International Office News
September 2019

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, USA, August 2019. Photo by Chris Majors.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche News:

Schedule

Unfortunately, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s scheduled visit to Hong Kong has been cancelled.

Recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings are always available at Rinpoche Available Now.

Advice

Renounce the Ego

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Amitabha Buddha festival at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, US, August 2019. Photo by Chris Majors.

“If you are my student, then you must do the morning motivation, The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness (Including Enlightenment). Do not just read the words, but relate them to your life. You must recite these words and if after reciting the words your mind doesn’t change, then you are not doing it [correctly].” Read in full …

How to Use Criticism and Unfavorable Situations on the Path

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Alexis Roitmann.

“Every day, in the morning, when you begin the day, please remember emptiness. Everything is empty: I, action, and object. You can recite the Heart Sutra and the quotations below. When you open the door, when the day begins, while seeing the reality of phenomena or the reality of life, recite and meditate on the meaning of these words.” Read in full …

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International Office News

1,000 Buddhas for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore, September 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On behalf of the entire FPMT organization, Lama Zopa Rinpoche is sponsoring the creation of 1,000 Shakyamuni Buddha statues which will be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2020. These beautiful nine inch statues are currently being made, painted, filled, and consecrated in India. The 1,000 Buddhas will be completed in December 2019. We are inviting you to participate in this rare and precious opportunity to sponsor a completed Buddha statue that will be offered directly to His Holiness. You are also welcome to offer any amount toward the whole project.

Training the Mind in Generosity

We invited several FPMT centers from around the world to share how they provide their communities with opportunities to train the mind in the practice of generosity. Read their inspiring stories in “Training the Mind in Generosity.”

Print FPMT Materials Locally

Education Services is dedicated to making authentic Dharma texts available worldwide. FPMT centers, projects, and services, non-FPMT Dharma organizations, and individuals, may acquire FPMT licensed source files, which can be used to print locally. Dharma texts produced in this way can be gifted, made available by donation, or made available for a fee in accordance with teachings about Dharma income. Learn more …

Updated: Prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet, featuring a new long-life prayer recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “JIG TEN KHAM DIR…”

Become a Friend of FPMT

Special Deal for All in Europe and Asia!

The last remaining copies of The Secret Advanced Practices of Vajrayogini Vol. 4 are available for purchase at a discounted price. Orders for this text only will ship from France, reducing shipping costs for customers located in Europe and Asia. This text is the fourth and final volume of FPMT Education Service’s series of Vajrayogini practice manuals. Its use is restricted to students with the appropriate tantric empowerment. For details and orders please contact us at the FPMT Foundation Store.

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

(This advice is specifically for those offering service in these roles.)

Incredible Benefits of Working for the Center

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave very powerful advice and encouragement regarding the importance of FPMT centers, projects, and services and the benefits of working for them. Rinpoche gave this advice to the participants of the recent South East Asia Regional Meeting, hosted by Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore. Watch the video now! This would be a very good teaching to share at your center, project, and service, particularly from the one hour and nine minute point. The video is accompanied by the transcript.

Rinpoche’s Advice When People Complain about You

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, May 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice, sent to some students who had written complaining about a center director. This is important advice for all of us offering service in the FPMT organization! International Office put it out in our Lama Zopa Rinpoche News, and it is now always findable on the Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche page.

Rinpoche says, “Yes, I have also heard complaints from the director as well as from you. The reality is that there is negativity on both sides. I am not saying one is completely pure and the other is bad, unless one is Buddha. Then, that is my own problem. Again, to remind you, if we accept karma, first there is whatever we experience with our senses. Whatever appearances we experience are the result of past good and bad karma.” Read in full …

Fundraising Success Stories

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Omak, USA, September 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

We are frequently asked how best to raise funds to sustain FPMT centers, projects, and services, and also if it is possible to run an FPMT center on dana (donations) only. We know that it is a challenge to balance the wish to benefit all sentient beings with the practical day-to-day expenses associated with running a non-profit entity.

So, we asked several FPMT centers which have successfully developed methods to offer students opportunities for practicing generosity to share how they make it work. We’re delighted that the resulting stories provide fellow directors with an inspiring and practical resource.

FPMT World:

Foundation Service Seminars

Graduates of the Foundation Service Seminar hosted by Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Italy. Photo by Gabriele Fincato.

Lara Gatto, FPMT Italy National Coordinator, shares some feedback from the recent Foundation Service Seminar in Italy:
“It has been a great experience for us! The complete picture of what FPMT is, is very, very useful for students. Some directors are already working to share their experience with board members and students in their centers. Quite immediately we all felt a strong sense of community and connection. This touched us a lot. We were given the tools to take space from the daily matters that usually overwhelm our minds. With that space, the results of our job easily appear and we felt a great JOY about serving Rinpoche.”

Register for a Foundation Service Seminar now:

• Valencia, Spain: October 30 – November 3, 2019 (in Spanish, with English translation)
• Nalanda Monastery, France: January 21 – 25, 2020
• Khamlungpa Center, Mexico (in Spanish): January 29 – February 3, 2020

Opportunities to Offer Service in the FPMT Organization

Would you like to spend your days in a very meaningful way? Take a look at the regularly updated meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world. Newly added: Land of Joy, UK, is looking for a spiritual program coordinator; Vajrapani Institute, USA, is looking for a kitchen manager and a housekeeper; Mahamudra Center, New Zealand needs a full time center manager; and Root Institute, India, has various volunteer opportunities.

Impermanence at Work

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

Choe Khor Sum Ling, India
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Malika Suri
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Indrani Banerjee

Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center, Nepal
We welcome back spiritual program coordinator – Holly Guy

Khamlungpa Center, Mexico
We welcome new director – Elvia Olmedo
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Santiago Solbes

Thubten Kunga Center, USA
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator (SPC) – Rebecca Smith

Tongnyi Nyingje Ling, Denmark
We welcome new director – Daniel Veenboer
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Mikkel Kristiansen

Sangye Choling Study Group, Italy, has closed.

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