Khenrinpoche Thubten Chonyi and Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery amidst the continual offering of prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. April 18, 2023. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

Continued Prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Swift Return

Prayers and pujas are continuing twenty-four hours a day at Kopan Monastery in front of Rinpoche’s holy body and also in the gompa for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. Monasteries, nunneries and FPMT centers around the world also continue with prayers and pujas.

“Every inch of Kopan is in prayers around the clock,” as reported from the monastery. We are pleased to continue to share the livestream of prayers happening (with occasional breaks). You will find it to be much better quality than the stream we offered initially, and all are invited to connect with what is being done at Kopan in this way: https://www.youtube.com/c/fpmtinc/live

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, a Nyingma lama very close to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, visited Kopan this morning, joining the prayers in Rinpoche’s room. You can read Chokyi Nyima’s heartfelt letter written upon receiving the news of Rinpoche’s passing. We are happy to share this short video of the prayers happening today, joined by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche:

https://youtube.com/shorts/J0eBjsY3j2g?feature=share

Tenzin Osel Hita is at Kopan and spoke to students gathered today. Ganden Tri Rinpoche, head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, arrived at Kopan today.

This is the current schedule of daily prayers and pujas being offered and livestreamed, according to the local time in Nepal:

1. 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Dung Choe practice by senior Sangha 
2. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Yamantaka Solitary Hero Self-Initiation 
3. 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. various practices (Lamrim Meditation, Tendrel Toepa (In Praise of Dependent Origination), Calling Guru from Afar, Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by international students)
4. 7:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Vajrayogini Self-Initiation 
5. 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Guru Puja, Tendrel Toepa (In Praise of Dependent Origination), Manjushri-nama-samgiti (Chanting the Names of Manjushri), King of Prayers, Abhisamayalamkara (Ornament of Clear Realizations), Mulamadhyamakakarika (Root Verses on the Middle Way), Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by monks and nuns.

Every seventh day there will also be Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog at Kopan Monastery. Those dates are: April 19 and 26; May 3, 10, 17, and 24; and May 31.

Prayers around the clock continue at Kopan Monastery for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. Photo by Alison Murdoch.

Important Events

On the forty-ninth day after Rinpoche stopped breathing, which is May 31, Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog will be offered at Kopan Monastery.

Before that, we have the very significant long life puja offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 24 in India. We’re hoping that many will come to this long life puja (or watch it livestreamed), as this puja will be exceptionally poignant and significant as it is a fulfilment of Rinpoche’s holy wishes.

On Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi’s advice, we’re planning to amend the already scheduled Light of the Path Retreat at Kopan (currently scheduled for September 3-17, 2023), and make it a month to come together for focused study and celebration of Rinpoche’s teachings, giving the opportunity to go deeper into and actualize the teachings Rinpoche has so kindly given us. We have such a wealth of teachings from Rinpoche, this will be a special opportunity to actualize them together. There will be senior FPMT registered teachers leading meditations and Khenrinpoche, Ven. Roger Kunsang, and others sharing life stories. It is likely that students will be able to come for any period of time within the Light of the Path month, depending on available accommodation at Kopan.

Details on this Light of the Path Retreat are still being worked out, but we wanted to offer these updates now so that you can have all this in mind for planning what you would be able and most like to join.

(Please note: This means that the Foundation Service Seminar that was scheduled at Kopan in September will be postponed).

 Advice for FPMT Centers and Students

 The following practices are suggested by Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi for FPMT centers and students to do at this time. These are practices to be offered as one wishes, not everything here has to be done:

• Lama Chopa and Tsog Offering – every day, or every seventh day
• Eight Verses of Thought Transformation
• In Praise of Dependent Origination translation by Thubten Jinpa | translation by Gavin Kilty 
• Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri
• King of Prayers
• Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and other distinguished lamas

Swift Return Booklet

We are delighted that so many centers and students have made quick use of the booklet containing swift return prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Khandro Kunga Bhuma, and others. We have made a recent update to this booklet and all are encouraged to download this most recent version: A Prayer for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the Dalai Lama with additional prayers by other distinguished lamas

 We have also added various translations as well as the standalone of His Holiness’s swift return prayer; and we are adding translations of the other prayers in the booklet as standalones as they become available.

(Please note: This collection of swift return prayers is a work in progress and updated versions of the booklet will be released. Our aim has been to make these prayers accessible as soon as they are available. Further prayers may be added to subsequent editions of the collection and edits made to existing prayers.)

 News, Updates, Resources, Tributes

 As a reminder, we have created the Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page, where all news and updates we have shared are and will be collected.  On that page we’ve also added a link to translations to updates available, with our thanks to the translation services.

We have also made available a page sharing tributes and condolences from great lamas, friends, and monastery officials around the world.

From our Tributes and Condolences page we have recently added a link to an online student tribute page created by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, for students to add their messages, tributes, and memories about Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We will share links to other online remembrance pages from FPMT centers as we receive them.

Please continue trying to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim. Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

May Rinpoche be reborn as quickly as possible in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings.

Big love,

Your friends at FPMT International Office

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

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.