Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Richard Gere and members of New York’s Sherpa community after long life initiation, Queens, NY, August 30, 2015. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On Sunday, August 30, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave a Most Secret Hayagriva long life initiation for New York‘s Sherpa community. The event was organized by Ogmin Jangchub Sishu Tsogpa, the association of former Kopan Monastery monks and nuns living in New York, and held in the building owned by the United Sherpa Association in Queens. American actor Richard Gere also attended the event, which was the day before his birthday. He was offered cake and thanks by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche thanking actor Richard Gere, Queens, New York, August 2015. Photo by Ven. Sherab.

During Rinpoche’s August visit to New York, he had quite a few visits with the former monks and nuns of Kopan living in New York. There was a large picnic with the Kopan community and other Tibetans and Sherpas in a park on Long Island mid-month. After the picnic, Rinpoche gave Dharma advice. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving Dharma advice during a picnic, Long Island, NY, August 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche also had dinner with a group of former Kopan monks and nuns at a restaurant in Queens. The group gathers about once a month for a social dinner and to offer each other support and discuss things like helping those back in Nepal who were affected by the devastating earthquake. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at dinner with former Kopan monks and nuns, Queens, New York. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in a Yellow Cab in New York City, US, August 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

“Wherever Rinpoche goes in New York City, there are always ex-Kopan monks in yellow cabs to take Rinpoche there,” shared Ven. Roger Kunsang, assistant to Rinpoche and CEO of FPMT. This is because many of the former monks living in New York drive cabs and Ven. Roger knows who to call to have one of them pick up Rinpoche.

Rinpoche also gave teachings and participated in other activities organized by Shantideva Meditation Center, the FPMT center in New York. We’ll have more on those events in the days to come.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at picnic with former Kopan monastery monks and nuns and other Tibetans and Sherpas living in New York, August 2015. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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