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International Office News
April 2017
Practices for Rinpoche’s Health
New Collection of Ebooks in the Foundation Store
Affiliate Area Highlight: Are You Creating the Causes of Success?
Update from IMI and FPMT International Sangha Day
Respond Now If Your Center Needs an Interpreter
Highlighted Retreats Offered at FPMT Centers
Another Fruitful Foundation Service Seminar!
Have this translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page. French and Spanish speakers will find the FPMT International Office News translated each month in the “Bienvenue” and “Bienvenidos” tabs on the FPMT homepage!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:
Practices for Rinpoche’s Health
Please join in reciting the prayers recently advised to help create the conditions for Lama Zopa Rinpoche to have good health for the coming year.
In related news, Rinpoche gave a wonderful teaching on the lojong text Seven-Point Mind Training in February 2017 at Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India. We are delighted to bring you the video of this very special teaching. It’s possible that Rinpoche gave this teaching in response to the request made at the instigation of Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) during the long life puja offered to Rinpoche in March 2016.
Ven. Roger Kunsang commented about this teaching that “Rinpoche was so clear in explaining what lojong is and how it should be practiced. The teaching was complete and covered all aspects of its practice. It was really amazing and inspiring. I think Rinpoche is a real master of lojong … please take the opportunity to watch it … and a transcript will be available soon.“
Schedule – Newly Added
August 9–14, 2017: Rinpoche will teach at Thubten Norbu Ling, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2018 (more details to come):
April/May: Continuation of the Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa retreat, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia
September: Most Secret Hayagriva retreat, Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Malaysia
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s 2017 schedule in full …
Subscribe to our FPMT news blog to get updates as soon as they are announced. Enjoy livestreams of many of the teachings above and recordings of Rinpoche’s most recent teachings via Rinpoche Available Now!
Activities and Advice
Highlights from our blogs:
The Best Way to Take Care of Children
Lama Zopa Rinpoche cares deeply about children. Indeed, his Vast Visions include a focus on young people. What does Rinpoche say about children and youth? Rinpoche has commented, “[FPMT should] help young people through meditation and consultation, and also help them offer volunteer service as part of their practice. This brings immediate benefit.” Read in full …
Lama Zopa Rinpoche talked about the benefits of feeding birds saying, “When we give food to birds we should chant the Mitukpa, Medicine Buddha, Chenrezig, and the five powerful mantras and then blow over the food. Giving food to birds protects them from hunger and thirst. The most important benefit is that it purifies negative karma and defilements.” Read in full …
A student wrote to Lama Zopa Rinpoche saying that he felt no one liked him. Rinpoche responded. Read in full …
Find a wide range of advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Rinpoche’s Advice page.
International Office News:
New Mandala Ebook
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From Warm Heart to Warm Heart: The Transmission of Dharma in the Modern World takes a look at the diverse challenges of transmitting the Dharma from its traditional Tibetan setting into the modern world. This collection includes interviews with some of Tibetan Buddhism’s most popular teachers, practitioners, and scholars, including Lama Yeshe, Geshe Lhundub Sopa, Yangsi Rinpoche, Ven. Thubten Chodron, and many more, with a foreword by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. While all seventeen pieces have been previously published, many, never digitized, have until now existed only in long-forgotten print editions of Mandala.
This and all four of Mandala ebooks are offered to Friends of FPMT at the e-Friends level and higher, and to Mandala magazine’s center packages recipients. In addition, Mandala ebooks can now be purchased individually through the FPMT Foundation Store, Amazon’s Kindle store, and will soon be available through Apple’s iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Aldiko, OverDrive, and other ebook outlets.
New Collection of Ebooks in the Foundation Store
Thanks to Wisdom Publications and Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, the FPMT Foundation Store now has Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s titles available in ebook formats. Get them today with free electronic delivery!
For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Board Members, Registered Teachers and Coordinators:
(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)
Affiliate Area Highlights: Are You Creating the Causes of Success?
Are you following Rinpoche’s advice for practices to create the causes of success at your center, project, service, or study group?
Update from IMI and FPMT International Sangha Day
Ven. Chantal, director of the International Mahayana Institute (IMI), the community of monks and nuns of the FPMT, recently sent out an update on IMI activities via the CPMT e-group, which you can also read here.
FPMT’s International Sangha Day will be celebrated on Chokhor Duchen (the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma), which this year is on July 27.
Respond Now If Your Center Needs an Interpreter
If your center may need a trained interpreter in the next year, please respond to the update that Yaron Bahir, director of LRZTP, recently sent via the CPMT e-group!
FPMT World:
Rejoice!
Congratulations to Luz de Nagarjuna (Nagarjuna’s Light) in Spain, which has made the transition from study group to center.
Highlighted Retreats Offered at FPMT Centers
Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa will be teaching for ten days on Chandrakirti’s Madhyamakavatara at Guhyasamaja Center, USA.
Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand, is hosting a Vajrayogini Approach Retreat and a Yamantaka Solitary Hero Approach Retreat.
Find these and other retreats listed here.
Another Fruitful Foundation Service Seminar!
Students from Australia and Tahiti joined New Zealand students at the recent Foundation Service Seminar hosted by Mahamudra Centre in New Zealand!
Going Beyond English
FPMT Education Services: a practice that Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been emphasizing students to focus on, How to Make Life Most Beneficial for Sentient Beings, Even with Your Speech, is now available in Khmer.
FPMT Center Services: the “Ethics and Ethical Policy” section of the Affiliates Area is now available in Tibetan in the Geshe Pack.
Mandala: recently published online “Interview mit Dieter Kratzer: Wie es dazu kam, dass er Dharma Lehrer wurde,” an interview with long-time FPMT registered teacher Dieter Kratzer. The original interview was published in English in January 2017.
Le Editions Mahayana: est heureux de vous présenter sa dernière publication Conseils du cœur pour une retraite de Lama Zopa Rinpoché et Pabongkha Détchèn Nyingpo. Ce livret de 204 pages est disponible aux formats papier et ebook. Les Amis du Service de traduction peuvent télécharger l’ebook dans leur “Zone Amis.”
Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT
Please check out the regularly updated meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. For example, Vajrapani Institute, USA, needs a housekeeper, a lead cook, a foreman, a community relations coordinator, and has a range of work-study positions open. Jamyang Buddhist Centre, UK, needs a volunteer coordinator.
Impermanence at Work
Chenrezig Institute, Australia
We welcome new director – Jennifer Thomas
With grateful thanks to retired director – Lindsay Pratt
Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, Mongolia
We welcome new director – Ianzhina Bartanova
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Enkhmandakh Majaakhuu
Jamyang Buddhist Centre, UK
We welcome new SPC – Marco Troia
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Mike Murray
Luz de Nagarjuna, Spain
We welcome their new (first) SPC – Perla Varela
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