Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Thubten Rinchen, Boudhanath, Nepal, April 13, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

May 31 marked the forty-ninth day since Lama Zopa Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away. A very moving and powerful puja occurred at Kopan Monastery with all the Kopan monks and nuns, hundreds of non-Tibetan students, and many Sherpa and Nepalese individuals. 

Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog offered on the 49th day of Lama Zopa Rinpoche showing the aspect of passing away, May 31, 2023, Kopan Monastery, Nepal. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery

During these 49 days following Lama Zopa Rinpoche showing the aspect of passing away, an extraordinary amount of prayers, condolences, and support as well as visits to Kopan, have come from all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and from monasteries, organizations, high lamas, Nepalese government officials, and individuals offering prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return and sharing many moving tributes to Rinpoche’s extraordinary qualities and many beneficial activities. All the great monasteries in India offered prayers, especially at Sera Je Monastery. All the monks of Sera Je gathered every day during the first week and then every seven days following; and the  abbot of Sere Je, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsethar, also flew up to Kopan to offer prayers directly on the occasion of  the thirty-five days since Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away. Students from around the world came to Kopan to join in many auspicious activities at this time including the prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return occurring 24 hours a day in front of Rinpoche’s holy body, the long life puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala and subsequent audience with His Holiness, and the special Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog puja occurring every 7 days up to the 49th day of Rinpoche’s passing. 

Just hours after Lama Zopa Rinpoche entered his final meditation on April 13, 2023, Sera Mey Geshe Thubten Rinchen Rinpoche spoke to the Kopan sangha and students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, offering heartfelt words of sadness, praise, and encouragement for the future. 

Geshe Thubten Rinchen Rinpoche was a close friend of Lama Zopa Rinpoche from an early age, and mentioned this to some of the Kopan sangha that same day, “From 1961, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and I stayed together in this place called Buxa for about seven years. There were many monks there, but among them Rinpoche and I lived together very intimately as part of a small group of monks. We stayed there close together, so I really know him and understand him.”

Below is the advice offered by Geshe Thubten Rinchen Rinpoche, to the monks and nuns of Kopan and to students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, on April 13, 2023 at Kopan Monastery:

Hello, I thought to send one or two words to you all. This is the one called Thupten Rinchen of Sera Mey Monastery, Tsangpa Khangtsen. You are all probably familiar with me. The thing I want to speak about is the very sad and tragic news that I heard today at about one o’clock in the afternoon, that the one with a great altruistic mind, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, has passed into parinirvana. I heard this very sad, disheartening news today.

At that time, in my mind I became like a person who’s gone blank. Then, as I gradually reflected on his enlightened deeds and activities over all these years, my grief became greater and greater. There’s nothing to be done, really. But thinking foremost of Rinpoche’s main secretary, Venerable Roger, and all the other staff and monks and nuns at Kopan Monastery, I thought to offer a few words of condolence. I’m nobody to say anything, but, from this afternoon when I first heard until now tonight, about 10:00 pm, I’ve been reflecting on what’s happened. Finally, an intention to say something came. Uncontrollably, my mind has been as if going in circles. I can’t help but say something. Please don’t be upset with me.

There is the future in general, but then too I wouldn’t really know what to say. In any case, thinking of the enlightened deeds and activities of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body, speech, and mind, just the deeds and activities of this holy life are truly something beyond comprehension. In general, the way he has benefited the Buddha’s teachings by spreading them to many foreign countries where they did not exist before, and continues to do so, and especially with regard to the teachings of the Riwo Ganden lineage, is truly something amazing. Rinpoche has spread these teachings widely to many places where they had not spread before. We all know about this.

In my observation, although there are many veritable holy lamas, among them the activities to serve and spread the Buddha’s teachings that are the most extensive and most widespread are just those of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche himself. This is what I think. Therefore, he has been inconceivably kind to us. In addition, as we can directly see, Rinpoche has been incredibly kind in supporting the Great Seats and countless particular groups within those. You may not believe it, but when I heard the news this afternoon, thinking of what an inconceivably kind and great holy being has passed away, I became immeasurably sad and inexpressibly grief-stricken. I thought to send a message then, but have been thinking about it until now. Now I can’t help but say a few words. Apart from offering this message, I have no other aims.

Venerable Roger and all of you have, from a very young age, lived at Kopan, Jangchub Choling Monastery, following the discipline and serving the monastery until becoming advanced in age. There are many senior monastics in your community. In any case, to all of you, headed by these elders, I have a few words of hope and thoughts to share. There’s no need for me to say that for a long time all of you have sincerely served Rinpoche. But at this time, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s unfinished deeds need to be continued. Some of the projects I know about are construction of a Guru Rinpoche statue and the project in Kushinagar, and there are other similar projects yet to be completed, right? Although Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is no longer with us now, still, I request you to please bring these types of projects, these unfinished holy deeds of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to completion. An incarnation will definitely come.

It’s certain that you all are very downhearted at this time, however, there’s no benefit in just remaining downhearted. Whatever the case may be, what I want to say is that it is extremely important to make every effort to continue with the unfinished works of Lama Zopa. So, I request and pray that you will do this. Certainly, you are sad at heart, and I’m together with you in feeling great sorrow. I want to let you know this. This is primarily to all the staff.

Regarding Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, there are the deeds of his holy body, speech and mind. As for the holy deeds of his body, from this morning they have become like a dream. We will not have the fortune to meet him in person again. Similarly, as to the holy deeds of his speech, we can no longer hear his speech. However, in regard to the deeds of his holy mind, the deeds of his holy mind are the most important. With regard to the geshes and students at Dharma centers in many different countries, remembering the kindness of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, they will surely consider what to do. From my side, I sincerely request that, remembering Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s kindness, they should, if possible, increase the Dharma, social service, and other works of Rinpoche more than before; but if they cannot manage this, at least continue to sustain the various works Rinpoche has initiated as they exist now without letting them decline. It is very presumptuous of me to say this, but please don’t feel irritated.

Then, at this time, in my opinion, in Nepal, Ogmin Jangchub Choling and also the nunnery, Kachoe Ghakyil Ling, these two monasteries are not insignificant. Rather, they currently engage in studies of both sūtra and tantra. Therefore, you need to remember again and again what are the deeds of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy mind and his heart’s intentions. In general, this is an extremely sad and unfortunate situation such as I have probably never experienced. Definitely, intense grief will arise. But when it arises, some may think, “Now there’s nothing to be done. Our refuge is gone, he has passed away. [Geshe Thubten Rinchen Rinpoche is overcome and cries briefly] There’s no point in anything now.” On one hand, it’s not sure that this is entirely untrue, right? However, if one just thinks in this way, it is fundamentally not all right. If you ask why, it’s because the heart intention of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is what?

During our very own lifetimes, on this land where these monasteries now stand, there was nothing before, barely even a house. Now, a great monastic community with a union of study and practice of both sūtra and tantra has been well established. Compared to this great deed and enlightened activity, there’s none higher. Recognizing this, you need to continue this great deed and intention of Rinpoche’s holy mind to the best of your ability. I have no more significant request than this.

You need to generate enthusiasm and make effort even more than before to not let the unified study and practice of sūtra and tantra decline, but rather increase it more and more. To sustain this work is extremely important. As I’ve already said, of course one will be downhearted, but there’s no sense in remaining like this. If one just thinks, “Now there’s nothing to be done,” then there is no offering of practice and no offering of pleasing the guru. Rather, recognizing that there’s no higher offering to Lama Zopa Rinpoche than fulfilling his sacred intentions, all the monks now in the monastery need to pull together and consider what is the best way forward to sustain this work. This is one thing I humbly request of you.

Just as I’ve requested the monks, I request the same of all the nuns of Kachoe Ghakyil Ling. All of you will surely be sad and feel as if stricken by an inconsolable grief. However, there’s no point in just dwelling in this. Rather, just as I’ve said to the monks, some may say that now there’s nothing to do and no point to stay in the monastery and then think to leave. This may occur, but this is a totally mistaken path. Not only that, instead of accomplishing Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s intentions, it becomes not following his wishes.

Therefore, although the deeds of Rinpoche’s holy body and speech have come to an end, it is extremely important to know the wishes of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy mind and strive to accomplish them. His intention is as I said before. From nothing to just a small nunnery, to now a great community of nuns has been established, and not only that, engaged in the unified study and practice of both sūtra and tantra. Not only has this been established, but as a fruit of these efforts it is the first monastery to produce geshemas, something that didn’t even exist in name in Tibetan not long ago. You all know this. For this to happen Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche worked incredibly hard with great determination. Seeing this and taking it to mind then, although at this time you may be disheartened in some moments, you should not give up, thinking “Now I’ll leave the community and just go off some place to live alone.” It’s possible you may be small minded like that. If you do that, then, as I said to the monks, it is not fulfilling Rinpoche’s holy wishes and is not an offering of practice. Therefore, I request you to think well what it is to accomplish Rinpoche’s heart intentions, choose the right path, and not follow a mistaken path. It’s up to each individual person to consider this well. There’s nothing better to do than this. Consider what is the intention of Rinpoche’s enlightened mind, understand and strive to accomplish that. If you do this then it is an offering of pleasing and bringing joy to the lama. There’s no better offering. So I earnestly request you to make such offerings of pleasing the guru and fulfilling his instructions. My speaking in this way is very presumptuous, but please don’t be irritated. It is my sincere opinion. The main thing is to serve.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has passed away now—you know that. But although he has passed away, he was an inconceivably great spiritual teacher, as you all know well. He was a great practitioner of the altruistic wish to accomplish the welfare of others and took great interest in studies as well. We have directly seen this. At this time, in order to fulfill his wishes and also to benefit ourselves, whether as an organization or in our own room, we should recite the Guru Puja, placing Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the very center of the merit field in clear light, make offerings, and from among the offerings focus on the offering of practice. There’s no need for me to tell you, actually. Until now all of you have taken Rinpoche’s advice to heart, engaged in studies and practice and made offerings of pleasing the guru very well. Nonetheless, we are all afflicted sometimes by faults of body, speech and mind, and sometimes see faults in the lama. At such times we should accumulate recitations of the Confession of Moral Downfalls in order to purify negativities and obscurations arising from the body, speech and mind being afflicted by negative karmas. I have personally seen how beneficial it is to confess and practice restraint in this way.

Rinpoche’s enlightened deeds and activities of this life have finished, but we can hang our hopes on praying that an unmistaken reincarnation of the lama swiftly appears who is able to continue the work of his previous life in just the same way, and we can request to once again enjoy the nectar of his holy speech turning the wheel of Dharma as before. In addition, we can request that in that life he remain long to benefit transmigratory beings. Remembering how kind Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been to us, we can make such requests while recalling all of Rinpoche’s kind deeds. Please consider these suggestions.

We can clearly visualize the sacred venerable guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, then think, “Just as he engaged in enlightened deeds, so too may I personally continue to sustain those deeds.” We should meditate like that. I think this is the best way to pray and the best way to serve now that Rinpoche has passed into parinirvana. I think this is the best thing to do. With the idea that this might be helpful to you all, I’ve offered these words. If you agree, then please act accordingly.

Finally, to summarize, this great monastery of Kopan monks and nuns has been established; to put it concisely, at this time of sorrow, there’s a real danger that you think, “How unfortunate! There’s nothing to be done now. It’d be better to go off to some other place.” If you follow such thoughts, it is not making an offering of fulfilling Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice, it is not remembering his kindness, and it will lead to the destruction of his kind enlightened activities. Therefore, when such thoughts arise, recognize them as just the result of grief and don’t follow them. Rather, strive to accomplish Rinpoche’s intentions even more than before. Please continue to study and practice at least as well as now, and if possible improve upon the present. Not only that, but do not leave study at the mere level of listening and contemplation, but take all the meanings gleaned through these into meditative practice and generate realizations. Offer this as a personal commitment and actually practice accordingly. I implore you to do this. This is the best offering of practice, the best offering of pleasing the lama, and the best way to commemorate the life of the lama. Don’t take my word for it. All of you should reflect yourselves on what are the holy wishes of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and there is nothing for you not to understand. I pray that you will do this. I urgently request you to consider things in this way.

Likewise, at your monastery there is Khen Rinpoche and the scriptural teachers. I implore them to take care to give pertinent advice and that it not become just idle talk but is put into practice. My final request is this. Please don’t feel irritated that these words are too many or are inappropriate. Thank you.

Translated by Ven. Tenzin Legtsok with assistance from Sera Je Geshe Ngawang Sangye at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, on April 22, 2023. Edited by Ven. Ailsa Cameron.