Perform the puja of 1,000 offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa. As preparation, set up 1,000 offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa (i.e. 1,000 sets of seven offerings, including two waters, flowers, incense, lights, and food). If you are not able to make these offerings, then set up as many hundreds of offering bowls as possible. The actual offering verse should be recited 1,000 times (or the number of times equal to the number of sets of offerings set out).

If you cannot do the practice of 1,000 offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa, then instead do Lama Chopa. Once again, set up as many offerings as possible. Do the extensive offering practice and offer as much as possible at the offerings section of Lama Chopa. (I am referring to the offering practice I wrote a long time ago, called Extensive Offering Practice. When you do this practice, you should substitute “water” or “offering,” for the word “light.”)

After the extensive puja of either Lama Chopa or 1,000 offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa, recite special praises to Lama Tsongkhapa, such as:

• The Glorious One of the Three Worlds (Päl dän sa sum ma). This is a very special prayer highly regarded by Song Rinpoche.

And prayers authored by Lama Tsongkhapa, such as:

• A Hymn of Experience (Lamrim Nyamgur) – A brief presentation of the stages of the path
• Destiny Fulfilled (Togjo Dunlegma) – An account of Lama Tsongkhapa’s spiritual journey in which he reveals the progress he made through extensive study and practice.

After each stanza that describes Lama Tsongkhapa’s attainments, we should rejoice. Rejoice at the qualities of holy deeds of Lama Tsongkhapa, by thinking, “How wonderful it is.” Think, “May I also be like you.” This is what we should think after each verse.  We  should also pray that we too can achieve the same realizations and become like Lama Tsongkhapa, and be as vastly beneficial as the sky, just as Lama Tsongkhapa was.

In addition to the other offerings, it is best to offer as many light offerings as you can. It is very common to offer lights on Lama Tsongkhapa Day, even in Solu Khumbu, which follows mostly the Nyingma tradition. Although the villagers and townspeople don’t really know about Lama Tsongkhapa, somehow on that day and night they still do lots of light offerings.

Just as many people use lots of lights during Christmas and at marriages, we too should use lots of lights on Lama Tsongkhapa Day, and also on the special days of Buddha and other auspicious days, especially if we are not able to offer them everyday, which would be good.

Students at the center can hang up as many Christmas lights as possible. You can hang lights around the center buildings, like a net of light offerings that cover a whole wall, outside and inside. The lights can be white or different colors. Or you can hang lights over the trees and bushes or in the garden around the center.

By offering lights to Lama Tsongkhapa, merit fields, and so forth, we create the cause of enlightenment, of liberation from samsara, and of the happiness of future lives. Also, success will happen in this life. Even if you hate happiness in this life, it will still come by the way. This is what you get from offering every single candle or Christmas light to the Guru-Three Rare Sublime Ones.

Therefore, offer as many lights as possible—use as many Christmas lights and candles as possible, as long as you don’t burn down the gompa or yourself! But you can burn away your ego. Burning a little bit of your nose or ear is okay too (this is just a little joke!)

When we use lights for marriages, New Year’s parties, festivals, and so forth, the many dollars spent, the entire expense incurred for the party is all wasted. Not only is it wasted, but all of it actually becomes negative karma because it is done with the attachment that clings to this life alone, unless the lights are offered with the sincere wish for other sentient beings to be happy and without attachment to this life.

After completing the practices, dedicate all the merit collected—beginning with the practice of refuge and bodhichitta, the seven-limb prayer, the various offering practices (outer, inner, and secret), any merit collected, skies and skies of merit collected—to achieve each of the special qualities of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings.

To remember those special qualities, you can recite prayers such as:

• Prayer for the Flourishing of Tsongkhapa’s Teachings, (Lozang Gyaltenma), which is commonly recited.
• +*The Prayer to Encounter the Teaching of the Three Realms’ Dharma King, The Great Tsongkhapa: The Gift of Care and Compassionate Protection by Phabongkha Dechen Nyingpo (in Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Day booklet)
• Lama Tsongkhapa’s Secret Biography (Tsongkhapai Sangwai Namthar) by Khedrub Je

Of course, it would be especially great if you can recite one of the great writings of Lama Tsongkhapa, while reflecting on that teaching, such as:

• Drangnge Legshe Nyingpo, Essence of Eloquence (The Interpretive Definitive Meaning)
• Uma Gongpa Rabsel, Illuminating the Intent, a commentary on Madhyamaka.

Or, at the least, you could recite [this shorter text]:

• Dependent Arising: A Praise to the Buddha – Lama Tsongkhapa’s short praise of the Buddha

Recite the Lamrim Chenmo, or Middle Lamrim, or Condensed Lamrim would be a very good way to repay the great kindness of Lama Tsongkhapa’s extensive beneficial works for the teachings of Buddha and for sentient beings.

Scribed by Ven. Holly Ansett in November 2001. Rechecked and added to by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in March 2002. Lightly edited for grammar and punctuation by Ven. Constance Miller, FPMT Education Services, July 2002. Lightly edited by Michael D. Jolliffe, FPMT Education Services, November 2018. Updated, FPMT Education Services, October 2020.

• The main practice to do is Lama Chopa.
• If you are unable to do Lama Chopa, consider Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga – PDF  Audio.

Consider making extensive light offerings on your altar or around your home, if possible.

All are encouraged to recite any or all of the Lama Tsongkhapa-related prayers and texts mentioned by Lama Zopa Rinpoche above.

A. Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhichitta and Four Immeasurables

B. Perform at least one of the following Lama Tsongkhapa practices

• Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga
• Lama Chopa
• 1000 Offerings to Lama Tsong Khapa

C. Recite lamrim prayers by Lama Tsongkhapa

• The Foundation of All Good Qualities
• The Three Principal Aspects of the Path
• A Hymn of Experience,  

These prayers (apart from Lama Chopa and 1,000 Offerings) are also found in the FPMT Essential Prayer Book.

A. Lama Tsongkhapa Life
    i. Brief Description

• *Destiny Fulfilled
• *The Glorious One of the Three Worlds
  
• .*Lama Tsongkhapa’s Secret Biography
  

These prayers are also found in Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Day booklet.

    ii. Extensive Description

• +Chintamani Rosary Spreading the Buddha’s Teachings – see “Additional Notes” section below
• The Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa

B. Specific Qualities of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Teachings

• *Dependent Arising: A Praise of the Buddha
  
• +*A Song of the Infallible Refuge
• +*A Prayer to Halt Error Concerning the Complete Path: The Heart Jewel of Profound Meaning
• +*Selections about the Distinctive Features of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Teachings from Phabongkha Dechen Nyingpo’s Assorted Answers to Questions – see “Additional Notes” section below.

These prayers and text in Section B are found in the Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Day booklet.

1. +*The Prayer to Encounter the Teaching of the Three Realms’ Dharma King, The Great Tsongkhapa: The Gift of Care and Compassionate Protection, found in Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Day booklet.
2. Prayer for the Flourishing of Tsongkhapa’s Teachings
3. Lamrim Prayer (Lamrim monlam, aks Der ni ring du)
   
4. A Prayer for the Beginning, Middle, and End of Practice
5. Prayer to Be Reborn in the Land of Bliss
6. Other dedication verses and prayers

Prayers 2-6 are also found in the FPMT Essential Prayer Book.

• Follow the instructions under “Preliminary Prayers and Practices”
• Recite at least one prayer from “Brief Descriptions” under “Actual Presentation”
• Recite prayers 1, 2 and/or 3 from “Concluding Practices and Prayers”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche did intend for Chintamani Rosary Spreading the Buddha’s Teachings to be the presentation of Lama Tsongkhapa’s life. However, to use this and present the thangkas requires someone with good Dharma knowledge to spend some time reading it and preparing in advance.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche mentioned where centers have geshes or other learned teachers, it would be good to explain Phabongkha Rinpoche’s Selections about the Distinctive Features of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Teachings—to explain both the uncommon features of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings and the qualities as they are exhibited in texts like Essence of Eloquence (Drangnge Legshe Nyingpo), Illuminating the Intent (Uma Gongpa Rabsel), Lamrim Chenmo, and so forth. This overview of Lama Tsongkhapa’s writings by Gareth Sparham is also a good resource.

“Outline of Practice”  and “Additional Notes” prepared by Ven. Tenzin Legtsok based on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s instructions, July 2019.

Pujas and Practices

• 1000 Offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa
• Lama Chopa
• Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga
• Extensive Offering Practice

Compilation Prayer Books

• FPMT Essential Prayer Book
• Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Day

Individual Prayers

• Dependent Arising: A Praise to the Buddha
• Destiny Fulfilled
• The Foundation of All Good Qualities
• The Glorious One of the Three Worlds (Päl dän sa sum ma)
• A Hymn of Experience
• Lama Tsongkhapa’s Secret Biography
• Lamrim Prayer (Lamrim monlam, aks Der ni ring du) – in FPMT Essential Prayer Book
• A Prayer for the Beginning, Middle, and End of Practice
• Prayer for the Flourishing of Tsongkhapa’s Teachings
• Prayer to Be Reborn in the Land of Bliss
• Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhichitta and Four Immeasurables
• The Three Principal Aspects of the Path

• The Thousand Offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa
• Päl dän sa sum ma (The Glorious One of the Three Worlds)
• Lama Tsongkhapa’s Secret Biography

You can also find more practice materials related to Lama Tsongkhapa, including practices in French, Spanish
and other languages, in the Foundation Store.