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FPMT Community: Stories & News
We hope you enjoy our June FPMT International Office E-News.
In this month’s e-News you’ll find:
- Highlights of News, Activities and Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
- Introducing the just-published Mandala magazine
- New mantra card from FPMT Education Services
- Update about our Work a Day for Rinpoche campaign
…and more!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with koalas, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia, June 2015. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang
Korean Jade Buddha tour office, Incheon, Korea, April 2015. Photo courtesy of Ian Green.
“The official Jade Buddha for Universal Peace tour office has opened in Korea,” reported director Ian Green. “Located in Incheon, near the South Korean capital city of Seoul, the office will organize the tour of the Jade Buddha which will involve showings in most large cities in South Korea from March 1 to August 31, 2017.
“The office is hopeful that the Jade Buddha tour will also include a showing in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. The stated aims of the Jade Buddha Korea committee are to further the causes of peace and unification for Korea. Korean residents and Korean speakers are welcome to support the tour. More information can be obtained from eunghwan2065@daum.net (Korean) and info@stupa.org.au (English).”
Korean Jade Buddha tour office, Incheon, Korea, April 2015. Photo courtesy of Ian Green.
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.
COVER PHOTO: The full moon behind the Dharma wheel and deer above the entrance of Lhasa’s Jokhang Temple, Tibet, 2014. Photo by Matt Lindén.
The new, redesigned Mandala magazine is in the mail to supporters of the Friends of FPMT program and students who receive Mandala through FPMT centers and projects that offer it to supporters as a benefit.
With our reimagining of Mandala we hope we have created a timeless print publication that will inspire FPMT students and help them strengthen their practice of Dharma.
In this issue, learn about the importance of death awareness practice and of knowing how to enjoy death as taught by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Also featured, the biography of the great Buddhist master Khunu Lama Rinpoche; Ven. Robina Courtin writes about the creation of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book How to Enjoy Death; an interview with Tibetan Buddhist scholar Elijah Ary; and we remember Dharma pioneer Ven. Ann McNeil; plus much more.
In addition to the print issue, we’ve published several online-only pieces, including a new advice on practicing patience by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, an interview with Buddhist scholar Anne Klein and “The Life of Khensur Jampa Tegchok” by Ven. Steve Carlier. For this and more, see Mandala July-December 2015.
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 available through the FPMT Foundation Store.
Osel visiting Akshay Educational Centre in Amwan, India.
On April 12, 2015, Ösel Hita led a small group people on a once-in-a-lifetime “Universal Pilgrimage” to India and Nepal. While the itinerary called for visits to monasteries, holy places, and an exploration of Tibetan Buddhist culture and history, an unexpected experience came to participants when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25. All in the pilgrimage left Nepal unharmed and the two weeks leading up to departure were filled with laughs, talks from Ösel, and many profound experiences in India and Nepal. While visiting Tara Nunnery, Ösel explained in a talk, “I don’t want to create followers, I want to create leaders.”
Osel and the pilgrimage group visited Tara Children’s Project and Maitreya School, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India.
Osel visiting Tara Nunnery, Saranath, India, April 21, where he said in a talk, “I don’t want to create followers, I want to create leaders.”
Osel and the pilgrimage visited Tushita Meditation Centre, in Dharamsala, India, April 14 and also during this time met Jetsnuma Tenzin Palmo who was happy to spend some time with Osel.
Berthe Jansen defending her dissertation, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands, February 2015. Photo by Bert Molenaar.
Director of Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam Paula De Wys-Koolkin shared this achievement from past Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme (LRZTP) graduate Berthe Jansen:
On February 24, 2015, Berthe Jansen was awarded her Ph.D. at Leiden University in a ceremony rich in tradition and attended by family, friends, geshes, lama colleagues and mentors. Although the formal procedure itself was beautiful and impressive, many of those present were most moved by the knowledge that Berthe had earned her degree through sheer hard work and perseverance.
Berthe was sponsored by Maitreya Instituut to follow the FPMT’s interpreter training course, LRZTP, in Dharamsala from 2003 to 2005, and she graduated at the top of her class. She then moved back to the Netherlands with her young daughter Pema to work as an interpreter for Maitreya Instituut. She did that for two years while also studying at Leiden University, where she received her BA in Languages and Culture of India and Tibet in 2008. She then went on to study Tibetan and Himalayan Studies at Oxford University, receiving her M.Phil. with distinction in 2010.
Returning to Leiden, she began work on her Ph.D., and successfully defended her thesis – The Monastery Rules: Buddhist Monastic Organization in Pre-modern Tibet – by answering questions put to her by a panel of eminent scholars and professors from several European universities.
The setting was perfect for these impressive proceedings. Leiden University was founded in 1575, and the wood paneled room lined with centuries-old portraits, and the gowned dignitaries presiding over the occasion, emphasized the achievement that began in Dharamsala more than 10 years before.
Since then, while working on her studies, she has found time to be a single mother, did linguistic counter-expertise for immigration lawyers, and has been a freelance interpreter of Tibetan for several Buddhist teachers, including His Holiness the the Dalai Lama, Amnesty International, lawyers and courthouses, Dutch television, and some Dutch documentaries.
In a letter she wrote after her graduation from LRZTP to Ven. Kaye Miner, then the director of Maitreya Instituut Emst, Berthe said:
“I will definitely pray for the success of the Maitreya Instituut, and for that matter, the whole of the FPMT, now and whilst in Tibet. And not to forget, I’m extremely grateful that the Maitreya Instituut gave me the opportunity to study with the LRZTP; it’s something I won’t lightly forget, and therefore I’m greatly indebted to the center, FPMT and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.”
Berthe Jansen defending her dissertation, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands, February 2015. Photo by Bert Molenaar.
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.
North American Regional Meeting participants with Ösel at Maitripa College, May 12, 2015.
In May of 2013, participants of the North American Regional Meeting, which took place in Portland, OR, were delighted to hear a motivating talk from Tenzin Ösel Hita. In this talk, Ösel shares his wisdom on many topics such as the FPMT organization, how to work harmoniously with others, how to think about offering service, and he fields questions from the audience.
“Life sometimes puts tests, brings tests. So in those situations we have to keep our cool, not think selfishly, we have to be humble, we have to be open, we have to work together as a community. In that way we create a harmonious community, we create the foundation so that other people are attracted to that energy. And then, slowly, slowly, keep growing, growing, growing…. Many people think the purpose of life is to have a good job, to have a family, nice car, and then have some heritage to give to the children. And basically they struggle their whole life like that. And then when it is about time and they see they will pass away soon, they start having stress, about ‘Wow… What have I done with my life?’
The Big Love Fund was established to provide financial resources to support the educational endeavors of Ösel.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at 100 Million Mani Retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2014. Photo courtesy of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling.
Ven. Tsenla, director of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling in Mongolia, shared with Mandala news of the center’s activities over the last year, including the second annual 100 Million Mani Retreat and the arrival of their resident geshe:
Please rejoice with us in the tremendous success of the second annual 100 Million Mani Retreat hosted by Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling Center in Ulaanbaatar from August 17 to September 18, 2014. The participants of the first and the second retreat well surpassed the mark of 100 million mantra recitations.
Many Mongolian people from near, far and wide attended and we were able to recognize familiar faces of participants from the first retreat together with several new people joining during the month. Attendance for the retreat averaged around 500 people.
The dedication and commitment of the Mongolian people to the practice of developing compassion is inspiring and we believe that the merit from their devotion was a large contributing factor to have the great good fortune of a visit from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and entourage for one precious week of Dharma rain. To have Rinpoche visit two years in a row for this event was beyond our expectations!
Rinpoche taught and showed the aspect of being extremely pleased with the efforts of the participants and again asked that the retreat be held annually and expanded his request to include that it also be held in other parts of Mongolia to cater for those people who find it difficult to come to Ulaanbaatar.
Preparations are now beginning for the third annual 100 Million Mani Retreat, scheduled from August 9 to the September 10, 2015.
Participants at 100 Million Mani Retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2014. Photo courtesy of Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling.
Renovations at the Center
The support and generosity of a very kind benefactor to the center enabled us to undertake somewhat major renovations at the center for some four months leading up to the mani retreat.
The center building was completed in 1999, not long after Mongolia’s freedom from occupation, at which time the quality of materials and workmanship was not of a high standard. In particular, we focused on the high priority of replacing the central heating panels and pipes in all rooms, replacing our very drafty and unsuitable windows for the harsh Mongolian winters with modern, double-glazed ones and the installation of new floor coverings. While it was a most disruptive and challenging few months, we are pleased to have that behind us and are now benefiting from the improvements.
Geshe Lobsang Wangchuk. Photo courtesy of Ani Gyalmo.
New Resident Geshe
The Wood Sheep year started in a wonderful way for us with the joy and excitement of the arrival of our new resident geshe, Geshe Lobsang Wangchuk on February 24, 2015. Born in the Eastern part of Tibet, he became a monk at the age of 13 and in 1991 came to India to enter Sera Je Monastery to complete his studies in the five great philosophical treatises. When he completed his studies at Sera Je Monastery in 2008, he embarked on a life of retreat in the mountains of Dharamsala and Manali and spent his winters at the holy site of the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya.
Geshe-la has an inspirational accomplishment of more than 700,000 prostrations; 1.5 million Migtsema prayers; 1.5 million Manjushri mantras; 1.1 million Chenrezig mantras; three Hayagriva retreats; three Solitary Hero Yamantaka retreats; and the Thirteen Deity Yamantaka retreat two times.
In 2011, in a private audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe-la was advised to actively engage in activities benefiting society and complete the examination for the formal Geshe degree. Upon completing his exams, he returned to his life of solitary retreats and practice.
In September 2014, Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised us to invite Geshe Lobsang Wangchuk and we are delighted that this important accomplishment could ripen.
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.
The Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis, Mauritius, March 2015. Photo by Shilpa Ramphul.
Shilpa Ramphul shared with Mandala some photos from Dharmarakshita Study Group’s March 2015 outreach activities in at at the Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis, Mauritius. “Dharmarakshita members and friends gathered to create more awareness of Buddhism and share mantras and auspicious items with the people. It was an amazing day with a lot of loving kindness that was showered upon all. And of course, we had the precious support of the Dharmarakshita children – priceless!”
The Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis, Mauritius, March 2015. Photo by Shilpa Ramphul.
In late March 2015, Dharmarakshita Study Group held an introductory Buddhist course. The group has weekly Dharma talks and study sessions in addition to organizing retreats, charitable service projects and yoga for its students.
Participants at Dharmarakshita Study Group’s “Introduction to Buddhism” course, Vacoas, Mauritius, March 2015. Photo courtesy of Dharmarakshita Study Group.
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 in Italy, June 2014. Photo by Piero Sirianni.
With the great full moon of Saka Dawa, the 2015 Work a Day for Rinpoche campaign is culminating on Tuesday, June 2.
Since 2007, students in the FPMT international community have been celebrating the birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana of Lord Buddha by offering a day of work to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and mission through FPMT’s annual Work a Day for Rinpoche campaign.
This is accomplished by dedicating a day of one’s work income, or any amount, to further a number of FPMT activities, such as creating new texts and practice materials, livestreams of Rinpoche’s teachings, and complete online learning programs for those who can’t reach a Dharma center.
One can “work a day” for Rinpoche and be helping provide Dharma education, the building of social services and holy objects, and making the compassionate moonlight of the Mahayana tradition available to as many as possible.
Donations can made as one-time or smaller monthly gifts from now up until the holy Buddha Day of Saka Dawa.
The FPMT community is huge, and many, many offer their hard work to this mission everyday in numerous ways. The Work a Day for Rinpoche campaign extends the very good fortune of working for the guru to everyone anywhere, for the most auspicious day of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar.
We invite you to join and Work a Day for Rinpoche, whatever your form of work, by showing your support today! Virtuous acts on Saka Dawa are believed to be 100 million times stronger, and all donations received will be dedicated on the day of Saka Dawa, June 2, 2015.
To make a donation:
https://fpmt.org/support/workaday/
On March 5, Centre Kalachakra in Paris welcomed local religious leaders representing Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism and Islam. Fifty people attended the dialogue, which focused on the theme of joy and happiness.
Geshe Drakpa Tsundue, Centre Kalachakra’s resident geshe, welcomed all the participants, stressing the importance of religious dialogue specifically in Paris after the violence against Charlie Hebdo. He also introduced His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s main points concerning religious plurality and interfaith dialogue, namely, that differently religions suit different needs and interests; the importance of emphasizing the common values – such as compassion and forgiveness – shared between theistic and non-theistic traditions; the need to generate a sense of there being one human family; and the necessity of secular ethics in education to promote world peace.
“Father Quinson, representing Catholicism, said we can experience joy with Jesus being the mediator of joy,” said center director Ven. Elisabeth Drukier, who was also a presenter at the event. “Imam Mohamed replied we should give up aesthetic joy because the soul can’t be satisfied that way. Pastor Raharinaivo commented that joy comes only from Heaven. And I explained the Buddhist view of inner joy coming from peace of mind.
“Interfaith dialogue has been going on for the last 15 years in 10th arrondissement of Paris on different themes such as preparing for death, forgiveness, and freedom. We usually go to different churches, synagogues or mosques. Centra Kalachakra has hosted this event three times and we expect more after Charlie Hebdo as there is a feeling of urgency to have more interfaith dialogue.”
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.
Buddhist representatives meet with White House staff, Washington, D.C., May 14, 2015
On May 14, three FPMT students attended the first White House-US Buddhist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., which brought Buddhist leaders together to discuss politics and the policies most relevant to the country with current White House administration. Long-time student and director of Guhyasamaja Center Lorne Ladner shared this report:
Lorne Ladner reading Sutra of Golden Light during the first White House-US Buddhist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., US, May 14, 2015.
The conference was organized by a number of Buddhist groups working together, led by William Aiken of Soka Gakkai who had previous connections with some folks at the White House. Over 120 Buddhists from many different Buddhist traditions and nations were invited. There were lay and monastic participants from many places including Japan, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and so on. A wide mix of people came from all around the US. One striking, positive feature of the group was it’s diversity – people of many cultures, races, nationalities, and Buddhist traditions coming together to share a positive perspective in the political arena.
It was quite nice in that Buddhists from a number of traditions shared about social efforts that they are making to do things like help with disaster relief, feed the hungry, decrease racism in the US and combat global warming. It was pretty inspiring to see that many different Buddhist groups are working to benefit others in wonderful ways. Everyone seemed quite friendly and harmonious.
The overall group had also drafted two statements to give to the White House – one expressing extreme concern about global climate change. This statement was in line with advice given previously by His Holiness the Dalai Lama about goals for decreasing carbon emissions to help on that issue. The other statement was about the problems of racism and how those relate to police violence and the prevalence of prisons in the US. I signed on to both of those because they were quite constructive.
After the presentations and the discussion about those documents, various government officials gave us a briefing and then answered questions at the White House. They focused on a number of issues including climate change, protecting the environment, the promotion of peace/non-violence, corporate greed, and decreasing racism in the US. Overall, it seemed like a positive first step in having the wise voice of the Buddhist tradition get more hearing in the context of the US political system. One thing that I saw clearly is that many groups in the US that have fewer members than Buddhism get more hearing because they focus more on having their voices heard on issues of importance to them. We Buddhists in the US tend to not focus on that so much!
Ven. Losang Tendrol and Jennifer Kim, director of Shantideva Meditation Center in New York, at the White House-Buddhist Leadership Conference, Washington, D.C., May 14, 2015
Ven. Losang Tendrol and I were both there from Guhyasamaja Center. She brought her prayer wheel along and spun it during the meeting which was nice. Thinking of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s many comments regarding it’s importance for peace, wise leadership and the protection of nations, I brought the Sutra of Golden Light and read some sections aloud during a break time with prayers. In terms of the overall meeting, there was also a point when members of the Sangha stood up and recited prayers including refuge. All the Buddhists together recited a version of the bodhisattva vow, which I think came from Japan.
The organizers said that they may likely organize another meeting like this next year at the US Capitol to meet with senators or congressional representatives. I want to try to help make sure that for next year they invite a few Tibetan monks as I think there was only one Tibetan person there this time. Perhaps this meeting is a step in the direction of greater compassionate engagement in the public sphere for Buddhists in this country.
For more on the meeting, see Lion’s Roar’s “Buddhist Go to the White House.”
Recitation of the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT. FPMT Education Services has created a resource page to help you learn more about and start reciting the Sutra of Golden Light.
Participants in Institut Vajra Yogini’s fourth round of 108 nyung näs, Marzens, France, March 2015. Photo courtesy of Institut Vajra Yogini.
“Following up on the success of previous rounds of 108 nyung näs at Institut Vajra Yogini in France, the center started a fourth round in November 2014,” said director François Lecointre. “Midway through this fourth round, almost 600 nyung näs, an intensive two-day fasting retreat associated with Chenrezig, have already been accumulated by more than 80 different people.
“Five people still intend to do the full 108 nyung näs. To make it possible for people to commit to the whole seven months of this intense practice, each year Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Practice and Retreat Fund, is personally sponsoring up to 10 people willing to do 100 nyung näs.
“By starting this yearly retreat, Institut Vajra Yogini wished to help in making one of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions come true – that some practitioners might succeed in this life to complete 1,000 nyung näs.
“The nyung näs are open to anyone who wishes to join them. Some people come for eight nyung näs, some for one, some for just one session. Ven. Charles, who has guided the previous rounds, leads in French, but several people follow simultaneously in English.
“This year, we hope to accumulate at least 1,000 nyung näs by the end of this seven-month retreat. It is great to have such an opportunity to rejoice! Wherever you are in the world, any day and anytime until the end of June 2015, you can visualize the retreatants at Institut Vajra Yogini generating bodhichitta, prostrating, fasting, accumulating mantras, praying for peace, and you can rejoice in that intense purification and accumulation of merit.”
To learn more or offer to sponsor a retreatant, contact Institut Vajra Yogini.
A fifth round will be organized from mid-November 2015 to the end of June 2016. Please contact Institut Vajra Yogini if you are interested in participating in any way.
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.