Projects

Group photo from the fourth meditation course held at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1973. Photo by Christine Lopez.

At the end of last year we reported on the extensive rebuilding needed at Kopan Monastery and Nunnery following the devastating April 2015 earthquake in Nepal. 

Chenrezig Gompa prior to the earthquake damage.

Kopan Monastery is FPMT’s most precious destinations as the very first FPMT teachings happend there with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the early seventies.  Since the early days of the organization, this Chenrezig Gompa has been a place for new and old students to connect or reconnect to the Dharma. The gompa was severely damaged in the earthquake. In response to the damage, engineers from Taiwan flew to Kopan to professionally evaluate the structural damages to buildings. Based on their advice, the entire Chenrezig gompa was pulled down and is being rebuilt. The foundation has now been laid and construction has begun.  

There are more buildings at Kopan that still need to be completely rebuilt or extensively  repaired due to the earthquake and these repairs will be happening soon.

The foundation of the new Chenrezig Gompa being rebuilt at Kopan Monastery.

Kopan Nunnery is currently the largest Tibetan nunnery in Nepal with 400 nuns. The nunnery provides full scholarship for the nuns, which includes education, accommodation, health care and food.

One of the ways the nunnery supports itself is by making incense. The building used for making the incense (which was a newly completed building at the time of the earthquake),  was completely damaged and had to be rebuilt following the earthquake destruction. 

All of this rebuilding is due to the generosity of donors who so kindly contribute to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund and there is still extensive need for rebuilding at Kopan Monastery and Nunnery as well as Lawudo and we will continue to support  this in whatever way we can.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this fund and to those who feel moved to do so in the future. With everyone’s help, these most precious FPMT institutions can be rebuilt soon so the Sangha, teachers, and students who depend on them can benefit for many, many years to come. 

All are welcome to donate to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund. 
https://fpmt.org/support/socialservices/

You can learn more about Lawudo Gompa and the history of Lawudo. 
http://www.lawudo.com/About

Artist rendition of the Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park in Namche Bazar.

The Holy Objects Fund recently offered a US$50,000 grant to the Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park, a project being built in Namche Bazaar, Nepal, located in the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ). The grant will be used for five prayer wheels which are turned by flowing water, thus blessing all of the water used throughout the entire park. This project is also a restoration of original prayer wheels and artwork and will become a tourist attraction that is beneficial for the visitors. 

Five prayer wheels will be restored and installed in the new park.

Sagarmatha National Park (SNP) is one of the major tourist destinations for expedition and trekking in Nepal. Since the 1950s, and especially since the 1970s, highly skilled mountaineers and causal tourists have visited the “top of the world,” in order to summit or just get a glance of Mount Everest. To honor this special area, the government of Nepal created in Sagarmatha National Park in 1976. Later the SNP was extended by a buffer zone, and Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone was created.

This area will become Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park.

The SNPBZ headquarters has many lodges, trekking and mountaineering equipment shops. The village also has three small museums, a stupa, monastery and many well stocked stores. This new development will bring tourist money into the area and help revitalize its history.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has advised the coordinators on the prayer wheels, stressing the importance of using high quality materials and filling them with the appropriate texts and mantras. Rinpoche also explained that there are “infinite, infinite benefits” to constructing holy objects correctly. 

Five prayer wheels will turn from downward flowing water, blessing all the water with mantras as it passes.

Please rejoice in the development of the new Mani Chungyur, Stupa and Water Park which will bring so much benefit to residents of Namche Bazaar and tourists alike due to the incredible power of the prayer wheels. 

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. 

Sera Je Monastery monks performing pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund.

Each year on Chokhor Duchen (commemorating Lord Buddha’s first teaching) the Puja Fund sponsors pujas and offerings all over the world dedicated to success of the entire FPMT organization. The practices are offered by up to 15,650 monks and nuns. This year Chokhor Duchen was celebrated on August 6. 

The Prajnaparamita (short, medium and long versions) was recited by the monks of Gyurme Tantric College, the entire Kangyur was recited by Kopan Nunnery, extensive offerings were presented to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus and holy objects in India and Tibet, among many other virtuous activities, prayers and pujas which were advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

You are welcome to participate in these offerings which take place every holy Buddha day, and rejoice that 15,650 monks and nuns will be doing these prayers, remembering that they are all “pores of the guru” and thus extensions of our teachers.

If you would like to make a donation toward the meritorious activities being sponsored by the Puja Fund on Chokor Duchen, you can do so by offering any amount you are able. 

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. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche making offerings to the Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India, February 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

At the end of the Medicine Buddha retreat at Rinchen Jangsem Ling in Malaysia in April, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the kindness of several benefactors, offered a US$10,000 grant to the center for a two storey Namgyälma stupa which will be built. This grant was issued through the FPMT Stupa Fund. This stupa will be dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama all the holy beings who work for others in this world; all FPMT centers, projects, services, benefactors, volunteers, students and all the people in the world who do good things for others; and for those who do harm to meet the Dharma to understand karma in order to start to benefiting others. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche consecrating stupa at Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand, May 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

Stupas are powerful symbols of the mind’s limitless potential. In other words, they represent the mind of enlightenment. Building or sponsoring a stupa is a very powerful way to accumulate merit and purify negative karma. 

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is for 100,000 large stupas to be built around the world. To date, over fifty have been built. 

The large Namgyälma stupa project at Rinchen Jangsem  Ling has not yet begun and we will keep all updated on its progress as it develops. 

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. 

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.”

Tara Home at Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, CA, USA.

Tara Home, located at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California, is a home for terminally ill people entering their last few months of life. Around-the-clock compassionate care is provided by trained volunteers.

Tara Home relies completely on donations to cover the monthly costs of rent, insurance, telephone, supplies, and paid caregivers when volunteers are not available. Care is prioritized for those who do not have family support, so procuring donations for needed care is essential.  

Residents of Tara Home are offered spiritual care as well as material care and comfort. Two large prayer wheels are located just outside the hospice so those in the home can easily access them, and resident Sangha offer prayers daily on location. This provides the residents with the ability to easily generate merit and receive blessings for their minds, even in the final stages of life when they may be physically weak and unable to exert much energy. 

Comfortable accommodation is provided at Tara Home for those in their final months of life.

The Social Services Fund recently offered a grant to Tara Home, to assist in their compassionate ongoing work. Please rejoice in this most essential work being done to care for those who need kindness and support as they pass on from this life. 

All are welcome to donate directly to Tara Home. 

The Social Services Fund was established to help children, the elderly, sick and the very poor by offering grants for schools, hospices, health clinics, soup kitchens, elderly homes, orphanages and much more.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the animals of JAST in Thimbu.

Jangsa Animal Saving Trust (JAST), established in 2000 in Bhutan, is a non-profit charity founded on Buddhist principles of animal activism. JAST currently cares for hundreds of animals across ten provinces. Bulls, yaks, sheep, pigs, goats, ducks, dogs, and fish are saved from terrible conditions and death and then given proper care and nursing, and exposure to Buddhist teachers and ordained Sangha helping to create a a positive mental imprint on the animals to meet the Dharma in the future. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently visited one of these rescue houses in Thimbu where 60 dogs and 11 large pigs are taken care of. Rinpoche blessed the animals with mantras and prayers and also offered US$5,000 to JAST for their ongoing work. The sanctuary was set up with small dog houses and a large grassy area for exercise and play. Please enjoy this short video of Rinpoche blessing the dogs. 

During this visit Rinpoche commented, “Saving even one animal can create good karma for all sentient beings but Jangsa has saved thousand and thousands. The work of Jangsa is even greater than that of the powerful leaders of America or Russia. So please keep it up!” 

JAST members rescuing the distraught dogs from the side of the road.

In June, JAST responded to a report that sacks of more than 100 dogs were thrown along a highway close to Thimphu. Twenty of the dogs were dead when JAST arrived and the others were weak, injured, traumatized, and aggressive from the stress. Most of these dogs will be permanently moved to the Jangsa Animal Shelter in Serbithang, Thimphu. This service to these animals, who have been shown unbelievable cruelty, is incredible precious and kind. 

The dogs who lived through the traumatic ordeal were hungry, injured, and traumatized. Here they enjoy a meal.

Bulls under the care of JAST receiving blessings from Sangha.

Please rejoice in the compassionate activity of Jangsa Animal Saving Trust. These animals have no one to rely on and through this organization they are given care, attention, and Dharma imprints. 

The US$5,000 grant was made possible through the Animal Liberation Fund, and all are encouraged to donate directly to JAST, to help them continue this most valuable work. 

The 2,710 refugees of Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement were in need of a community space for members to practice and meet together.

Earlier this year we reported that a grant had been offered to Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement in South India for the building of a new community hall to be used by 2,710 refugees. 

Please rejoice that that construction on this building has been completed and members of the settlement will begin 100 million mani retreats there soon. 

The new community hall will be able to accommodate the members of Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement.

Due to a grant from the Social Services Fund, this new community hall will provide community space for the Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement.

Members of the elderly home at Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement are offered food through a grant from the Social Services Fund.

The new building will serve this Tibetan community for years to come and will be used for holding retreats as well as official functions, workshops, and training in Tibetan language and culture, which is critical for the preservation of the Tibetan heritage.

This settlement also has an elder care home. The Social Services Fund provides a grant for three nourishing meals daily for the twenty elderly Tibetan residents and four staff. Funding for 2016 was recently sent and the wish is to be able to offer this support each year. 

If you are inspired by grants such as this, you are welcome to contribute to the Social Service Fund and help ensure that work like this can continue. 

Top scholars from Sera, Ganden, Drepung, Gyume, Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo and Rato monasteries arrive to participate in the annual Gelugpa exam.

Each year the foremost scholars from Sera, Ganden, Drepung, Gyume, Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo and Rato monasteries come together for the annual Gelugpa exam and the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund covers the expenses of those who participate. 

“The continuity and spread of Buddhadharma throughout the world depends upon highly qualified teachers. The three great monasteries are the only place in the world where the entire, complete teachings of the Buddha are studied and practiced with deep logic.”
— Lama Zopa Rinpoche

This year, 677 monks participated in this debate and the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund offered a grant for the travel and food costs of all participants and facilitators.

677 monks participated in the Gelugpa exam this year.

FPMT would like to congratulate all the monks for their commitment and dedication to their studies. These scholars are the future of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition and it is a high priority for FPMT to support them at this level of their education. Due to this grant each year, all qualified monks are able to participate in the debate, rather than being exempt due to prohibitive costs. This is an incredibly precious opportunity for the monks to engage in the long standing tradition of debate, but also an opportunity for the FPMT organization to help ensure that we have the best Buddhist teachers for future generations. 

Additionally, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund also offers a monthly stipend to the current abbots, past abbots and main teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa lineage as a way to invest in the the Mahayana tradition on which FPMT was founded. 

US$22,328 was needed from the fund for these offerings and an additional US$25,905 was granted in 2015 for the sponsorship of the annual winter jang debate, where the best scholars gather to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings. 

These offerings are due to the kindness of many benefactors who make it possible. All are welcome to participate by donating any amount. 

Since its inception, the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, an extension of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, has supported up to 150 senior teachers each year of the main monasteries, plus hundreds of monks attending the traditional winter debate and annual Gelugpa exam. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a long life puja offered at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, January 2016. Photo by Bill Kane.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and the greatest source of inspiration for the FPMT. Service to His Holiness is the primary aim of FPMT. Lama Zopa Rinpoche calls His Holiness “the great treasure of infinite compassion embracing all sentient beings, the sole source of benefit and happiness of all sentient beings, and the sole refuge of all sentient beings.” 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking during celebrations honoring his 80th birthday at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, HP, India on June 21, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL via dalailama.com.

As the spiritual guide for six million Tibetans, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s guru, as a recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, and as an advocate of each individual’s universal responsibility toward humankind and the environment, His Holiness serves as a living symbol for world peace.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Lama Yeshe during His Holiness’ visit to O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros, Spain, 1982. Photo courtesy of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Since its inception, FPMT has turned to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for inspiration and guidance and attempted to promote and actualize His Holiness’ vision as much as possible and to create the cause for His Holiness’ long life. Over the years, His Holiness has visited many FPMT centers, including Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, FPMT International Office and Maitripa College, Kurukulla Center, and Chenrezig Institute. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that “[I would like] for FPMT to offer service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as much as possible and to be able to fulfill His Holiness’ wishes. This is the highest priority for the organization.” Rinpoche has further stressed that he would like “the organization to support His Holiness, offer service to His Holiness. This is the quickest and most vast way of benefiting sentient beings.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a visit to FPMT International Office, Portland, Oregon, US, May 2013. Photo by Leah Nash.

Throughout the past several decades, FPMT centers, projects, services and students have been involved in organizing and sponsoring His Holiness’ public talks and tours, supporting His Holiness’ projects, helping the Gelug monasteries in India and creating interfaith dialogues around the world, among other activities.

In 2006, His Holiness said this about Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “Rinpoche is someone who follows my guidance sincerely, very expansively and with one hundred percent trust. He possesses unwavering faith and pure samaya; not only has he pure samaya and faith, but whatever I instruct, Zopa Rinpoche has the capability to accomplish it. So whatever dedications Lama Zopa Rinpoche makes, I also pray to accomplish this and you should do the same thing.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy, June 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

FPMT Charitable Projects in Support of His Holiness’ Vision and Long Life

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained, anything FPMT does to promote and preserve Tibetan Buddhism is an offering to His Holiness and the Tibetan people. In this way, all the activities in FPMT centers, projects, and services that are educating others in the practice of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism are in service to His Holiness. 

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

Through offering daily meals to ordained Sangha studying at Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries, such as is done through the Sera Je Food Fund, which offers three meals daily to all of the monks of Sera Je Monastery, FPMT is helping preserve Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism. 

Procession of offerings during the long life ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dharamsala, India, June 21, 2015

Lama Rinpoche requested the FPMT organization to offer a long life puja to His Holiness the Dalai Lama every year. FPMT International Office has taken on this responsibility for over 20 years, and will continue to do so, on behalf of the entire organization.

The tradition of debate in Tibetan Buddhism can be traced back to Lama Tsongkhapa, where the best scholars gather to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings.

His Holiness requested FPMT to establish the The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund in 1997. The purpose of the fund is to preserve the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and cultivate the teachers of tomorrow. This fund supports up to 150 senior teachers each year, including the current abbots, past abbots, and main teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition, with monthly stipends.

His Holiness explaining the importance of establishing the Geluk International Foundation and offices.

At a meeting held in South India in December 2014, His Holiness the Dalai Lama stressed the extreme importance of establishing the Geluk International Foundation and offices for the long-term preservation of the Gelug tradition. Lama Zopa Rinpoche immediately responded to this advice from His Holiness and offered a grant toward the construction of the building needed for this project.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Jangchup Lamrim teachings, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, India, December 2015. Photo by Cynthia Karena.

During the 2015 Jangchup Lamrim teachings, a transmission and teaching on 18 important lam-rim texts and commentaries, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the newly inaugurated Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, FPMT offered tea to 32,000 participants and money offerings to the 18,100 Sangha members present. Rinpoche composed the dedication that was made during these offerings. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Italy, 2014. Photo by Matteo Passigato.

Please rejoice in some of the ways that FPMT Charitable Projects is able to follow His Holiness’ most precious advice, create the cause for His Holiness’ long life, and offer support to His Holiness and the Tibetan people. 

May all the wishes succeed of the one savior of all sentient beings – His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
May Tibet gain autonomy immediately.
May the pure Dharma shine fully in Tibet and China and the rest of the World and may there be perfect peace and happiness.
May no one experience war, famine, sickness, or dangers of the elements, such as earthquakes.
May all beings live with bodhichitta – cause no harm and only benefit others.
May FPMT, its students and benefactors, always fulfill His Holiness’ wishes in all the future incarnations and become wish-fulfilling for all sentient beings.

– Dedication offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kalachakra for World Peace Event 2011 in Washington, D.C., USA 

Please enjoy “In Praise of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and Praise to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a collection of comments from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book.

Over 1,000 homeless dogs are cared for at Auntie Mee Fah’s Dogs’ Shelter in Malaysia.

While in Malaysia recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche heard about a dog shelter, Auntie Mee Fah’s Dogs’ Shelter, which is caring for over 1,000 at-risk dogs with food and shelter. Rinpoche very much wanted to visit the shelter to bless the animals, but falling short on time, students from Losang Dragpa Center (LDC) visited on Rinpoche’s behalf, blessing the dogs with mantras and also putting up Namgyälma mantras in every dog cage.

LDC members blessing the shelter dogs on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s behalf.

Rinpoche also committed to offer six month’s worth of food for the dogs. When hearing this, LDC took on the responsibility to try to raise as much of this offering as they could, to support Rinpoche’s generous gesture. LDC was able to quickly raise US$7,824 and Rinpoche offered the remaining US$1,800 needed for the dogs’ food. 

A tremendous amount of food is needed to keep so many dogs healthy. Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered the cost of food for six months.

These dogs are homeless animals with no one to care for them. It is clear how happy they are to have their basic needs met at this shelter, and are now given the chance to make a connection with the Dharma!

Without support from this shelter, these dogs would surely die or live in miserable conditions on the street.

In a letter to the the students of LDC, in response to them raising the majority of money needed for the six months of food for the dogs, Rinpoche said, “Thank you very, very much — a billion, zillion, trillion times, to all the students and all the friends, especially for your inspiration. Please give everyone my billion, zillion, trillion, (on and on) thanks for the support to the dogs and to the lady (running the shelter).” 

Dogs, like every living being, just want happiness and don’t wish to suffer. This dog shelter is helping give the dogs their basic needs and exposing them to Dharma.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered the following quote from Buddha to the shelter management:

Any sentient being, who during the period of my teachings,
Makes charity well (even if the material is the size of a hair) for 80,000 eons
There will be great result of great enjoyment.
No pain, no disease, and enjoyment of happiness
Like that, one will be enriched with the desirable things.
At the end you can actually achieve the result, the peerless cessation and completion (enlightenment).
After hearing that there is the great result — who  wouldn’t want to collect merit?

Happy dogs making new friends at their home.

Please rejoice in this offering of food for six months for these precious animals and in LDC’s generous effort to raise the majority of this offering, all in support of Rinpoche’s wish to benefit these dogs. 

You are welcome to offer any amount to the Animal Liberation Fund so that offerings such as this can continue. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given extensive advice on how to benefit animals. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche making offerings to the Hayagriva statue on the altar at Idgaa Choizinling College in Mongolia.

Through the Puja Fund, Lama Zopa Rinpoche sponsors continuous light offerings to two precious statues in Mongolia and India. 

Electricity is sponsored for lotus light offerings to all the holy objects on the altar at Idgaa Choizinling College in Mongolia. The lights are offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Among the holy objects on this altar is an incredible Hayagriva statue. The annual 100 Million Mani Retreat, which is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions, is also held in the Idgaa Choizinling gompa.

In Phakpa, a small village in Garsha Khandroling (Land of the Dakinis), India,  light is also offered to a self-emanating statue of Chenrezig. The statue is said to actually be Chenrezig, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche requested that continuous light be offered for as long as the statue remains. The light is offered through a giant eighteen-gallon silver butter lamp which is in front of the statue.

Self-emanating statue of Chenrezig said to be the actual deity itself in Phakpa, Garsha Khandroling, India.

Buddhism first came to Garsha Khandroling two thousand years ago and over the centuries, pilgrims and holy beings have visited the valley’s sacred sites to practice. Many miracles have been reported in connection with Phakpa over the years such as the statue speaking and dripping with nectar. 

Extensive offerings of light are being sponsored all over the world for the success of the entire FPMT organization. Every day you can join in on these offerings by rejoicing in the continual light being offered. You are also welcome to donate any amount to the Puja Fund to help cover the costs of materials for this offering. 

Light Offering Prayer

Composed by Lama Atisha

The butter lamp offered to the Chenrezig statue will burn as long as the statue remains.

May the light of the lamp be equal to the great three thousand worlds and their environments,
May the wick of the lamp be equal to the king of mountains – Mount Meru.
May the butter be equal to the infinite ocean.

May there be billions of trillions of lamps in the presence of each and every buddha.
May the light illuminate the darkness of ignorance of all sentient beings
From the peak of samsara down to the most torturous hell,
Whereby they can see directly and clearly all the ten directions
Buddhas and bodhisattvas and their pure lands.

OM VAJRA ALOKE AH HUM E MA HO

I offer these beautifully exalted clear and luminous lights
To the thousand buddhas of the fortunate eon,
To all the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the infinite pure lands and of the ten directions,
To all the gurus, meditation deities, dakas, dakinis, dharma protectors,
and the assembly of deities of all mandalas.

 “Extensive Offering Practice,” by Lama Zopa Rinpoche is available through the FPMT Foundation Store

All are welcome to donate to the Puja Fund and directly support these most precious offerings. 

Ngari Khangtsen at Sera Je Monastery.

While at Sera Je Monastery recently, Lama Zopa Rinpoche was requested to help Ngari Khangtsen raise money needed to build extended accommodation for this community. Each khangtsen (hostel in Tibetan) is linked to a region in Tibet and has to accommodate the monks that originate from a particular area.  The khangtsen functions independently from the main monastery with each house having the responsibility to provide the living necessities for their own monks including housing, medical care, and educational needs. Each khangtsen has its own prayer hall where all the monks gather to do prayers, pujas, and practices. 

Ngari Khangtsen was originally founded in Western Tibet. In 1970 it was reestablished at Sera Je Monastery in South India. Currently Sera Je’s Ngari Khangtsen has over 140 monks who are mostly ethnic Tibetans from the Himalayan regions of India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. 

Ngari Khangtsen is very dear to FPMT. Khensur Jampa Tegchok, former abbot of Nalanda Monastery and resident geshe of many FPMT centers over the years, lived in Ngari Khangtsen while receiving his education at Sera Je Monastery. FPMT also supports school children of Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics by offering daily meals. This school was started by the monks of Ngari Khangtsen.

A new prayer hall is needed for the Ngari Khangtsen as their current gompa can only accommodate 50 monks.

Due to the kindness of donors, the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund was able to issue a grant to Ngari Khangtsen to help with the building projects needed to support the monks of this community. 

With this grant and other money raised, Ngari Khangtsen is currently building a new prayer hall as the old 1983-built gompa cannot adequately accommodate all of the monks during puja. The new prayer hall will provide more room for the monks to practice together. Having the right conditions for study and practice is essential support to these monks who are helping to preserve the most precious tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa. 

The monks of Ngari Khangtsen are on tour, actively fundraising for this project. All are welcome to support the monks directly. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monks and nuns.