His Eminence Ling Rinpoche teaching at Kadampa Center, North Carolina, US, May 8, 2024. Photo courtesy of Kadampa Center.

His Eminence Ling Rinpoche is currently engaged in a nine week teaching tour during April-June in the United States, visiting at least 28 different venues in a dozen states. The venues include Dharma centers and monastery gompas, and when those halls aren’t large enough: specially-erected teaching tents, Tibetan association halls, local community centers, churches, schools, universities, concert halls, and hotel conference rooms.

Among the various organizers are nine FPMT centers: Shantideva Center, Kurukulla Center, Guhyasamaja Center, Kadampa Center, Land of Medicine Buddha, Ocean of Compassion Buddhist Center, Tse Chen Ling, Vajrapani Institute, and Maitripa College (upcoming June 8!). We offer grateful thanks to Melissa Kaye, Regional Coordinator for FPMT North America, who attended the first four weeks of the tour (NYC through WI), for providing much of the information and quotes included in this report. 

His Eminence made some incredibly moving remarks about Lama Zopa Rinpoche during these teachings, including how to pray for Rinpoche’s swift return, which we share below. 

Many Tibetans were in attendance at several of these venues, including Tibetan dignitaries, and were the majority of attendees at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts (April 21-22), even on the non-initiation days. On May 18, thousands of Tibetan people in Minnesota attended Buddha Amitayus initiation and teachings, organized by the Tibetan Foundation of Minnesota and Trehor Kyiduk Minnesota. 

FPMT students from as far away as Latin America flew in for the teachings in NYC.

Members of the Tibetan community attending public talk with His Eminence Ling Rinpoche at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts, April 22, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Kurukulla Center Facebook page.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with His Eminence Ling Rinpoche, India, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

His Eminence began his US tour at Shantideva Center, NYC on April 12, and his earliest remarks were about Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing:

“It was very painful to lose Rinpoche. … It really shocked me, really hurt, very difficult to accept. … Rinpoche was much needed in this world.

“Losing him was a big loss for every one of us. Although Rinpoche’s not with us physically, his legacy remains. It is very important that the followers should fulfill all his wishes, most importantly to follow his instructions, all the instructions that he has given throughout his life. 

“More than, I would say, 50, 60 years, he’s been teaching all over the world, and Rinpoche was there for others all the time 24/7. He did not do anything, almost nothing, for himself, but always there for others. His love, his compassion, his teachings and his instructions have benefited countless beings.

“I think, most important is to practice well and this is the only way to fulfill his wishes.  If we practice well, if we become a good human being and a good practitioner, this is the only way to fulfill his wish. This is something that Rinpoche wants us to do. Nothing else can fulfill his wish. Even if we offer the entire world to him, this will not fulfill his wish. So the only way to fulfill his wish is to become a good human being and practice the Dharma according to the teachings.”

FPMT Sangha greeting His Eminence Ling Rinpoche at the SFO Airport, May 23, 2024. Photo courtesy of Land of Medicine Buddha Facebook page.

Melissa Kaye, FPMT North America Regional Coordinator shared: 

“Rinpoche’s teachings at the FPMT centers focused on brief lamrim texts by Lama Tsong Khapa, bodhichitta topics (bodhisattva vows, lojong, and Atisha’s Bodhisattva’s Garland of Jewels), and some initiations. His Eminence began each teaching with a detailed explanation of the importance of setting a positive Mahayana motivation and concluded each teaching with extensive dedication prayers.

“His teachings flowed beautifully, in a traditional style, were extremely clear and organized, concise and to the point; scholarly while still relatable and applicable to modern daily life. Over and over again he reminded me of listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama when His Holiness is giving traditional teachings to a mostly Tibetan audience in India. During the initiations, His Eminence carefully explained each of the steps and visualizations to be done so that we students could participate to the fullest of our abilities.”

From May 25-26, HIs Eminence gave teachings on The Foundation of All Good Qualities and conferred the 1,000-Armed Chenrezig Initiation, in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, jointly hosted by four local FPMT centers: Land of Medicine Buddha, Ocean of Compassion Buddhist Center, Tse Chen Ling, and Vajrapani Institute.

While in the Bay Area offering teachings, His Eminence also took the time to consecrate two holy objects: 

On May 31, he consecrated the 3 quadrillion mantras filled compassion prayer wheel at Vajrapani Institute. 

His Eminence Ling Rinpoche consecrating the 3 quadrillion mantras filled prayer wheel at Vajrapani Institute, May 31, 2024. Photo courtesy of Scott Snibbe.

On June 4 His Eminence was able to consecrate the stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha. LMB shared on their Facebook page: “Rinpoche remarked after finishing the consecration that he ‘didn’t want to leave.’ How our hearts were warmed by his loving presence and gentle guidance.”

His Eminence Ling Rinpoche with the Land of Medicine Buddha community, after consecrating the stupa at LMB, CA, June 4, 2024. Photo courtesy of 100,000 Stupa Project at Land of Medicine Buddha Facebook page.

In the final dedication prayers at Kadampa Center, North Carolina, on May 8, His Eminence said:

“I pray for the swift return of the late Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who was a great teacher. Most importantly, he was a great human being. That’s most important. He worked so hard for the benefit of other sentient beings. All throughout his life he worked for others. This is a very great role model.

“May there be the swift return of his new incarnation, someone who can fill his shoes, who can carry on the good job and who will be able to continue to carry on the legacy for the benefit of all sentient beings, particularly his Dharma students. But also—a very bright one is very important. If not very bright, then cannot do much, right?  So a young and bright one, this kind of aspiration. We must pray from now, that bright, young and healthy one should come.  Because once the child is born, we cannot change much, right? So the students need to pray from now. That is very important. I also pray for his swift return, a bright one who can work for others, who can really fill the shoes of late Rinpoche.”

Upcoming: His Eminence will offer a teaching on The Three Principal Aspects of the Path at Maitripa College in Portland, OR, on June 8 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Those interested can join both in-person and online via Zoom.

You can learn more about His Eminence Ling Rinpoche, his tour in the US, and upcoming teaching tours:
www.lingrinpoche.info

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.