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His Holiness the Dalai Lama, August 2019. Photo by Neal Patrick.
Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme with Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
From time to time Lama Zopa Rinpoche checks what different practices and pujas that can be done and offered for the health and long life of his gurus. Rinpoche also often does this for students, when needed. Recently, Rinpoche checked and concluded it was beneficial to offer a recitation of the Kangyur for the health and long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la). The Kangyur is comprised of 108 volumes of the sutras taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. Rinpoche requested the 4,200 monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery in South India to recite the 108 volumes of the Kangyur with strong prayers and dedications to His Holiness and Khadro-la.
Understanding how incredibly important this offering is, it was a great pleasure and honor to cover the cost of this (US$8,567) from the FPMT Puja Fund. This is also a way to make offerings to the ordained Sangha of the monastery, who are all disciples of the same guru (His Holiness the Dalai Lama). The merit from the recitation of such an important collection of sutras, as well as making the offerings to the Sangha and dedicating well, can have great benefit. This is one of the functions of the FPMT Puja Fund, to generate merit to for the entire FPMT organization.
Thank you so much to everyone who donates to this fund and makes it possible for us to arrange these practices and pujas.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Monks of Sera Mey Monastery offering a puja sponsored by the FPMT Puja Fund.
Every month on the Tibetan 8th day the Puja Fund sponsors all the monks of Sera Mey Monastery to offer the extensive Medicine Buddha puja composed by the Fifth Dalai Lama dedicated FPMT centers, projects, services; all students who are ill or having life obstacles; benefactors of the Puja Fund, and to all beings.
The Puja Fund offers a small money offering, tea, and bread to each of the approximately 2,000 monks performing the puja as well as the cost of light offerings and torma offerings.
A grant for US$12,030 was offered to cover the expense of these pujas and offerings for the last two years.
Please rejoice in this monthly offering that brings so much benefit to the entire FPMT organization. Every Tibetan 8th day, please remember that this puja is happening and you can mentally join in. This is something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer and dedicate toward, and also something you can contribute to by donating any amount.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Sangha participating in a puja at Kopan Monastery.
Lhabab Duchen, one of the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar when merit is multiplied by 100 million times, took place this year on November 19. We invite you to rejoice in the many beneficial activities sponsored by the Puja Fund on this auspicious day, on behalf of the entire FPMT community.
Practices Offered by Over 15,650 Ordained Sangha
- Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions) offered by 650 monks of Gyurme Tantric College.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, and Zangcho offered by 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by 3,400 monks of Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog and Zangcho offered by 4,200 monks of Drepung. Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monasteries.
- Namgyäl Tong Chö and Zangcho offered by 600 monks of Gyuto Tantric Colleges.
- Druk Ch Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 370 monks of Kopan Monastery.
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 400 nuns of Kopan Nunne
Offerings are made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus
Offerings are made to Sangha at IMI communities
Offerings were made to the Boudhanath and Swayambunath stupas in Nepal on Lhabab Duchen.
Offerings Made to Holy Objects in Nepal, India and Tibet
- Bouddhanath and Swayambunath stupas: Offering color and new prayer flags
- Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple: Offering a new set of robes of the most precious material
- Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokang: Offering gold and robes to the holy body of the Jowo Buddha
These activities are advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way, as well as all beings.
All are welcome to donate to the Puja Fund and directly support these most precious offerings.
Gold being offered to the precious Jowo Buddha statue, Tibet.
The extensive range of offerings, practices, and pujas that are offered in India, Nepal, and around the world through the Puja Fund on request from Lama Zopa Rinpoche is astounding. As Charitable Projects Coordinator, Ven. Holly Ansett, commented, “It is like Rinpoche has taken on the personal responsibility to care for all the main holy objects in the world on behalf of FPMT.”
On full moons and during the four holy Buddha days, the Puja Fund sponsors robes and gold paint to the holy face of Jowo Buddha statue in Tibet. Gold is offered to the entire body of this statue once a year. This ongoing yearly commitment costs US$5,000. When possible, gold paint is offered to the very precious Chenrezig statue at Potala Palace.
These offerings are dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way; as well as all beings.
About the power of statues of Buddha, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said, “The benefit we get each time we see a statue of Buddha, a picture of Buddha, or a stupa is like the limitless sky. It causes us to achieve all the realizations from guru devotion up to enlightenment and to achieve all the numberless qualities of the Buddha’s holy body, speech and mind.”
Please rejoice in this and all of the various activities of the Puja Fund. “So far, these offerings and pujas have not been publicized much, but I would like to make it available and known so that other people can participate in making these extensive offering,” Rinpoche explained. “My idea is for these offerings and pujas to continue forever. So please, if you make offerings, please think in this way and dedicate, and you can also remember on the actual day that this is happening, to rejoice and dedicate. This is the best business, the best way to create the most extensive merit.”
All are welcome to contribute to the monthly offerings of gold and robes to these most precious holy objects.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche meeting some of the IVY nyung na participants. They offered Rinpoche a Chenrezig statue and light appeared naturally.
Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY), in the south-west of France near the city of Toulouse, completed its eighth round of nyung nä retreats from November 2018 to April 2019 in alignment with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization to sponsor others to complete 1,000 nyung nä retreats. IVY hosts a nyung nä retreat every year and has, amazingly, facilitated over 7,000 individual nyung näs to date. Please rejoice in this incredible ongoing accomplishment!
While they typically engage in 108 nyung näs, this year they stopped after 81 so that people could join Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vajrayogini retreat hosted by IVY.
Venerable Charles did not miss any sessions and completed the entire 81 as did Valentino Giacomin. Additionally, 102 individuals from fourteen countries participated in one or more nyung näs and 1,001 individual nyung näs were accumulated. On average, twelve people participated in each session during these five months, which is more than any of the previous years. IVY reported that the energy seems to be building up, with more and more people being attracted to join the retreat each year.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Practice and Retreat Fund, was very pleased to offer € 6,444 for sponsorship of four people with food and accommodation for each round of this nyung nä retreat. Support is also provided by IVY and kind private donors.
IVY’s team is already preparing for its ninth round of 108 nyung näs which will start November 2019 and end June 2020. The practice is led in French but people do follow along in their own language. If you cannot come in person, all are welcome to rejoice by thinking about the efforts involved.
The Practice and Retreat Fund provides grants and sponsorships for students engaged in retreats such as 108 nyung nä retreats, 100 million mani retreats, recitations of sutras and long term retreat.
Shakyamuni Buddha by Jane Seidlitz.
Saka Dawa is the most important Tibetan Buddhist festival day, celebrating Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. Buddhists around the world engage in many auspicious and merit-making activities such as sponsoring or engaging in beneficial pujas, practices, and prayers; and making extensive offerings to teachers, holy objects, and auspicious charitable activities. This year, Saka Dawa took place on June 17.
Each year on Saka Dawa and other Buddha multiplying days, as well as other auspicious days of the Tibetan calendar, the FPMT Puja Fund sponsors prayers, pujas, and offerings around the world.
Please rejoice in the following activities that were sponsored this year on Saka Dawa!
Pujas Offered by Over 15,650 Ordained Sangha
- Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions) read by the 650 monks of Gyurme Tantric College.
- Recitation of the 100,000 Praises to 21 Taras offered by 400 nuns of Kopan Nunnery.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, and Zangcho offered by 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by 3,400 monks of Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monasteries.
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog and Zangcho offered by 4,200 monks of Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monasteries.
- Namgyäl Tong Chö and Zangcho offered by 600 monks of Gyuto Tantric Colleges.
- Druk Ch Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 370 monks of Kopan Monastery.
- Making and filling of stupas and lunch offering to participants at Chenrezig Institute, Australia.
Offerings are made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, such as:
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
- Jhado Rinpoche
- Khongla Rato Rinpoche
Offerings are made to over 15,650 Sangha at:
- Sera Je and Sera Mey Monastery
- Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monastery
- Drepung Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monastary
- Gyurme and Gyuto Tantric College
- Kopan Monastery and Nunnery
Offerings are made to Sangha at IMI communities:
- Nalanda Monastery, France
- Thubten Shedrup Ling, Australia
- Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy
- Chenrezig Institute, Australia
Offerings Made to Holy Objects in Nepal, India and Tibet:
- Bouddhanath and Swayambunath stupas: Offering white wash and four giant saffron flower petals and new umbrellas to the stupas’ pinnacles
- Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple: Offering a new set of robes of the most precious material
- Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokang: Offering gold to the holy body of the Jowo Buddha
Extensive offerings (water, lights, fruit) were also made in all the FPMT centers around the world, as well as many recommended prayers, practices and activities.
The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche so that beneficial prayers and pujas on holy days, as well as other occasions, can be offered and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors, and those serving the organization in any way.
All are welcome to participate in all of this beneficial activity by rejoicing in this incredible list of activities. All are also welcome to donate any amount to the many prayers, practices, and offerings sponsored by the Puja Fund so that this activity can continue far into the future.
Extensive prayers, practices, and offerings will be sponsored during the next Buddha multiplying day, Chokhor Duchen, which takes place this year on August 4.
Learn more about the Puja Fund or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Offering robes to the Buddha statue at the Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India. Photo by Bill Kane.
Every month on the full moon as well as on all four great Buddha multiplying days, the Puja Fund sponsors a new set of robes made of high quality material for the precious Buddha statue inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, India. Root Institute kindly organizes this every month.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche frequently quotes Buddha’s teachings on the subject of offering to statues:
Any sentient being who, during the period of my teachings, makes charity well
(even if the material is the size of a hair),
For 80,000 eons there will be great results of great enjoyment:
No pain, no disease, and enjoyment of happiness.
Like that, one will be enriched with the desirable things.
At the end, you can actually achieve the result: the peerless cessation and completion (enlightenment).
Verse of OfferingRobes
By offering these soft, light, divine clothes
With indestructible faith in
Those who have attained the adamantine holy body,
May I also achieve the vajra holy body.
Various garments that are strong like a bow string and extremely fine,
Whoever touches them experiences bliss,
To train my mind, I offer these precious, quality clothes
May I be adorned by the pure robes of patience.
Please rejoice in this monthly offering. This is something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer yourself, dedicate toward, and participate in by donating any amount.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, January 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche arranged for several practices, sponsored by the Puja Fund, for the long life of Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme (Khadro-la).
Khadro-la in Kyichu Lhakhang, Bhutan, offering butter lamps with Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
57,232 animals were liberated by the Sangha at Kachoe Dechen Ling in California, and Buddha Amitabha Pure Land in Washington State. These animals were offered extensive prayers and blessed water before being released. Additionally, the Kangyur was recited by Drati Khagten; and Lama Zopa Rinpoche led extensive Medicine Buddha Puja at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, four mandala offering pujas to Tara, and later on led Lama Chöpa Tsog with 3,000 tsog offerings dedicated to Khadro-la’s health and long life. During Lama Chöpa Rinpoche movingly spoke extensively about the incredible qualities of Khadro-la, and explained some of her extraordinary activities.
This is one way that the Puja Fund is able to benefit our kind teachers. Thanks to all for continued support to this fund, please rejoice in these practices done for Khadro-la’s long life and may she remain among us for a very, very long time.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, March 2016 in front of Thousand-Arm Chenrezig statue. Photo by Ven. Losang Sherab.
One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization is to sponsor 100 million mani retreats (100,000 recitations of 100 million OM MANI PADME HUM) around the world.
Rinpoche explained, “[I would like] for the organization to establish 100,000 recitations of 100 million OM MANI PADME HUM mantras. This can be retreats of 100 million recitations, so 100,000 different retreats in different parts of the world and where it is happening, then for it to happen regularly, each year.”
We invite you to rejoice that 29 of these retreats have been completed so far according to Rinpoche’s wishes. Only 99,971 to go! You can read details of the completed retreats on our newly designed 100 Million Mani Retreats page.
“The benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are infinite, like the limitless sky.”
— Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The next 100 million mani retreat is scheduled for October 7-20, 2019 in Kalmykia, Russia with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Zopa serving as the retreat leader. Please email Ganden Tendar Ling for more information about the retreat.
The Practice and Retreat Fund provides grants and sponsorships for students engaged in retreats such as 108 nyung nä retreats, 100 million mani retreats, recitations of sutras and long term retreat.
Medicine Buddha statue at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington.
Monks offering extensive Medicine Buddha puja.
Every month on the Tibetan 8th day the Puja Fund sponsors all the monks of Sera Mey Monastery to offer the extensive Medicine Buddha puja composed by the Fifth Dalai Lama dedicated FPMT centers, projects, services; all students who are ill or having life obstacles; benefactors of the Puja Fund, and to all beings.
The Puja Fund offers a small money offering, tea, and bread to each of the approximately 2,000 monks performing the puja as well as the cost of light offerings and torma offerings.
About Medicine Buddha Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said:
The Medicine Buddha encompasses all the buddhas. This means that when we practice the seven-limb prayer and make offerings with the seven limbs, we receive the same merit as we would if we had made offerings to all the buddhas. Similarly, when we recite the mantra of Medicine Buddha, we collect unbelievable merit just as when we offer the seven-limb practice to Medicine Buddha.
To recite the Medicine Buddha mantra brings inconceivable merit. Manjushri requested the eight tathagatas (Guru Shakyamuni Buddha and the seven Medicine Buddhas) to reveal a special mantra that would make the prayers they (the eight tathagatas) made in the past (prayers to be able to actualize the happiness of sentient beings by attaining the path to enlightenment and pacifying various problems, to be able to see all the buddhas, and for all wishes to be quickly realized) to quickly come to pass, especially for those sentient beings born in the time of the five degenerations who have small merit and who are possessed and overwhelmed by various diseases and spirit harms.
Please rejoice in this monthly offering that brings so much benefit to the entire FPMT organization. Every Tibetan 8th day, please remember that this puja is happening and you can mentally join in. This is something amazing to rejoice in, to mentally offer and dedicate toward, and also something you can contribute to by donating any amount.
You can learn more about the beneficial prayers, practices, and pujas sponsored by the Puja Fund, or about FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche making offerings to the Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
Lhabab Duchen, one of the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar when merit is multiplied by 100 million times, takes place this year on Wednesday, October 31.
On this day, up to 15,650 Sangha are sponsored through the FPMT Puja Fund to offer specific pujas and engage in particular practices selected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way, as well as all beings.
The monks of Sera Je Monastery offering puja.
Since merit is multiplied on this day, you can imagine that each monk is offering every puja or engaging in every practice 100 million times. The following will be sponsored on Lhabab Duchen this year:
- Recitation of the Prajnaparamita (three versions) by 650 monks of Gyurme Tantric College
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tong Chö, and Zangcho offered by 6,000 monks of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monasteries
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by 3,400 monks of Gaden Jangtse and Shartse Monasteries
- Druk Chu Ma, Namgyäl Tsechog and Zangcho offered by 4,200 monks of Drepung. Gomang, Loseling and Deyang Monasteries
- Namgyäl Tong Chö and Zangcho offered by 600 monks of Gyuto Tantric Colleges
- Druk Ch Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 370 monks of Kopan Monastery
- Druk Chu Ma, Medicine Buddha Puja and Zangcho offered by the 400 nuns of Kopan Nunnery,
- Offerings will be made to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus
- Offerings will be made to Sangha at IMI communities
- Offering of white wash and four giant saffron flower petals and new umbrellas will be made to Bouddhanath stupa’s and Swayambunath stupa’s pinnacles in Nepal
- Offering of a new set of robes of very precious material will be offered to the Buddha inside the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi temple, Bodhgaya, India
- Offering of gold will be offered to the holy body of the Jowo Buddha in Lhasa’s Jokang, Tibet
How to Participate
- Take a few moments on Lhabab Duchen to join in with prayer in your mind and rejoice that thousands of ordained Sangha are engaged at all of the above at the exact same time and this merit is multiplied 100 million times.
- Take a few moments on Lhabab Duchen to rejoice in some of the incredible offerings happening around the world.
- Make an offering that goes toward covering the cost of these prayers, pujas, and offerings.
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Specific advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche for practices to do on merit multiplying days can be found on FPMT.org, including advice to recite the Sutra for Remembering the Three Jewels. (Advice for merit multiplying days can also be found in French.) If you choose to recite the Sutra of Golden Light on this special day, you might like to report your recitations using the facility on the FPMT website, which you can find on the Sutra of Golden Light reporting page.
All are welcome to donate to the Puja Fund and directly support the merit accumulated by hundreds of millions of prayers and pujas on this holy day by thousands of ordained Sangha.
This goat and another, who were going to be killed, were liberated and the merit of this was dedicated to the long life of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Beings that would otherwise be killed and eaten as food are purchased for the sole purpose of liberating them.
In July, over 2.5 million living beings, including large and small fish, shellfish, and two goats, were liberated in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Nepal with dedications made for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s long life. These beings were taken around holy objects and blessed with mantras and mantra water before release.
In Singapore, at Amitabha Buddhist Center, Ven. Tenzin Drachom arranged the liberation of 2.5 million lives.
In Hong Kong, at Cham Tse Ling, Ven. Pemba arranged the liberation of 12,516 lives.
In Nepal, Tania Duratovic of Enlightenment for the Dear Animals joined Kopan Monastery in liberating two goats that would otherwise be killed. The two goats were later put on the Animal Liberation Sanctuary land to live out the rest of their lives. Lama Zopa Rinpoche named the two goats Conventional Bodhichitta and Ultimate Bodhichitta.
Animal liberation is a specific practice done for animals which would otherwise be killed. The practice involves taking the animals-in-danger around holy objects to leave positive imprints in their minds, reciting mantras for them, blessing water to sprinkle onto their bodies, and then releasing them. This differs from general animal blessings which involve blessing any animal with mantras or a holy object. Animal blessings are, of course, wonderful to do for animals, but this is not what is meant by “animal liberations.”
Some blessed beings being returned to the water in Hong Kong after the liberation practices.
Please rejoice that over 2.5 million sentient beings received blessings and kindness from students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche– those offering the practices as well as those who have donated to the Animal Liberation Fund. All the merit of animal liberations is dedicated to the long life of Lama Zopa Rinpoche—something worth rejoicing in as well!
“Where there is a mind, there are feelings such as pain, pleasure, and joy. No sentient being wants pain; instead all want happiness. Since we all share these feelings at some basic level, we as rational human beings have an obligation to contribute in whatever way we can to the happiness of other species and try our best to relieve their fears and sufferings.”
— His Holiness the Dalai Lama