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Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund News
Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Ladakh, India. April 2013: The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund was very happy to be able to offer US$15,720 for food offered in 2013 to 35 students studying at Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Ladakh, India.
Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in the Himalayan Kingdom of Ladakh in a small village called Saboo. The campus is spread over 20 hectares of deserted land which eventually will be turned into an oasis of learning.
Students of Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics enjoying food offering. The main aim of this organization is to empower and enrich the poor and needy remote area students by imparting a combined learning of both modern scientific knowledge and ancient Buddhist wisdom. It was founded by the Ladakh alumni of Sera Jey Monastery in South India. In 2007 Geshe Lharampa Tsewang Dorje was invited to take full responsibility for this project.
Geshe Tsewang Dorje eagerly accepted and began to gather resources needed to start the construction of hostels for girls and boys, a library, and the primary classroom building. Classes are now in session.
There are now 35 children (ages 6-14 years old, both boys and girls) staying in the hostel and attending the school from different parts of Ladakh and the border of Tibet. The Ngari Institute is taking care of all their daily needs, offering free room, board, covering their tuition fees, books and clothing allowances, and access to medical care. The students are following the standard government educational curriculum during the day and learn about Tibetan Buddhism and culture during after-school hours.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche was very happy to support this extremely beneficial project and to be able to offer the entire cost of the food fund for the 35 students and staff, three meals a day for the whole year. In addition, the money is also covering the cost of the students’ shelter, clothing, basic education, and training in nutrition and hygiene.
To rejoice and to learn more about the Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics
Some of the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns undertaking 100 Million Mani Retreats.April 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche just received this message from the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns who are currently doing their 2nd 100 million mani retreat:
The Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns wanted to send their heartfelt thanks to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and donors who are supporting them and caring for them like their own lovely children.
The nuns wanted to say that they would have no other food or support if Lama Zopa Rinpoche had not requested them to offer the 100 Million Mani Retreats each year and support them during the retreats.
You can learn more about the 100 million mani retreats offered by the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns every year.
The Sera Je Monastery Secretary, Geshe Thupten Monlam, explains that the classroom will initially be used for debate classes so the monks won’t be disturbed by rain and or too much sun.
It is a high priority of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s and of the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund to offer support directly and indirectly towards the next generation of Dharma teachers.
This support can be annual offerings toward food expenses or donations toward projects or specific needs, such as contributing to the building of the incarnation’s monastery, labrang (house), geshe degree etc.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche helps in whatever way he can to support the next generation of teachers who will continue to hold the lineages and pass on the Dharma.
Next Generation Dharma Teachers
Lama Zopa Rinopche with Tenzin Osel at Kopan Monastery Dec 2012.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche Kopan Monastery 2012.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Serkong Dorje Chang in Kopan Monastery 2012.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Domo Rinpoche in India Dec 2012.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with His Eminence Ling Rinpoche, Bodh Gaya Jan 2012.
Charok Lama with young tulkus of Kopan Monastery Feb 2006.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with young Sengye Rinpoche.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhicitta Fund has just offered 4,800 EUR toward the first half of the retreat. The students are now halfway through the 108 Nyung Näs. Nine students registered at various points but several canceled due to various reasons.
Four people did 16 Nyung Näs including Madeleine Maso who is 90 years old.
Five other people did 8 Nyung Näs and about 50 others did one or more Nyung Näs.
In short: 65 participants in total have participated in one or more Nyung-Näs and almost 500 individual Nyung Näs have been accumulated since mid-November!
Please rejoice in the merit created and because this contributes to one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast visions for the entire organization!
You can read about Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice regarding the incredible power of doing Nyung-näs on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive’s Online Advice Book.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche was very inspired by their work and wanted to make this donation.
We just received this kind message from Tashi Lhunpo Health Care Center regarding how the donation is being used:
“First of all we would like to convey our heartfelt greetings and gratitude for your kind support. Because of your financial support we were able to buy sufficient medicine, and also hepatitis syringes which are very expensive.”
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Light Offering Prayer
Composed by Lama Atisha
May the light of the lamp be equal to the great three thousand
worlds and their environments,
May the wick of the lamp be equal to the king of mountains –
Mount Meru.
May the butter be equal to the infinite ocean.
May there be billions of trillions of lamps in the presence of each
and every buddha.
May the light illuminate the darkness of ignorance of all sentient
beings
From the peak of samsara down to the most torturous hell,
Whereby they can see directly and clearly all the ten directions’
Buddhas and bodhisattvas and their pure lands.
OM VAJRA ALOKE AH HUM
E MA HO
I offer these beautifully exalted clear and luminous lights
To the thousand buddhas of the fortunate eon,
To all the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the infinite pure lands and
of the ten directions,
To all the gurus, meditation deities, dakas, dakinis, dharma protectors,
and the assembly of deities of all mandalas.
From “Extensive Offering Practice,” by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Available through the FPMT Foundation Store.
Photo: Early stages of the construction of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup’s stupa.
From the Sutra Essence of Earth:
While there are the three rare sublime ones
Fulfilling the hopes without any effort
Like the unimaginable wish-granting tree and wish-granting jewel;
[But] believing the method to achieve happiness is something else
All the activities one attempts become only negative karma
And this precious human rebirth with qualified freedoms and richnesses,
Which is rarer than a wish-granting jewel, becomes meaningless and empty;
It becomes only a cause of harm;
This is more foolish than an animal.
Friend, by realizing this body, this life is like a water bubble
And material enjoyments like the dew on the tip of the grass
Attempt the white (virtuous) actions, offer to the three rare sublime ones (Buddha Dharma, Sangha)
And take the essence from this essenceless body and possessions.
Due to this merit may I and each and every sentient being respect
And make offerings to the three rare sublime ones;
By the happiness of the joyful occasion of listening, reflecting, meditating and practicing
May all the transmigratory beings’ wishes be completely fulfilled.
Colophon: Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche regarding having many holy objects. Scribe Ven. Holly Ansett, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, USA, November 2003. Lightly edited by Ven. Thubten Labdron, May 2004.
You can read more about this Namgyälma mantra board and Pam Cayton’s efforts in this recent Mandala blog post.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund is sponsoring 10 people to do 108 Nyung-Nä retreats at Institut Vajra Yogini, France, from November 18, 2012 to June 20, 2013. This sponsorship is the commencement of one of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT which he explained in 2007.
[I would like to] sponsor people doing 1,000 Nyung-Näs and then I think people who have completed 1,000 Nyung-Nä in their life, should have a special title, something to do with Chenrezig. Main thing is for the Nyung-Näs to be sponsored by the organization.The idea is to start as a project and then for the whole organization to sponsor. Or to sponsor the food or lodging. This of course would depend on the fund how much to be given to each person etc. Maybe as well as a title they could be given something as a sign of appreciation, when they complete the 1,000 Nyung-Näs, something from the organization, maybe some money, for a pilgrimage, or to attend the teachings or for a retreat.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his Vast Vision for FPMT, Aptos, CA, March, 2007
UPDATES:
Please read a November 2013 update about this retreat.
Please read a August 2013 update about this retreat.
Please read a March 2013 update about this retreat.
Benefits of Nyung-Nä Practice
According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, “Nyung-Näs are a most powerful, most beneficial and quickest way for you to develop bodhichitta, to collect extensive merit to quickly achieve enlightenment, to become Chenrezig, to liberate sentient beings from the oceans of samsara suffering and bring them to enlightenment.
This practice is a trillion, billion times greater than becoming an Olympic champion. Doing so many Nyung-Näs you become an unbelievable champion, this is what makes numberless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas most happy and brings sentient beings to enlightenment as quickly as possible.
This is an extremely powerful practice, it in an incredible way to develop bodhichitta.”
The fund sponsored two 100 million mani retreats in 2012, one of which was dedicated to Rinpoche’s long life.
In addition to the 100 million mani retreats taking place over the next six months, the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund is offering all the cost of food to all the nuns for this period as well as the cost of a very qualified geshe to stay during the retreat in order to give lam-rim teachings. This is very important for the nuns’ studies. The retreat lasts three months and about seventy nuns participate. Each nun doing the recitations receives a small offering and the nunnery also receives an offering. This is the main means of support for the nuns and the nunnery.
100 Million Mani Retreats Sponsored
- 2009: One retreat sponsored during Saka Dawa
- 2010: One retreat sponsored during Saka Dawa
- 2011: One retreat sponsored during Saka Dawa
- 2012: Two retreats sponsored over Saka Dawa
- 2013: Two retreats sponsored from December 2012-June 2013 beginning on Lama Tsongkhapa Day
UPDATE April 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche just received this message from the Tashi Chime Gatsal Nuns who are currently doing their 2nd 100 million mani retreat. More….
If you would like to contribute to to Rinpoche’s ongoing commitment to sponsor these 100 million mani retreats:
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision for 100 Million Mani Retreats
This is the beginning of actualizing one of Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT which he explained in 2007: Sponsoring 100 Million Mani Retreats.
As Rinpoche explained:
“[I would like] for the organization to establish 100,000 recitations of 100 Million Om Mani Padme Hum. This can be retreats of 100 million recitations, so 100,000 different retreats in different parts of the world where it can happen regularly, each year.
There are two ways to count this. One way is once it is established for it to happen regularly each year. Or it can happen in different places, one time, and you count it like that. Maybe they are unable to do regularly but able to do one time or a few times.
So to establish this in different parts of the world such as Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, Australia, China etc.
We should create a plan on how to lead the retreat of 100 million Om Mani Padme Hums: What practices to do, a plan on how to schedule the retreat, the whole structure. Once you have a structure then it is easy for people to lead the retreat.
Also you can make mani pills in the retreats.
During the retreat it is a great thing if you also take the 8 Mahayana Precepts during the retreat. You can have lunch and breakfast, but no dinner. People can take precepts for the whole time or every alternative week. So this depends on the different places. I think to combine these two is extremely great.
Then it would be very good if the retreats are sponsored by the organization. Sometimes it can also be sponsored privately, all the expenses. But the idea is to start as a project and then for the whole organization to sponsor. Or to sponsor the food or lodging. Like a center hosting, making the retreat free for everyone. The idea is for it to be sponsored so people do not have to pay. Also if an individual person is doing 100 Million Om Mani Padme Hums then still the organization can sponsor the person.
There is one story about Geshe Thubten Sopa, he led 100 Million Om Mani Padme Hum retreat in the monastery. I think he is regarded as an incarnate Lama, this is not known in Sera, but actually he’s an incarnate Lama. The monastery in Ladakh respect and regard him as an incarnate Lama.
What happened is during the retreat, the mani pills multiplied and that inspired so many people, to have faith and because of that there are now many monasteries in Ladhak that are doing 100 Million Om Mani Padme Hum Retreats. So this is a great thing.”
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his Vast Vision for FPMT, Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, CA, March 2007