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Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting students in Singapore, July 2022. Photo by Sengsiong Photography .
Since our last update, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered very precious teachings at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, in August and September. Some of these teachings have been part of the ongoing thought transformation series, and some were various talks given on particular occasions to specific groups. Following his visit in Singapore, Rinpoche traveled to India to receive teachings from Togden Rinpoche and Jhado Rinpoche at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, India. In addition, Rinpoche engaged in a variety of auspicious activities, benefiting and blessing others with Rinpoche’s tireless compassionate action.
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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche leading a Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong puja at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, September 4, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Offering Teachings and Blessings
Rinpoche began teaching at Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) in Singapore in August. While at ABC, Rinpoche offered numerous teachings on thought transformation, recorded as videos 129-137 in the ongoing thought transformation teaching series, which began in the early days of the pandemic in 2020. Other teachings included topics such as: You are So Fortunate to Meet the Lamrim Teachings, With This Human Rebirth You Can Be Happy Day and Night, The Kindness of the Buddha is Limitless Like the Sky, Advice for Generating Peace in the World, and other teachings that we are making available regularly. Rinpoche also offered Heruka Five-deity and Heruka Body Mandala initiations while at ABC and led a Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong as well as a Lama Chopa puja for Chokhor Duchen (“Wheel-Turning Day”), on August 1. Rinpoche offered a teaching during the puja, titled The Kindness of Buddha is Limitless Like the Sky.
While in Singapore in September, Rinpoche also benefited the beings in the ocean by leading practices for them, as well as blessing many bottles of water over many days and then putting those in the ocean with Namgyalma mantra boards which purifies any being in the water. Rinpoche strongly encouraged this practice to bless those living in water around the world. This is now being done regularly in oceans and lakes in the United States, Singapore, Nepal, and other countries.
In South India, Rinpoche was joined by the Gyudmed Monastery abbot and monks at Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement, Hunsur, on October 16 to consecrate the beautiful forty-two foot stupa that Rinpoche sponsored for elders in the home at the settlement. Rinpoche offered a teaching to the local population on the benefits of reciting mantras, seeing stupas, and circumambulating holy objects.
On October 17, Rinpoche began teaching in Tibetan on lojong and offered advice to Sere Je Drati Khangtsen after paying a visit to the monastery’s newly renovated main office, and these teachings will continue in future years. The next day, October 18, Rinpoche began offering teachings in Tibetan on The Foundation of all Good Qualities by Lama Tsongkhapa at Sera Je Tsawa Khangtsen which will also continue in the future.
You can find Rinpoche’s recent teachings here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing the beautiful stupa at Rabgayaling Settlement. Photo courtesy of Gyudmed Monastery Facebook page.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche receiving offering procession during long life puja at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, September 11, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Long Life Pujas
On September 11, a few days before Rinpoche’s departure, ABC offered a beautiful long life puja for Rinpoche in thanks for the precious teachings Rinpoche offered during his three-month stay in Singapore.
On October 14, a long life puja and “Expression of Gratitude” award was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Sera Je Monastery. This special event was to honor Rinpoche for the many decades of support Rinpoche has shown to the monastery, including the 25+ year accomplishment of the Sera Je Food Fund, which is now a full endowment covering the monastery’s yearly food expenses for over 2,000 Sangha. About this event, Sera Je monk Ven. Tenzin Legtsok, shared:
“This was a rare occasion when literally all of the monks of Sera Je came together from the youngest school boys up to the ex-abbots, the most senior monks from Buxa, all the geshes, tulkus, geshe program students, and monastery staff. Among the eminent lamas in attendance were the two former abbots of Sera Je, Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Delek and Logoan Tulku Tenzin Choesang, the ex-abbot of Namgyal Monastery, Jhado Rinpoche, the current abbot of Sera Mey Monastery, Geshe Tashi Tsering, the abbot in waiting of Gyume Monastery, Geshe Ngawang Sangye and others. There were also representatives from the local Tibetan government. Everyone was there. Just the presence of so many monks was a powerful and palpable expression of their sincere respect for Rinpoche and their deep gratitude for His support over so many years. Every monk I spoke to was very happy that the monastery had decided to organize this long life puja and award ceremony for Rinpoche. Inside, the prayer hall was filled to overflowing with geshes and senior monks in the late years of the Geshe Studies Program such that the younger monks and school boys all had to sit outside.”
You can read more about this very special long life puja and recognition of Rinpoche’s beneficial activities.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche being presented “Expression of Gratitude” award during long life puja offered by Sera Je Monastery, Bylakuppe, India, October 14, 2022. Photo Courtesy of Sera Je Monastery Facebook page.
Attending Teachings
From Singapore, Lama Zopa Rinpoche flew to India to receive teachings himself, arriving at the Bangalore airport late in the evening, September 19. Rinpoche was received at the airport by eminent Sangha from the various monasteries in South India. These dignitaries included the Abbot of Sera Je Monastic University, Geshe Tashi Tshethar, the Chant Master (Lama Umze) of Gyume Tantric Monastery, Geshe Ngawang Sangye, the Chief Administrator of Sera Je Monastery, Geshe Ngawang Jangchup, and the Secretary and Chief Mentor of Sera Je Drati Khangtsen. They all offered khatas to Rinpoche and requested blessings. Rinpoche spent about an hour at the airport talking with the monastery leaders over tea.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering the thanking mandala to Togden Rinpoche at the conclusion of teachings at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, South India. October 12, 2022.
Beginning on September 22 through October 12, at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Bylakuppe, India, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, along with over 1,000 ordained Sangha, including high lamas, received a number of initiations and commentary from Togden Rinpoche. The teaching event started with the Thirteen-Deity Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, Heruka, and Heruka Body Mandala initiations. Togden Rinpoche then offered the oral transmission and commentary of The Harbor of the Ocean of Great Bliss, a commentary of the creation and completion stages of Heruka practice in the Ghantapa lineage, that had been given by His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche, one of the tutors to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in 1975. Togden Rinpoche received the teaching at that time directly from H.H. Trijang Rinpoche. Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently sponsored the publication of that commentary in Tibetan.
During the same time in late September, Rinpoche also attended teachings given in the afternoon by Jhado Rinpoche at Tashi Lhunpo on The Three Pith Instructions.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche was very happy to sponsor both of these precious teaching events. This included making offerings every day to the 1,000 Sangha in attendance, offering three meals a day to all, plus offering tea and bread during the teachings. Due to the kindness of two generous benefactors, Rinpoche was able to cover all the costs of sponsorship for these most valuable events.
On October 2, Rinpoche received teachings online from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on chapter two of Dharmakirti’s Commentary on Valid Cognition, a teaching that was offered by His Holiness at the request of a group of Taiwanese Buddhists.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with the 104th Ganden Tripa, H.E. Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, September 21, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lhundrup Topgye.
Meeting with High Lamas and Monastery Leaders
During his trip to South India, Rinpoche met with a number of leaders and high lamas from the great monasteries in the region. On September 21, Rinpoche met with the current throne-holder of the Gelug lineage, His Eminence the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche. Earlier Rinpoche met with Sera Mey Abbott Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering, the former longtime resident teacher at FPMT-affiliate Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London, England. On September 23, Rinpoche visited with Khenchen Pema Sherab from Namdroling Monastery.
Later that week Rinpoche visited with the abbot and manager of Gyudmed Tantric College. Rinpoche then met with Geshe Drugdra from Gyudmed, a teacher whom Rinpoche has received oral transmissions from recently.
In October, Rinpoche met with the abbott of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Khen Rinpoche Tehor Zeekgyab Tulku, and on another occasion, Oser Rinpoche. Rinpoche also had visits with the present reincarnations of three of his teachers, Choden Rinpoche, Domo Geshe Rinpoche, and the current tulku of Ribur Rinpoche.
Please Rejoice
Join us in rejoicing in all of these incredible activities, teachings, important meetings, and opportunities Rinpoche has created to benefit beings continuously and in the most expansive ways possible.
We invite you to see more photos of Rinpoche in our Singapore & India July–September 2022 photo album:
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.