receive our newsletters
join Friends of FPMT
Losang Dragpa Centre 25th Anniversary Celebration. Graphic by Gavyn Teh.
On December 10, 2020, Losang Dragpa Center (LDC), the FPMT center in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary. The center shares the story.
On the auspicious Lama Tsongkhapa Day, LDC broadcast the e-celebration of its twenty-fifth anniversary via Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube, reaching out to teachers, Sangha, members, and friends from near and far. An in-person 25th Anniversary Celebration was initially planned for two years ago, but COVID made it necessary to rely on new technology to go virtual. That turned out to be a blessing as many more people were able to participate.
LDC began with a few members in 1995, in a rented link-house that was the home of co-founder Huei in Ampang. Soon after, a bank loan was obtained to purchase a semi-detached bungalow for center activities. These two Ampang houses served as LDC for its first eight years. LDC eventually moved across town to Jalan Birah and was finally able to acquire its own (current) premises with a beautiful garden located in a quiet residential area in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Looking back at LDC’s activities over the past twenty-five years, we are happy to have been able to abide by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice and the FPMT’s Five Pillars of Service:
- Dharma: LDC offers Dharma classes for adults at the introductory level and the FPMT Basic Program.
- Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom: The principles of the 16 Guidelines for Life underscore LDC’s “Dharma for Kids” program (five to twelve year-olds) and inspired the teens program (thirteen to sixteen year-olds) called “10 For Good” which is specifically based on the ten virtues.
- Social/Community Service: LDC was the mother of the now separately registered but hugely successful Kasih Hospice. Today, LDC responds to community needs such as Aunty Mee Fah Animal Shelter and food donation to the poor (during the pandemic) through its adult, teen, or children’s projects.
- Interfaith Activities: A Buddhist relic exhibition was organized and the spiritual leaders of Christian and Hindu organizations, along with leaders of other Buddhist traditions, were invited to the event and were also invited to speak at the opening ceremony.
- Revenue generation activities: LDC’s Dharma programs are offered on a free of charge basis but generates revenue through its Dharma Shop and fundraising activities throughout the year, during Vesak/Saka Dawa, the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar, and Lama Tsongkhapa Day activities, offering the public opportunities to sponsor altar offerings and participate in pujas.
For any Dharma center, achieving twenty-five years of activities requires commitment and heart. We are forever indebted to our precious Guru Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and all our other gurus, seven past and present FPMT resident teachers, and their translators. The contributions and sacrifices made by members, benefactors, volunteers, and executive committee members also cannot be forgotten and are deeply appreciated.
25th Anniversary Celebration on Zoom, Losang Dragpa Centre, December 2020. Photo by Dr. Chew Cheng Hoon, LDC member.
The 25th Anniversary Celebration featured a trip down memory lane of LDC’s history via a five-minute video “LDC’s 25 years Journey.” The high points of the night were the greetings and advice from our Guru Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, as well as words of sharing and wisdom from past resident teacher Geshe Tenzin Zopa and Sangha translators Ven. Michael Losang Yeshe and Ven. Tenzin Sherab. The event also relayed personal greetings from co-founders Huei and Pek Chee Hen who are trustees of LDC, followed by fellow trustees Lee Oi Loon and Selina Foong (who also serves as FPMT Southeast Asia regional coordinator), and two past center directors, Datuk M. Jayabalan and Dr. Lee Hock Bee.
The biggest big surprise of the night was sprung by LDC’s current FPMT resident geshe, Geshe Jampa Tsondu, who has been at the center since 2012. Geshe Jampa Tsondu read his three-minute twenty-fifth anniversary greetings out loud fully in English. This was met with appreciation and applause from members and students!
Watch “(#GoLive) FPMT LDC 25th Anniversary Celebration” on the FPMT LDC YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/9fjpb4r_WFw
LDC maximized the auspiciousness of Lama Tsongkhapa Day by launching the center’s new mobile-friendly website fpmt-ldc.org.
Geshe Jampa Tsondu said in his speech, “Twenty-five years is not long but not short either.” He said we should build on what we have already accomplished and continue to strive in the Dharma and its activities to benefit all.
Ven. Thubten Choying, Kenn Ng, Geshe Jampa Tsondu, and Lua Chiew Fei making offerings before the Yamantaka Pacifying Fire Puja, Losang Dragpa Centre, Selangor, Malaysia, December 2020. Photo by Gavyn Teh.
As a token of appreciation to all, LDC has released a recording of the Migtsema prayer composed into a song by a local artist. The recording features chanting by Geshe Jampa Tsondu and Kenn Ng, LDC’s translator.
Listen to “MIGTSEMA – LDC 25th Anniversary Celebration” on SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/fpmt-ldc/migtsema-ldc-25th-anniversary-celebration
LDC center director Dato’ Dr. Goh Pik Pin, alongside her executive committee, took this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the 25th Anniversary Celebration for their support with hopes for many awesome years to come.
To learn more about Losang Dragpa Centre, visit their new website:
http://fpmt-ldc.org/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.