International Office News
November 2021

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

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Maratika, Nepal, September 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

• Update: Lama Zopa Rinpoche continues his video teachings on thought transformation from Kopan Monastery, Nepal, including a recent teaching Taking Refuge is Not Merely Reciting Words Like a Robot. Rinpoche has also been teaching at Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery, Nepal, where Rinpoche’s teachings are translated into Nepali, which is providing Nepalese students with an incredible opportunity to access the teachings. These are available on the FPMT Tibetan YouTube channel.
• New Podcast: You can now listen to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings as a podcast! Each new episode of the podcast series corresponds to a new teaching in the ongoing video series of Rinpoche’s thought transformation teachings. Episodes are published shortly after the latest video teaching and blog, so listeners have access to transcripts and other materials associated with a specific teaching in English and Italian. We invite you to connect with Rinpoche in this way.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Recent Activities

In addition to these ongoing teaching events, Rinpoche gave advice via video for the fortieth anniversaries of two FPMT centers, Nalanda Monastery and Buddha House, together with many other beneficial activities in compassionate service to others. We invite you to read more about Rinpoche’s activities and enjoy a new photo album of Rinpoche from September and October.

Find advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche 24/7 on Rinpoche’s Advice page.
Subscribe to our FPMT news blog to get news updates.

We’re Rejoicing About:

His Holiness’ Message for FDCW

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the patron of the FPMT project, the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW), and provided a video message for their Compassion and Wisdom in Action conference which you can watch now! Lama Zopa Rinpoche also provided a video message for the conference, focusing on compassion and kindness.

Ninth Mani Retreat in Mongolia

The 100 Million Mani Retreat in progress and being streamed from Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, Mongolia. Photo courtesy of the center.

Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling, the FPMT center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, recently hosted its ninth 100 Million Mani Retreat (recitations of the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra). This year the retreat was hosted online due to covid-related restrictions. Dharma students locally and from the UK, US, Australia, France, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore recited a total of 114,442,502 mantras during the retreat—a cause for much rejoicing! 100 Million Mani Retreats are part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization.

The Teacher Development Service Seminar

Nalanda Monastery, France, have just hosted the FPMT Teacher Development Service Seminar with thirty-six graduates!

Nalanda Monastery commented on their Facebook page, “The course instilled a strong sense of being part of a lineage in all those who participated. We all became aware of the potential that we have to share the Dharma in our own unique and creative way while at the same time preserving its pure essence. As Lama Yeshe said, ‘Everybody is teaching every moment of twenty-four hours of every day.’ To acknowledge this can make us aware of the profound influence we have on others, and thus the responsibility we have to embody what we teach. Besides the richness of content and discussion in the course we also feel enriched by the sense of community that was invoked within us.”

Maratika: a New In-Depth Story

Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche)

Maratika, considered one of the six holiest places in the world, is a sacred pilgrimage site with ancient meditation caves, where Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) achieved immortality. In a new in-depth online story, Maratika: Where All of Your Prayers Are Fulfilled, Ven. Sarah Thresher shares some of the fascinating history of this powerful place and its special connection with Lama Zopa Rinpoche. She also provides an update on Rinpoche’s current auspicious activities at Maratika and his future plans for the area, including constructing a huge Guru Rinpoche statue. Read in full …

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 making a meaningful contribution? Have a look at the various meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. Newly Added: two FPMT retreat centers, Oseling in Spain and Detong Ling in Australia, are each looking for a spiritual program coordinator.

Impermanence at Work

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

FPMT Europe Regional Office
We welcome new regional coordinator – Nicolas Brun
With grateful thanks to outgoing coordinator – Ianzhina Bartanova

Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Malaysia
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Daniel Yeoh
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Seok Lee Cheong

Khamlungpa Center, Mexico
Grateful thanks to outgoing resident geshe, Geshe Tenzin Tenpa.

Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Leonie de Vree
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Marco Crooijmans

Nalanda Monastery, France
We welcome new director – Venerable Tharchin
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Venerable Tendar

Tara Meditation Center and Hayagriva Center, Australia
We welcome Ven Chokyi as resident teacher.

Yeshe Gyaltsen Center, Mexico
We welcome new acting director – Moya Mendez
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Veronica Amezcua
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Venerable Munsel

Kasih Hospice Care is continuing its good work, but no longer as an FPMT hospice service due to local constraints.

Namdrol Ling, the FPMT study group (probationary center) in Florida, USA, has closed.

For Those Offering Service in FPMT Affiliates:

New Tibetan Translations for Centers Hosting Geshes

We’re happy to confirm that the updated FPMT Geshe Agreement, and the Complaints and Remedial Process for Resident Geshes, are both now available in Tibetan, in the FPMT Geshe Pack.

‘Made for Protection’ Logo

Nagarjuna Valencia and Nagarjuna Alicante shared this image with us, designed by local student Denis, which the centers are using to draw attention to their ethical and protecting from abuse policies.

If you received this from someone else, or unformatted, visit our subscribe page to receive this newsletter directly.

FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.