International Office News
February 2020

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently met with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, with Ven. Roger Kunsang, India, January 2020. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Losar Tashi Delek!
Happy Tibetan new year to all our dear friends.
With love from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and
everyone at FPMT International Office

Read more about Losar, the Fifteen Days of Miracles and what practices to do during this auspicious period, which begins with Losar (Tibetan New Year) on February 24, 2020.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the official long life puja offered on behalf of the entire FPMT organization at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, January 2020. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:

Schedule

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s next scheduled teaching will be in Australia, prior to the continuation of the Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa Retreat.

Registration for the Light of the Path Retreat has just opened!

Recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings are always available at Rinpoche Available Now.

Advice

Advice Regarding Protection from the Coronavirus

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently offered advice on practices to do to protect from the coronavirus. As part of the advice, Rinpoche recommended that a specific puja be completed. This puja has now been completed at Sera Je Monastery in India. Read Rinpoche’s advice in full …

Recite the Golden Light Sutra for World Peace

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the 52nd Kopan Course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2019. Photo by Neal Patrick.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave this advice for individual practice one can do for world peace. Rinpoche said this advice is for people who desire peace for themselves and for others. Read Rinpoche’s advice in full …

Find Rinpoche’s newest advice, plus advice on a wide range of topics, such as Peace in the World, on Rinpoche’s Advice page.

Subscribe to our FPMT news blog to get regular news.

International Office News

FaithTrust Institute Fact Finding Assessment

In our update in December 2019, we provided the FaithTrust email address which is available for anyone to report any experienced or witnessed harm from Dagri Rinpoche in his role as spiritual teacher at FPMT centers. FaithTrust is currently conducting a fact finding assessment at our request, in response to allegations of misconduct at FPMT centers. This email address, confidential@faithtrustinstitute.org, will continue to be active for submissions until March 16, 2020.

Time to Empty Your Merit Boxes!

If you have a Merit Box at home, please send in your accumulated offerings, before the deadline of March 31, so they can be counted for new grants this year for local FPMT communities!

News from Mandala Magazine

Rejoice while reading the online story Prostrating Up a Hill at Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre in Malaysia, written by participant and FPMT Southeast Asia regional coordinator, Selina Foong, about a large prostration event which took place last year.

Seeking New Friends of FPMT

Look for our Losar campaign, starting next week! We’ll be seeking new Friends of FPMT to bolster our work for the year and offering free access to online study programs, Mandala magazine, the Liberation Calendar and other downloadable resources.

Progress on 1,000 Buddhas Offering to His Holiness

Progress on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish to offer 1,000 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness the Dalai Lama continues! All of the statues have now been completed and have arrived at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala, India. Each statue needs to be filled with mantras and consecrated, after that the actual offering to His Holiness will be arranged. You can read more about this and watch a video on the mantras and statues being blessed.

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

FPMT Service Seminar News

Latest Foundation Service Seminar

Graduates of the Foundation Service Seminar hosted by Nalanda Monastery, France.

From recent Foundation Service Seminar participants:
“Practice is Service, and Service is Practice. I collected many ideas to implement in our center.”

“FSS is very practical, providing material to deal with basic problems at the center. Such as learning about immersion aversion, because now it makes more sense why people act in different ways … and to know there is support for that.”

François Lecointre, one of the facilitators, talking about family feeling. As one graduate commented “Family (P)eeling is on the rise!”

Teacher Development Service Seminar

Teacher Development Service Seminar participants, with Osel Hita.

An international group of Foundation Service Seminar graduates participated in the Teacher Development Service Seminar hosted by Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy, in January. One participant commented: “I’m profoundly moved by the energy that Lama and Rinpoche have created in the worldwide mandala. I feel that we can really change the world!”

Next Foundation Service Seminars

• June 26 – June 30, Thubten Kunga Ling, Florida, USA
• August 17-22, Institut Vajra Yogini, France

NEW 16G Resource: Building Inner Strength Discussion Guide

FDCW is excited to announce the launch of the Building Inner Strength Discussion Guide, a free resource to inspire, educate and connect people together with the 16G, which is a program that can be offered under the Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom Pillar of Service. The Building Inner Strength Discussion Guide can be used by facilitators, teachers or directors as a resource to encourage more conversations around UE principles and 16G. For more information, or to request a copy of the guide for your center, project, or service, please contact FDCW.

FPMT World:

Rejoice:

Big Love will Soon Be Here! Pre-order Today!

Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive share that: “After nearly 30 years in the making, Big love: The Life and Teachings of Lama Yeshe, will soon be here! We expect copies to be available by the end of March. Pre-order is open now and will remain open through February 27. After pre-order closes we 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.

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.

National Honor for Director

Ian Green, director of the Great Stupa for Universal Compassion, received an Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours list. The award is for services to Buddhism and Interfaith Harmony.

FPMT Ethical Policy Translations

We’re delighted that the FPMT Ethical Policy is now translated into Mongolian (as well as French, Italian, Slovenian, and Spanish).

Opportunities to Offer Service in the FPMT Organization

Would you like to spend your days in a meaningful way? Take a look at the regularly updated meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. Newly added: Chandrakirti Center, New Zealand, needs a new Spiritual Program Coordinator; Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds has a vacancy for a paid House Manager.

Impermanence at Work

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

Hayagriva Center, Australia
Farewell and thanks to Geshe Sonam, who has resigned as resident geshe

Jamyang Buddhist Center, United Kingdom
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Moya Mendez

Lama Yeshe House, USA
New address:
PO Box 221605, 2080 S Holly Street, Denver, CO 80222

Lama Yeshe Ling, Canada
New address:
1287 Coric Avenue, Burlington ON, L7R 3S4
We welcome new resident geshe, Geshe Sonam Ngodrup

Tekchen Choling, Spain
We welcome new director – Paloma Belda
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Alberto Ferreira

Yeshe Norbu, Sweden
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Sara Karlgren

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