International Office News
September 2022

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with flower offering at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, August 26, 2022. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

Teachings and Advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering concluding prayers after initiations at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, August 27, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Throughout August and September, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been offering very precious teachings at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore. Some of these teachings have been part of the ongoing thought transformation series, and some were various talks given on particular occasions to specific groups. Here are some recently published teachings from this period as well as timely advice for generating world peace, and links to new episodes of the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Essential Extracts Podcast:

• Thought Transformation Teachings 129: Dharma Is Any Action That Becomes an Antidote to Delusion.
• With This Human Rebirth, You Can Be Happy Day and Night
• Thought Transformation Teachings 130: Anger Destroys Your Happiness
• Thought Transformation Teachings 131: The Purpose of Living Life as a Couple
• Thought Transformation Teachings 132: Whatever Happens in Your Life, Be Happy
• Thought Transformation Teachings 133: How to Make Your Life Happy
• The Kindness of the Buddha is Limitless Like the Sky
• Rinpoche’s Recent Advice for Generating Peace in the World
• Recent episodes of the “Lama Zopa Rinpoche Essential Extracts Podcast” include, “A Long Life Should Be Used to Benefit Others,” and “The Guru Appearing in Ordinary Form Is Most Kind to Us.” New episodes are released every other Monday and previously published episodes are available on the Essential Extracts Podcast page as well.

All teachings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche are published regularly, unedited on our full-length teachings podcast shortly after the teaching finishes.

Long Life Puja and Praise Offered

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja offered to him at ABC, Singapore, September 11, 2022. Photo courtesy of ABC Facebook page.

On September 11, 2022, Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC), Singapore, offered a moving long life puja to Lama Zopa Rinpoche who has been teaching at the center since August 1. The joyful proceedings involved the five dakini dance, a procession bearing an array of the traditional offerings, long life prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Rinpoche by ABC’s choir, Mudita, with musical accompaniment, and also a composition of praise written by long-time student Cecilia Tsong. Please read these touching words of praise, and rejoice in the long life puja recently offered.

Thanking All for Their Prayers for Ven. Roger

Ven. Roger Kunsang offering a statue to Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja for Rinpoche at ABC, Singapore, September 11, 2022. Photo courtesy of ABC Facebook page.

FPMT International Office would like to thank the entire FPMT community for their thoughtful concern and swift prayers for the recovery of our most precious CEO and long-time personal assistant of Lama Zopa Rinpoche who suffered a fall in Singapore last week and fractured his hip. Ven. Roger is recovering well.

We’re Rejoicing About:

Eleventh Year of Nyung Na Retreats at Institut Vajra Yogini

Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY) in France has now hosted its eleventh series of 108 Nyung Na retreats. One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is to sponsor and encourage 1,000 Nyung Na retreats and IVY is working hard to help actualize this wish of Rinpoche’s. Please join us in rejoicing in this incredible effort. You can read more about this cycle of retreats that occurred at Institut Vajra Yogini and receive information about their next cycle (November 15, 2022 to mid-June 2023).

Stunning Images of the Sixteen Arhats Available to All

With the project almost three decades in the making now completed, we are happy to share with you beautiful images of the Sixteen Arhat statues which are housed at Nalanda Monastery, France, for your own home and practice. Please read more about the manifestation of this incredible project involving so many, and take advantage of this opportunity to obtain a set of these powerful images. 

Become a Friend of FPMT

What’s New?

New Blogs and Stories from FPMT.org

You can keep up on all of our latest blogs, featured stories, community news, and teachings by checking in regularly to the What’s New page on FPMT.org.

Lama Yeshe, Switzerland, 1978. Photo by Ueli Minder, courtesy of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Recent highlights include:

• The Experiential Nature Of Lord Buddha’s Teachings is excerpted from a teaching given by Lama Yeshe in Christchurch, New Zealand, June 14, 1975, discussing the skillfulness of Lord Buddha in giving us methods for every situation.
• Look Within Rather than Externally: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Teaching to 9,000 Students From July 8-9, 2022, His Holiness gave teachings in the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, HP, India, to 9,000 students. His Holiness offered the Heruka Initiation of the Luipa Tradition. FPMT Australia student Cynthia Karena, a regular contributor to FPMT.org, who attended the initiation with others from Tara Institute, Australia, spoke to participants about their experience, and shared her own.

Resources to Support Your Dharma Study and Practice:

Study & Practice Materials

Newly Available:

• The Dharani of the Goddess Parnashavari: Parnashavari, or Loma Gyonma in Tibetan, is a goddess of the kriya tantra class whose practice protects from contagious diseases.
• Holy Objects to Place on the Body at the Time of Death: This PDF contains four sets of holy objects to be placed on the body of the person or animal that is in the process of dying.
• White Umbrella Deity Amulet PDF (Tibetan): This deity is relied upon for protection; healing illness; dispelling interferences, spirit possession, and harmful forces; quelling disasters; averting obstacles; and bringing auspiciousness. This PDF contains the Practices of Arya Sitatapatra in Tibetan formatted to be used as a wearable amulet.
• Freedom Through Correct Knowing: Composed at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this translation with commentary on key parts of Khedrup Jé’s Clearing Mental Darkness: An Ornament of Dharmakirti’s “Seven Treatises on Valid Cognition” is intended for all levels of understanding. 
• The Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s Stages Of The Path Vol. 1: Guidance For The Modern Practitioner: Discover His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice for finding happiness, helping others, and applying insights from Buddhist thought to everyday life
• Please also read above about the new opportunity for all to have stunning images of the Sixteen Arhats!

Updates:

• How to Make Your Life Most Beneficial for Sentient Beings, Even with Your Speech: This essential advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche from 2016 has been updated as a PDF
• Chittamani Tara Retreat Sadhana PDF
• Six-Session Guru Yoga eBook & PDF
• The Yoga of the Three Purifications of Shri Chakrasamvara PDF
• The Abbreviated Sadhana of Five-Deity Chakrasamvara PDF
• Amitabha Pure Land Prayers and Mantra – MP3 Download

For a complete list of FPMT Education Services prayers and practices, please visit our catalogue page. You can also find all new arrivals, updated materials, and translated materials in our Foundation Store.

New FPMT Basic Program Course on the Online Learning Center

The supplementary Basic Program (BP) subject Seventy Topics has been added to BP Online as a complementary course, free of charge.

In accessible teachings, offered through Zoom for the BP at Thubten Norbu Ling, NM, US, Ven. Sangye Khadro, FPMT Masters Program graduate and experienced FPMT registered teacher and meditation leader, generously shares many points of understanding that have touched and inspired her during her studies. Much benefit is to be derived from engaging with these teachings and meditations, whether as a stand-alone course or as an introduction for the study of the Ornament for Clear Realization.

Opportunities and Changes within the Organization:

New Opportunities Available

Would you like to spend your days making a meaningful contribution? Have a look below at these meritorious opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world.

Newly Added:
Opportunities to offer service as a center director: In India: at Tushita Meditation Center, Dharamsala; In US: Land of Medicine Buddha, and Thubten Norbu Ling.

Other opportunities: FPMT International Office is looking for freelance editors; Vajrapani Institute, US, is looking for an SPC; Chenrezig Institute, AUS, needs a Tibetan-English interpreter.

Impermanence at Work

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

Nalanda Monastery, France
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Ven. Losang Tenzin
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Ven. Rigchog

Oseling, Spain
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Maud Thiry
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Ivan Platero

Shakyamuni Center, Taiwan
We welcome new resident geshe – Geshe Tenzin Tsultrim

Tse Chen Ling, US
We welcome new spiritual program coordinator – Effie Fletcher
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Gina Marsala

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FPMT International Office is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s office.