International Office News
May 2023

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Nepal, March 27, 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Updates Regarding Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Mani monlam presided by Khenpo Sarvajit Gongba of Namgyal Jyangchub Choeling (H.E. Tulku Losang Namgyal Rinpoche) at Kopan Monastery. In the evening, offering butter lamps prayer at Boudhanath Stupa. Kopan Monastery and Boudhanath Stupa, April 16, 2023. Photo by Namgyal Jangchub Choeling.

Updates from FPMT International Office

The day we received the devastating news that Rinpoche had entered his final meditation, we created a new page on the FPMT website which would serve to collate all the news, updates, resources, and advice as it becomes available. We continue to add to this page as necessary and hope it will serve students well to have all of this information available in one place, including the various sections you will read about below:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/

Ongoing Livestream: In addition to the resources and updates available on our main updates page, there is a continuous livestream of the pujas offered twenty-four hours a day (apart from occasional breaks) at Kopan Monastery in front of Rinpoche’s holy body: https://www.youtube.com/c/fpmtinc/live

Swift Return Prayers

Two days after Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away, His Holiness the Dalai Lama composed a prayer for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We also received a small collection of additional prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return, composed and offered spontaneously by other distinguished lamas with whom Rinpoche had a connection in this lifetime, including Khensur Jhado Rinpoche, Rangjung Naljorma Khandro Tseringma, and Lelung Rinpoche. These prayers are available in various languages and since our aim has been to make these prayers accessible as soon as they are available, further prayers may be added to subsequent editions of the collection and edits made to existing prayers:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/#swiftreturn

We are also happy to share these beautiful tunes in Tibetan of two swift return prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche by the Bhutanese artist Lhamo Dukpa.

Tributes and Condolences

Dungse Lama Pasang and locals offering a butter lamp for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return. Ngak Labrang, Tsum, Nepal, April 15, 2023. Photo by Tsum Monastery.

We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of kind and heartfelt tributes, condolences, and notice of prayers being offered from great lamas, friends, and monastery officials around the world. We created a page to honor these warm messages, photos, and activities. On this page you will find tributes and condolences from several high lamas; information about prayers and practices offered in various monastic communities; student tributes; and photo galleries of the group prayers, pujas, and practices done for Rinpoche’s swift return in Kopan and other monasteries and Dharma communities, at FPMT centers, and at the sites of holy objects and gompas:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/tributes-and-condolences/

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, March 25, 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Practices for Rinpoche’s Swift Return

We received advice about which practices FPMT centers and students could do at this time by Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi on April 18:

• Lama Chopa and Tsog Offering – every day, or every seventh day
• Eight Verses of Thought Transformation
• In Praise of Dependent Origination translation by Thubten Jinpa | translation by Gavin Kilty
• Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri
• King of Prayers
• Prayers for the Swift Return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and other distinguished lamas

All of these prayers and practices can be found in one place and we will update as new advice becomes available: https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/#community

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Upcoming Long Life Puja for His Holiness

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodhgaya, 2022. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

On May 24, 2023, FPMT has the incredibly precious opportunity to offer a long life puja to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Namgyal Monastery, Mcleod Ganj, India. All are welcome to attend in person or also join online.

The creation of 1,000 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha which will be offered to His Holiness is underway, as well as the two life-sized Namgyalma and Padmasambhava statues.

This puja is extremely poignant at this time. For many years Lama Zopa Rinpoche had made the request to offer a long-life puja to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who in actuality is Chenrezig Buddha, on behalf of FPMT. We are unbelievably moved to be able to now offer this puja on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s behalf.

You can read more about this long life puja and how to participate.

FPMT Statement in Support of His Holiness

The FPMT Board of Directors recently published a statement in support of His Holiness.

We invite you to read this statement in its entirety.

FPMT Board Meeting with His Holiness

Meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, April 16, 2023. Photo courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

On April 26, the FPMT Board was able to have an interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Present for the interview were four of the five Board members, Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi (Abbot of Kopan), Venerable Roger Kunsang, Dale Davis, and Karuna Cayton. Two senior monks from Kopan, Venerable Tenpa Choden, Director of Kopan Monastery; and Venerable Thubten Kunken, Office Manager, were also present.

We shared a video and translation of this special meeting, where His Holiness very clearly offers the important guidance and essential advice concerning Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s reincarnation, how the organization will be led, and advice to the students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Important Dates and Events

49th Day after the Passing of Lama Zopa Rinpoche

On May 31, Heruka Lama Chopa with Tsog will be offered at Kopan Monastery on the occasion of the 49th day since Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. All are welcome to join the livestream of this special puja.

The booklet of this puja will be shared soon in the Practice and Gatherings section of the Updates page:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/updates-regarding-rinpoche/#community

Sangha offering puja at Kopan Monastery in front of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body, April 16, 2023. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Puja and Practice Offering on Saka Dawa

The FPMT Puja Fund is arranging an extensive array of pujas on Saka Dawa, dedicated to the swift return of our precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Rinpoche mentioned many times that he wishes for, “the pujas being sponsored and offered on each of the four Buddha days to continue forever, or for as long as the monasteries and nunneries exist.” Rinpoche has mentioned how important they are for the success of the whole organization and for FPMT to be most beneficial to all beings.

We are so honored and committed to continue this request of Rinpoche.

On Saka Dawa (June 4 this year), as part of the Tara Puja Fund, we are sponsoring two different recitations of the 100,000 Praises to Tara by over 4,000 sangha as well as recitation of the Prajnaparamita, Medicine Buddha puja, 1,000 Offerings to Buddha Namgyalma, and other pujas and practices. Offerings will be made to over ten thousand sangha and to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus as well as to the holy stupas in Nepal and the Buddha statue in Bodhgaya.

You are welcome to join in these offerings but the most important thing is to remember on the actual day that the pujas and offerings are happening and to rejoice and dedicate the merit. Rinpoche said, “that this is the best business, the best way to create the most extensive merit.”

Specific practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for this special day can be found here. 

Light of the Path Retreat 2023

Kopan Monastery will host the Light of the Path Retreat for the dates and length originally planned: September 3 – 17, 2023. Kopan will soon put out an update on this retreat and we will share as it is available. The Foundation Service Seminar scheduled at Kopan following the retreat will occur on the dates originally planned as well: September 21 – 26.

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From Within the FPMT Community:

Ven. Sarah Thresher Shares Intimate Portrait of this Time at Kopan Monastery

“It’s simply impossible to express how beautiful it is in Rinpoche’s room right now,” Ven. Sarah Thresher shared on her Facebook page from Kopan Monastery on May 4, 2023, two weeks after Lama Zopa Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away on April 13, 2023. “Kopan has done everything to make it the most extraordinarily beautiful and breathtaking offering for Rinpoche. I hope you all will have a chance to visit in the future and appreciate the love and devotion and majesty of Rinpoche’s mandala. I have watched this transformation over the past two weeks and I’m so grateful.”

We are so fortunate that Ven. Sarah took the time to share what it has been like at Kopan during this devastating and moving time. With Ven. Sarah’s permission, we are sharing some of the detailed reports she has written about how “every inch of Kopan” has been in prayer and service as several thousand individuals have come to pay respects to Rinpoche and process this immense loss. The supportive and kind atmosphere, impeccable coordination and handling of logistics, and the care and detail needed for Kopan to receive and care for hundreds of guests from around the world daily—this effort at a time of losing the guru is something to truly consider and rejoice in. Please read Ven. Sarah’s moving account of events as they were occurring at Kopan Monastery. 

Those Newly Offering Service

Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, Mongolia
We welcome new director – Susan Roe

Guhyasamaja Center, USA
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Jan Jacobs

Jamyang Buddhist Centre of Leeds, UK
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Chrissie Martindale

Maitreya Institut, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We welcome new director – Silvie Walraven
With grateful thanks to retired director – Paula de Wys

Spanish National Office
We welcome new national coordinator – Irina Hueso Roldan

Tushita Meditation Centre, India
We welcome new resident teacher – Ven. Wangdu

Yamantaka Center, Colombia
We welcome new director – Isabella Caro
With grateful thanks to retired director – Venerable Gloria O’Meara

Yeshin Norbu, Sweden
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Agnija Kasuza
With grateful thanks to retired SPC – Zarina Osmonalieva

The Passing of Arunas Antanaitis

We offer prayers and condolences for Arunas Antanaitis, director of Lama Yeshe Ling, Canada, who passed away on May 5, 2023. An obituary for Arunas will be shared soon.

Please pray that Arunas may never ever be reborn in the lower realms, may he be immediately born in a pure land where he can be enlightened or to receive a perfect human body, meet the Mahayana teachings and meet a perfectly qualified guru and by only pleasing the guru’s mind, achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

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.