International Office News
February 2025

Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Losar, 2021 at Kopan Monastery. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Advice and News Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Prayers for Rinpoche’s Swift Return Ongoing and During the Fifteen Days of Miracles

Most Secret Hayagriva puja offered in front of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body, Kopan Monastery, February 7. Photo by Ven. Tendar.

On February 7 a special Most Secret Hayagriva puja and Heruka self-initiation was offered at Kopan Monastery in front of Rinpoche’s holy body, for Rinpoche’s swift return. This date was the special Heruka day of the year (the last Tibetan tenth of twelfth Tibetan month).

Five lama gyupas lead daily prayers from 5:30am-7:30am from Rinpoche’s room at Kopan including Calling the Guru from Afar, Vajrasattva Tsog Offering, Chanting the Names of Manjushri, and the recommended additional prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return. These prayers are open to all and everyone is welcome to join.

Prayers continue in earnest around the world and all are encouraged to join and continue these efforts. FPMT centers and individual students of Rinpoche will be taking advantage of the merit-multiplying Fifteen Days of Miracles (starting on Losar February 28-March 14) to engage in the prayers recommended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Rinpoche’s unmistaken incarnation to swiftly return.

We recently shared information about some of the upcoming events being offered around the world, all are welcome to join and rejoice as you are able. 

Anger Destroys Your Happiness

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, August 10, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered many teachings from Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore from July-September 2022. On August 10 of that year, he gave a recorded teaching about how anger destroys happiness. In this video, Rinpoche reminds that we can train our mind to practice patience, and it gets easier the more we practice. Since anger is the cause of hell suffering, we should stop it. Therefore, motivate every morning to practice patience. Otherwise, anger suddenly arises. You have to prepare yourself with determination to stop it. Please watch Rinpoche giving this teaching on video, and access a full transcript.

Inauguration of Lama Zopa Buddhist College

Kopan Monastery recently shared that the inauguration of Lama Zopa Buddhist College, which is affiliated with Lumbini Buddhist College, took place on February 2, 10 years after Lama Zopa Rinpoche first expressed his wish to create it. This new institution will offer a four-year bachelor’s program, with the future possibility of a master’s degree. We look forward to sharing more information on this new opportunity as soon as it becomes available.

From the Archive: On the Road in the USA in 1997

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in California, 1997. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Over the years, students have shared stories from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s travels around the world benefiting others; to offer a glimpse into what it is like to be on the road with Rinpoche, and to witness and participate in Rinpoche’s enlightened activity. These stories offer a glimpse into how Rinpoche used all of the circumstances in daily life, including the time traveling, to practice Dharma and serve others. We recently shared a report from a tour of America in 1997, previously published in Mandala magazine from long-time FPMT student and former director of FPMT Education Services, Merry Colony. Please read this inspiring and joyful story from this special time.

Lama Yeshe’s Wisdom

Three Principal Aspects of the Path: Part 2

Lama Yeshe teaching at Institut Vajra Yogini, Marzens, France, 1982. Photo taken by T.Y. (Thubten Yeshe), courtesy of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism is a book from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive consisting of two teachings from Lama Yeshe. The first, The Three Principal Aspects of the Path, was given in France in 1982, during an FPMT-sponsored tour of Europe by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The second teaching, Introduction to Tantra, was given at Grizzly Lodge, California, in 1980.

Please read the second part of The Three Principal Aspects of the Path and watch a precious video of Lama giving this teaching!

From the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors

January 2025 Update

The FPMT Inc. Board of Directors recently shared an update on the upcoming CPMT meeting scheduled at Kopan Monastery in April, as well as some of the inspiring highlights around the organization from 2024. Please read the update.

What We’re Rejoicing About

2024 Grants Offered from the Holy Objects Fund

Shine room and staircase for the large Buddha statue in Dalhousie, India.

An incredible US$549,234 was granted for holy objects in 2024 and we are so happy to share some of the new holy objects that have come into being recently, and how grants from the Holy Objects Fund and other funds have been utilized, for rejoicing:

The majority of the funds went toward the Stupa of Complete Victory being built at Kopan Monastery for the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Additionally, grants were offered toward many other holy objects projects including the following:

• A beautiful 52-inch gold gilded Enlightenment Stupa that was offered to Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery and will enclose a relic from Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
• Two large Buddha statues that were offered to rural villages in Nepal, that didn’t have any large holy objects in their gompas.
• The shine room and staircase for a large Buddha statue that was built in Dalhousie, India.
• A new Prayer Wheel that is being built in Tahiti.

In addition to the grants offered above this year, important progress continues on previously funded projects including the continuation of creating new Buddha statues that will be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Thank you to everyone who makes these grants possible, and it is explained by the Buddha in the Sutra of the Mudra of Developing the Power of Devotion:

“The minute you see a holy object you create infinite merits,
So, no question, if you actually make prostrations,
Offerings and so forth, you create far greater merit.”

Please read more about all details and see photos of these amazing holy objects projects.

Disbursement Offered to Families Devastated by the Thame Flood

We are very happy to report that on January 3, 2025, at the Milanchok Thameychok Kidug Hall in Kathmandu, we disbursed all the funds raised through the Thame Support Fund to 55 families from Thame, who were profoundly affected by the catastrophic flood caused by the bursting of a nearby glacial lake on August 16, 2024. Thame, situated at an altitude of 12,450 feet (3,800 meters) with a population of 300 Sherpas, suffered immense devastation on 16 August 2023 when a flood destroyed half the village, including houses, hotels, the school and health clinic plus essential infrastructure.

Please read about how these funds were distributed among the families, and please watch an incredibly heartfelt video message of gratitude from Geshe Tsultrim Sherab and Gen Tsundu of Kopan Monastery to all the supporters.

While this support is only a fraction of what is needed, many other groups and individuals have also been raising and disbursing funds for those in the Thame area. We hope that, together, these efforts will make a difference in the lives of those affected during this incredibly difficult time.

Eleven Nuns from Kopan Nunnery Earn Geshema Degrees

The new geshemas during the ceremony at Kopan Nunnery, February 3, 2025. Photo thanks to Kopan Nunnery.

On February 3, 2025, eleven nuns from Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery (Kopan Nunnery) in Nepal successfully completed over 20 years of rigorous Buddhist studies and achieved the geshema degree.

The geshema degree is the same course of study as the geshe degree, with the feminine “ma” added just to delineate gender. The path to becoming a geshema begins after completing 17 years of monastic study. Those that qualify and desire to move onto the geshema degree path must then complete four years of rigorous oral and written examinations, including a successful thesis defense.

Please join us in rejoicing in this momentous achievement by all eleven nuns who have worked so hard toward this goal for the benefit of all!

Lama’s Song: A New Song Written and Performed for Rinpoche’s Swift Return

Long-time student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Marcos Fermoselle, recently wrote a special song for Rinpoche’s swift return, “Lama’s Song” and has released it with his band, Red Moon Yard. All proceeds are being offered directly to FPMT activity, in support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s projects. Please read more. 

Bee Kind Project at Nalanda Monastery

In May 2023, Nalanda Monastery, France, installed their first honey bee colonies at a secluded spot in the extensive grounds of Maitreya Pure Land, a property adjacent to Nalanda encompassing 5.5 hectares (13.59 acres) of beautiful parkland which the monastery purchased in 2020. Their primary objective with this activity, called the Bee Kind Project, is to provide a supportive environment for promoting a genetic line of honey bees resistant to some of the modern challenges that bees have to deal with. Late summer offers the monastery harvestable honey to enjoy and utilize. Please read about this wonderful project.

A Report on Root Institute’s Maitreya School

Maitreya School, a project of the Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India, is dedicated to providing quality education while fostering the overall growth and well-being of its 250+ students. The school integrates academic excellence with cultural awareness and personal development through a variety of enriching programs and activities. Recently, former associate editor of Mandala Publications, Donna Lynn Brown, spent extensive time at Root Institute and was inspired by the program at Maitreya School. We shared a moving portrait of this special school and the incredible value it offers its students, written and photographed by Donna. 

Resources and Opportunities for Study and Practice

Losar and the Fifteen Days of Miracles 2025

The Great Prayer Festival during the Fifteen Days of Miracles—from the first day of the Tibetan new year, Losar, (February 28, 2025) until the fifteenth, Chotrul Duchen (March 14, 2025)—commemorates the special time when Guru Shakyamuni Buddha showed miraculous powers in order to subdue six tirthikas, or non-Buddhist teachers, who lacked faith in him, and to inspire more faith in his followers. It culminates on the full moon, the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar.

Please read all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice for this meritorious period, opportunities to join the worldwide community in praying strongly for Rinpoche’s swift return, as well as advice for observing the anniversary of Lama Yeshe’s passing away on Losar, 1984.

Newly Available and Revised Materials

His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered the complete cycle of the Pure Visions Bearing the Seal of Secrecy of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama (Sangwa Gyachen) in 2005 at Thekchen Choeling Temple in Dharamsala. Among those who received the complete transmission was the past abbot of Namgyal Monastery, H. E. Jhado Rinpoche. Namgyal Monastery is the personal monastery of His Holiness in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala. To commemorate the twentieth anniversary and in celebration of His Holiness’s 90th birthday, H.E. Jhado Rinpoche will be transmitting the complete cycle of Sangwa Gyachen with initiations, transmissions, and commentaries from March 16-April 3, 2025 in the main temple.

​We are honored to support His Holiness Dalai Lama’s wish to keep the continuity of the lineage, and these two practices are now available from our Foundation Store:

• The Great Compassionate One Embodying the Three Roots
• The Body Mandala Rite of the Display of the Combined Peaceful and Wrathful Kagye

​Read more about this upcoming event with Jhado Rinpoche.

This month we also make available Hand Mudras for Vajrayogini Practice, the video with the precious instructions by Lama Lhundrup, the former abbot of Kopan Monastery, on how to do hand mudras for the Vajrayogini self-initiation practice.

We are happy to share that Land of Medicine Buddha offers Liberation Tools Set–physical items which used to be a part of the Liberation Box (available for store pickup and US shipping only). These are holy objects to use for helping the dying and deceased to have a fortunate rebirth. Instructions on how to use them are found in Liberation Tools to Help the Dying and Deceased. The Liberation Tools Set contains the following holy objects:

• Kadampa Stupa filled with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras
• Phowa pill & Mani pill
• Powerful Mantras card & Namgyalma mantra card
• Blessed string
• Sand from Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala (limited item)

Retreat Opportunities

Please check our retreat schedule page for group retreat opportunities including a Medicine Buddha retreat in India, a Kopan West lamrim retreat in California and a Chenrezig retreat in the UK.

Please also read a recently shared call to retreat by Kolby Graham, director of Land of Calm Abiding in Big Sur, California, USA

Opportunities to Offer Support and Changes within the Organization

Merit Box Transitioned to FPMT Community Support Fund

With the closure of the longstanding Merit Box Project at the end of last year, we are still getting the word out that all intended Merit Box donations can be submitted to the new FPMT Community Support Fund.

The FPMT Community Support Fund serves the same purpose as the former Merit Box Fund, in providing grants for local FPMT communities. These grants will help actualize their Dharma projects, needed repairs and upgrades, and service programs. Funds collected now until February 28 will be used for 2025 grant awards! Learn how to offer support.

Foundation Service Seminar in France

The Foundation Service Seminar (FSS) is the “FPMT immersion retreat,” providing essential information and nourishment for all serving, or wishing to serve, in the FPMT organization. This is a wonderful opportunity for centers, projects, and services to invest in the future by training the next generation of directors, SPCs, volunteers, board members, etc.

Institut Vajra Yogini, France, is organizing an FSS on September 24-28, 2025. Reservations are not open yet but please save the dates already.

Changes in the FPMT Organization

Hayagriva Buddhist Center, Perth, Australia
We welcome Fiona Robins as new SPC
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC, Susan DiBona

Aryatara Institut, Munich, Germany
We welcome Thorsten Schrammek as new director

Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand
We welcome Lisa Bavidge and Rowena Fish as new co-directors

Institut Vajra Yogini, France
Grateful thanks to outgoing director Nicolas Brun

Chenrezig Institute, Australia
Grateful thanks to outgoing director Cheng Hong Quek

Opportunities to Offer Service

Read about the amazing benefits and importance of offering service in the FPMT organization, and have a look at these meritorious opportunities to offer service as a paid staff or volunteer in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world, including opportunities in Australia, France, India, European Region, North American Region, Nepal, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, UK and the USA. Newly added: Chenrezig Institute (Australia) is looking for a new director and FPMT Italy is looking for a national coordinator.

Become a Friend of FPMT

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

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.