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Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja offered to him, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Since our last update, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has remained in Nepal, engaging in a variety of auspicious activities, including doing a personal retreat. Rinpoche also was offered a long life puja, met with important people and lamas, offered prayers and pujas during the Fifteen Days of Miracles, created merit in relation to holy objects, attended the inauguration of a new dialysis clinic, and offered two new teachings. We invite you to read more about these activities below and to join us in rejoicing in the compassionate service Rinpoche offers every day, inspiring us all to live a full and beneficial life.
Long Life Puja
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the Sherpa dancers following the long life puja offered to Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 11, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
A long life puja was offered on behalf of the entire FPMT organization to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, on March 11. The puja was a joyful occasion that included lama and Sherpa dances in the courtyard and a picnic in the stupa garden. There were several days of preparatory practices done by Kopan monks and nuns leading up to the long life puja. On the day of the puja, Kopan Abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Yangsi Rinpoche, Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, Rigsel Rinpoche, Kopan monks and nuns, and many others were in attendance.
Teachings and Advice
From Kopan Monastery, Rinpoche offering a talk to Sangha at the beginning of a three-month Vinaya course helded at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
On February 25, Rinpoche offered timely advice regarding practices to reduce the war in Ukraine and to help stop violence and suffering. Rinpoche also arranged a number of powerful pujas, such as controlling fire pujas, wrathful fire pujas, and Drugchuma (Sixty-Four Offerings to Kalarupa).
Rinpoche also gave two teachings recorded on video recently, which we’ve shared in blog posts complete with summaries:
- The Western Sangha Are the Real Heroes, a teaching Rinpoche offered at the beginning of a three-month course on the Vinaya being held at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa.
- Why Buddhism Is So Important, a teaching Rinpoche offered to the Vajrasattva retreatants at Kopan Monastery.
Meeting with Important Individuals
Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with Geshe Jampa Tsundue, resident teacher of Lobsang Dragpa Centre in Malaysia, at Kopan Monastery, January 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
In early January, Rinpoche invited Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) for lunch at a nice resort outside of Kathmandu with breathtaking panoramic views of snow-capped mountains. While there, Rinpoche and Khadro-la also offered prayers and pujas. Later in January at Kopan Monastery, Rinpoche met with Geshe Jampa Tsundue, resident teacher of Lobsang Dragpa Centre, Malaysia.
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Phuba Chhbe Sherpa (Bikkhu Thubten Jikdol), Chairman of the National Planning Commission of the Ministry of Education, and Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, Vice Chairman, discussing education topics during a visit to Kopan Monastery, Nepal, February 23, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Rinpoche met the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission of the Ministry of Education in February. They spoke about many subjects, such as the Mount Everest School at Kopan Monastery, education within monasteries, Dharma education, as well as secular education focusing on compassion and kindness.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Lama Ngawang Chokyab at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 13, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
In March, Rinpoche met with Lama Ngawang Chokyab, a Nyingma lama and disciple of Trulshik Rinpoche, at Kopan Monastery. Rinpoche also met with Serkong Dorje Chang at his monastery in Swayambhunath.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting with Serkong Dorje Chang at his monastery in Swayumbhunath, Nepal, March 13, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
New 3.5-foot (1-meter) tall Dzambhala statue being welcomed to Kopan Monastery.
Holy Objects
Rinpoche greeted a new 3.5-foot (1-meter) tall Dzambhala statue, which arrived at Kopan in January. Rinpoche personally welcomed the statue with prostrations, a five-colored khata offering, a mandala offering, and tsog. Rinpoche wrote a special letter to Dzambhala with prayers and requests for the organization and all beings, and offered this letter of requests to Dzambhala.
Rinpoche made trips to Swayambhunath and Boudha stupas, offering teachings, prayers, and khatas with others.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche writing out the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Rinpoche continued to write out the 8,000 verse Prajnaparamita Sutra in pure gold. Under Rinpoche’s guidance several students have been writing out the Prajnaparamita on archival quality rainbow paper, including Ven. Tsering, who is now based at Kopan Monastery and is writing out volumes from the 12,000 verse Prajnaparamita, as well as Jane Seidlitz in United States and Ven. Nina at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery in Nepal.
Offering Prayers and Pujas
Rinpoche offered sur practice at night at Kopan Monastery in front of the 1,000 Buddha altar on the roof of Kopan’s main gompa. Rinpoche has explained that by offering sur practice, one will have success and be born in a pure land, and whatever work one is doing will be successful and not have obstacles.
Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong was offered at Kopan for Rinpoche’s long life and for the success of the entire organization on March 2. Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, and Kopan monks offered Palden Lhamo puja to start the new year auspiciously on March 3. Lama Chopa was also offered at Kopan Monastery on Losar. On the third day of Losar, Rinpoche led incense puja with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and senior Kopan monks on Kopan Hill, where they made strong prayers for all beings and to remove obstacles and bring success.
On April 2, Rinpoche attended a long life puja for Khadro-la.
Long life puja offered to Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme), Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche leading an incense puja on Kopan Hill with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and monks of Kopan Monastery, Losar, March 3, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Maya Daya Clinic
Maya Daya Clinic, established in 1992 at the foot of Kopan Hill, is one way Kopan Monastery has been actively serving the local community. At the time it was created, there was very little medical care in the area, with doctors and pharmacies only accessible in Boudhanath, a forty-five minute walk away. The aim of the clinic was to provide basic healthcare for the local population, with a doctor and nurse available three days a week and regular access to medical supplies at the clinic’s pharmacy. In the years since then, the clinic has benefited thousands of local patients as well as the monks and nuns of Kopan and of other monasteries.
With the need for basic medical care in the local area now well covered by other clinics and pharmacies, Maya Daya Clinic, in cooperation with Karuna Hospital, is taking the next step in its development. As part of an expansion of Karuna Hospital, the clinic will be serving the local community by providing dialysis to those with chronic kidney disease in a comfortable and modern environment. This is an incredible achievement for Kopan Monastery to be able to offer support to the local community in this way. Through the leadership of Ven. Sangye Tenzin, government support has also been obtained for this clinic, which is desperately needed by the local population who will be able to receive dialysis for free.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche attended the inauguration of this clinic on March 5 with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi. Rinpoche offered a statue of Buddha for the front of Karuna Hospital and also designed the beautiful image of Shakyamuni Buddha with mantras that you can see below in the photo. Please read more about this amazing project.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi attending the inauguration of the Maya Daya Clinic at Karuna Hospital on March 5, 2022. Rinpoche designed the image of Shakyamuni Buddha with mantras in the background. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
We invite you to see more photos of Rinpoche in our January–March 2022 photo album:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/nepal-january-march-2022/
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.