International Office News
April 2021

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal, March 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

News: Second Part of the Long Life Puja

The second part of the official annual long life puja for 2020 will be offered on behalf of FPMT centers, projects, services, study groups, and students, to our most kind and immeasurably precious spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, source of our inspiration and guidance, at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, on April 19.

This is the second of the long life pujas organized in accordance with the advice of Khadro-la, Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Dronme. The Long Life Puja is being preceded by seven days of preparation pujas at Kopan, led by Khadro-la. Read more….

Advice Regarding Dharma Protectors

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave this advice last month for students, and for FPMT affiliates: “’Protector’ means protecting from your ignorance, anger, and attachment! Protecting from self-grasping and self-cherishing—which is the biggest obstacle to success and enlightenment!”

Rinpoche went on to give more advice regarding Dharma protectors, which you can read on Rinpoche’s Advice page, under the topic “Practice and Practical Advice.”

Everything You Do with Bodhichitta Benefits the Six Realm Sentient Beings

Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving an online teaching, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche continues his video teachings on thought transformation from Kopan Monastery in Nepal. In a recent teaching, Rinpoche suggests that if we can’t bear our present suffering, we should put a stop to anger, which is the cause of hell. The suffering of hell is experienced until one’s non-virtue is finished—we should have the awareness that this is the result of anger. Read in full….

The Numberless Buddhas Are Giving You the Oral Transmission

Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving an online teaching, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche also continues offering the oral transmission of the Sutra of Great Liberation. In this video teaching, Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises that if we are scared of death, the Sutra of Great Liberation is exactly what we need. Even just hearing the name of this sutra frees us from the lower realms. There are unbelievable benefits to hearing and reading this powerful sutra. Read in full….

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We’re Rejoicing About:

Our Review of 2020: Transforming Challenges into the Path

We are happy to share with you our Annual Review 2020: Transforming Challenges into the Path, in a fresh new online format available for you to read now. This latest Annual Review includes new advice from FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a welcome from our Chief Executive Officer, Ven. Roger Kunsang, and lots of highlights and photos reporting on our work in publishing new Dharma materials; creating a more compassionate world through our charitable projects, which provided more than US$3.7 million in grants in 2020; our services to affiliates; and more! Read our 2020 Annual Review….

Additions to the FPMT Inc. Board

Ven. Roger Kunsang, Chief Executive Officer of FPMT Inc., writes:
“The FPMT Board (the board of FPMT, Inc.) is delighted to welcome three new Board Directors: Karuna Cayton, Paula De Wys, and Dale Davis. You can read more about the new, and existing board members on fpmt.org. We welcome them in this important role, and look forward to working with our enlarged team in offering service.”

The Five Powerful Mantras Now Audio

This album contains Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s oral transmission of the five powerful mantras: the Kunrig Mantra, the Stainless Pinnacle Essence Mantra, the Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra, the Namgyalma mantras (long and short), and the Buddha Mitrugpa Mantra. Rinpoche teaches that these mantras liberate not only those who are dying, but also those already dead, even those in the lower realms.

The Ongoing Universal Education-Inspired Activities of FDCW

The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) was established following Lama Yeshe’s vision of Universal Education. Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom is one of the FPMT Pillars of Service. FDCW has provided secular training, programs, and resources across many sectors of society, including FPMT centers. We’re delighted to report that our Education and Preservation Fund offered a grant to FDCW toward the operating costs for the year. We invite you to read some highlights of what FDCW was able to accomplish in 2020 with the help of this grant.

Rinpoche working on the art of the face of a giant image of Buddha which will be offered to a hospital in Nepal, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche checking the giant image, detail above. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Opportunities and Changes within the Organization:

Opportunities to Offer Service in the FPMT Organization

Would you like to spend your days making a meaningful contribution? Have a look at the various meritorious opportunities to offer service providing the opportunity to serve as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world.

Newly Added: Last day to apply for the position of Foundation Program Coordinator at FPMT International Office! In the USA, Thubten Norbu Ling and Vajrapani Institute are each recruiting a director. Vajrapani Institute is also recruiting a spiritual program coordinator, as is Chenrezig Institute in Australia. Yeshin Norbu, Sweden, offers work-study openings.

Impermanence at Work

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

Oseling, Spain
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Ivan Platero

Thubten Norbu Ling, USA
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Shankha Mitra
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Mary Moegenburg

For Those Offering Service in FPMT Affiliates:

New Protecting from Abuse Training Course

Many of you have already completed the newly released FPMT Protecting from Abuse Training Course. We rejoice! Those who have not yet done so, please complete this course as soon as possible, and then fill in the feedback form and get your completion certificate.

This training course has been designed to support and unpack the FPMT Protecting from Abuse policy. It is provided as a course on the FPMT Online Learning Center, with the Ethics and Protecting from Abuse section of the FPMT Affiliates Area as preliminary reading. The main part of the course is a video training presentation, which is followed by further exercises and materials to encourage deeper understanding and interaction with this essential topic. The course is currently in English, and will be available in Chinese, Italian, French, and Spanish soon.

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.