International Office News
November 2014

French and Spanish speakers will find the FPMT International Office News translated each month in the “Bienvenue” and “Bienvenidos” tabs on the FPMT homepage! Or you can have this translated into your native language by using our convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche sitting outside Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery, Bendigo, Australia, October 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s News:

New Advice: The Heroes of the World

Sangha and lay students watch as Lama Zopa Rinpoche makes prostrations before teaching, Chenrezig Institute, Eudlo, Australia, September 2014.

Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.

During CPMT 2014 in Australia, Lama Zopa Rinpoche praised Western Dharma practitioners, particularly the Sangha, for their efforts:

“… If you’re able to practice Dharma in the West, it’s a great talent; you are a great hero, wow. Someone who is able to be a monk, able to be a nun, even a lay person practicing pure Dharma – wow, wow, wow – it’s unbelievable, unbelievable, as generally speaking, it’s not easy in the West. Those who are doing practice are heroes. That is the main thing to think about Sangha – they are heroes.

… Sangha, you have to know you are the heroes of the world because you are fighting, preventing the wars of delusion, and protecting peace from delusion. They’re the real heroes as are the lay practitioners who do pure Dharma practice. But that’s what the Sangha are especially – you have to realize!”

Receive the Oral Transmission of the Sutra of Golden Light from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

During the recent retreat in Australia, Lama Zopa Rinpoche agreed to allow those who listen to a recording of Rinpoche giving the oral transmission of the Sutra of Golden Light to receive the transmission in full. You may receive this oral transmission by listening to the audio or from watching and listening to it on video. We are pleased to make both the video and audio available for you.

Find a wide range of advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Rinpoche’s Advice page. Go to the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive for lots more advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche’s Schedule

Please contact the hosts directly with any questions regarding the event. Subscribe to our RSS feed on Rinpoche’s Schedule to receive updates automatically as soon as they are available.

2014
November 23 Long life puja offered by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore

November/December Teachings during the one-month lam-rim course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal

2015
Hosted by Maitreya Instituut, Loenen, the Netherlands:
July 11 – 12 Teachings on the Essence of the Kadam by Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen
July 13 – 19 Heruka 5 Deities initiation
July 20 Long life puja

More dates coming soon!

2016
September 11 – 26 Light of the Path retreat, Kadampa Center, USA

Videoed teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche are online 24/7
on FPMT’s livestream webpage.

International Office News:

News from Education Services

New Materials Available:
Prayers and Practices to be Reborn in Sukhavati includes The Swift Path to Sukhavati by Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyältsen as well as The Benefits of the Pure Land Sukhavati, a commentary by Lama Tsongkhapa.

Practices of Arya Sitatapatra (White Umbrella Deity) is a collection of two practices, The Supreme Accomplishment of Sitatapatra and Praises and Repelling Practices of Sitatapatra.

Both of the texts above are available as free downloads from the FPMT Foundation Store.

News from the Basic Program:
Two new Basic Programs have recently made a successful start, one at Centro Cittamani Tara in Padova, Italy; and the other at Ganden Tendar Ling in Moscow, Russia. Each welcomed some 25 students for their first classes while simultaneously offering the teachings online for those who may miss a class. Congratulations!

Basic Program students have two excellent opportunities for fulfilling part of their Basic Program retreat requirement. Centre Kalachakra’s retreat center near Paris is offering a one-month lam-rim retreat from December 27 onward, and both English and French speakers are welcome. Also, Institut Vajra Yogini, in the south of France, is offering a month-long lam-rim retreat from January 25 onward.

News from FPMT Charitable Projects – FPMT Puja Fund

Gold being offered to Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokhang

We invite you to rejoice in the amazing array of pujas and offerings sponsored by the FPMT Puja Fund this year on Lhabab Duchen (November 13), one of the year’s holy Buddha Multiplying Days. You can read an entire list, as well as descriptions, of the pujas and offerings sponsored. Here are a few highlights:

• Recitation of the Prajñaparamita offered by the 650 monks of Gyume Tantric College
• Druk Chu Ma (64 offerings to Kalarupa to eliminate obstacles), Namgyäl Tong Chö (1,000 sets of offerings to Buddha Namgyälma) and Zangcho (King of Prayers) offered by the 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monastery
• Offerings made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus
• Small money offerings made to 15,650 Sangha at the great monasteries of India and Nepal, as well as to Sangha at IMI international Sangha communities
• Offerings made to the Bouddhanath and Swayambunath stupas, the Buddha inside Bodhgaya’s Mahabodhi temple, and to the Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokhang

Anyone can contribute to these incredible offerings by donating to the Puja Fund to help cover the costs. If that is not possible, please rejoice and mentally offer all of this activity on your own behalf.

News from Mandala Publications

Amitabha Buddha statue on Amitabha celebration day, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, US, August 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Take a moment to read “Amitabha Buddha Celebrated at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land,” a two-part article written by Ven. Holly Ansett about the arrival of a 16-ton (14,790-kilogram) marble statue, a special project of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State in June. See amazing photos and learn how Rinpoche celebrated the statue’s installation!

Mandala regularly publishes news articles, inspiring photographs, and engaging multimedia content as part of our blog. Check back daily or subscribe to have our content delivered directly by email.

Foundation Store Offer: Discovering Buddhism DVDs

We happily offer the 2010 edition of the English-language Discovering Buddhism DVDs for $10, reflecting a nearly 80% discount! The 2010 edition is exactly the same as the newer 2014 edition for $55, except for two minor and easily corrected technical glitches (instructions included with DVD).

Benefit FPMT with Your Holiday Shopping

The AmazonSmile program will automatically donate 0.5% of your purchases to FPMT every time you shop on Amazon anywhere in the world. Click here for an easy way to sign up.

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

(This advice is specifically for those offering service in the roles listed above.)

International Merit Box Project Now Accepting Grant Applications for 2015!

Merit Box grants for 2015 are available for centers, projects, services, study groups and initiatives that further the mission of FPMT. Please contact meritbox@fpmt.org for an application. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2015.

Consider encouraging your students and supporters to become Merit Box practitioners and collecting offerings to support future grants. Order your group’s free Merit Box practice kits today!

Foundation Service Seminar Facilitator Training Approaching

At the recent CPMT meeting, many aspects of the Foundation Service Seminar were highlighted. If your region is lacking a Foundation Service Seminar facilitator, there will be a Foundation Service Seminar facilitator training at Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, California, USA, January 28-31, 2015.

Ven. Paloma and Gun Cissé sharing their stories of meeting the Dharma, Day 4 CPMT 2014, Australia, September 16, 2014. Photo by Laura Miller.

CPMT 2014 Minutes – Wisdom Culture Talk Videos

Go to the CPMT 2014 minutes to enjoy videos of Wisdom Culture talks given during the meeting by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Paula de Wijs-Koolkin, Ven. Gyatso, and Ven. Paloma together with Gun Cissé.

Also find a booklet about fundraising offered by Australian Kimball Cuddihy, experienced former center director.

Honor Lama Thubten Yeshe at Losar

A reminder in case you missed Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice to offer Lama Chöpa tsog on Losar (Tibetan New Year) to honor the anniversary of Lama Yeshe’s passing away.

FPMT World:

New FPMT Study Group in Cyprus!

We welcome new FPMT study group, Thab-she Ling, in Cyprus!

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!

Today is the closing date for applications to offer service as director at Chenrezig Institute, Australia. Milarepa Center, USA is looking for a spiritual program coordinator and Root Institute, India urgently needs a kitchen coordinator and a general manager/assistant director.

Impermanence at Work

Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, Mongolia
We welcome new resident teacher – Ven. Gyalmo

Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre, Australia
Grateful thanks to retired resident teacher – Ven. Yonten

Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme (LRZTP)
We welcome new director – Yaron Bahir
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Sally Dudgeon

Rinchen Zangpo Center, Mexico
We welcome new director – Brenda Moreno
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Carmen Revuelta

Shakyamuni Study Group (probationary center) in Italy, has closed – we rejoice in their efforts to serve sentient beings.

With love,
FPMT International Office

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