Every month on the full moon the Puja Fund sponsors the offering of gold and robes to the holy Jowo Buddha Statue in Tibet. This month, the full moon falls on November 17. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently explained some of the benefits of offering gold to holy objects:

If someone offers a small flower or rice to a Buddha statue, a stupa or scripture then the benefit extends from then up to Enlightenment. Amazing, amazing. It is said in the sutra Piled Flowers, on top of that benefit, you achieve ultimate happiness – liberation from the causes of delusion and karma and on top of that full Enlightenment – all the realizations and omniscient mind. After this, then you liberate numberless hell beings, pretas, animals, humans, suras and asuras from the ocean of samsaric sufferings and bring them to full Enlightenment. When all beings are brought to

Enlightenment, only then are all the results of offering achieved. So by offering gold, then wow, wow, wow.

Scribe Ven. Tenzin Namdrol. Kopan, December 2012.

You can contribute to this unbelievably precious offering, any amount you are able:

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Sera Mey monks performing the monthly Medicine Buddha Puja offered by the Puja Fund.

The Puja Fund recently offered US$2,843.49 for six months of  monthly Medicine Buddha pujas performed by the monks of Sera Mey Monastery, South India.

This monthly puja is offered on the Tibetan 8th day of every month. 2,000 monks attend and are offered tea, bread and a small money offering for their participation.  The cost of light offerings and torma offerings for the puja is also offered. This month, the puja will be performed on November 10th.

Extensive dedication prayers are made for the success of the entire FPMT organization; FPMT centers, projects, services; all students who are ill or having life obstacles; benefactors of The Puja Fund and to all beings.

 Please rejoice in this monthly puja which helps support the monks of Sera Mey Monastery and has immense benefit for the entire FPMT organization.

You can donate any amount to these ongoing efforts.

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Monks offering puja on behalf of the Puja Fund.

This year Chokhor Duchen, the annual celebration commemoration of  Lord Buddha’s first teaching, took place on July 12. Please rejoice in the incredible array of pujas and activities sponsored by the Puja Fund with strong prayers. Some of these activities were: The recitation of the entire Kangyur offered by the Kopan nuns; A new set of robes were offered to the Jowo Buddha statue in Tibet and offerings of paint and an umbrella were made to the two precious stupas: Bouddhanath and Swayambunath.

You can be a part of these incredible pujas and offerings by donating to the Puja Fund.

The following is an extensive list of all the pujas and offerings sponsored by the FPMT Puja Fund. A description of these pujas follows below.

   Annual: Four Buddha Days

Losar (Tibetan New Year and the 15 days of miracles)
Saka Dawa (Day 15 of Month 4: Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana)
Chokhor Duchen (Day 4 of Month 6, commemorating  Lord Buddha’s first teaching)
Lha Bab Duchen (Buddha’s Descent from Tushita)

Prayers and Offerings:

• Sera Lachi (6,000 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, Zangcho (King of Prayers)
• Ganden Lachi (3,400 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Zangcho
• Drepung Lachi (4,200 monks): Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog, Zangcho
• Gyurme Tantric College (650 monks): Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions)
• Gyuto Tantric College (600 monks): Namgyäl Tong Chö, Zangcho.
• Rs 20 is offered to every monk at these monasteries
• Offerings made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Sakya Trizen, Jhado Rinpoche, Dhakpa Tritul Rinpoche, Khyongla Rato Rinpoche and Rinpoche’s other gurus.
• Offering are made to all the Sangha at international Sangha communities: Nalanda Monastery, France; Thubten Shedrup Ling, Australia; Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy; Chenrezig Institute, Australia; Sangha doing service at Rinpoche’s house, USA

In addition to the prayers and offerings listed above, the following are additionally offered on the following Buddha Days respectively:

Losar

• Kopan Monastery and Nunnery (370 monks, 400 nuns): offering lunch and money offering, NPR 100 offered to all Kopan monks and nuns
• A full set of robes is offered to all FPMT geshes and resident teachers
• Monetary offerings to the 700+ monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery during the annual Monlam festival

Saka Dawa

• Making and filling of stupas and lunch offering to participants at Chenrezig Institute, Australia
• Kopan Monastery (370 monks):Tukchuma puja and Medicine Buddha puja, NPR 50 offered to all of the monks
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): 100,000 recitations of praises to 21 Taras, NPR 50 and lunch offered to all of the nuns

Chokhor Duchen

• Kopan Monastery (370 monks): Namgyal Tsechok, Rs 50 offered to each monk
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): Kangyur recitation, Rs 50 offered to each nun over three sessions

Lha Bab Duchen

• Kopan Monastery (370 monks): Druk chu ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Tsang Cho, Rs 50 offered to each monk
• Kopan Nunnery (400 nuns): Druk chu ma, Medicine Buddha Puja, Tsang Cho, Rs 50 offered to each nun

   Monthly Activities

Full Moon

Prayers and Offerings:

• Offering of white-washing, Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• Offering new umbrellas to the stupas’ pinnacles, Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• Saffron flowers offered in each of the four directions. Bouddhanath and Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal
• 16 Arhant puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life, Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• A new set of robes of the most precious material with meditation practice is offered each month to the Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple, Bodhgaya, India
• A new set of robes of the most precious material is offered monthly to the Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokhang, Lhasa Jokhang, Tibet
• Gold is also offered to the holy face of the Jowo Buddha, Lhasa Jokhang, Tibet
• Robes offered to special Chenrezig statue inside Potala palace (when possible), Tibet

Tibetan 8th day

Prayers and Offerings:

• Extensive Medicine Buddha puja on the 8th day of the Tibetan month to bring success to all one’s activities, and for long life and also when anyone has passed away, Sera Me Monastery, India
• Rs 20 offering to approx. 2000 monks, Sera Me Monastery, India

Tibetan 29th day

Prayers and Offerings:

• Hayagriva Tsog Kong: all-day puja to Hayagriva with extensive offerings offered by 40 senior monks at Sera Je Monastery
• Rs 150 offering to approx. 40 monks, Sera Je Monastery, India

May- June: Tibetan 10th – 25th of the 5th month

One week before Saka Dawa

Prayers and Offerings:

• 100,000 Tsog Offerings to Padmasambhava offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche, Khadro-la, Sangha and high lamas from Gelug, Nyingma and Kagyu monasteries
• Offerings and meals for all the sangha for that week

While this is intended for each year, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s and Khadro-la’s schedule may not always allow for this.

Anniversary of His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche’s passing

Location: Ganden Lachi, India

Prayers and Offerings:

• Lama Chopa, and tsog and light offerings offered

  Lama Tsongkhapa Day

• Special dessert for the International Mahayana Institute Sangha (the monks and nuns of FPMT) in their respective monastic communities around the world. 

 Descriptions of Pujas Offered

• Druk Chu Ma: 64 offerings to Kalarupa to eliminate obstacles to one’s activities or projects that are bringing benefit to others
• Namgyäl Tong Chö: One thousand sets of offerings to Buddha Namgyälma
• Namgyäl Tsechog: Is performed to Buddha Namgyälma is performed to remove all obstacles to one’s life and to have a long life. This puja is specifically dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to all beings who are benefiting others and practicing virtue.
• Medicine Buddha Puja: To bring success to all one’s activities, for long life, and for when someone has passed away

Since the pujas are to be performed for as long as the monasteries exist, somebody can, if they want to participate, put in one dollar. This goes into many of the funds and benefits all the monasteries including Kopan, Nalanda and wherever there are large groups of sangha as well as the [FPMT] organization and the Maitreya Buddha statue. I thought these things might help for that. We need to create good karma for success.

—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to the FPMT Board of Directors, September 1990

These ongoing worldwide pujas and offerings are something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer and dedicate towards and also something you can also participate in by donating any amount … How amazing!

You may donate any amount to help ensure these pujas and offerings continue long into the future.

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Since 1995 the Puja Fund has been sponsoring pujas, prayers and practices performed by as many as 9,000 Sangha, on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Recently, Lama Zopa Rinpoche revised all of the yearly and ongoing activity that the fund supports – quadrupling the offerings in the process! The annual cost of these offerings is now estimated at US$85,000. Please rejoice in this incredible array of pujas, prayers and practices. This is something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer and dedicate towards and also something you can participate in by donating any amount … How amazing!

DONATE

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with IMI Sangha at his residence in California.

 
It has always been a high priority of FPMT and Lama Zopa Rinpoche to support and care for our IMI (International Mahayana Institute) Sangha family. IMI is made up of the monks and nuns of FPMT.

IMI Sangha and Geshes, 2007.

On each of the four holy days (15^th day of Losar, Saka Dawa, Buddha’s First teaching and Buddha’s Descent from Tushita), the FPMT Puja Fund makes a small offering directly to each Sangha member at the IMI Sangha communities of FPMT in Italy, France, Australia and USA.

Additionally, Lama Zopa Rinpoche personally sponsors at least 7-15 IMI Sangha fully each year through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhicitta Fund. 

Long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Taiwan, March 2013April 2013: Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund offered US$65,187 to the FPMT Puja Fund, which sponsors ongoing pujas at the great monasteries in India and Nepal, with over 9,000 Sangha participating. All the pujas are dedicated for the  long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. Some of this offering was accumulated from what was offered to Rinpoche at the recent long life pujas in Singapore and Taiwan.

Long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Singapore, March 2013Through the sponsorship of ongoing pujas, creating merit through the practices, as well as making offerings to the more than 9,000 sangha who participate in the pujas, the FPMT Puja Fund is very important to the success and removal of obstacles to the whole organization.

Sera Je Monastery monks are pictured here performing pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the success of all FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way.

Each month, pujas are performed by as many as 9,000 Sangha. The enormous number of Sangha engaged in these practices is an extremely powerful means to overcome obstacles and create merit for the entire organization. 

Ven. Roger Kunsang, FPMT’s CEO, recently commented, “It is really quite an inspiring list [of pujas offered] and thousands of monks are involved. They are all disciples of the one Guru so the merit is vast. You can’t get enough zero’s on the biggest calculator [to show how much merit]!”

November 2012

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Abbot of Sera Je Monastery during puja.Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT Puja Fund sponsored a special one-day Hayagriva “Tsog Kong” puja on November 25, 2012 which was performed by all the high lamas, geshes and monks of Sera Je Monastery. Hayagriva is the wrathful manifestation of Chenrezig and the protector of Sera Je Monastery. This powerful puja was requested by Rinpoche to remove obstacles in the coming year and for the benefits of all sentient beings, particularly all the students, benefactors and sponsors of FPMT centers, projects and services.

Sera Je Gegu reading the dediction for the whole day.From Sera Je Food Fund team in India: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank and dedicate this puja for all of Sera Je Food Fund sponsors and their family members. May all their wishes be fulfilled according to the holy Dharma!”

Every  year the FPMT Puja Fund sponsors an extensive range of practices and pujas in India, Nepal and around the world. Please enjoy this collection of videos depicting the range of activities occurring during a puja.

Long Life Puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche, Khadro-la and Students Offering Puja at Ragjir, India

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche and Khadro-la Offering Puja in Front of Trijang Rinpoche’s stupa in Dharamsala, India

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Other Lamas Offering Puja in Dehradun, India

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Other Lamas Offering Puja in Aspen, Colorado, USA

His Holiness Sakya Trizen, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Other Sangha Offering Puja

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro-la and Dagri Rinpoche Offering Puja, Nepal

Lama Zopa Rinpoche Offering Music (Cymbals) During Puja

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro-la and Dagri Rinpoche Offering Puja in the Cave of Maratika. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advising on Practices to do While at Maratika, Nepal, a Venerated Site of Pilgrimage Associated with Mandarava, Padmasambhava, and Longevity

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche and Khadro-la Offering Puja at Tsopema, India

How Can I Make a Donation?

To make a tax-deductible donation:

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Or simply send your check in US dollars payable to FPMT Inc. and write “Puja Fund” on the memo line.

FPMT Inc.
1632 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214-4702
USA

The Puja Fund is a project of FPMT Inc. and is administered by FPMT International Office located in Portland, Oregon, United States. All donations made to this fund are tax-deductible within the United States in accordance with IRS Code article 501(c)(3) to the extent allowed by law.

For more information please contact: Charitable Projects Coordinator.

Please rejoice in the pujas and practices sponsored by the Puja Fund. You can also remember to rejoice and dedicate on the actual day that the pujas are happening.  As Lama Zopa Rinpoche says: “This is the best business, the best way to create most extensive merit.”

You may view an extensive list of the pujas and practices sponsored by the FPMT Puja Fund here.

By Jane Seidlitz

Lama Zopa Rinpoche called me very early one morning in 2004, and after giving me some advice on a thangka I was planning to paint, asked me how my Tibetan handwriting was.   “It’s okay, not that great,” I told him.  Well, Rinpoche asked, would I be willing to write a volume of the 100,000 stanza Prajnaparamita Sutra (the longest of the 3 versions)?   Rinpoche went on to explain the benefit of writing even one letter of this precious text in black ink – something along the lines of accumulating more merit than all the sentient beings spending eons making offerings to countless universes filled with jewel stupas – let alone how unimaginable the merit would be writing it in real gold.   It was a request I couldn’t refuse.     

So I practiced my Tibetan writing for about six months in black ink, at the end of which I sent a sample to Rinpoche for assessment. Evidently passing the test, I got the go ahead to start writing in gold. 

Since then, I have worked more or less steadily – depending on my work schedule and other life distractions.  To date I have written 320 pages of what will be about 1400 pages in total.  Eventually the text will go in the heart of the Maitreya statue to be built in India.    My hope is always to write a page a day, which doesn’t often happen.  But even if I only write a few lines, or even one letter, it feels worthwhile, and of course every time I set pen to paper I remember what Rinpoche told me about the benefits.  

I spent a long time in the beginning looking at many examples to try and make my writing as beautiful and accurate as possible. At that point, writing a page took about seven hours.  Gradually, my writing style has coalesced and I can write a page in about half that time.   In 2001, when I went to Mongolia with Rinpoche, my job for three weeks was to stir the gold for Rinpoche every night – sometimes all night – while Rinpoche wrote the Prajnaparamita.  That was truly magical – I felt like I was living one of those stories from centuries past, the kind we hear about in the teachings. But it didn’t occur to me that I would end up some years later doing the writing myself!

I feel tremendously blessed and grateful that Rinpoche has given me this amazing project.  My hope is to finish well before I die, to create the cause to realize emptiness – the subject of the text – as quickly as possible, and for whatever merit is created through the writing, to fulfill all of Rinpoche’s holy wishes.