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Lama Zopa Rinpoche greeting participants of the Kopan November Course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Since our last update, Lama Zopa Rinpoche spent beneficial time in India and Nepal in October and November, including a moving visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Rinpoche also visited Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery in Bigu, Nepal where he gave ordination vows for forty-five new nuns and participated in a ceremony for their new gompa. Rinpoche then taught at the fifty-third Kopan November Course at Kopan Monastery throughout December, and received a long life puja on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Rinpoche engaged in a variety of other auspicious activities, benefiting and blessing sentient beings in any way possible along the way.
We invite you to read more about some of these activities below and to join us in rejoicing about how Rinpoche inspires us all to live a full and beneficial life.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ven. Roger Kunsang, and other monks, November 2, 2022. Dharamsala, India. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
A Most Auspicious Meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
On November 2, 2022, Rinpoche, accompanied by Ven. Roger Kunsang, Geshe Ngawang Sangye, Ven. Tendar, and Ven. Topgye; had a private audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in His Holiness’s residence in Dharamsala, India. Ven. Roger commented about the meeting, “From the time His Holiness came into the room, His Holiness showed the aspect of being very pleased with Rinpoche and taking time with the meeting, very happy. Everything was very comfortable and easy. His Holiness was really making clear His Holiness’s appreciation for Rinpoche’s activities for the benefit of sentient beings. This was the mood of the meeting.” During the meeting, His Holiness thanked Rinpoche for bringing Buddha’s teachings to the West, and accepted Rinpoche’s request that FPMT offer His Holiness a long life puja. You can read more details about this auspicious event.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave ordination over two days, with explanation, to forty-five new nuns at Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal. November 18, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Topgye.
Visit to Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Bigu, Nepal
On November 14, Rinpoche ceremoniously arrived at Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery in Bigu, Nepal. Since 2009, the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and some kind donors has been sponsoring the nuns of this Kagyu nunnery to complete one and often two 100 million mani retreats (100 million recitations of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM) each year, including sponsoring the cost of food for all who participate. In addition to sponsoring the retreats, grants have also been offered for medical expenses and other needs at the nunnery over the years.
Rinpoche led an opening ceremony for their new gompa with Drukpa Rinpoche, offered Amitayus initiation, Vajrayogini initiation, and ordination for forty-five new nuns.
Young Kopan monks singing, “happy birthday” to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, December 3, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
A Birthday Celebration at Kopan Monastery
On Rinpoche’s birthday, December 3, the Kopan community, joined by monks and nuns, locals, and November Course participants, offered a Sixteen Arhats long-life puja to Rinpoche, and organized a joyous celebration for FPMT’s spiritual director. The events included many performances of song, traditional Tibetan dances, and prayers. FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world also held their own celebrations and offerings for this special occasion.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the fifty-third Kopan lamrim meditation course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 9, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Teachings at the Fifty-third Lamrim Meditation Course at Kopan Monastery
Rinpoche arrived back at Kopan Monastery on November 9. On November 25, after a two-year break due to the pandemic restrictions and safety concerns, 175 students started the fifty-third lamrim meditation course (also known as the November Course) at Kopan with Geshe Tenzin Namdak serving as retreat teacher. Geshe Namdak is a Dutch senior monk who completed his Geshe degree at Sera University in India in 2017. Geshe Namdak is the first Westerner to complete the full course of studies at Sera Je Monastery and also to sit for the final geshe examination there, a tremendous achievement.
On December 7, Rinpoche began teaching at the November Course and offered sixteen teachings through December 25, concluding with a jenang (permission to practice) of Vajrasattva. The teachings were livestreamed on YouTube for all to join. All of these teachings are also available as edited videos, which are added to the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Teachings from Kopan 2022 page with summaries of the teachings as they become available.
During this time, Rinpoche also offered course participants a refuge ceremony on December 23; course participants went on pilgrimage to the Swayambunath and Boudhanath stupas on December 24. Rinpoche also took this opportunity to meet with quite a few representatives of FPMT centers who were attending the November Course.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with IMI Sangha on Lama Tsongkhapa Day at Kopan Monastery. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery.
Pujas, Prayers, and Practices
Rinpoche is continuously engaging in pujas, prayers, and practices to benefit all sentient beings and benefit all variety of external conditions, including the elements, as extensively as possible.
Rinpoche spent time at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, from October 30 to November 5 where Rinpoche led Lama Chopa tsog with 102 students and visitors in attendance, protector prayers, and prayers to Ksitigarbha.
His Eminence the 102nd Ganden Tripa Rigzong Rinpoche passed away at the age of 95 on December 8, 2022. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, and the Kopan Lama Gyupa offered Yamantaka self-initiation at news of the passing of this great lama, who was one of Rinpoche’s gurus.
A Sixteen Arhats long life puja was offered for Rinpoche at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery on December 15, prior to a celebration honoring eight nuns who completed their Geshema degrees in 2019 and 2022.
This year Lama Tsongkhapa Day fell on December 18. The day started at Kopan Monastery with a 1,000 Offerings to Maitreya Buddha puja offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, and all of the sangha at Kopan. After a lunch for more than 35 IMI sangha members, Rinpoche led everyone around the Guhyasamaja sand mandala in the Lama Gyupa gompa, explaining the incredible benefits you get just from seeing the mandala. All of the sangha at Kopan then offered a heartfelt and powerful Heruka Lama Chopa with extensive light offerings made outside.
On December 22, Rinpoche led Chod tsog at Boudhanath stupa with Yangsi Rinpoche, a few nuns from Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery, and Umze Geshe Sherab from Kopan Monastery.
Among many ongoing practices, Lama Chopa tsog, Wealth Vase puja, and Guhyasamaja self-initiation were offered at Kopan Monastery while Rinpoche was there.
Lama Zopa Runpoche during the long life puja offered to Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, December 21, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Long Life Puja for Rinpoche
A long life puja was offered by the entire FPMT organization to Rinpoche on December 21, at Kopan Monastery. This puja was offered in accordance with the advice of Khandro Kunga Bhuma (Khandro-la), and is part of a collection of practices offered for Rinpoche’s health and the well-being of the entire FPMT organization.
Book Release Event for Rinpoche’s New Book in Nepali
Rinpoche recently authored a new book in Nepali, titled The Effects of Smoking and Living a Healthy and Happy life. Kopan Nunnery hosted a public book release, which drew over 600 guests, including dignitaries such as Mr. Gagan K. Thapa from the Nepali Parliament’s House of Representatives. Music was offered by renowned singers Raju Lama and Ani Choying Drolma during the event. This book is a mixture of life advice and also details the harms of smoking tobacco, citing Padmasambhava’s advice, as well as modern science.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing a turtle and rabbit, with friends on the new land for Tushita Meditation Centre, New Delhi, India, November 6, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Blessing Beings Everywhere
Rinpoche’s care for animals is legendary, and he uses every opportunity to bless and benefit sentient beings of all shapes and sizes, wherever he goes. While traveling, Rinpoche recited mantras and lamrim prayers to the dogs of Osel Labrang at Sera Je Monastery in October; and while in Delhi in November, Rinpoche recited “The Foundation of all Good Qualities” as a blessing for a turtle and a rabbit and then touched the texts to their heads.
Teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
On December 27, Rinpoche left Nepal for Bodhgaya to attend teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground in Bodhgaya, India. His Holiness began on December 29, offering a two-day teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta. On December 31, His Holiness conferred a jenang blessing of the Twenty-one Taras. On January 1, a long life puja was offered to His Holiness by the Gelug International Foundation, the organization representing the entire Geluk Tradition, at the Kalachakra Teaching Ground, in the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment.
We invite you to see more photos of Rinpoche in our India & Nepal October–December 2022 photo album:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wQAPmuSsYjnBm6Ey9
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.