receive our newsletters
join Friends of FPMT
The Victory Stupa built for Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lawudo. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
We are happy to share details of two auspicious group events happening in relation to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lawudo in early 2024.
The Lawudo Retreat Centre, situated high in the Himalayan mountains of eastern Nepal, holds particular significance for FPMT as this is the location of the cave where Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in his past life as the Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe, spent the last 30 years of his life in intensive meditation retreat.
Retreatants in the Lawudo gompa. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
Lawudo Retreat Centre. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
Here we share information about two upcoming guided opportunities to visit Lawudo:
1. A pilgrimage for students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche honoring Rinpoche as the Lawudo Lama by visiting the main holy places of the area with prayers and practices for Rinpoche’s swift return following the anniversary puja and Heart Sutra Retreat at Kopan Monastery (April 25-May 9).
2. The Lawudo Trek, open to anyone with interest, occurring the month prior (March 18-April 1) which is a lamrim retreat and visit to Lawudo and also a fundraiser for the completion of one of Rinpoche’s wishes– a Guru Rinpoche Pure Land at Lawudo.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the cave of the Lawudo Lama, Lawudo, Nepal, 1970. Photo by Robbie Solick.
Lawudo Anniversary Pilgrimage April 25-May 9, 2024
By Ven. Sarah Thresher1, pilgrimage leader
The Khumbu region with its soaring mountains, clear skies, roaring rivers, waterfalls and ancient settlements is not just a place of breathtaking beauty, it was also blessed by Padmasambhava to nurture and support spiritual practice and realization. Generations of yogis have meditated in its caves and hermitages and the landscape is enriched by the presence of stupas, prayer stones, prayer wheels, prayer flags, holy images, temples and hermitages.
This is where our spiritual master Lama Zopa Rinpoche in his past life as the Lawudo Lama showed the aspect of accomplishing the highest stages of Dzogchen Atiyoga in the Lawudo cave and earth holes around it. It is also where Rinpoche took rebirth in the picturesque village of Thame and first became a monk at Thame monastery. Lawudo is where Rinpoche built his first monastery, ordained the first Kopan monks and where his sister still lives. In recent years, Rinpoche put much effort to help the local people by restoring the huge stupa of Thame-teng, constructing a 100 trillion prayer wheel in Thame, and sponsoring the reconstruction of temples, prayer wheels, artwork and more in the surrounding areas.
Pilgrimage is always uplifting—but to visit and practice in the holy places of one’s own teacher is especially powerful and moving. This anniversary pilgrimage to the Khumbu region—and particularly Lawudo and Thame—is therefore especially poignant on the anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing.
The Lawudo Anniversary Pilgrimage is an opportunity for students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche to visit and connect (or reconnect) with the holy places of Rinpoche’s past and most recent life as the Lawudo Lama. During these fifteen days of pilgrimage we will be doing prayers and practices taught by Rinpoche and specifically focused on clearing obstacles and creating auspicious conditions for his swift return. There will also be time to reflect and contemplate in these inspiring places. For the three days of retreat at Lawudo—at least—we will also be joined by Charok Lama Rinpoche2 for Dharma discussion and sharing.
Ven Sarah will be helping to introduce the pilgrimage places and lead the prayers and practices.
Stupa at Mende below Lawudo. Kongde mountain (behind) faces Lawudo.. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
Group of 2019 Lawudo Trekkers on the last suspension bridge (Hilary bridge) before the climb up to Namche. Photo Harald Weichhart.
Lawudo Trek with Ven. Tenzin Gendun, March 18-April 1, 2024
By Kristina Mah, trek organizer
We are so excited that Nalanda Monastery monk, Venerable Tenzin Gendun3 will lead the fifth Lawudo Trek! Ven. Gendun will lead pilgrims and enthusiasts from Kopan Monastery to Lawudo Gompa & Retreat Center.
The trek raises money for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision to build a Guru Rinpoche Pure Land at Lawudo and also to contribute to the maintenance and quality of life for those who care for Lawudo.
All the merits manifested through the 2024 Lawudo Trek are dedicated for the swift rebirth of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, as quickly as possible, in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings, and to fulfil Rinpoche’s wishes to create a Guru Rinpoche Pure Land at Lawudo.
A full report of last year’s trek is available.
2022 Lawudo trekking group with Lawudo staff, guides, and porters in front of Lawudo Gompa. Center, Ven. Robina and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s
sister Ani Ngawang Samten. Photo courtesy of Kristina Mah.
If you are interested in joining the Lawudo Anniversary Pilgrimage (April 25-May 9), please write to Ven. Khadro at Kopan Monastery (spc@kopanmonastery.org) for a full itinerary and an additional information sheet. Some additional information can also be found on the Kopan website, at the bottom of the information about the Heart Sutra Retreat.
For more information and to book your spot for the Lawudo Trek (March 18-April 1), please visit the Lawudo Trek website.
Ven Sarah Thresher trekking to a special oracle lake blessed by Guru Rinpoche above Thame Valley.
Ven. Sarah Thresher and Charok Lama outside the Lawudo Gompa, July 2023.
1Ven .Sarah Thresher met Buddhism in 1982 at Kopan and almost immediately began working for Wisdom Publications editing and preparing Dharma materials. In 1986, after ordaining in Bodhgaya with His Holiness Dalai Lama she made her first trip to Lawudo. She has travelled and taught around the world, but her special focus is preserving and spreading the teachings, practice and chanting lineage of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 2023 she spent four months in retreat and pilgrimage at and around Lawudo and looks forward to sharing the magic of Khumbu with others.
2Charok Lama was recognized at the age of three as the reincarnation of the revered hermit- yogi Kusho Mangde who was a friend of the first Lawudo Lama and meditated in the Charok Cave nearby.
As a young child he demanded to go to Kopan monastery to study as a monk and from there he attended Sera Monastery, where he excelled in debate and philosophical inquiry. Charok Lama’s early travel and exposure to Eastern and Western culture has given him a special insight into the challenges faced integrating Tibetan Buddhism to other cultures. He is a gifted and joyful Dharma teacher, public speaker and motivational coach.
Ven. Tenzin Gendun.
3Born in Sri Lanka and growing up in England, Ven. Tenzin Gendun studied at art school and finished a degree in illustration. After completing his tertiary studies, he traveled to India and met Tibetan Buddhism in 1991 through the kindness of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He was ordained in 1992, and then worked in FPMT centers in New Zealand.
Ven. Gendun moved to Nalanda Monastery in France in 2000 to deepen his studies. Since then, he has completed the FPMT Basic Program and Masters Program.
After finishing retreat, Ven. Gendun returned to teaching and leading retreats at Nalanda Monastery and in FPMT centers in Europe and around the world.
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.