Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Ven. Paldron, Root Institute, India, December 2018. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Root Institute director Ven. Paldron shares news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent visit to Bodhgaya, India:

FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived in Bodhgaya, India, just before His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings started on December 22, 2018. Our hearts almost stopped beating at Root Institute when Rinpoche and the entourage missed their connecting flight in Delhi. We were delighted when we heard that they were confirmed on the following flight. A few years back, Rinpoche, after missing a connecting flight, decided to spend time elsewhere instead of visiting Root. So we rejoiced that this time we had created the karma for Rinpoche to visit and stay with us!

The children of Maitreya School, a social service project of Root Institute, were very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to recite the Heart Sutra twice in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a very august audience, including rinpoches, tulkus, and high lamas. His Holiness was happy to see the children once again and was touched by their heart-felt recitation. The students were able to offer His Holiness khatas. Rinpoche was also very pleased to see the children reciting the sutra.

Ganden Tri Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche, and many other lama doing puja, Root Institute, India. Photo by Bill Kane.

Rinpoche very kindly requested Root to host a Hayagriva puja on December 30 to which many high lamas, including Ganden Tri Rinpoche, Jhado Rinpoche, Kelsang Rinpoche, Khadro-la [Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme], and many young tulkus (reincarnate lamas), geshes and Sangha attended. During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s stay at Root Institute, Rinpoche also met individually with many of his gurus and made offerings to them, as well as met with young tulkus and other lamas.

Rinpoche also participated in the long life puja for His Holiness on December 31, organized by Namgyel Monastery and other Tibetan organizations at the Kalachakra grounds. Rinpoche was able to offer to His Holiness a beautiful Dharmachakra on behalf of the FPMT organization. Later that day, Rinpoche very kindly attended the Lama Chopa tsog puja in Root Institute’s big gompa with protector prayers and purification practices to close out 2018 and to usher in the New Year. Rinpoche did further extensive protector prayers at the start of the New Year to remove all obstacles ,often going late into the night and the early morning.

Front row: (from left) Pema Wangmo, director in training, Tushita Meditation Centre; Ven. Thubten Dekyong (Tsen-la), director, Maitreya Buddha Project, Bodhgaya; Lama Zopa Rinpoche; Ven. Tenzin Paldron, director, Root Institute; Ven. Tenzin Kunphen, spiritual program coordinator, Root Institute. 2nd row: Capucine Redon, coordinator, Tushita satellite study group in Goa; Ven. Tenzin Legtsok, director, Sera IMI House; Renuka Singh, director, Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre; Archhana Kombrabail, acting director, Tushita Meditation Centre; Ven. Tashi, meeting notetaker; Adriana Ferranti, director MAITRI Charitable Trust; Shanti Yajnik, director, Choe Khor Sum Ling. Back row: Phil Hunt, MAITRI Charitable Trust; Ven. Kabir Saxena, chairman, Maitreya Project; Deepthy Chandrasekhar, national co-coordinator, FPMT India; Drolkar Maree Court, spiritual program coordinator, Root Institute.

On the last day of the India FPMT national meeting, January 3, Rinpoche graced us with his presence, offering teachings and blessings in the small gompa. Rinpoche emphasized the importance of centers and the work they do and the necessity of working harmoniously and compassionately.

Rinpoche invited several high lamas to lunch, including Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche, who spent New Year’s afternoon with us answering questions, His Eminence Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, and other high lamas. On one such occasion Ling Rinpoche made an impromptu visit to the Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Clinic and blessed the staff, medicines, and the clinic. We were very grateful. We were also delighted that Dagri Rinpoche taught at Root early in the year giving us a Lama Tsongkhapa and Medicine Buddha jenangs and teachings on the Heart Sutra. Lama Zopa Rinpoche invited Dagri Rinpoche to lunch on several occasions, and it was wonderful to see their joyous faces together.

Lunch offered after puja, Root Institute, India. Photo by Bill Kane.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche made regular visits to the Mahabodhi Stupa during the evenings—doing circumambulations, reciting prayers, making extensive offerings and dedications, and also giving short teachings. Rinpoche’s offerings would include eight to ten trays of flower offerings (or about 80 small plates of flowers). Rinpoche also offered twelve monk’s begging bowls full of fresh fruit, robes, and khatas to the Buddha statue in the main temple.

Rinpoche kindly gave two public teachings aimed particularly at the Indian staff (although everyone was invited) about the necessity of a good heart and living a life in service to others and rejoicing in the opportunity to be working at a Dharma center.

Offering robes to the Buddha statue at the Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India. Photo by Bill Kane.

In front of the Nagarjuna statue at Root on Sunday, January 13, Rinpoche gave an extensive, inspiring, and very precious teaching on emptiness and dependent arising and how by clinging to the notion of an inherently existent I—ignorance—we continually create the root of samsara and our own suffering. As long as we do this, Rinpoche reminded, we are a slave to the I and to samsara and can never experience freedom or liberation. Therefore, it is important for us to be mindful of this erroneous notion of I that we are clinging to every moment of our life reminding ourselves that this I is empty, not truly existent and seeing the unfolding of events in our life as a dream.

Rinpoche repeated this theme during a magnificent Heruka Lama Chopa offering on January 16 in the big gompa, which lasted over four hours!  During this marathon session Rinpoche did protector prayers, purification practices interspersed with teaching reminders about our motivation, guru devotion, and emptiness.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India. Photo by Bill Kane.

A special and big thank you to our wonderful and extraordinary team of volunteers and staff for their dedicated, compassionate, creative, and inspiring service to meet all the needs of the center during this incredibly busy and blessed time period.

We are incredibly grateful to all that Rinpoche has given to all sentient beings at Root so far. We pray for Rinpoche’s long, healthy stable life and that we continue to receive Rinpoche’s teachings, blessings, and advise so that we too can become quickly enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Read more about His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent teachings in Bodhgaya, in a new online feature story by Cynthia Karena:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/in-depth-stories/his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-teaches-in-bodhgaya/

Learn more about Root Institute by visiting their website:
https://www.rootinstitute.ngo/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche petting Shamatha the cat who had jumped up onto Rinpoche’s throne, Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Bill Kane.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the following advice to a student who had asked Rinpoche how to benefit a very sick twenty-one year old cat.

My most dear, most kind, most precious, wish-fulfilling one, I heard you wanted very much to come here but you have a cat that is twenty-one years old and is very sick, so you couldn’t come. I understand, that’s very good taking care of the cat.

It’s good to recite the Maitreya Buddha mantra in the cat’s ear. That causes the cat to never be reborn in the lower realms, to have a higher rebirth, and to meet the Dharma. Also recite Medicine Buddha mantra, Chenrezig Buddha mantra, Milarepa Buddha mantra, and Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha mantra: OM PÄDMO USHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT. Recite these mantras several times each day.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at an Animal Blessing Day organized by Ganden Tendar Ling with relics, circumambulation of holy objects and altar table, and more, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Also recite the Three Principal Aspects of the Path and different lamrim prayers. The most important thing is to take the cat around holy objects. If you can, make an altar on a table and put many holy objects on the table, piled up—tsa-tsas, buddha statues, pictures, and texts, then take the cat around, on the same level as the altar. Put pictures of buddhas, statues, and tsa-tsas, as many as possible, then go around that.

However many holy objects are there—one hundred or one thousand— each time the cat goes around the holy objects, it creates that many causes of enlightenment. It is good to have many tsa-tsas there and to take the cat around them as much as you can before he dies, otherwise there is nothing much you can do.

Here is a powa pill. When the cat dies, put it on his crown with butter and honey.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reciting mantras for a very sick elderly cat, Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Pisa, Italy, October 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

It is very kind of you to take care of this cat for twenty-one years. Perhaps the cat could also be a recent family member, for example, if your father or mother died, or sometimes it could be your wife from a past life. It could be anything.

Please continue to make your life most meaningful for every sentient being with bodhichitta. Thank you very much. I hope to see you soon.

This advice, “Practices to Benefit a Cat,” is from “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book,” published in December 2018 on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive website:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/practices-benefit-cat

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 doing water offering, preta offering, and offering to Dzambala near the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, April 2018. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the following teaching during the retreat at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Australia in April 2018:

Whatever you do to please the guru, just there [by doing that], without even doing many hundreds of thousands of prostration, your karma changes. If you’re going to be reborn in the lower realms, in the hell realms, just in that minute [that you please the guru], [your karma] changes to being born in a pure land, perfect human rebirth. You have to know this, and practice mindfulness.

Because of the guru’s kindness, it is like this. Whether you are with the guru or whether you are far away, it doesn’t matter. Just within that minute everything changes without needing to go through all these preliminary practices. You understand? You have to pick up the point. Like my teacher Geshe Rabten, you have to keep your mind always on the one thing that brings you to enlightenment quickest, that frees you from samsara quickest. Your whole life you meditate, meditate, but it is not sure [the result].

You have to understand the most important point—the profit in your life, not talking business profit but Dharma profit, the biggest profit, Dharma practice—the quickest way to achieve enlightenment and become free from samsara. You have to know this and practice this example, whether you are close to your guru or whether you are far.

By pleasing the guru all the buddhas become pleased. By fulfilling the guru’s holy wishes and advice, every day, every hour, minute, second, living in the vow, monk or nun or lay vow, whatever, I’m just giving different examples. In this way you fulfill the guru’s holy wishes and advice. Then also pleasing the guru by doing retreat, that retreat the guru advised, then with each mantra you recite, you get closer, very quickly, you become closer to liberation. You become free from samsara. Each time as you recite what the guru advised you, you get closer to enlightenment, each time you recite the mantra.

Even this work is fulfilling the guru’s wishes, advice. So the work you do—each step you walk in order to fulfill the guru’s wishes and advice, building a monastery, shopping, or whatever—each footstep you make, you become further from samsara and closer to enlightenment, closer to being free from samsara, and closer to bringing all sentient beings to enlightenment. Teaching Dharma, talking to people, or talking to the workers, whatever, doing what the guru advised, wishes, in each second you are further and further from samsara, instead of closer you become further from samsara and closer to enlightenment, to being able to free sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric sufferings and bring them to enlightenment. All that, closer and closer. Everything that is fulfilling the guru’s wishes and advice, for you the benefit is like that. …

Watch the complete teaching by Rinpoche on “The Most Essential Thing to Achieve Enlightenment”:
https://youtu.be/gbqxWtQenq4

Colophon: Excerpted from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, April 8, 2018. Simultaneously transcribed by Ven. Joan Nicell. Lightly edited by Laura Miller, February 2019.

Find complete videos of Lama Zopa 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.

Water bowl offerings on the beautiful altar that was set up next to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s throne during the teachings organized by Gendun Drupa Center, Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche wrote a group of sixteen retreatants who had completed 100,000 water bowl offerings together and offered their practice to Rinpoche. They asked if they could do preliminary practices in this way, doing the practices as group and counting what they had collectively done. Here’s Rinpoche’s response:

In Tibet this happened: there was a great lama in Amdo, I’ve forgotten his name, who went to the monastery to look for the text on Gyalwa Gyatso. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche advised of this. So this lama explained that in Tibet he put up a big tent and then many people made the water bowl offerings together. Then they offered them all together, so that means even though all the water bowls weren’t done by each person, the group counted them together. The lama used this technique in this way to finish them. Therefore, when you make an offering, you can offer even what has been offered by others. 

I think similarly you can do this for light offerings. For example, even though many people have worked making the butter lamps and so forth, when you offer them you can offer them all and count them all. Like the water offerings, you can count all of them together.

Also, it’s the same with tsog offerings—even if the tsog is made by different people, when you offer it you can offer all the tsog together. So if there are one hundred people and they make a billion tsog offerings, then each person offers the billion tsog offerings.

Water bowl offerings on the altar at the teachings with Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

But for other preliminary practices it isn’t the same. For example, if one person eats delicious ice cream, the other one hundred people or a billion people, or tens of thousands of people or one hundred thousand million billion people, don’t get the benefit of that one person eating ice cream.

I don’t think so, otherwise in that case, for example, if a monk eats ice cream does everyone feel like they have also eaten ice cream? When the monk’s stomach is full, is everybody’s stomach also full? When the monk is hungry, is everybody also hungry? When the monk eats potato pancakes, does everybody in France feel like they have eaten potato pancakes? If you can do that, then it’s OK.

When the monk does Vajrasattva practice, has everybody in the world done Vajrasattva? When the monk’s stomach is full after eating potato pancakes or eating momos, are all the people’s stomachs in the whole world full? Have they received the same momos or potato pancakes? If so, then it’s OK.

Anyway, from my heart I want to thank everyone, all the sixteen people, everybody. Billions of thanks for creating the cause of enlightenment. That means the cause of enlightenment for all the numberless sentient beings. That means each water bowl is done for the numberless hell beings’ enlightenment, the numberless hungry ghosts’ enlightenment, the numberless animals’ enlightenment—every mosquito, every single ant, every maggot, every slug, every spider—for all their enlightenment. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! Every water bowl has been done for the human beings in the numberless universes, and for the numberless suras and numberless asuras. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow ! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

From “Water Bowl Offerings as a Group Practice,” posted in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book in November 2018 on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/water-bowl-offerings-group-practice

For more about water bowl offering, FPMT Education Services has created “The Preliminary Practice of Altar Set-up & Water Bowl Offerings” available from the FPMT Foundation Store as an ebook and PDF:
https://shop.fpmt.org/The-Preliminary-Practice-of-Altar-Set-up-Water-Bowl-Offerings-eBook_p_2577.html

“The Preliminary Practice of Altar Set-up & Water Bowl Offerings” is also available as a print booklet:
https://shop.fpmt.org/The-Preliminary-Practice-of-Altar-Set-up-Water-Bowl-Offerings-_p_339.html

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.

Long life puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the conclusion of the 51st Kopan Meditation Course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

November’s Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive E-letter shares the story of the first Kopan Meditation Course at Kopan Monastery in Nepal:

Zina was still eager for Lama Yeshe to teach a course, but he refused. She turned to Zopa Rinpoche. “She pestered me relentlessly,” Rinpoche recalled. “She kept on asking until I began to feel encouraged in my heart and developed a strong wish to do it. I asked Lama Yeshe what he thought. He replied, ‘Well, if you think it will be beneficial, then you do.’ So, with Lama’s blessing, I agreed,” said Zopa Rinpoche.

The first course was held in April 1971. It was springtime at Kopan, dry and breezy. The monsoon rains weren’t due to start until the end of May or early June, but the colder winter months had passed and the temperature was quite warm during the days. Zina took charge of the overall arrangements and Zopa Rinpoche taught a ten-day course based on his stamp-filled text on thought transformation. With help from Anila Ann, he managed to translate six lines on hell, two lines on the perfect human rebirth and one line on karma. These were developed into an extensive meditation on how to regard friends, enemies, and strangers with equanimity, and an explanation of the sufferings of animals and hungry ghosts. In those days, practically the only English-language lamrim book was Herbert Guenther’s translation of Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation, which was first published in 1959. “I taught mainly about the lower realms, the sufferings of hell beings and animals, ending up with the sufferings of human beings,” said Rinpoche:

In order to realize the three lower realms, we must fully see the sufferings that exist there. However, at the moment we have no power to perceive these things directly. Therefore we should try to experience those realms through our practice, using the examples shown in the teachings. In this way we can gain the power to see this suffering clearly in our minds.

Even at this moment, most beings are suffering in the three lower realms, especially in the hell realms. Their suffering has not been created by God or fixed by some other being. It is only a creation of those suffering beings’ minds, just as in a dream we may sometimes suffer in a fire, or from all kinds of fearful persons or demons fighting and frightening us. In the same way that these fearful dreams and visions are the creation of our illusive mind, so are the suffering and the realms of the naraks and so forth the creation of beings’ ignorant mind. However, the narak realms are not the same as dreams, but are karmic creations of the ignorant mind. This is similar to the way that one place can be seen differently by two different people—one may see a clean place while another person may see a dirty place. Although the object is the same, the view varies according to the level of mind, fortune, and the karma the being has created. As the mind reaches higher levels, the enjoyments and the visions change and the transcendental awareness and happiness we experience increases more and more.

Each living being’s samsara is a creation of that mind; each living being’s enlightenment is also a mental creation. In a dim room lit by a small candle with a flickering flame, a person without acute perception may see a fearful moving animal or demon, become afraid and perhaps throw something at it. This problem is only the creation of that person’s mind. The person with a calm, relaxed mind, on the other hand, will see what is actually there clearly. All experiences are created by the mind. Similarly, the suffering of the hell being is merely the creation of that suffering being’s mind. Therefore, the choice to experience suffering, to be in a suffering realm, or to be in the perfect peace of enlightenment depends upon the decision of the mind.

Around a dozen people took that course—Zengo’s students from Bodhgaya as well as Åge, Zina and Claudio Cipullo. Claudio had been down in Bodhgaya when he found himself staring fixedly at a photo of Lama Yeshe. “I decided he was calling me! That course was like an explanation of my whole life,” said Claudio. Losang Nyima acted as umdze and took care of the candles, water bowls, incense, and food offerings arranged on the altars. He also supervised all the cooking. During the course Lama Yeshe stayed down at Max’s house.

Two days before the end of the course Lama Yeshe, in the company of a Lhasa Apso, returned to Kopan and gave a couple of talks. This wonderful little dog, which actually belonged to Rinpoche, a gift from his mother, accompanied Lama nearly everywhere and was much admired by everyone at Kopan. Many strays found their way to Kopan and devoured any food they were offered, but this little dog always sat back very nobly and waited. She never fought over food or tried to get at it until everyone else had finished. Then she’d eat alone, quietly. Her name was Drolma, which is Tibetan for Tara, the female buddha of enlightened skillful activity.

Excerpted from the 1971 chapter of Big Love, by Adele Hulse, forthcoming from LYWA in 2019. You can read more from this chapter on LYWA’s website:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/1971-first-kopan-meditation-course

Check out the rest of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive November 2018 E-letter, with updates from LYWA and links to new advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche plus to a video of Lama Yeshe teaching:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/e-letter-no-185-november-2018

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 teaching at the Reithalle, hosted by Aryatara Institute, Munich, Germany, November 2018. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

“Of course by purifying negative karma collected since beginningless rebirth and by collecting extensive merits, this allows you to have realizations on the path to enlightenment and for your mind to change,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche wrote to a student who offered 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras to Rinpoche. “There is always hope the mind can change, even to achieve enlightenment, so you can achieve a higher rebirth, ultimate happiness, liberation from samsara and enlightenment.

“Vajrasattva practice is so important generally, and especially nowadays in the world, when there is not only global warming, but many other problems. There are so many other dangers—of war and sicknesses, cancer, and so many people whom you know are dying. There are so many sicknesses and other conditions for dying.

“This Vajrasattva practice and other purification practices are the ultimate answer, so everything in the world—what you see, every situation—tells you to practice Vajrasattva. To purify and do Vajrasattva practice is the ultimate answer, to stop the cause to be reborn in the lower realms and the immediate [result] is to have a higher rebirth, to make preparation for death and then to meet the Dharma, to meet the virtuous friend who reveals the path to enlightenment. Then to achieve ultimate happiness, to be free from samsara and to achieve enlightenment for the numberless sentient beings and to free them from the oceans of samsaric sufferings and bring them to full enlightenment.”

From “Benefits of Vajrasattva Practice,” posted in “Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book”:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/lama-zopa-rinpoches-online-advice-book

The FPMT Foundation Store offers many resources to support students in their Vajrasattva practice: 
https://shop.fpmt.org/search.asp?keyword=vajrasattva&search=

More information, photos and updates about FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be found on Rinpoche’s webpage on FPMT.org. If you’d like to receive news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT via email, sign up to FPMT News.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering blessed pills from Tibet and holy water from Mount Kailash to Tushita Meditation Centre’s Introduction to Buddhism August 22-31 students, Dharamsala, India, August 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche visited Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala, India, from August 29-September 8, 2018. Ven. Tenzin Kunphen, spiritual program coordinator, and Maria Nobuko Corrales, assistant spiritual program coordinator share the story.

In August 2018 our Dharma wishes came true with our precious spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche coming to Tushita, kicking off the second half of the 2018 season! Rinpoche arrived at night on August 29 through a plume of incense to an array of candle light offerings and a large group of eager students ready to greet him. We were thrilled to present Rinpoche with his updated and expanded living quarters, which he described as a “wish-fulfilling room!” It was possibly the sweetest compliment Rinpoche could give us for our efforts. We beamed with happiness for his enjoyment.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching the Tushita Meditation Centre Introduction to Buddhism August 22-31 students, Dharamsala, India, August 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

The 110 students of our Introduction to Buddhism course had the great fortune on August 31 to receive a teaching from Rinpoche after their celebratory picnic, marking the culmination of their efforts. What an auspicious way to complete their course! Rinpoche distributed blessed pills from Tibet and holy water brought from Mount Kailash to every student. Their big smiles broadcast their appreciation of this special opportunity.

The next day Rinpoche shared more blessed pills and water with our local staff and visitors before slowly circumambulating the main gompa while explaining the significance of the mantras and images painted on the outside of the hall. Rinpoche explained that just seeing the mantras (which are painted in red and gold) creates merit and reciting them creates even more.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching about the four virtuous friends while standing outside of the Tushita Meditation Centre main gompa entrance, Dharamsala, India, September 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

As Rinpoche continued on his circumambulation, he came to many of our monkey “landlords,” to whom he offered prayers and blessings. Later on we greeted the arrival of the precious Dagri Rinpoche who came to visit Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering blessings to the monkeys outside of Tushita Meditation Centre’s main gompa, Dharamsala, India, September 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

On September 2, Rinpoche welcomed Khadro-la  (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) to Tushita for a visit. Rinpoche later demonstrated great generosity in inviting all of Tushita’s staff, volunteers, and visiting Sangha to an appreciation lunch with the precious Khadro-la. We all walked together through the monsoon forest into the village next door—Dharamkot, also known as “Little Israel”—where we enjoyed a delicious vegan buffet at a popular local restaurant. Again, grins abounded as hearts and bellies were filled, and all rejoiced in all our efforts and accomplishments.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la with Tushita Meditation Centre staff, Dharamkot, India, September 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

We all happily attended His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s four days of public teachings at his temple  September 4-7. On September 5 we held an extraordinary Guru Puja with our guru himself, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, seated on his throne. We were again blessed with the presence of Khadro-la. The Guru Puja included a condensed long-life request for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in which both Khadro-la and Tushita offered mandalas. We earnestly pray for Rinpoche’s long, healthy life and for all of his Dharma wishes to be instantly fulfilled!

Guru Puja with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la inside of Tushita Meditation Centre’s main gompa, Dharamsala, India, September 2018. Photo by Simon Houlton.

The next two days Rinpoche provided teachings—open to everyone—and began the transmission of the Sutra of Liberation, which we hope he will continue upon his next return. We were so grateful that Rinpoche made time to offer these precious teachings to us with his schedule already so full. Once again, Rinpoche demonstrated to us his tireless efforts and devotion to benefit all beings.

On September 8 we bid Rinpoche farewell with eager hopes for a quick return to Tushita!

Sangha bidding Lama Zopa Rinpoche farewell. Tushita Meditation Centre had the special honor of hosting a total of six Thai monks as students in three courses in 2018. Some attended multiple courses as well as our special teaching events. Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India, September 2018. Photo by Tushita staff.

For more 2018 highlights, see Tushita News December 2018:
http://tushita.info/news/news-december-2018/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with a student at the Baladin Theater, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

Gendun Drupa Centre, an FPMT center in Martigny, Switzerland, hosted Lama Zopa Rinpoche from November 14 until December 4, 2018. The center’s spiritual program coordinator, Séverine Gondouin shares the story with help from Caro Solloso and Sophie Lacroix.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived in Anzère, a village of beautiful chalet homes in the Alps mountain range on Wednesday night, November 14. Caro Sollaso, who was helping out at the house, was there when Rinpoche arrived. She said, “The arrival of Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the chalet was impressive. He arrived by night, with candlelight and rose petals on the ground. It was magical.”

“Rinpoche is a very approachable person who is very much interested in others,” Caro said. “He wanted to know everything about the place and our country. Rinpoche was laughing with us at the table. During each meal he would ask us a lot of questions about ourselves. He also gave us a small teaching after each meal that was tailored to us. Rinpoche is so simple and so incredibly kind. We even got to watch the making of the tormas.”

“Rinpoche loves animals a lot. Although he is vegan, he asked for cheese to share with my dog Shiva during the meals. He changed the names of the animals who were with us at the chalet, saying that it was better for them to have Dharma names. Sophie’s cat’s name was changed from Shatwa to Mahamudra. My dog Shiva became Bodhichitta,” Caro said.

Ven. Lhundup Topgye, Caro Solloso with her dog Shiva renamed Bodhichitta by Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ven. Anet Engel, and Sophie Lacroix, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Sophie Lacroix, the owner of the chalet where Rinpoche stayed in Anzère, said, “It was an extraordinary week with him.”

“Rinpoche arrived in the land of cows, mountains, and chocolate. We were there—a few students—in the night, waiting for this incredible being that Switzerland had been waiting to come for so long. We didn’t know if his visit was a dream or reality,” Sophie said.

“Some prayers flags were flapping by the light of some candles, in a silence that predicted the incredible. And suddenly, two headlights appeared in the dark. We couldn’t see anything but we knew he was here, this precious being, this jewel, this inspiration.”

She continued, “There he was. He got down from the car with tranquility, serenity, and wisdom. We were there in the mountains—1,600 meters (5,249 feet) high—with Lama Zopa Rinpoche. I held my breath wondering ‘Will he like the place?’ I opened the door of the chalet and I heard ‘Nice!’ Finally I could breathe.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Shiva who he renamed Bodhichitta at the airport, Switzerland, December 2018. Photo by Séverine Gondouin.

“The first thing Rinpoche did,” Sophie said, “was sit down in an armchair and give blessings to the small dog Shiva. Everyone took possession of his room: Rinpoche, Ven. Roger Kunsang, Ven. Holly Ansett, Ven. Lhundup Topgye, Ven. Lobsang Sherab, and Ven. Anet Engel. Then it was time to see the parade of luggage. This was also incredible.”

“It was like living life in another dimension. The offering prayer before the meals took ten minutes,” Sophie recalled. “The soup that was once warm had become cold—no problem—each moment was dedicated for the benefit of all beings!”

“When the meal ended everyone there had things to do, but Rinpoche stayed there to teach us again and again. Ven. Anet cooked for us, and each meal was a masterpiece. Patience was required because the schedule was unknown. Each meal was a tsog prepared with care and attention. These were beautiful teachings of how to live our everyday life—every moment for others,” Sophie concluded.

On Friday evening, November 16, everyone was ready to listen to Rinpoche’s teachings. Rinpoche generously taught that whole weekend at the Baladin Center in Savièse, Switzerland, demonstrating great compassion for us all. He emphasized the importance of developing a good heart, cherishing others—the source of all happiness—and to change the purpose of our lives from self-cherishing to serving others.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Baladin Theater, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

Rinpoche also deeply taught on the nature of the mind, clearly perceiving objects, and how the “I” is merely labeled—a mere name—not existing from its own side. He taught that there is no real mind at all, that it never exists the way it appears to us, but is an extremely subtle phenomenon.

He instructed that we should clean the dust—the defilements—on the surface of the mirror so that the mirror can give a reflection. Rinpoche taught we should see the “I” on the “I” so that there isn’t anything to hold onto any longer. Look at the dream as a dream. Unify emptiness and existing without contradiction.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Gendun Drupa Center director Jean-Paul Gloor and spiritual program coordinator Séverine Gondouin at the Baladin Theater, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

Rinpoche encouraged us to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment and to keep the mind in the right view, free from hallucination. He also talked about the importance of developing a good education in schools. Rinpoche said that we should focus our awareness on ending the harm we cause to ourselves and others. We usually take care of the body but not the mind. Rinpoche suggested that we help children keep their minds healthy, positive, and virtuous to benefit themselves and the world. He also insisted on practicing satisfaction.

Rinpoche emphasized that we should not keep what we learn on an intellectual level, but that we should actualize the teachings and experience them in our hearts. This way our practice becomes holy Dharma, not with a motivation attached to this life—to the eight worldly dharmas—but that we renounce. That will bring incredible peace and happiness, and also all that we do will become Dharma.

A student receiving a blessing at the Baladin Theater, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

Last but not least, Rinpoche talked about devotion to the guru. To take care of our mind—this is the way to follow one’s guru’s advice and fulfill the guru’s wishes. This is the way to receive blessings. Rinpoche spoke about his own teachers who inspire him so much, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Panchen Rinpoche, and Khadro-la (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme).

We also did a Lama Chöpa tsog together on Saturday. The following day Rinpoche offered the Chenrezig Ngensong Kundrol initiation.

Ven. Losang leading a review class at the Baladin Theater, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

The Swiss nun Ven. Losang (Rita Riniker) offered a review class on Saturday and Sunday morning. People were delighted by her teachings, presence, and inspiration. We thank her a lot as she did that job with all her heart. This really touched people, opened their hearts, and awakened their wisdom as well.

Some of the event volunteers with dinner cooked by Michele Fröhlich and Jean-Paul Gloor, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

About two hundred people attended Rinpoche’s teachings hosted by our center. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of many people including the Gendun Drupa Center committee, who began to prepare this event months in advance, and thirty-six volunteers, who helped with food; arranged Sangha accommodation; made carpooling arrangements; organized the altar, shop, and welcome desk; and helped with the technology.

French language translator Ven. Lobsang Detchen at the Baladin, Savièse, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

We are also thankful to French language translator Ven. Lobsang Detchen, Italian language translator Ven. Siliana Bosa, German language translator Ven. Birgit Schweiberer, and Ven. Joan Nicell, who was transcribing from Nepal. We appreciate the audio team—Alexis Benelhadj, Harald Weichhart, and Antoine Janssen— as well as the donors, who helped us cover the event’s costs. We thank them all deeply from our hearts.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Gendun Drupa committee members following lunch in Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

On Monday, November 19, Rinpoche met with the Gendun Drupa Center committee for a lunch in Martigny. It was an opportunity to thank everyone for their work. The atmosphere was cheerful, filled with gratitude and love.

Rinpoche then taught two evenings at Gendun Drupa Centre in Martigny. We met that second evening because it was Sophie’s birthday, and Rinpoche wanted to offer a Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga and tsog. Rinpoche also took the opportunity to bless our center and consecrate it.

Students welcoming Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang to Gendun Drupa Center, Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Séverine Gondouin.

Both evenings were so precious—having Rinpoche in our small center, with so many people who were meeting him for the first time. It was a great gift for all students. Everyone was so happy. We finished really late that Tuesday night, but it was not a problem. We carried the energy from the evening with us when we went to work the next day.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Gendun Drupa Center, Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

We also had a surprise to announce that night: Rinpoche, who planned to leave on Wednesday, decided to stay on at Sophie’s house and do a personal retreat of almost two weeks. We organized things very quickly, including visas and food. It was a great joy to be able to continue closely working for Rinpoche.

As he was still in Switzerland on his birthday, he was offered a delicious sugar and gluten-free cake baked by one of our students.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering toys to students at the airport, Switzerland, December 2018. Photo by Séverine Gondouin.

Rinpoche departed Switzerland for Nepal the following day, December 4, to teach the 51st month-long Kopan lamrim meditation course students. Many students came to the airport in Switzerland to say goodbye. Everyone was so enthusiastic, so grateful, and so inspired by Rinpoche’s visit to Switzerland. It will surely give a new wave of energy to our center and a greater understanding of the meaning of guru devotion.

Enjoy more photos from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s visit to Switzerland:
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/gallery/switzerland-november-2018/

For more information about Gendun Drupa Center, visit their website:
https://gendundrupa.ch/

Watch video recordings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings from his 2018 European tour, which includes Spain, Germany, and Switzerland, and also find audio recordings of translations of the teachings in several languages as well as English language transcripts here:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/europe-tour-2018/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Adrian Dec and son Aaron Dec greeting Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bern, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Séverine Gondouin.

Longku Center, an FPMT center in Bern, Switzerland, hosted Lama Zopa Rinpoche from November 12-14, 2018. Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived from Munich, Germany, where Rinpoche was hosted by Aryatara Instituut. Brigitte Brunner and Andrea Meier, long-time students and members of Longku Center who co-organized Rinpoche’s Bern visit share the story.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arrived late evening of November 12 from Munich, Germany, and stayed in Bern for two days before travelling on to Wallis, Switzerland. While offering welcome tea, Rinpoche talked about how important it is, if one encounters people who make our life difficult, to cherish them and to uphold them the most.

Longku Center board members, along with long-time students and organizers posed with Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Brigitte Brunner, Jangchub Iseli, Ueli Minder, Rinpoche, Ani Losang, Peter Iseli, Ven. Tsultrim, Andrea Meier, and Marianne Müller outside of Longku Center, Bern, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The next evening Rinpoche gave a very inspiring public teaching on recognizing and using our human potential, starting with how lucky we are not to be born as a tiger who has to kill others to survive. How fortunate we are to have attained a precious human rebirth, able to distinguish what is right and what is wrong, what brings happiness and what brings suffering.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching, Campus Muristalden auditorium, Bern, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Then Rinpoche taught on the importance of practicing patience and how everything comes from the mind. He explained how we can do this—looking at every action as merely labeled, like a hallucination or a dream. This was a very powerful teaching on emptiness!

Lhagsam Study Group coordinators Nina and Jeff with members Sandra Passardi and Theres offering Lama Zopa Rinpoche a vegan cake Theres baked, Bern, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Séverine Gondouin.

We had two wonderful and very blessed days with Rinpoche in Bern. Our time with him was powerful, moving, and inspiring. We are very grateful to Rinpoche for his visit and his precious teachings.

Artist Peter Iseli offered this thankga of Milarepa to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, presented to Rinpoche outside of Longku Center, Bern, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

For more information about Longku Center, visit their website:
https://longku.fpmt.ch/fpmt7/nc/home/

Watch video recordings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings from his 2018 European tour, which includes Spain, Germany, and Switzerland, and also find audio recordings of translations of the teachings in several languages as well as English language transcripts here:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/europe-tour-2018/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Tsog offering during Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings in Martigny, Switzerland, November 2018. Photo by Olivier Adam.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche received many messages wishing him “Happy Birthday” this year. So on Rinopche’s birthday, which is December 3, he recorded a video message as a thank you to all who offered him birthday greetings.

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.

Watch Lama Zopa Rinopche’s Birthday Message:
https://youtu.be/ajT7srFuHw8

You can find the transcript of Rinpoche’s birthday message here:
https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/11/a-birthday-message-from-lama-zopa-rinpoche/Lama-Zopa-Rinpoche-Birthday-Message-20181203.pdf

Find complete videos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings, including recent teachings in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, and Kopan Monastery:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Kopan Monastery School performers in deer costumes, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

Geshe Sherab, headmaster at Kopan Monastery School in Kathmandu, Nepal, shares how the students at this FPMT monastery celebrated Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday.

We’ve been celebrating Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday quite extensively since 2016. The last two years were perfect as we celebrated in the presence of Rinpoche himself. This year we celebrated without Rinpoche because of Rinpoche’s later arrival here in Nepal.

Audience enjoying the birthday festivities at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

Students spent two months preparing a play for the event. The event went well. We had a great lunch then we all gathered in front of the Kopan Monastery gompa. We had a huge cake as you see in the picture.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s birthday cake at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

The program began with an offering of body, speech, and mind to Rinpoche by Kopan’s abbot Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi.

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi making an offering of body, speech, and mind to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s throne at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

This was followed by a play called The Deer Park. I created the play’s concept, and it was written by our volunteer teacher Alex Duncan. The costumes were by Ven. Tenzin Sherab.

Kopan Monastery School performers in costume at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

The students performed the play as more then four hundred people were watching and enjoying the cake.

Kopan Monastery School performers performing the play at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Kopan Monastery School.

Young monks who performed in the English-language play were so excited even after the program finished. I was so happy that all the young artists said all of their lines very well.

For more information about Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery:
http://kopanmonastery.com/
http://www.kopannunnery.org/

Find complete videos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent teachings at Kopan Monastery:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving at Kopan Monastery, where he will teach during the annual Kopan meditation course, Nepal, December 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche was greeted by hundreds of nuns, monks, and lay students at Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery and Kopan Monastery upon his return to Nepal.

Rinpoche first went to the nunnery, where hundreds of nuns were waiting to greet him. Rinpoche stopped and visited the nunnery gompa before going up Kopan hill.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche arriving at Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Bill Kane.

At Kopan Monastery, the monks and lay students attending the 51st month-long Kopan lamrim meditation course lined up to greet Rinpoche, offering khatas and welcoming him back. 

Monks and lay students at Kopan Monastery awaiting Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s arrival, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

Rinpoche started giving teachings at the Kopan course, which are being streamed live online.

For links to watch the teaching, visit the “Lama Zopa Rinpoche LIVE” page:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/lama-zopa-rinpoche-live/

Rinpoche often teaches at the 3:30 p.m. session (UTC+5:45), although times are subject to change. Rinpoche will be teaching at the Kopan course until it concludes on December 17 with the long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on behalf of the FPMT organization.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo by Bill Kane.

Kopan monks during Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s arrival, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

Monks and Kopan course students welcoming Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 2018. Photo courtesy of Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

Find complete videos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recent teachings:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

For more information about Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery:
http://kopanmonastery.com/
http://www.kopannunnery.org/

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.