Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice

Over the years, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered various pieces of advice for prayers and practices to turn to when facing natural disasters. In light of the recent flash flood and mudslide along the Nepal–Tibet border, which struck the Rasuwa district north of Kathmandu and is believed to have been triggered by an earthquake-induced avalanche and snowmelt entering the Bhote Koshi River, we share the following collection of Rinpoche’s advice, offered in the hope that it may be of benefit.

Rinpoche in Pokhara, Nepal, 2021.

“My dear loving compassionate readers,

You may wonder what to do, what prayers to make, when there are disasters such as tornados, hurricanes, heavy rain, storms, floods, earthquakes, or fires, as well as disasters that destroy crops; disasters that destroy entire towns and cities within one hour; disasters that cause so many billions of dollars of damage, and so much money is spent to rebuild the towns; disasters where so many hundreds and thousands of people die or become homeless, have no homes, no food or clean water, and so forth.

So here I am offering some suggestions on what to do so that you can help the country and save so many peoples lives; some suggestions to prevent the destruction of houses, villages, and cities that are caused by the elements (fire, water, wind, and earth).

Even though these kinds of problems are so big, even though there are numberless buddhas, yet if someone with a very sincere heart takes refuge one-pointedly, without doubt, in even one buddha such as Chenrezig (Compassionate Eye Looking One), Padmasambhava, or Medicine Buddha, if someone takes strong refuge and prays to even just one buddha and recites the mantras (such as the name mantra), by doing this it can change the situation completely, it can change natural disasters and prevent war. Whatever problems there are can be loosened and even completely stopped.

The weather can change in that very hour or in the next hour by the power of one person making prayers.”  

Read the full version of Letter From Lama Zopa Rinpoche Regarding the Disasters of the Elements 

What you can do right now:

• Medicine Buddha Practices
  • A Brief Meditation-Recitation on Guru Medicine Buddha | PDF | Spanish | Audio
  • A Very Short Medicine Buddha Practice | PDF
  • Medicine Buddha Sadhana | English | Spanish
  • Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
• King of Prayers
• Kshitigarbha Practice to Pacify Earthquakes
• The Practice of Ksitigarbha to Avert Danger and Purify Obstacles

To follow the complete list of prayers and practices suggested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche over the years:

• • Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Practices for Earthquakes and Natural Disasters
  • Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Advice for Severe Weather Conditions
  • Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Earthquakes 
  • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advises Urgent Practices for Pacifying an Earthquake in California 
  • Tsunami and Earthquakes 
  • Mitigating Severe Conditions of the Elements
  • Preventing Earthquakes
  • Natural Disasters
  • Sutra Golden Light for earthquakes, natural disaster and wars

More advice from Rinpoche on this topic is also available on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive:
https://lamayeshe.com/advice/natural-disasters

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

To celebrate the ongoing FPMT Global Mani Retreat  which has brought together students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche from around the world to help fulfill one of Rinpoche’s most cherished wishes, we are sharing this excerpt from Teaching from the  Mani Retreat by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the 100 Million Mani retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

It is also good to ask yourself, “Why do I have to do this?”

There are two reasons. 

One very important reason is that sentient beings do not want suffering and want happiness. The other reason is that this is the purpose of your life.

It is for this purpose that you put so much effort into surviving in every hour, every minute, of your life. 

The conclusion is that there are two reasons: this is what sentient beings need, so you should help them; and this is the meaning of your life.

Excerpt from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book Teachings from the Mani Retreat bestowed at Chenrezig Institute, on December 2000. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Publications. You can also read this book online, or listen to an audio recording from the retreat.

Upcoming Major Teaching

Please join us for a teaching by His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche on Monday, September 7.

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

To celebrate the ongoing FPMT Global Mani Retreat, which has brought together students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche from around the world to help fulfill one of Rinpoche’s most cherished wishes, we are sharing this excerpt on the Benefits of the Mani Retreat from Teachings from the Mani Retreat by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche teaching during the 100 Million Mani Retreat 05-Oct-2017 ILTK. Italy Photo by Lobsang Sherab

Benefits of the Mani Retreat
By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

This is such a wonderful time, especially doing practice to develop compassion and bodhicitta. Without compassion you can’t have the realization of bodhicitta, you can’t enter the Mahayana path, you can’t achieve enlightenment, you can’t achieve the infinite qualities of the holy body, holy speech and holy mind of Buddha. Without great compassion you can’t do perfect work for sentient beings, bringing them to enlightenment. I mentioned this the other night when I arrived, but maybe it was difficult to hear so late at night . . . . Those who can make the time should come to the retreat. Even if you cannot come for all three months, you should come for some weeks—or at least for one week. If you do not give yourself the time, the freedom, to do this, it is very poor, very sad. Of course, it would be best to come for the whole time, until the end of the retreat, but if you cannot do that, while you can give yourself the time and the freedom, you should come for one month or for a minimum of one week. You should attempt to do this. If you have a family, of course it’s not possible for all the family members, the whole assembly of parents and children, to come for the Mani Retreat, but maybe you could take turns. Do whatever you can, whatever days you can do. Give yourself the time to come again and again. Even if you cannot do one week straight, come again and again. Do at least one day, then come another day, then another day. At least come quite often in this way. 

We should especially think of death. When the thought of death comes, when we remember death, there’s nothing else that makes sense; everything else is total nonsense. When we think of death, so much of what we do in life doesn’t make sense; it’s all just nonsense. The only thing that makes sense is Dharma practice. Only Dharma will benefit us at the time of death and after death. The only thing that we can carry with us and enjoy in our future life is Dharma—nothing else. This practice of the meditation-­ recitation of the Buddha of Compassion will especially benefit us.

Reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ has merit as limitless as the sky. Even Buddha can never finish explaining the unbelievable purification and collection of extensive merit brought by reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. This is a special means to develop compassion. Intellectual study alone cannot bring you the realization of compassion and bodhicitta. With the intellectual understanding, you then have to purify your mind and collect extensive merit. On the basis of those preliminary practices, you then receive this special deity’s blessings by reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. It is through this that the realizations of great compassion and bodhicitta then come. Reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ is one of the most powerful means of developing compassion and bodhicitta.

Doing specific meditation on the Buddha of Compassion and reciting the mantra are like soil and water, the conditions that together enable a seed to produce a sprout, or like all the pieces that are put together to enable a clock or watch to show the time. The mind works in a similar way. The preliminary practices and the meditation-­ recitation of Compassion Buddha persuade the Compassion Buddha’s holy mind. Purifying negative karmas, or obstacles, and collecting extensive merit enable us to receive the blessings of Compassion Buddha, and through these blessings we then receive realizations.

And the benefits of compassion are as limitless as the sky. After hearing the lamrim and having studied it and also other teachings, we can understand the benefits of compassion. Compassion has limitless benefits for oneself and for all other sentient beings. 

Excerpt from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book Teachings from the Mani Retreat bestowed at Chenrezig Institute, on December 2000. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Publications. You can also read this book online, or listen to an audio recording from the retreat.

Upcoming for the Global Mani Retreat

FPMT Mongolia’s 14th 100 MILLION MANI RETREAT in Ulaanbaatar has begun! This retreat is part of the official Global Mani Retreat program and will take place from August 20 – September 17 2026. Participation onsite is entirely optional.

Ven. Tenzin Drachom will lead the eighth Chenrezig Group practice on August 22.   

To keep up on all details related to the FPMT Global Mani Retreat, please refer to our webpage, and join the Facebook Group. 

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

In this extract, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche explores why living beings, though they long for happiness, so often create the very causes of suffering instead. The teaching is drawn from a weekend seminar Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Thubten Yeshe offered during their first trip to Europe in 1975, based on the Kopan meditation courses. Following a public lecture on meditation by Lama Yeshe at Kensington Town Hall, the seminar was held at Royal Holloway College, Surrey, and contained the entire Buddhist path to enlightenment. From Freedom Through Understanding, edited by Nicholas Ribush, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Royal Holloway College, UK, 1975. Photo by Dennis Heslop. From the LYWA Collection.

Happiness Comes from the Mind, Not from Outside

By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

All human beings and even the tiniest of creatures desire happiness and freedom from suffering. But our biggest problem is that although we desire happiness, we don’t know what actually causes it; although we don’t want suffering, we don’t know what causes that either. That’s our biggest problem. Most living beings, no matter how much they wish for happiness, spend most of their time destroying the cause of happiness; and no matter how much they do not want suffering, they constantly rush to create its cause. All this comes about because sentient beings lack method and wisdom.

Earth’s original human inhabitants did not have minds as negative and cruel as those of today. As a result, the actions of their speech and body were not as violent and harmful as those of the people we see around us now, and life was much more peaceful then. But gradually, as their delusions of anger, attachment, pride and jealousy arose more frequently and strongly, their minds became increasingly cruel, negative and harmful, and the actions of their speech and body became more violent and destructive. And no matter how much we have progressed in external development since those times, life has simply become busier and more dangerous; no matter how many material things, such as nuclear weapons have been developed, instead of bringing true peace, all they have brought is more danger. However, we can’t blame external things for all these problems; the actual cause is the internal factor—the unhealthy, dissatisfied mind, attachment, hatred and so forth. Even though people have undertaken external development with the expectation that it will bring happiness, that’s a wrong conception.

Happiness does not arise principally from external things but from the internal factor, the mind. For example, people who have all the material things they need and desire—gourmet food, beautiful clothing, a luxurious apartment and so forth-are not necessarily happy. They get unhappy and depressed because they feel dissatisfied and don’t know why; and since they also don’t understand the meaning of human life, some of them think there’s nothing left to enjoy, get completely despondent and kill themselves.

All such problems come from the mind, the internal factor, attachment. Instead of bringing satisfaction and happiness, all these desirable external things bring only more dissatisfaction. Similarly, with respect to the suffering that arises from problems caused by other people-enemies, family members, countrymen—even if we were to kill all the other human beings on earth, even all other living beings, and remain here alone, still we would not experience happiness or peace. Stopping suffering and receiving happiness does not depend on making all other humans, all other living beings on earth, non-existent. Since doing so would not bring peace or happiness to the mind it shows that this is not the right method, not the way to receive happiness. By being alone with no other people, friends or other living beings around, we would feel lonely and very unhappy. Those problems also arise from within, from the internal factor, attachment.

Even when we get the material objects or close friends we desire, after a while we get bored and lose interest. That also comes from the internal factor, the dissatisfied mind, attachment. Our physical body dying, becoming non-existent, does not mean that our suffering is over; the mind does not stop when the body does. Even though our body no longer exists, our mind is still in suffering—as long as our mind is under the control of the delusions of ignorance, attachment and anger, it is not free from suffering. The delusions themselves are the worst suffering, the root of every problem people and animals experience; The delusions are like the root of a tree if there were no root there’d be no branches, leaves or fruit, which produce more seeds. So if there were no root of the delusions-ignorance, attachment and hatred-there wouldn’t be any of the problems that we and other living beings experience, such as sickness, old age, death and so forth.

Excerpted teaching from Lama Zopa Rinpoche from Freedom Through Understanding. Edited by Nicholas Ribush, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. You can also read this book online, access translations, watch on YouTube and experience the teachings in multimedia format. 

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Ksitigarbha statue at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, WA, USA

Over the years, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered various pieces of advice for prayers and practices to turn to when facing natural disasters. In light of the recent earthquakes in Latin America—in Venezuela on June 24, 2026 and in Colombia on August 10, 2026, as well as recent fire emergencies in Southern Europe, North Africa, and North America—we share the following collection of Rinpoche’s advice, offered in the hope that it may be of benefit.

“Buddha Ksitigarbha is another unbelievably powerful practice for success, I think especially when there’s an earthquake but also when there is any danger of fire, water, earth or wind. If there are any of those dangers, it’s very good to recite this Buddha Ksitigarbha mantra. It’s extremely powerful. You make offerings to Buddha Ksitigarbha and then make the prayer. It’s one hundred million times more powerful for success than praying to other bodhisattvas. If you read the Ksitigarbha sutra, it brings unimaginable benefit for sentient beings.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche 

All are welcome to download the Ksitigarbha Practice eBook & PDF. Please also listen to Lama Zopa Rinpoche reciting the mantra. 

To follow the complete list of prayers and practices suggested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche over the years:

• Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Earthquakes 
• Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advises Urgent Practices for Pacifying an Earthquake in California 
• Tsunami and Earthquakes 
• Mitigating Severe Conditions of the Elements
• Preventing Earthquakes
• The Practice of Ksitigarbha to Avert Danger and Purify Obstacles
• Natural Disasters
• Sutra Golden Light for earthquakes, natural disaster and wars

• Kshitigarbha Practice to Pacify Earthquakes

More Ksitigarbha Resources:

• Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
• Kṣitigarbha Ten Wheels Mahāyāna Sūtra from the Great Collection

Through the generosity of a dedicated benefactor, each FPMT center, project, and service around the world has been offered a Ksitigarbha statue. We are deeply grateful for this generous offering and for the support it provides to the FPMT family. We invite all centers, projects, and services that have received a statue to share a photo with us, if you haven’t already, so we can celebrate and showcase these precious statues throughout our community. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching extract from The Path to Ultimate Happiness: Lamrim Teachings from Kopan 2009  No. 42, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive publications

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book How to Practice Dharma: Teachings on the Eight Worldly Dharmas deals with the eight worldly dharmas, essentially how desire and attachment cause us to create problems and suffering and how to abandon these negative minds in order to find perfect peace and happiness. This excerpt below is from Chapter 8, “Turning Away from Worldly Concern.” 

Happiness Starts When We Renounce This Life

By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The terms “renouncing this life” or “renouncing suffering” both mean renouncing the mind that is the cause of the problems, the thought of the eight worldly dharmas. Therefore “Dharma” includes even pragmatic, transient techniques to stop attachment from arising. This is the actual Dharma, the method that immediately solves our confusion and mental illness. Bringing clarity and lack of confusion to our mind is the best way of bringing happiness to our life. Renouncing suffering doesn’t mean we’ll never have stomach or knee pain, a headache or a cold. It doesn’t mean wishing to be free of all pain but wishing to be free from the very cause of all suffering.

It has been the experience of these great yogis that we don’t have to wait until our future lives to experience this happiness. As soon as we stop the dissatisfied mind, immediately—immediately—there’s the result, happiness.

At first we might be nervous about letting go of desire because we normally equate desire with happiness. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. As soon as we let go of desire we achieve inner peace, satisfaction and happiness; we become independent. Before, we were dictated to and controlled by desire but now we have achieved real freedom.

We can see in the biographies of the great yogis Tilopa, Marpa, Milarepa, Lama Tsongkhapa and many of those other highly realized beings whose holy minds passed into enlightenment how, even without material possessions, they generated great tranquility and peace and through that were able to realize the great achievements of the path. They didn’t have even the scent of the eight worldly dharmas about them but by completely renouncing desire for this life, they received everything—the best reputation, perfect surroundings and sufficient material comfort.

In Milarepa’s Hundred Thousand Songs he often says how renouncing this life’s worldly activities automatically stops all the thousands of problems associated with the worldly life and brings great bliss.

Without any possessions at all, he led an ascetic life in solitary places. Although he lived like an animal, he spent his life in great happiness, his mind always peaceful, without confusion or problems. He didn’t have even one sack of tsampa but lived on nettles alone. Living without food, clothing or reputation didn’t cause him any problems because of his Dharma practice. He achieved all the high realizations and then enlightenment in that one lifetime, all due to the power of his pure Dharma practice of renouncing suffering, renouncing this life. His mind was incomparably happier than that of the king who has great power and many bodyguards, soldiers and weapons.

Therefore, it’s completely wrong to think that Dharma only brings happiness in future lifetimes but not in this one. We experience peace and happiness the very moment we begin to practice and live in the Dharma. We feel its effects immediately. Continue to read the full Chapter. 

From How to Practice Dharma: Teachings on the Eight Worldly Dharmas, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Chapter 8. Edited by Gordon McDougall and published by Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

You can order a print copy from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive online store. You can also read this book online, access translations, or order the audiobook from Audible.com. LYWA Members can download the ebook for free.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Teachings from the Medicine Buddha Retreat. Lama Zopa Rinpoche 2009, published by Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive

First published in the March–May 2002 issue of  Mandala magazine, “An Open Letter to a President” was later included in Teachings from the Medicine Buddha Retreat, published by Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive and edited by Ven. Alisa Cameron (2009). The book contains extensive teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche during a 2001 Medicine Buddha retreat at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California.

Below is an excerpt from this remarkable open letter, written to then U.S. President George W. Bush following the September 11 terrorist attacks. In it, Rinpoche offers a Buddhist perspective on war and its causes, while presenting practical methods to help reduce conflict and cultivate peace in the world—guidance that is relevant to people of every faith and background.

A Spiritual Response to Wars and Violence

Dear Mr. President,

Since war was declared, some people have been protesting against it and clamoring for peace. But if what those people really want is peace, then they should first come up with a clear practical idea how to stop the terrorist attacks in the United States and other countries. Otherwise, you shout for peace and let the United States be completely destroyed by terrorists? This is like the saying in Tibetan Buddhist texts: “A blind yak eating grass.” Or the Western saying: “To throw out the baby with the bath water.” So many people are suffering now due to lack of awareness of what will come in the future. The problem is that common ordinary people are limited in what they can see, because of the lack of development of the mind. They do not have the power to see beyond, to read the minds of the terrorists and those in training. If Government intelligence had the power to see beyond, then they could foresee future dangers. They could see the harm in the minds of all those harmful people and terrorists. They could see what damage they could do to the United States and the whole world. War is what ordinary people in the world regard as the solution. The problem is that war, even if it is won, is like medicine that has side-effects. It may temporarily help the situation but afterwards there will be continual complications. Why? Because the people you defeat generate hatred towards you and in future generations they harm you back. In the natural law of actions, called karma in Sanskrit, the action of harming leaves an imprint on the mental continuum and that imprint is like a seed. When it ripens later, the person experiences the result of receiving harm from others. I understand that the situation is very difficult and that the American public is very angry but there are ways to solve the problem other than by going to war. It is possible that these terrorists can be overcome by spiritual power rather than by using military power. War costs so many lives and so much money. Even one missile can be so expensive, costing millions of dollars. When spiritual power is used to solve the problem, it saves all this expense and costs hardly anything.

Buddhism, and especially Tibetan Buddhism, has so many methods to help bring peace and happiness to sentient beings. If the Government were interested in the possibility of using spiritual methods to solve the current problems, they would need to consult with the spiritual head of each of the different traditions. Then practices could be done for a few months of a year in order for them to be effective. This way is not like military war, which makes some people happy and some people upset. These practices are unseen, so they do not irritate or upset anybody; that means also nobody gets angry and plans to retaliate.

A War Without Anger

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in New York, US, July 2016

Another solution would be to have a war without anger, something that appeared violent but actually became positive. Just because something looks violent, that alone does not necessarily define it as negative, because there are actions that outwardly appear to be violent but in reality are most positive, pure and for inner peace. Buddhism is based on not harming others and on benefiting others. But when an evil being is harming him or herself and greatly harming many others and the world, then in Mahayana Buddhism great saints called bodhisattvas, who have the qualification of unbearable compassion, take the life of that being. They completely sacrifice themselves to happily experience whatever suffering consequences may come from taking that life, such as suffering in a hell realm. They do this in order to benefit that sentient being, to stop them from engaging in harmful actions, and also for the peace and happiness of others. When there is greater benefit to take the life of an evil being than not to, the Buddha permitted great saints who are qualified to do so. Particularly in Mahayana Buddhism, the Secret Mantra, Vajrayana, on the basis of unbearable compassion, cherishing those evil beings, tantric wrathful action is done: the consciousness is split from the body and transferred to a pure land where there is no suffering. In reality, even though an externally wrathful or violent action is used, it does not harm the evildoer, it only benefits them. The wrathful aspect of mind is without any anger— the thought of harming others. An example is when a child is very naughty and the parent has no peaceful means left to control it. The parent will then scold the child with a wrathful mind because this is the only way to control it so that it will have a good, successful future.

These terrorists’ minds are trapped in so many heavy iron cages of wrong views that they cannot even see these views are wrong and their actions harmful. Their negative thoughts and actions caused so many thousands of people to be killed and so many firemen to sacrifice their lives to save others. Because of this, they will have to suffer for thousands of eons. From negative actions suffering results, from positive actions happiness arises, so it is unimaginable how much harm the terrorists did to themselves, to the US and to the rest of the world.

Reincarnation 

Numberless people have realized that reincarnation exists and that there is life both before and after this one. At the time of death the body finishes, but the mind continues; this is reincarnation. Reincarnation is not only Buddhist philosophy and experience; Christianity also talks about reincarnation because they talk about a heaven and hell after this life. That which experiences heaven and hell is not the body but the mind, therefore reincarnation exists. The Bible also talks about resurrection. In this world there are believers and non-believers. An example of this is when the US put a man on the moon: some people in the East could not accept or understand how that was possible. Another example is the satellite interviews that we see on the television: one person is talking to somebody else who is thousands of miles away but can be clearly seen on the screen. Some primitive people would not believe this is possible. As the mind continues after death, the negative thoughts also continue, so these terrorists will go on to harm others again and again without end until their negative emotional thoughts are  ceased. 

Negative thoughts, such as anger and the dissatisfied mind of desire, are the chronic disease of the mind and the main cause of suffering. If the people in this world do not put effort into making the mind better, into ceasing the negative thoughts, then even when the body is destroyed and disintegrated, the mind, which does not cease, will continue alone with all these thoughts. Ceasing negative emotional thoughts is the ultimate solution—especially ceasing them by generating loving kindness, compassion and the ultimate good heart, which cherishes and benefits others.

For Peace and Happiness Live in Pure Morality

I am sure that for most religions, each one has something good to offer mankind. Any religion that offers a complete method should bring sentient beings to ultimate happiness—the cessation of all negative thoughts, the afflicted emotional mind including the seed of it. If your religion harms others, it harms yourself. Then there is no meaning to have religion. It is better to have no religion at all. My suggestion and contribution for the present and future peace and happiness of America and the world is that people living in pure morality and especially the Sangha should read or recite the text called The Sutra of Golden Light. This is one of Shakyamuni Buddha’s most precious holy teachings, and reading it has benefits like the infinite sky. It also helps eliminate other problems, including economic difficulties, and stops natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and so forth. 

The Government could ask Buddhist monks in America to recite this text [The Sutra of Golden Light] for two to three years. Lay people and also non-Buddhists who have an open mind can also read it. Then there will be so much benefit for the country.

Prayers Can Help to Stop or Reduce Wars 

Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche)

So here I am simply offering suggestions. There is a powerful short meditation on the Healing [Medicine] Buddha, which came from the enlightened yogi called Padmasambhava. The practice is to avoid catching sicknesses from others or, if one has already been infected, to be healed. It was recommended by another spiritual person who predicted that it could be very beneficial in protecting from the disease anthrax. The Mantra Purifying All Negative Karma and Defilements not only protects from anthrax, but also if one can recite it daily, it will be a very good protection from life danger caused by earthquakes, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, water and so forth the dangers of the four elements. There are another two short mantras against anthrax, sickness and so forth, as well, which are proven to have healed cancer. When natural disasters occur, Christianity might say that it is God’s punishment. 

However, all I am saying here is that it is worth asking religious institutions and meditation centers to pray, and not only organizations but even individuals, because by praying they can help to stop or reduce these things. It may not be the case every time, but perhaps some times.

Tibetan Buddhist Centers: Make Strong Prayers

I have a few suggestions of things people can do to save the place they are living in from billions of dollars of damage to buildings and also to save human beings from death. There is a practice of offering tea to the beings who control the weather and create disturbances. There is a tea offering prayer called Ablution to the Eight Powerful Worldly Spirits that is very effective. The practice itself is nothing—just reciting a short prayer mentioning their names and asking them not to create those disturbances.Praying very strongly to the female buddha Tara, who is like the Virgin Mary in Christianity, is also very effective in stopping dangers. She is the embodiment of all the buddhas’ actions and there is a mantra and a short and long prayer with Twenty-One Praises. Even relying upon and praying to Shakyamuni Buddha with a full heart, reciting his name and mantra and making strong requests for these dangers to be pacified will be very effective. The techniques are very simple but the result can be of great benefit to the area and to the country. Other things that can be done are to recite The Vajra-Cutter Sutra, The Sutra of Golden Light and The Heart Sutra, with meditation on emptiness. Another very powerful method that can be helpful is to pray to the Compassionate-Eye Looking One, Chenrezig, when these dangers are going to happen. Recite the mantra, have total reliance and make strong prayers. The Buddhist tantras are full of so many methods for overcoming all kinds of disasters, including war, and for purifying the causes, but of course their success depends on how qualified the people doing the meditation are. 

Even if there are no Buddhist centers in the area where the disasters are going to happen, it still may be possible for people in a Tibetan Buddhist center in another state to do the prayers. I want to emphasize that in situations where ordinary people cannot control disasters, they should rely upon spiritual means to prevent or reduce them. This does not just mean Buddhist methods but also those from Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or any other religion.

Develop Compassion and Practice Universal Responsibility

I have never heard any of the leaders, and others in the news, stress the need to take care of the mind, to guard the minds of the people living in the world. It is very clear that everything, good and bad, happiness and suffering, comes from the mind but there was not one word about the need to develop loving kindness and compassion. Nobody emphasized the need for everyone in the whole world to practice this. I only heard the word “compassion” twice and both times it came from President Bush, once in the context of “America is a compassionate country.” I was very happy to hear you and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, mention precisely that you are not attacking Muslims or Islam but the terrorists. If the media could also present it this way, there would be much less anger and confusion. 

The media can cause many millions of people to get angry just by saying a few unskillful words. My final suggestion is that it would be so good if the whole world were to develop compassion, loving kindness and universal responsibility—to give special education on this in schools and at home for the parents to practice. This way, one child can bring so much peace and happiness into his or her own life and also to the family, country and over time to the whole world. Then, when that child becomes a mother or father, they can educate their own children to practice universal responsibility, loving kindness and compassion so that the good heart goes on and on, from generation to generation. Cherishing others and putting effort into developing a good heart in the office, at work, at home, everywhere—this is the ultimate method to stop terrorism worldwide. It is very important, before the cause has ripened into a result and the problem is being experienced, to practice loving kindness, universal responsibility, tolerance, forgiveness and kindness towards others, instead of being careless towards them and only cherishing oneself.

Nourish Interfaith 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reciting Sangatasutra in NYC, US, July 2016. Photo by Roger Kunsang.

The reasons and explanations can be taken from Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and any other religion—anything that helps the mind to develop universal responsibility, compassion and loving kindness towards others. Historically we can see that even just one person who is influential but lacks a good heart, compassion and patience can cause millions of people and other sentient beings in the world to be killed. It is also important to have interfaith meetings, where all the religious leaders come together and pray, each according to their own traditional way. This should be made available for young people as well. 

If the youth of this world come together and pray together, it will contribute towards peace and harmony amongst the different religions in the world. I am writing this because I have particular concern for the American people. This country gives so much freedom for peace and happiness. I do not know why Mainland China cannot give the same freedom to the Tibetan people and others. Even though the methods I have explained here are taken from Buddhism, the tradition does not really matter, it is just a question of staying alive and saving others from danger. The main thing is how important it is for people to make use of these mantras and prayers. They have no side-effects and they can do no harm to the body or mind.

A Final Prayer

Finally, I dedicate the merits and I pray every day for the peace and happiness of all living beings, that everyone may generate loving kindness, compassion and the wish-fulfilling precious good heart. I pray that they may only benefit each other and that everyone’s heart may be filled with joy and bliss. I pray that the whole world may be filled with peace and happiness.

With my prayers and good wishes,

Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche strongly encouraged his students to pray for world peace as widely as possible. All are welcome to explore the collection of resources we recently shared, which offers advice on prayers and practices to follow when the world is in crisis and to help mitigate the threat of war. On March 31, 2026, His Holiness the Dalai Lama shared the following peace appeal:

Are you an FPMT student or center bringing practices for peace into your personal or group program? If so, we’d love to hear about it! 

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Light offerings at Boudhanath Stupa at night, with Khen Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, December 2016. Photo by Lobsang Sherab.

The great stupa of Boudhanath in Kathmandu, Nepal, was extremely important for Lama Zopa Rinpoche. It was in Boudha that Rinpoche first settled upon returning to Nepal in the late 1960s with Lama Thubten Yeshe. While staying at Samtenling Monastery, located behind the circumambulation path around the stupa, Lama Yeshe could see a hill from the monastery and felt drawn to it. Later that hill would become Kopan Monastery, the first FPMT center established by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Whenever Rinpoche returned to Kopan, he would often circumambulate the Boudha Stupa in the evenings together with a couple of attendants, while making offerings and reciting prayers and mantras. By the time the circumambulations were completed, a crowd would often have formed, following Rinpoche around the stupa. At the very end, Rinpoche would lead everyone present in offering five-colored khatags to the stupa, followed by extensive dedications.

During the second COVID lockdown in 2021, Rinpoche, together with other high lamas, including Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Khadro Rinpoche (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Dronme), and the abbots of Shechen Monastery and Kopan Monastery, reconsecrated the three great stupas of Nepal—Swayambhu, Boudha, and Namo Buddha—for the benefit of all sentient beings. At the end of the consecrations and after taking the bodhisattva vow, Rinpoche led the assembled lamas in an offering practice based on the offering objects described in chapter three of The Legend of the Great Jarung Kashor Stūpa

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Gen Tenpa Choden, and Ani Jangsem offering five-colored khata to the Boudha Stupa with prayers, Nepal, February 2021. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

The Benefits of Making Offerings to the Boudha Stupa

After COVID ended, Rinpoche continued to perform the offering practice to the Boudha Stupa, and the practice grew increasingly elaborate over time. Rinpoche himself performed the practice at the stupa several times in a room with extensive offerings located on the circumambulation path, and at least twice from his room in Kopan. Rinpoche would quote the Great Guru, Padmasambhava, on the benefits of serving the great stupa of Boudha:

“Listen! Great king, generate strong devotion. All the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the three times actually absorbed into and abide in this holy object of the holy mind. Any requests and prayers made to the great stupa will be effortlessly and spontaneously accomplished; it is like a wish-granting jewel. The benefits for any transmigratory being who, with a totally pure attitude, prostrates to it, circumambulates it, or makes offerings to it cannot be expressed or counted even by the numberless past, present, and future buddhas.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro Rinpoche at Boudha Stupa, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

To collect “the most unbelievable merit” when making offerings to the stupa, Rinpoche says in Offerings to the Boudha Stupa, “Think that all these offerings belong to sentient beings and then, on their behalf, make offerings to the stupa. It is not just a stupa. To me, for example, it’s in essence His Holi­ness the Dalai Lama, which means it’s all the past, all the present, and all the future buddhas. You can think like that for whoever your own root guru is, which means your root guru is all the three-time and ten-direction buddhas. […] There’s no question how much merit you will collect with each offering you make to the stupa while thinking that in essence it is your root guru. You collect the most unbelievable merit, and it becomes purification as well. Please think this with any offering you make to the stupa, and then offer it on behalf of all sentient beings.”

Eventually, Ven. Sarah Thresher requested Rinpoche to compose a formal offering practice  for his students to use. Rinpoche responded by suggesting that she transcribe one of the extensive practices he had led at Kopan and compile a booklet from that. After Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away, Ven. Joan Nicell completed the transcript that Ven. Sarah had initiated and, with the help of Ven. Ailsa Cameron, arranged it into a practice format so that the practice could be done during the forty-nine days of prayers in Rinpoche’s honor. The resulting practice booklet, Making Extensive Offerings to Boudha Stupa, also lists the specific benefits of making each kind of offering.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering wish-granting jewel to the Boudha Stupa from his room in Kopan Monastery, September 2021.

Rinpoche’s Offering Room at the Boudha Stupa

The offering room was originally set up and continues to be maintained by Dechog, a Chinese lay student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Dechog started off by arranging many offerings on tarpaulins laid out along the circumambulation path of the stupa, and then spending hours offering them. Eventually, with the help of some Chinese students, he rented a disused restaurant overlooking the stupa where he could permanently set up his extensive array of offerings. Rinpoche rejoiced greatly in Dechog’s offerings of huge water bowls and large butter lamps and his insistence on offering only the finest quality substances and, over time, Rinpoche contributed many auspicious offerings and statues to the offering room.

Offering of saffron at Boudha Stupa.

After Dechog offered a set of keys to Rinpoche, the room gradually became known among FPMT students as “Rinpoche’s offering room at Boudha.” A simple throne, sponsored by a group of Chinese students, was set up for Rinpoche to use whenever he did the offering practice there. Rinpoche would lead the practice himself, reading from his copy of The Legend of the Great Jarung Kashor Stūpa and explaining the benefit of each offering, followed by the recitation of the Offering Cloud Mantra, with instruments being played while visualizing the offerings being made.

In January 2022, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave advice on how to make the best use of the offering room so as to collect “the most unbelievable merit” when making offerings to the stupa. This advice, which was published as Offerings to the Boudha Stupa,was also printed, framed, and hung in the room as a reminder to students.

Students Perform the Offering Practice

Besides performing the offering practice once during the forty-nine days after Rinpoche’s passing, it has since been done at major FPMT gatherings in Kathmandu: following the Light of the Path retreat at Kopan in 2023, the Heart Sutra retreat in 2024, and the CPMT meeting in 2025, and most recently in March 2026 when a number of FPMT students visited Nepal for the inauguration of Khadro Rinpoche’s new monastery.

Students participating in this extensive practice have been deeply moved. Maria Damsholt from the FPMT Center for Wisdom and Compassion in Denmark, who took part in the March 2026 offering practice, shared: “It is a very beautiful offering practice to do. It felt exactly like making offerings and prayers with Rinpoche himself—because it really is in the spirit of Rinpoche. Thank you so much for letting me practice with you. I intend to buy as many offering substances as possible so that we can do it in Denmark too.”

Rinpoche making offerings at Boudha Stupa, Nepal, July 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Claudia Czuba from the FPMT center in Vienna was so deeply inspired that she purchased jewels and medicines in Boudha in 2025 and performed the practice twice in Austria. She said, “We did this offering practice at Panchen Losang Chogyen center in Vienna by setting up an offering table with a big picture of the Boudha Stupa and nicely arranged offerings. It is a simple yet very powerful practice, and also very joyful. To arrange beautiful offerings, visualize them as extensively as possible, share them with all sentient beings, and offer them to the stupa indivisible from the guru makes the heart and mind very happy. It seemed like people felt the ‘skies of merits’ they created with this practice. And, for sure, it pleased the holy mind of our precious guru Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.”

Malaysian monk Ven. Sonam Yeshe was equally inspired and is planning to bring the practice to Rinchen Jangsem Ling Retreat Centre in Triang, Malaysia. He shared, “Experiencing the elaborate offerings in front of the holy Boudha Stupa for the first time was profoundly moving. It felt incredibly special to participate in the same ritual that Lama Zopa Rinpoche performed so many times at the stupa. I couldn’t help but imagine how beautiful it would be to replicate these elaborate offerings at Rinchen Jangsem Ling, Malaysia. By facilitating a program where participants take turns performing the offerings themselves, we can provide a highly engaging and meritorious experience that resonates with all those who attend.”

We invite all of Rinpoche’s students and centers to do this offering practice to the Boudha Stupa from their homes or centers and in this way help preserve Rinpoche’s very special practice lineage while at the same time creating skies of merits!

Resources

In September 2021, Rinpoche recorded a Thought Transformation Teaching video entitled “Making Offerings to Boudha Stupa” in which he speaks about performing a tsog offering practice at the Boudha Stupa and the benefits of making offerings to stupas. You can follow along with the offering practice by watching the video.

Find Offerings to the Boudha Stupa as a PDF in the Foundation Store.
Find Making Extensive Offerings to Boudha Stupa as a PDF in the Foundation Store.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Offerings during commemoration of Rinpoche’s parinirvana 3rd anniversary at Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Penang, Malaysia, April 13, 2026.. Credit: Chokyi Gyaltsen Center Facebook page.

April 13, 2026, marked the third anniversary of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche passing into parinirvana. On this meaningful occasion, students, FPMT centers, and monastic institutions around the world gathered for collective prayers and practice, and to remember with immense gratitude the great kindness of our most precious spiritual guide. 

“Making offerings on the death anniversary of a guru is an incredible practice in that it brings about the greatest purification of negative karma and collects the most extensive merit.” — Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche 

Here we share, not an exhaustive list of all the activities organized in centers and monastic institutions, but rather an example of some of the activities offered: 

At Kopan Monastery, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, together with the Sangha and devoted disciples of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, including representatives from the FPMT board, performed a Heruka Lama Chopa with extensive offerings followed by group recitation of Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri, dedicated to the swift return of Rinpoche. Kopan Lama Gyupas and senior monks recited The Guhyasamaja Root Tantra and Tea Offering to Dharma Protectors, in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s room — a whole day of prayers for the swift return of our most kind and precious spiritual guide.  

At Nalanda Monastery, in France, geshes, monks, nuns, and lay students performed the Guru Puja dedicated to the long and healthy life of the new incarnation of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

A full assembly of monks gathered at Sera Jey Monastery in the main temple to offer Lama Chopa puja and Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri. 

At Ngari Institute, Ladakh, the community honored the third anniversary of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche with dedicated prayers including Manjushri mantra, Migtsema prayer, and Tea Offerings to Dharma Protectors. 

Gaden Jangtse Monastic College, Mundgod, offered Lama Chopa as well as Chanting the Names of Manjushri, and Migtsema prayer. 

Chenrezig Institute’s community, in Australia, observed a full day of practice, including Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri and The King of Prayers, in the morning, and concluding with Lama Chopa puja with Tsog and light offerings in the evening. They dedicated the merit for the swift recognition of Rinpoche’s unmistaken reincarnation.  

In California, Land of Medicine Buddha’s Sangha and long-time students gathered with Venerable Yangchen and Venerable Angie to honor the anniversary of Rinpoche showing the aspect of passing away. Personal stories were shared, bringing Rinpoche’s kindness vividly to mind.  

Jamyang Buddhist Centre, in London, offered a hybrid program to follow in person or online starting with the recitation of Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri, the community then gathered to watch an excerpt of archival footage of Rinpoche giving a Dharma teaching at Jamyang and share personal stories from those who knew him or heard him teach. 

 We share below some scenes from the powerful group prayers, and we thank everyone who participated in this heartfelt collective effort to remember the immeasurable kindness of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and pray for his swift return. 

Assembly at Sera Jey Monastery, India, commemorating the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Credit: Sera Jey Monastery Facebook page.

Sangha at Kopan Monastery, performing a Heruka Lama Chopa and many other prayers and practices for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana. April 13, 2026. Photo credit Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

Sangha in prayers at Osel Labrang, Sera Jey, India, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Credit Osel Labrang Sera Jey Facebook page.

Sangha in prayers at Shalu Monastery India, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Credit Shalu Monastery Facebook Page.

Puja at Sera Je Dhakpo Khangtsen, India, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Credit: Dhakpo Khamtsen Facebook page.

Sera Jey Drati Khangtsen offering prayers to commemorate the third anniversary of the parinirvana of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Guru Puja at Nalanda Monastery, France for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo courtesy of Nalanda Monastery.

Photo: Community at Tsum Rachen Nunnery, Nepal, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026.. Credit: Tsum Rachen Nunnery Facebook page.

Community in prayer at Ngari Institute, Ladakh, India, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Ngari Institute Facebook page.

Ogmin Jangchup Sishu Tsogpa, a community association of former Kopan Monastery monks and nuns residing in New York, USA, offered prayers for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo by Ogmin Jangchup Sishu Tsogpa Facebook page.

Guru Puja at Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Penang, Malaysia, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Chokyi Gyaltsen Center Facebook page.

Commemorations in Taipei for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026.. Photo from FPMT Taiwan Facebook page.

Prayers in Taichung, Taiwan, at Shakyamuni Center the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from FPMT Taichung’s Facebook Page .

Community at Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre, Delhi, India the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre Facebook page.

Root Institute, India, offered prayers and light offerings were made by Ani Dekyong and the resident nuns for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Root Institute Facebook page.

Prayers at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore led by Venerable Tsultrim, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo by Tan Seow Kheng, ABC Facebook page.

Community praying at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Chenrezig Institute Facebook page.

Teachings at Lama Yeshe Ling, Canada. Geshe Sonam offered transmissions of Ganden Lha Gyäma, including Lama Tsongkhapa Migtsema Prayer and Name Mantra, for the 3rd anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana, April 13, 2026. Photo from Lama Yeshe Ling Tibetan Group Facebook page.

This is just s small sampling of the thoughtful activity organized around the world and we offer extensive thanks to ALL who participated in commemorating Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing into parinirvana. 

Advice for the Anniversary of the Guru’s Passing Away is a short text translated by Rinpoche that explains the importance of making offerings on the anniversary of the passing away of one’s guru.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche (1945-2023) was the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Rendering of the Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery.

We are delighted to announce the grand inauguration ceremonies of the Memorial Stupas of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Rinpoche Lhundrup Rigsel at Kopan Monastery and Nunnery. 

On December 11, 2026, the Stupa of Complete Victory, enshrining the sacred relics of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, will be consecrated at Kopan Monastery.

On December 14, 2026, the Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery will be consecrated to honor both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup.

Kopan Monastery shared the following invitation in their official announcement: We would be deeply honored by your presence at these sacred and joyful occasions. 

Rendering of the Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery.

Lama Lhundrup and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery, 2011. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

These ceremonies offer a powerful opportunity for students to gather, rejoice, pray, and dedicate for the flourishing of the Dharma and the swift return of our precious teacher.

Save the dates: We will also be sharing details of this year’s Light of the Path Retreat (LOP) at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, which will take place December 20–30, 2026, and will be led by Geshe Tenzin Namdak, offering students a precious opportunity to come together in meditation and practice, and to honor the extraordinary legacy of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Please learn more about these special events.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Heruka Lama Chopa puja offered at Kopan Monastery, April 13, 2026. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery.

April 13, 2026, marks the third anniversary of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing into parinirvana. Around the world, students, FPMT centers, and monastic institutions are gathering (or have already gathered, depending on time zones) for collective prayers and practice, and to sincerely remember with immense gratitude the great kindness of our most precious spiritual guide.  

At Kopan Monastery, the Kopan Lama Gyupas performed Yamantaka self-initiation in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s room in front of Rinpoche’s kudung (holy body relic); and in the evening they recited the Guhyasamaja root tantra, protector prayers, and tea offering. 

In the Kopan Gompa, Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Shelker Khenrinpoche. Lama Rigsel, Namgyal Rinpoche, Kopan monks and nuns, and other geshes and Sangha offered Heruka Lama Chopa together with devoted students, FPMT representatives, and relatives of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The puja was followed by group recitation of Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri.

Kopan kindly offered lunch to all who joined.

Please rejoice in this auspicious activity happening at Kopan and around the world today. We’ll collect and share it very soon.  May all the prayers being undertaken by sincere students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche be actualized immediately. 

On this occasion, we would also like to re-share the moving eulogy of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, written by Ven. Robina Courtin. 

Please learn more about practices one can do on the anniversary of the guru’s passing away. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche (1945-2023) was the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.