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Lama Zopa Rinpoche during a puja offering, Washington State, USA, November 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
We invite you to read the November edition of the monthly FPMT International Office e-News – out now!
Some highlights:
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice about the benefits of serving a Dharma center,
- Updates from FPMT Education Services,
- What’s in the new Mandala magazine,
- How to give a gift which helps others,
- Activities to rejoice about,
… and more!
The FPMT International Office News comes from your FPMT International Office, located in Portland, Oregon, United States. Visit our subscribe page to receive the FPMT International Office News directly in your email box.
COVER: Lama Zopa Rinpoche during an Amitabha Buddha celebration at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, US, October 2016. Photo by Chris Major.
Mandala magazine is in the mail! The exciting new issue is winging its way this very minute to supporters of the Friends of FPMT program as well as to students who receive it through the FPMT centers and projects that offer it as a benefit. As always, we at Mandala hope we have created a timeless publication that will inspire and strengthen the Dharma practice of readers.
In the latest issue, learn more about how to practice Dharma in the face of challenge and difficulty. Read what Lama Zopa Rinpoche has to say about understanding hardships; why Ven. Gyalten Lekden says hardships lie at the heart of practice; the thoughts of Khensur Denma Locho Rinpoche on the good fortune that comes from enduring hardships; and why Thubten Gyatso says Dharma is the perfect medicine. Savor as well the lessons Jean-Yves Barralis learned about dying while caring for Ven. Kunsang; how young Maddy Stafford found a home in Buddhism; and how Sarah Brooks was changed by her experiment in generosity. And don’t miss Dharma teachings from Ribur Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche!
Mandala is also offering several online-only pieces, including:
- Teaching Buddhism, Spreading Dharma, an interview with longtime university professor and Dharma teacher Dr. Roger Jackson
- Land of Joy: The Unforeseen Wonders of Founding a Retreat Center
- De-Tong Ling Retreat Centre: Down Under, a Meditator’s Paradise
- Buddha Was a Grassroots Organizer
For this and more, see Mandala January-June 2017:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/mandala-for-2017/january/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Buddha Amitabha Festival, Washington State, USA, October 2016. Photo by Chris Majors.
Mandala is offered as a benefit to supporters of the Friends of FPMT program, which provides funding for the educational, charitable and online work of FPMT. The new issue is also available through the FPMT Foundation Store.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the attendees of the North American Regional Meeting 2016, Black Mountain, North Carolina, US, August 2016. Photo courtesy of Drolkar McCallum.
“FPMT North America held it’s annual regional meeting on August 15-16, 2016, during the Light of the Path retreat in Black Mountain, North Carolina,” reported regional coordinator Drolkar McCallum. “About forty people attended, representing eighteen FPMT centers, projects and services as well as representatives from International Office and a few FPMT registered teachers.
“There were wonderful presentations on Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom, fundraising, Compassion Day, long distance learning as well as a talk by FPMT Inc. CEO Ven. Roger Kunsang and director of FPMT Education Services Tom Truty.
“One advantage of holding the meeting at the beginning of a two week retreat is that there are many opportunities for follow up meetings, discussions and networking! The greatest advantage of holding the meeting during a retreat with the most Precious Guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is that people are very inspired, causing great ideas and brainstorming to occur!”
FPMT registered teacher Ven. Amy Miller talks to the attendees of the North American Regional Meeting 2016, Black Mountain, North Carolina, US, August 2016. Photo courtesy of Drolkar McCallum.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Screen shot from “Awkening the Mind: ILTK Life”
Two years ago, student Quy N. Sam released Awakening the Mind: ILTK Life, a 25-minute documentary capturing the history and daily life of Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK), an FPMT center in Pomaia, Italy. Awakening the Mind is filled with striking historic images and commentary by ILTK founders, staff, and students—and beautifully demonstrates what devoted FPMT students are able to accomplish together. The film is in English with Italian subtitles.
Watch Awakening the Mind: ILTK Life on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/91388292
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Dzambhala, Centro de Meditación Tushita, Spain, August 2016. Photo courtesy of Centro de Meditación Tushita.
Germán Rodríguez Vicente, a FPMT Masters Program Online student and student of Centro de Meditación Tushita in Spain, put together “Remembering the Three Jewels” as a video offering to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, which he agreed could be shared publicly. The video was released in July 2016.
Germán Rodríguez Vicente
“I studied music and cinema in Barcelona, and I think that any means of expression could become a way to spread the limitless value of Dharma,” Germán wrote Mandala. “I did my first retreat in 2008 at O.Sel.Ling with the kind guidance of the late Kiko Segura. He was a much-loved teacher, and his generosity is still alive in our hearts. Kiko was the director of Centro de Meditación Tushita until his passing in 2011. His effort and commitment are still flourishing there.
“Over the last few years, I’ve had precious opportunities to learn from the courses and retreats that have been conducted at this center. I appreciate so much not only the quality of the teachings and the teachers but also the effort of everyone who made every event possible. If you visit the center, you can see the wonderful contribution of every person who works in this special place.
“Therefore, I’ve been feeling the need to express my appreciation. For that reason, I made this video with the support of Bea Guergué and Marta Galligani, and with limited technical resources.
“This video is an offering with deepest gratitude to all people who make Centro de Meditación Tushita possible and to all those who are part of the FPMT. The music and images were composed from the inspiring Sutra of Remembering the Three Jewels and are dedicated to our dear and precious Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche to thank him for his advice and guidance.”
Watch “Remembering the Three Jewels” on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/sIZ569_16no
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the sentient beings in Omak Lake with mantras, Washington, USA, October 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
The October 2016 FPMT International Office e-News is out now!
This month you’ll find:
- Cultivating Mindfulness of Bodhichitta in Daily Activities by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, published by FPMT Education Services,
- Inspiring advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche about the benefits of offering to ordained Sangha, the monks and nuns of the Buddhist tradition,
- Exciting news to rejoice in such as Tushita Delhi hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the imminent enthronement of Khensur Lama Lhundrup’s incarnation, Tezin Rigsel Rinpoche,
… and more!
The FPMT International Office News comes from your FPMT International Office, located in Portland, Oregon, United States. Visit our subscribe page to receive the FPMT International Office News directly in your email box.
Hundreds of Mongolian students attended the FPMT Mongolia’s fourth 100 million mani retreat, Ulaanbaatar, August 2016. Photos courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.
During August 1–30, FPMT Mongolia, a collection of FPMT centers, projects, and services in Mongolia, hosted its fourth 100 million mani retreat at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang in Ulaanbaatar, the nation’s capital.
“The participants in the gompa together with the home retreatants accomplished a total number of 110,870,500 manis,” director M. Enhmandah sent in a report to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. “We are delighted to offer Rinpoche this number, and with the merit created, may it be a cause for Rinpoche to have a very long life and to perfectly benefit sentient beings, liberating them from the oceans of samsaric suffering.
“During the mani retreat, approximately 100 to 200 people attended every day.
Ven. Tenzin Choidan taught on the four noble truths on Chokhor Duchen, Ulaanbaatar, August 2016
“Geshe Thubten Zopa, a lharampa geshe from Sera Je, gave an inspiring talk on the benefits of the practice and mantra at the opening ceremony. Jhado Rinpoche kindly gave the Great Chenrezig initiation in a condensed way on the second day of the retreat. Geshe Senge Rinpoche’s incarnation, Tenzin Choidan, came to the retreat on Chokhor Duchen to give a teaching on the four noble truths for auspiciousness, and Damtsig Dorj Rinpoche attended the very last session on our last day.
“… We are most thankful for Rinpoche’s skillful means to benefit all sentient beings by giving us the precious advice to do the mani retreat here in Mongolia on an annual basis.”
Rinpoche responded:
“My most precious, most kind, most dear, wish-fulfilling ones,
“I want to thank from the depths of my heart, from the very inside of my heart bones. Thank you and the others for organizing the mani retreat each year. This is one of my dreams: to have this each year and to continue forever—even after I die, even after the people living now, who are working and offering service, die—to continue as long as Mongolia exists.
“The retreat is like offering infinite skies of help to sentient beings. Each session, even reciting one mala, purifies negative karma, including all the obscurations, created from beginningless rebirths. This is even without doing it with bodhichitta. It collects merit more than the drops of water in the Pacific Ocean, more than the grains of sand in the Pacific Ocean, more than the blades of grass growing in the mountains and on the lands of the earth.
Several teachers came to give talks during the retreat Ulaanbaatar, August 2016
“If one is doing it with bodhichitta—even just reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time—it collects merit more than the sky. It’s unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable. In particular, it causes one to develop compassion for others: for the numberless sentient beings of the six realms—numberless hell beings, numberless hungry ghosts, numberless animals, numberless human beings, numberless suras, numberless asuras—and numberless intermediate state beings.
“Generating compassion is most powerful and is what makes one achieve enlightenment rapidly. Even if you generate compassion for only one sentient being, that is the quickest way to purify all the defilements and accumulate all merits, which are necessary conditions, and to actualize the path to enlightenment.
“The conclusion is that compassion makes it possible to achieve enlightenment—buddhahood, the total cessation of all the obscurations and completion of all the realizations—as quickly as possible. This means being able to free all the six realm sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering quickly, which means being able to bring the numberless sentient beings to buddhahood quickly. This is the most important achievement, more important than anything else in life. By generating compassion, you are able to achieve this quickly.
Many Sangha were in attendance during the retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2016
“My mother was not able to read texts, she hadn’t learned the alphabet. I, this little Mickey Mouse, have read Dharma texts, and also I explain them a little bit to people and can write, but her compassion was 100 times more than mine. She told me one year before she died that she would recite 50,000 OM MANI PADME HUMs a day, but later she was too old and could not recite that much. From this she had so much compassion for people. For example, once in Nepal we took her by car down to Bouddha Stupa and other different places, and when she saw the Nepali people walking without shoes, she felt so sorry and had so much compassion, so much feeling—she didn’t want them to suffer. In Dharamsala we have a meditation center called Tushita. Every morning when she was there she ate breakfast, like pancakes, and she would eat some and then would pack up and keep half in her donkar (shirt) pocket. She would carry this pancake half and when she circumambulated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s temple (she also went around the mountain where His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s palace is), she would share her pancake half with the beggars on the road. So like that she had so much greater compassion than me—so much, so much.
“I see many old people, such as the ladies who often do nyung näs in the temples in the villages, who haven’t learned the alphabet. So many of them can’t read texts or the sadhana, but still they have so much faith in Chenrezig and recite OM MANI PADME HUM and take the eight Mahayana precepts. I felt one of the ladies I spoke to for just a few words had much compassion—more than me—and this was because of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM every day and doing nyung näs, as I have explained.
Elaborate tormas were offered during the mani retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2016
“My plan is not only to do the 100 million mani retreat in Ulaanbaatar but also in other Mongolian cities, to gradually start 100 million mani retreats in other places.
“All the people that come to the retreat are helped. They achieve the happiness of future lives so easily; ultimate happiness, liberation from the oceans of samsaric suffering, so easily; and buddhahood, the total cessation of all the obscurations and completion of all the realizations.
“That all those people have been able to give time to come to this mani retreat, even coming to just one part of the retreat, even coming just one day, is very wise.
“The retreat is one of the extremely worthwhile functions of FPMT Mongolia. It is so beneficial to sentient beings, particularly those in Mongolia.
“With much love and prayers, hope to see you soon.”
A vegetarian lunch was offered each day to all the retreatants. At the end of the retreat, money offerings were given to Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang and to the many people who helped make the month-long event possible.
Volunteers during the retreat received gifts of thanks, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2016
Establishing and sponsoring 100 million mani retreats is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for FPMT.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s letter above was dictated to Ven. Holly Ansett on October 2016. Edited for inclusion on FPMT.org.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Participants and facilitators of the recent Foundation Service Seminar hosted by Institut Vajra Yogini, France, August 2016
Registration is now open for a five-day Foundation Service Seminar (FSS) at Land of Medicine Buddha in California, February 3–7, 2017. The seminar will be led by FPMT’s service seminar coordinator Amy Cayton and senior registered facilitators. Immediately after the seminar, there will be a special opportunity to take the FSS Facilitator Training February 7–10, which allows one to apply to become a registered FSS facilitator later.
The Foundation Service Seminar explores how to best offer one’s skills and qualities in service, specifically in an FPMT context. Students investigate the purpose and mission of FPMT, what it means to be an FPMT center, and how that vision translates into action for centers, projects, services, and individuals.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, California, US, October 2015. Photo by Bob Cayton.
Students explore their relationship to resources—both material and human; communication skills and conflict resolution; teaching according to the level of the audience; ways to maintain and develop personal practice in the midst of service, and methods to prevent and cure burnout. Students discuss service in terms of guru devotion, karma, compassion, and emptiness, and how to draw strength, inspiration, wisdom, and guidance from these practices.
“We need training in our outward dealings with people to be more kind and compassionate,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently advised. “For example, people receive a lot of training in customer care. FPMT students need that too.”
“So inspiring!” one past seminar participant said. “It gives meaning to our service in the center, the feeling of being an integral part of the family, to participate at our level in the vast projects of Rinpoche. This seminar gives energy, the wish to go on and continue.”
“I learned so much,” said another, “and reconnected with the amazing FPMT family. It was one-thousand times worth traveling halfway across the world for!”
Hanging prayer flags at Land of Medicine Buddha, August 21, 2013. Photo courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.
For more information and to register:
http://landofmedicinebuddha.org/events/foundation-service-seminar/
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Wendy Cook and one of the 140 rabbits being raised for meat she helped liberate, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States, September 2016. Photo courtesy of Wendy Cook.
In July 2016, Wendy Cook, FPMT student and assistant director of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive in Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States, made the bold decision to rescue 140 meat rabbits from certain slaughter:
On June 13, I discovered a herd of rabbits being raised for meat on a farm near where I live. This farm is where I have a community garden plot and have been growing vegetables and flowers for several years. New farmers arrived to manage the non-profit community farm and they brought with them a rabbit chalet. When I saw the rabbits in dirty, small, wire-bottom cages, I was appalled and sad, and immediately felt that I wanted to do something to help them.
Detong was found in cramped, dirty conditions, Massachusetts, United States, September 2016. Photo courtesy of Wendy Cook.
On July 6, His Holiness’ 81st birthday, I prayed that if I could get these rabbits off the farm, give them blessings, happier conditions, and extended lives, then I would dedicate all the merit for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long lives. During a meeting that same day, the farmer offered to sell me his “meat rabbit production business, genetics, and infrastructure.” I asked how much. He said US$20,000. Without hesitation I said, “Yes, I will buy the herd.” I think they couldn’t believe their ears!
When I said yes to buying the herd, I knew that I didn’t have the money myself. Therefore, I contacted friends in Singapore and am indebted to their immediate great generosity in quickly offering the funds to secure the rescue of these “buns.”
Dozens of volunteers helped rescue 140 rabbits, providing humane living conditions and exposing them to Dharma, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States, September 2016. Photo courtesy of Wendy Cook.
After much delicate negotiation and collaboration with the farm, several weeks of intensive work, and with the help of dozens of kind volunteers, we were able to remove 140 rabbits from the farm into shelters, foster homes or forever homes! Please rejoice! Along the way, as Rinpoche advises, they received many Dharma imprints. I played them “Recitations for Animals,” recited mantras–especially Namgyälma–and they all were circumambulated around Buddha Maitreya, the 100,000 holy object set of cards designed by Rinpoche, the Sanghata Sutra, stupas and so forth. Also, it was extremely good fortunate that Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Delek and four other geshes came to the farm and performed puja for the rabbits and other animals.
Detong received emergency medical care and had a leg amputated to save his life, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States, September 2016. Photo courtesy of Wendy Cook.
There was one rabbit who had been kept from me and when I found him he was very sick and without water. I took him to the animal hospital in Boston and this rabbit, whom Rinpoche has since given the name Dentong, which means “empty of true existence,” had to have his leg amputated because of infection. The doctor said that Dentong’s extremely poor condition is evidence of cruelty and neglect. It has been a true practice to keep compassion in my heart towards the farmer while rescuing these rabbits. This animal liberation has shown me up close the suffering of samsara. We are all in this quagmire together and so every being is an object of compassion. That’s what I have focused and meditated upon.
The Boston Globe has written and created a video about the rabbit liberation in “The Great Animal Pardon 2016.”
Read more and stay in touch with the great rabbit liberation via Facebook.
Benefiting animals is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast visions for the FPMT organization.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Installation of prayer wheel house panels, O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros, Spain, July 2016
In September 2015, student and artist Cai Martínez at O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros in Spain’s Alpujarras, began work painting the ceiling panels for the prayer wheel house at the center. In July 2016, the center captured the creation and installation of the panels on video, which they happily agreed to share with the wider FPMT community.
Watch “Pinturas Rueda de oraciones en Oseling” on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/7YIPpVN_SmA
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang, Washington State, US, September 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
The September FPMT International Office e-News is out now!
This month you’ll find:
- Inspiring new advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “How to Make Your Life Most Beneficial for Sentient Beings, Even with Your Speech.”
- “A Song of Experience” is now available from FPMT Education Services
- FPMT Charitable Projects supports care for dogs in Malaysia and Bhutan
- Mandala Publications has a new ebook and new associate editor
… and more!
From your FPMT International Office
A life-sized Guru Rinpoche statue in one of ABC’s prayer halls. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Tsultrim.
“In mid-August, Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) students were exceedingly happy to offer a total of 4.3 million Guru Rinpoche mantras to our most precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, for the success of the Maitreya Projects in India,” wrote Ven. Tenzin Tsultrim, a student and media editor at ABC, located in Singapore. “The accumulation of 4,313,961 mantras was accomplished over a period of three months, commencing on May 2 and ending on the auspicious and merit-multiplying Wheel Turning Day, August 6.
“The mantra accumulation was initiated by ABC student Cecilia Tsong after attending Rinpoche’s teachings in Malaysia earlier in 2016. During the teachings in Penang, Rinpoche had mentioned that it would be very beneficial to recite Guru Rinpoche mantras for the success of the Maitreya Projects. Inspired by this advice, a Guru Rinpoche mantra-counting project was launched at ABC on April 29. Everyone was invited to participate in the goal of accumulating and offering one million mantras ‘to Lama Zopa Rinpoche as an offering of practice for the fulfillment of his heart wish.’
“The final count of 4.3 million certainly exceeded expectations! Ninety-three people contributed to the count, including participants from three FPMT centers in Mexico. We greatly appreciate the enthusiastic support and contributions from Bengungyal Center, Chekaw
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and a statue of Maitreya at the FPMT long life puja offered to Rinpoche at ABC on March 13, 2016. Photo by Tan Seow Kheng.
“On August 16, ABC wrote to convey our offering to Rinpoche: ‘We are most delighted to offer Rinpoche the final mantra count submitted by your devoted students at Amitabha Buddhist Centre. The mantra count is 4,313,961.’
“Our letter also conveyed our wishes for the success of the Maitreya Project and for Rinpoche’s long and healthy life, to ‘please remain with us till samsara ends.’
“We soon received this reply from Ven. Roger: ‘Rinpoche said to please pass on to everyone concerned billions and zillions of thanks! Rinpoche then said that we may have the land very soon, and if people can do the Guru Rinpoche prayer for quick success, that would be excellent. The outcome we will know on August 19.’
“A message was immediately dispatched to inform everyone of the latest advice. We are overjoyed many, many times over to learn in recent updates that the land for the Maitreya Project in Kushinagar has indeed been handed over at last!”
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.