International Office News
May 2021

Lama Zopa Rinpoche beginning to write out the Prajnaparamita in pure gold after a break of nine years, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, May 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Advice and Thanks to All FPMT Students

Ven. Roger Kunsang offering a mandala to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the April 19 long life puja at Kopan Monastery. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

During the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche last month, Rinpoche offered advice to all FPMT students and affiliates, and thanked all those offering service in the FPMT organization, including those who participated in the long life puja. So we’re delighted to share the video with you.

Rinpoche also commented in honor of Lama Yeshe:
“Who started the organization is Lama Yeshe, most rare and difficult to mention the holy name. He started the organization in Dharamsala, Tushita. I think we did fulfill Lama Yeshe’s wishes. The whole organization from year to year to year, development was so hard. It came up gradually, like an airplane taking off, very slowly—it developed like that. We did fulfill Lama’s wishes, not only studying lamrim but Masters Program, Basic Program, all of that—so we really did fulfill Lama Yeshe’s wishes as an organization. And also by serving His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this is so good, and this is the quality of the organization.”

Teaching for the Sangha

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

As part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s ongoing teachings on thought transformation, Rinpoche is giving some teachings specifically for the Sangha, the community of ordained monks and nuns. Recent teachings include The Sangha are the Real Heroes Because They Are Defeating the Delusions, and Rejoice and Enjoy Your Life as Sangha.

Teaching in Tibetan

༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་བཟོད་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་ནས་བོད་སྐད་ཀྱི་ཐོག་ནས་སྩལ་བའི་བཀའ་སློབ་གསན་གཟིགས་གནང་ས། Lama Zopa Rinpoche has added teaching in Tibetan for Kopan monks and nuns—and of course for anyone else who speaks Tibetan—to his ongoing teachings on thought transformation!

New Photo Album

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in mask, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, photo by Lhundrup Topgye.

For your interest and enjoyment, we’ve added a new album of photos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Nepal, March-April 2021.

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We’re Rejoicing About:

New Materials Available in the Foundation Store

The following items are all freely available from our Foundation Store:

• Ritual for Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts now in Audio: This contains the ceremony and commentary of the Ritual for Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts compiled by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Tracks include the Actual Ritual, the Mantra of Pure Morality, and the Dedication Verses from Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara, beautifully recited by Rinpoche.
• The All-Pervasive Sphere of Great Bliss, Free of Elaboration: Requesting Activities of Palden Lhamo: This short prayer was written in 1973 by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. The translation of the prayer was requested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
• Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success Mantra PDF: A beautifully designed image of the Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success Mantra has been created by Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore. The image is offered as part of a PDF download bundle.

Support and Merit Making During Saka Dawa

FPMT International Office invites you to support two of our funds during Saka Dawa. By doing so, you support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and projects and contribute toward a vast amount of pujas, practices, and offerings being performed on the merit-multiplying Buddha day:

• Work a Day for Rinpoche: One can “Work a Day for Rinpoche” by contributing a days’ work earnings, or any amount, in support of the work of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s International Office. You can also participate by reciting the Sutra of Golden Light, one of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for bringing about peace in the world. Learn more and support this campaign.
• FPMT Puja Fund: We’re sponsoring a vast array of pujas, practices and offerings on Saka Dawa, dedicated for the benefit of all beings, the FPMT organization, and in particular all those affected by the pandemic. Anyone can join in this worldwide day of merit by contributing any amount before Saka Dawa (May 26th). This year three different recitations of the 100,000 Praises to Twenty-one Taras will be offered; recitation of the Prajnaparamita; one thousand offerings to Namgyalma and Medicine Buddha; offerings will be made to 10,000 Sangha; and paint, gold, and new robes will be offered to stupas in Nepal, the Buddha statue in Bodhgaya, and Jowo Buddha statue in Tibet.

New Free Book From Our Lamas

Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive is about to publish a new free book titled Lamrim Year: Making Life Meaningful Day by Day: a guide for meditators who want to develop their mind in the graduated path to enlightenment (lamrim). Lamrim Year presents the entire path to enlightenment in the form of a 365-day study program, using a page-per-day format, for anyone who wants to experience the essence of this ancient and powerful set of Buddhist teachings. LYWA are happy to send a copy with free shipping to Sangha members, who are invited to email them now to place an order. Ordering in general will open in early June.

Chenrezig Installed Inside the Great Stupa

Photo courtesy of The Great Stupa.

Ian Green, director of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, shares with us that “After nine years of fundraising and great effort we are delighted that Chenrezig is installed inside the Great Stupa.” This statue is based on the art of the model made by Peter and Denice Griffin.

Academy Focused on Buddhist Mind Science

Monks from Sera Je Monastic University and University of Pisa Professor Bruno Neri are part of a collaborative research effort on meditation, which is connected to the work of Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa’s Mind Science Academy, Sera Je Monastery, India, 2019. Photo courtesy of Mind Science Academy.

Following advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the FPMT center Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy, created a Mind Science Academy, to work on integrating ancient Buddhism wisdom (mind science) with Western secular academic study. As part of its work, the Mind Science Academy is collaborating successfully with several universities in Italy. This is already bringing many benefits, and could be used as a model for other FPMT centers to develop relationships with local universities and experience similar benefits. Read in full….

Opportunities and Changes within the Organization:

We Welcome Wai Cheong Kok, Big Thanks to Ven. Joan

We are delighted to share that Wai Cheong Kok has joined the FPMT International Office team as Foundational Program Coordinator. Wai Cheong is one of the graduates of the first Masters Program, and has been an FPMT registered teacher for many years. Wai Cheong has taken over from Ven. Joan Nicell, who resigned in order to have more time to focus on transcribing Rinpoche’s teachings from Kopan. Sincere and ongoing thanks to Ven. Joan!

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: We are looking for a suitably qualified person to serve as FPMT Europe regional coordinator; Land of Joy, UK, is looking for a director; and Oseling, Spain, is recruiting for three positions.

For Those Offering Service in FPMT Affiliates:

Translations – Ethics and Protecting from Abuse

With enormous thanks to the individual translators for their hard work on this, we are delighted to announce that translations of the Ethics and Protecting from Abuse section and policies in Chinese, French, Spanish, Italian, and Tibetan, are now up under the Translations tab of the Affiliates Area home page. The Protecting from Abuse training course in those same languages is coming soon.

Free Shipping of New Book from LYWA

We hope you received Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive’s announcement of their new book via the CPMT e-group, and their offer to FPMT affiliates! To take advantage of their offer of free shipping to FPMT affiliates, email LYWA now to place your order.

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.