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Welcome to this month’s newsletter. We are pleased to share precious advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe, along with many causes for rejoicing, including an overview of the recent beneficial and essential activities supported through FPMT Charitable Projects. In response to the floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border, many generous donors quickly responded to our new FPMT Emergency Relief Fund. Below you can learn how the funds have been used so far, and we will continue to keep you updated on needs and relief progress. You will also find information on new study and practice resources and opportunities available for you, as well as information on all of the great activities happening around the world within FPMT. Advice from and News Regarding Lama Zopa RinpocheThe Sutra of Great Liberation: A Teaching for Difficult Times
Lama Zopa Rinpoche returned to The Sutra of Great Liberation more than once over the years, offering the oral transmission and commentary of this text to students facing hardship — in Singapore in 2018, and again from Kopan Monastery during the difficulty of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Rinpoche held this sutra especially close, describing it as a teaching for any dangerous or uncertain times. The Sutra of Great Liberation is formally entitled The Arya Mahayana Sutra Called “Arya All-Expansive Great Liberation, Purifying Negative Deeds through Cleansing Remorse, Perfectly Arranged Accomplishment of Buddhahood.” The Tibetan text, found in the Kangyur, is a translation of the Chinese rendition, the Sanskrit source text having been lost over the course of time. This powerful sutra, which was expounded just before the Buddha’s parinirvana, covers a wide variety of topics, including the three vehicles, the three refuges, how to confess and purify, proclamation of names of many buddhas and bodhisattvas, descriptions and causes of the thirty-two marks of an enlightened being, extensive advice on how to practice the Dharma, instructions on how to do the actual purification, and the signs of purification. Read more to access resources related to this powerful sutra. Mani Retreat: Why Do I Have to Do This?To celebrate the ongoing FPMT Global Mani Retreat, which has brought together students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche from around the world to help fulfill one of Rinpoche’s most cherished wishes, we recently shared this excerpt from Teachings from the Mani Retreat by Lama Zopa Rinpoche: It is also good to ask yourself, “Why do I have to do this?” There are two reasons. One very important reason is that sentient beings do not want suffering and want happiness. The other reason is that this is the purpose of your life. The conclusion is that there are two reasons: this is what sentient beings need, so you should help them; and this is the meaning of your life. Up Next for the Mani Retreat: The next major teaching of the Global Mani Retreat will be Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche, on Sunday October 25, 2026. A truly rare and precious opportunity! The 11th Chenrezig Group Practice will be with Kabir Saxena on Saturday, September 26, representing FPMT in India. Joining Kabir will be special guest Nick Ribush, who will share more about FPMT’s early days and, in particular, about setting FPMT up in India. If you missed it on September 19, you can watch Ven. Robina Courtin leading and offering wonderful commentary on Chenrezig group practice. To keep up with all details related to the FPMT Global MANI Retreat, please refer to our webpage, and join the Facebook Group. Turn Daily Life with Your Partner into Dharma PracticeIn this extract, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offers practical guidance for couples on how to transform daily life with a partner into a Dharma practice. This teaching is from Joyful Parents, Successful Children, “Making a Relationship Meaningful.” Edited by Venerable Joan Nicell and published in 2015 by Amitabha Buddhist Centre. Please look for an updated version of this book coming soon from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive! People think, “To be with them is all I need in life.” They never think about the possible problems, and instead, see a life filled with beauty and bliss. They think, “If I could only be with this person, I could kiss the rest of the world goodbye. Whatever happens after that, even if the world were to be destroyed by fire, it wouldn’t matter? It is very interesting to investigate how the mind thinks, and in particular, ‘the trip’ that attachment takes us on. Attachment sees only beauty, only bliss. It considers that particular person to be absolutely wonderful and the most important and best thing in life. Even before you meet someone, you hope to encounter such a person and imagine how the relationship will be, including the holidays you will go on together. Mentally you make up stories or daydream about how nice it will be. Then at the beginning of an actual relationship, there is a lot of excitement. You are attracted to each other and meet for an hour or so here and there, perhaps in a park or at a restaurant. You meet more and more often and come to think, “How wonderful it would be if we could live together.” Eventually, you either get married or move in together. But only then do you begin to really see the other person. As the days pass, you gradually begin to get angry when the other person behaves in ways or says things that you don’t like. You begin to notice many previously unnoticed things about them, such as the unpleasant smell of their body and excrement. Gradually you come to see many faults. You begin to see the selfish mind of the other person, that they don’t want to do what you want them to do and that they only want to do whatever they want. Your unhappiness starts to grow and then gets stronger and stronger. Read more. Valuable Resources for StudentsWe would like to draw your attention to some valuable resources for students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Compendium of Precious Instructions: A Catalog of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Works is a collection of Rinpoche’s literary and graphic works which are available digitally and/or in print, with particular emphasis on key teachings that Rinpoche especially wanted his students to take note of and put into practice, as well as a guide on where to find the audio and video. Life Practice Advice is a resource based on Rinpoche’s essential daily practice and lifetime practice advice. This is his essential advice and by following this advice, students can feel confident they are following and practicing according to Rinpoche’s heart advice. FPMT.org offers a collection of practical advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Students can also find Rinpoche’s advice on a wide range of topics in the form of short talks and letters at the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Lama Yeshe’s WisdomBringing Peace to the World Is Our Individual Responsibility
In this extract, Lama Yeshe emphasizes that “bringing peace to the world is an individual responsibility. If, as individuals, we were all to develop such a responsible attitude and behave accordingly, that would bring about world peace. The question remains, is it possible to spread these ideas throughout the whole world?” Continue to read this teaching from Knowledge-Wisdom: The Peaceful Path to Liberation, Volume 1, edited by Nicholas Ribush and published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, 2023. It is drawn from a teaching Lama Yeshe gave to students at the University of California, Berkeley, on July 13, 1983, titled “Anxiety in the Nuclear Age.” …To bring happiness and peace to earth, we have to eliminate every situation leading to hatred and anger. That means totally eradicating our own hatred and anger. We have to make our own lives peaceful and happy. This is the way to work for peace twenty-four hours a day. If our minds harbor destructive, angry thoughts, any talk of peace is just a joke. It’s merely artificial; there’s no guarantee. The only guarantee is to fertilize our minds with peace and loving kindness toward all; that’s the way we should do it. The question remains, is it possible to spread these ideas throughout the whole world? Can we get everybody in the world to agree to abandon the use of nuclear arms and not to kill any human being? Can you make that determination yourself? Can we spread this philosophy or not? What do you think? We’re not using religion in this; we’re not using Buddha, we’re not using Christ, we’re not using religion or non-religion—we’re just concerned for the welfare of all human beings. What do you think? Read the full extract. Highlights from FPMT Charitable Projects
FPMT’s Charitable Projects support the flourishing of the Dharma and the well-being of people and animals, helping to build a more compassionate world. Here are some recent highlights of these activities. Standing with Families from RasuwaFollowing devastating floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border, FPMT Emergency Relief Fund is supporting the relief efforts, while Kopan Monastery and Nunnery are reaching affected families with essential supplies–from food and bedding to kitchenware–offering tangible support to those facing the aftermath of the disaster. A Legacy of Care for Elderly TibetansFor more than a decade, FPMT’s Social Services Fund has helped care for elderly Tibetans living in exile. In 2026, support continued across ten elder homes, helping cover essential costs such as food, medical care, staff salaries, utilities, and daily necessities. Healthcare and Education That Reach Those Who Need It MostIn 2026, US$136,103 in Social Services Fund grants helped seven organizations in India and Mongolia provide medical care, community health services, and practical support to an estimated 50,000 people. Holy Objects for World PeaceFrom stupas and prayer wheels to Buddha statues, FPMT’s Holy Objects Fund is helping bring Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision to life – creating holy objects around the world for the benefit of all beings. Read the full stories and explore the impact of FPMT Charitable Projects. What We’re Rejoicing AboutFPMT Mongolia Completes 14th 100 Million Mani Retreat!
FPMT Mongolia’s 14th 100 Million Mani Retreat has successfully finished! Please read as Ven. Thubten Gyalmo, resident Western teacher at the Mongolian FPMT Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling Center, reflects on the history of the Mani Retreat in Mongolia and how much her life has been impacted by it. Chenrezig Institute Documentary Screening at Global Conference on Buddhism in Poland
Chenrezig Institute: The Origin of Tibetan Buddhism in Australia, a documentary about the FPMT pioneers who helped bring Tibetan Buddhism to Australia and founded Chenrezig Institute, the first center established by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the West, will be screened at the 13th Global Conference on Buddhism in Kraków, Poland. The conference will bring together up to 2,500 participants from around the world, including twenty-two speakers from fifteen countries across four continents. It will take place on November 6-8, 2026, at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre. Your News and StoriesFamily Feeling News Roundup
This month, we published a digest of short community highlights from FPMT centers and individuals worldwide. This list of stories is not exhaustive, just a sample of all the great activities happening in the FPMT family worldwide. Please read the August Roundup! The FPMT family is full of inspiring activities at centers, projects, services, and study groups, as well as among registered teachers and individuals who bring our communities to life. We would love to hear about it. Whether it’s a recent accomplishment or an activity that gives your community reason to rejoice, your story can spark ideas and create connections across the FPMT family. We hope these highlights inspire you to rejoice in the family feeling and good work happening in our global FPMT community! Please review our submission guidelines and reach out if you have something to share—we’d love to hear from you. Science and SpiritualitySeveral FPMT centers have been actively working to bridge the fields of Buddhism and science, and we rejoice in their efforts to bring this vision to life and serve others through this meaningful work. Below, we share news of the most recent initiative. Is your center exploring this connection too? We would love to hear about it—and to share it in a future story. Nalanda Monastery in France has organized a series of public dialogues between Buddhism and science since 2019. The initiative was started by Ven. Lobsang Gyaltsen while studying Dharmakīrti’s texts, to bring Buddhist understanding into dialogue with scientific knowledge, following His Holiness’s vision. These dialogues bring together Tibetan Buddhist scholars and academic scientists to explore topics including physics and interdependence, consciousness and the self, and the nature of life. On May 9, 2026, Nalanda hosted the third Dialogue Between Science and Buddhism, bringing together Geshe Tenzin Norbu and Dr. Joana Xavier to explore The Nature of Life. Please read more. Celebrating 50 Years of FPMT!
Your memories and experiences are part of this living history. We have already begun gathering some of these precious stories, but there are so many more voices we would love to hear. We would love to collect as much of this history as possible: short videos, presentations, written stories, and group shots from your center, projects, and services. We warmly invite you to please be in touch! Recently, we shared stories from Merry Colony and Harry Sutton. Resources and Opportunities for Study and PracticeHigh Lamas Tour FPMT Centers in Europe This AutumnWe are delighted to share that His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche and His Eminence Serkong Rinpoche are both offering teaching tours in Europe, including many FPMT centers. Please take a look at the full schedules and save the dates to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities. Newly Available from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom ArchiveTeachings from the Mani Retreat has recently been revised, and the new second edition is now available in print, eBook, and PDF formats. This book is a transcript of teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in December 2000 during the inaugural Mani Retreat at Chenrezig Institute in Queensland, Australia, edited by Ven. Ailsa Cameron. Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment: A newly revised second edition of Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment is now available in print and digital formats. Sponsored by the Merit Creation Group (Singapore). In this book, His Holiness the Dalai Lama interweaves a commentary on Atisha’s A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment and Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lines of Experience. The Sutra of Great Liberation, translated by Gyalten Lekden, was first published by FPMT in 2023 and is now being republished by LYWA. Sponsored by Doren and Mary Harper. Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasized the profound benefit of engaging with this sutra in any way, even unintentionally. Subscribe to the LYWA monthly e-letter and keep up with the latest news and publication information. Newly Available from the FPMT Foundation StoreWe are pleased to share the following updated Vajrayogini practice texts:
Foundation Store ResourcesYou can order printed copies of a selection of Foundation Store titles through Amazon’s print-on-demand service in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the USA. In the item description, click on the Amazon market that is closest to you. Foundation Store also offers a selection of prayers and practices available for 1-click download. Retreat OpportunitiesPlease check our retreat schedule page for group retreat opportunities upcoming in your area. Announcements, Opportunities, and ChangesChanges in the FPMT OrganizationCentro La Sabiduría de Nagarjuna, Bilbao (Spain) Opportunities to Offer ServiceRead about the amazing benefits and importance of offering service in the FPMT organization, and have a look at these meritorious opportunities to offer service as paid staff or as a volunteer in FPMT centers, projects, and services around the world, including opportunities in Australia, France, India, Italy, North American Region, Nepal, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, UK and the USA. Recently added: Chenrezig Institute (Australia), Buddha House (Australia), Land of Medicine Buddha (California) and Ocean of Compassion (California) are looking for a new director; Ocean of Compassion (California), Chandrakirti Meditation Centre (New Zealand), Nagarjuna Bilbao (Spain), and Atisha Centre (Australia) are looking for an SPC; Root Institute (India) is looking for a receptionist/house manager. The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion (Australia) is looking for a general manager. FPMT Mexico is looking for a National Coordinator. Foundation Service Seminar in Spain in July 2027The Foundation Service Seminar (FSS) is the “FPMT immersion retreat,” providing essential information and nourishment for all serving, or wishing to serve, in the FPMT organization. This is a wonderful opportunity for centers, projects, and services to invest in the future by training the next generation of directors, SPCs, volunteers, board members, etc. O Sel Ling, Spain, will be organizing an FSS on July 15-19, 2027. Reservations are not open yet, but please save the dates. FDCW Facilitation Skills Training Program Module 2FDCW is offering Facilitation Skills Training Module 2: Practicing the Skills this October, and you’re welcome to join whether or not you’ve done Module 1. While Module 1 focused on awareness, ethics, core tools and recognizing what good facilitation looks like, Module 2 is about practicing those skills in challenging scenarios such as exploring making sound judgment calls, working with presence and intuition, and adapting skillfully when things are uncertain or under pressure. This practice-focused session builds on the eight core skills from the original training, such as managing group dynamics and active facilitation, and gives participants hands-on time to strengthen their confidence leading groups. Choose from two timeslots: October 19, 2026 (5:00–7:00 pm BST) or October 20, 2026 (8:00–10:00 am BST). The training is open to facilitators, educators, meditation leaders, and anyone who leads group discussions. Please learn more.
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Contact information for the centers mentioned, and all FPMT centers, projects, and services can be found in the FPMT Directory. 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. |
