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FPMT Community: Stories & News
Inma Ortega Arizmendi, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2015
In June 2015 FPMT center directors and study group coordinators in Spain decided to hold a national lottery to send one dedicated volunteer to Nepal to attend the annual Kopan November Course. The prize included a plane ticket and covered the cost of the month-long retreat. All Spanish centers and study groups were asked to send Spain’s national coordinator a maximum of five names. Later, the drawing was recorded on video and announced. The winner was Inma Ortega, volunteer coordinator of Luz de Nagarjuna Grupo de Estudio in Pamplona.
“Now that I look through the air plane window and I’m saying goodbye to Nepal, I feel in my heart an immense feeling of gratitude toward all the beings that, thanks to their generosity, have made this experience possible,” Inma shared after the course. “As a friend told me: it will change your life.
“Thanks to FPMT Hispana’s idea to cover the expenses for one volunteer, I had the opportunity to attend the November Course in Kopan Monastery and receive Dharma teachings for one month, strengthening my daily practice. It was a wonderful gift.
“I’m very thankful for all the teachers who with wisdom, patience and love, transmitted to us the Buddha’s teachings and how to apply them to our daily life, teaching us how to find the happiness that is already within us to be able to help others.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches during the Kopan November Course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2015
“We started early morning with Ven. Namdrol. She taught us how to do prostrations to the 35 Buddhas of Confession.
“We had two meditation sessions with Ven. Tingyel and Don Handrick and learned how to be kind with ourselves in the process and to decrease the pressure in our minds. Slowly we got into the analytical meditations on precious human rebirth, death, impermanence, self-cherishing, attachment, anger, compassion, etc. Don Handrick taught two sessions a day with lots of love and patience, guiding us in the different stages and exposing us to the lam-rim.
“In the evenings Ani Karin sweetly taught us meditations on Buddha Shakyamuni, Green Tara, “Praises to the 21 Taras,” “King of Prayers,” and Vajrasattva. She also told us many stories about Kopan Monastery and the teachers there.
“The kindness of Kopan’s abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, who answered all our questions during the course, was amazing as was the incredible opportunity to have direct teachings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and to receive refuge and Vajrasattva initiation from him. I’m thankful for his generosity, tirelessly repeating to us that the purpose of our life was not only to liberate ourselves, but to liberate all sentient beings from the sufferings of samsara.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in a txapela with Spanish students, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
“I experienced incredible things such as having the opportunity to meet Rinpoche and offer him gifts and offerings from the Spanish FPMT centers, study groups and projects, including a txapela (traditional Basque beret) from Rafa, a student; asking Rinpoche to come to Spain to teach; helping during Rinpoche’s long life puja; meeting Kopan’s monks and nuns and seeing their incredible dedication to the Buddhadharma; and witnessing the Nepali people recover after the April 2015 earthquake.
“Now that I’m saying goodbye to beautiful Kopan Monastery, the retreat teachers, 240 Dharma brothers and sisters, and the Spanish-language discussion group where we shared our thoughts about the teachings, I feel very close to this Dharma family. I feel supported and have the motivation to continue to practice in my hometown and study group with the tools I received.
“Thanks to Clara Jimenez, who translated the course into Spanish. Without her I couldn’t attend the course. Thanks to all in the Spanish-language discussion group, who were a big support and were my teachers too. Thanks to Luz de Nagarjuna Grupo de Estudio members, who allowed me to go to the course and took over my responsibilities. Thanks to FPMT Hispana for creating this generous initiative. Thanks to Kopan Monastery and Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche.”
Spanish-speaking course attendees with course leader Don Handrick, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2015
FPMT.org 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, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Tenzin Ösel with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro-la, Kike, Beatriz, Marcel and Oanh at Kopan Monastery, 13 February 2016
Friends around the world recently observed Tenzin Ösel Hita’s 31st birthday on February 12. Ösel joined Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) for a vegetarian momo lunch at Kopan Monastery the following day. Ösel is in Kathmandu at this time working on the Revive Nepal Project that is coordinating the reconstruction of sustainable public buildings and homes in areas of Nepal which are in urgent need of support following the devastating April 2015 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Ösel was in Kathmandu during the earthquake and witnessed the incredible destruction and immediately wanted to do something to help and bring lasting benefit to the area.
Ösel and other organizers meet on site to discuss plans for Revive Nepal.
Since the earthquake Ösel, Kike & Beatriz have been working on this project and after a very successful fundraising event in Spain, Revive Nepal Project is now actually beginning reconstruction on a primary school in the area of Masel and assessing the needs for water throughout the village. Revive Nepal is also working on offering education on bio-construction, sanitation and other needs. Everyone is doing the work free of charge and working directly on the ground with the villagers.
The Big Love Fund provides financial resources that enable Ösel to continue his endeavors on behalf of FPMT: fpmt.org/projects/fpmt/big-love-fund
Screen shot of new French Translation Office website
The Editions Mahayana (FPMT French Translation Office) shared this news with Mandala:
The FPMT French Translation Office is very happy to present its new website (https://editionsmahayana.fr/). More than 250 translations are offered as PDF downloads and new translations are added each month.
French Translation Office coordinator Ven. Détchèn commented, “The purpose of our new site is to offer easy access to translations completed by our team. To help the public, we’ve organized them within a thematic menu system.”
Jérôme, Véronique and Frédéric (and Hampton, their four-legged friend) help manage the new French Translation Office website
We’ve benefited from the redesign and the enthusastic energy of webmaster Véronique, treasurer Corinne, and of Frédéric and Jérôme, who have accepted order filling responsibilities in our online store. You will find all of our publications – prayer books, practice books and commentaries – in paper and ebook formats.
Marcel works to create ebook versions of all our publications. Thanks to him, 30 titles are already available as ebooks. All our future publications will now be available in paper and ebook formats.
The French Translation Office now offers its Amis du Service de traduction (Friends of the Translation Office) program. For 108 euros, student can help support French-language translation work and receive ebooks translated over the last 10 years, their updates and all future titles. The French Translation Office would like to have 108 new friends by January 1, 2017.
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.
Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche being visited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, India, December 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
We are sad to announce that on February 13, 2016, Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche passed away peacefully while in meditation at his residence in Kalimpong, India. Dhakpa Rinpoche was one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, was an FPMT touring lama, and had given Lama Zopa Rinpoche many oral transmissions over the years. He will be greatly missed.
Dhakpa Rinpoche was born in 1926 in Kongpo, Tibet and later recognized by His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 49th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Dhargye Rinpoche, who was the head of the Gelug school from 1708 to 1715. He studied in Tibet eventually earning his Geshe Lharampa degree at the age of 26 and completing further studies in tantra. When the Chinese communists invaded Tibet in 1959, Rinpoche fled to India.
In 1962, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama appointed Rinpoche as the abbot of Sera Me Monastery, the first abbot of the Sera Me in exile. Rinpoche served as abbot for three years, but left the monastery and went to Kalimpong for medical treatment.
Until 1990, Rinpoche led a very quiet life in Kalimpong and spent much of his time in retreat and meditation. Although Rinpoche was one of the most precious and valuable spiritual teachers living in India, due to his humble nature, he was little known outside the area. However, he was in fact one of the very rare teachers holding teachings from the most valuable and precious secret lineages from Pabongka Rinpoche and many other highly realized lamas in Tibet.
Throughout his life Rinpoche actively sought out teachings from spiritual masters from other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, adding to the richness of his understanding and own teachings. Rinpoche was requested to pass on all those teachings and other tantric initiations to the young rinpoches at Sera Me, which he did for three months every winter. His Holiness the Dalai Lama praised Dhakpa Rinpoche for his dedication to his practices and the generosity of his teachings.
Mandala will have a complete obituary for Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche in the July-December 2016 issue.
Dhakpa Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, India, December 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
We invite you to read the February edition of the FPMT International Office e-News.
You’ll find some lovely photos, and news including:
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice
- FPMT Annual Review 2015 out now!
- New Flower Offering Card from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- New Materials from FPMT Education Services
- Puja Fund activity on Losar
and more!
Subscribe to the FPMT International Office eNews today and receive important updates about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FPMT International Office, and the broader FPMT organization directly to your email box.
The teachers, students and staff of Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme 7 (LRZTP 7) –FPMT’s Tibetan-language interpreter training program – wished to share their Losar (New Year) greeting with the wider FPMT community. The card reads:
“The upcoming year is called ‘The Year of the Fire Monkey’ and we pray and wish that all your aspirations will be fulfilled this year as quickly as it takes a monkey to climb a tree. May the warmth of happiness, wealth, good health and love follow you wherever you go and may the fire of bodhichitta in your heart warm the world with compassion.”
FPMT.org 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, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Tenzin Ösel Hita at Chenrezig Institute, Australia, 1991. Photo by Thubten Yeshe, courtesy of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.
FPMT International Office wishes Tenzin Ösel Hita a very happy birthday and a long, healthy life. May his beneficial activities flourish and holy wishes come instantly into fruition!
Tenzin Ösel Hita, the recognized reincarnation of FPMT founder Lama Yeshe, turned 31 on February 12, 2016. Ösel was born in Bubión, Spain.
The Big Love Fund provides financial resources that enable Ösel to continue his endeavors on behalf of FPMT. You can follow news and updates about Ösel on the Tenzin Ösel Hita news feed.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in California, US, October 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
More than 1 million recitations of the Kshitigarbha long mantra have been accumulated as part of an effort to accomplish the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche for preventing and pacifying earthquakes in California and the rest of the world. In addition, the rest of the practices advised by Rinpoche have been completed, reflecting the dedication and generosity of hundreds of students around the world.
“Lama Zopa Rinpoche said that due to all the prayers and practices that students have done, the danger of a devastating earthquake has lessened and [is] not so imminent. That is a great cause for rejoicing!” wrote Ven. Tsomo, spiritual program coordinator at Land of Medicine Buddha, who helped coordinate the effort. “Rinpoche also said that we need to keep on with the recitation of the long Kshitigarbha mantra until 1.8 million mantras are accumulated. But no pressure, [we] don’t need to do as intensely as before, but just to keep going, no matter how long it takes.”
Mantra recitations continue to be collected at the website created in support of the effort: http://www.pacifyearthquakes.org.
New people are welcome to join the effort and can find more information and links to the practice at the above link. “Quite a number of students have commented that the practice has been powerful and joyful!” Ven. Tsomo said.
Here is the update on all of the accumulated practices as of February 11, 2016:
1. The long Kshitigarbha mantra has been recited 1,115,374 times, which is well over half-way to the 1.8 million times advised by Rinpoche. Students and centers all over the world have contributed to this count, including ten centers contributing over 10,000 recitations and ten individuals contributing over 5,000.
2. The eight Mahayana precepts were taken more than 2,436 times, far exceeding the advice of accumulating 300. Participants of the November Kopan Course in Nepal and courses at Tushita Meditation Centre in India contributed greatly to this number.
3. Six extensive Medicine Buddha pujas were performed: four were done at Land of Medicine Buddha and two at Gyalwa Gyatso (Ocean of Compassion) Buddhist Center, both located in the Bay Area of California.
4. Four Tengyur readings were completed by monks of Sera Je Monastery. The first reading was done on Lama Tsongkhapa Day in December 2015. The last session finished on February 2. They made dedications to all the sponsors of the reading – more than 210 names – as well as for the prevention of earthquakes in California, Nepal, and all over the world and for all sentient beings to be free of suffering and its causes and to attain enlightenment. US$31,100 was raised and offered to the monks at Sera Je doing the readings.
Kshitigarbha statue at Land of Medicine Buddha, US, January 2015. Photo by Laura Miller.
Students contributed other practices to the effort too, including 382 recitations of the Kshitigarbha Sutra of Past Vows in Chinese and English; 110,800 short Kshitigarbha mantras; and 2,198 medium-length Kshitigarbha mantras.
“As many of you know, His Holiness the Dalai Lama received medical treatment in the States recently. Lama Zopa Rinpoche commented a few days ago that, as so many people are doing Kshitigarbha mantras to pacify earthquakes, please make sure to also dedicate this practice to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s health and long life. This is in order to purify our karma,” Ven. Tsomo wrote.
The practices may already be helping people around the world. “A few days ago, there were earthquakes in Nepal and Tainan, Taiwan,” Ven. Tsomo wrote. “Students in Taiwan recited over 161,000 long Kshitigarbha mantras collectively. We hope that their practice, plus our mantras, helped give protection to the many affected.”
Please rejoice in all these practices done by so many people all over the world!
FPMT.org 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, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Jangchup Lamrim teachings, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, India, December 2015. Photos by Cynthia Karena.
FPMT student Cynthia Karena shared with Mandala observations from the final teachings in the Jangchup Lamrim series given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During the four-year series, His Holiness transmitted and taught on 18 important lam-rim texts and commentaries:
There’s a long line of monks and nuns on the horizon with their maroon robes flowing in the breeze, making their way through the fields towards Tashi Lhunpo Monastery for the last of the Jangchup Lamrim teachings in South India in late December 2015.
Over 30,000 people, including monks from surrounding monasteries, are here. Nothing like the hundreds of thousands that were expected for the cancelled Bodhgaya Kalachakra event in January 2016, but the upside is attending a more comfortable event, with the freedom to move about without being too squashed and being able to find a clean toilet relatively quickly and easily (a necessity for most of us in India).
30,000 people attended the Jangchup Lamrim at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
Older Tibetans in traditional dress, Sangha, plus us Westerners do korwa around His Holiness’ quarters each morning before teachings start, which surprisingly settles my mind. This also turns out to be where VIPs arrive, and is a wonderful opportunity to greet Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche, Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) and others as they arrive each morning.
Attendees at the Jangchup Lamrim, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, December 2015
Dotted in among the audience are beautifully wrinkled and grey haired old women with long plaits interwoven with ribbon, and old Tibetan men who know how to sport a felt hat.
It’s wonderful and inspiring to see so many Sangha listening, praying and chanting. Every molecule in my being feels like it is vibrating along with the sound of the deep resonant chanting, especially at the end when the chanting becomes louder and stronger.
Twice a day, monks run through the crowds with large hot teapots – amazingly, people don’t get hit in the head or burned by spilled tea. Butter tea in the cool mornings fortifies us, and sweet tea in the afternoon provides a sugar rush to wake us up for the last part of the day.
Generosity is a hallmark of these teaching events, with not only tea but a delicious lunch generously provided to – amazingly – over 30,000 people every day, as well as free consultations by Tibetan doctors. His Holiness also spoke of being generous to beggars, and importantly to give with respect.
Monks with teapots during Jangchup Lamrim
However, as always at these large events, seeing mountains of empty plastic bottles around the monastery is depressing. Isn’t there another way to distribute water? Perhaps huge filtered water stations where we can fill up our own bottles, for a price, might be a good start. I’m hoping someone who knows more about environmentally sound water distribution will think of a solution.
His Holiness with the five dakinis during long life puja
The long life puja for His Holiness brought the unexpected delight of seeing dakinis – monks dressed in elaborate brocade costumes.
One evening at Sera Je, we were briefly chatting to His Holiness’ translator. His mobile phone rang and I thought, Wow, he would have the Dalai Lama’s number. But apparently His Holiness doesn’t use a mobile phone, or surf the net.
There are many profound concepts His Holiness spoke about, from attachment and karma to tenets and emptiness, but looking at my notes, the last thing I write before the teachings finish is: “The most important thing is to give up self-centeredness.” Despite traveling all the way to India to hear amazing teachings by His Holiness, I take this as a sign to keep going with the basics.
With the support of the Preserving the Lineage Fund, Lama Zopa Rinpoche was able to offer tea to 32,000 participants and money offerings to the 18,100 Sangha present during the teaching event.
Cynthia Karena is a member of Tara Institute in Melbourne, Australia, who regularly travels to India. She is also a journalist, researcher and contributor to Mandala.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, New York, New York, US, August 2015. Photo by Edward Sczudlo.
Happy Tibetan new year to all our dear friends!
With love from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and
everyone at FPMT International Office
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche, July 2015
“Happy Losar” by Raven Jones
Liberation Prison Project student Raven Jones recently wrote Mandala to share his annual Losar (New Year) greeting card. Raven hand drew and colored the card and sent it in the mail to Mandala.
In celebration of the year Fire Monkey 2143, Raven illustrated a monkey on roller skates circumambulating Four-Arm Chenrezig. Raven included this prayer:
“May this be a year we all can joyfully attain Dharmic realizations and move – if not to enlightenment – closer to it!!!”
Raven holds the unique distinction of being the only FPMT Masters Program Homestudy student to complete the program entirely from prison, which he discusses in the interview “Liberation through Education.”
Read more about the relationship between Liberation Prison Project (LPP) students and volunteers in “One Letter at a Time: Liberation Prison Project Transforms Prisoners and Their Dharma Friends,” an article from Mandala July-December 2015. Find more Mandala archive stories about LPP online.
Geshe Dorji Damdul teaches at Choe Khor Sum Ling, Bangalore, India, November 2015. Photo courtesy of Choe Khor Sum Ling.
Student Ven. Gyalten Rabten shares the latest news from Choe Khor Sum Ling in Bangalore, India:
Around 25 people attended an intensive 10-day teaching program November 6-15, 2015, organized by Choe Khor Sum Ling in Bangalore. It was taught by Geshe Dorji Damdul, an eminent scholar and translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and current director of Tibet House-New Delhi. The teaching was on chapter two of Pramanavartika, a commentary by Acharya Dharmakirti on Acharya Dignaga’s salutation verse in his Pramannasamuchaya (Compend
Geshe-la, with his exceptional combination of superb knowledge in Buddhist philosophy, teaching and communication skills, was able to dissect and clarify for us the logical reasons and meanings behind many of the nuances contained in the text. He interspersed his teachings energetically with many personal anecdotes, practical experiences and examples to simplify various complex theses and concepts for our easy understanding. Despite the long hours with few breaks in between, most students attended all the sessions and participated enthusiastically in the teachings. Geshe-la patiently answered the various questions, doubts and qualms which arose, often due to his constant challenge for us to think beyond the norm. The participants were extremely fortunate and grateful to Geshe-la for his translation of the text into English.
It was due to his kindness that probably for the first time ever ordinary people like us had the rare opportunity to study this precious text outside Tibetan monastic institutions. The teachings concluded on an auspicious note with the reading of an extract from the first Gaden Tripa Venerable Gyaltsab Dharma Rinchen’s commentary on the text and the center’s request for Geshe-la to visit and teach us again very soon!
Choe Khor Sum Ling students receive teachings from Geshe Dorji Damdul, Bangalore, India, November 2015. Photo courtesy of Choe Khor Sum Ling.
FPMT.org 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, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.