Merit Box Distribution 2006

The Merit Box is a wonderful tool - it helps us develop our practice of generosity and it helps Lama Zopa Rinpoche to fund valuable projects, thereby helping to fulfill Rinpoche's amazing vision - so it is a great cause for rejoicing on many levels!

	When we practice generosity, we are applying the exact antidote to attachment.
–Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Over the past year, the Merit Box project has grown significantly. We’ve sent more than 340 kits to coordinators and participants around the world and now have participants in 27 countries.

Genuine heartfelt appreciation goes out to all who have participated and to the Merit Box Coordinators who have worked so hard to make this very beneficial project a success.

The offerings collected for 2006 from Merit Box participants around the world amounted to $98,308.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche is very pleased and has determined that the amount will be distributed to the following projects and center programs:

FPMT Translations Fund $10,000
Chenrezig Institute Education Program $5,000
Land of Calm Abiding $1,000
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive $5,000
Maitreya Project $10,000
Kopan Nunnery Building $10,000
Universal Compassion & Wisdom for Peace $5,000
Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth $5,000
Nalanda Monastery Building Project $5,000
Puja for HHDL $3,000
Sed-Gyued Monastery Food Fund $10,000
Mystic Tibet DVD $2,000
Ling Rinpoche Khamzen/Gompa Building $3,000
FPMT Foundation Training $5,000
Organization of next CPMT Meeting 2008 $5,000
International Mahayana Institute $5,000
Maitripa Institute $9,300

PLEASE REJOICE STRONGLY

For additional information, please contact The Merit Box Project.

Attention Centers/Study Groups/Projects: Continue to review Merit Box project announcements as later this year we will be inviting you to apply for funding from the 2007 Merit Box for your projects needing financial help (Lama Zopa Rinpoche will decide how to disburse Merit Box funds). Priority will be given to centers participating in the Merit Box project.

*Information about the Merit Box project and many other projects can be found at http://www.fpmt.org/projects/

CPMT Meetings
The Council for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (CPMT) meetings are the essential glue of the Foundation.

	It is a good idea for us to meet together. Why? Because we are all working together, putting our energy together. We are doing the same job with the same end. That’s why it is important. We need harmony and good understanding of each other, and of each other’s work. We need to respect what each of us is doing. That is the way to build one mandala.... Our aim is to spread good vibrations, giving our body, speech and mind to others.... We should share with each other and learn from each other. Until we open our hearts to each other, we’ll be unable to learn.... Culturally we are quite different, but we all want to find the best way to lead others to enlightenment.... Our actions show what we are.
–Lama Yeshe, CPMT 1980

The purpose of CPMT meetings is to refocus on the FPMT Mission Statement and on how we offer service to fulfill our vision. CPMT meetings enable participants to meet together to help each other learn from each other's successes and mistakes, and to become re-energized so that we may continuously improve our work.

The Spiritual Director is always requested to attend the meeting, in order that participants may have the benefit of his advice.

	I will be very happy to see you at the CPMT meeting. In this way we will develop our wisdom and method as a whole family, in order to liberate all sentient beings from the cause of suffering, which is a result that normal worldly education doesn't reach. It doesn't purify the cause of suffering, let alone help sentient beings to reach the total cessation of suffering.
–Lama Zopa Rinpoche, February 2000