Obituaries

Lama Zopa Rinpoche requested that “students who read these obituaries pray that the person mentioned finds a perfect human body, meets a Mahayana guru, and becomes enlightened quickly, or be born in a pure land where the teachings exist and they can become enlightened.” Reading these obituaries also gives us an opportunity to reflect on death and impermanence and to make the determination to live life in the most meaningful way. Rinpoche continuously reminded us to meditate on death and impermanence in order to motivate ourselves to practice Dharma right now! If we put off Dharma practice for when we are older or less busy, we assume that we will wake up tomorrow morning, and there is no promise of this.

More advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on death and dying is available, see Death and Dying: Practices and Resources. To submit an obituary for an FPMT student, please see our obituary submission guidelines.

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Palden Passes Away

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Palden Passes Away

By Ven. Jampa Khedrub Sera Je Khensur Rinpoche Acharya Geshe Lobsang Palden manifested passing beyond his coarse body on the evening of May 1, 2016, in Taipei, Taiwan, and subsequently remained in the clear light meditation (thuk-dam) until May 6. ... Read more »
Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche Passes Away

Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche Passes Away

We are sad to announce that on February 13, 2016, Dhakpa Tulku Rinpoche passed away peacefully while in meditation at his residence in Kalimpong, India. Dhakpa Rinpoche was one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, was an FPMT touring lama, and ... Read more »
His Eminence Choden Rinpoche Passes Away

His Eminence Choden Rinpoche Passes Away

We are very saddened to share the news that His Eminence Choden Rinpoche passed away on September 11 at 1:30 a.m. India time at Sera Je Monastery in South India. Choden Rinpoche was a highly respected Buddhist master and a ... Read more »
Ven. Margaret McAndrew Passes Away

Ven. Margaret McAndrew Passes Away

We are sadden to share the news that Ven. Margaret McAndrew has passed away of cancer In Australia. Affectionately know as Ani Marg, she was a long-time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, first arriving at Kopan in ... Read more »
Ven. Ann McNeil Passes Away

Ven. Ann McNeil Passes Away

Ven. Ann McNeil, one of Lama Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s most senior Western students, passed away on Sunday, February 22, 2015, in British Columbia, Canada. Known as Anila Ann, she became a student of Lama Yeshe in 1970, when ... Read more »
Khensur Denma Locho Rinpoche Passes Away

Khensur Denma Locho Rinpoche Passes Away

Khensur Denma Locho Rinpoche ceased breathing and entered into clear light meditation on Thursday, October 23, at his home in McLeod Ganj, India, after a brief illness. He was 86 years old. Denma Locho Rinpoche was a highly respected Tibetan ... Read more »
Belated Obituary for Jacques Haesaert

Belated Obituary for Jacques Haesaert

In September 2014 during the CPMT 2014 meeting, managing editor Laura Miller met with student Françoise Majeste who revealed that a close student of Lama Yeshe and a long-time student of Institut Vajra Yogini in France – Jacques Haesaert – ... Read more »
Mandala Remembers Jim Blumenthal

Mandala Remembers Jim Blumenthal

Mandala is mourning the loss of our dear friend Dr. James Blumenthal, who passed away very early in the morning of October 8, 2014, at age 47, due to complications from cancer. Jim was a regular contributor to Mandala for ... Read more »
Mongolian Translator Gunjiimaa Ganbat Passes

Mongolian Translator Gunjiimaa Ganbat Passes

FPMT News Around the World It is with sadness that we share the news of Gunjiimaa Ganbat passing away. After struggling with a very difficult to treat form of drug-resistant tuberculosis, Gunjiimaa died in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on April 1, 2012. ... Read more »