling our compassionate work to continue. 

You can learn more about the FPMT Charitable Projects, follow news and updates, or make a donation of any amount to help this work continue.

Monks of Sera Me Monastery offering Medicine Buddha puja

On Chotrul Duchen (the Day of Miracles), which is the fifteenth day of the Tibetan New Year (Losar) and falls on March 12 this year, the Puja Fund will sponsor offerings to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus and Sangha around the world; make offerings of robes and gold to holy objects in India, Nepal, and Tibet; and sponsor extensive prayers and pujas offered by up 15,650 Sangha. One of the many pujas happening on Chotrul Duchen is the recitation of the Prajñaparamita.

The Puja Fund makes offerings on the four Buddha Multiplying Days, when karmic results are multiplied by one hundred million, as cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche from the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that the karma of group practice is more powerful than individual practice. “The karma of one ordained Sangha reciting a sutra in a temple or room alone, compared to reciting a sutra with all the assembly of Sangha present, the latter one—reciting a sutra with all the Sangha—is much more powerful…. The more people there are supporting the practice, the more powerful it becomes…. When the karma is more powerful, the result comes more quickly.”

These auspicious activities cost approximately US$8,000 on Buddha Multiplying Days, including Chotrul Duchen on March 12. All are welcome to join in the merit of these prayers, practices, and offerings by rejoicing or contributing any amount to the Puja Fund.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given advice about what practices can be done on Buddha Multiplying Days such as Chotrul Duchen.  

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 and FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity online.

Tenzin Osel Hita requesting Lama Zopa Rinpoche to live for a very long time. Photo by Paolo Regis Photography.

On January 18th, Lama Zopa Rinpoche was offered a long life puja with the dance of the five dakinis by nuns and sponsors at Yulo Koepa, (Tara Pure Land) in Sarnath, a project of Kopan Nunnery. The main purpose of Yulo Koepa Nunnery is to facilitate Tara practice. Praises to the Twenty-one Taras is recited twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in the gompa of the nunnery with each nun taking a turn.  Every morning Four Mandala Offerings to Chittamani Tara is performed.  During the day the nuns attend language classes and study philosophy. In this way the nuns stay ahead of their studies and can participate in the annual exams at the nunnery. After a two year period the nuns return to their mother nunnery and a new group of nuns take their place. 

The nuns of Yulo Koepa Nunnery with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and some of the very kind benefactors. Photo by Paolo Regis Photography.

Recently, due to the kindness of many benefactors, a new accommodation building was constructed for the nuns. The nunnery requested that when it was completed Lama Zopa Rinpoche would visit and bless the building. They also requested for Rinpoche to accept their offering of a long life puja during this visit. Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi attended to preside over the puja. Tenzin Ösel Hita and a number of benefactors of the new building were in attendance. Ösel gave a moving speech requesting Rinpoche to live for a very long time. 

Offerings being made to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja. Photo by Paolo Regis Photography.

A delicious lunch was enjoyed by everyone after the puja. Later that evening Rinpoche granted ordination to a new nun from Bangladesh. 

The new accommodation for the nuns can be seen in the background here.

Please rejoice in this long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The purpose of the long life puja is for students to purify the mistakes that occur in relation to their teacher, and to create the causes and conditions to continue to receive benefit from that teacher for a very long time. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). 

You can learn more about Yulo Koepa, (Tara Pure Land). 

Thousands of monks from the great monasteries, including eighteen Kopan monks, are currently participating in the annual Winter Jang Debate at Drepung Monastery, India.

Monks from various Gelug monasteries are currently participating in an extensive twenty-two day debate on Buddhist logic at Drepung Monastery, India, known as the Winter Jang Debate. There are two sessions daily: prayers for world peace, and debate.

This annual debate dates back to the time of Lama Tsongkhapa and was continued each year until 1959. In 1981 the present and former abbots of the three great monasteries met to revive this debate. However, due to costs the monasteries were only able to sponsor about 200 monks to attend. Seeing the incredible importance of this tradition of bringing together the best scholars to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, became the primary sponsor for this debate. Now thousands of monks participate. 

Eighteen monks from Kopan House, Tsawa Khangtsen, are participating in this year’s Winter Jang Debate at Drepung Monastery.

Eighteen monks from Kopan House, Tsawa Khangtsen, are among the thousands of participants attending this year. We offer all of the monks participating our best wishes for a transformative and fruitful event. 

Tremendous thanks to the many donors who support the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund and enable FPMT to sponsor this powerful annual debate. This is something incredible in which to rejoice. You are welcome to participate in this offering at any time.

You can learn more about the beneficial activities of the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund or the many Charitable Projects of FPMT.

Jangtse Chöje Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Bodhgaya on January 2, 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

A long life puja was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of Sera Je Monastery on the Maitreya Project land in Bodhgaya on January 2, 2017. The puja was to thank Rinpoche for twenty-six years of support offered through the Sera Je Food Fund, which provides three vegetarian meals every day to the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.

During the puja, the head of monastic discipline, who had been at Sera Je Monastery since before the Sera Je Food Fund was established, spontaneously praised Rinpoche for about thirty minutes, noting all the ways Rinpoche had helped the monastery. He explained what it was like at the monastery before food was regularly offered and how the monks have benefited after the fund’s creation. He said Rinpoche has cared for all the thousands of monks for the last twenty-six years like a mother does for her child.

Sangha participating in the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Thousands of monks attended the puja as well as Jangtse Chöje; the new abbot of Sera Je Monastery; the past abbot of Sera Je Monastery; the past abbot of Namgyal Monastery, Jhado Rinpoche; and the past abbot of Gyurme Monastery, Khensur Geshe Tashi Tsering. 

The abbot of Sera Je Monastery making offerings to Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The Sera Je Food Fund has provided millions of meals since 1991. It currently offers approximately 700,000 meals per year, 2,900 meals per day. There are, on average, 1,600 monks benefiting from the food fund.

Please rejoice in the offering of this puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life and in Sera Je Food Fund’s twenty-six years of food offerings to the monks of Sera Je Monastery. 

You can learn more about the Sera Je Food Fund, read an overview of the food offered daily, or support this project with a donation of any amount.

Students enjoying midday meal provided by the Social Services Fund

The Central School for Tibetans, Cauvery Valley Project (CVP), located in Bylakuppe, South India, was established in 1971 to serve the children of refugees living at Dickey Larsoe Tibetan Settlement. Twenty-four staff help educate 217 elementary, middle, and secondary students. 

Morning assembly and group prayer

The Social Services Fund has been sponsoring midday meals for the children of CVP for the last few years. In a letter of thanks from the school, the Parent’s Representative Committee wrote, “The diet that the children are enjoying these days is very nutritious…. We have never forgotten your kind help and support and to the school and the children. We always have felt that without your kind financial support and good will, our situation would have been very different.” 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche also sponsored the complete renovation of the school’s kitchen in 2013. 

Students performing cultural dance together

The school has not only established an impressive academic program with an emphasis on preserving the student’s Tibetan cultural heritage, but also offers extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and crafts. The principal reports that, “Overall, the school has exalted status in the community and among the local settlers.” 

Please rejoice in the offering of meals to these school children! Helping the children of Tibetan refugees receive quality education is a high priority for FPMT, and through this offering of food, the school can use precious and scarce resources for continuing to develop and implement quality academic programs for the students. 

If you would like to support the Social Services Fund and help ensure grants such as this can continue, you can read more about the charitable projects this fund supports or donate any amount to the fund itself.