receive our newsletters     join Friends of FPMT
DONATE
  • DONATE
  • Home
  • News / Media
    • Mandala Magazine
      • Online Features
      • Archive
      • About Mandala Publications
      • This Issue
      • Subscribe
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Support Prisoners
    • FPMT News
    • Important Announcements
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
    • e-News
      • e-News Archives
      • Receive Our Newsletters
      • Unsubscribe e-News
      • Unsubscribe FPMT Latest News
    • RSS Feeds
      • All News
      • FPMT Announcements
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
      • Rinpoche’s Schedule
      • Rinpoche’s Health Updates
      • News About Ösel
      • FPMT Projects News
      • Education News
      • Mandala Magazine
    • Social Media
    • Videos, Photos, & Publications
      • Video Resources
      • Photo Galleries
      • Publications
      • Resources
  • Education
    • Education News
    • Programs
      • New to Buddhism?
      • Discovering Buddhism
      • Basic Program
      • Masters Program
      • Maitripa College
      • Living in the Path
      • Advice for Death and Dying
      • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
    • Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Available by Donation
      • Free Downloads
      • Lamrim Resources
      • Dharma Dates – Tibetan Calendar
      • Prayer Book Updates
    • Mantras and Sutras
      • Various Mantras and Resources
      • Various Sutras and Resources
    • Death and Dying
    • Teachings and Advice
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Audio Teachings
      • Light of the Path Teachings
      • FPMT YouTube Channel
    • Holy Objects
      • Prayer Flags
      • Prayer Wheels
      • Relics
      • Statues
      • Stupas
      • Thangkas
      • Tsa-Tsas
      • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
    • FPMT Service Seminars
    • Translations
    • Offer Your Support
    • Youth
      • Children’s Practice Materials
      • Mandala Magazine Articles on Youth
      • FDCW Family Activities
    • Secular
      • Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth (LKPY)
      • Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom
    • Buddhism FAQ
  • Centers
    • Center Directory
    • Center FAQ
    • Community Service
    • Affiliates Area
    • Monks and Nuns
    • Retreat Information
      • Retreat Schedule
      • Discovering Buddhism Retreat Schedule
      • Basic Program Retreat Schedule
  • Teachers
    • Spiritual Guides
    • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
      • Biography
      • Books & Teachings
      • Foundation for Universal Responsibility
      • Long Life Prayer
      • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • Speeches and Letters
    • Lama Thubten Yeshe
      • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
      • Photo Gallery
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
      • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • About
      • News
      • Schedule
      • Videos
      • Photos
      • Advice
      • How to Contact
      • Rinpoche’s Health – Official Updates & Practices
    • Rinpoche’s Teachers
    • Resident Teachers
    • Touring Lamas
    • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Projects
    • Make a Donation
    • Charitable Projects
      • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
      • Supporting Our Lamas
      • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
      • Social Services Fund
      • Holy Objects Fund
      • Practice and Retreat Fund
      • Education and Preservation Fund
      • Applying for Grants
    • News about Projects
    • Other Projects within FPMT
      • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
      • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
      • Land of Calm Abiding
      • FPMT Mongolia
      • Tara Puja Fund
      • Tsum
    • Support International Office
      • Friends of FPMT Membership
      • Work a Day for Rinpoche
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
      • Merit Box
      • Give a Gift that Helps Others
    • Give Where Most Needed
  • FPMT
    • About FPMT
      • Mission Statement
      • Vast Visions for FPMT
      • The Origins of FPMT
      • Wisdom Culture
      • Video Documentary
      • Problem Solving
    • Osel Hita
      • News about Ösel
      • Photos of Ösel
      • Videos of Ösel
      • Books, Articles, Talks
    • International Office
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff – Key Positions
      • Contact Us
      • Map & Directions
      • Environmental Plan
      • Donate
    • Regional & National Offices
    • Statements of Appreciation
    • Volunteer & Jobs
    • Annual Review
  • Shop
    • The Foundation Store
    • New Arrivals
    • Specials
    • Foundation Store Newsletter
    • Practice Generosity
Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Jun
1
2015

Purifying Your Forefathers’ Killing Karma

Posted in Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice.
1000-Armed Chenrezig, Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California,November 2014. Photo by Chris Majors.

1000-Armed Chenrezig, Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California,November 2014. Photo by Chris Majors.

A student wrote Lama Zopa Rinpoche with a serious confession: “My forefathers have done very heinous sins, which is the major cause of suffering in our family now. My grandma’s father and his friends a long, long time ago killed a monk by forcibly driving him to jump into a river, where he drowned. That monk was passing our village to go back to Tibet after pilgrimage, but my grandma’s father and his friends stopped him on his way and took all his belongings and killed him. I am very ashamed to tell this story, but I have faith that I can stop all this suffering with the help of Rinpoche’s advice ….”

You need to do 10 x 100,000 [i.e., 1 million] OM MANI PADME HUMs urgently, not just to purify your negative karma, but also the negative karma of those who killed the monk and the whole family. Recite OM MANI PADME HUM without a distracted mind. Visualize 1000-Armed Chenrezig, huge like a mountain and radiating light. From Chenrezig beams of compassion are sent out to those family members who killed the monk, to yourself and to all your family. That’s the main thing. Then at the end of each mala, think that the beams purified all sentient beings: the numberless hell beings, numberless hungry ghosts, numberless animals, numberless humans, numberless suras and asuras. They all become Chenrezig, including your family members. As you recite OM MANI PADME HUM, mainly concentrate on your family: beams are continually emitted from Chenrezig, purifying them, and then at the end of each mala, think all sentient beings are purified and become Chenrezig. Then again, do purification; continue like that.

And if you can build one statue of 1000-Armed Chenrezig, the size should be 32 inches (80 cm), for the monk, those who killed the monk, the rest of the family and all sentient beings.

My mother used to do 50,000 mantras a day but when she was close to dying, one year before she died, she said she couldn’t do that much. Because she recited all those OM MANI PADME HUM mantras, she had more compassion than me, even though she couldn’t read even one letter because she didn’t know the Tibetan alphabet.

With much love and prayers,

Lama Zopa

Scribed by Ven. Sarah Thresher, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, March 2015. Edited by Mandala for inclusion on FPMT.org.

Learn more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and Rinpoche’s vision for a better world. Sign up to receive news and updates.

Facebooktwitter
  • Tagged: advice from lama zopa rinpoche, lama zopa rinpoche
  • Home
  • News / Media
    • Mandala Magazine
      • Online Features
      • Archive
      • About Mandala Publications
        • FPMT News Around the World Submission Guidelines
      • This Issue
      • Subscribe
        • Subscribe to Mandala Publications
        • Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
      • Contact
        • Laura Miller – Managing Editor and Publisher
        • Nicole Parisi-Smith – Assistant Editor
        • Friends of FPMT
        • Address Changes
      • Advertise
      • Support Prisoners
    • FPMT News
    • Important Announcements
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
    • e-News
      • e-News Archives
      • Receive Our Newsletters
      • Unsubscribe e-News
      • Unsubscribe FPMT Latest News
    • RSS Feeds
      • All News
      • FPMT Announcements
      • Lama Zopa Rinpoche News
      • Rinpoche’s Schedule
      • Rinpoche’s Health Updates
      • News About Ösel
      • FPMT Projects News
      • Education News
      • Mandala Magazine
    • Social Media
    • Videos, Photos, & Publications
      • Video Resources
        • Teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche
        • FPMT Live Webcast Channel
        • FPMT YouTube Channel
        • Mystic Tibet
          • Credits & Sponsors
          • Pictures
          • Press Packet
          • Purchase DVD
          • Reviews
          • Synopsis
          • Watch the Trailer
      • Photo Galleries
      • Publications
      • Resources
  • Education
    • Education News
    • Programs
      • New to Buddhism?
      • Discovering Buddhism
        • Homestudy Program
        • Online Learning Center
        • Centers Hosting the Program
        • Discovering Buddhism DVD
        • See the Trailer
        • Watch Discovering Buddhism Videos
        • Resources
        • Info on Mod 14
        • Western Teachers
        • FAQ
        • Statements of Appreciation
      • Basic Program
        • Standard Texts and Commentaries
        • Subject Descriptions
        • Preparatory Study and Practice
        • Centers
        • Homestudy
        • Homestudy Teachers
        • Homestudy FAQ
      • Masters Program
      • Maitripa College
      • Living in the Path
        • Online Program
        • Register for Retreat
        • Watch Living in the Path Videos
      • Advice for Death and Dying
      • Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program
    • Prayers & Practice Materials
      • Available by Donation
      • Free Downloads
      • Lamrim Resources
      • Dharma Dates – Tibetan Calendar
        • Purchase Calendar
        • Dates Explained
      • Prayer Book Updates
    • Mantras and Sutras
      • Various Mantras and Resources
      • Various Sutras and Resources
        • Amitayus Long Life Sutra
        • Entering the Great City of Vaishali
        • Heart Sutra
        • Sanghata Sutra
        • Sutra of Golden Light
        • Vajra Cutter Sutra
    • Death and Dying
    • Teachings and Advice
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Audio Teachings
      • Light of the Path Teachings
        • 2017 Video Archive
        • 2016 Video Archive
        • 2014 Video Archive
        • 2010 Video Archive
        • 2009 Video Archive
      • FPMT YouTube Channel
    • Holy Objects
      • Prayer Flags
      • Prayer Wheels
      • Relics
      • Statues
      • Stupas
      • Thangkas
      • Tsa-Tsas
      • Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
        • Information on How to Fill a Prayer Wheel
        • Benefits of Making Prayer Wheels
        • How this Latest Mani Microfilm was Developed
    • FPMT Service Seminars
    • Translations
    • Offer Your Support
    • Youth
      • Children’s Practice Materials
      • Mandala Magazine Articles on Youth
      • FDCW Family Activities
    • Secular
      • Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth (LKPY)
      • Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom
    • Buddhism FAQ
  • Centers
    • Center Directory
    • Center FAQ
    • Community Service
    • Affiliates Area
    • Monks and Nuns
    • Retreat Information
      • Retreat Schedule
      • Discovering Buddhism Retreat Schedule
      • Basic Program Retreat Schedule
  • Teachers
    • Spiritual Guides
    • His Holiness the Dalai Lama
      • Biography
      • Books & Teachings
      • Foundation for Universal Responsibility
      • Long Life Prayer
      • Praise to His Holiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • Speeches and Letters
    • Lama Thubten Yeshe
      • Biography of Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa
      • Photo Gallery
      • Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
      • Tributes to Lama Yeshe
      • Lama Yeshe’s Vision for FPMT
    • Lama Zopa Rinpoche
      • About
      • News
      • Schedule
      • Videos
      • Photos
      • Advice
      • How to Contact
      • Rinpoche’s Health – Official Updates & Practices
        • Practices
        • En Français
        • Ongoing List of Some of the Pujas Done
    • Rinpoche’s Teachers
    • Resident Teachers
    • Touring Lamas
    • Shugden/Dolgyal Information
  • Projects
    • Make a Donation
    • Charitable Projects
      • FPMT’s Charitable Projects
      • Supporting Our Lamas
        • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Big Love Fund
          • News
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Long Life Puja Fund
          • Photos
      • Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund
        • Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Social Services Fund
        • Animal Liberation Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Protecting the Environment
      • Holy Objects Fund
        • Stupa Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Padmasambhava Project for Peace
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Maitreya Projects
        • Prayer Wheel Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Practice and Retreat Fund
        • Puja Fund
          • News
          • Activities
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
        • Prajnaparamita Project
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Education and Preservation Fund
        • Education Fund
          • Donate Now
        • Translation Fund
        • Preserving the Lineage Fund
          • Photos
          • Donate Now
      • Applying for Grants
    • News about Projects
    • Other Projects within FPMT
      • Animal Liberation Sanctuary
      • Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund
      • Land of Calm Abiding
      • FPMT Mongolia
        • Donate Now
      • Tara Puja Fund
      • Tsum
        • Living Conditions
        • Plans for the Future
        • A Personal Account
        • Health Survey
        • Photo Album
        • Donate Now
    • Support International Office
      • Friends of FPMT Membership
      • Work a Day for Rinpoche
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
      • Merit Box
      • Give a Gift that Helps Others
    • Give Where Most Needed
  • FPMT
    • About FPMT
      • Mission Statement
      • Vast Visions for FPMT
      • The Origins of FPMT
      • Wisdom Culture
      • Video Documentary
      • Problem Solving
    • Osel Hita
      • News about Ösel
      • Photos of Ösel
      • Videos of Ösel
      • Books, Articles, Talks
    • International Office
      • Board of Directors
      • Staff – Key Positions
      • Contact Us
      • Map & Directions
      • Environmental Plan
      • Donate
    • Regional & National Offices
    • Statements of Appreciation
    • Volunteer & Jobs
    • Annual Review
  • Shop
    • The Foundation Store
    • New Arrivals
    • Specials
    • Foundation Store Newsletter
    • Practice Generosity

Translate*

*powered by Google TranslateTranslation of pages on fpmt.org is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which FPMT has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content. The translations should not be considered exact and only used as a rough guide.

Good human qualities… honesty, sincerity, a good heart, cannot be bought with money, nor can they be produced by machines, but only by the mind itself. We call this the inner light, or God’s blessing, or human quality. This is the essence of mankind.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Contact Info

1632 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214-4702 USA
Tel (503) 808-1588 | Fax (503) 232-0557

About FPMT

FPMT is an organization devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. more...

About Buddhism

If you're new to Buddhism, please read our Buddhism FAQ. A place to learn about Buddhism in general, FPMT, and our Discovering Buddhism at Home series.
Contact Us | RSS Feeds | Privacy & Security | Copyright ©2019 FPMT Inc.