Lama Zopa Rinpoche News and Advice

Lama Zopa Rinpoche prostrating to a precious Guru Rinpoche statue during visit to Chailsa. Rinpoche sponsors the butter in the butter lamp in front of this statue 365 days a year.

Chailsa is in Solu Khumbu, north-eastern Nepal, the district where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born. Chailsa is in the southern part of the district.

In May, Lama Zopa Rinpoche stayed at Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery for a month and visited the Sagarmatha Secondary School which is located there. More than two years ago, the Social Service Fund took on the commitment of sponsoring this school which has about 120 students and is managed by Kopan Monastery.  

While in the area, Tsipri Lama approached Rinpoche about the need of these retreat houses in the area, specifically for geshes from the monasteries of Kopan, Sera, Drepung, and Ganden who have completed their studies and then wanted to engage in retreat. Rinpoche was very inspired by the project and immediately wanted to help actualize it and Rinpoche now has offered the full amount to complete this project: US$80,000. 

The sloping land below the buildings is where the new retreat area will be located. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Tsipri Lama was once a Kopan monk and is also the recognized reincarnation of a lama from the Tsipiri region of Tibet. Tsipri Lama fled Tibet and settled in the Solu Khumbu region in Nepal. The offering is to fund the building of retreat huts and a gompa for geshes who have finished their studies and want to meditate on the path in isolation. There are currently five geshes on the property who are engaged in retreat, occupying very temporary and inadequate housing. 

Providing the conditions needed for sincere practictioners to actualize the path to enlightenment is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization. 

Please rejoice in this offering which will enable many precious geshes to engage in retreat in a meaningful way in a blessed place. 

You can learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries, nunneries, and individual ordained Sangha. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche talks with a visitor, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, March 2017. Photo by Bill Kane.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche talked in 2008 about our good fortune: being able to choose happiness. What is the source of this good fortune? Teachings on how to create the causes of happiness.

“What people believe in the world, the more common people, those who don’t have the Dharma,” he explained, “is that the cause of happiness is external: the five sense objects and external things together. But achieving that doesn’t mean they always achieve happiness, it doesn’t mean that. Only if the cause of happiness is there, then they will experience happiness. Therefore, they have a totally wrong belief, a totally wrong understanding of the cause of happiness … The actual cause of happiness is our own mind, the positive mind and positive actions.”

He went on to say that, “People who understand the cause of freedom have freedom in everyday life. For us, this time we have met the Buddhadharma and we understand, so we have freedom. By knowing karma and the mind, how happiness and suffering both have to come from the mind, we are able to stop creating suffering … and to achieve happiness.”

He added,“If we understand karma, we have freedom … We have freedom every day. No matter what activities we do with our body, speech, and mind, they become the cause of enlightenment, they become the cause to achieve the happiness of future lives and then the cause to achieve liberation from samsara and the cause to achieve enlightenment for sentient beings.”

First day of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings at Idgaa Choizinling Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche concluded by saying, “Once we have understood karma, we have full freedom in our life. Whatever happiness we want to achieve is in our hands. So, we are unbelievably fortunate. We must realize how fortunate we are, how unbelievably fortunate, how unimaginably fortunate, having this wisdom, this Dharma wisdom. We are unbelievably, unbelievably fortunate. For most human beings in the world, it’s not like that.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche looking at the 8,000 Verse Prajnaparamita in the gompa at Guru Rinpoche’s place of holy speech, Jangsarbu lhakhang, Paro, Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Read the entire teaching here:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/lectures-18-19-pilgrimage-and-power-holy-objects

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.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama being offered a mandala by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Jangchup Lamrim teachings, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, India, December 2015. Photo by Rio Helmi/JCLRC.

On July 6, the 82nd birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is being celebrated around the world by Tibetans and Western students of the Dharma. As the spiritual guide for six million Tibetans, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s guru, as a recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, and as a promoter of each individual’s universal responsibility toward humankind and the environment, His Holiness serves as a living symbol for world peace.

A collection of long life prayers composed by His Holiness’s late tutors His Holiness Ling Rinpoche and His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche is available for students to recite on this special day. Below is a short extract:

O our gurus, and your line of lamas, for whom we have the deepest gratitude,
You who are the repository of the three: secret powers of body, speech, and mind of innumerable buddhas,
Who manifest in a miraculous way to each devotee according to his capacity,
To you, who are the wish-fulfilling gems, the source of all virtues and good qualities,
We offer our prayers with intense devotion
That our protector of the great land of snows,
Tenzin Gyatso, upholder of the Dharma, the great ocean,
May live for a hundred eons.
Pour on him your blessings
That his aspirations may be fulfilled. …

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a devoted student of His Holiness and service to His Holiness is an important aim of FPMT. For over twenty years, FPMT International Office has taken responsibility to help offer a long life puja to His Holiness every year on behalf of the entire organization. Long life pujas, in addition to maintaining harmony between students and following our teachers’ advice, is an important means for accumulating the merit needed for our precious gurus to stay in the world for a long time.

We wish His Holiness’s a very happy and healthy birthday. May all His Holiness’s holy wishes come into fruition immediately and may he remain and teach us for a very long time!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang, Dharamsala, India, March 2015. Photo by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

A variety of devotional images of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are available through the Foundation Store:
https://shop.fpmt.org/Cards-Posters_c_529.html

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

The extensive offerings at Rinpoche’s residences consist of hundreds of saffron-filled water bowls that are offered daily, thousands of light offerings as well as an extensive flower garden. Photo by Chris Majors.

Resident Sangha at Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s residences in Washington State and California, USA, offer weekly animal liberation practice and charity for ants, extensive daily offering practices, make tsa-tsas and stupas daily, and engage in nightly Dharma protector practices and sur offering. All of this is done with extensive dedications and prayers for the entire FPMT organization and all beings, as requested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Sangha blessing Lake Omak, Washington, USA, November 2016. Photo by Ven. Holly Ansett.

Last November Rinpoche blessed several lakes located near his Washington State residence, Buddha Amitabha Pure Land (BAPL), using a variety of methods to bring the most benefit. Rinpoche asked the Sangha, in his absence, to keep going out on the lakes regularly, in order to continue to benefit all of the fish and other living beings. They were unable to do this over the winter months, but have picked up these practices again now that the ice and snow has thawed. 

Approximately 70,400 animals were liberated at Rinpoche’s houses in 2016. Not only were the animals saved from untimely death by Sangha, but they were also taken around an incredible amount of holy objects, mantras were recited and blown on them, and they were carefully placed where they could live out the rest of their lives. When Sangha finish these liberations, they make strong prayers for all those who are sick, have recently died, or who have requested prayers. This is one of the most beneficial aspects of this practice as the merit is shared among so many. 

Buddha statue with extensive lights at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land. Photo by Chris Majors.

Resident Sangha make thousands of light and water offerings daily. Gorgeous flowers adorn Rinpoche’s garden. About the benefits of offering to holy objects, Rinpoche has said, “We are not aware of the limitless skies of benefits we achieve from the practice of offering, what we can achieve and enjoy from life to life,” in Extensive Offering Practice to Accumulate the Most Extensive Merit. “Even while you are in samsara, you enjoy good rebirths, wealth, and every happiness. Even just the samsaric perfections are amazing, without adding all those incredible realizations that allow us to offer deep benefit to sentient beings, liberating them from oceans of samsaric suffering and its cause, delusion and karma.” Rinpoche encourages extensive offerings around the world.

Please rejoice in the ongoing beneficial activity of the Sangha at Rinpoche’s residences. This is an incredible offering on behalf of the entire FPMT organization enthusiastically maintained by the resident Sangha. 

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 much more.  

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Deepthy Chandrashekhar, FPMT India national coordinator, Bangalore, India, December 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The Buddha guides us, Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, through the guru, and the guru is like a magnifying glass through which we receive the Buddha’s blessings. In the video below, Lama Zopa Rinpoche talks about the importance of the guru. 

And how should we serve the guru? Lama Zopa Rinpoche discussed the question in his book The Heart of the Path.

First comes “devot[ing] ourselves correctly to the virtuous friend with thought,” said Rinpoche, “and we then naturally devote ourselves correctly with action … Correct devotion to the guru with action comes easily as a result of correct devotion with thought.” That means, he explained, “seeing the guru as Buddha.”

Referring to serving the guru directly and working in Dharma centers, he commented, “Doing any work that our guru has advised us to do has great benefit, making our life highly meaningful.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s attendants Ven. Tendar, Ven. Sangpo, and Ven. Sherab in the kitchen at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, November 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

He added, “Even if we’re not doing the actual work of teaching Dharma, by working in a Dharma center we are providing the conditions for many other people to practice the holy teachings and follow the infallible path to enlightenment. If we frequently think about this in our everyday life, our mind will be very happy.”

Board of FPMT Taiwan meeting with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

And referring to other activities, Rinpoche said, “We should constantly remember our guru in our heart and do our work for him. This itself is guru yoga practice. All the work we do from morning until night then becomes Dharma practice. It is also enjoyable and each day we are happy!”

With young helpers, Ven. Holly Ansett livestreams Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings at Idgaa Choizinling Monastery, Mongolia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The short video below is an excerpt from Rinpoche’s teachings at the 2016 Light of the Path retreat.

Watch the video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche discussing the importance of the guru on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Dv21rTAgWiQ

Read the full teaching on serving the guru in chapter 15 of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book The Heart of the Path, available at the Foundation Store:
Hard copy: https://shop.fpmt.org/Heart-of-the-Path–Hard-Copy_p_814.html
Ebook: https://shop.fpmt.org/Heart-of-the-Path-eBook_p_2360.html

The complete teachings from the 2016 Light of the Path retreat can be found here, including links to the transcript, MP3s, and translations:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/light-of-the-path-teachings-2016/

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 (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme) in the woods at the base of the trail to Taktsang Monastery, Bhutan, May 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has commented several times on environmental issues, including climate change. What has he said?

In 2006, Rinpoche, concerned about climate change, saw the film An Inconvenient Truth, and made the following comments:

“Every sentient being, regardless of religion or nationality, including creatures of the land and sea, all [want] to be free of the impure substances, pollution, and the atomic bomb that are harmful to all of us and the environment. … This includes beings such as nagas and worldly gods who are also involved in the elements, and who are harmed and even destroyed due to these man-made pollutions, harmful chemicals, and other things that are damaging the earth and air. [Those] who think only of personal profit without consideration for others and the environment are causing great danger to all of us—the country we live in and this whole world …

“Your happiness depends on others, and others’ happiness depends on you. We all have to live in this world, so we need to be harmonious and happy in a healthy way. No matter who you are or where you are, we all have a responsibility to protect this world.”

The view towards Taktsang Monastery in the mountains of Bhutan, June 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche added in a letter to a student in 2006 that “global warming must also be related to there being a lot of factories. I think smoke from certain materials, certain bad and impure substances, affect global warming. … We must try and abandon the ones that are proved to affect global warming. From one’s own side, we should try to do this and make less pollution, then that’s our contribution to peace, without adding to the destruction of the world …”

Chipmunk at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington State, US, June 2015. Photo by Chris Majors.

In 2009, Rinpoche shared some additional thoughts on climate change. He said, “Regarding global warming, usually the real cause, karma, isn’t talked about. The reality is: nothing happens without relating to the mind. People think, ‘This is a natural disaster,’ but it doesn’t happen without a cause, and the main cause is karma … of course, there are conditions, such as pollution from cars, etc., that we commonly understand. But we have to understand there IS a reason, and that is our past negative thoughts and actions. … We don’t normally talk of karma in a general situation regarding the environment, but it is important to educate people.”

In conclusion, Rinpoche noted, “Regarding the environment, anything well proven scientifically is worth following through. [Nevertheless], the main thing is to understand how things come from the mind, how things are dependent arisings, how things are the consequence of past actions. So, the conclusion is that those people undertaking retreat, serious meditation, etc. can help the environment, can bless the earth.”

Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, where Lama Zopa Rinpoche often stays, Washington State, US, 2015. Photo by Chris Majors.

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 blesses a cat, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s May-June 2017 visit to Russia, Rinpoche took an entire day—May 31—to bless animals. The animal blessing was organized and hosted by Save Tibet Russia. It was well attended, with hundreds of people and animals in attendance: cats and dogs of course, but also tarantulas, birds, rodents, and snakes. Cats from a local cat shelter were brought in as well, in hopes some homes could be found for them, and Rinpoche blessed all of the shelter cats. It was reported that several cats found new homes.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing animals and birds, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

During the two hours Rinpoche spent at the event, he gave a short but compelling teaching on the whole path to enlightenment, as well as oral transmissions of mantras. He also recited mantras on a loudspeaker so that the animals would hear them from him and receive the transmission. The organizers had set up an altar just the way Rinpoche likes them, with the Kangyur, relics, and statues on it. After the blessing and the mantras, the animals were all taken around it to absorb its blessings. Then Rinpoche blessed all the animals with blessed water and relics he had with him, as well as a prayer wheel. The heartwarming event was livestreamed.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing dogs while other animals wait their turn, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

Early in his teaching at the event, Rinpoche explained the importance of both morality and charity, saying, “Why do we have a human rebirth? Why? Not animal rebirth, why do we have a human rebirth this time? Especially the perfect human rebirth … Why we are living in a house and have food, and clothing, and enjoyments, that is because in past life we made charity … The omniscient one explained in the teachings that from pure morality comes higher rebirth: … having a human shape of body, that comes from pure morality. And then all wealth, all enjoyments come from charity.” One form of charity is the giving of mantras and blessings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing a cat, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche explained the benefits of blessing animals during his teaching, saying, “The Buddha explained all the benefits of mantra… The mantra is to liberate them from suffering. Just having heard mantras plants the seeds of a fully awakened mind, the total cessation of obscurations and the completion of realizations; mantras plant seeds for that.”

Ven. Sangpo, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s attendant, examines an unusual pet during Rinpoche’s animal blessing event, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

On the Chenrezig mantra in particular, Rinpoche added, “Chenrezig, Compassion Buddha’s mantra, this mantra OM MANI PADME HUM … in one text it is mentioned, the benefits of Chenrezig mantra, if you see Chenrezig mantra OM MANI PADME HUM it becomes your last rebirth in samsara. If you see OM MANI PADME HUM therefore in Solu Khumbu [where] it is carved in rock, you come up this way and go down this way so [walking] becomes circumambulation, rocks are carved with OM MANI PADME HUM and many different mantras, so much unbelievable benefit to the people and even animals, therefore so many rocks are carved…”

Pets come in all shapes and sizes… Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing animals, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

Rinpoche continued, saying, “[The mantra] plants seeds of enlightenment in their minds, the kind, precious mother dogs, cats, all these. You visualize Chenrezig like a mountain, a snow mountain, then nectar and beams are emitted with loving kindness to you, to your mother precious dogs, cats, all sentient beings, then to those who are sick, who are dying now, think that Chenrezig sends beams, nectar and beams, to you and to precious dogs, cats, and people who are sick or dying, and to all the six realm sentient beings. Think that.”

This blue-eyed beauty seems quite happy to receive a blessing, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

During his evening teaching later, Rinpoche talked about the importance of caring for animals and being kind to them. He said that, as Buddhists having animals, it is important that we make their lives beneficial, giving them Dharma names, taking them around holy objects, blessing them with mantras, and so on.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the animal blessing event, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

According to Rinpoche in his book Liberating Animals from the Danger of Death, sentient beings can experience purification of their karma and avoid the lower realms in the future as a result of such practices. Rinpoche says there: “When the Buddha gave teachings to 500 swans in a field, in their next life they were born as human beings. They became monks and all became arya beings, able to achieve the cessation of suffering and the true path. So the result is unbelievable, just by hearing Dharma words.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing animals with mantras on the way to Darkhan, Mongolia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

See more photos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s visit to Russia here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/pGb9sPVNFRntUESB6

Watch videos and find transcripts from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching in Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/lama-zopa-rinpoche-teachings-in-russia-2017/

Benefiting animals is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT. Read about it here:
https://fpmt.org/fpmt/vast-vision/#animal
and: https://fpmt.org/tag/animals/

Get Liberating Animals from the Danger of Death as an e-book or in a print copy from the Foundation Store and support FPMT International Office: 
https://shop.fpmt.org/Liberating-Animals-eBook_p_2334.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.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the teaching venue in Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave a week of evening teachings in Moscow, May 27 through June 3. Ganden Tendar Ling, the FPMT center in Moscow, organized the teaching event, which was held in a large public hall and livestreamed.

Rinpoche began his first day of teachings on the topic of death and dying, drawing from his book How to Enjoy Death. The Russian edition of this book was officially launched during his visit.

Rinpoche ended up teaching on this essential topic for most of the three-day period, in place of the planned Kadampa teachings. Ven. Holly Ansett reported that this was “an exceptional teaching on integrating the five powers in this lifetime as well as at the time of death.” She added that on the last day he taught one verse from the Kadampa teachings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche during teachings in Moscow, listening to question from audience being translated from Russian to English, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Approximately 700 people attended the first day of teaching. On the second day, a residential retreat began, led by Ven. Olivier Rossi, Ganden Tendar Ling’s visiting teacher. This gave attendees an opportunity to go deeper into practice with Ven. Olivier, who led prayers and meditations, conducted Q&A sessions, and reviewed the material taught by Rinpoche. Between 500 and 600 people attended the retreat and the following days of Rinpoche’s teachings.

Ven. Olivier Rossi explaining the teachings, Moscow, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

From June 1 to June 3, Rinpoche gave preparatory teachings and conducted a Medicine Buddha initiation. While Rinpoche was in Moscow, the city experienced a severe thunderstorm with hurricane-strength winds, which was responsible for the deaths of sixteen people. Hundreds of trees were blown down, and one smashed a car in front of the venue where Rinpoche was teaching. There were no injuries among those attending the teachings.

The first day of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings in Moscow, organized by Ganden Tendar Ling, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Renate Alyaudinov.

Rinpoche walked each day both ways between the venue where he taught and the Christian monastery where he was staying. It is a route where there are beggars, and Rinpoche made offerings to them every day with great respect, holding out his gifts with both hands. To each person, he requested that they use the money for food and not alcohol. Sometimes he offered food directly. The beggars quickly recognized Rinpoche and became happy every time they saw him. And people from the retreat also began giving to the beggars because Rinpoche, in one of his teachings, said how important it was to help people in need.

More than fifty volunteers contributed to making the week of teachings with Rinpoche a success. According to Ven. Holly Ansett, “The whole event was really well organized. Everything worked out very well—very successful, and very harmonious!”

Rinpoche and students in Moscow, including Elena Bartanova from St. Petersberg, coordinator of Aryadeva Study Group, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Watch videos and find transcripts from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching in Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/lama-zopa-rinpoche-teachings-in-russia-2017/

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 at the second day of his teachings in Moscow organized by Ganden Tendar Ling. Russia, May 2017, Photo by Renat Alyaudinov.

While Lama Zopa Rinpoche was in Kalmykia, Russia, in May 2017, a traditionally Buddhist area of Russia settled centuries ago by migrants from Mongolia, he stayed at the former home of Geshe Tenzin Dugda (Tib.’brug-sgra), a Tibetan geshe who lived in Kalmykia for many years. Lama Zopa Rinpoche had known Geshe Dugda in the 1960s. 

Geshe Tenzin Dugda in Kalmykia, 2011. Photo courtesy of kalmykia.eu.

Geshe Dugda (1938-2012) was part of the first generation of Tibetan exiles who fled Tibet in 1959 to follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile. He left Tibet at the age of 20, and later helped rebuild Drepung Gomang monastery in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. After years of dedicated work rebuilding the monastery as well as completing his studies, he received the geshe lharampa degree, the highest academic qualification in the Gelugpa tradition. In 1995, Geshe Dugda moved to Kalmykia on the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, becoming the first geshe in the small republic. He spent 17 years helping to revive Buddhism in Kalmykia, including building temples and bestowing numerous teachings and initiations. He gained large numbers of Dharma students, not only from Kalmykia, but also from other regions of Russia. He continues to be revered in Kalmykia for his warmth and kindness as well as his contributions to the restoration of Buddhism. When Geshe Dugda died, he remained on his meditation seat for four days.

The house where Lama Zopa Rinpoche stayed in Elista, where Geshe Dugda lived. This is his altar. Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche spoke about Geshe Dugda on May 30, 2017, during his teachings in Moscow, mentioning that Geshe Dugda had been present when Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe first met Zina Rachevsky in Ghoom, near Darjeeling, India. Here is what Rinpoche said:

There were two monasteries in Ghoom, one built by the Indian government, I don’t know the story, and the one where the monks who came from Tibet lived. One time my teacher, Lama Yeshe, was there in the room with my teacher, other teacher, who helped me in Tibet become a monk at Domo Geshe’s monastery and …  brought me to India.

Later on, one monk who lived in Kalmykia and taught, was leading vinaya practice, reviving sojong in the monastery, he taught Dharma for so many years in Kalmykia, he was there, he spoke English few words, he thought the lady was my friend, her name was Princess Zina Rachevsky… [Kopan] started from her. The monk Dugda opened the door a little bit, saying, “Oh, here is your friend”. She came with blond hair, wearing a Tibetan sweater sold at the Darjeeling bus station, simple sweater, blonde hair, she came inside. Actually she didn’t come for us, came for Domo Geshe who had passed away, because she read Lama Govinda book, three books, he went in Tibet and met Domo Geshe, told his story, so she came to look for Domo Geshe.

Zina Rachevsky, possibly 1967. (Photo used with permission of the estate of Zina Rachevsky.)

But Dugda, the monk, misunderstood, and thought she was my friend. Lama Yeshe put big mug, then big kettle, then offered full, she drank, that day she drank completely. Since from that time for many years I never saw her drink Tibetan [butter] tea … she came for one hour to discuss, I knew some English words and I tried to translate for Lama Yeshe. Then after one month she invited us to Darjeeling to her house … nine months we lived like that, then she went to Sri Lanka, from Buxa, we were supposed to go to Sri Lanka to start a Dharma center, but that time relation not good with India so we didn’t go. Then Lama said go to Nepal, then started like that Kopan Monastery, Lama built Kopan and I built Lawudo at the same time. From there we started one month course. … This is because we met the first student, Princess Zina Rachevsky … .

Started from Geshe Dugda who lived in Kalmykia, taught many students, he died two or three years ago, he would have been so happy to meet me in Kalmykia but he died before I came. I felt sorry about that.

The meditation seat of Geshe Tenzin Dugda where he sat in meditation after passing away in 2012. Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Watch videos and find transcripts from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching in Russia:
https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/lama-zopa-rinpoche-teachings-in-russia-2017/

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 with the Minister of Culture of Kalmykia, Hondor Badmaevich, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

From May 20 to 24, 2017, Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught in Elista, the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia, an autonomous region within Russia. Rinpoche taught on Atisha’s Lamp of the Path and gave two initiations. He also attended performances of traditional music and dance (see videos below).

Kalmykia is a Buddhist area whose people are descendants of migrants from Mongolia. Rinpoche was hosted there by Telo Rinpoche, the spiritual leader of the Kalmyk people, who organized Rinpoche’s visit and teachings. 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.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Telo Rinpoche in Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche was greeted with great warmth and respect as soon as he crossed the border into the small republic. A group of Kalmyks, including a geshe, ordained Sangha, and numerous people in local costume, had driven for several hours to welcome him to Kalmykia and offer him tea. Rinpoche also received a grand welcome when he arrived in the capital, Elista.

After lunch on the way to Elista, Rinpoche posed for photos with the family who offered lunch and others, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017.

In Elista, Rinpoche stayed at the former home of the late Geshe Tenzin Dugda (Tib.’brug-sgra), who passed away in 2012. Geshe Dugda, born in Tibet in 1938, moved to Kalmykia in 1995 at His Holiness’s request, and played an important role in re-establishing Buddhism there.

Rinpoche gave teachings in a temple built in Elista in 2005 called the Golden Abode of the Buddha Shakyamuni, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Europe.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and others approach the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha, the temple in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Rinpoche’s assistant, Ven. Roger Kunsang, reported that the visit to Kalmykia went very well, with more than a thousand people attending teachings and initiations, including the Kalmyk minister of culture. Kalmyk attendees were deeply grateful for Rinpoche’s visit and expressed enthusiastic devotion for him, as well as requesting him to return as soon as possible. Rinpoche mentioned that he would like to have a 100 million mani retreat take place regularly in Kalmykia.

Kalmyk dance offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Also while in Elista, Rinpoche enjoyed a beautiful cultural dance and song offering (see videos below). Afterwards, Rinpoche blessed all the dancers and musicians as well as all who were in the theater for the performance.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting the older temple in Elista, where the monks live, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Kalmykia is in the southwest of the European part of Russia, north of Georgia and bordering the Caspian Sea. There are approximately 150-200,000 ethnic Kalmyks. Telo Rinpoche has been working there to restore Buddhism—suppressed for decades—since becoming head lama in 1992. There are now many Buddhist temples in Kalmykia, and numerous young Kalmyk men are being trained at Tibetan monasteries in India.

The Maitreya Project Heart Shrine Relic Tour visited Kalmykia in 2008. Read more about that visit, and the recent history of Buddhism in Kalmykia, here.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at a press conference with all the media of Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, May 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Watch four short YouTube videos of the Kalmyk cultural performances attended by Rinpoche here:
https://youtu.be/nxyYToloWS8
https://youtu.be/Genb0XRa_vM
https://youtu.be/l9PHu5XyoAw
https://youtu.be/vbuNnAVvo5k

See more photos from Rinpoche’s visit to Kalmykia in this new FPMT photo gallery:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hSL4N47TdtX93ioPA

Read about Telo Rinpoche and the restoration of Buddhism in Kalmykia here:
https://fpmt.org/mandala/archives/mandala-for-2016/january/helping-buddhism-strengthen-and-grow-in-russia-an-interview-with-telo-rinpoche/
and here: https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2008/12/Kalmykia.pdf

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 with Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India, January 2017. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Can our relationships help us progress on the path?

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says yes! Here is what he has said about relationships: “You should consider having a relationship to be an opportunity to practice Dharma … In particular, you should make sure that being together with someone becomes a cause of enlightenment by keeping in mind the motivation of bodhichitta. You should cherish, serve, and dedicate your life to your partner in the same way that you aspire to do for all sentient beings.

“You can use your relationship to practice morality by, for example, observing the five lay vows of abstaining from killing, stealing, adultery, lying, and mind-altering substances. Likewise, having a partner provides an opportunity for you to practice the other five perfections of giving, patience, perseverance, concentration, and wisdom. If you can do this, they will give you enlightenment …

“You can also think about your partner [like this]: ‘I have received every happiness experienced throughout beginningless lives from this person.’ Just that kindness is unimaginable, but on top of that, you also receive all your future happiness from them … Thinking in this way, the conclusion is that your partner is the most precious, most dear, and most kind person in your entire life.”

Flowers at Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s house at Buddha Amitabha Pure Land, Washington State, US, October 2016. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

Rinpoche added, “You should also keep in mind that in past lives, your present partner was your mother … By recognizing the vast kindness you’ve received from them, you will come to see yourself as their servant. Thinking in this way, your living together will become an opportunity to practice Dharma. With the attitude that the other person is most precious and kind, every single action you do will become a means of collecting extensive merit. If you also act with bodhichitta, you will collect limitless skies of merit and your actions will become the cause to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. By thinking, ‘I am going to offer service to this person who is a most precious sentient being,’ you will collect a huge amount of merit every day and also purify defilements collected throughout beginningless lives. Since you will constantly create the cause for the biggest success—full enlightenment for all sentient beings—your life will be filled with happiness and hope.

Ösel Hita and Indila Dora at Nalanda Monastery, India, January 2017. Photo by Kunchok Gyaltsen.

“When trying to understand the things that happen in a relationship, you need to take past karma into account … If you always remember to relate events to karma by thinking, ‘This is my karma’ and ‘This is their karma,’ a potential problem doesn’t even become a problem because you accept the situation. It does not bother you and there is peace in your heart.”

In conclusion, Rinpoche emphasized, “If you are able to make use of all your relationships to practice Dharma, you will lead a very healthy life … By thinking in the ways that I have explained here, you will be able to fully enjoy life. You will find satisfaction and fulfillment and you will experience inner peace and happiness.”

Rinpoche talks more about relationships in the video below. 

Watch Rinpoche talk on YouTube about what matters for good relationships:
https://youtu.be/aU0-1IyPVvE

https://youtu.be/aU0-1IyPVvE

Find the complete teaching on making relationships meaningful:
https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/2-making-relationship-meaningful

See more videos of teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Rinpoche Available Now:
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 with Chief Representative Chophel Thupten.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is an organization based in India with the stated goals of “rehabilitating Tibetan refugees and restoring freedom and happiness in Tibet.” The CTA attends to the welfare of the Tibetan exile community in India, who number around 100,000. It runs schools, health services, cultural activities and economic development projects for the Tibetan community as well as assists with legal issues which might arise for Tibetans in exile. More than 1,000 refugees still arrive each year from China, usually via Nepal.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund, recently offered a grant to the CTA office in Bangalore (known as the CTA South Zone). Chief Representative Chophel Thupten explained that it is quite difficult to fundraise for administrative and upkeep needs of the office, but the needs are vast. Rinpoche was very happy to help in this way and offered half of the amount needed for upcoming expenses.

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 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 much more.