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Cover of Big Love: The Live and Teachings of Lama Yeshe
The Tibetan New Year, Losar, falls on February 24 this year. For FPMT students, this day has additional significance as it commemorates the anniversary of the parinirvana of Lama Yeshe, who co-founded FPMT with Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
As part of Rinpoche’s advice on how to celebrate Losar and the Fifteen Days of Miracles, Rinpoche recommends that centers host events to introduce new students to Lama Yeshe. These events might include students who knew Lama Yeshe sharing their favorite stories, watching videos of Lama teaching, or reading stories about Lama.
In that spirit, we’re sharing this update from Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive:
After nearly thirty years in the making, Big Love: The Life and Teachings of Lama Yeshe, will soon be here! Big Love, the official, authorized biography of Lama Yeshe, contains personal stories of the lamas and the students who learned, lived, and traveled with them, as well as more than 1,500 photos dating back to the 1960s. You can pre-order Big Love now!
The book tells the story of Lama Yeshe, how he met Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and how they created the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), one of the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist organizations. It begins in Tibet, where Lama was born, and moves to the refugee camp in Buxa Duar, West Bengal, India, where Rinpoche became his student. The story continues to other parts of India and Nepal, and finally to the entire world.
Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the steps of Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1970. Photo courtesy Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.
The author, Adele Hulse, one of Lama Yeshe’s earliest students, highlights his special connection with early Dharma seekers and skillfully weaves their intimate stories with details of where Lama went, the teachings he gave, and the centers he inspired. It brings to life how special he was and how he connected with people from all over the world and all walks of life.
If you knew Lama, as Lama Yeshe was fondly called by his students, you will be reminded of his wisdom and charisma; if you did not, this is the perfect introduction.
Watch a promotional video for Big Love here:
https://youtu.be/Z4hH9_066NY
The official launch of this magnificent work will be on March 24, during the retreat with Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia. Osel Hita is planning to attend, together with the author, Adele Hulse, and the publisher, Nick Ribush.
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive expects copies of Big Love to be available by the end of March 2020. Pre-order is open now and will remain open through February 27. For more information or to place an order go to: www.LamaYeshe.com/BigLove.
After pre-order closes, the Archive will be accepting orders again once the books arrive from the printer. FPMT center bookstores are eligible for a 50% discount, and Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive encourages you to pre-order now, as you may be able to take advantage of lower shipping rates. Email us at info@LamaYeshe.com.
Read “A Monumental Accomplishment: The Making of Big Love” and “1941–58: Living a Monastic Life,” an excerpt from Big Love, both published in Mandala July-December 2019.