International Office News
January 2021

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

New Book by Rinpoche

Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive has just published a new book of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings on behalf of Liberation Prison Project (LPP), Enjoy Life Liberated from the Inner Prison. This book is a compilation of more than 100 letters Lama Zopa Rinpoche has written to prison inmates over the years and has been published partly as a fundraiser for LPP, an FPMT social service project that supports people in prison. Editor Ven. Robina Courtin has skillfully integrated Rinpoche’s advice into a narrative outlining the path to enlightenment (lamrim). Rinpoche advises inmates that prison is a precious opportunity to develop their potential. This advice is not just for prisoners. It is for all of us.

Rejoicing in the Recent Long Life Puja Offered to Rinpoche

Ven. Roger Kunsang offering body, speech, and mind mandala to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja held at Kopan Monastery, December 25, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On December 25, 2020 a White Tara Long Life Puja was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of all FPMT centers, projects, services, and students. The puja was preceded by seven days of preparation and many hours of practices to make it as powerful as possible.

The second long life puja which, combined with the one offered on December 25, will comprise the official long life puja for 2020, will be offered to Rinpoche during the third Tibetan month (actual date still to be determined). This will also be preceded by seven days of preparation practices at Kopan Monastery, led by Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme). Read more.…

For Anyone Desiring Peace, Recite the Golden Light Sutra

For many years, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has called on students to recite the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace. Rinpoche advises “For anyone who desires peace for themselves and for others this is a powerful way to bring peace that doesn’t require you to harm others, doesn’t require you to criticize others, or even to demonstrate against others. Anyone can read this text, Buddhists and even non-Buddhists who desire world peace.” Read more….

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We’re Rejoicing About:

Upcoming Teaching from His Holiness the Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving a teaching, Bodhgaya, India, January 2017. Photo by Neal Patrick.

We are unbelievably honored and happy to announce that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has accepted the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, on behalf of the FPMT organization, to give us a teaching! His Holiness will offer a teaching on Changkya Rölpai Dorjé’s Recognizing My Mother: An Experiential Song of the View (tagur ama ngodzin) followed by a question and answer session. The live online event will be on Monday, February 8 from 9 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. India Standard Time. Read more….

Lama Yeshe doing puja at Pyramid Lake after the Grizzly Lodge Course, California, US, 1980. Photo courtesy Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive; Carol Fields, donor.

Lama Yeshe’s Wisdom

True Dharma Practitioners Welcome Trouble – so taught Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1980. “If you’re not tested, you take teaching after teaching and think you’re OK, but when you’re confronted with a difficult situation, it’s possible that you’ll find you’re not OK at all. So that’s why true Dharma practitioners welcome trouble. Otherwise you just go blithely along, completely out of touch with reality, thinking you’re OK when you’re not, because you haven’t actually been practicing Dharma at all.” Read more….

Liberation Tibetan Calendar 2021

We’re excited to announce that the Liberation Prison Project’s 2021 digital calendar has just arrived and is available to order today!

Preserving the Past for Future Generations

Did you know that FPMT centers, projects, services, and students have online access to hundreds of hours of archival film and video footage to inspire and inform their Dharma practice? For more than three decades, the Meridian Trust has been documenting Tibetan Buddhist teachings and traditions, amassing more than 2,500 hours of film and video, including rare footage of the generation of Tibetan lineage holders who first went into exile. Vicki Mackenzie shares the story of the UK-based organization and its connection to FPMT in a new Mandala online story.

We Met Our Goal – Thank You!

We’re very gladdened to share that the FPMT Give Where Most Needed Fund received over US$26,000 in contributions during our annual year-end fundraising campaign, surpassing our goal of US$25,000. We rejoice in the kind generosity of those who could contribute and in the future Dharma activity these resources will support. Thanks so much to all who contributed.

Early Morning at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

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: Centro La Sabiduría de Nagarjuna, Spain, is looking for a new director.

Impermanence at Work

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

Land of Medicine Buddha, USA
We welcome new director – Jessica Ravetz
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Mer Stafford

Longku Center, Switzerland
We welcome new director – Felix Brenken
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Jangchub Iseli-Sangmo
We also welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Eva Fuhrer Hodel

Tse Chen Ling, USA
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Gina Marsala
With grateful thanks to the members of the previous SPC team

Yeshin Norbu, Sweden
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Zarina Osmonalieva
With grateful thanks to outgoing spiritual program coordinator – Sara Karlgren

The FPMT study group in Argentina, Yogi Saraha, has closed.

Coming Soon for Those Offering Service in FPMT Affiliates:

Protecting from Abuse

Our new Protecting from Abuse policy and training presentation are both close to completion and we look forward to sharing them with you soon.

New FPMT Education Programs

Two new FPMT education programs are being developed. One is being designed to fulfil center needs in preparing students for more rigorous Basic Program studies, and the other focuses on understanding the nature of the mind, and how happiness is understood in Buddhism, and will provide practical techniques that Buddhism offers to develop these qualities.

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.