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International Office News
May 2017
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the main cave at Maratika, Nepal, April 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
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Practices for Rinpoche’s Health
Mandala’s Newest Online Feature Stories
New Items in the Foundation Store
Affiliate Area Highlights: Study Group Advice
Have this translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page. French and Spanish speakers will find the FPMT International Office News translated each month in the “Bienvenue” and “Bienvenidos” tabs on the FPMT homepage!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:
Activities and Advice
We invite you to enjoy the recently added photo album for March–April 2017 in “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Photo Gallery”!
Rinpoche is beginning a teaching event in Russia. He recently taught at the FPMT centers in Mongolia and visited Chailsa, Nepal.
Highlights from our blogs:
Rinpoche frequently speaks about the importance of guru devotion. In his book The Heart of the Path, he explains the real meaning of “guru.” Read in full and watch the video …
Graduating from Geshe Studies: ‘You Have Gained So Much’
Lama Zopa Rinpoche met with Kopan Nunnery’s first two geshemas in November 2016 to congratulate them—and to watch them debate philosophy. They are Geshe Namdrol Phuntsok and Geshe Jangchub Gyalmo, who graduated with their Geshe degrees in 2016 after an intense program lasting more than twenty years. Read in full …
Find a wide range of advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Rinpoche’s Advice page.
Schedule
2017: Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s schedule in full …
2018:
April/May: Continuation of the Bodhicaryavatara and Rinjung Gyatsa retreat, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia
September:
1–2 Lamrim teachings, Losang Dragpa Centre, Malaysia
7–30 Most Secret Hayagriva initiation and retreat, Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Malaysia
Subscribe to our FPMT news blog to get updates as soon as they are announced. Enjoy livestreams of many of the teachings above and recordings of Rinpoche’s most recent teachings via Rinpoche Available Now!
Practices for Rinpoche’s Health
Thanks to all who are doing the practices and donating for the pujas advised to help create the conditions for Lama Zopa Rinpoche to have good health this year.
International Office News:
Revised Protector Prayers
FPMT Education Services is pleased to release a revised collection of protector prayers as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to remove obstacles to success in practice and our activities to benefit all sentient beings. Contents include: Blessing the Offerings, Praise of Six-Arm Protector Mahakala, Torma Offering to Pälden Lhamo, and many more.
Supporting Sangha
Young monks at Idgaa Choizinling, Mongolia, enjoying daily lunch together
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Supporting monks and nuns has always been one of the highest priorities for Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT organization, because the preservation of Buddhadharma is dependent on the existence of Sangha. The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund offers support to many monasteries and nunneries—and to individual monks and nuns—for food, accommodation, health care, and education and practice opportunities. Recent grants we have made from this fund have benefited the nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery in Nepal and the monks of Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang in Mongolia, where we have offered the mid-day meal since 2003.
Mandala’s Newest Online Feature Stories
“The Benefits of Monasteries and Nunneries,” Mandala’s online feature story for May, explores why formal institutions for ordained Sangha are necessary, especially in this modern age. Drawing from advice given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and from an essay by Ven. Tenzin Legtsok, an American monk in the geshe studies program at Sera Je Monastic University, the articles outlines how lay students and ordained alike are helped by monastic institutions.
In April, Mandala published “In the Footsteps of Atisha: A Pilgrimage to Vikramashila,” a first-person account by Annie McGhee of a visit to the ruins of the ancient Indian monastic university where Lama Atisha lived and taught. Ladakhi Lama, a former attendant of the great Khunu Lama Rinpoche, led the pilgrimage from Root Institute in Bodhgaya to Vikramashila, which along with Nalanda, was for centuries one of the most important centers of Buddhist learning.
Merit Box Grants 2017
The 2017 Merit Box grants have just been awarded! There were sixteen grants this year for projects including publication, translation, hospice care, retreat support for Sangha, building repairs for Dharma centers, and more.
Funds for all these grants came solely from the generous offerings of Merit Box practitioners and participating FPMT communities around the world! Read the full list of grants.
New Items in the Foundation Store
We’re happy to announce that a shipment of holy objects and other items to support your Dharma practice and your center’s shop has arrived in our warehouse in Portland, Oregon, USA. Please take a look at our superior incense selection, authentic ritual items, beautiful brocades and malas, and inspiring prayer flags, among other quality Buddhist accessories from Nepal.
Friends of FPMT
Friends of FPMT are helping the organization and enjoying lots of free Dharma materials and programs. Read more about the Friends program here.
For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Board Members, Registered Teachers and Coordinators:
(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)
Affiliate Area Highlights: Study Group Advice
We’ve recently updated the Start Up Kit for FPMT Study Groups, particularly the “Spiritual Program Guidelines.”
FPMT Service Seminar News
Upcoming Foundation Service Seminars:
Losang Dragpa Centre, Malaysia, will host an FSS in June (fully booked).
Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, will host an FSS in December.
Jamyang Buddhist Centre, UK, will host an FSS in August 2018.
FPMT World:
Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT
Please check out the regularly updated meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. Mahamudra Centre, New Zealand, has new volunteer positions available; Root Institute, India, has opened its positions for May–August; LRZTP, India, is looking for a Tibetan language teacher and a course manager.
Impermanence at Work
Buddha Maitreya Bodhgaya
We welcome new director – Ven. Tsenla Tuladhar
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Nita Ing
Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, Australia
We welcome new SPC – Lee Moi Cheng
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Susan di Bona
Jinsui Farlin, Taiwan
We welcome new resident geshe – Geshe Tsethar
With grateful thanks to outgoing resident geshe – Geshe Gyurme
Rinchen Jangsem Ling, Malaysia
Ven. Sonam and Selina Foong have swapped positions: Ven. Sonam is now director while Selina is now SPC!
South Asia Regional Coordinator
fpmtsar@gmail.com
Taiwan National Coordinator
taiwan.coordinator@gmail.com
We welcome new coordinator – Klaus Liu
With grateful thanks to outgoing coordinator – Dr. Steve Lin
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