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Long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, December 25, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
On December 25, 2020 a White Tara Long Life Puja was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of all FPMT centers, projects, services, and students. For seven days leading up to this puja Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la), Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, thirty-five senior monks, and fifteen senior nuns completed many hours of preparation practices at Kopan Monastery in order to make the long life puja as powerful as possible. There were two sessions of White Tara practice a day during which the forty-five to fifty individuals in attendance recited many White Tara and Tara mantras to eliminate obstacles to Rinpoche’s long life. They also recited a special mantra that combines the White Tara mantra with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s name mantra:
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE OM AH GURU VAJRADHARA MUNI SHASANA KSHANTI SARVA SIDDHI AYUR PUNYE JNANA PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA
For the actual puja, the Kopan gompa was decorated with victory banners, long hanging banners, and smaller triangular banners, along with garlands of flowers hanging between the pillars. The thrones of His Holiness and Rinpoche were covered in garlands of marigolds. Before the puja, the Kopan monks and about fifty to sixty of the older nuns from the nunnery attended and participated in White Tara practice that had been done all week. This was followed by the actual long life puja, during which many offerings were visualized and offered to the guru in the form of White Tara.
Request to the Dakinis was offered, which is part of the usual long life puja when done together with Lama Chopa. During the Request to the Dakinis, Rinpoche was offered the traditional long life offerings of a double vajra, monk’s robes, pandit’s hat, monk’s seat cover, begging bowl, monk’s staff, seven precious royal objects, and eight auspicious signs. He was also offered some very beautiful statues of White Tara, Namgyalma, and Amitayus. Those in attendance also offered part of the short Sixteen Arhats Puja and the Prayer to Amitayus in addition to the various long life prayers and requesting and thanking mandalas.
Ven. Joan Nicell, who was in attendance said, “The whole event was beautiful and went smoothly. Rinpoche seemed very happy with the puja. From my side, it was one of the most special ways to celebrate Christmas that I have experienced since becoming a Buddhist.”
Long life puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche. led by Khadro-la, Kopan Monastery, December 25, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Please enjoy this short video of highlights from this most auspicious event:
https://youtu.be/-juSPvEPU3g
Another upcoming long life puja will be offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the third Tibetan month (actual date still to be determined). This will be an Amitayus Long Life Puja and will also be preceded by seven days of preparation practices at Kopan Monastery, led by Khadro-la.
Ven. Roger Kunsang offering body, speech, and mind mandala to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja held at Kopan Monastery, December 25, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
All are welcome to participate in this upcoming puja by offering prayers from your heart on the day of the puja or offering any amount towards the puja. We also invite you to rejoice in the completion of the December 25 long life puja, with strong prayers of dedication for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life.
The Long Life Puja Fund always contributes to long life pujas offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. You can also learn about the many Charitable Projects of FPMT and discover the many ways the various funds and projects are benefiting others.