15 Days of Swift Return Prayers were held at the Buddha’s place of enlightenment in Bodhgaya, from February 28-March 14, 2025. Photo courtesy of Root Institute.

During the entire Fifteen Days of Miracles (February 28-March 14, 2025), Root Institute organized fifteen days of pujas and offerings under the Bodhi Tree at the Mahabodhi Stupa for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, combining the prayers and offerings of the Festival of Lights and Merits with swift return practice at the stupa.

Prayers and chanting occurred every evening during the Fifteen Days of Miracles, dedicated to the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Other activities included offering prayer flags around the pond inside the Mahabodhi Stupa complex; taking offering bowls filled with fruits and flowers in procession into the main temple to offer to the Shakyamuni Buddha statue; robes and khatas offered to the Shakyamuni Buddha statue; protector puja and Tara puja offered at Namgyal Monastery in Bodhgaya. Lights were offered around the stupa, sponsored by people from all around the world. Fresh flower offerings were made every day. Names of all who donated to this event were read aloud and dedications made.

Procession to offer bowls to the main image of Shakyamuni Buddha in the Bodhgaya stupa on behalf of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Photo courtesy of Root Institute.

Ven. Sarah Thresher shares moving details about the experience:

Proclaimed by buddhas of the eons past,
And to be taught by buddhas yet to come;
And taught not once but time and time again
By all the buddhas of the present age (v.12, Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri)

Bodhgaya is the center of the Buddhist universe, where pilgrims from all over the world gather to pray, practice, and pay homage to the Buddha, his teachings and noble community. I can think of no other place quite like it in this world. Below the sacred Bodhi Tree is the seat of enlightenment, an ancient throne said to mark the vajra ground where all the buddhas of this fortunate eon achieve enlightenment—the only support firm enough for such a realization. At times, this whole complex with its kora and numerous stupas and meditation places, truly seems to be a portal to other limitless dimensions beyond our current apprehension.

Robes and five khatas were offered to Shakyamuni Buddha statue on behalf of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

And so it was for fifteen magical evenings this Losar—the days of miracles—seated under the Bodhi Tree next to the image of Manjushri, bathed in continually flowing shades of colored light. A small group of us somehow came together in a most spontaneous way, to recite the Sutra Remembering the Three Rare Sublime Ones; chant the Names of Noble Manjushri—the profound essence of all tantras—along with King of Prayers—summation of all the aspirational prayers of the bodhisattvas; and offer numberless lights to all the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, statues, stupas, scriptures in numberless universes whose essence is the Dharmakaya holy mind of all the buddhas—the guru—while praying fervently for the swift return of our most precious lama, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche. “It doesn’t seem real,” we would say to ourselves each evening as we finished our practice, the words of these profound and vast prayers circling through our mind over again.

Perception, its object, and the perceived all dissolve within the expanse,
The blissful clarity of suchness, A. (A Lamenting Wail: A Supplication for the Swift Return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche)

This is the second year running that Root Institute has combined the prayers and offerings of the Festival of Lights and Merits with a swift return practice at the stupa—maximizing the most powerful prayers, most powerful days, most powerful time and most powerful place to make offerings and requests to the most powerful objects. It is common to hear the continual resounding of Dharma in different languages at the Mahabodhi Stupa day and night—but it is uncommon to hear these prayers and practices chanted in English, and that itself is a great tribute to our own precious teacher who spread the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion throughout the world. People stopped, they listened, they commented.

15 Days of Swift Return Prayers were held at the Buddha’s place of enlightenment in Bodhgaya, from February 28-March 14, 2025. Photo courtesy of Root Institute.

We plan to continue this tradition until a new incarnation of our precious teacher can join us at the stupa; and we offer gratitude to all the sponsors for their support. Please join us next year for the prayers in February 2026. 

With grateful thanks to Ven. Sarah Thresher for this report, and Root Institute Director, Ugyen Shola for providing details and updates of this incredible event which required so much effort and organization. 

All are welcome to please utilize the resources available to you, in order to sincerely pray for Rinpoche’s return. Additionally, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive also offers Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s own commentary and oral transmission of Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri which is available to all.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche (1945-2023) was the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.