Participants in the 2024 FPMT Geshe Conference at Kopan Monastery.

The new year began with an extremely important conference for FPMT geshes at Kopan Monastery from January 9-14, 2024. More than thirty geshes and geshemas plus five FPMT Inc. board members spent three days together engaged in a rich schedule of discussing, learning, and planning. They also used this opportunity to engage in prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return, offer an all-day Most Secret Hayagriva Tsok Kong, and engage in a two-day pilgrimage.

Ven. Roger Kunsang commented that the event went very well with a great response from those in attendance. He reported that it was an open and easy going meeting, and participants expressed a sense of inclusiveness in the future of FPMT, of which they are all an essential part.

Ven. Thubten Pemba, FPMT Inc. board member and resident teacher of Cham Tse Ling Centre in Hong Kong, served as one of the facilitators for the conference and offered some insight into the event:

Ven. Thubten Pemba, FPMT Inc. board member and one of the Geshe Conference facilitators, speaking at the Geshe Conference.

 The venerable geshelas, geshemas, and FPMT Inc. board member participants all said they had a great time and they all expressed great joy with what Lama Yeshe called the, “family feeling” of unity of being together and especially being at Kopan.

There is a great need to bring all or most of the great geshes together from time to time as normally there is no opportunity for all the geshes teaching in the FPMT organization to come together and this gives them a valued opportunity to share their own personal experiences of teaching in different cultures and countries of different time zones.

The conversation and fun they each had during the meal times and break times, the jokes they throw at each other, the genuine laughter, the joy and happiness of being under one roof, the great respect for each other, the harmonious atmosphere and most precious advice from H.H. Gaden Tri Rinpoche and H.E. Ling Rinpoche by Zoom all helped make this function be most meaningful and worthwhile. Not surprisingly, many geshes personally expressed the need to hold such a meeting more frequently.

Participant Geshe Tenzin Loden, resident geshe at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, offered the following feedback on the conference:

The conference went really well, I feel confident now that all the centers will be able to work together in the future and we could see that they are all are happy to follow Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice. Usually the geshes focus mainly on teaching so it was good this time to have space to discuss other aspects regarding centers and the FPMT. Going forward, it is important that the geshes, the directors, the SPCs, and the translators really work together. And I think it is important to have these meetings regularly. It was important to have this space to do prayers together, for the FPMT, for the centers and for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

An Overview of the Proceedings

 Day One

On the first day of the conference, January 9, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi offered a welcome speech and introduction to the conference. Each geshe then shared a bit about their stories and how they came to their particular FPMT center.

FPMT Geshe Conference participants listening to Ganden Tri Rinpoche offer advice via Zoom.

Ganden Tri Rinpoche connected to the meeting via Zoom and was asked to offer some advice. In general, the advice was for the participants to share their experiences at each Dharma center and their plans for the future, and he requested each geshe to speak openly and honestly about their work and experiences, even the difficulties. Ganden Tri Rinpoche offered advice regarding what should be taught at the center, and to encourage the students to study well and read. He also praised the monks and nuns of Kopan and said they are doing an excellent job. “These activities show that the purposes for which Kopan was established have been accomplished and are truly a basis for purifying obscurations and keeping pure morality. I’m very pleased because this benefits the whole region,” Ganden Tri Rinpoche shared.  “It’s very good.” Link to full transcript of this talk. 

FPMT Inc. board members joining small discussion groups during the FPMT Geshe Conference.

Ven. Roger Kunsang introduced the FPMT organization, its activities and mission, and discussed Rinpoche’s inspiring style of leading the organization, and Rinpoche wishes for FPMT:

“So then, I think Rinpoche’s way of taking responsibility for the organization was, Rinpoche went on the road to teach. So I think that was Rinpoche’s way of leading the organization through teaching, through inspiration, because of his practice, etc., etc. His leadership was in the form of writing, teaching, and inspiration. So for the next, next 36 years, I think Rinpoche was on the road non-stop. I mean literally he didn’t stop, seven days a week, and it wasn’t just the days, it was the nights also. So I never experienced anything like that before in my life.

“And not only that, but I think Rinpoche never took his robes off. Every two weeks you had to push Rinpoche to take a shower; that was the time he took his robes off. So otherwise, he would be either teaching or sitting on his bed reading texts. He always had texts everywhere around him, the luggage was two or three suitcases full of texts.

“We always had trouble at the airport when we had to weigh in suitcases. Rinpoche wouldn’t give up one text, he would take off his robes first, but he refused to give up the texts. I remember we sometimes had to pay two, three thousand dollars excess baggage, but he still wouldn’t give up the texts.

“So that was Rinpoche’s style, and I think that’s how he led the organization. It was through his teachings, and through the inspiration that he gave to everyone.” Read Ven. Roger’s full talk. 

FPMT Inc. board member Dale Davis offered some updates from the board.

The geshes all then started conversations which lasted into the second day about their experiences within the FPMT organization and discussed the challenges they face in their positions, what ideas they have for the future, how they are coping with the loss of Rinpoche, and many other topics.

Participants in the FPMT Geshe Conference having a meal together at Kopan Nunnery. Photos courtesy of Ven. Losang Chotrin and Ven. Losang Chozin.

Day Two

On the second day of the conference, January 10, participants continued their conversations from the day prior and also discussed successes, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the FPMT organization from their perspectives. Prior to that, H.E. Ling Rinpoche addressed the geshes through Zoom in a very inspiring talk that we encourage you to read in full  His Eminence shared a moving account of the accomplishments of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

“Where the teachings had not spread before, they newly spread them, and where they had declined, they restored them. There are over one-hundred FPMT centers now. And these were all founded not with a worldly intention to make a profit or something; rather they were all developed with a pure wish to benefit transmigratory sentient beings. Since they were developed with such a vast intention, they are incredibly beneficial to the Buddha’s teachings. Much benefit has come about.”

H.E. also emphasized how “extremely important for all the geshes to meet together. There is nothing more important at this time than to support the FPMT. It was predicted that the Buddha’s teachings will remain for 5,000 years in this world. Now 2,500 years have passed so it is possible that the teachings will remain for another 2,500 years. But for the teachings of both scripture and realization to remain depends on making effort in both scholarship and practice. For this purpose, it is important for the spiritual teachers giving teachings, and especially all the geshes who are still alive, to continue today to make efforts as they have so well in the past until now. It is important for those who’ve gathered for this meeting to share their intentions to accomplish the holy wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and especially the intentions of the respected Lama Zopa Rinpoche as you all have been long acquainted with Rinpoche’s wishes.”

H.E. also insisted that it is important to make extensive prayers to find the true reincarnation of Rinpoche quickly, that Rinpoche’s activities can be continued, and that all the aims of the FPMT organization to benefit sentient beings in a vast way through the various centers are successful. H.E expressed that he will pray that the FPMT will develop even more than before. Link to full transcript of this talk. 

FPMT Geshe Conference participants listening to H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s advice over Zoom.

Day Three

On the third day of the conference, January 11, participants talked more about the FPMT organization and what it offers to all beings. It was recognized that if the FPMT is a reference point for authentic Buddhism, it is thanks to the work of the geshes in the centers.

FPMT Inc. board member, Karuna Cayton, shared the board’s current plans and ideas for the future of the FPMT organization.

International Office’s COO Francois Lecointre presented an overview of FPMT’s Education programs and the needs, successes, and challenges in this area.

FPMT geshes breaking out into small groups to discuss and share.

On the last session of day three, swift return prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, as well as the lamrim dedication prayers, were chanted by all. Ven Pemba recounted, “I really felt Lama Zopa Rinpoche was there with us for this was it was a great offering to Rinpoche. I felt Rinpoche must be very pleased with this gathering of geshes discussing how to carry forward Lama Yeshe and Rinpoche’s lineage and legacy into the future. I earnestly felt that Rinpoche’s holy mind was always guiding us and blessing us throughout the conferences.”

FPMT Geshe Conference participants on pilgrimage outside the Vajra Yogini Temple at Pharping. Photo by Geshe Lobsang Tengyur

Puja and Pilgrimage

The conference was followed on the next day by a very powerful Most Secret Hayagriva Tsok Kong puja dedicated in particular to all involved in FPMT, centers, teachers, staff, students, etc. This puja was joined by other monks and lama gyupas who hadn’t participated in the conference.

Hayagriva puja offered by Geshe Conference participants and Kopan Sangha. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery.

Thanks to the organizers in Kopan, the geshes were then able during the next two days to go on a pilgrimage of several of the holy sites of the Kathmandu Valley, praying in each holy place for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return, among other prayers.

When asked if Ven. Pemba had anything else to share about the Geshe Conference, or the FPMT organization in general, he said:

“FPMT students should rejoice and be grateful to our guru, founder, and remember Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s kindness all the time even though for some have never met the two lamas, but in the same way as we also never met Buddha, Nagarjuna, and Lama Tsogkhapa and all the lineage gurus, we have cultivated great devotion and admiration to them and their teachings.

“The entire FPMT family is very fortunate due to the two great lamas– Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and mission and their compassion and kindness which has provided us a great Dharma environment and centers around the world with such greatly qualified geshes from some of the greatest monastic universities of our time.

“For the organization to have over 50 great geshes teaching in the FPMT centers, monasteries, and nunneries around the world is something the students should know and rejoice about. This is not a simple and easy task at all what the two lamas have achieved for Buddha and Dharma and suffering beings during this time of degeneration.

“We, the entire FPMT family now have a great responsibility to protect, lead, and disseminate the great teaching lineage and legacy of our  beloved guru founders together with one aim and purpose. As Rinpoche used to advise us: the very purpose of the organization and purpose of our life is to free all mother sentient beings from all the suffering and lead them to Buddhahood and for that the organization has to exist entirely due to compassion and devotions.

“I make a humble request to the FPMT family: Please pray and dedicate for Rinpoche’s true and unmistaken reincarnation to return as quickly as possible in a place where the reincarnation can be very quickly recognized. Please pray that the reincarnation can complete all the studies as soon as possible and resume carrying out the legacy of Rinpoche’s past life and therefore be of the most benefit to sentient beings. May this reincarnation be able to offer extensive benefit to the world and each one of us with Dharma practice and teaching in the same way as the past life inspired us. May the teachings of Buddha and all the other holy activities of Rinpoche’s organization become of the greatest benefit to all mother sentient beings.”

A tremendously heartfelt offering of thanks to Kopan Monastery, its managers, and staff members for their generosity and wholehearted support in every step of the way from receiving guests at the airport, to taking them back to airport after the seven days of full activities, plus many other acts of kindness and service to all in attendance of this important conference. Thanks also to Karen Molina’s report of the conference, which was consulted for this report.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.