Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, May 2026. Photo by Tenzin Tsultrim.

Holy objects have always been at the heart of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for benefiting sentient beings. Again and again, Rinpoche taught that holy objects are among the most powerful methods for bringing peace, wisdom, compassion, and liberation into the world. Whether people engage with them intentionally or simply see them in passing, holy objects leave positive imprints on the mindstream, creating causes for happiness and enlightenment that can endure for lifetimes.

For this reason, Rinpoche dedicated immense energy throughout his life to establishing holy objects around the world. From statues and stupas to prayer wheels and sacred scriptures, these projects were never seen as mere monuments or works of art. Rather, they are living expressions of compassion and skillful means to guide beings toward awakening and supports for the flourishing of the Dharma for generations to come.

In 2026, the Holy Objects Fund and other FPMT funds dedicated to creating holy objects granted US$312,594 toward the creation and restoration of holy objects. Please continue reading to learn how these grants have been utilized. 

Stupa at Kopan Monastery | Zangdog Palri at Lawudo | Prayer Wheels at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia | Stupa at Monastère Dorjé Pamo | Stupa at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa | Stupa at Kopan Nunnery | Buddha Statues for His Holiness  | Offerings to Stupas in Nepal | Thank you! 

Through the kindness of benefactors, US$121,894 was recently offered toward the completion of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. This extraordinary stupa is being built for the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast wishes for sentient beings. We are especially pleased that, due to the generosity of our kind donors, additional funds have also been secured to support the creation and offering of statues that will be placed within the Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa being built at Kopan Nunnery for Khensur Lama Lhundrup and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

We are delighted to announce the upcoming inauguration ceremonies for these remarkable memorial holy objects. Please save these dates and reserve time in your calendar – we would be overjoyed to celebrate these auspicious occasions with you:

• December 11, 2026: The Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, enshrining the sacred relics of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, will be consecrated.
• December 14, 2026: The Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery will be consecrated in honor of both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup Rigsel.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, August 2026.

We rejoice deeply in the creation of these extraordinary memorial stupas and in the kindness of all those helping bring them to completion. May these holy objects become inexhaustible sources of peace, inspiration, and spiritual awakening for countless beings, and may they contribute to the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast and compassionate wishes. 

Another project deeply connected to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision has reached a truly historic milestone. Through the generosity of benefactors, US$150,000 was offered toward the creation of the Zangdog Palri at Lawudo Retreat Centre in Nepal, and after many years of planning and preparation, construction has finally begun. The project commenced on April 13, 2026, the third anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. 

For those familiar with Rinpoche’s life story, Lawudo is a very special place. Nestled high in the Himalayas in the Solo Khumbu region of Nepal, at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet (4,300 meters), the retreat center surrounds the meditation cave of Rinpoche’s previous incarnation, the first Lawudo Lama, Kunsang Yeshe. 

Among all the projects Rinpoche envisioned for Lawudo, the creation of a Zangdog Palri, or Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, held particular significance. Zangdog Palri is the pure land of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the great tantric master whose enlightened activity established Buddhism in Tibet and laid the foundation for a lineage that continues to benefit countless beings to this day. 

The beginning of the building of the Zangdog Palri in Lawudo, August 2026.

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“Due to Guru Rinpoche’s great compassion, Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism flourished in Tibet and now has spread throughout the entire world. Because of that, so many people have experienced the path to enlightenment and achieved enlightenment. Due to his great compassion, the lives of an infinite number of sentient beings have become meaningful.”

The project itself has evolved over time, and the location has now been adjusted so that the structure will be built adjacent to the Lawudo library, creating a more suitable and sustainable site for this significant sacred structure. While current photographs show the early stages of construction rather than the magnificent Guru Rinpoche’s mandala that will eventually emerge, the beginning itself is cause for great rejoicing. After years of aspiration and preparation, the vision is now taking physical form.

The project is being managed by Frances Howland, working closely with Ven.Nima Tashi, who oversees construction on the ground at Lawudo. A team of artists, carpenters, builders, and support staff are bringing the project to life, including master artist Gen Ngawang Thokme of Thubten Choeling Monastery, who established the measurements and artistic designs and continues to guide the work. 

Constructing such a holy object in this remote Himalayan location requires extraordinary dedication. Hundreds of tons of materials have already been transported to the site, much of it by donkey and human effort along mountain trails. Construction is progressing according to strict engineering standards, including earthquake-resistant requirements established by local authorities. Materials acquired to date are sufficient to complete approximately 60 percent of the project.

A special three-day puja was held before starting construction of Zangdog Palri.

As foundations are laid and walls begin to rise, we rejoice not only in a construction project underway, but in the manifestation of another aspect of Rinpoche’s compassionate vision. May the Zangdog Palri quickly and successfully come to completion, and may it become an enduring source of benefit for all who encounter it.

Not all holy objects are monumental structures rising above mountain ridges or overlooking monastery courtyards. Some are much smaller in scale, yet equally vast in their purpose and benefit. This year, US$3,000 was offered to support an inspiring initiative led by Centro Nagarjuna Valencia in Spain: the creation and offering of prayer wheels to FPMT centers throughout the country.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche had a special affection for prayer wheels, often describing them as an extraordinarily powerful method for benefiting sentient beings. As Rinpoche famously said, “Prayer wheels are my hobby!”

Prayer wheels at Centro Nagarjuna in Valencia, Spain that contain 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

Rinpoche also taught that “A prayer wheel makes the place very holy and precious, like a pure land.”

Inspired by this, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia has been creating prayer wheels according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s detailed instructions and offering them as gifts to other FPMT centers throughout Spain. With a total of twelve centers, including a nunnery and an elderly care home, the aspiration is that every FPMT center in Spain will eventually receive one of these precious holy objects.

The prayer wheels are crafted with great care and attention to tradition. Copper panels embossed with the compassion mantra are produced by skilled artisans in Nepal, while the wheels themselves are assembled in Spain. Hidden within each wheel are more than 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

What makes this project especially joyful is its spirit of offering. Each prayer wheel is created not for one center alone, but to be shared. As Steve Milton, director of Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, beautifully expressed, continuing to make and offer prayer wheels is a way of continuing both the hobby and the vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

In support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s aspiration to fill the world with holy objects and as a tribute to our precious teacher, Monastère Dorjé Pamo in southern France has begun construction of a magnificent Enlightenment Stupa dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Supported by an offering of US$7,500, this stupa is being built for Rinpoche’s swift return, the fulfilment of his vast wishes, and the benefit of all sentient beings.

A drawing of the future Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery.

The Enlightenment Stupa commemorates the moment Buddha Shakyamuni attained complete awakening beneath the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India. As a representation of the Buddha’s enlightened mind, it serves as a powerful source of blessing, merit, and inspiration for all who encounter it. According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, holy objects make it easy for beings to purify negative karma, accumulate merit, and create the causes for enlightenment.

Standing more than four meters high and built according to traditional specifications, the stupa will contain sacred texts, mantras, tsa-tsas, incense, and other holy materials prepared according to authentic Buddhist traditions. Situated on the grounds of Dorjé Pamo Monastery it will offer practitioners, visitors, and local residents a precious opportunity to circumambulate, make prayers, accumulate virtue, and connect with the path to awakening. We rejoice in the creation of this beautiful Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery, dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return and the fulfilment of his vast wishes.

Work in progress on the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, under the supervision of Geshe Tenzin Thenpel. July 2026. Photo by Stupa Onlus.

At the same time, we rejoice in the many other stupas now taking shape as manifestations of Rinpoche’s vision, including the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the magnificent Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, which will honor both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup and serve as an object of devotion for generations to come. Together, these sacred projects reflect Rinpoche’s heartfelt wish to fill the world with holy objects, making it ever easier for beings to purify obscurations, accumulate merit, encounter the Dharma, and create the causes for enlightenment. 

Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, 2026.

Among the many holy object projects inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision, one particularly meaningful project is the ongoing offering of Shakyamuni Buddha statues to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Since 2019, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish has been to offer statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. A total of 2,100 statues have already been offered, and FPMT remains committed to offering 100 statues annually to His Holiness. Each offering is made with prayers for His Holiness’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“It is so important to have His Holiness in this world today. No president or leader of a country, or Buddhist leader, in the world today can compare with His Holiness’s incomparable wisdom, compassion, and special effect on the world.”

Supporting the long life and activities of His Holiness is one of FPMT’s highest priorities. His compassion, wisdom, and leadership have a profound benefit for people around the world, reaching far beyond any one Buddhist tradition, country, or generation.

We are delighted to share that the next set of 100 Shakyamuni Buddha statues has now been completed. The statues have been carefully produced, their faces painted, gold gilded, filled with sacred contents, and consecrated. They are already at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala awaiting their formal offering. 

FPMT Global Mani Retreat 2026. Please join the Global MANI Retreat Facebook group for all the latest and timely information about this retreat and upcoming opportunities.

There is currently a plan for these 100 statues to be offered in conjunction with the completion of the FPMT Global Mani Retreat on November 1, 2026. At the conclusion of the retreat, practitioners around the world will offer the total number of Om Mani Padme Hum mantras they have accumulated, together with prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities.

While some holy object projects involve creating entirely new sacred monuments, others focus on caring for and preserving holy objects that have benefited the world “from beginningless time”.

Each year, through Kopan Monastery, support is offered for the maintenance of Nepal’s two most sacred stupas, Boudhanath Stupa (Jarung Kashor) and Swayambhunath Stupa. This includes sponsoring new umbrellas and pinnacles for the stupas on Buddha holy days and providing fresh paint offerings throughout the year, amounting to approximately US$5,200 annually.

The story of Boudhanath Stupa reveals why it is regarded as one of the most extraordinary holy objects in the Buddhist world. According to tradition, the stupa was originally built by a poor woman whose determination to create a holy object was so sincere and unwavering that she obtained permission from the king to undertake what seemed an impossible task. After her passing, her four sons completed the stupa and dedicated the merit with vast prayers for the flourishing of the Dharma and the welfare of all beings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in front of Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal, June 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

It is said that these four sons later manifested as some of the most influential figures in Tibetan Buddhist history: King Songtsen Gampo, the minister Padma Gungtsen, the great abbot Shantarakshita, and Guru Padmasambhava. Through their enlightened activities, Buddhism became firmly established in Tibet and eventually spread throughout the world.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche often pointed out that our present opportunity to encounter, study, practice, and realize the Dharma is closely connected with the immeasurable merit and blessings associated with Boudhanath Stupa. 

Swayambhunath Stupa is equally extraordinary. According to the traditional accounts, the Kathmandu Valley was once a great lake. From its waters arose a crystal stupa, the embodiment of the Buddha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya itself. This sacred crystal remains enshrined within Swayambhunath and was foretold by Shakyamuni Buddha long before its appearance. The entire hill upon which Swayambhunath stands is regarded as the mandala of Chakrasamvara Buddha. While ordinary beings may see only a mountain, accomplished yogis perceive a pure realm of enlightened reality. Offering paint, sponsoring an umbrella and a pinnacle, cleaning the stupa, making prayers, or circumambulating it become causes of vast merit and benefit for countless sentient beings.

Thank you!

We offer our heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors whose generosity has made these projects possible. Your support is helping to preserve sacred places, create holy objects, and make the Dharma available to future generations. We invite everyone to rejoice in what has been accomplished and in the generosity that has made it possible. Through these projects, the FPMT community continues to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and wishes and bring immeasurable benefit to sentient beings.

We encourage everyone to continue contributing to the creation of holy objects, whether through your local Dharma center or through one of the FPMT Holy Objects funds.

To help ensure our support to the creation of holy objects around the world, we invite you to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.