FPMT International Office News
December 2012
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Jangchub Lam-rim teachings at Drepung Monastery in South India, Dec 2012.
Photo by Bill Kane.
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- Lama Zopa Rinpoche's News:
- Update on Rinpoche's Health
- Rinpoche's Schedule
- New Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: What Brings the Happiest Life
- International Office News:
- Education Services
- FPMT Charitable Projects: The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
- Mandala Publications
- International Merit Box Project
- For Center, Project and Service Directors, SPCs, Teachers and Board Members:
- FPMT World:
- Rejoice!
- Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT
- Impermanence at Work
Lama Zopa Rinpoche's News:
Rinpoche enjoying lunch at Osel Labrang, Sera, India. Nov 2012.
Photo by Ven Roger Kunsang.
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Update on Rinpoche's Health
Rinpoche's health is satisfactory, with continuing progress. Rinpoche was recently entreated by Dagri Rinpoche, Khadro-la Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drolma and Nita Ing (new Maitreya Project director) to look after His health properly – and Rinpoche accepted!
Rinpoche will have extensive medical check ups in 2013, to ensure that Rinpoche is recovering as fully as possible from the stroke in 2011.
We will continue to share any new information via this e-News and our official webpage, Rinpoche's Health.
Rinpoche's Schedule
Please contact the hosts directly for any questions regarding the event.
Subscribe to our RSS feed on Rinpoche's Schedule page to receive updates automatically as soon as they are available.
2012
Kopan Monastery, Nepal
December 19 Vajrasattva initiation
December 29 Long life puja offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche
December 24 – 26 Great Chenrezig initiation in Boudha
2013
February: Taiwan - teaching dates Feb 16-17; 23-24; March 2-3
March:
9 - 10 - Medicine Buddha jenang and long life puja at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore
16 – 17 – Losang Dragpa Centre, Malaysia
23 – 24 - Mahayana Buddhist Association, Hongkong
April – June: ongoing health checks and rest
August: Main retreat with Rinpoche – 100 Million Mani retreat, Mongolia (awaiting confirmation from FPMT Mongolia)
2014
May 11 - 25: Light of the Path retreat, Kadampa Center, USA
Late 2014: Retreat with Rinpoche, Australia
CPMT meeting, Australia
Rinpoche during the Hayagriva puja sponsored by Rinpoche at Sera Je, India; Nov 2012.
Photo by Ven Roger Kunsang.
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New Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: What Brings the Happiest Life
Rinpoche recently wrote the following to a center celebrating its 30th anniversary:
"Thanks to those who begin the center, and then all the rest who are studying, practicing and those who come from time to time and those helping the center mentally and physically. What else is there worthwhile doing? That can bring a most happy life!
Practicing Dharma - even if it is for oneself - even for one or two sentient beings – it's so beneficial. Then if one practices Dharma for all sentient beings of the 6 realms - wow wow wow! Unbelievable benefits! Awakening yourself and others, freeing yourself in order to free others.
Even reciting mani mantra for numberless sentient beings for their enlightenment - wow wow wow wow wow!!!! Reciting the mani mantra even one time with bodhicitta - wow wow wow wow wow! So meaningful! Reciting mani without bodhicitta, the merit you create is like the sky. So reciting with bodhicitta - wow wow wow wow wow!!!
This is the reason you need a center, a place to learn Dharma and practice, where you provide a teacher etc. So you can see the unbelievable kindness of the people who make this happen, like the teacher and the director. You can see the benefits of such a place! A place where you learn the Dharma, where the causes for inner happiness and how to abandon the causes of suffering and eventually to remove all the sufferings are explained. So a place doing this: how important that is, a place providing this. And the people who help in it - wow wow wow! So meaningful. That is the happiest life.
Thank you very much from my heart to each and every one of you. I will pray for everyone to quickly end the suffering of samsara and achieve enlightenment. Thank you very much."
Find a broad range of advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Rinpoche's Advice page.Go to the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive for lots more advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
International Office News:
FPMT Education Services
Rinpoche with the incarnation of Ribur Rinpoche about to have lunch together and discuss Ribur Rinpoche's plans. At Osel Labrang, Sera Je, India; Nov 2012.
Photo by Ven Roger Kunsang.
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Following Rinpoche's Advice – Supporting Retreat:
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been saying that FPMT now has good teachers, education and study opportunities, and what we need now is to have students actualizing the lam-rim, especially attaining shine (calm abiding). When this happens FPMT will be truly successful!
FPMT Education Services has taken this directive to heart, and we're implementing several methods to help students align their practices to Rinpoche's wishes. Chiefly, we have moved to the top of our list the production of the remaining six manuals for completing the Preliminary Practices so that students may purify and enrich their minds allowing for more rapid progress on the path.
We're happy to announce the publication of the first of these manuals: Preliminary Practice of Dorje Khadro available in hardcopy and eBook.
Other New Materials Available at the FPMT Foundation Store:
- Medicine Buddha – Long Retreat Sadhana in multiple formats including eBook
- Service as a Path to Enlightenment eBook
Advice Regarding the Celebration of Buddha Days and other Auspicious Dates:
According to Ven. Choden Rinpoche, one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche's teachers, observation of auspicious days should be according to the date in India, not the date in one's home country. Therefore, when Lama Zopa Rinpoche is not in India, Rinpoche celebrates Buddha Days and other auspicious dates according to the time in India.
To make conversion simple for students, our website now uses India Standard Time as the dates for our Dharma Dates Calendar, so no math or googling is required!
FPMT Charitable Projects:
The Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund
Please rejoice at the amazing array of offerings that the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund has generated recently! This fund enables Rinpoche's compassionate service to others to flourish through a variety of charitable donations to Dharma activities, and it provides the resources needed for thousands of daily extensive offerings at Rinpoche's residences, which are dedicated to the entire FPMT organization and all its centers, projects, services, students and benefactors. According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, these extensive offerings, and those found at FPMT centers, are part of the reason why the organization has been so successful thus far. An example of recent funds raised and dispersed can be found here.
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Mandala Publications
We just published the January-March 2013 issue of Mandala magazine, featuring His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Kurukulla Center and FPMT's amazing activities in Nepal. If you aren't already receiving Mandala, it's not too late to get a copy. By signing up now to become a Friend of FPMT at the Basic level or higher, we will send you this issue as well as an email with a link to the electronic version, which you can read right away.
Also in this issue, an excerpt from Geshe Lhundub Sopa's new autobiography Like a Waking Dream and Tenzin Ösel Hita shares his thoughts on Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom; plus news and updates from FPMT centers, projects and services around the world.
International Merit Box Project
We invite you to rejoice in the merit created by donating to the Merit Box campaign.
Your donations to the Merit Box campaign resulted in the completion of many projects, such as the stupa at Milarepa Center, USA which this summer with a Merit Box grant was able to hire a highly skilled Nepali artist to create and paint the ornate flower adornments to the stupa. Read which centers, projects and services benefited from your donations in 2011.
For Center, Project and Service Directors,
SPCs, Teachers and Board Members:
(This advice is specifically for those offering service in the roles listed above.)
Foundation Training in Compassionate Service
We are delighted to announce that we will provide a Foundation Training in Compassionate Service Oct 22 - 30, 2013 at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London, UK. All those offering service in the FPMT organization are encouraged to attend. Details about this training and registration information can be found here.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has advised that "the organization would run better if everyone attended training." We strongly encourage anyone offering service in FPMT to attend.
Foundation Store Offer – 2013 Calendar
FPMT centers, projects and services can get a 20% discount when purchasing the LIBERATION Tibetan Calendar 2013. This small, elegant wall calendar includes the Tibetan lunar dates and information about more than 30 kinds of practice days and auspicious and inauspicious days for each month.
FPMT World:
Rejoice!
Letter from Tenzin Ösel Hita to the FPMT Family
Rinpoche with Tenzin Ösel Hita in California, Sept 2012.
Photo by Ven Roger Kunsang.
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Tenzin Ösel Hita recently wrote to the FPMT family. His letter is available to read in full in English, French and Spanish.
Excerpt:
"Dear Family,
First of all I would like to say hello to everybody working so hard every day for the benefit of sentient beings through the organization of FPMT. I understand that many of you have extra jobs in order to maintain your family and basic needs in life. Also many of you work as volunteers part time, apart from all the other work you have to cope with. It is very hard, and inspiring. I truly admire every one and each of you for all the effort, dedication and consistency that keeps the organization going.
Around a month ago, I attended an FPMT board meeting in California. This is the fourth Board meeting I have attended in the last three or four years. Each time of participation, I gain a deeper insight and understanding of the incredible scope of activity that FPMT is undertaking around the world every day."
We Welcome Three New Study Groups!
Please join us in welcoming three new study groups (probationary centers), in Colombia, Italy and Spain.
There are now 163 FPMT centers, projects, services (and probationary centers, projects and services) in 37 countries!
Nagarjuna Wisdom Study Group
Bilbao, Spain
www.nagarjunabilbao.com
info@nagarjunabilbao.com
Coordinator Koke de la Herrán
Tara's Wishfulfilling Vase Study Group
Barranquilla, Colombia
taraswishfulfillingvase@hotmail.com
Coordinator Terry Colmenares
Shakyamuni Study Group
Messina, Sicily, Italy
http://shakyamuni-study-group.webnode.it/
shakyamunistudygroup@gmail.com
Coordinator Guglielmo Margio
Opportunities to Offer Service in FPMT
Please check out these and other exciting opportunities to offer service in FPMT centers, projects and services around the world!
Atisha Centre, Australia is looking for a spiritual program coordinator; Root Institute, India needs a centre manager and a school manager.
Impermanence at Work
Buddha House, Australia
We welcome Ven Thubten Dondrub as new resident teacher!
Lama Yeshe Ling, Canada
We welcome new SPC – Dave Gould
With grateful thanks to outgoing SPC – Jean Macfarlane
Manjushri Study Group, USA
manjushri.study.group@gmail.com
New Zealand National Office
We welcome new National Coordinator – Ven Carolyn Lawler
fpmtcoord.nz@gmail.com
South America Regional Office
We welcome new (and first!) Regional Coordinator – Ven Paloma Alba
paloma@pampaneira.net
Tse Chen Ling, USA
330-302 Jules Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Tel: +1 (415) 935 1905
With love,
FPMT International Office
1632 SE 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97214-4702 USA | Tel (503) 808-1588 | Fax (503) 232-0557
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