FPMT Community: Stories & News

Members of the Rabgayling Tibetan settlement offering a butter lamp. Hunsur, south India, April 14, 2023. Photo by Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement Office.

We are happy to share two new photo galleries to visually document some of the prayers and pujas being offered for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

One gallery is photos from Kopan Monastery and Nunnery, including photos from the Kopan group doing prayers in Swayambhunath; the other gallery includes photos from other monasteries and communities in India and Nepal.

We will add to these galleries frequently, so check back often for inspiration and rejoicing. 

Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche – Kopan Monastery & Swayambhunath Stupa: 
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/tributes-and-condolences/prayers-for-the-swift-return-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche-kopan/

Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche (India, Nepal, and other communities):
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/tributes-and-condolences/prayers-for-the-swift-return-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche-other-monasteries/

His Eminence Ganden Tri Rinpoche presiding the prayers by the Sera Jey Sangha, April 13, 2023. Photo by Sera Jey Monastery.

Lay people doing daily prayers at Rachen Nunnery, Tsum, Nepal.

Sangha and lay students on pilgrimage from Kopan Monastery to Swayambhu, Nepal, April 23, 2023, to offer prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Lay people doing daily prayers at Rachen Nunnery, Tsum, Nepal.

As a reminder, we also have created a page dedicated to the tributes and condolences we continue to receive from great lamas, friends, and monastery officials around the world. 

We also have resources for those wishing to offer their own prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, including A Prayer for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, currently available in seven languages. 

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Kopan monks, nuns and students offering Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog on the fourteenth day of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery FB page.

Today we share some essential updates and reminders about important upcoming events. 

Long Life Puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The long life puja being offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 24 in India continues to be a major event for us all, as it is the fulfilment of one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy wishes.  We hope that many will be able to participate in this extremely auspicious event in person or via livestream. We will bring you information regarding the livestream details soon.

49th Day after the Passing of Lama Zopa Rinpoche

On May 31, Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog will be offered at Kopan Monastery on the occasion of the 49th day since Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. All are welcome to join the livestream of this special puja. As a reminder, this livestream of the prayers and pujas happening continuously for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return is available for all to join: https://www.youtube.com/c/fpmtinc/live

Light of the Path Retreat and Foundation Service Seminar

Due to practical considerations, Kopan Monastery will host the Light of the Path Retreat for the dates and length originally planned which are: September 3 – 17, 2023.  Kopan will soon put out an update on this retreat which we will share as it is available.  We are happy to share that the Foundation Service Seminar scheduled at Kopan following the retreat will also occur on the dates originally planned: September 21 – 26. 

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya, India, January, 2023. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Words of Praise to His Holiness the Dalai Lama from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Your Holiness,
Your example of morality in not harming but only benefiting sentient beings is incomparable in this universe.
Your compassion is the source of all sentient beings’ development of the good heart.
Your power is the source of all sentient beings’ happiness and peace.
Your wisdom is the source of all sentient beings’ hope and of opening the Dharma wisdom eye, of learning to discriminate what is  right, which is to be practiced, and what is wrong, which is to be abandoned.
If you are not the actual Compassionate-eyed Buddha, there is no other compassionate Buddha guiding us sentient beings.
To you, the wish-granting jewel, embodiment of all the merit field, devotedly with body, speech and mind, I, the students of FPMT and all sentient beings pay homage forever and seek your guidance forever.

Words from the late Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2022. 

FPMT Statement in Support of His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

We are deeply saddened by some of the recent media coverage of a short video clip of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with a young boy interacting with His Holiness during a public event on February 28, 2023. 

His Holiness has worked solely and tirelessly for the welfare and benefit of others. His profound spiritual teachings, combined with his warm and affectionate communication style, are a source of deeply precious inspiration.

For Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, His Holiness is the embodiment of compassion, non-violence, selflessness, and wisdom. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been and remains the greatest source of inspiration for the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).

We share the feelings of sadness and frustration with all those who have been affected by the recent allegations, which are based on an intentionally edited video clip and a lack of understanding of the Tibetan language and culture.

We are also in agreement with the recent statement made by His Eminence Ling Rinpoche on this subject.

His Holiness continues to be a beacon of hope and peace in the world, and for the FPMT organization. We pray for His Holiness’s long life and for the fulfilment of all his wishes.  

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Prayers continue 24 hours a day in front of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body, and also on every inch of Kopan Monastery.

We’re pleased to share this letter from Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Abbot of Kopan Monastery and member of the FPMT Inc. board. Khenrinpoche has sent this letter, in Tibetan, English, and Chinese for those with a connection to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, on the sad occasion of the seven days since Rinpoche’s passing.

As everyone knows, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in order to free us from the grasping at permanence, has taken the aspect of passing into parinirvana. Undoubtedly, many are deeply concerned and wondering what is happening now. Therefore, I would like to briefly explain the current situation.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche was invited to attend a Dharma function in the Tsum region of Nepal. There, several local groups were celebrating the one-hundredth year of declaring the Tsum Valley as a non-violence area and promoting vegetarianism, as well as their formal commitment to continue in the same way for another hundred years. Rinpoche went as requested to grace this function and bestow a Hayagriva initiation to the faithful.

The elevation of this area is 3,700 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. Due to some signs of altitude sickness, Rinpoche decided to return to Kathmandu and Kopan Monastery earlier than planned. Around 9:30 a.m. on April 13th, sadly, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away here at Kopan Monastery. As soon as Rinpoche began his clear light meditation, we informed His Holiness the Dalai Lama who advised that students engage in the practice of Cittamani Tara, recitation of The Essence of Eloquence by Lama Tsonghapa, and perform the self-initiations of Heruka and other deities. Accordingly, all of the disciples and ordained sangha began these practices immediately. Likewise, we have received letters of prayer, condolence, and advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Karmapa, His Holiness Sakya Trichen, and from various other lineage lamas. For this we express our deepest gratitude.

On April 14th, around 10:00 p.m., when monks reached the point in the Guhyasamaja sadhana of the four goddesses evoking the deity to arise from dharmakaya song, Rinpoche arose from his clear, light meditation. This was reported to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Rinpoche’s other teachers from whom we sought guidance. They advised that, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche has done extensive deeds for the Dharma, and has thousands of disciples from all over the world, it would be good to preserve Rinpoche’s holy body in order that his many disciples can gradually come to pay respects. Therefore, we are now in the process of preserving Rinpoche’s holy body according to traditional practice.

Although in actuality, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is already a fully enlightened buddha, in order for all of us disciples to accumulate merit and purify negativities; and for the swift return of an unmistaken reincarnation, for seven days we are performing the following prayers twenty-four hours per day: the self-initiations of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, and Heruka, Vajrayogini self-initiation, recitations of the Essence of Eloquence, the three root texts (The Ornament of Clear Realizations, Entrance to Middle, and Treasury of Knowledge), Medicine Buddha puja, Heruka Guru Puja, and others.

During this time, many lamas who were close to Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche and many lay people are continuously coming to pay respects and make offerings. Likewise, we offer thanks to the Great Monastic Seats of Sera, Drepung, Ganden, and the Upper and Lower Tantric Colleges, many other Gelukpa monasteries in Nepal, and other monasteries as well as lay associations who performing prayers in solidarity.

For the entire forty-nine-day period, we will perform the following prayers for twenty-four hours daily: special rituals related to preserving the holy body, Yamantaka and Vajrayogini self-initiations, Guru Puja, recitation of Praise of Dependent Origination, Chanting the Names of Manjushri, the King of Prayers, The Ornament of Clear Realizations, Entrance to Middle, and the swift return prayer composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Finally, to all faithful disciples who have a connection with Rinpoche, whether direct or indirect, I sincerely request you to come together to fulfill all of Rinpoche’s advices whole heartedly, and complete the unfinished projects that remain until the unmistaken reincarnation of Rinpoche comes and again takes responsibility to continue Rinpoche’s enlightened activities.

ln the future we’ll keep you abreast of developments as they arise.

Geshe Thubten Chonyi, Abbot of Kopan Monastery and FPMT Board Member

Please read the PDF version of Khenrinpoche’s letter:

English | Tibetan | Chinese

We recently shared the schedule of current prayers and pujas happening around the clock at Kopan Monastery for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, all are welcome to join the livestream on these continual activities. 

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Khenrinpoche Thubten Chonyi and Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery amidst the continual offering of prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. April 18, 2023. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

Continued Prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Swift Return

Prayers and pujas are continuing twenty-four hours a day at Kopan Monastery in front of Rinpoche’s holy body and also in the gompa for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. Monasteries, nunneries and FPMT centers around the world also continue with prayers and pujas.

“Every inch of Kopan is in prayers around the clock,” as reported from the monastery. We are pleased to continue to share the livestream of prayers happening (with occasional breaks). You will find it to be much better quality than the stream we offered initially, and all are invited to connect with what is being done at Kopan in this way: https://www.youtube.com/c/fpmtinc/live

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, a Nyingma lama very close to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, visited Kopan this morning, joining the prayers in Rinpoche’s room. You can read Chokyi Nyima’s heartfelt letter written upon receiving the news of Rinpoche’s passing. We are happy to share this short video of the prayers happening today, joined by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche:

https://youtube.com/shorts/J0eBjsY3j2g?feature=share

Tenzin Osel Hita is at Kopan and spoke to students gathered today. Ganden Tri Rinpoche, head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, arrived at Kopan today.

This is the current schedule of daily prayers and pujas being offered and livestreamed, according to the local time in Nepal:

1. 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Dung Choe practice by senior Sangha 
2. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Yamantaka Solitary Hero Self-Initiation 
3. 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. various practices (Lamrim Meditation, Tendrel Toepa (In Praise of Dependent Origination), Calling Guru from Afar, Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by international students)
4. 7:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Vajrayogini Self-Initiation 
5. 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Guru Puja, Tendrel Toepa (In Praise of Dependent Origination), Manjushri-nama-samgiti (Chanting the Names of Manjushri), King of Prayers, Abhisamayalamkara (Ornament of Clear Realizations), Mulamadhyamakakarika (Root Verses on the Middle Way), Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by monks and nuns.

Every seventh day there will also be Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog at Kopan Monastery. Those dates are: April 19 and 26; May 3, 10, 17, and 24; and May 31.

Prayers around the clock continue at Kopan Monastery for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. Photo by Alison Murdoch.

Important Events

On the forty-ninth day after Rinpoche stopped breathing, which is May 31, Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog will be offered at Kopan Monastery.

Before that, we have the very significant long life puja offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 24 in India. We’re hoping that many will come to this long life puja (or watch it livestreamed), as this puja will be exceptionally poignant and significant as it is a fulfilment of Rinpoche’s holy wishes.

On Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi’s advice, we’re planning to amend the already scheduled Light of the Path Retreat at Kopan (currently scheduled for September 3-17, 2023), and make it a month to come together for focused study and celebration of Rinpoche’s teachings, giving the opportunity to go deeper into and actualize the teachings Rinpoche has so kindly given us. We have such a wealth of teachings from Rinpoche, this will be a special opportunity to actualize them together. There will be senior FPMT registered teachers leading meditations and Khenrinpoche, Ven. Roger Kunsang, and others sharing life stories. It is likely that students will be able to come for any period of time within the Light of the Path month, depending on available accommodation at Kopan.

Details on this Light of the Path Retreat are still being worked out, but we wanted to offer these updates now so that you can have all this in mind for planning what you would be able and most like to join.

(Please note: This means that the Foundation Service Seminar that was scheduled at Kopan in September will be postponed).

 Advice for FPMT Centers and Students

 The following practices are suggested by Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi for FPMT centers and students to do at this time. These are practices to be offered as one wishes, not everything here has to be done:

• Lama Chopa and Tsog Offering – every day, or every seventh day
• Eight Verses of Thought Transformation
• In Praise of Dependent Origination translation by Thubten Jinpa | translation by Gavin Kilty 
• Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri
• King of Prayers
• Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and other distinguished lamas

Swift Return Booklet

We are delighted that so many centers and students have made quick use of the booklet containing swift return prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Khandro Kunga Bhuma, and others. We have made a recent update to this booklet and all are encouraged to download this most recent version: A Prayer for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the Dalai Lama with additional prayers by other distinguished lamas

 We have also added various translations as well as the standalone of His Holiness’s swift return prayer; and we are adding translations of the other prayers in the booklet as standalones as they become available.

(Please note: This collection of swift return prayers is a work in progress and updated versions of the booklet will be released. Our aim has been to make these prayers accessible as soon as they are available. Further prayers may be added to subsequent editions of the collection and edits made to existing prayers.)

 News, Updates, Resources, Tributes

 As a reminder, we have created the Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page, where all news and updates we have shared are and will be collected.  On that page we’ve also added a link to translations to updates available, with our thanks to the translation services.

We have also made available a page sharing tributes and condolences from great lamas, friends, and monastery officials around the world.

From our Tributes and Condolences page we have recently added a link to an online student tribute page created by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, for students to add their messages, tributes, and memories about Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We will share links to other online remembrance pages from FPMT centers as we receive them.

Please continue trying to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim. Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

May Rinpoche be reborn as quickly as possible in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings.

Big love,

Your friends at FPMT International Office

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

The main gompa at Kopan Monastery, April 15, 2023.

Today we share some important updates and newly available resources. Thank you for your continued prayers, offerings of support, condolences, and kindness. 

The Embalming Process

The embalming process for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body has begun. We have a short video to share of the prayers taking place around Rinpoche’s holy body at the start of the embalming process.

Regarding the lamas helping to take care of the embalming of Rinpoche’s holy body, the “Nyingma lama” we referred to in yesterday’s update is one of Rinpoche’s teachers, Lama Ngawang Chokyung. We are exceptionally grateful for his guidance. Lama Ngawang Chokyung is very experienced in this method, and supervised the embalming of His Holiness Trulshik Rinpoche. The “ex-abbot of Gyumed” that we referred to is the present abbot of Segyü Dratsang, Khen Rinpoche Losang Wangdu. We are very grateful for all his care and assistance at this time.

Swift Return Prayer by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

With great rejoicing we have received a prayer which His Holiness the Dalai Lama composed for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. This is available in English and Tibetan and has a particularly poignant colophon. For the convenience of students, we have compiled His Holiness’s prayer (starting on page 5), along with a small collection of additional prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return, composed spontaneously by other distinguished lamas with whom Rinpoche had a connection in this lifetime. It will be updated as we receive new compositions. Please download Prayer for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the Dalai Lama with additional prayers by other distinguished lamas. This booklet is very user friendly with each prayer bookmarked and linked to from the contents page. 

Prayers Offered, April 16

The following prayers are being offered today, April 16, at Kopan Monastery:

• Vajrasattva bath offering
• Thirteen Deities Yamantaka self-initiation offered by Rinpoches, Khenrinpoche, Gyumed senior monks and Kopan lama gyupas
• Extensive Medicine Buddha puja offered by general assembly of monks and nuns
• Bodhicharyavarara recitations offered by senior nuns
• All Kopan monks and nuns together with all monks of the Gelug monasteries in Nepal are gathering in the afternoon to recite prayers
• Lay devotees come in various group to make offerings and prayers
• All monks and nuns together with international students are reciting Madyamulakarika in the evening 
• More pujas will continue all night

You can watch a livestream of the continued prayers and pujas at Kopan. 

Tributes and Condolences

We have received many tributes to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and messages of support and condolence, including some prayers and practices offered for Rinpoche’s swift return, from lamas and monasteries around the world. You can read these on our new Tributes and Condolences page, which we’ve added to our Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page.

The monks of Sera Je Monastery gathering to offer prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Photo courtesy of Sera Je Monastery.

Ongoing Practice and Dedication

Please continue trying to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim. Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

May Rinpoche be reborn as quickly as possible in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings.

Big love,
Your friends at FPMT International Office

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this updates page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Nepal, March 27, 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On April 14 at 10 p.m. Nepal time, blood came from Rinpoche’s left nostril, signaling that Rinpoche had ended his meditation.

The room was then made cold to maintain the holy body, and this morning the holy body was packed in ice. 

The embalming process is the next step.

Khandro Kunga Bhuma has advised that today (April 15) is a dakini day, and that 7: 30 p.m. Nepal time today is the special time of the dakini day that fits for Rinpoche’s holy body to begin the embalming process. Khandro Kunga Bhuma will continue to take care – she is now in Nepal.

Two lamas are there who will be in charge of the embalming process, which may take several months. They are Geshe Wangdu, ex-Gyumed abbot; and a Nyingma lama (from whom Lama Zopa Rinpoche had taken transmissions), and who looked after the embalming of Trulshik Rinpoche. Ven. Roger will keep us informed about the process and timeline and we will continue to share updates on this process.

His Excellency Ling Rinpoche suggested that Rinpoche’s holy body be embalmed (rather than cremated) because Lama Zopa Rinpoche has so many students and is so widely known, as then people can come and pay their respects to Rinpoche’s holy body—it will become an object of pilgrimage at Kopan. As previously mentioned, Ven. Roger requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama to comment on this suggestion, and His Holiness advised that this is a very good way forward.

Pujas continue to go on constantly everywhere at Kopan: everyone in the monastery and nunnery is participating. The livestream of the prayers by Rinpoche’s room is continuing.

Additionally, groups are coming from other monasteries to do their own prayers in the gompa at Kopan in their own way for Rinpoche. We are making offerings to them.

Many, many monasteries are also doing pujas and prayers for Rinpoche in their own gompas. We will make offerings to them also.

Please continue trying to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim. Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

We are delighted to share that we just received the swift return prayer composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Tibetan, which is downloadable from the Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page. We will make it available in English as soon as possible.

We are also very happy to share the swift return prayer composed by Khandro Kunga Bhuma, in Tibetan and with a quick translation into English, also now downloadable from the Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page.

We rejoice in the swift return prayers kindly composed by other lamas also. We will add them to the Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche page as soon as possible.

May Rinpoche be reborn as quickly as possible in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings.

Big love,

Your friends at FPMT International Office

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this update page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, March 25, 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab

Yesterday we shared the incredibly heart breaking news that on April 13^th, Lama Zopa Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is still in the meditation stage in his room in Kopan Monastery. A short video of Rinpoche in clear light meditation is available on Youtube if you would like to view our precious guru at this time.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in clear light meditation, Kopan Monastery, April 13, 2023. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

In the room next to the room where Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body sits in meditation, Kopan monks immediately started and are continuously engaged in twenty-four hour prayers, pujas and self-initiations, and in Kopan’s main gompa prayers are being offered continually. The ongoing prayers with the monks and nuns are being livestreamed and you can connect with that now on Youtube.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised on the prayers and practices to be done in Kopan, and also immediately accepted to compose a swift return prayer for Rinpoche’s students.

Lelung Tulku is at Kopan and offering special prayers and puja, and Khandro Kunga Bhuma will arrive tomorrow.

The Kopan monks twenty-four hour prayers, pujas, and self-initiations have thus far included Yamantaka self-initiation, The Eight Prayers (many times), Lama Chopa (several times), recitations of Manjushri’s root text and Drang Nge Lekshe Nyingpo, and many Tara prayers.

This morning, April 14, the Kopan nuns took over and began an all day Vajrayogini self-initiation, which is done extensively. In the evening the monks will perform Guhyasamaja self-initiation, which will continue all night.

On April 15, a number of Gyudme tantric monks arrive and will be joined by Kopan monks to do extensive Five-deity Heruka Body Mandala self-initiation. This will continue every day, twenty-four hours a day, for many days.

Following advice from His Eminence Ling Rinpoche, and confirmed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s body will not be cremated, but will be embalmed. Khandro Kunga Bhuma will help to take care of this process.

We will announce information regarding the main prayer ceremony for Rinpoche once the time comes and we have specific details to share. 

Khandro-la very clearly said that Rinpoche took on the obstacles for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and maybe other lamas also, but definitely Rinpoche took on obstacles of His Holiness.

Rinpoche continues in clear light meditation, which gives us a very special opportunity to connect with Rinpoche’s holy mind.

Please keep trying to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim. Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

We will continue to send out updates as they become available, and these will be collected on this update page.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving at Tsum Valley, Nepal, April 10, 2023. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Our precious guru is sitting in meditation at Kopan Monastery. 

Rinpoche had been up in the mountains in the Tsum Valley since Monday, and had to be brought down urgently as Rinpoche was experiencing altitude sickness.

On arrival back in Kathmandu this morning, Rinpoche stopped breathing.  The main doctor at Karuna Hospital tried for some time to revive Rinpoche, but that was not  successful.  Rinpoche entered meditation at about 9.30am Nepal time, today Thursday April 13th.

His Holiness has been informed, and is giving advice.

The lama gyupas and monks are taking turns in sessions offering Cittamani Tara with Rinpoche, as advised by His Holiness. Other pujas and prayers are being offered here in Kopan.

Khadro-la has advised that this is a most important and precious time for students.  Khadro-la went on to advise that the best thing for the students to do at this time is to practice bodhicitta in particular, as well as impermanence in the context of the lamrim, and then also as much as one can to help fulfil the guru’s holy wishes.

Khadro-la insisted that we should take this opportunity to try to achieve all or some of the lamrim in our own practice.  Meditating and praying to the guru to receive his blessings and guidance is very important. And to try as much as possible to complete Rinpoche’s projects and holy wishes, so already to generate that wish that we’ll be able to do that.

Please pray and dedicate for Rinpoche to be reborn as quickly as possible in a place where he can be very quickly recognized and be of most benefit to sentient beings.

Please keep trying to fulfill Rinpoche’s holy wishes, especially to practice impermanence and bodhicitta in the context of the lamrim.  Fulfilling the gurus’ holy wishes is a very important part of inviting the guru to return.

As you know, Rinpoche was the embodiment of bodhicitta, and always stressed the importance of remembering impermanence, and the essential need to put the teachings into practice.  This is what we can do for our precious guru now – please try to follow Rinpoche’s heart advice. We can all connect with the guru and receive the guru’s blessings in this way – NOW is a very important time for this.

Our hearts are breaking, we take all our support from Rinpoche’s teachings, and the guidance of His Holiness and our teachers, and in our FPMT family.

Big love

On behalf of Ven Roger Kunsang
FPMT International Office

We will send out updates as they become available. 

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is  Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

The Lawudo Temple, 1984. Photo courtesy of Michelle Le Dimna.

Michelle Le Dimna arrived in Kopan for the 1978 November course and stayed in Nepal and India following teachings and doing retreat until February 1985. Michelle has spent about 40 years translating Dharma books into French. She was instrumental in organizing relic tours in France and Belgium and helped with fundraising for the Maitreya Project. 

Below is Michelle Le Dimna’s account of her visit to Solu Khumbu in 1984-1985 and her three-month winter retreat in Lawudo.

This story was first published in the Love Lawudo quarterly newsletter #5 in 2019. 

Rinpoche’s Advice and the Hardships of Getting to Lawudo

After Lama [Yeshe] passed away, I had the opportunity to have a long interview with [Lama Zopa] Rinpoche. It was the first time I could really accept whatever he would tell me to do. First, he sent me to Namo Buddha for a month’s retreat, then he told me to go for a three-month retreat at Lawudo. It’s difficult nowadays to imagine a world without the internet and even without a phone. I had no idea what I would find there, and I couldn’t tell anyone in Lawudo that I was coming. So, while waiting in Kathmandu at the end of the monsoon, I prepared what I thought would be necessary for my survival: a stove and kerosene. I remember not knowing whether Ani Samten [Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s sister] would be able to cook for me.

I took a bus from Kathmandu, but it didn’t get very far because a landslide had cut the road off, so I found myself at night in a shop, looking for a porter to help me to carry my load to Lawudo. A Nepali man said he would do it. I noticed that he was wearing smart shoes, but he was the only choice I had. After one day’s walk, he asked me for his money and made his escape without any warning in the early morning. I then found a young guy in the village, with bare feet, wearing very light white clothing, who was quite poor but also quite strong. As the nights were getting cool, I started to lend him my shawl, but after a few days I noticed I had got a lot of body lice which were quite hard to get rid of! He would only eat potatoes as he wanted to save as much money as possible. As he was not a talkative or noisy one, it was really nice to walk with him, day after day. It took maybe ten days in total to reach Namche. I felt very sorry that I was not able to give him as much money as he deserved, but there were no banks there and I had to keep enough for the three months to come.

Ani Samten (Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s sister) and Amala (Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother), Lawudo, 1984. Photo courtesy of Michelle Le Dimna.

The Difficulties and the Joys of Being at Lawudo

I bought butter and tsampa at the Namche market—it would be my daily breakfast—but the butter was not clean and there was a lot of moisture in it. It certainly didn’t help my stomach problems and I had dysentery during my whole stay because of amoebas and other parasites. I met Ani Samten and the monk from Kopan who was helping her, at the market and we walked together to Lawudo. Ani Samten was about my age, and I considered her as a sister. The relationship was easy and warm, we could communicate with our broken English.

Ani Samten preparing butter tea, 1984. Photo courtesy of Michelle Le Dimna.

With Amala [Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother], we only had a dozen of Tibetan words to communicate in: yapodu, yapomindu, tsutiche, mambo tsutiche and so on. Anyway, she was continuously reciting loudly OM MANI PADME HUM. The only conversations we had were concerning Rinpoche. She reminded me of my mother who had to bear not having news of her daughter for so long.

I had lunch with Amala and Ani Samten every day. I enjoyed eating potatoes every day very much. I love potatoes and am very used to them because I come from Bretagne [France]. They were very tasty with erma (timut in Nepali), chili sauce, and butter, of course. The potatoes would be sliced and dried in the sun or else placed in a big hole in the ground so that they wouldn’t get frozen. Every evening I went back to the kitchen for a short while just to enjoy a tea and sit by the fireplace. 

I was staying in a room just above the gompa and wearing my down jacket day and night. In December for sure, but maybe even before that, the water became frozen. The sun was hot during the day, so I don’t think I suffered from the cold. At night, sometimes I would sit outside and look at the sky. At the beginning I was very surprised to see so many shooting stars. They were very close and once I could hear the sound of a meteorite falling down very nearby. I thought I would be able to find it the next day, but it didn’t happen. It felt like magic, but actually it was simply because the meteorites were catching fire while entering into the atmosphere and the atmosphere is not far above at that altitude.

At the end of my retreat I allowed myself to tour around a bit. I had the opportunity to have a meeting with Charok Lama, using my poor words of Hindi and Tibetan! Another time, I went down to Thami, the village where Rinpoche was born. I also participated in a few pujas at the nunnery down below, which was very powerful. I am full of memories!

Remembering Death

Throughout the three months, only once did a group of trekkers visit Lawudo. Other than that, I saw no other Westerners. They were French, so we had a bit of a conversation. A week later, when Ani Samten came back from the market in Namche, she told me that one lady from this group had fallen down from the path and died. I was shocked. And it reminded me how strongly I felt the presence of death when I was preparing for my trip to Lawudo. Lama Lhundrup especially insisted very much that I should remember death at all times. He told me that Zina also went to the Himalayas for retreat, but she died up there before finishing it, so I had to be ready, he said something like that.

Dreaming of a Nice Hot Shower

Michelle Le Dimna fire puja at Kopan Monastery at the end of her three month retreat at Lawudo, 1985. Helped by young Daja Wangchuk. Photo courtesy of Michelle Le Dimna.

When the first snowfall came, I had to think of getting back down from the mountains. Ani Samten filled up my rucksack with crushed aromatic plants such as juniper, which came to 21 kilos. But when I started to make my way back, I had so much energy that I was running all the time. It didn’t take me long to get to Kathmandu, a week if I remember well. I was in such a dirty state that on my way I was dreaming more and more of a hot shower and when I arrived at my regular hotel, The Blue Star, I went straight to the shower. I put on the soap, but either the water was cold or there was no water! Strong expectations but big laughter, rather than big disappointment. When I was back in Kopan—where I performed the fire puja—Rinpoche invited me for a Sherpa meal one-to-one as he wanted to have fresh news of his family.

So that was my experience of doing retreat at Lawudo. Years later, when I read The Lawudo Lama I realized that I had no idea of the power of the place, it was incredible! So, this is just my small story at my level. But I feel very grateful to have been given this opportunity and to have had this connection.

Please consider subscribing to the Lawudo newsletter which is published four times each year on the major holy days. For more information about Lawudo Gompa and Retreat Center, please visit the Lawudo Gompa website. You can also follow Lawudo on Facebook. 

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