International Office News
July 2019

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Latvia, June 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:

Schedule

Dates have been added to Rinpoche’s program in Singapore, and there has been one change to the teaching dates in Moscow, Russia.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing a small horse at an animal sanctuary in Latvia, June 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

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

Advice

The Best Way to Live Your Life

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at an event organized by Gendun Drupa Center, Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

During teachings in Switzerland in 2018, Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught on the importance of generating patience and creating happiness for others, captured in this excerpt and video clip:
“Even if you don’t believe in reincarnation and karma, even those who are listening for the first time, if you practice patience, if there is no anger from your side, that brings so much happiness to you as you live life, and to your family, to society, to the country, and into the world. You can bring so much happiness, peace, into the world….” Read in full …

Importance of Studying and Applying Lamrim in Daily Life

“Practice mindfulness and the three principal aspects of the path to enlightenment—renunciation, bodhichitta, and right view. Then everything done with renunciation becomes the cause of liberation and does not become the cause of samsara. Then everything done with bodhichitta becomes the cause of enlightenment. Then with right view, everything becomes a remedy to samsara, a remedy to ignorance, which is the root of all your suffering, your samsara, the root of all your sufferings of samsara. It eliminates that; that’s what you need.” Read in full …

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International Office News

FPMT Students Experienced FPMT Family Feeling in Nepal

In February 2018 a group of FPMT students traveled together from Australia to Kathmandu, Nepal, for a pilgrimage led by Gen Thubten Dondrub, resident teacher at Buddha House, an FPMT center in Australia. Read about their experience in Mandala magazine’s online story!

While at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, in June, Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited Geshe Tengye, who is 94. Geshe Tengye was resident geshe at the Institut for many years, and semi-retired in 2003. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The Puja Fund Sponsorship on Buddha Multiplying Days

Shakyamuni Buddha by Jane Seidlitz.

On the four great Buddha multiplying days (when merit is multiplied by 100 million) the Puja Fund sponsors 15,650 Sangha to offer specific pujas, and offerings are made to holy objects around the world, IMI Sangha communities, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus.

The next holy day, Chokhor Duchen (commemorating Lord Buddha’s first teaching), will be celebrated this year on August 4 and a vast array of prayers, practices, and offerings will be sponsored. These will include a complete recitation of the Kangyur by Khachoe Ghakyil Ling (also known as Kopan Nunnery) and the Prajnaparamita by Gyurme Tantric College.

On Saka Dawa, which was observed this year on June 17, all of this was offered by the Puja Fund.

All of these pujas and offerings are dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors, and those serving the organization in any way. Please consider participating in this beneficial activity by rejoicing in, mentally joining in the offerings and practices, and also offering any amount to the Puja Fund so that these prayers and practices can continue far into the future.

New Materials from Education Services

New: The Secret Advanced Practices of Vajrayogini

Updated:
The Quick Path to Great Bliss, a long Vajrayogini sadhana
A Compilation of Tsog Offerings to Vajrayogini
Prayers for the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet
How to Do the Great Festival of His Holiness’ Birthday
Long Life Prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Work a Day for Rinpoche Report

We have enormous joy and appreciation for the generous showing of support for the Work a Day for Rinpoche fundraiser in June. This year we have received contributions from nearly 400 people from 46 countries, raising more than US$40,000 for the Dharma projects and work of International Office! There were also 110 recitations of the Golden Light Sutra reported from around the world as an offering for the campaign as well. Please rejoice with us!

Foundation Store News

Collection of Audible Practices & Prayers: Thanks to Kopan Monastery, Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery, Rachen Nunnery, and FPMT Education Services, the Foundation Store has this collection of practices, beautiful songs, and prayers performed according to FPMT guidelines. Get it today at a special discount!

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

(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)

Next Teacher Development Service Seminar

This will be held January 27 – 31 2020, at Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy. This unique training is designed for FPMT registered teachers, introductory course facilitators, and meditation leaders. The seminar will introduce principles of contemporary Dharma pedagogy (method and practice of teaching), within the context of the unique FPMT lineage. During the seminar you will explore areas of specific interest to those teaching and leading meditation within FPMT centers, including course planning. The seminar is experiential and participatory, and is suitable for experienced Dharma teachers and complete beginners alike, as it stimulates reflective practice and professional development, which are essential processes for everyone helping others learn Dharma in FPMT education programs.

17th International Sangha Day

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with some of the Sangha who participated in the recent retreat at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, June 2019. Photo by Tsanka Petkova.

FPMT’s 17th International Sangha Day is on August 4 this year, Chokhor Duchen. All centers, projects and services are encouraged to celebrate the Sangha on this special multiplying day.

New Program Under the UECW Pillar of Service

Building Balanced Empathy is a brand new Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom course designed by the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW).

It lasts six hours and explores empathy, vulnerability and emotional resilience. During the course, we examine what causes you to feel emotionally overwhelmed and conversely what leads you to emotionally disconnect from others. We explore how to genuinely feel and understand the experiences and emotions of other people, allowing for more compassion towards oneself and others. You will learn techniques empowering you to relate to others in a healthy, more balanced way.

The course is flexible in format so that it is easy to slot into a center’s schedule, and fit with people’s increasingly busy lives, as a weekly evening class or an all day workshop. Directors and SPCs are invited to find out more by contacting Victoria, director of FDCW.

FPMT World:

Rejoice: Welcome to a New FPMT Study Group

We welcome new FPMT study group (probationary hospice service), Potala Hospice, in Spain.

Impermanence at Work

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

FPMT Europe Regional Office
We welcome new regional coordinator – Paloma Fernandez
With grateful thanks to outgoing regional coordinator – Rafael Ferrer

Bengungyal Center, Mexico
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Bernardo Alvarez
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Dolores Santillan

Centro Muni Gyana, Italy
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Paola Verro
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Roberto Vitrano

Nagarjuna Center, Madrid, Spain
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Rafael Garcia
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Susana Saiz

Panchen Losang Chogyen, Austria
We welcome new director – Alice Grundboeck
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Stefan Seidler

Shantideva Center, USA
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Lauren Coleman

Tongnyi Nyingje Ling, Denmark
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Martina Krajacik

Tse Chen Ling, USA
We welcome new co-spiritual program coordinators (SPC) – Lynne Sonenberg and Stephen Butler

Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth (LKPY), has closed.
We rejoice in what the LKPY team were able to achieve over the years, and that FDCW has and is creating more resources for youth!

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