FPMT Community: Stories & News

His Holiness the Dalai Lama greeting the gathering as he arrives at the Sera Lachi Temple in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India on December 24, 2013. Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL; courtesy dalailama.com.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama taught the first session of the current round of Jangchup Lamrim teachings at Sera Monastery in South India on December 25. The teachings can be viewed on streaming video, available in six languages, and will continue through January 3. The first series of teachings by His Holiness on Jangchup Lamrim — the 18 Treaties on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment — took place in late 2012 at Drepung and Gaden Monasteries. His Eminence Ling Rinpoche is the main organizer of the event.

On December 24, His Holiness arrived at the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, where Sera Monastery is located. Many important lamas, including FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and several thousand monks from Sera are attending the teachings as well as monks and nuns from Kopan Monastery. In addition, many FPMT geshes, registered teachers and students from Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe are also present.

Visit the Jangchup Lamrim website for more information and to view streaming video and photos of preparations for the event. More photos from the event and news are available on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s website, dalailama.com.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Tenzin Ösel Hita is doing very well and continuing his college studies in California.

Ösel offering long life words of praise to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Rinpoche’s long life puja, Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, California, September, 2013. Photo by Chris Majors.

While Lama Zopa Rinpoche was in the United States this year, Ösel visited Rinpoche at his residence many times. In September, Ösel participated in a long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of FPMT, Inc. board members and FPMT North American centers. Ösel offered moving long life words of praise to Rinpoche which can be viewed on video or read in their entirety.

In November, Ösel participated in the FPMT, Inc. board meetings in California.

In 2014, Ösel plans to travel to India and take teachings from his teacher at Sera Je Monastery, Geshe Gendun Chompel, following the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

 Supporting Ösel, the recognized reincarnation of FPMT’s founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe, is of great importance to the FPMT organization. The Big Love Fund was set up to provide financial resources which support the educational endeavors of Ösel. The fund currently covers all of his educational expenses related to attending college in California as well as the cost of Ösel to travel to India so he can receive teachings from his teacher.

Tremendous thanks to all of the kind donors who have already been supporting Ösel and his education. It is greatly appreciated.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche being greeted upon arrival at the ceremony, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

By Ven. Gyalten Samten

The Maitreya Project is an FPMT project to build a very large statue of Maitreya, the future buddha, in Kushinagar and Bodhgaya. Just last week, the project took an enormous step forward, receiving land upon which to build from the Uttar Pradesh state government. Ven. Gyalten Samten was part of a team overseeing aspects of the foundation stone laying ceremony held on Friday, December 13, 2013. She shared with Mandala her experience of the historic event.

On December 13, 2013, history of sorts was created in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. On that misty morning, what unfolded could be a scene from a Bollywood potboiler. A helicopter lands, interrupting the peaceful quiet. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, accompanied by Maitreya Project trustee Sanjeev Chaudhry, emerges. We were all in tow, welcoming them in the traditional Tibetan style, with the monks chanting, playing cymbals and gyalings.

Then another helicopter lands and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, enters the scene. More greetings. And a crowd of over 100,000 farmers and locals, Buddhist monks and other dignitaries has gathered, eager to see the holy guru and the chief minister.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav arriving at the ceremony, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Kushinagar, a small non-descript town, is popularly known as the place of the last leg of Shakyamuni Buddha’s journey before he passed into parinirvana. Innumerable precious relics were found after the Buddha’s cremation, which were divided amongst eight kingdoms. The Mallas of Kushinagar built a stupa to store the precious relics of Buddha.

Starting in the 1980s, Lama Yeshe had a grand vision of building a large Maitreya statue in India. Lama Zopa Rinpoche took this vision forward and the project has developed to build a 500-foot (152-meter) statue. One of the first things to do was to acquire land to carry out this mammoth task. The chosen place was Bodhgaya. Due to many factors, the Maitreya Project struggled for 13 long years. Lama Zopa Rinpoche sought advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama regarding the project, having watched it face many obstacles for many years. It was confirmed to build a Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar as this was the place of parinirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Obstacles to acquiring land continued to arise in Kushinagar, and after another 13 years of planning and waiting, when everyone had nearly given up hope, the trustees sent a letter to the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, withdrawing the project. But the chief minister took notice and approved 200 acres (81 hectares) of land to be given to the Maitreya Project immediately.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

The Uttar Pradesh state government and Maitreya Project trustees agreed on December 13 for the formal laying of the foundation stone – a grand event that was to be organized in less than a week. Since the chief minister was going to attend, the event assumed a political flavor, which meant arrangements needed to accommodate hundreds of thousands of people.

Andy Melnic, Ven. Labdron, Ven. Samten and District Magistrate Rigzin Samphel, Kushinagar, India, December 2013. Photo courtesy of Rigzin Samphel.

A team of three people – director of Root Institute Ven. Thubten Labdron, photographer Andy Melnic and myself – were sent to oversee the arrangements and coordinate the cultural and religious aspects of the event. A team of a dozen monks from Kopan Monastery, a replica of the Maitreya Buddha statue from Root Institute in Bodhgaya and a dance troupe from Dharamsala were en route to Kushinagar as well.

This was an alien ground for all of us. Even before we could get our bearings, we were in the thick of meetings with the local dignitaries, the commissioner and the cultural director.

The district magistrate of Kushinagar, Rigzin Samphel, turned out to be our knight in shining armor. Rigzin Samphel is a Ladhaki and is very devoted to this cause and to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. When we arrived in Kushinagar, he took us to the new Maitreya Project land of which 40 acres (16 hectares) was being turned into the event site, including two helipads, two stages, a green room, a rest area for dignitaries and a parking lot for the siren-blaring vehicles of politicians.

During our first visit to the site, I asked sheepishly how big the land given to the Maitreya Project was. “For as far as your eyes can see, Samten-la, is Maitreya land,” Rigzin Samphel replied. “Incredible,” I murmured, overwhelmed with the sight of lush green farmland and the thought of all the hardships everyone associated with the project has faced to acquire it and realize a profound dream of the holy guru. Rigzin Samphel further remarked that all the farmers were compensated suitably for the land.

A view from the stage, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Amongst much fanfare and great aplomb, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav laid the foundation stone for the Maitreya Project.

Laying the foundation stone, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo courtesy of Rigzin Samphel.

Rinpoche addressed the audience, profusely thanking the farmers who gave up their land and all in attendance for their support and enthusiasm. Rinpoche also explained the great benefits of building the Maitreya Buddha statue and that the FPMT will commence work on the project very quickly, starting with setting up a health clinic for the local residents, and that the project will bring prosperity for the people by eventually employing many hundreds of people. Ven. Kabir Saxena simultaneously translated Rinpoche’s speech into Hindi.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav emphasized the profundity of the project and how it will give a great boost to the tourism and economy of the state during his speech. Moreover, he urged the trustees of the Maitreya Project to start the work quickly.

This is just the beginning of a dream unleashed on the holy land of Kushinagar. Maitreya Buddha will manifest in ways far beyond our imagination, all we need to do is to continue to create causes for this and never give up.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all the trustees of the Maitreya Project and all the devotees who have believed in the vision of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Ven. Gyalten Samten is an Indian nun. Before ordaining, she had an active career as an actress in Bollywood movies and once held the title “Miss India.”

For more, read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s remarks made at the foundation stone laying ceremony and Ven. Thubten Labdron’s report on arranging the big event in only five days.

Mandala’s ongoing coverage of the Maitreya Project can be read online. 

Part of the cultural program at the ceremony, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Vens. Labdron and Samten with District Magistrate Rigzin Samphel visiting the ceremony site as it is being built, Kushinagar, India, December 9, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

By Ven. Thubten Labdron

The Maitreya Project took an enormous step forward in its work to build a very large bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha, the future buddha, in Kushinagar, India, the holy site of Buddha Shakyamuni’s parinirvana. The Uttar Pradesh State Government handed over a large tract of land that it had offered to the Maitreya Project for the Maitreya statue to be built upon. The handover of the land was marked by a foundation stone laying ceremony on Friday, December 13, 2013. Ven. Thubten Labdron, director of Root Institute in Bodhgaya, was asked to be part of the team overseeing the religious and cultural aspects of the event. She shared with Mandala this report on how the ceremony came together in less than a week.

Ten days ago, Indian nun Ven. Gyalten Samten, photographer Andy Melnic and I were unexpectedly thrown together for a unique experience. One day, we were enjoying Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, anticipating offering the annual long life puja to Rinpoche. The next, we were on our way to Kushinagar, India, for the Maitreya Project, not knowing what exactly we were heading into.

We were met in Kushinagar by District Magistrate Rigzin Samphel, who also had arranged our hotel. Atul Chopra, the Maitreya Project lawyer, was in Lucknow dealing with some last minute legal details. The hotel quickly turned into the central administration hub, with small, medium and very important officials and ministers coming and going, with sirens blaring and surrounded by security guards.

The final decision on the land for the Maitreya Project in Kushinagar had only been made two days before, but when we visited the venue, we found they had already flattened 40 acres [16 hectares] of land, erected an enormous tent scaffolding and almost completed two helipads. A 30 x 20 foot [9 x 6 meter] stage was half built, and there was a drivable dirt road. It looked like 20 construction sites in one.

Preparing the grounds for the ceremony, Kushinagar, December 12, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

We were fortunate to arrive before the activities became super hectic. The district magistrate made time to take us personally – with an entourage of bodyguards – to the Parinirvana Temple and the cremation stupa, two holy sites in Kushinagar associated with the historical Buddha’s passing away. The peaceful energy in those places is palpable, amazingly conducive to effortless meditation. Kushinagar is still underdeveloped, which is both good and not so good.

Workers at event site, Kushinagar, India, December 12, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

The next day we were escorted by an excellent tourist guide, Mr. Mishra, to the village where the Buddha took his last meal in the house of Cunda. There is a plaque with a touching extract from the Maha Parinirvana Sutra, titled “Relieving Cunda’s Remorse.” It says:

“Ananda … there are two offerings of food which are of equal fruition, exceeding in grandeur the fruition and result of any other offerings of food. Which two? The one partaken by the Tathagata before becoming fully enlightened … and the one partaken by the Tathagata before passing into the state of Nirvana in which no element of clinging remains.

“By his deed, the worthy Cunda has accumulated merit which makes for long life, beauty, well being, glory, heavenly rebirth and sovereignty. Thus, Ananda, the remorse of Cunda the metalworker should be dispelled.”

One can imagine how Cunda had been suffering in order to have Buddha so explicitly make that point!

We also visited the riverside site where the Buddha took his last bath on the way to Kushinagar and the ruins of a small monastery and stupa that had previously contained one part of Buddha’s holy relics. All of these three sites are clean and well maintained, with new statues of Buddha and explanatory plaques. After another visit to the Maitreya Project venue, we visited a site near the cremation stupa where the holy relics of Buddha were distributed to eight different kings.

Preparing for the ceremony, Kushinagar, India, December 12, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

During the days building up to the foundation stone laying ceremony, vehicles fitted with loudspeakers roamed along the Kushinagar roads, playing music and informing people about the Maitreya Project and how beneficial it will be to the local community, no matter what religion, bringing employment, recognition, peace and harmony, and exhorting them to attend the function. 

The district magistrate, the commissioner (who oversees the four district magistrates of the Gorakpur area), and the local minister, Mr. Brahma Shankar Tripathi, had all been instrumental in bringing about the signing of the land deeds, alongside the untiring efforts of Atul Chopra and Peter Kedge, who continued working behind the scenes when the project had almost been given up. We are most fortunate that District Magistrate Rigzin Samphel was posted to Kushinagar two years ago and took an active interest in the project, and that a new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, was elected. (He’s now the youngest chief minister in India.) It has to be the fruition of all the prayers, practices and dedications made by so many people.

Maitreya Buddha statue from Maitreya School at Root Institute, Kushinagar, India, December 12, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Two days after our arrival, 11 Kopan monks arrived, led by Geshe Lobsang Sherab and Ven. Ngawang Thinley. They brought with them huge thangkas of the eight great Indian pandits plus costumes for performing ritual dance. At the same time, the Root Institute vegetable shopping jeep arrived from Bodhgaya with the life-size statue of Maitreya Buddha sitting majestically in the back, borrowed from Maitreya School assembly hall. Ven. Yonden accompanied the statue, so we soon had a working team of monks, jeeps and drivers all soon involved in the program and decorations.

Meetings were held each night with the district magistrate and other officials to update each other on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s latest advice and program changes from the government. Fortunately, we FPMT wallahs are very well-trained in accepting change!

The day before the event, the town was literally filled with thousands of lathe-carrying policemen on motorbikes; very important police officials with many badges and stars; zillions of ambassadorial cars with blue flashing lights and sirens accompanied back and front by jeeps of armed police; and press.

Maitreya Project trustees Dr. Renuka Singh, Ranjit Walia and Ven. Kabir Saxena arrived the evening before the event. A Tibetan dance troupe arrived from Dharamsala late that evening. They had performed for His Holiness the Dalai Lama the day before, on the anniversary of His Holiness receiving the Nobel Prize, then had driven for two days to reach Kushinagar in time. Vens. Kunsang, Sangpo and Tendhar arrived by car from Lucknow a couple of hours before the event.

Thangka brought from Kopan Monastery for ceremony, Kushinagar, December 12, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

District Magistrate Rigzin Samphel stayed at the venue the whole night to ensure everything was completed in time. By 9 a.m. on Friday, December 13, a magnificent flower display was completed with flowers from Delhi as well as the local state, Uttar Pradesh; the thangkas were being hung high; Maitreya Buddha was seated on a flower-adorned throne on stage; the gifts were all ready for distribution; and the atmosphere was peaceful.

It was amazing after watching the frenetic activities of the last few days. The whole venue had been completed in only five days, including two “Swiss Cottage” restrooms for Rinpoche and the chief minister. A separate stage was constructed adjacent to the main stage for the performers.

 A local cultural program started exactly on time to entertain the crowds who had started to arrive early in the morning.

Helicopter carrying Lama Zopa Rinpoche landing at Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

From 10 a.m., we were waiting for Rinpoche to arrive. The monks were lined up with musical instruments. The dancers were in costume. And the excitement was intense as we heard the sound of Rinpoche’s helicopter. It was a very emotional moment as it landed and Rinpoche emerged. Finally, Maitreya Project Kushinagar was happening! Rinpoche was accompanied by Mr. Sanjeev Chowdhury and his wife. Sanjeev has been very instrumental in making this happen.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving at Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Then the chief minister’s helicopter arrived and was quickly surrounded by commandos, heavy security vehicles and political party officials. Rinpoche, along with the monks and the trustees, greeted Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and the event got under way.

The tourism minister, cultural minister, local minister, inspector general of police and many other ministers and officials filled the stage. The program went mostly according to plan, with speeches by various ministers; Ven. Kabir explained that the monks’ ritual masked dances were actually to dispel obstacles for the good of all, not a threat; and Sanjeev Chowdhury shared the many benefits that Maitreya Project will bring by putting Kushinagar on the world map. Rinpoche gave a lovely talk, translated by Ven. Kabir, on the benefits of the project and on the eight Indian pandits. Between the speeches, Rinpoche and the chief minister unveiled the commemorative plaque and symbolically laid the foundation stone.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Akhilesh Yadav during ceremony, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

All the speakers were very positive about the project, which was good to hear. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav made the final speech, explaining how when he took office, he had been given a letter from the Maitreya Project saying how difficult it had been as the land had been offered 12 years earlier, but successive governments had not finalized the actual handover. He also was very positive, and said he hoped that the social work projects would start very soon so that the local people will see the benefits. The chief minister also credited the district magistrate for his work with some well-deserved praise.

An estimated 100,000 people attended the event.

A view of the audience from the stage, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

After the chief minister finished his speech, he left the stage, marking the close to a perfect event. There was much good feeling. Then the two helicopters lifted off and it was all over, except for a delicious lunch in the Lotus Nikko hotel, enjoyed by politicians, hungry policemen with rifles and sub-machine guns hung over their shoulders, Maitreya Project trustees and officials, and we three — the “Maitreya Project Cultural Team.”

Ven. Thubten Labdron is the director of Root Institute for Wisdom Culture in Bodhgaya, India. 

You can also read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s remarks made at the foundation stone laying ceremony as well as Ven. Gyalten Samten’s report on it. 

Mandala‘s ongoing coverage of the Maitreya Project can be read online. 

Ven. Thubten Labdron among the arranged flowers before the big event, Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Andy Melnic.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Nagarjuna

Luz de Nagarjuna Grupo de Estudios in Pamplona, Spain, is just over one year old. The group holds regular group meditation sessions, has hosted Ven. Fabio Poza, spiritual program coordinator at O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros, and has been studying FPMT Education programs Meditation 101 and Buddhism in a Nutshell. The study group had their first group retreat in August with 18 participants. In September, they began the Discovering Buddhism program with a “nice mix of new and existing students.” The group is growing quickly and is in the process of renting a space to become more stable and rooted.

“None of this would be possible without the blessing, guidance and support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche!” study group coordinator Nerea Keesee Rasano wrote to Mandala. “We are very grateful to be within his mandala! We would also like to thank Ven. Fabio Poza, who teaches the community in a practical and tangible way which the students can relate to and put into practice; Ven. Marga Echezarreta, for her guidance and support as the director of our mother center, Nagarjuna C.E.T Barcelona; Isabel Arocena, the Spanish National Office coordinator who is always available to offer support and ideas; and Koke de la Herran, the coordinator of La Sabiduría de Nagarjuna Grupo de Estudios in Bilbao, working with Paloma Fernandez, who have embarked on this journey at the same time as us and are a source of encouragement and brainstorming.”

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, looking out over the crowd of 100,000, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The Uttar Pradesh State Government handed over a large segment of land to the Maitreya Project Trust on Friday, December 13, 2013, during a foundation stone laying ceremony. FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche flew to the event in Kushinagar and with Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, addressed the crowd of 100,000 people. Several other important officials were there as well as the Maitreya Project Trust Board of Trustees. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche speaking during ceremony, December 13, 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The Maitreya Project will build one of the tallest statues of Maitreya Buddha on the land given by the Uttar Pradesh State Government. The Maitreya Project has worked with the state for more than decade to realized the building of the statue. Kushinagar is the historic site of Shakyamuni Buddha’s passing away. The Maitreya Project land sits adjacent to the Parnirvana Temple and Rambhar Stupa. 

Thousands of people attended the foundation stone laying ceremony, Kushinagar, December 13, 2013. Photo by Ven. Sangpo Sherpa.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama sent a message that was read at the ceremony:

“I extend my greetings and best wishes to the Government and people of Uttar Pradesh.

“About 15 years ago, the Government of Uttar Pradesh approached me with a request that the Maitreya Project to construct a large statue of Maitreya Buddha come to Uttar Pradesh. I discussed this with Zopa Rinpoche and we agreed that Kushinagar would be the most favorable location for the statue.

“A long time has passed but I am happy to learn that the Government of Uttar Pradesh has kindly decided to provide land for the Maitreya Project to fulfill its purpose. I would like to express my gratitude to the Honorable Chief Minister and offer prayers for the success of the Maitreya Project – that it inspires peace, harmony, and goodwill throughout the entire world.

“I am grateful to the Maitreya Project and Zopa Rinpoche for undertaking this work. I understand that construction of a clinic to provide free medical services and the school will also be part of the larger project and therefore of additional benefits to the local people.”

The future site of the Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar, India, December 13, 2013. Photo by Atul Chopra.

The event also had a cultural program featuring a traditional Tibetan dance troupe from Dharamsala. Monks and nuns from Kopan Monastery, Root Institute staff and attendees from the recent Kopan course assisted hundreds of local workers with preparations for the event, which was put together with a week’s notice. 

Read Mandala‘s coverage of the Maitreya Project, both recent stories and accounts of how the project has developed over three decades. For the official announcement, see the December 2013 Announcement from the Maitreya Project Kushinagar. 

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Computer rendition of Maitreya statue. Image courtesy of Maitreya Project.

The laying of the foundation stone for a very large Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, will take place during a ceremony on Friday, December 13, 2013. The ceremony and foundation stone laying will signify the handing over of approximately 275 acres of land from the state government of Uttar Pradesh to the Maitreya Project. The Honorable Shri Akhilesh Yadev, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh State, will preside over a the ceremony. FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Board of Trustees of the Maitreya Project Trust will be state guests of honor. Also in attendance will be state ministers and senior government officials. A crowd of 100,000 people is expected for the event, which will include a cultural program featuring Tibetan dancers.

For more than 12 years, the Maitreya Project has worked with Uttar Pradesh State Government officials to create the conditions for the building of the Maitreya Buddha statue. Kushinagar is where Shakyamuni Buddha passed away and was cremated and is one of the four most holy Buddhist pilgrimage sites.  The land for the Maitreya statue is adjacent to the Parinirvana Temple, marking where Buddha passed into parinirvana, and the Rambhar Stupa, where the Buddha was cremated. According to ancient texts, when Maitreya Buddha, who is the future Buddha, appears on earth, it will be near Kushinagar.

The land for the statue was given to the Maitreya Project by the Uttar Pradesh State Government, which realized the great potential and public benefit the Maitreya Project offers to the area. The Uttar Pradesh State Government and the Maitreya Project have created a comprehensive development plan for the site and the area surrounding it. In addition to the creation of the Maitreya Buddha statue, the project will also engage in social programs to provide employment, education and healthcare. 

The Maitreya Project in Kushinagar will proceed in parallel with the Maitreya Project in Bodhgaya, where another very large statue of Maitreya Buddha is being planned in accordance with FPMT founder Lama Yeshe’s original wish.

Indian media are covering the story, including News 18 

, the Business Standard and the New Indian Express.

For more detailed information, see the December 2013 Announcement from the Maitreya Project Kushinagar. 

Read Mandala‘s coverage of the Maitreya Project as it has developed over the past three decades.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Western Sangha at 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia, August 2013. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The new issue of Mandala features a first-hand report from the historic 100 Million Mani Retreat in Mongolia held in August 2013 in Ulaanbaatar. Lama Zopa Rinpoche led the month-long retreat, which was hosted by FPMT Mongolia. As part of Mandala’s online edition, we’ve collected photos from the retreat into a photo gallery. Hundreds of Mongolians attended the retreat in addition to about 70 FPMT students and Sangha from Europe, Australia, Asia and North America. 

 Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Land of Medicine Buddha community members after hanging new prayer flags, August 21, 2013. Photo courtesy of LMB’s Facebook page.

Special new prayer flags for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and long life are flying and flapping in the breeze throughout the international FPMT mandala. Since July 2013, the Tendil Nyersel prayer flags are being hung based on advice given by Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) on practices to remove obstacles for Rinpoche in 2014 and 2015. The flags feature an emanation of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) considered to be beneficial for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health, various prayers and mantras chosen by Rinpoche, and the supernatural animals of the cardinal directions. Kopan Monastery organized the making of the prayer flags, which was sponsored by a generous benefactor. 

The newly released online content for the January-March 2014 issue of Mandala features a collection of photos from various FPMT centers, projects, services and students around the world that have hung flags to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s health and long life.

If you’d like to add a photo to the gallery, send Mandala an email.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

“In his death the world has lost a great leader, whose steadfast and unflinching determination played a key role in securing peace and reconciliation during South Africa’s transition from apartheid rule. Under his leadership South Africa was transformed through peaceful means, in the spirit of reconciliation,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote in a letter to the family of Nelson Mandela, expressing his deep sadness on learning of Mandela’s death. 

“He was a man of courage, principle and unquestionable integrity, a great human being, someone of whom we can truly say, ‘He lived a meaningful life,’” said His Holiness, who held Mandela as a dear friend. 

“Peace is a state of joy and its method [for accomplishment] is harmony,” Maitripa College president Yangsi Rinpoche said as he reflected on the life of Nelson Mandela during a teaching on the day of Mandela’s passing away. Rinpoche called Mandela a “living example of peace and harmony,” saying it was a great loss and that we need to make prayers for more beings like Mandela to live among us, exemplifying peace and harmony.

Yangsi Rinpoche also referred to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s call for unity and harmony, made at the end of His Holiness’ visit to Portland in May. He advised that as citizens of the world, we begin creating peace by first creating harmony in ourselves and in our relationships and then in our communities. Being harmonious is a skill, Rinpoche suggested, one of “deescalation” that needs to be practiced with awareness and that becomes grounding and enriches our wisdom and compassion.

The story of the Four Harmonious Friends, which we share with the new online edition of Mandala January-March 2014, illustrates how by working harmoniously together, we can create a peaceful world. 

Mandala expresses our sadness at the loss of world leader known for promoting peace, harmony and reconciliation. 

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Students from Choe Khor Sum Ling received teachings from Gyume Monastery abbot Geshe Tashi Tsering (center in sunglasses), Hunsur, India, September 2013. Photo by Danyele Gringnon.

By Deepthy Shekhar

Student Deepthy Shekhar shares news from Choe Khor Sum Ling, the FPMT study group in Bangalore, India.

In September, a few Choe Khor Sum Ling students attended a retreat for Discovering Buddhism’s modules 1 and 2 at the glorious Snowland School for Tantric Studies at the Gyume Monastery campus in Hunsur, India. Ven. Tenzin Namdak led the retreat.

The main focus of this retreat was to engage in meditations on “Awakening One’s Enlightenment Potential.” The specific meditations were on the lam-rim topics of precious human rebirth, our innate potential to eliminate negative states of mind, buddhanature and on the topics of compassion and loving kindness.

All the participants were encouraged to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts and engage in Jorchö practices along with both analytical and single-pointed meditations around the topics mentioned above. 

Following the tradition of Gyume Monastery, the participants had the precious opportunity of listening to Dharma teachings by the abbot of Gyume Monastery, Geshe Tashi Tsering, who gave two audiences. In the first teaching, Geshe-la spoke about habitual states of mind, inner and outer conditions, the law of cause and effect and purification with the four opponent powers. 

In his second teaching, Geshe-la elaborated on the topic “Mind and Its Potential.” He spoke of considering Buddhist centers to be hospitals of the mind and of looking at the study of Buddhism as the study of inner science. During this teaching, he elaborated on topics such as mental factors, how to develop a main mind of loving kindness and developing the main mind for bodhichitta. He also spoke about the importance for meditating on emptiness as the antidote for grasping, anger and related mental factors.

During the retreat, participants were also encouraged to participate in tsog offerings and had discussions with each other in order to develop confidence in talking about their learning. 

The students left fully immersed in precious human rebirth and Dharma teachings on mind and its potential, with aspirations for another retreat soon.

Mandala 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 on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Ray Furminger, Garden of Enlightenment’s artist in residence. Photo courtesy of Garrey Foulkes.

By Garrey Foulkes

In late October, Garrey Foulkes, arts manager of Chenrezig Institute, shared with Mandala an update about the three projects he manages – the Garden of Enlightenment, the Chenrezig Institute Art Studio and the Enlightenment Project for Purification and Merit – and introduces us to Ray Furminger, artist in residence:

For these three projects – the Garden of Enlightenment, the Chenrezig Institute Art Studio and the Enlightenment Project for Purification and Merit, this has been a rather mixed year with an interesting ratio of struggles and successes.

Happily, the positive side of all of this amounts to a very constructive year. Significant repair work, replacing poor-quality casts on the eight stupas in the Garden of Enlightenment and re-painting the decorations, is almost completed thanks to a group of willing and skillful volunteers offering their help despite very hot weather and many large “marsh flies” who enjoy biting people.

The new art studio received a grant to upgrade the parking and landscaping in front of the new building. Our intention is to make this as attractive as possible and encourage visitors to stop, visit the studio, and hopefully find something suitable in our shop to take home with them.

Our resident artist Ray Furminger has now been with us for several year working on a project to complete eight paintings suggested by Rinpoche some years back to be placed on the walls inside the building which houses our large prayer wheel. Needless to say Ray’s skills have been called on to help with many other projects, not the least being a great deal of intricate art work finishing the decorations in the garden in time for His Holiness’ visit some years back.

Since this visit, we have had consistent visits to the center from a large number of school students studying different world religions. These tours happen on roughly a monthly basis and Ray, along with others, give talks on Tibetan iconography and answer basic questions relating to the project.

Ray has been holding regular art workshops at Chenrezig Institute that continue to have good attendance from the local area and Brisbane city. Several students come on a daily basis to paint under his guidance. The energy, good humor and emerging talent among the people working on a daily basis at the art studio gives us great hope for the future.

Ray is a long-time student of Andy Weber, who also comes to the center every year and holds intensive art courses in traditional thangka painting. Assisted by Ray, Andy’s course last September was attended by around 20 people and was seen by all as a great success. It really is quite inspiring to see the changes that these students undergo once they begin to learn the intricacies and symbolism of traditional art and, in many cases, overcome their lack of confidence in their own latent skills and produce some amazing work.

Our big challenge with Ray is to try and find a way keep him here. Ray is British and is currently here on a soon-to-expire extended visa. Australian regulations regarding overseas visitors are now very tight so we need to apply for a special visa that recognizes his great skills as a teacher of traditional spiritual art.

The Enlightenment Project for Purification and Merit, since moving back to Chenrezig Institute, now has its own special space in the new art studio. We are encouraging all of the regional centers to look at what we produce and consider placing stock in their own center shops. Stupas that are required for the Garden of Enlightenment and for other places will also be produced in this workshop. We currently have quite a big commission for Singapore and an ongoing need for more stupas in the gardens.

Updated websites are being worked on so that more people in the region and around the world can see what we have to offer. Several students have ordered molds for tsa-tsa’s relating to their particular practices and commitments. We have a large range to select from.

We are fortunate to have a couple of very skilled three-dimensional artists involved with the project and our intention is to also produce molds for a variety of non-Dharma products like fountains, bird-baths, etc. to display at our sales outlet. Hopefully this will enable us to bring in some extra income that is outside of holy objects and this money can be used in a more general way to keep us functioning by allowing our workers to take a small income.

Chenrezig Institute on Australia’s Sunshine Coast is an active and vibrant Dharma center, offering a robust selection of retreats, workshops and events. Check out their Facebook page for photos and announcements.