International Office News
January 2025

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Maitreya School, Bodhgaya, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Advice and News Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Placing the Treasure Vases in the Stupa of Complete Victory

Transportation of one of the nine treasure vases to the throne of the Stupa of Complete Victory. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monsastery.

The construction of the Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche is progressing beautifully. We are so happy to share a recent update and the significant milestone that has been reached.

On November 29, nine huge (approximately 3 feet) treasure vases were placed inside the throne of the stupa. The precious substances of the vases and the texts, that were also put in the throne, were consecrated with special prayers and vases were carefully filled with all the substances. Cloth was offered to the texts, and the monks all joyfully carried them to the stupa. Please read more about this update, watch a video of placing the treasure vases, and see the new photos.

Prayers for Rinpoche’s Swift Return Continue

Prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return at Swayambhu Stupa, January 4, 2025.

On December 28, 2024, and January 4, 2025, Khenrinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, Rigsel Rinpoche, along with the Kopan geshes, geshemas, monks, nuns, and students, gathered at the holy Boudhanath Stupa and Swayambhu Stupa, Nepal, to recite Chanting the Names of Manjushri, the King of Prayers, Calling the Guru from Afar, and other prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Additionally, prayers are being organized in Bodhgaya during the Fifteen Days of Miracles and elsewhere in FPMT centers around the world.

It is incredibly important to continue offering the prayers advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Rinpoche’s swift return at this time. With the Fifteen Days of Miracles, starting on Losar (February 28), approaching next month, FPMT centers and individual students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche are encouraged to organize prayers themselves, in order to maximize the power on those merit-multiplying days. All are welcome to please utilize the resources available to you, in order to sincerely pray for Rinpoche’s return. Additionally, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive also offers Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s own commentary and oral transmission of Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri which is available to all.

Advice for Earthquakes

The FPMT organization is devastated to hear the news that a powerful 6.8 earthquake struck on January 7, 2025 in the Dingri region of Tibet, with tremors felt across the Himalayas in neighboring Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern India.

Rinpoche has offered advice for prayers and protection from earthquakes and recommended Thang Thong Gyalpo protection image for anyone living in areas that are prone to earthquakes. 

We also would like to share that Kopan Monastery and Nunnery have been doing pujas for those affected, to show our solidarity and support for those who have nothing. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama also led prayers immediately for victims of the earthquake at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, Karnataka.

Advice for Dispelling Fires

Rinpoche has offered advice for practices one can do in relation to the dangers of fire, for oneself or others. Please read this advice and find links to the various recommended practices. 

Sherpa Song of Appreciation for Rebuilding the Thame Stupa

We are so pleased to share a beautiful, newly released song of appreciation to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, performed by Chhiring Wangchu Sherpa and others, for rebuilding the Thame Stupa which was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. The video was filmed in Kopan and Thame, Solu Khumbu. This song also sincerely requests Rinpoche’s swift return. One of Rinpoche’s attendants, Ven. Tendar, was the kind sponsor of this production.

2004 Mahamudra Retreat Teachings Available on the Full-Length Teachings Podcast

We are happy to announce a new addition to the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Full-length Teachings Podcast featuring teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche given at the Mahamudra Retreat at Buddha House in Australia in 2004.

From April 10 to May 10, 2004, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave extensive teachings during the Mahamudra Retreat. While the retreat focused on Mahamudra, Rinpoche also taught on a wide range of Lamrim topics. Video of these teachings is also available on our Rinpoche Available Now page.

New episodes of this series will be released every week, and as there are fifty teachings in this series, one can easily plan for a whole year of teachings by Rinpoche through following this series.

This podcast is currently available through podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and most major podcast apps. Search for the show title “Lama Zopa Rinpoche full-length teachings” to find the show in the podcast app. If you want to know how to listen to podcasts through an app, a search of the internet offers many resources to help you.

(For those wanting to listen in browsers like Chrome or Firefox (not Safari), the RSS feed link is https://feeds.captivate.fm/lama-zopa-rinpoche-full-length/).

Lama Yeshe’s Wisdom

Three Principal Aspects of the Path: Part 1

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, edited by Nick Ribush, 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. Edited by Nicholas Ribush.

Please read an excerpt from Part 1 of The Three Principal Aspects of the Path and watch a precious video of Lama giving this teaching!

What We’re Rejoicing About

2,548 Recitations of the Sutra of Golden Light in 2024

In 2024, 2,548 recitations of the Sutra of Golden Light were reported by FPMT students, coming from 27 different countries. We began tracking the number of recitations by students in 2008, and by December 31, 2024 58,887 recitations have been reported in more than 90 countries.

Reciting the Sutra of Golden Light is a significant contribution to world peace in these troubled times, so we rejoice in the merits of all students who helped fulfil Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s heart wish and request: “I would like to make this request with my two palms together, to please recite the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace as much as you can.” Please visit our Sutra of Golden Light webpage for more information and resources.

Activities of the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund in 2024

Annual Gelug Examination 2024.

The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund (LTKTF) has had another impactful year in 2024, supporting a variety of projects aimed at preserving and spreading the teachings and traditions of Lama Tsongkhapa and Gelug lineage. Through generous contributions, LTKTF has continued to fulfill its mission of providing crucial support to teachers, scholars, and institutions. Please read about recent grants offered which support our lineage teachers, and fund specialized studies for geshes and geshemas, as well as educational research for future Tibetan medical doctors.

Pilgrimage in Sri Lanka Raises Funds for Five-Story Medicine Buddha Statue

Medicine Buddha Puja during pilgrimage with disabled military, pilgrims and Tara Lanka community.

In September 2024, Sri Lankan-born, Australian-based nun Ven. Tenzin Lekdron led a pilgrimage tour in Sri Lanka to raise funds for the 5MB Project, a mission to build a five-story high Medicine Buddha statue in Sri Lanka, according to the instructions of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The Medicine Buddha prototype of the statue is now cast, gilded, painted and will be filled with mantras. The preparation is being supervised by Gen Tenpa Choden from Kopan Monastery.

Please read about more about this pilgrimage and this precious holy object being built for peace and healing in Sri Lanka.

FPMT Mongolia’s Mahayana Children’s Program Utilizes a Merit Box Grant

FPMT Mongolia Children’s Program, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Photo courtesy of FPMT Mongolia.

We recently shared a report about how FPMT Mongolia’s Mahayana Children’s Program was able to utilize a grant from the Merit Box Project to enrich their services offered to children age 6-16. The grant was used for development of a new classroom and to also publish new children’s learning materials and training resources for use in this location and beyond based on the 16 Guidelines. Please read a report on their activities.

Farewell to the Merit Box Project & Introducing the New FPMT Community Support Fund

The Merit Box Project was permanently closed at the end of 2024, after 23 years of fostering generosity and providing aid to local FPMT centers, projects, services, study groups, and other activities that align with the FPMT mission. In total 370 grants were awarded, providing US$1,258,580 in support to so many Dharma projects in local FPMT communities around the world. Please join us in rejoicing in all this wonderful activity!

To continue offering this important resource for the future, we have created the new FPMT Community Support Fund, which will fulfill the same purpose as Merit Box in providing aid to local FPMT communities and projects each year through annual grants. The first grant cycle will be later this year.

If you were planning to make a Merit Box offering, or would like to contribute to this new fund, please consider making an offering here! All offerings received until February 28 will be used for this year’s grants.

Resources and Opportunities for Study and Practice

Year of the Wood Snake Liberation Tibetan Calendar 2025 Now Available

For twenty-six years, the Liberation Prison Project has been producing a Tibetan calendar to support their work helping people in prison with their Buddhist practice. This calendar is relied on by FPMT students around the world for information on auspicious days for various activities including Buddha Days when merit is especially powerful for practice, as well as appropriate days for performing Medicine Buddha and Tara pujas, putting up prayer flags, doing fire pujas, and other activities. Also included are favorable and unfavorable days according to a combination of the elements. We are pleased to share that the 2025 Liberation calendar is available now as a printable PDF!

Newly Available and Revised Materials

We are happy to share that Lama Zopa Rinpoche: A Eulogy, written by Ven. Robina Courtin as a tribute to our precious teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche, is now available in German and Vietnamese.

Retreat Opportunities

Please check our retreat schedule page for group retreat opportunities including the Nyung Na retreat in France with Ven. Charles to join at anytime until June, and Mahamudra Retreat in the UK with Roy Sutherwood.

Opportunities to Offer Support and Changes within the Organization

Changes in the FPMT Organization

Dharmakaya Buddhist Center, Nevada, USA
We welcome Anne Lingon as new SPC
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC Cindy Mowbray

New Center and New Study Group!

Congratulations to Thubten Kunkyen, Napoli, Italy, which has successfully made the transition from study group to center!

Also we welcome one new study group:
Garden of Maitreya (probationary center), Bucharest, Romania
With thanks to the study group first coordinator Veronica Anghelescu

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 in France, India, European Region, North American Region, Nepal, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, UK and the USA.

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 now.

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.