International Office News
July 2020

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, July 1, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Special Long Life Puja Offered to Rinpoche

Special White Tara long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, July 4, 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Following advice from Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drolma), on July 4, a very powerful White Tara long life puja was offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. An unusual amount of preliminary preparation went into this long life puja to make it particularly powerful. In addition to this long life puja, Khadro-la has advised on several fire pujas to be done in Nepal to help subdue the effects of COVID-19. Read in full …

Thousand-Arm Chenrezig thangka offered by Ven. Roger Kunsang to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the White Tara long life puja.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche asked us to share the long life prayer composed by a long-time student and FPMT registered teacher for the official annual long life puja offered to Rinpoche in January 2020. Rinpoche commented that “This long life prayer is telling the false and the truth in our life. This is because he understands the Dharma, and is a good writer.” Read the prayer, and find a compilation of other long life prayers offered by students.

Ongoing Thought Transformation Teachings

Lama Zopa Rinpoche continues to help us take advantage of the opportunity to engage with the Dharma without needing to travel, by giving wonderful teachings on video to help us transform any situation into the path to enlightenment. Find all of Rinpoche’s advice and video teachings from Kopan Monastery, with links to videos in translation, transcripts, MP3s, and more, on the page Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings on Thought Transformation during the Time of COVID-19.

New Books

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

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s newest book, How to Face Death without Fear: A Handbook by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, was recently released by Wisdom Publications. Rinpoche’s intention is that students can use the book to help themselves and loved ones prepare for the end of their life with courage, acceptance, and a mind free of fear. Read more about the book; and find Rinpoche’s heart advice and ­practices for death and dying.

Wisdom Publications published another new book from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in March 2020, The Six Perfections: The Practice of the Bodhisattvas was published by Wisdom Publications in March 2020, in which Rinpoche walks us through this key teaching.

Teachings Postponed

Kopan Monastery has postponed the annual one month lamrim course (also known as the November Course), during which Lama Zopa Rinpoche was scheduled to teach. Kopan Monastery is hoping that the course, and Rinpoche’s teachings during it, can be rescheduled—perhaps for January 2021. Rinpoche’s tentative teaching schedule is online.

We’re Rejoicing About:

Heart Sutrathon for International Sangha Day!

Sangha are always celebrated within the FPMT organization, and specifically on our International Sangha Day each year on Chokhor Duchen, which this year falls on Friday July 24th. This year is the eighteenth FPMT International Sangha Day, and the International Mahayana Institute (IMI)—the FPMT organization for monks and nuns—is organizing a 24 hour marathon recitation of the Heart Sutra!

Ven Tendar, IMI director, explains: “This is a way for all FPMT students, centers, projects, services, and study groups to engage together in a worldwide Dharma activity. It will be livestreamed on YouTube and we hope that all of you will be able to watch and participate.”

Watch for our forthcoming blog with more information about this Heart Sutrathon.

Listen to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent and timely teaching about how Sangha are “the real heroes.”

Chokhor Duchen, known in English as “Turning the Wheel of Dharma,” commemorates the anniversary of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s first teaching. It is one of the four annual holy days of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, on which the power of any meritorious action is multiplied by 100 million, as taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic. This is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice for practices to do on these holy days.

Celebrating His Holiness Dalai Lama’s Birthday

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, India, January 2020. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

FPMT students joined in the celebrations for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6. His Holiness is the greatest source of inspiration for the FPMT organization. Read more about how we support His Holiness, and the extensive advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on prayers and practices to do each year for His Holiness’s birthday.

The Happy Toolbox for Kids

The Happy Toolbox for Kids is a free resource from the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom for parents, carers, teachers, and anyone working with children. The Happy Toolbox contains a selection of mindfulness exercises and one activity idea for each of the 16 Guidelines for Life to playfully explore mindfulness and ethical values with children. The creation of this resource was inspired by FDCW’s new course, 16 Guidelines for Children and Teens.

Become a Friend of FPMT

Opportunities and Changes within the Organization:

Opportunities to Offer Service in the FPMT Organization

Would you like to spend your days in a meaningful way? 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: Lama Yeshe House, USA, is looking for a spiritual program coordinator; as is Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Center, Australia.

Impermanence at Work

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

Chandrakirti Center, New Zealand
We welcome new co-directors – Phillipa Rutherford and Britta Hietz

Panchen Losang Chogyen, Austria
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Margit Sinabell
With grateful thanks to retired SPC – Andrea Husnik

Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery, Australia
We welcome new director – Venerable Lozang Yeshe
With grateful thanks to retired director – Venerable Gyatso

For Those Offering Service in FPMT Affiliates:

Eighteenth FPMT International Sangha Day!

FPMT’s 18th International Sangha Day is on July 24, Chokhor Duchen. This is the Buddha multiplying day when all centers, projects, and services are encouraged to celebrate the Sangha (though another day can be chosen if more suitable for your community’s needs). See above for IMI’s Heart Sutrathon scheduled for this day! This is the best day to make your mandatory annual donation of US$240 or more to support the International Mahayana Institute (IMI) via the Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund. You can make your annual donation by going to our secure annual donations page, or by local IMI-agreed donation routes in order to make it easier, and cheaper, for local affiliates to make their donations. The IMI recently sent out their annual financial report to demonstrate how IMI values, and uses, your annual donation.

FPMT Director Training

Rinpoche on a zoom call with many FPMT resident geshes and directors from around the world on Saka Dawa, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, June 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently asked about training for FPMT directors, and gave some additional advice about the correct attitude for directors to develop and maintain. We’ve now listed, in one place, the building blocks provided to help become a beneficial director: FPMT Director Training, including quotes from this recent advice.

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.