A Tibetan elder from Lugsum Sanduling, Bylakuppe, reciting the Diamond Cutter Sutra on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice.

Advice for the Elderly

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently offered extensive advice on different ways to help and benefit the elderly, particularly Tibetans in Nepal and India, who are Buddhist. Rinpoche has made the point that as Buddhists we shouldn’t only give charity of food and shelter to the elderly—we also can offer Dharma to them as well. In this recent teaching, Rinpoche mentioned the importance of using the time when one is in an elderly home to create merit and purify as much as possible, for example by listening to Dharma teachings and reciting sutras. Rinpoche explained the importance of displaying certain mantras and images of holy objects, buddhas, deities, and Buddha pure lands so the elders can look at beautiful images and pray to be reborn there.

Rinpoche also composed a text for the elders to recite, similar to the Method to Transform daily motivation practice.

Dhondenling Tibetan Settlement, located in Kollegal, India, is the most remote and underdeveloped Tibetan settlements in southern India. The settlement consists of twenty-two villages, and an elderly home. The elderly home has a capacity for thirty-two elderly Tibetans residents which FPMT Charitable Projects has been supporting since 2015. Rinpoche requested that the elders recite the Vajra Cutter Sutra regularly and also, from time to time, to receive Dharma teachings. After receiving this advice they immediately arranged for two weeks of teachings on the Vajra Cutter Sutra from a qualified teacher. This advice was also shared with Lugsum Samduling Home for the Aged and Disabled, a home in Bylakuppe, India, which cares for thirty-seven aging Tibetans. They were very happy to receive this personal advice from Rinpoche and sent photos and videos of the elders reciting the sutra and also receiving teachings and the oral transmission of the sutra.

Please enjoy this video of the elders of Lugsum Samduling reciting the Vajra Cutter Sutra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snLBD48GRlM

Rinpoche always advises elderly homes and hospices to have beautifully framed holy images at the facility so the elders can always see them and create merit. Rinpoche also suggests to always display Namgyalma mantras in every room so that even mosquitoes, ants, and insects get purified while they are in that particular room. In addition, to have an image of the deity Amoghapasha for the people in the home. Seeing this deity purifies the five heavy negative karmas without break and the negative karma of abandoning holy Dharma. Rinpoche also advises having thangkas of different pure lands, so—depending on the pure land you have an affinity for—one can look at that particular image of the pure land and make prayers to be reborn there. Rinpoche also has explained the benefits of playing mantras, sutras, and Dharma teachings, and if possible to go around holy objects or turn prayer wheels. All of these activities leave positive imprints on the mind and this is so important, especially when one is close to passing.

President of Tibet, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, with others in front of the stupa being built in Hunsur.

For six years, FPMT Charitable Projects has been supporting Rabgayling Old Aged Home in Hunsur, India, which is part of the Rabagayling Tibetan Settlement and serves twenty elderly residents. Over several years, funds have been offered for daily food for the residents, for the annual operating costs of the elderly home, the building of accommodation for the residents, medical needs, and a community hall. Most recently, a 35-foot stupa has been sponsored near the elderly home on the settlement. This stupa is being built for the all the people in the Tibetan settlement, but in particular for the elders, as it is close to the elderly home and they can circumambulate it without much difficulty. This is an easy way for the elders to collect merit and purify negative karma by going around the hold object. Recently the previous President of Tibet, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, visited the stupa.

Advice for Those Who are Dying

Rinpoche has also offered extensive advice for those who are dying or have recently died including how to make the environment very beautiful and uplifting so that people can enjoy and not feel depressed as well as general advice for what thangkas, mantras, prayers, or books are most beneficial.

Please rejoice in the various ways we are offering direct support to elders, such as completely covering or helping with the annual expenses for a number of  elderly homes in India, and also how Rinpoche is helping with offering advice for ultimate support, such as inspiring the elders to use their time creating merit and offering advice on how to help at the time of passing.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered details about the recent advice he offered to Tibetan elderly in the thought transformation teaching “Some Ways in Which Rinpoche is Benefitting People.”

All are welcome to support the Social Services Fund and help ensure we can offer direct support to the elderly.