International Office News
April 2018

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ganden Tri Rinpoche, India, November 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

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:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ian Green, director, on top of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, April 2018. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is currently leading the continuation of the Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa Retreat there. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Schedule

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s schedule – a retreat postponed and new teachings added!

Please note: Lama Zopa Rinpoche is giving the Most Secret Hayagriva initiation at Chenrezig Institute, Australia, on June 2–4. Rinpoche strongly encourages those students connected to the FPMT organization, particularly those who have responsibilities, to take this initiation.

Enjoy livestreams of Rinpoche’s current teachings and recordings of recent teachings via Rinpoche Available Now!

Advice

Highlights from our blogs:

Serving the Teachings of the Buddha

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renat Alyaudinov.

Read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s detailed letter, composed for the FPMT Annual Review 2017: Serving the Teachings of the Buddha:
“My most precious, most kind, most dear, wish-fulfilling directors, students, benefactors, and friends, here, I am dropping some news from the sky—for some it will be new, for some it will be old teachings …” Read in full …

How to Think When Paying Taxes

Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving a teaching at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, April 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave advice about paying government tax and health insurance, instructing us to see it as an opportunity to practice charity, thus a cause for happiness and full enlightenment, for oneself and others. Read in full …

Find a wide range of advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Rinpoche’s Advice page. Subscribe to our FPMT news blog to get updates as soon as they are announced.

International Office News:

New from Education Services

• The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness (Including Enlightenment) with Additional Practices, now available in ebook format. Students will also benefit from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s commentary on the practice, now available in ebook format.
• A Daily Meditation on Shakyamuni Buddha, now available in ebook format, was specifically compiled by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for beginner Buddhist practitioners to use as the basis of a formal meditation practice.
• The King of Glorious Sutras called the Exalted Sublime Golden Light (the Sutra of Golden Light) is now available by print-on-demand. Reading the sutra helps bring peace to the world, promotes healing, gives great protection, and most importantly, plants the seed of enlightenment.

Sponsoring Holy Objects around the World

The Holy Objects Fund offers grants toward the creation of holy objects for world peace. Funds for building large stupas, prayer wheels, Padmasambhava and Maitreya statues, and thangkas are disbursed around the world in alignment with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for the FPMT organization. Learn more about all the holy object projects for world peace supported by FPMT Charitable Projects and donate any amount so that these grants can continue.

For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Board Members, Registered Teachers and Coordinators:

(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the puppy Tongnyi Nyingje, Nepal, December 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche Asks Us to Reflect

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently commented that he would like all new directors, spiritual program coordinators, study group coordinators, and registered teachers to read and keep remembering How to Make Your Life Most Beneficial for Sentient Beings, Even with Your Speech. This is also important for all currently offering service in these positions! You can find this text on Rinpoche’s Advice page and in the “Offering Service: Job Descriptions” section of the Affiliates Area.

Affiliate Area Highlights

Rinpoche’s Advice for FPMT Altars and Gompas
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given detailed advice about which holy objects FPMT centers, projects, and services would ideally have. Also, Rinpoche has given advice about prayers and texts to display if you have certain statues or thangkas. Check that your center, project, or service is following that advice! See “Holy Objects” under “Collected Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.”

Looking after Teachers
We’ve added the guideline: “Protecting the Geshe or Teacher and the Center” to the “Visiting Teachers” section to help your center carefully look after teachers and students.

FPMT World:

Rejoice!

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Centro Muni Gyana, Italy, November 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

New Center, Service, and Study Group

Congratulations to Centro Tara Bianca, Italy, and the Service de traduction de la FPMT, France! Both have completed their probationary period as FPMT study groups, have affiliated with FPMT Inc., and have become an FPMT center and service, respectively!

We also welcome a new FPMT study group:
Pure Land of Indestructible Buddha Study Group (probationary hospice service), Australia

LRZTP 8 Has Started!

Yaron Bahir, LRZTP director, writes:
“March 16 was a special day for us in the Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Traslator Program (LRZTP): we conducted the opening ceremony of the eighth two-year course, also known as LRZTP 8. In this program we have thirteen zealous students from all around the world: Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, Russia, the USA (two students), Australia (two students), Spain, Mexico, Israel, France, and Poland. They will study Tibetan for two years and then some of them will enter the intensive interpreting training program. We just began the course and there are still available seats for new students. So, if you want to join us or want to sponsor one of your center’s students to become your local interpreter, find more information and contact us.”

Students in Mexico Feel the Benefits of the Foundation Service Seminar

Foundation Service Seminar in Guadalajara, Mexico, February 2018. Photo courtesy of Gilda Urbina.

Gilda Urbina commented:
“While working in the groups, participants were able to review the functioning of their FPMT center or study group, recognize areas of opportunity, and generate new ideas to further professionalize their work.” Read in full …

You can book for two Foundation Service Seminars coming up later this year:
Jamyang Buddhist Centre, UK – August 3–8
Milarepa Center, USA – September 1–5

FSS graduates who are teaching or planning to teach or lead introductory classes can book for the Teacher Development Service Seminar that follows the FSS at Jamyang Buddhist Centre this year!

Nouvelle publication : Méditations pour les enfants

La méditation peut aider les enfants à trouver la paix et transformer les émotions négatives. Destiné aux parents et aux éducateurs pour méditer avec les enfants de 5 à 15 ans. Disponible auprès du Service de traduction de la FPMT au format papier ou ebook.

Impermanence at Work

Contact information for FPMT centers, projects, and services can be found in the FPMT Directory.

Centro Muni Gyana, Italy
Via Grotte Partanna 5 – Pizzo Sella
90100 Palermo

Centro Tara Bianca, Italy
Via Fegino, 3
16161 – Genova
segreteria@tarabianca.org
We welcome new resident teacher – Geshe Konchog Khyab

Ganden Yiga Chozin, Pokhara, Nepal, has now become a satellite group of Kopan Monastery (with grateful thanks to outgoing director – Drolkar Court).

Khamlungpa Center, Mexico
We welcome new director – Jessica Honegger
With grateful thanks to outgoing director (now assistant director) – Ricardo Perez

Nagarjuna C.E.T. Granada, Spain
We welcome new resident teacher – Ven. Champa Shenphen (Jesus Revert)

Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre, Malaysia
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Cynthia Chung
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Selina Foong

Root Institute, India
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Drolkar Court
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Ven. Thubten Khadro

South East Asia Regional Office
We welcome new regional coordinator – Selina Foong
With grateful thanks to outgoing regional coordinator – Doris Low

Tse Chen Ling, USA
We welcome new co-directors – Ven. Carol Corradi and Peggy Bennington
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Ven. Lisa Nystrom

Tsog Nyi Ling Study Group, Sweden, has become a satellite group of Yeshe Norbu Center.

Vajrapani Institute, USA
We welcome new resident teacher – Elaine Jackson
With grateful thanks to outgoing resident teacher – Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi

Grateful thanks to outgoing directors:
Ven. Nangsel, Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand
Marcos Troia, Jamyang Buddhist Centre, UK

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