FPMT International Office News
If you received this from someone else, or unformatted,
visit our subscribe page to receive this newsletter directly.
You can have this translated into your preferred language by using our
convenient translation facility located on the right-hand side of the page.
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche's News:
- Practices for Rinpoche's Health and Long Life
- New Advice: Change Has to Come from the Mind
- Rinpoche's Schedule
- New Videos of Rinpoche Teaching
- International Office News:
- Work a Day for Rinpoche on Saka Dawa!
- Education Services News: New Materials
- News from FPMT Charitable Projects
- News from Mandala Publications
- Foundation Store News
- For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Teachers and Board Members:
- FPMT World:
- Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT
- Impermanence at Work
Lama Zopa Rinpoche during the long life puja offered by the senior monks and nuns of Kopan, Nepal, April 2013.
Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Please see the latest advice on practices we can all offer for Lama Zopa Rinpoche's good health and long life.
Following that advice, the senior monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery, out of concern for Rinpoche's health and in support of all the practices requested, offered Rinpoche a long life puja on April 29.
Thanks to all at Kopan and everyone else who is already doing these practices!
Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned that all the suffering in the world comes from ignorance; therefore, the root of suffering is not outside. No matter how much scientific knowledge and education worldly people have, they still believe the cause of suffering to be outside; but that's wrong. The cause of suffering is in the mind and that's why it is the mind that has to change. Changing the mind is more important than trying to change what's outside; changing outside never finishes. Change has to come from the mind. It has to come from your mind.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la having tea after the long life puja, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 2013.
Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
The hell, hungry ghost and animal realms come from your mind, from your negative, impure mind and wrong way of thinking every moment and every day. Enlightenment, the fully awakened omniscient mind, liberation from samsara, and day-to-day happiness come from your mind and from the correct way of thinking, from positive thoughts. This is how everything comes from the mind.
For example, when you have problems in daily life, if you practice patience, compassion, thought transformation, bodhichitta, emptiness and so on, then at that time there are no more problems. In that hour and that minute when you change your mind and think differently, the problems are gone. But when you don't change your mind and keep thinking the old way, as people in the world generally do, believing that the root of suffering is outside even though they have so much scientific knowledge, well then, the suffering never finishes. There is no end to suffering.
Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned that all the sufferings come from ignorance, but this is not just something stated by Lama Tsongkhapa; the more you learn Dharma and check scientifically, the more you discover and realize that this is true.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 2013.
Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.
Please contact the hosts directly for any questions regarding the event.
Subscribe to our RSS feed on Rinpoche's Schedule to receive updates automatically as soon as they are available!
August1 – 30 100 Million Mani Retreat, FPMT Mongolia
November/December – Teaching during the one-month course (Nov. 9 – Dec. 9), Kopan Monastery, Nepal
December 17 – 22 Continuation of the Most Secret Hayagriva transmission and long life puja, Drati Khangtsen, Sera Je Monastery, Bylakuppe, India
May 11 – 25 Light of the Path retreat, Kadampa Center, USA
Late 2014 Retreat with Rinpoche and CPMT meeting, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia
Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khadro-la work for peace at the Namgyälma bell at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA, June 2012.
Photo by Ven. Tenzin Sangpo.
This Saka Dawa, May 25, we invite you to WORK A DAY FOR RINPOCHE and collect 100 million times the merit! Your donation of a day's wages, or any other amount, supports FPMT International Office, which means your offering of work benefits the creation of education programs and practice materials; aids all of FPMT's charitable projects; supports Dharma centers, projects and services; sustains the vast resources on the FPMT website, and more! By Working a Day for Rinpoche you offer light to the lamp of Rinpoche's vast vision and work.
Your contribution any day this month will be dedicated on Saka Dawa. Click here to donate or contact International Office directly to learn more. Also check out the Work a Day Facebook page for daily photos, videos, quotes and stories until Saka Dawa!
- Long Life Lama Chöpa with Request to the Dakinis eBook – Please note, this is one of the current recommended practices for Lama Zopa Rinpoche's health.
- Sixteen Arhats Puja available as eBook as well as booklet in letter and A4 formats.
- The Yoga of the Three Purifications of Shri Chakrasamvara available as eBook as well as booklet in letter and A4 formats.
- We have updated a short Medicine Buddha Sadhana.
All are available from the FPMT Foundation Store.
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund has been able to make some amazing offerings in the last few months. We invite you to rejoice in some of these generous donations:
- US$15,720 has been offered to a food fund for 35 students at Ngari Institute in Ladakh, India, covering the entire cost of three meals a day for the whole year for the students and staff.
- US$100,000 contributed to a new classroom project being built in Sera Je Monastery.
- US$5,677 was offered to the Tashi Lhunpo Health Care Center, which offers health care to the monks of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and local Tibetans and Indians in the area.
- US$22,709 enabled a much needed new roof to be built for Kopan Hostel at Tsawa Khangtsen at Sera Je Monastery.
You are welcome to contribute any amount to this fund which supports the compassionate activity of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Get ready for the next issue of Mandala magazine, coming out in mid-June 2013. We feature Lama Zopa Rinpoche's recent tour of FPMT centers in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Also in this issue, coverage of the visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to FPMT International Office and Maitripa College's His Holiness the Dalai Lama Environmental Summit. To receive Mandala delivered to your home, consider supporting the Friends of FPMT program today.
Read the latest Foundation Store newsletter for new product arrivals and monthly specials.
(This advice is specifically for those offering service in the roles listed above.)
Every year we celebrate our ordained Dharma brothers and sisters on the day marking the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, which this year falls on July 12, 2013. Mark your diaries and plan your International Sangha Day event now! Also this is the day for your center, project or service to make its annual donation to the Lama Yeshe Sangha Fund. More information to come via the CPMT e-group soon.
The Basic Program materials pages in English, French, and Spanish, have been updated. All English Basic Program materials are now available online. PLEASE NOTE: The Basic Program CD is no longer in use. The materials pages are accessible to centers and teachers offering Basic Program from the Members Area.
We hope you have received the printed FPMT Annual Review 2012: Nothing More Important Than Helping Others which we mailed to your center, project, service or study group recently.
Thanks to those who have already given us their feedback. If you have not already done so on behalf of the center, project, service or study group, please let us know:
- Was the number of copies we sent you sufficient?
- How do you use the printed annual review?
- Do you prefer reading the hard copy or the PDF online?
- Do you have any feedback about the annual review?
the Great Stupa
The new light tower erected on the top of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Australia shows the projected finished height of the stupa. The light on top and fairy lights on the guy ropes will be switched on by the representative of Australia's prime minister at the Festival of Light on May 25.Incarnation of Ribur Rinpoche to be Enthroned
The young incarnation of Ribur Rinpoche will be enthroned at Sera Me Monastic University, India on May 18, 2013.
Please check out the regularly updated exciting opportunities to offer service as a volunteer or as paid staff in FPMT centers, projects and services around the world!
Chag-tong Chen-Tong, Australia
We welcome new SPC – Debbie Ruddick
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Lillian Hankel
Chokyi Gyaltsen Center, Malaysia
We welcome new SPC – Edwin Wong
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Stephanie Teoh
Gendun Drupa Centre, Switzerland
Pierra Barna 3, 1934 Montagnier, Switzerland
Gyalwa Gyatso (Ocean of Compassion) Buddhist Center, USA
We welcome new co-directors – Gay Bachmann (long-time director) and Elizabeth Prather
Heruka Center, Taiwan
We welcome new director – Mrs. Chen
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Dr. Steve Lin
Kasih Hospice Care, Malaysia
We welcome new co-directors – Dr. Siow Chih-Peng and Pat Ramakrishnan
With grateful thanks to outgoing director – Yeo Puay Huei
Tong-nyi Nying-je Ling, Denmark
We welcome new SPC – Nicolai Knub
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Karen Esswein
Tubten Kunga Center, USA
201 SE 15th Terrace, Suite 206
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
FPMT International Office