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H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Ling Rinpoche visited Spain from April 9-20, 2019, teaching in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia at events supported by FPMT Hispana centers Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, and Centro Nagarjuna Valencia. Núria Sala, Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona spiritual program coordinator; Susana Sáiz Medinger, Centro Nagarjuna Madrid spiritual program coordinator; and Stephen Milton, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia center director, share the story.
His Eminence Ling Rinpoche’s teachings in Barcelona were organized by three Dharma centers: Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, an Centro Budista Tara de Barcelona, and Fundació Casa del Tibet de Barcelona.
Rinpoche arrived at the Barcelona airport on April 9. Rafael Ferrer, FPMT Europe coordinator was there to welcome Rinpoche, along with the three center directors Ven. Marga Echezarreta, Ven. Anila Ridzing Chödrong, and Ven. Thubten Wangchen. Tibetans and students from all three centers also came. Many people brought flowers and H.E. Ling Rinpoche was very happy.
Each center contributed what they had to offer: accommodation for Rinpoche was provided by Centro Budista Tara de Barcelona; a teaching hall was offered by Fundació Casa del Tibet de Barcelona; and Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona supported the entire event. The centers worked together with a lot of harmony.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Mar Corominas, Jualia Montero, Xavier De Juan, Joan Ordeix, Núria Sala, Ven. Marga Echezarreta, Geshe Rinchen, Geshe Lobsang Yonten, Ana Esteban, Montse Quera, Andreu Estany, and Ven. Tenzin Nangse at Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Carlos Henao.
Everyone enjoyed the three days of teachings and initiations very much, and H.E. Ling Rinpoche was very happy, always smiling. The teachings were translated by Ven. Tenzin Nangse (Ana González), Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translation Program graduate and Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona translator. Rinpoche promised to return to Barcelona. The three centers were very happy, committing to organize it together. The room capacity was two hundred people, and every day it was full. Tickets sold out in a month. For the three centers these teachings were a blessing.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche visited and blessed Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona on April 11, and enjoyed a meal served by members of the Tibetan community. Then Rinpoche and some students took a walk by the sea.
Rinpoche gave teachings and offered blessings at the two other Dharma centers, and visited Benedictine Monastery Santa Maria de Montserrat. From my humble opinion I think that everyone—organizers, teachers, members of the public, students, and more—were very happy Rinpoche visited us, and are waiting for Rinpoche to come back soon.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
On the morning of April 17, Rinpoche arrived in Madrid accompanied by two attendants. Approximately fifteen people were waiting for Rinpoche with incense, khatas, flowers, and an abundance of happiness and smiles.
In the evening Rinpoche was taken to Centro Nagarjuna Madrid were more than one hundred people waited for the teachings and transmission. More than twenty people—many who seemed to have a previous connection with Rinpoche—had collaborated in advance of the event, helping to make the center look beautiful. The precious teachings moved everybody, and people were so happy—even in joyful tears—so that when Rinpoche said we could all go for dinner together, many people came to the restaurant to enjoy Rinpoche’s company. Twenty of us sat together in the restaurant, sharing experiences and laughs with Rinpoche, and had a great time.
Even though it was a very short visit everybody who attended was so touched by Rinpoche’s presence. We publicly invited Rinpoche to please, please, please come back soon to Madrid. Rinpoche said he would be happy to come back.
The morning Rinpoche left for Valencia, a group of people were at the station with khatas to wish Rinpoche a good journey. We all went home with a deep feeling in our hearts that we had made a great connection with a magnificent guru. We thank Rinpoche for the marvelous teachings, and wish Rinpoche a very long life so we and many other beings can benefit from Rinpoche’s teachings, presence, and nectar of wisdom.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Pablo, Daniel Badran, Geshe Lobsang Tendar, Geshe Thubten Chöden, Ven. Fabio Poza, Marion Lambert, Javier Valverde, Carmen Blazquez, Raul, student, Karen Molina, Fernando Fernandez, Lydia, two students, Ana Maria Izquierdo, Marisa Femenía, Susana Sáiz, Maria, and Alberto at Madrid Atocha train station, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
It was a huge honor for Centro Nagarjuna Valencia to host H.E. Ling Rinpoche, one of the most important lamas of this day and age.
Geshe Lamsang—our resident lama and a disciple of His Holiness the 6th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche—wanted to give a warm traditional welcome for such a high lama, so it was red carpet treatment (literally) accompanied by the sound of Tibetan trumpets. Rinpoche was led along the red carpet through clouds of fragrant incense all the way from the entrance of Centro Nagarjuna Valencia to the throne in the gompa where Geshe-la made a mandala offering of body, speech, and mind followed by an offering of Tibetan butter tea and auspicious rice.
Rinpoche said how much Rinpoche enjoyed the welcome, and that Rinpoche would hopefully see us all again later on in the teachings.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche, Tenzin Osel Hita, Geshe Lamsang, Ven. Paloma Alba, and students at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Geshe Tenzin Khentse.
More than a hundred people attended the public talk in the evening, a commentary on the text Separating from the Four Attachments. Rinpoche’s explanation was profound and precise and covered the whole path to enlightenment. While listening to Rinpoche’s instructions you got the feeling that actually separating oneself from the various kinds of attachment that prevents us from becoming Buddhas was definitely possible. Sitting there in front of Rinpoche, the ultimate goal—for a while at least—suddenly seemed a little bit closer.
It hardly ever rains in Valencia, but from the moment Rinpoche arrived until Rinpoche left Valencia, it rained hard. At the end of the talk we thanked Rinpoche for bringing the much needed rain to Valencia, and even more importantly a rain of Dharma nectar to subdue our minds; hopefully we can all put it into practice!
For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule, visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/
For more information about FPMT Spain, visit their website:
http://fpmt-hispana.org/en/
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Nina and Jelena making the Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group altar beautiful, Zurich, Switzerland, January 2019. Photo by Jeff.
Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group, the FPMT study group in Zurich, Switzerland, opened their new location on October 1, 2018. Nina, Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group coordinator shares the story.
Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group started in Zurich in December 2015 due to the kind advice of Ven. Robina Courtin, an FPMT registered teacher. Some of the original students—who came to the very first teaching given by Geshe Thubten Sherab, an FPMT registered geshe—are still with the group today, meeting every week for the FPMT Discovering Buddhism course. We began looking for a more permanent location a few years ago so we could expand our program offerings.
Be courageous.
We quickly realized that it was not easy in a posh and expensive place like Zurich. After looking very intensely for months to no avail, we finally decided to give it a break. That’s exactly when the perfect place popped up. We went to look at it, even though the landlord told us that they already had an application from a consulting company. We thought, “If this is the place for Lhagsam, then somehow we will get it.” The rental market in Zurich is very tight and in order to get a place you have to win a competition for the best applicant, especially in the city center. We just applied and prayed.
Be professional.
We got a call a couple days later to let us know that the building owner decided to choose us over the consulting company. The owner wanted to have more spirituality and good energy for the building.
Since we wanted to have a beautiful place, we somehow managed to convince a great interior designer to help us design our gompa. Our group got so excited to have our own place that we worked day and night, even finishing our altar by hand. The energy and harmony was just incredible, and it stayed this way. We Lhagsamers are a circle of best friends.
The gompa is finished at this point, and our program offerings and our group are slowly expanding. We could already write books about the amazing teachers and teachings we were able to bring into the heart of Zurich so far in 2019. We are now working to furnish the second room upstairs, which will be our “Green Tara Lounge,” a place where we can sip tea, relax, and chat about Dharma.
Students with Ven. Robina Courtin at Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group, Zurich, Switzerland, January 2019. Photo by Stefania.
Trust the guru.
We heard that Lama Yeshe always advised FPMT study groups to be courageous and professional. We courageously followed our dream, and thanks to the blessing of Lama Zopa Rinpoche—who has inspired and blessed our group all along—we were able to realize that dream. Now we want to become “professional” in offering an oasis of peace and harmony as well as the most precious, profound teachings of Buddhadharma in the heart of Zurich.
May every tiniest virtuous activity done at Lhagsam be the cause for our most precious gurus His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche to have long lives, completely free of obstacles. May every being that ever enters Lhagsam be in the presence of Lama Zopa himself and quickly attain enlightenment. May every word uttered at Lhagsam be most powerful, as if it was coming from Lama Zopa himself, and may the Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group bring limitless benefit to all sentient beings.
For more information about Lhagsam Tibetan Meditation Study Group, visit their website:
https://lhagsam.ch
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Vera Kappers; Ven. Losang Gendun; Hermes Brandt; Janneke Langeveld; Paula de Wijs; Els Wittermans; Marja Dijkstra; Annelies van der Heijden; and Karel Vellekoop, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.
His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Ling Rinpoche visited the Netherlands from March 30-April 8, 2019, teaching at several Dharma centers including FPMT center Maitreya Instituut Loenen, where Rinpoche gave the White Tara long life empowerment. Annelies van der Heijden, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam spiritual program coordinator and FPMT registered teacher; and Liang Tjoa, chairman of the board of directors of Dharma center Kadam Chöling collaborated to invite Rinpoche to the Netherlands and organize the events. Paula de Wijs, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam center director; Maarten de Vries, Maitreya Instituut Loenen assistant director; and Annelies share the story.
On March 30 students in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, had the privilege of welcoming H.E. Ling Rinpoche to Europe from India for the start of Rinpoche’s two-month tour through Europe. Rinpoche liked the relatively cold weather and fresh air in the Netherlands.
The next day Rinpoche accepted a last-minute invitation to visit the Tibetan School in Amsterdam and took sincere interest in the classes. Many children and parents gathered at the school.
Our city center, Maitreya Institute Amsterdam, hosted Rinpoche for a small informal tea with some volunteers and International Campaign for Tibet staff. There were a number of discussions and exchanges over tea and petit fours. Everyone appreciated Rinpoche’s kind and practical approach to answering questions, as well as Rinpoche’s advice—especially about community building, which resonated with all present.
The following morning, April 1, Rinpoche greatly enjoyed seeing Amsterdam’s blossoming flowers, house boats, old houses, and beautiful canal scenery. That afternoon and the following morning Rinpoche visited two other Dharma groups in the city, Rigpa Amsterdam and Jewel Heart Nijmegen, bestowing the Medicine Buddha Jenang at Jewel Heart on the morning of April 2.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche teaching at Maitreya Instituut Loenen, Loenen, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.
Afterwards our retreat center Maitreya Institute Loenen had the great honor to host Rinpoche until the following afternoon.
Rinpoche was enthusiastically greeted by Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen, Maitreya Instituut Loenen’s FPMT resident geshe, our center director, staff, and volunteers. Rinpoche was presented tea and snacks, and enjoyed lively conversations with Geshe-la and sangha members before taking a tour of our retreat center.
Our team then got back to work, lovingly arranging flower arrangements and extensive offerings while Rinpoche’s attendant sculpted tormas in the kitchen. The atmosphere was busy but relaxed and very joyous.
The next morning, on Wednesday, April 3, while Rinpoche was in the gompa preparing for the White Tara long life empowerment, a steady stream of smiling faces came in through the front door. For a number of the 142 attendees, this event was especially poignant because they had been students of His Holiness the 6th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche Thupten Lungtok Namgyal Thinely.
After taking the ritual sip of saffron water we entered the shrine room in silence. Rinpoche was soft spoken and unhurried, taking his time to carefully guide us through the visualizations. Ven. Tenzin Pellha, Maitreya Instituut’s interpreter, skillfully channeled Rinpoche’s words. Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen and Geshe Ngawang Zopa attended the empowerment and gave helpful last-minute suggestions.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with students, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.
From the moment Rinpoche arrived, we were surrounded by an almost palpable atmosphere of sacredness. When the moment came to say goodbye—after a nice lunch with volunteers—we knew this visit had been a profound blessing.
Next, on April 4, was a visit to Kadam Chöling in Haarlem, the Netherlands, where Rinpoche bestowed the Manjushi jenang.
Rinpoche’s official visit to the Netherlands came to a close with a two-day teaching on Je Tsongkhapa’s lamrim text Songs of Spiritual Experience jointly organized by Maitreya Institute and Kadam Chöling. The teachings were held on April 6 and 7 in the middle of the city in the beautiful old church Posthoornkerk.
Rinpoche left for Barcelona, Spain, on the morning of April 9 to continue his European tour. We are extremely grateful that Rinpoche and his team spent so much time in Holland, and that they visited Maitreya Institute Amsterdam and Maitreya Institute Loenen in addition to many other sangha groups and places, connecting so well with everyone.
We deeply thank everyone who made this visit possible and rejoice in the harmonious collaboration between different sangha communities. We sincerely hope that we’ve paved the ground for Rinpoche to return to the Netherlands and Maitreya Institute soon, and then many more times in the future.
For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/
For more information about Maitreya Instituut, visit their website:
https://maitreya.nl/index.htm
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Latvia, June 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
We invite you to read our July FPMT International Office e-News!
This month we bring you opportunities to rejoice in:
The sponsorship by the FPMT Puja Fund
The generosity offered to our Work A Day for Rinpoche fundraiser
FPMT students experiencing FPMT Family Feeling
….and more!
Have the e-News translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page.
The FPMT International Office e-News comes from your FPMT International Office. Visit our subscribe page to receive the FPMT International Office News directly in your email box.
Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga Retreat at Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Queensland, Australia, April 2019. Photo by Maria Corrales.
Chenrezig Institute, an FPMT center in Eudlo, Queensland, Australia, organized their third annual five-day Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga Retreat on April 18-22, 2019. Maria Corrales, spiritual program assistant, shares the story.
Lama Tsongkhapa is a name effusively present in the prayers, texts, and teachings of the Gelug tradition. His image can be found in statue, tsa-tsa, or thangka form on virtually every Gelug altar. As the founder of this great lineage, we honor Lama Tsongkhapa’s memory and profound contributions to Tibetan Buddhism, especially on this 600th anniversary of his death.
With the passage of so much time it is easy to begin to think of Lama Tsongkhapa as more of a deity than an historic person. For many of us this is accompanied by a vagueness of attributed good qualities, but indistinction is not fertile ground for inspiration. We must bring Lama Tsongkhapa into sharp focus in our minds so that he may serve as a polestar to guide us on our way.
The Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga practice is one that brings us closer to Lama Tsongkhapa, creating the karma to meet a reliable spiritual friend to guide us and awaken the vast qualities he possessed within ourselves.
This April at Chenrezig Institute, we completed our third annual five-day Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga Retreat. The retreat was led by Australian nun Venerable Thubten Chokyi, an FPMT registered teacher and director of the Liberation Prison Project. Geshe Phuntsok Tsultrim, our FPMT resident geshe, participated in the retreat alongside our students. Throughout the retreat Geshe-la sprinkled gems of insight and guidance to sharpen our focus and energize our aspirations to become like the great Lama Tsongkhapa.
Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga Retreat at Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Queensland, Australia, April 2019. Photo by Maria Corrales.
Together we purified, paid homage, and humbly requested that we might quickly become like Lama Tsongkhapa ourselves. With as many as twenty-four students participating in a practice session, we accumulated more than 20,000 Migstema mantras. The merit of these mantras was offered to Geshe Phuntsok Tsultrim that all his Dharma wishes may succeed instantly.
It is reliable teachers like Geshe-la who have carried the lineage of profound lamrim teachings in an unbroken continuum from Lama Tsongkhapa to us six-hundred years down the line. May we be worthy vessels to realize the great wisdom and compassion he embodied and help carry Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings into the future.
For more information about Chenrezig Institute, visit their website:
https://www.chenrezig.com.au/
To learn more about Lama Tsongkhapa, read “The Mahasiddha Je Tsongkhapa” by Lama Yeshe:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/older/mandala-issues-for-1995/november/the-mahasiddha-je-tsong-khapa/
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Pema Tsering, Oi Loon Lee, Khusboo, Ceci Buzón, Nanda Devi, Samten Dolma, Sapna Pradhan, Sonali Kumari, Sanjeev Kumar, Ven. Anshu Negi, Ajit Mishra, Rohan Kumar, and Amar Kumar at Maitreya School, Bodhgaya, India, April 2019. Photo by Katherine Demsky.
In 2018 Maitreya School—a project of Root Institute, the FPMT center in Bodhgaya, Gaya District, Bihar, India—began partnering with Cecilia (“Ceci”) Buzón, a Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) accredited 16 Guidelines for Life Level 2 facilitator; teacher; and co-founder of FDCW national group Fundación Educación Universal Patagonia-Argentina to bring the 16 Guidelines for Life to Maitreya School. Ceci and Pema Tsering, Maitreya School principal, share the story.
“I traveled to India in 2018,” Ceci said,” and by chance visited Maitreya School while in Bodhgaya and met Pema. Within ten minutes of conversation we already knew we wanted to work together. Maitreya School needed a 16 Guidelines for Life facilitator, and so we started organizing the first online 16 Guidelines for Life level 1 course.”
Pema shared about that July 2018 online course. “Every Saturday for two hours, we got an opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with Ceci and peer groups among the teachers. It provided a platform for us to exchange our views, discuss, and reflect on the lessons.”
“Pema and I met again in August 2018,” Ceci shared, “for a 16 Guidelines for Life for children workshop at the 16 Guidelines Retreat Gathering hosted by FDCW national group Education Universelle France held at Institut Vajra Yogini, the FPMT center in Toulouse, France.”
Sapna Pradhan, Ceci Buzón, Khusboo, Ven. Anshu Negi, Nanda Devi, and Ajit Mishra at Maitreya School, Bodhgaya, India, April 2019. Photo by Katherine Demsky.
“Ceci facilitated a really wonderful workshop about how we can teach the 16 Guidelines for Life to children by using art,” Pema said. “It was very important for our school because we very rarely use art and different activities to teach lessons. I found this was a very exciting and enjoyable way to teach. Also, children enjoy learning the lesson; it is fun and entertaining. Ceci used lots of activities during the workshop. This gave us new ideas to create our own activities suitable for our children’s mental levels.
“It was also very interesting to learn how each of the 16 Guidelines for Life is linked with its wisdom theme,” Pema said. “There are a lot of thinking and reflection exercises we never thought of before. These exercises give us the chance to see within ourselves and transform our minds. It keeps our minds healthy and stable.”
Pema continued, “We must practice and habituate it in our daily life. When thinking, reflecting, and contemplation become our habits, it will be easier for us to face emotional difficulties like anger and jealousy. So, it is very important for ourselves and our children to become more happy and peaceful people. We can more effectively implement these different methods into Maitreya School’s teaching process in the future.
“I was so thankful to Education Universelle France and Fundación Educación Universal Patagonia-Argentina, who organized the workshop and invited me to France, and to Institut Vajra Yogini for giving me accommodation and delicious food. It was an amazing experience.”
Ajit Mishra, Samten Dolma, Ven. Anshu Negi, and Kushboo at Maitreya School, Bodhgaya, India, April 2019. Photo by Katherine Demsky.
Ceci and Pema continued to collaborate to benefit Maitreya School. Ceci said, “We met in Bodhgaya in April 2019 to train the whole Maitreya School staff not only on the 16 Guidelines for Life and the four wisdom themes (How We Think, How We Act, How We Relate to Others, How We Find Meaning) but also on how to implement them with each age group. During the three-day workshop each teacher learned and planned how to take the 16 Guidelines for Life into the classroom through different school subjects like math, language, and social studies.”
Pema said, “The aim of the Maitreya School curriculum is to bring a good heart into our children and harmony into society. 16 Guidelines for Life teaches about universal values such as humility, patience, kindness, and gratitude. It helps to develop social and emotional skills in children, which are important for their well-being, learning, and life skills. We have committed to make the 16 Guidelines for Life the first priority for the school.
“Maitreya School is thankful for Ceci who has offered us her precious time and energy in order to share her knowledge, experience, and skills with our teachers,” Pema continued. “We also thank FDCW board member and co-chair Oi Loon Lee for visiting our school and helping with the workshop. Our teachers appreciated this workshop very much. We will integrate the 16 Guidelines for Life into the teaching process at our school more effectively in comings days.”
For more information about Maitreya School, visit the Root Institute for Wisdom Culture website:
https://www.rootinstitute.ngo/social-service/maitreya-school
For more information about 16 Guidelines for Life, visit the Foundation for Developing Wisdom and Compassion website:
https://www.compassionandwisdom.org/
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
H.E. Zong Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Tushita Meditation Center, Dharamsala, India, February 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
His Holiness the 3rd Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachers. His Eminence the 4th Kyabje Zong Rinpoche—born in north India in 1985—visited Maitreya Instituut Loenen, an FPMT center in Loenen, the Netherlands, in April 2019. Maarten de Vries, Maitreya Instituut Loenen assistant director, shares the story.
After a teaching event in Germany, His Eminence Zong Rinpoche visited Maitreya Instituut for the third time. Our guest of honor arrived in the early evening and was greeted by Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen, our FPMT resident geshe; staff; and volunteers. The participants of a dance workshop at our conference center stopped what they were doing and eagerly joined the queue to offer khatas.
H.E. Zong Rinpoche and Geshe Sonam Gyalsten, Loenen, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Willem van Steijn.
This time, Rinpoche added extra days to his stay in Loenen so he could spend more time together with Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen. His Holiness the 3rd Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was one of Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen’s main gurus.
Rinpoche had looked forward to spending time with Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen, and over dinner both engaged in animated conversation about the finer points of Buddhist philosophy. They had a few lively debate sessions during Rinpoche’s stay in Loenen, but both claimed the other one had won the debate.
The next day, a record breaking hot and sunny Easter Monday, about eighty attendees flowed into the center for the afternoon’s public talk. The theme—Community: Living and Working Together in Harmony—clearly seemed to have struck a chord. In his characteristic style, Rinpoche first approached the topic from various angles, then gradually zooming in on a number of key ideas. Rinpoche also shared some entertaining stories about life in the monastery.
H.E. Zong Rinpoche offering a khata to Maarten de Vries, Maitreya Instituut, Loenen, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Willem van Steijn.
Rinpoche expressed his preference for informal and open communication and sincerely connected with the audience. He gave lots of personal attention to those seeking his advice during the tea break and even until long after the event was over. He spoke thoughtfully, as if thinking out loud, always carefully choosing his words. With great skill he balanced Western psychological approaches with Buddhist philosophy.
Rinpoche invited us to ask questions and share our thoughts, which led to a detailed and personal reflection on guru devotion. The key message was to investigate a teacher well before entering a formal relationship. The main criteria—or “safety check” as Rinpoche called it—has to be the teacher’s ethical conduct. Similar to buying a car, our main concern should be safety, not the reputation, brand, or color of the car.
He then shared a little about a personal encounter he recently had with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche in India. He praised Rinpoche highly and remarked that the Vajrayogini initiation and retreat in France (which recently concluded) is a very rare opportunity. H.E. Zong Rinpoche congratulated those of us lucky enough to be able to attend this retreat.
We are very grateful for the opportunity to make a connection with H.E. Zong Rinpoche, and we hope to meet and receive teachings from Rinpoche again soon.
For more information about Maitreya Instituut Loenen, visit their website:
https://maitreya.nl/index.htm
Listen to H.E. Zong Rinpoche’s teachings at Maitreya Instituut Loenen in 2016, 2017, and 2018 on the center’s website:
https://www.maitreya.nl/studie-studenten-downloads-loenen-mp3-index.htm#z2
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
FPMT International Office is continuing to follow the two approaches outlined below in terms of assessing and updating our safeguarding and grievance procedures, and responding to the concerns raised by the allegations regarding Dagri Rinpoche.
1. Approach of providing spiritual advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche to students of Dagri Rinpoche, based on the lamrim practice of guru devotion.
2. Approach of assessing and addressing any allegations in the context of worldly conventions.
This involves following normal procedures for investigating any allegations. FPMT International Office takes accusations of abuse very seriously, and are actively reviewing the existing procedures we have in place for managing allegations, grievances, and disputes, assessing any gaps that we may have, and improvements we can make.
Since our last update on May 24, 2019, we have followed these steps:
- We have continued to communicate with some of the alleged victims and also with numerous students and others, and are carefully reviewing all input and suggestions received.
- We have added some additional links and pathways to our Safeguarding and Problem Solving and our Ethical Policy pages on fpmt.org.
- We have become a member of a UK safeguarding charity called Thirtyone:eight and are reviewing their templates, audit tools, and resources on safeguarding to assess any gaps in our current procedures and to identify areas for improvement.
- We are exploring what options are available to commission a suitable professional body to conduct an independent review of our current polices and procedures, to identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
- We are assessing what options are available to allow us to increase awareness of, and ensure priority is given to, safeguarding and implementation of a clear grievance procedure in the FPMT network of centers, projects, and services around the world.
FPMT International Office remains committed to continue to improve our policies and procedures to ensure we have robust systems in place for protecting against abuse, and to provide a safe environment for teachers to teach and be supported. We continue to require and assist FPMT center, service, and project directors to stay up to date with, and implement, our policies and guidelines.
Earlier updates, and advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, concerning Dagri Rinpoche are available here.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and pilgrims at Hotel Vajra, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
In February 2018 a group of FPMT students traveled together from Australia to Kathmandu, Nepal, for a pilgrimage led by Gen Thubten Dondrub*, FPMT resident teacher at Buddha House, an FPMT center in Australia. In addition to encountering Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Nepal, the pilgrims visited many holy places: Boudhanath Stupa; Namo Buddha Stupa; Swayambhunath Stupa; holy sites in Sankhu, Pharping, and Patan; Nagi Gompa; the Maratika Caves; and ancient city temples associated with the deities Tara and Vajrayogini. This is a short excerpt from the online story, “FPMT Students Experienced that FPMT Family Feeling in Nepal,” compiled by some of the Buddha House pilgrims.
On February 3, 2018, twenty-two students from four FPMT centers in Australia—Buddha House; Hayagriva Buddhist Centre; Tara Meditation Centre; Vajrayana Institute; and the FPMT study group in Broome, Gyalwa Ensapa Buddhist Study Group—flew into Kathmandu, Nepal, for the beginning of what turned out to be very auspicious twenty-one days of pilgrimage.
Snow in the mountains, a view from Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Arriving at Kopan Monastery, the FPMT monastery in Kathmandu, around midnight, the group was greeted the next morning with a thrill—they discovered Lama Zopa Rinpoche was in residence at Kopan for Losar (Tibetan New Year) and would be there through to the Day of Miracles.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised in Practices for Pilgrimage: “How do we make pilgrimage as meaningful, useful and beneficial as possible? The main point of pilgrimage is to subdue our minds. By eliminating mistaken thoughts, not allowing the mind to be under the control of delusion, the mind is better able to actualize the lamrim realizations, from guru devotion up to enlightenment.”
Gen Thubten Dondrub leading a short retreat on Orange Manjushri in the Tantric College Gompa at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2019. Photo by Sandy Faber.
Gen Thubten Dondrub began the pilgrimage with a strict pre-warning to those about to join him, saying, “You are not on a holiday.” We would be visiting the holy sites in Kathmandu, the Kathmandu Valley, and Maratika Caves where we would recite prayers, mantras, and engage in practices including tsog offerings.
Gen Thubten Dondrub leading practices and tsog offerings, Sankhu, Nepal, February 2019. Photo by Peter Wagner.
Due to the kindness and great effort of Judy Wagner, Buddha House spiritual program coordinator, a portable altar, water bowls, and offerings were set up at each holy site—even if the tsog had to be guarded from cunning monkeys!
To fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice of not wasting time, Gen Thubten Dondrub made the most of our lengthy bus and jeep rides through Kathmandu traffic, leading Tara and Vajrasattva practices in the morning and dedications during the rides home. …
Read the Buddha House pilgrims’ online story in its entirety, “FPMT Students Experienced that FPMT Family Feeling in Nepal,” and view more of their photos online:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/in-depth-stories/buddha-house-pilgrims-experiened-that-fpmt-family-feeling-in-nepal/
* In 2019 Gen Thubten Dondrub requested Buddha House students formally refer to him as “Gen Thubten Dondrub.” He shared, “Usually monks and nuns of the FPMT are referred to as ‘Venerable.’ I have always found this term uncomfortable as it is a very exalted term and is used in the Catholic Church to refer to someone who is in line to be canonized as a saint. When I was in Taiwan I learned that every monk and nun was addressed as ‘Fa Shr’ from the moment they were ordained. The term means ‘Dharma teacher.’ The closest Tibetan equivalent is ‘ge.gen,’ often abbreviated to ‘Gen’ or ‘Gen-la.’ It is polite and friendly. So when people ask how to address me, I suggest using that term. It seems much more appropriate than ‘Venerable.'”
For more information about Buddha House, visit their website:
http://buddhahouse.org
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, France, May 2019. Photograph by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
The FPMT International Office e-News for June is out now! This month we bring you:
- Updates about Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Schedule
- FPMT Ethical Policy in More Languages
- New from Mandala Publications
- Registration Date for Kopan Monastery’s One Month Lamrim Retreat
…and more!
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Sufi dervish dancers during Compassion Retreat, Maitreya Instituut Loenen, November 2018. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Instituut.
Maitreya Instituut in the Netherlands hosted an interfaith dialogue that transcended the usual exchange of words. Buddhist and Sufi students came together to learn about each other’s traditions and to practice during a four-day retreat focused on compassion.
Interfaith activities are one of FPMT’s five pillars of service. Maarten de Vries, assistant director of Maitreya Instituut Loenen, describes the special event that took place in late 2018 in the online story, “Maitreya Instituut’s Interfaith Retreat Creates a Community Experience Focused on Compassion.” Here’s a short excerpt:
In November 2018, Maitreya Instituut Loenen in the Netherlands organized a four-day retreat lead by Sheikha Nur Artıran, president of the Şefik Can International Mevlânâ Education and Culture Foundation in Istanbul, Turkey, and Ven. Losang Gendun, FPMT resident teacher of Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam. The purpose of the interfaith retreat was to create a space for a participatory dialogue between Islamic Sufism and Tibetan Buddhism, not through mere theological debate, but through the sharing of spiritual practice and bonds of friendship.
The theme “compassion” was approached through Buddhist meditation, Sufi contemplations, mantra and dhikr recitation, discussions, and aspirational prayer. Moreover, Nur’s group of dervishes performed sama, the famous swirling ritual done by Mevlevi Sufis following their founder Jalāl ad-Dīn Rūmī. The retreat was attended by thirty-five people from both communities and interested others.
“Nur and I met six years ago in Toulouse, France. We were invited by the Sufi organization Association Internationale Soufie Alâwiyya (AISA),” Ven. Gendun said. “Where many interreligious dialogues tend to carefully tread around sensitive subjects or become apologetic, our first conversation was uninhibited and frank. During Nur’s lecture I was struck by the amount of citations from Rūmī that have counterparts in Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavattara (A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life). That realization set the tone of our ensuing and enduring conversations.” …
Read the complete story “Maitreya Instituut’s Interfaith Retreat Creates a Community Experience Focused on Compassion”:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/in-depth-stories/maitreya-instituuts-interfaith-retreat-creates-a-community-experience-focused-on-compassion/
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi and retreatants, Tahiti, French Polynesia, March 2019. Photo courtesy of Centre de Méditation Naropa.
Students from Centre de Méditation Naropa (Naropa Meditation Center), the FPMT center in Papeete on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, hosted French nun and FPMT registered teacher Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi (Chantal Carrerot) from March 13-27, 2019. Annie Green, spiritual program coordinator shares the story.
The Naropa Meditation Center invited Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi to teach the Dharma in Tahiti. She came for the first time in February 2012, then came for two weeks in March 2019.
We began with a five-day retreat on calm abiding, held in a privately-owned home on Fare Mahora Point, Teahupoo, a beautiful place on the peninsula of Tahiti. Thanks to the kindness of the homeowner and the staff, we all benefited from the good conditions.
The retreat began on Friday, March 15, 2019, and ended on Thursday, March 20. Twenty-seven people came only for the weekend. Seventeen people stayed for the entire retreat.
Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi and students enjoying lunch at the market, Tahiti, French Polynesia, March 2019. Photo courtesy of Centre de Méditation Naropa.
The following weekend, Saturday March 23, and Sunday, March 24, Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi taught “Introduction to Buddhism—Introduction to the Lamrim” at our center in Papeete. Then on Monday she taught “How to Manage Our Emotions.” We appreciated the knowledge, compassion, and joy she shared with us while teaching and and answering questions.
In French we say, “Everything comes in three.” We hope that Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi will come again to spray a rain of Dharma on Tahiti for the benefit of sentient beings.
For more information about Centre de Méditation Naropa visit their website:
http://naropatahiti.over-blog.com/
FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.