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Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice
Khadro-la, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, and the monks and nuns of Kopan doing the 1,000 offerings to Namgyalma puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday, Kopan Monastery, December 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Kopan Monastery, in Nepal, honored Lama Zopa Rinpoche by offering Rinpoche a birthday celebration on December 3.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and cake offered during the birthday celebration, Kopan Monastery, December 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Rinpoche’s birthday celebration began with the monks and nuns from Kopan Monastery doing the 1,000 offerings to Namgyalma puja for Rinpoche. Then, outside in the courtyard, Rinpoche was offered a birthday cake along with a program of music, drama, and dance.
Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) and Kopan abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi attended the celebration events. In addition to the Kopan monks and nuns, students from the month-long Kopan course and local community members were also at the celebration in the courtyard.
Ven. Lobsang Sherab created a 23-minute video of the celebration. The video captures the joyousness of the occasion, which includes scenes from:
- the 1,000 offerings to Namgyalma puja in the main Kopan gompa,
- the offering of a body, speech, and mind mandala to Rinpoche,
- Rinpoche’s advice about how to think when offering and cutting a birthday cake,
- young monks singing “Happy Birthday” and offering khatas to Rinpoche,
- the chanting of Rinpoche’s long life prayer composed by Khadro-la,
- a Dharma play offered by the monks,
- song and dance offered by the Tamang community from Namgyal Jangchub Choeling, and
- song and dance offered by the Thamichhowa Sherpas.
Watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday celebration at Kopan Monastery:
https://youtu.be/eKb20697o3k
Find links to recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Nepal, Russia, Singapore, Latvia, France, and more:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la offering a khata at Boudha Stupa, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Harald Weichhart.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the following advice to Dharma centers on what to do when experiencing difficulties.
When your luck/controlling power is down, then obstacles come. (You are blamed for things even if you haven’t done them.) To make life easy, it is very important to have pujas for protection performed. Otherwise, problems come one after another. You may receive a lot of complaints from people. This also depends on how much luck/controlling power the center’s leader/director has. For the center to receive help means that it needs the karma to receive help; a lot depends on the leader, too.
Buddhism is full of methods to protect from obstacles, so we can use those. If something is beyond people’s intelligence, they can’t do anything; they can only do things if they know what to do.
It is good if centers can do things such as Medicine Buddha and Tara puja. I have been saying how Medicine Buddha puja is very powerful for success. Also, they must do regular protector prayers.
The most important thing for success is devotion and compassion—this is the cause for harmony. That is the best puja. Compassion for others cuts down on problems, and people will help you.
Devotion collects so much merit; good samaya leads to inner and outer prosperity; there is the wisdom to discriminate what is right, and everything goes well.
For example, in the USA, there are so many religions, but when problems occur, they don’t use religion, they just use politics, not spirituality. We are a Dharma organization so there is so much that you can do. Some centers have a resident teacher who can do divinations and analysis and give spiritual support to the center through practices and pujas—at the beginning of each year, like in the monasteries, or every six months is best. If some problems are about to come which you can’t predict, it is better to do pujas every six months (like Geshe Lama Konchog used to advise, and Kopan Monastery does). This will reduce problems and bring more peace.
Some things are very simple, like making a tea offering, but it can still help a lot.
From the advice “Protection from Obstacle,” given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and published on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/protection-obstacles
Links to watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s live teachings currently taking place at Kopan Monastery in Nepal:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/
Find links to recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Nepal, Russia, Singapore, Latvia, France, and more:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Bird’s eye view of the progress on the Compassion Wheel at Vajrapani Institute.
In December 2016, Vajrapani Institute, an FPMT retreat center in Northern California, launched the 5 Trillion Mantra Prayer Wheel Project. The prayer wheel, called the Compassion Wheel and standing 7 ft x 10 ft when completed, will contain 5 trillion (5,000,000,000,000) copies of OM MANI PADME HUM, the mantra of Chenrezig, the Buddhist deity who embodies universal compassion. This request came from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund recently disbursed a final grant of US$40,000 for this project.
Ven. Gyatso from Nalanda Monastery is helping to fill the Compassion Wheel.
Director Heidi Oehler reports:
“It’s quite a sight to see the Compassion Wheel come to life as this magnificent vision starts to become a reality. This special prayer wheel will be spun at the heart of the land at Vajrapani Institute, blessing all who visit the center, as well as the surrounding area.
“The basic structure has been framed out by our amazing carpenters. Engineers have designed, built and installed a new structurally reinforced frame and bearings system to hold the weight of the mantras and spin it with the force of one hand. We are now focused on putting together the wheel and getting it filled. As fortune would have it, a past staff member and current Nalanda monk who has been studying the Basic Program and helping Nalanda to fill it’s statues and prayer wheels recently returned to help us here! We are so grateful to Ven. Gyatso for helping to take on the project of filling the amazing compassion wheel.
Geshe Sherpa painted the painted the sky and earth mandalas which will go inside the wheel. Sky mandala is pictured here.
“Gelek Sherpa from Land of Medicine Buddha, painted the sky and earth mandalas which go inside the wheel. Ven. Tsering from Kachoe Dechen Ling will paint the mantras on the center poll. Microfilm with the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra are being printed and gradually shipped to Vajrapani now.”
Rinpoche has explained that every time you rejoice in an offering, the construction of the prayer wheel, and in the effort of all those who are working to actualize it, the merit doubles. When you rejoice the second time, the merit is multiplied by four. The third time, it is multiplied by eight. Lama Tsongkhapa said that to collect merit, the best way is through rejoicing.
“Each time you rejoice you collect skies of merit, making it such an easy way to achieve enlightenment.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Please join us in rejoicing about the progress of this one-of-a-kind prayer wheel that will benefit Vajrapani Institute, all who visit, all beings in the area; contribute to world peace and compassion; as well as bless and benefit anyone who helps make it a reality or even cultivates a warm thought about the project.
Supporting the creation of prayer wheels and other holy objects is part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT:
https://fpmt.org/fpmt/vast-vision/#pw
Find out more and give your support to the 5 Trillion Mantra Prayer Wheel Project:
http://www.vajrapani.org/prayerwheel/pw/index.php
To help ensure grants like this continue toward holy objects, all are welcome to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Object Fund.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with students attending the month-long lamrim course at Kopan Monastery in the newly rebuilt Chenrezig gompa, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday is celebrated on Tuesday, December 3. This year Rinpoche is at Kopan Monastery, where he is giving teachings to more than 250 students from around the world as part of the month-long lamrim course there.
Last year, Rinpoche sent out a video message to students on his birthday. In the video, Rinpoche gives advice on how to best see one’s birthday and the practices that can be done that become the causes for total and complete enlightenment for oneself and for all sentient beings.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with a birthday cake offered to him, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 2016.
Rinpoche’s teachings at the course are being webcast live at approximately 3:30 pm local time (GMT+5:45), although the time may be subject to change. Teachings are being streamed in English and French, and a live transcript will also be available.
Links for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s live teachings at Kopan Monastery:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Find links to recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Russia, Singapore, Latvia, France, and more:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Learn about Kopan Monastery and the courses on Buddhism offered there:
https://kopanmonastery.com/
Watch Lama Zopa Rinopche’s Birthday Message from 2018:
https://youtu.be/ajT7srFuHw8
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Bill Kane.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived at Kopan Monastery in Nepal on Tuesday, November 26. Rinpoche is giving daily teachings now as part of the month-long lamrim Kopan course, which takes place every November. This is the fifty-second Kopan month-long lamrim course. It is taking place in the newly rebuilt Chenrezig gompa, which had been significantly damaged by the 2015 earthquake in Nepal and had to be completely rebuilt.
Rinpoche’s teachings at the course are being webcast live at approximately 3:30 pm local time (GMT+5:45), although the time may be subject to change. Teachings are being streamed in English and French, and a live transcript will also be available.
Links for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s live teachings at Kopan Monastery:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche being offered a mandala during the month-long Kopan course, which is taking place in the newly rebuilt Chenrezig gompa, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2019. Photo by Bill Kane.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Find links to recordings of Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Russia, Singapore, Latvia, France, and more:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Learn about Kopan Monastery and the courses on Buddhism offered there:
https://kopanmonastery.com/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during a visit to the Caspian Sea to bless all the beings in the sea, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
This year, the holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on Thursday, November 28. Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered the following advice on how to help the tens of millions of turkeys being killed for the holiday. (For the most up to date version of this advice, please see the page “Prayers and Practices to Do for Turkeys at Thanksgiving”.)
My dear students and dear friends who want to help all sentient beings and, in particular, the animals that are killed, specifically all the turkeys killed during Thanksgiving,
Approximately forty-six million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving, and then also approximately twenty-two million turkeys are killed for Christmas.
My suggestion on how we can benefit the turkeys is to recite the Five Powerful Mantras:
- Mantra of Kunrig
- Stainless Pinnacle Lotus Mantra
- Stainless Beam Mantra (recite one mala of this main mantra)
- Mantra of Buddha Mitrugpa
- Stainless Lotus Pinnacle Mantra of Amoghapasha
Extra mantras you can recite:
- the Chenrezig mantra (short)
- the Namgyalma mantra (short)
If you can, recite each mantra twenty-one times, or as many times as you like. You can also recite the OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ mantra (Chenrezig mantra), which, of course, contains all the entire Buddhadharma. If you can, recite one mala of OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ—or if you want to recite more, that is even better. Then, as well as the Five Powerful Mantras, you can also recite the Namgyalma mantra.
I checked many mantras to see what would benefit the turkeys, but the other mantras did not come out. According to my observation, the main mantra to recite is the Stainless Beam Mantra. This is what comes out most beneficial for the turkeys. It says in the Kangyur that if you recite the Stainless Beam Mantra seventy times, if a being has been born in the lower realms, they will definitely get liberated from there.
So, please, if you can, recite one mala of the Stainless Beam Mantra dedicated to the turkeys killed for Thanksgiving and also for Christmas.
You can visualize that nectar beams, like sun beams, are emitted from the deity to you and to every sentient being, and in particular to the turkeys. The beams totally illuminate you, your family, and all sentient beings, and in particular the turkeys. Keep reciting the mantra with this visualization.
Recite it with strong concentration and an undistracted mind. Don’t recite the mantra with your mind thinking about the beach or sightseeing in the mountains, such as Mount Everest.
You can also recite the mantras and dedicate for the people who kill the turkeys.
You can think that you yourself are the turkeys that are going to be killed. Think of yourself in that situation. How would you feel? From that, you will then understand the incredible urgency to have someone help you and pray for you. You will then understand how important that is.
Feel this need for the prayers very strongly. And not only for all the turkeys killed this year at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also, in general, for all animals that are killed. So many animals are killed—an unbelievable, unbelievable amount. The need for prayers for them is so urgent.
You can also use these mantras in your everyday life when you want to pray for people or animals who have died. It’s very important to know and become familiar with these mantras.
Please recite the mantras with strong bodhichitta.
Thank you very much. Sorry for making my noise, like buzzing in your ear. Thank you very much for your patience.
With much love and prayers,
Lama Zopa
Scribed by Ven. Holly Ansett, Singapore, November 26, 2019; edited by Ven. Ailsa Cameron. Lightly edited for inclusion on FPMT.org.
Five Powerful Mantras and the Namgyalma Mantra
OṂ NAMO BHAGAVATE / SARVA DURGATI PARIŚHODHANA RĀJĀYA / TATHĀGATĀYA / ARHATE SAṂYAKSAṂBUDDHAYA / TADYATHĀ / OṂ ŚHODHANE / ŚHODHANE / SARVA PĀPAṂ VIŚHODHANE / ŚHUDDHE VIŚHUDDHE / SARVA KARMA AVARANA VIŚHUDDHE SVĀHĀ
2. Stainless Pinnacle Lotus Mantra
OṂ NAMAS TRAIYADHVIKĀNĀṂ / SARVA TATHĀGATA HRĪDAYA GARBHE JVALA JVALA / DHARMADHATU GARBHE / SAMBHARA MAMA ĀYUḤ SAṂŚHODHAYA MAMA SARVA PĀPAṂ / SARVA TATHĀGATA SAMANTOṢHṆĪṢHĀ VIMALE VIŚHUDDHE HUṂ HUṂ HUṂ HUṂ / AṂ VAṂ SAṂ JA SVĀHĀ
OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA MALA VIŚHODHAṆI RUDDHA / VOLA PRATI SAṂKARA / TATHĀGATĀ / DHATU DHARE / SAṂDHARA SAṂDHARA / SARVA TATHĀGATA ADHIṢHṬHĀNA ADHIṢHṬHITE SVĀHĀ
NAMO RATNA TRAYĀYA / OṂ KAṂKANI KAṂKANI / ROCHANI ROCHANI / TROTANI TROTANI / TRĀSANI TRĀSANI / PRATIHANA PRATIHANA / SARVA KARMA PARAṂ PARĀṆIME SARVASATVA NAÑCHA SVĀHĀ
5. Stainless Lotus Pinnacle Mantra of Amoghapasha
OṂ PADMO UṢHṆĪṢHA VIMALE HŪṂ PHAṬ
OṂ BHRŪṂ SVĀHĀ / OṂ AMṚITA ĀYUR DADE SVĀHĀ
Peas, a 39-pound (18-kilogram) Broad Breasted White turkey from Huron, South Dakota, poses after being chosen for pardoning at the 2018 National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in Washington, DC. Photo by Unnamed White House staffer – Official White House social media: https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1065045640122642432, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74554246
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
For more mantras and resources for mantra recitation, visit FPMT Education Services’ page on mantras:
https://fpmt.org/education/prayers-and-practice-materials/mantras/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during visit to Maitreya Statue in Lagan, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
After the 100 million mani retreat concluded in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, in October, Lama Zopa Rinpoche made a day trip to Lagan, Kalmykia, near the Caspian Sea. Rinpoche when to visit the largest Maitreya Buddha statue in Europe and to make offerings to it. The golden statue is 12.5 meters (40 feet) tall and had been officially unveiled and consecrated in September 2019.
Rinpoche created a special condensed 1,000 offerings to Maitreya puja to be done at the local temple in Lagan near the statue. Students arrived at the temple a day early to set up the extensive offerings. Two bus loads of retreat participants went from Elista to Lagan for the offering puja, which was the morning of October 20. Hundreds of local people also attended. After students completed the puja, Rinpoche offered a teaching to them. Then after lunch, Rinpoche did a consecration practice in front of the statue with the abbots from the Elista monastery and the local monastery.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche with abbots from temples in Elista and Lagan consecrating Maitreya statue, Lagan, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
After the leaving the Maitreya statue, Rinpoche was taken to the Caspian Sea. The previous three weeks, while Rinpoche was staying in Elista, he blessed jugs of water. Three small speed boats took Rinpoche and the blessed water deep into the Caspian Sea, where Rinpoche offered the blessed water to all the sentient beings in the water.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche pouring blessed water into the Caspian Sea to bless all the beings in the water, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
The 100 million mani mantra retreat in Elista was a great success. Organizers and the monastery in Elista prepared for a year and a half for the retreat, which was held at the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha. Telo Rinpoche, who is the spiritual leader of the Kalmykian people, was key to the preparations. More than 1,000 students participated and recited more than eighty-one million OM MANI PADME HUM mantras. One organizer wrote on her Facebook page, “It was a very special experience to be in retreat with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Zopa.” She then went on to thank Telo Rinpoche and the abbot of the monastery, several local geshes and teachers, the ordained Sangha there, the Kalmykian minister for culture, the translators, the temple’s secretaries, and the local volunteers for all of their “time, effort, and hard work.”
Watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teaching in Lagan, Kalmykia, Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMXF9PCzMHU
Find links to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/russia-2019/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
1,000 tsa-tsas of Lama Tsongkhapa when in progress at Chenrezig Institute’s art studio, Garden of Enlightenment.
Lama Tsongkhapa Day commemorates the anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana. It is observed on the 25th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar and, this year, which marks the 600th anniversary, falls on December 21. The Geluk International Foundation has proclaimed 2019 to be the International Year of Tsongkhapa.
Finished tsa-tsas of Lama Tsongkhapa.
In 2018 the Executive Director of the Geluk International Foundation requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche to arrange the creation of 1,000 Lama Tsongkhapa tsa-tsas to be offered to Ganden Tripa Rinpoche to offer to others.
Rinpoche happily accepted this and due to the kindness of some sponsors was able to completely cover the cost of the materials, gold leafing, and shipping of the 1,000 small statues.
The Ganden Tripa or “throne-holder of Ganden” is the head of the Gelug school. Before passing away, Lama Tsongkhapa gave his robe and staff to the first Ganden Tripa to preside over Gaden Monastery which was originally founded by Tsongkhapa in 1409 in Tibet and destroyed in 1959, then re-established in Karnataka, India, in 1996 by the Tibetan population in exile.
Garrey Foulkes and the amazing volunteer artists at Chenrezig Institute’s, art studio, Garden of Enlightenment in Australia, took on this tremendous task over the last year. First they cast the 1,000 14-centimeter tsa tsas, repaired, rolled the required mantras, filled them, painted them, applied gold-leafing to the hats of each, and then packed and shipped them.
We really thank Garrey and all the volunteers for this incredible effort and offering.
Please rejoice in the creation of these 1,000 holy objects in celebration of the 600th anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana.
FPMT Education Services recently published a list compiled by Lama Zopa Rinpoche of various prayers authored by Lama Tsongkhapa or written in his honor to help students engage in this most auspicious celebration as meritoriously as possible.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund enables Rinpoche’s compassionate service to others to flourish. All the offerings from the fund are used toward the creation of holy objects and extensive offerings around the world; sponsoring young tulkus, high lamas and Sangha in India, Nepal, Tibet and the West; supporting FPMT centers, projects and services; sponsoring Dharma retreats and events; funding animal liberations and blessings, and many other worthy projects.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore, September 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
New photographs of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s worldwide travel are shared in photo albums on FPMT.org. You can see where Rinpoche has been and many of his beneficial activities.
Albums from Rinpoche’s visits to France, Latvia, the United States, and Singapore have been posted over the past few months. New albums of Rinpoche’s travels and teaching events are regularly added.
See more photos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/
Find links to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent teachings from Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/russia-2019/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Bylakuppe, India. Photo courtesy of Tashi Lhunpo Facebook page.
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, located in Bylakuppe, Southern India, and seat to the Panchen Lama, has been growing significantly over the last few decades. A courtyard was added in 2012, a new prayer hall was completed in 2015, and construction of a new expansive library began in 2016.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund offered US$36,412.50 toward the completion of this library which will be equipped with the latest computer technology in order to educate, encourage, and inspire monastic community as well as the needs of the Bylakuppe region in general. The mission of this library is to emulate the legacy of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery of Tibet which was once a leading center for learning. You can read more about this monastery’s rich and extensive history.
Please rejoice in the completion of this library which will benefit the monks of Tashi Lhunpo as well as the entire area.
You can learn more about the many beneficial activities of the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fundor other Charitable Projects of FPMT.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renat Alyaudinov.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches on “How to Develop Bodhicitta in the Modern World (a commentary on Khunu Lama Rinpoche’s The Jewel Lamp: A Praise of Bodhichitta)” this weekend. Rinpoche’s teachings in Moscow, Russia, begin on Friday, October 25, and continue through Sunday, October 27.
The planned schedule of teachings, which can be watched live, is as follows in local time (GMT+3):
- Friday , October 25 teachings with Lama Zopa Rinpoche begin at 19:30
- Saturday, October 26–Sunday, October 27:
11:00 – 12:30 – practice session with Geshe Tenzin Zopa
12:30 – 14:00 – lunch time
14:00 – 15:30 – review and Q&A with Geshe Tenzin Zopa
15:30 – 16:00 – tea break
16:00 – 17:30 – Lama Zopa Rinpoche teachings
17:30 – 18:30 – tea break
18:30 – 20:00 – Lama Zopa Rinpoche teachings
The FPMT center in Moscow, Ganden Tendar Ling, organized these teachings. Rinpoche just concluded teaching in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, where he led a 100 million mani retreat.
Watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche teach LIVE:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/
More information on the teaching events in Moscow, Russia:
http://lamazoparussia.tilda.ws/#rec102195553
Find video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent teachings in Elista, Russia, and Singapore:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving in Elista and being greeted by the abbot of the local monastery and the news media, Kalmykia, Russia, September 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
On September 30, Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived in Elista, the capital city of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia. Rinpoche was enthusiastically greeted as soon as he stepped out of the airplane. Rinpoche was welcomed by the abbot of the monastery in Elista. Rinpoche was offered traditional khaptse and tea on the tarmac, where reporters and TV cameras were also waiting for him.
Inside the airport, Rinpoche answered questions in a press conference, discussing the significance of doing a 100 million mani retreat. Rinpoche told reporters that doing the retreat cleanses your mind of the attachment that is responsible for all the problems of this life and future lives. He said that the retreat brings “unbelievable benefits.”
Kalmykia is located in southern Russia and is bordered on one side by the Caspian Sea. It is the only Buddhist country in Europe, which allowed Rinpoche many opportunities to speak to news media about the importance of Buddhist practice.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche received a warm welcome as he arrived at the house where he stayed in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, September 2019. Photo by Ven. Losang Sherab.
A line of students offered khatas and recited Migtsema as Rinpoche arrived at the house where he was staying during his visit to Elista.
Rinpoche went to Elista to offer a Great Chenrezig initiation and lead a 100 million mani retreat. During a 100 million mani retreat, participants accumulate 100 million recitations of the Chenrezig mantra, also known as mani mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM.
Lodoi Rinpoche, Telo Rinpoche, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Telo Rinpoche is the spiritual leader of the Kalmyk people and helped organized Rinpoche’s visit and teachings in Elista. An American-born tulku, Telo Rinpoche has been active in the reestablishment of Buddhism in Kalmykia since being chosen as its head lama in 1992. He also serves as the honorary representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Russia.
The night of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s arrival, Telo Rinpoche offered a special dinner for Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for Lodoi Rinpoche, a high lama from the Russian Republic of Buryatia, another Buddhist area, located in Siberia. Lodoi Rinpoche had just concluded a series of practices and initiations in Elista. The elaborate dinner featured cultural singing and dancing.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lodoi Rinpoche at a special dinner honoring them, organized Telo Rinpoche, Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
The following day Rinpoche did prayers with Telo Rinpoche, Lodoi Rinpoche, and the monastery monks at the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni or the Golden Temple. Built in 2005, it is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. After lunch, the three rinpoches took part in another press conference, where Rinpoche spoke again on the importance of doing the 100 million mani retreat.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered the 1000-Armed Chenrezig initiation over three days, beginning on Friday, October 4, at the Golden Temple. A thousand people attended, packing the temple. In addition to local people, many students traveled from Moscow and Saint Petersburg to attend the events with Rinpoche. There were also a handful of students from France, Spain, and Malaysia attending.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during 1000-Armed Chenrezig initiation, Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
On the following Monday, between 200 to 300 students began doing the 100 million mani retreat. In addition, students from all over the world followed the retreat online.
The 100 million mani retreat is not a common practice in Kalmykia. It comes from the nyung në lineage. Rinpoche acknowledged that because the retreat is only two weeks long, ending on Friday, October 18, participants would probably not accumulate the full 100 million mani recitations. Rinpoche, however, said it was very good for students to learn how to do the practice for future retreats.
The retreat began every morning with a session blessing the speech and doing Lama Chopa. During the day there were sadhana recitation sessions. Geshe Tenzin Zopa led sessions and gave explanations on the practice to students. Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught during the final session of the day, covering topics such as guru devotion, bodhichitta and emptiness. Students attending the retreat appear very devoted and respectful, taking notes and carefully doing the practices.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during 1000-Armed Chenrezig initiation, Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, October 2019. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Rinpoche did an animal blessing on Saturday, October 19, in Elista and on Sunday visited a very large Maitreya statue located in the area. He then returns to Moscow to give teachings October 25-27 on “How to Develop Bodhicitta in the Modern World (a commentary on Khunu Lama Rinpoche’s The Jewel Lamp: A Praise of Bodhichitta).”
FPMT is grateful for the work of the retreat organizers, which include Telo Rinpoche and the monks from the Golden Temple. Students from Ganden Tendar Ling, the FPMT center in Moscow, also helped with arrangements.
In October, watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings streamed live from Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/
Find video and audio recordings and transcripts of all of Rinpoche’s recent teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is 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.