Kopan Sangha preparing relief supplies for 300 families. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

The devastating floods that struck the border area of Tibet and Nepal on August 26 have caused immense suffering. According to the latest Nepal Government report, as of September 2, 1,204 people had lost their lives, 4,216 people remained missing, and 301 people had been injured. Thousands of people have been displaced, while homes and livelihoods have been destroyed, leaving many families facing an uncertain future. Children have been among those most deeply affected, with humanitarian organizations reporting growing concerns for vulnerable and orphaned children.

In response to the floods, FPMT established the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance to those affected. In cooperation with Kopan Monastery and Kopan Nunnery, the fund is already supporting emergency relief efforts for flood-affected families from Rasuwa.

Kopan monks distributing relief supplies to families from Ama Tsodinmo village. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

On September 1, rice and dal were provided for flood relief efforts through Budhanilkantha Municipality. On September 6, relief supplies—including mattresses, pillows, towels, and other daily necessities—were provided to 40 people from Ama Tsodinmo village in Rasuwa. On September 9, household kitchenware—including pots, pans, pressure cookers, cups, plates, and other items needed for preparing and serving meals—was provided to approximately 140 families affected by the floods. These families had traveled to Kathmandu from the flood-affected area and requested assistance.

Kopan Monastery providing essential kitchenware to around 140 families affected by the recent floods in Rasuwa. Source: Kopan Facebook page

Kopan Monastery providing essential kitchenware to around 140 families affected by the recent floods in Rasuwa. Source: Kopan Facebook page

These relief efforts have been made possible by Kopan Monastery and Kopan Nunnery and through the generosity of donors to the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund, together with the support of Kopan Helping Hands, Kleine Hilfe Deggendorf e.V., and many individuals and volunteers who have responded with open hearts to this crisis.

At present, the focus remains on meeting immediate and essential needs. As needs continue to be assessed and circumstances evolve, we hope that support can extend beyond immediate emergency relief and contribute to longer-term recovery wherever possible.

Kopan Sangha preparing relief supplies for 300 families. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

We offer our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported these efforts so far. Your kindness is already reaching families in need and bringing practical help, comfort, and hope during an extraordinarily difficult time.

We offer our sincere prayers for all those who have lost their lives in this devastating flood, and to all the families and communities who have been affected. Lama Zopa Rinpoche often reminded us that, even when circumstances seem overwhelmingly difficult, sincere prayer can have a profound effect. We have compiled Rinpoche’s key advice for natural disasters, along with prayers to do for those who have passed away.

The FPMT Emergency Relief Fund provides immediate support to communities connected with FPMT around the world. The fund assists people and families affected by natural disasters, emergencies at FPMT centers and projects, and other urgent situations where immediate help is needed.

This teaching is from Knowledge-Wisdom: The Peaceful Path to Liberation, Volume 1, edited by Nicholas Ribush and published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, 2023. It is drawn from a teaching Lama Yeshe gave to students at the University of California, Berkeley, on July 13, 1983, titled “Anxiety in the Nuclear Age.”

Lama Yeshe teaching at UCSC, Santa Cruz, California, United States, 1978. Photo by Jon Landaw. Photo courtesy of LYWA.

[…] If you go to Russia and ask people, “Do you want to be killed by nuclear missiles?” they’re going to say “No!” For sure, they don’t want that to happen. Therefore, we have to educate people to understand the difference between what is beneficial for humanity and what is destructive for the individual and for all. It’s simply a matter of education.

Lord Buddha stressed the importance of generating loving kindness for all people irrespective of race, nationality, creed or anything else; he taught that all human beings and even animals were the object of loving kindness. This is the best guarantee against nuclear war, because each individual has to maintain control and take personal responsibility for the welfare of all beings in the universe. Taking universal responsibility is the guarantee. If each individual doesn’t take personal responsibility for the welfare of all, it won’t work.

To bring happiness and peace to earth, we have to eliminate every situation leading to hatred and anger. That means totally eradicating our own hatred and anger. We have to make our own lives peaceful and happy. This is the way to work for peace twenty-four hours a day. If our minds harbor destructive, angry thoughts, any talk of peace is just a joke. It’s merely artificial; there’s no guarantee. The only guarantee is to fertilize our minds with peace and loving kindness toward all; that’s the way we should do it. The question remains, is it possible to spread these ideas throughout the whole world? Can we get everybody in the world to agree to abandon the use of nuclear arms and not to kill any human being? Can you make that determination yourself? Can we spread this philosophy or not? What do you think? We’re not using religion in this; we’re not using Buddha, we’re not using Christ, we’re not using religion or non-religion—we’re just concerned for the welfare of all human beings. What do you think?

Do you think it’s possible to make this kind of program and reach that point or not? I’m not talking nationalistically or making any philosophic argument; I’m just talking about feeling secure, taking care of each other, loving each other, bringing peace and happiness to each other. It’s a very simple thing.

Therefore, in our daily lives, each of us should dedicate ourselves to bringing peace and happiness to all beings, and this determination itself is a powerful way of bringing peace and success into our own lives. But this doesn’t mean not to act, either; to just think good thoughts but be passive. But when you do act, act with wisdom and without selfishness, hatred or emotional fear. In that way, you will educate yourself and others.

Don’t worry. Any talk of nuclear destruction of the earth is still speculation. It’s just a mental projection; it’s not yet reality. Therefore, relax and enjoy the rest of your life as much as possible. Be happy and peaceful, and don’t waste your time with pessimistic thoughts, fear or worry. Thank you so much.

Excerpt from a teaching by Lama Yeshe, published in Knowledge-Wisdom: The Peaceful Path to Liberation, Volume 1, edited by Nicholas Ribush and published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, 2023. You can read the entire talk here.  

Lama Yeshe gave a second public talk with the same title in Santa Cruz, California, on July 23, 1983. A DVD of both these talks is available from LYWA or you can watch the videos on LYWA YouTube channel. The multimedia title, Switch Your Mind from Emotion to Peace, presents the Berkeley talk, enhanced by video, audio and images. 

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

The News Roundup is a digest of short community highlights from FPMT centers and individuals around the world, as part of our ongoing effort to nourish the “family feeling” and bring back the “News Around the World”  and “News in Brief” sections previously featured in the print Mandala magazine that so many of us have missed! This list of stories is not exhaustive, —just a sample of all the great activities happening in the FPMT family worldwide. 

We hope that reading these highlights will inspire you to rejoice in the family feeling and good works happening in our global FPMT community!  If you would like to share photos or details from your center, we would be happy to include them in the upcoming edition.

Prayers and Aid for Nepal | Practices | Holy Objects  | Milestones | International

Prayers and Aid for Nepal

Prayers for Rasuwa at Kopan Monastery. Photo courtesy of the Kopan Facebook page.

On August 26, 2026, in the Himalayan border region of Nepal and Tibet, a massive glacier collapse triggered catastrophic flash flooding along the Nepal–Tibet border. Hundreds of people have died, hundreds more remain missing, and thousands have been affected or displaced. Rescue and relief operations are ongoing amid difficult terrain and challenging conditions. At this time of immense loss and suffering, FPMT centers around the world have offered special pujas, prayers, and programs dedicated to all those affected. 

Kopan Monastery and Nunnery dedicated prayers for those who passed away in the Rasuwa floods and wished a swift and full recovery to all those injured. As part of the one-door relief collection system initiated by Budhanilkantha Municipality, Kopan Nunnery has provided immediate relief assistance consisting of 40 sacks of rice and 20 sacks of lentils (dal). The relief materials were handed over to the municipality for distribution to the affected victims and families. Additionally, the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund was established to assist individuals and families affected by natural disasters, emergency situations at FPMT centers and projects, and other urgent crises requiring swift aid. FPMT is working directly with Kopan Monastery to identify those most in need and to help ensure that support reaches affected families directly. 

Geshe Tenzin Zopa shared the following heartfelt words of condolence: “To my brothers and sisters in Tibet and Nepal, and to those every individuals who have been impacted by the devastating flood. I mourn with those who have lost their lives and hold the affected families and communities in my prayers. May those who have passed away rest in peace. May those still missing be found swiftly and safely, reunited with family. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who are affected during this extremely difficult time.”

Read more on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice on practices to do during times of natural disaster.

Practices

(Canada) Lama Yeshe Ling Centre, following Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision to recite this sutra as much as possible to bring peace and stop wars, gathered on August 1 to recite the Sutra of Golden Light for peace in our world.

(Australia) Tara Institute‘s students marked the completion of 3,000 recitations of the Sutra of Golden Light in May 2025, as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and have continued reciting it weekly, with the tally now at 3,105.

We rejoice in this, and invite centers to keep us updated with their tally of complete recitations and to share your experiences of hearing, reading, reciting, giving, or receiving, or simply thinking about the Sutra of Golden Light.

(Australia) Following advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama last year, Tara Institute‘s students are also doing the White Tara practice to remove obstacles to the health and long life of their resident teacher, Geshe Doga, with a collective goal of reciting 10,000,000 White Tara mantras by 2028. We rejoice in this group practice!

(Nepal) On August 20, 2026, at Kopan Monastery, the Lama Gyupa monks began constructing the Yamantaka Thirteen-Deity Sand Mandala and commenced the great Self-Initiation Puja, engaging in profound practices for purification, protection, and the accumulation of merit. 

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi at Losang Dragpa Centre Photo credits of Losang Dragpa Centre Facebook page.

(Malaysia) On August 21, the auspicious and joyful arrival of Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi at Losang Dragpa Centre marked the beginning of the annual Festival of Prayer with Thousand Offerings, which continued through August 23 with the Yamantaka Fire Puja Preliminary Prayers, Yamantaka Controlling Fire Puja, Dzambala Puja, Green Tara Jenang & Short Tsog Offering, Incense Puja & Protector Puja Torma Gyatsa Puja, and Medicine Buddha Jangwa Puja.

(US) Land of Medicine Buddha, on August 30, celebrated the Ksitigarbha Festival with 100 Torma Offerings and made prayers for all beings. Monks from the Gyuto Tantric College led a special puja to make offerings and requests to the enlightened beings and dedicate prayers for the benefit of all beings in the six realms. We rejoice in the merits generated by the practice!

(France) At Nalanda Monastery, daily from August 3–8, the monks of Sera Thekchenling Lachi monks led a Medicine Buddha puja each morning and created a sand mandala representing the celestial palace of the Medicine Buddha. On August 8, they performed a puja for rain, which was answered, and then the mandala was dismantled on August 9. On August 12, the 2026 FPMT Most Secret Hayagriva Retreat began during the solar eclipse—a highly auspicious day for the practice—and continued until August 28, for the benefit of all sentient beings and specifically to eliminate obstacles and gather favorable conditions for FPMT. We are deeply grateful to all the students who took part in this!

(UK) Togme Sangpo group in Scotland recently sadly lost their founder and FPMT registered teacher, Margo van Greta. Togme Sangpo group is deeply grateful to Margo for creating and running it, and they look forward to continuing in the same spirit of service to all sentient beings. Read more about Margo.

Holy Objects

New Stupa in  Bucharest . Photo credit of Garden of Maitreya Study Group Facebook page.

(Romania) Congratulations to the Romanian Dharma brothers and sisters of the Garden of Maitreya Study Group who completed the first stupa in Bucharest! August 18 marked the culmination of a project that began with cemetery plots, a groundbreaking ceremony, a Kadampa stupa built and blessed at Nalanda Monastery in France, and months of gathering, preparing, and consecrating everything that would eventually rest inside it. All of that came together in a single day. Offerings and a mandala were presented, Ven. Tenzin Gendun officiated the Gektor and Rabné ceremonies, and during the final consecration a rainbow appeared. Rejoice in the great merit generated by the Romanian students!

(Italy) Congratulations also to the Italian students who finished construction of the Stupa of Enlightenment dedicated to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa. The work was organized and carried out by volunteers from Stupa Onlus, and the stupa will be consecrated on December 3, 2026, during the auspicious day of the birthday celebration of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

(Netherlands) We rejoice that another stupa dedicated to Lama Zopa Rinpoche is on the way! Thanks to the community of Maitreya Instituut Loenen, 318 large mantra scrolls have now arrived at the center, each with 273.40 yards (250 meters) of paper—106 with the lotus mantras, 106 with the name mantras of Lama Tsong Khapa, and 106 with the mantras of the long-life deities and the three leaders. The scrolls were filled with incense (a conifer and lavender mixture) and covered with satin, thanks to a volunteer day on June 7 and to the summer lamrim students who spent many hours on the work. Thirty-two microfilms have also arrived to be placed in the stupa; each contains hundreds of thousands of mantras, prayers, and sutras. We rejoice in the efforts of all the people involved in the realization of the stupa in line with the vast vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Work in progress at f Maitreya Instituut Loenen. Photo credit of f Maitreya Instituut Loenen Facebook page.

(France) Among the new holy objects in progress are also holy statues in several French centers. At Institut Vajra Yogini, Geshe Loden filled and blessed the new statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, which now sits in the small upper gompa alongside the new statue of Vajra Yogini, also blessed by Geshe-la. From August 11 to 13, they also had the joy of welcoming four monks from Sera Jey Monastery, who came especially from southern India to perform the blessing rituals for the Institute’s prosperity vases in the gompa. Meanwhile, Nalanda Monastery has completed preparations to fill the statues of Lama Tsongkhapa and his two disciples, Khedrup Je and Gyaltsab Je, with new mantras, purchased through the generous support of the community. Geshe Jampa Kalden of Sera Monastery, a classmate of Nalanda’s abbot, Geshe Jamphel, was invited to Nalanda to carry out this important work! May all these new holy objects help to bring peace, wisdom, compassion, and liberation into the world.

(Australia) Rejoice also in the effort of Langri Tangpa Centre‘s tsa-tsa production, now busy painting and gold-leafing hundreds of tsa-tsas in time to be blessed in preparation for the Guru Bhumtsok, this special national event, with Geshe Tenzin Zopa leading the puja and many of Australia’s geshes expected to attend to recite 100,000 Tsok Offering prayers and mantras to Guru Rinpoche, accompanied by abundant offerings of lights, flowers, incense, food, and tsok and traditional musical instruments to dispel obstacles for the entire world and dedicated to world peace and the long life of all our teachers. For the big occasion, a second drum stand—constructed by Manly Men’s Shed, decorated by SPC Miffi, with a drum donated by Stefan Shepherd and a deer 3D-printed by Helene Holland and her son—has also been completed. Congratulations to all the people involved in this collective practice of great generosity! 

We also recently shared a report on several holy object projects sponsored through grants provided from the FPMT Holy Objects Fund. 

Milestones

(Spain) This year is a year of celebrations for Tekchen Chö Ling Center. In addition to marking its fortieth anniversary as a Dharma center, the community celebrates thirty-one years of practicing rotating offerings, following the direct advice of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, with the Ontinyent practitioner group. It is a wonderful reason for joy.

FPMT Basic Program students giving thanks to Geshe Namdak and receiving blessings from relics now housed in the Gompa at Jamyang London. Photo credit of JBC.

(UK) Jamyang Buddhist Centre London (JBC) celebrates the 2026 class that completed the FPMT Basic Program with Geshe Tenzin Namdak in August, after five and a half years of study, debate, retreat, and examination. We rejoice in this wonderful milestone—congratulations! May it inspire everyone considering a Buddhist study program at their own center.

(US) We rejoice with Thubten Kunga Center for Wisdom Culture in Florida, whose offer to purchase its center’s location was accepted, securing a permanent home. The community is now actively raising funds to complete the payment, and thanks to the generosity of a matching donor, Home Fund contributions are currently being matched dollar-for-dollar. May they soon have a definitive home for the community! Discover more here.

(Australia) While Vajrayana Institute has just completed the center renovation, see the final look here. A huge congratulations and thank you to all the people involved!

(Australia) De-Tong Ling Retreat Centre has received a generous $65,000 donation from the sister center Buddha House in South Australia. Buddha House has completed a ten-year pledge to De-Tong Ling Retreat Centre with a lump-sum gift of $65,000—the result of an anonymous benefactor’s original request, years of annual deposits, and, most recently, three bequests from Buddha House members who have passed away. The pledge began when Buddha House raised funds to purchase a retirement property for their teacher and DTL Executive Committee chairperson, Venerable Dondrub; the donor’s sole condition was that Buddha House also support De-Tong Ling over the following decade. De-Tong Ling rejoices in this uncontaminated generosity and offers heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Interfaith event at Potowa Study Group. Photo credit of o Potowa Study Group Facebook page.

(Australia) Congratulations to Potowa Study Group for bringing faith communities together to discuss mental well-being, hosting the event One Humanity, Many Faiths: Supporting Mental Well-Being on August 22 in Wagga Wagga. The event brought together representatives from eight faith, spiritual, and cultural traditions, including Geshe Tenzin Zopa representing Buddhism, to explore how spirituality, compassion, and connection can support mental well-being and strengthen understanding across communities. 

While Cittamani Hospice Service organized its 2026 Spirituality Conference on July 31. The event brought together healthcare professionals, carers, community members, and spiritual practitioners to explore the role of spirituality, hope, and connection in palliative care, with the theme “Sustaining Hope and Staying Connected.” Congratulations to Cittamani Hospice Service for offering an opportunity to share diverse perspectives and foster community!

International FPMT Family 

The FPMT Global Mani Retreat continues to offer an opportunity for the international FPMT family to practice together, create the causes for peace in the world, and support the long life and activities of our teachers, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. As recently shared in the latest FPMT Inc. board update, this has been the first project to bring students from all over the world together, and the results have been very encouraging. In fact, the virtuous goal of 100 million mantras may possibly be doubled thanks to the dedication of all the teachers, the students, and the people behind the scenes, especially the Retreat Coordinator, Selina Foong, and her team.

On August 9, His Eminence Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche bestowed teachings on bodhicitta, based on Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum (Ratnagotravibhaga), chapter 1, verse 27. During the session, he strongly emphasized the importance of proper understanding, without which our Dharma practice is nothing more than a collection of words. He also taught the seven-point method for developing bodhicitta. With more than 340 Zoom logins, some forty YouTube viewers, and many more participating in groups, we rejoice.

On August 15, Ven. Amy Miller led the Chenrezig group practice. She conjoined the Four Immeasurables prayer with tonglen practice, taking time to contemplate “giving and taking” while reciting each verse three times.

On August 20, FPMT Mongolia started the fourteenth 100 Million Mani Retreat. Rejoice in this remarkable milestone to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wishes for Mongolia and the world to accumulate extensive merit. Sessions will be livestreamed every Wednesday for the duration of the retreat (August 20–September 17, 2026).

On August 22, Ven. Tenzin Drachom led the latest Chenrezig group practice. 

We are honored that His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche will bestow teachings on “Practicing Compassion Through the Profound View of Emptiness” on September 7, 2026, on Zoom for the FPMT Global Mani Retreat—a rare and precious opportunity for all.

**Running in tandem with these main sessions are Chenrezig Group Practice sessions offered in Spanish and Italian; as well as in English for those in North American time zones.** Please check our Facebook page for all upcoming opportunities. 

Join the FPMT Global Mani Retreat, a precious opportunity to gather in unity, generate collective merit, and deepen our community connections. The mantras we recite together until November 1 will be offered at the conclusion of the retreat for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Discover more about the Global Mani Retreat

His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche will bestow teachings on “Practicing Compassion Through the Profound View of Emptiness” on September 7, 2026,

We Want to Hear Your Story! 

These highlights are sourced from the social media, newsletters, annual reports, websites, and WhatsApp groups of FPMT centers, projects, and services. If you would like to share your news and highlights with the wider FPMT family, we would be so happy to hear from you! 

In addition to these highlights, please also read longer community news stories and news from around the world!

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is 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 giving a teaching on chod practice, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, September 2020. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

The Sutra of Great Liberation is formally entitled The Arya Mahayana Sutra Called “Arya All-Expansive Great Liberation, Purifying Negative Deeds through Cleansing Remorse, Perfectly Arranged Accomplishment of Buddhahood.” The Tibetan text, found in the Kangyur, is a translation of the Chinese rendition, the Sanskrit source text having been lost over the course of time. This powerful sutra, which was expounded just before the Buddha’s parinirvana, covers a wide variety of topics, including the three vehicles, the three refuges, how to confess and purify, proclamation of names of many buddhas and bodhisattvas, descriptions and causes of the thirty-two marks of an enlightened being, extensive advice on how to practice the Dharma, instructions on how to do the actual purification, and the signs of purification.

Rinpoche emphasized that engaging with this sutra in any way, even unintentionally, has “unimaginable benefits.” He said that anyone who hears even the name of the sutra, writes, reads, prints, or keeps a copy of it collects unimaginable merit. Reciting it is an easy method to purify all the very negative karmas. Furthermore, anyone who memorizes, holds, or keeps a copy of it will become free from suffering, will never be reborn in the lower realms, and become enlightened. The same is true for anyone who simply hears its powerful mantra. Because of these benefits, Rinpoche recommended that we recite the sutra when we are able, and that it would even be beneficial to “keep the sutra.” Rinpoche noted that wherever a copy of this sutra is kept, this is a place where the Buddha himself resides. 

Benefits explained from the sutra itself:

Whoever sees this sutra sees the face of the Buddha. 
Whoever holds this sutra holds the body of the Buddha. 
Whoever practices this sutra practices the activities of the Buddha.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche stressed the importance of this sutra and kindly offered the oral transmission. 

“I want to give one mantra from the Liberation Sutra [Sutra of Great Liberation]. It is most unbelievably precious. By just hearing it or reciting it one time, your life always goes toward enlightenment. The Sutra of Great Liberation itself has most unbelievable benefit. So in the future, we should get the oral transmission of that text […] I received the oral transmission of the mantra from Kyabje Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, a very high lama from Drepung Loseling. For the motivation, think, ‘The purpose of my life is not just to achieve happiness for myself but to free the numberless kind mother sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric sufferings and bring them to peerless happiness, the state of enlightenment. For that, I must achieve buddhahood. Therefore, I’m going to take this oral transmission of the mantra.’ […] By hearing this mantra with devotion or even if you recite it only one time a day, you will never be reborn as a hell being, hungry ghost, or animal until you achieve enlightenment. This was said by the unbetraying Victorious One.”

— Lama Zopa Rinpoche, during the oral transmission of the Mantra from “The Sutra of Great Liberation” to students at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, October 2018.

Rinpoche gave instruction on the correct motivation for listening to the oral transmission and commentary of the Sutra of Great Liberation in 2020, when he bestowed this lung over many months of teachings in his video series Teachings on Thought Transformation during the Time of COVID-19 in the teachings titled  “Sutra of Great Liberation” Is Exactly What Is Needed at This Dangerous Time. 

“The purpose of life is not to just avoid the lower realms and receive a higher rebirth, or to be free from the oceans of samsaric suffering forever. The main purpose of life is to achieve full enlightenment, buddhahood, the total cessation of gross and subtle obscurations and the completion of realizations, for all sentient beings. This is for every single sentient being—including every hell being; every hungry ghost; every animal such as tiny insects, dogs, goats, birds, etc.; every single human being including those speaking different languages in different countries, those who are your enemy, friends, or strangers, those who are your parents, brothers, sisters; and every sura and asura. Your purpose is to free them from the oceans of samsaric sufferings and bring them to enlightenment, to buddhahood, by yourself alone. Therefore, you are listening to the teachings, listening to the oral transmission of Sutra of Great Liberation, for this purpose.

 The world is so full of problems, including contagious diseases, wars, fighting, and disasters of the elements such as landslides, typhoons, tornadoes, and fires. The Sutra of Great Liberation is exactly what you need at this dangerous time.”

— Lama Zopa Rinpoche, during the oral transmission of the  “Sutra of Great Liberation” Is Exactly What Is Needed at This Dangerous Time.  The oral transmission begins at 0:41:16 in the video.

You can access the mantra from the Sutra of Great Liberation in PDF and audio; and as well as the English ebook of the Sutra of Great Liberation

The  Tibetan pecha of the Sutra of Great Liberation is also available for printing.

Explore a larger collection of  Sutras & Dharanis

Watch Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching “‘Sutra of Great Liberation’ Is Exactly What Is Needed at This Dangerous Time”:

Or read the transcript of Rinpoche’s teaching

Watch an extract of Lama Zopa Rinpoche recite the Mantra from “The Sutra of Great Liberation,” with additional commentary

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

Kopan Sangha offers prayers for all those who lost their lives in the Rasuwa floods on August 27.

People around the world have been deeply saddened by the devastating flash floods and mudslides that struck Nepal on August 26. The disaster has caused loss of life, injuries, displacement, and extensive damage in the Nepal-Tibet border region near the Rasuwagadhi-Gyirong crossing. Roads, transportation networks, and critical infrastructure have also been severely disrupted.

Devastation at the Nepal-Tibet border.

The floods are also affecting our community close to home. We are already in close contact with monks and nuns at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu whose families have been directly affected by the flooding.

In addition to offering prayers (more information below), we can also express our compassion and concern through practical support. With the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund, we will work closely with Kopan Monastery to ensure that funds reach those facing the greatest challenges. 

The FPMT Emergency Relief Fund assists individuals and families affected by natural disasters, emergency situations at FPMT centers and projects, and other urgent crises requiring swift aid. FPMT is working directly with Kopan Monastery to identify those most in need and to help ensure that support reaches affected families directly. This is not the first time FPMT has supported Nepal’s communities in crisis. In the past, FPMT has responded to emergencies such as the 2015 Nepal earthquake and the 2024 Thame flood, providing direct support to Kopan Monastery, Lawudo Retreat Centre, and local communities. As more information becomes available, we will continue to share updates on the situation and how donations are being distributed.

We also want to share The Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund if you prefer to donate directly there. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche often reminded us that, even when circumstances seem overwhelmingly difficult, sincere prayer can have a profound effect. We’ve compiled some of Rinpoche’s key advice for natural disasters, which you are welcome to engage in as you are able.  Yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered special prayers for victims of the recent floods:

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping the people (and all beings) of Nepal in their thoughts and prayers, and to all those offering their help at this difficult time. Knowing how to help in a positive way after a disaster can feel overwhelming. We hope these resources make it easy for anyone to make a meaningful difference.

The Social Services Fund, established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.

As we were finalizing this update, we heard the heartbreaking news that Nepal and Tibet are facing a disaster after an earthquake near the Tibet border triggered a landslide that dammed a river, sending a massive flash flood down the Bhote Koshi River, destroying villages, roads, and hydropower infrastructure in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, with warnings issued for other communities. We are in touch with Kopan, which is currently safe, and will share information on the situation via our various channels as details become clear.

Dear Friends,

In recent months, all FPMT Inc. Board members were in the Northern Hemisphere, which means that we were enjoying, or suffering through, the extraordinary results of the climate change our planet is undergoing at this time.

Our board meetings are usually held every two weeks on Zoom, and people sign in from all parts of the globe. Those on the West Coast of the US do so at 10 p.m., which is 7 a.m. the next morning for Amsterdam, and those in Kathmandu, Singapore, and Hong Kong sign in around lunchtime. Always a puzzle, but we make it work.

Here are some of the matters we spoke about recently:

The Global Mani Retreat: We rejoice in the huge numbers of OM MANI PADME HUMs being recited for the long and healthy life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama by those taking part in the FPMT Global Mani Retreat, which finishes on November 1. The goal was to present His Holiness with 100 million mantras, but it looks as if we could possibly double that amount!

Board member Dale Davis, Retreat Coordinator Selina Foong, and others from the Global Mani Retreat Team will be granted an audience with His Holiness later in the year, to offer 100 Buddha statues for His Holiness’ long life. Everyone still has the opportunity to participate in the Global MANI Retreat and to accumulate as many mantras as possible, which we will offer to His Holiness at the conclusion of the retreat.

We are very grateful to the many important teachers and lineage holders who have participated and led sessions, many of which were accessible online to students everywhere. This has been our first project to bring students from all over the world together to work jointly toward such a virtuous goal, and the results have been incredible!  A special thank you goes to Retreat Coordinator Selina Foong and her team, who are helping to accomplish all this, as it was one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization.

FPMT Inc. Board recruitment:  We are still accepting nominations for new Board members. Since we would like to take on two or three new members this year or soon after, we would like a strong pool of candidates so your suggestions can still be considered. For information or correspondence, please write to us at fpmtboard@fpmt.org.

Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche’s Yangsi: At the beginning of next year, we plan to check with His Holiness about when to begin the search for the reincarnation (Tibetan: yangsi) of our holy guru, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche. In keeping with His Holiness’ instructions, we are waiting for his guidance on when and where to begin the search. As always, His guidance will lead our actions.

Legal and safeguarding situations:

• As to the legal case in North Carolina that we mentioned in our last Update in June, the matter has been resolved. Please understand that we are not permitted to discuss it further.
• There has been a delay in receiving the draft report from the independent organization that has been commissioned regarding allegations concerning Yangsi Rinpoche. We now expect to receive it within the next few weeks and will provide a further update once the Board has received and considered the report.

New Safeguarding Program builds on Protecting from Abuse Policy: At last year’s CPMT meeting, Peter Stickels, Regional Coordinator for Australia and New Zealand, presented a comprehensive review of the “Protecting from Abuse” (PfA) policy, which has been in operation since 2021. Following this review and consultations with FPMT staff, Peter drafted a new Safeguarding policy, expected to be finalized by the end of 2026.

Building on the policy review, Peter and Stephanie Brennan proposed an ambitious two-year Safeguarding Project designed to strengthen FPMT’s approach through policy updates, detailed process guidelines and a comprehensive suite of resources for training, communication and implementation. This initiative received unanimous approval from the FPMT Board. The project aims to support developing a more extensive approach to safeguarding by developing policy updates, detailed process guidelines and a comprehensive suite of resources for training, communication, and implementation.

The organization has appointed Stephanie Brenan to lead the Project. Her background in safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, mental health, training and organizational change makes her well-suited to lead this work. Peter Stickels will serve as Project Manager, leveraging his extensive experience in complaint handling and strategic planning.

We will keep you updated as the project progresses. Our aim is to ensure that safety, respect and compassion are reflected not only in policy, but in the everyday experience of people across our centers, projects and services.

If you have any questions or comments concerning the above, or the work of the FPMT Inc. Board in general, please feel free to contact us at fpmtboard@fpmt.org.

In closing, we offer our heartfelt prayers to all who are affected by this latest environmental devastation in Nepal. Please read the collected advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on practices we can do right now for natural disasters. 

Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi
Ven. Thubten Pemba
Ven. Roger Kunsang
Karuna Cayton
Dale Davis
Paula de Wys-Koolkin

Rinpoche in Pokhara, Nepal, 2021.

“My dear loving compassionate readers,

You may wonder what to do, what prayers to make, when there are disasters such as tornados, hurricanes, heavy rain, storms, floods, earthquakes, or fires, as well as disasters that destroy crops; disasters that destroy entire towns and cities within one hour; disasters that cause so many billions of dollars of damage, and so much money is spent to rebuild the towns; disasters where so many hundreds and thousands of people die or become homeless, have no homes, no food or clean water, and so forth.

So here I am offering some suggestions on what to do so that you can help the country and save so many peoples lives; some suggestions to prevent the destruction of houses, villages, and cities that are caused by the elements (fire, water, wind, and earth).

Even though these kinds of problems are so big, even though there are numberless buddhas, yet if someone with a very sincere heart takes refuge one-pointedly, without doubt, in even one buddha such as Chenrezig (Compassionate Eye Looking One), Padmasambhava, or Medicine Buddha, if someone takes strong refuge and prays to even just one buddha and recites the mantras (such as the name mantra), by doing this it can change the situation completely, it can change natural disasters and prevent war. Whatever problems there are can be loosened and even completely stopped.

The weather can change in that very hour or in the next hour by the power of one person making prayers.”  

Read the full version of Letter From Lama Zopa Rinpoche Regarding the Disasters of the Elements 

What you can do right now:

• Medicine Buddha Practices
  • A Brief Meditation-Recitation on Guru Medicine Buddha | PDF | Spanish | Audio
  • A Very Short Medicine Buddha Practice | PDF
  • Medicine Buddha Sadhana | English | Spanish
  • Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
• King of Prayers
• Kshitigarbha Practice to Pacify Earthquakes
• The Practice of Ksitigarbha to Avert Danger and Purify Obstacles

To follow the complete list of prayers and practices suggested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche over the years:

• • Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Practices for Earthquakes and Natural Disasters
  • Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Advice for Severe Weather Conditions
  • Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Earthquakes 
  • Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advises Urgent Practices for Pacifying an Earthquake in California 
  • Tsunami and Earthquakes 
  • Mitigating Severe Conditions of the Elements
  • Preventing Earthquakes
  • Natural Disasters
  • Sutra Golden Light for earthquakes, natural disaster and wars

More advice from Rinpoche on this topic is also available on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive:
https://lamayeshe.com/advice/natural-disasters

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is 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 100 Million Mani retreat, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, August 2014. Photo by Ven. Roger Kunsang.

It is also good to ask yourself, “Why do I have to do this?”

There are two reasons. 

One very important reason is that sentient beings do not want suffering and want happiness. The other reason is that this is the purpose of your life.

It is for this purpose that you put so much effort into surviving in every hour, every minute, of your life. 

The conclusion is that there are two reasons: this is what sentient beings need, so you should help them; and this is the meaning of your life.

Excerpt from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book Teachings from the Mani Retreat bestowed at Chenrezig Institute, on December 2000. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Publications. You can also read this book online, or listen to an audio recording from the retreat.

Upcoming Major Teaching

Please join us for a teaching by His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche on Monday, September 7.

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, May 2026. Photo by Tenzin Tsultrim.

Holy objects have always been at the heart of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for benefiting sentient beings. Again and again, Rinpoche taught that holy objects are among the most powerful methods for bringing peace, wisdom, compassion, and liberation into the world. Whether people engage with them intentionally or simply see them in passing, holy objects leave positive imprints on the mindstream, creating causes for happiness and enlightenment that can endure for lifetimes.

For this reason, Rinpoche dedicated immense energy throughout his life to establishing holy objects around the world. From statues and stupas to prayer wheels and sacred scriptures, these projects were never seen as mere monuments or works of art. Rather, they are living expressions of compassion and skillful means to guide beings toward awakening and supports for the flourishing of the Dharma for generations to come.

In 2026, the Holy Objects Fund and other FPMT funds dedicated to creating holy objects granted US$312,594 toward the creation and restoration of holy objects. Please continue reading to learn how these grants have been utilized. 

Stupa at Kopan Monastery | Zangdog Palri at Lawudo | Prayer Wheels at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia | Stupa at Monastère Dorjé Pamo | Stupa at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa | Stupa at Kopan Nunnery | Buddha Statues for His Holiness  | Offerings to Stupas in Nepal | Thank you! 

Through the kindness of benefactors, US$121,894 was recently offered toward the completion of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. This extraordinary stupa is being built for the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast wishes for sentient beings. We are especially pleased that, due to the generosity of our kind donors, additional funds have also been secured to support the creation and offering of statues that will be placed within the Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa being built at Kopan Nunnery for Khensur Lama Lhundrup and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

We are delighted to announce the upcoming inauguration ceremonies for these remarkable memorial holy objects. Please save these dates and reserve time in your calendar – we would be overjoyed to celebrate these auspicious occasions with you:

• December 11, 2026: The Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, enshrining the sacred relics of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, will be consecrated.
• December 14, 2026: The Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery will be consecrated in honor of both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup Rigsel.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, August 2026.

We rejoice deeply in the creation of these extraordinary memorial stupas and in the kindness of all those helping bring them to completion. May these holy objects become inexhaustible sources of peace, inspiration, and spiritual awakening for countless beings, and may they contribute to the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast and compassionate wishes. 

Another project deeply connected to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision has reached a truly historic milestone. Through the generosity of benefactors, US$150,000 was offered toward the creation of the Zangdog Palri at Lawudo Retreat Centre in Nepal, and after many years of planning and preparation, construction has finally begun. The project commenced on April 13, 2026, the third anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. 

For those familiar with Rinpoche’s life story, Lawudo is a very special place. Nestled high in the Himalayas in the Solo Khumbu region of Nepal, at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet (4,300 meters), the retreat center surrounds the meditation cave of Rinpoche’s previous incarnation, the first Lawudo Lama, Kunsang Yeshe. 

Among all the projects Rinpoche envisioned for Lawudo, the creation of a Zangdog Palri, or Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, held particular significance. Zangdog Palri is the pure land of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the great tantric master whose enlightened activity established Buddhism in Tibet and laid the foundation for a lineage that continues to benefit countless beings to this day. 

The beginning of the building of the Zangdog Palri in Lawudo, August 2026.

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“Due to Guru Rinpoche’s great compassion, Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism flourished in Tibet and now has spread throughout the entire world. Because of that, so many people have experienced the path to enlightenment and achieved enlightenment. Due to his great compassion, the lives of an infinite number of sentient beings have become meaningful.”

The project itself has evolved over time, and the location has now been adjusted so that the structure will be built adjacent to the Lawudo library, creating a more suitable and sustainable site for this significant sacred structure. While current photographs show the early stages of construction rather than the magnificent Guru Rinpoche’s mandala that will eventually emerge, the beginning itself is cause for great rejoicing. After years of aspiration and preparation, the vision is now taking physical form.

The project is being managed by Frances Howland, working closely with Ven.Nima Tashi, who oversees construction on the ground at Lawudo. A team of artists, carpenters, builders, and support staff are bringing the project to life, including master artist Gen Ngawang Thokme of Thubten Choeling Monastery, who established the measurements and artistic designs and continues to guide the work. 

Constructing such a holy object in this remote Himalayan location requires extraordinary dedication. Hundreds of tons of materials have already been transported to the site, much of it by donkey and human effort along mountain trails. Construction is progressing according to strict engineering standards, including earthquake-resistant requirements established by local authorities. Materials acquired to date are sufficient to complete approximately 60 percent of the project.

A special three-day puja was held before starting construction of Zangdog Palri.

As foundations are laid and walls begin to rise, we rejoice not only in a construction project underway, but in the manifestation of another aspect of Rinpoche’s compassionate vision. May the Zangdog Palri quickly and successfully come to completion, and may it become an enduring source of benefit for all who encounter it.

Not all holy objects are monumental structures rising above mountain ridges or overlooking monastery courtyards. Some are much smaller in scale, yet equally vast in their purpose and benefit. This year, US$3,000 was offered to support an inspiring initiative led by Centro Nagarjuna Valencia in Spain: the creation and offering of prayer wheels to FPMT centers throughout the country.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche had a special affection for prayer wheels, often describing them as an extraordinarily powerful method for benefiting sentient beings. As Rinpoche famously said, “Prayer wheels are my hobby!”

Prayer wheels at Centro Nagarjuna in Valencia, Spain that contain 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

Rinpoche also taught that “A prayer wheel makes the place very holy and precious, like a pure land.”

Inspired by this, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia has been creating prayer wheels according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s detailed instructions and offering them as gifts to other FPMT centers throughout Spain. With a total of twelve centers, including a nunnery and an elderly care home, the aspiration is that every FPMT center in Spain will eventually receive one of these precious holy objects.

The prayer wheels are crafted with great care and attention to tradition. Copper panels embossed with the compassion mantra are produced by skilled artisans in Nepal, while the wheels themselves are assembled in Spain. Hidden within each wheel are more than 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

What makes this project especially joyful is its spirit of offering. Each prayer wheel is created not for one center alone, but to be shared. As Steve Milton, director of Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, beautifully expressed, continuing to make and offer prayer wheels is a way of continuing both the hobby and the vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

In support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s aspiration to fill the world with holy objects and as a tribute to our precious teacher, Monastère Dorjé Pamo in southern France has begun construction of a magnificent Enlightenment Stupa dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Supported by an offering of US$7,500, this stupa is being built for Rinpoche’s swift return, the fulfilment of his vast wishes, and the benefit of all sentient beings.

A drawing of the future Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery.

The Enlightenment Stupa commemorates the moment Buddha Shakyamuni attained complete awakening beneath the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India. As a representation of the Buddha’s enlightened mind, it serves as a powerful source of blessing, merit, and inspiration for all who encounter it. According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, holy objects make it easy for beings to purify negative karma, accumulate merit, and create the causes for enlightenment.

Standing more than four meters high and built according to traditional specifications, the stupa will contain sacred texts, mantras, tsa-tsas, incense, and other holy materials prepared according to authentic Buddhist traditions. Situated on the grounds of Dorjé Pamo Monastery it will offer practitioners, visitors, and local residents a precious opportunity to circumambulate, make prayers, accumulate virtue, and connect with the path to awakening. We rejoice in the creation of this beautiful Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery, dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return and the fulfilment of his vast wishes.

Work in progress on the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, under the supervision of Geshe Tenzin Thenpel. July 2026. Photo by Stupa Onlus.

At the same time, we rejoice in the many other stupas now taking shape as manifestations of Rinpoche’s vision, including the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the magnificent Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, which will honor both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup and serve as an object of devotion for generations to come. Together, these sacred projects reflect Rinpoche’s heartfelt wish to fill the world with holy objects, making it ever easier for beings to purify obscurations, accumulate merit, encounter the Dharma, and create the causes for enlightenment. 

Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, 2026.

Among the many holy object projects inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision, one particularly meaningful project is the ongoing offering of Shakyamuni Buddha statues to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Since 2019, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish has been to offer statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. A total of 2,100 statues have already been offered, and FPMT remains committed to offering 100 statues annually to His Holiness. Each offering is made with prayers for His Holiness’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“It is so important to have His Holiness in this world today. No president or leader of a country, or Buddhist leader, in the world today can compare with His Holiness’s incomparable wisdom, compassion, and special effect on the world.”

Supporting the long life and activities of His Holiness is one of FPMT’s highest priorities. His compassion, wisdom, and leadership have a profound benefit for people around the world, reaching far beyond any one Buddhist tradition, country, or generation.

We are delighted to share that the next set of 100 Shakyamuni Buddha statues has now been completed. The statues have been carefully produced, their faces painted, gold gilded, filled with sacred contents, and consecrated. They are already at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala awaiting their formal offering. 

FPMT Global Mani Retreat 2026. Please join the Global MANI Retreat Facebook group for all the latest and timely information about this retreat and upcoming opportunities.

There is currently a plan for these 100 statues to be offered in conjunction with the completion of the FPMT Global Mani Retreat on November 1, 2026. At the conclusion of the retreat, practitioners around the world will offer the total number of Om Mani Padme Hum mantras they have accumulated, together with prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities.

While some holy object projects involve creating entirely new sacred monuments, others focus on caring for and preserving holy objects that have benefited the world “from beginningless time”.

Each year, through Kopan Monastery, support is offered for the maintenance of Nepal’s two most sacred stupas, Boudhanath Stupa (Jarung Kashor) and Swayambhunath Stupa. This includes sponsoring new umbrellas and pinnacles for the stupas on Buddha holy days and providing fresh paint offerings throughout the year, amounting to approximately US$5,200 annually.

The story of Boudhanath Stupa reveals why it is regarded as one of the most extraordinary holy objects in the Buddhist world. According to tradition, the stupa was originally built by a poor woman whose determination to create a holy object was so sincere and unwavering that she obtained permission from the king to undertake what seemed an impossible task. After her passing, her four sons completed the stupa and dedicated the merit with vast prayers for the flourishing of the Dharma and the welfare of all beings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in front of Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal, June 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

It is said that these four sons later manifested as some of the most influential figures in Tibetan Buddhist history: King Songtsen Gampo, the minister Padma Gungtsen, the great abbot Shantarakshita, and Guru Padmasambhava. Through their enlightened activities, Buddhism became firmly established in Tibet and eventually spread throughout the world.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche often pointed out that our present opportunity to encounter, study, practice, and realize the Dharma is closely connected with the immeasurable merit and blessings associated with Boudhanath Stupa. 

Swayambhunath Stupa is equally extraordinary. According to the traditional accounts, the Kathmandu Valley was once a great lake. From its waters arose a crystal stupa, the embodiment of the Buddha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya itself. This sacred crystal remains enshrined within Swayambhunath and was foretold by Shakyamuni Buddha long before its appearance. The entire hill upon which Swayambhunath stands is regarded as the mandala of Chakrasamvara Buddha. While ordinary beings may see only a mountain, accomplished yogis perceive a pure realm of enlightened reality. Offering paint, sponsoring an umbrella and a pinnacle, cleaning the stupa, making prayers, or circumambulating it become causes of vast merit and benefit for countless sentient beings.

Thank you!

We offer our heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors whose generosity has made these projects possible. Your support is helping to preserve sacred places, create holy objects, and make the Dharma available to future generations. We invite everyone to rejoice in what has been accomplished and in the generosity that has made it possible. Through these projects, the FPMT community continues to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and wishes and bring immeasurable benefit to sentient beings.

We encourage everyone to continue contributing to the creation of holy objects, whether through your local Dharma center or through one of the FPMT Holy Objects funds.

To help ensure our support to the creation of holy objects around the world, we invite you to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.

Rinpoche teaching during the 100 Million Mani Retreat 05-Oct-2017 ILTK. Italy Photo by Lobsang Sherab

Benefits of the Mani Retreat
By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

This is such a wonderful time, especially doing practice to develop compassion and bodhicitta. Without compassion you can’t have the realization of bodhicitta, you can’t enter the Mahayana path, you can’t achieve enlightenment, you can’t achieve the infinite qualities of the holy body, holy speech and holy mind of Buddha. Without great compassion you can’t do perfect work for sentient beings, bringing them to enlightenment. I mentioned this the other night when I arrived, but maybe it was difficult to hear so late at night . . . . Those who can make the time should come to the retreat. Even if you cannot come for all three months, you should come for some weeks—or at least for one week. If you do not give yourself the time, the freedom, to do this, it is very poor, very sad. Of course, it would be best to come for the whole time, until the end of the retreat, but if you cannot do that, while you can give yourself the time and the freedom, you should come for one month or for a minimum of one week. You should attempt to do this. If you have a family, of course it’s not possible for all the family members, the whole assembly of parents and children, to come for the Mani Retreat, but maybe you could take turns. Do whatever you can, whatever days you can do. Give yourself the time to come again and again. Even if you cannot do one week straight, come again and again. Do at least one day, then come another day, then another day. At least come quite often in this way. 

We should especially think of death. When the thought of death comes, when we remember death, there’s nothing else that makes sense; everything else is total nonsense. When we think of death, so much of what we do in life doesn’t make sense; it’s all just nonsense. The only thing that makes sense is Dharma practice. Only Dharma will benefit us at the time of death and after death. The only thing that we can carry with us and enjoy in our future life is Dharma—nothing else. This practice of the meditation-­ recitation of the Buddha of Compassion will especially benefit us.

Reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ has merit as limitless as the sky. Even Buddha can never finish explaining the unbelievable purification and collection of extensive merit brought by reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. This is a special means to develop compassion. Intellectual study alone cannot bring you the realization of compassion and bodhicitta. With the intellectual understanding, you then have to purify your mind and collect extensive merit. On the basis of those preliminary practices, you then receive this special deity’s blessings by reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. It is through this that the realizations of great compassion and bodhicitta then come. Reciting oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ is one of the most powerful means of developing compassion and bodhicitta.

Doing specific meditation on the Buddha of Compassion and reciting the mantra are like soil and water, the conditions that together enable a seed to produce a sprout, or like all the pieces that are put together to enable a clock or watch to show the time. The mind works in a similar way. The preliminary practices and the meditation-­ recitation of Compassion Buddha persuade the Compassion Buddha’s holy mind. Purifying negative karmas, or obstacles, and collecting extensive merit enable us to receive the blessings of Compassion Buddha, and through these blessings we then receive realizations.

And the benefits of compassion are as limitless as the sky. After hearing the lamrim and having studied it and also other teachings, we can understand the benefits of compassion. Compassion has limitless benefits for oneself and for all other sentient beings. 

Excerpt from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book Teachings from the Mani Retreat bestowed at Chenrezig Institute, on December 2000. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Publications. You can also read this book online, or listen to an audio recording from the retreat.

Upcoming for the Global Mani Retreat

FPMT Mongolia’s 14th 100 MILLION MANI RETREAT in Ulaanbaatar has begun! This retreat is part of the official Global Mani Retreat program and will take place from August 20 – September 17 2026. Participation onsite is entirely optional.

Ven. Tenzin Drachom will lead the eighth Chenrezig Group practice on August 22.   

To keep up on all details related to the FPMT Global Mani Retreat, please refer to our webpage, and join the Facebook Group. 

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation, and community service.

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Royal Holloway College, UK, 1975. Photo by Dennis Heslop. From the LYWA Collection.

Happiness Comes from the Mind, Not from Outside

By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

All human beings and even the tiniest of creatures desire happiness and freedom from suffering. But our biggest problem is that although we desire happiness, we don’t know what actually causes it; although we don’t want suffering, we don’t know what causes that either. That’s our biggest problem. Most living beings, no matter how much they wish for happiness, spend most of their time destroying the cause of happiness; and no matter how much they do not want suffering, they constantly rush to create its cause. All this comes about because sentient beings lack method and wisdom.

Earth’s original human inhabitants did not have minds as negative and cruel as those of today. As a result, the actions of their speech and body were not as violent and harmful as those of the people we see around us now, and life was much more peaceful then. But gradually, as their delusions of anger, attachment, pride and jealousy arose more frequently and strongly, their minds became increasingly cruel, negative and harmful, and the actions of their speech and body became more violent and destructive. And no matter how much we have progressed in external development since those times, life has simply become busier and more dangerous; no matter how many material things, such as nuclear weapons have been developed, instead of bringing true peace, all they have brought is more danger. However, we can’t blame external things for all these problems; the actual cause is the internal factor—the unhealthy, dissatisfied mind, attachment, hatred and so forth. Even though people have undertaken external development with the expectation that it will bring happiness, that’s a wrong conception.

Happiness does not arise principally from external things but from the internal factor, the mind. For example, people who have all the material things they need and desire—gourmet food, beautiful clothing, a luxurious apartment and so forth-are not necessarily happy. They get unhappy and depressed because they feel dissatisfied and don’t know why; and since they also don’t understand the meaning of human life, some of them think there’s nothing left to enjoy, get completely despondent and kill themselves.

All such problems come from the mind, the internal factor, attachment. Instead of bringing satisfaction and happiness, all these desirable external things bring only more dissatisfaction. Similarly, with respect to the suffering that arises from problems caused by other people-enemies, family members, countrymen—even if we were to kill all the other human beings on earth, even all other living beings, and remain here alone, still we would not experience happiness or peace. Stopping suffering and receiving happiness does not depend on making all other humans, all other living beings on earth, non-existent. Since doing so would not bring peace or happiness to the mind it shows that this is not the right method, not the way to receive happiness. By being alone with no other people, friends or other living beings around, we would feel lonely and very unhappy. Those problems also arise from within, from the internal factor, attachment.

Even when we get the material objects or close friends we desire, after a while we get bored and lose interest. That also comes from the internal factor, the dissatisfied mind, attachment. Our physical body dying, becoming non-existent, does not mean that our suffering is over; the mind does not stop when the body does. Even though our body no longer exists, our mind is still in suffering—as long as our mind is under the control of the delusions of ignorance, attachment and anger, it is not free from suffering. The delusions themselves are the worst suffering, the root of every problem people and animals experience; The delusions are like the root of a tree if there were no root there’d be no branches, leaves or fruit, which produce more seeds. So if there were no root of the delusions-ignorance, attachment and hatred-there wouldn’t be any of the problems that we and other living beings experience, such as sickness, old age, death and so forth.

Excerpted from a teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, published in Freedom Through Understanding. Edited by Nicholas Ribush, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. You can also read this book online, access translations, watch on YouTube and experience the teachings in multimedia format. 

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

Shakyamuni Clinic staff engaging with the community during the outreach program

Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Centre | Maitri Charitable Trust | Lamp of the Path | Patient Care Trust | Tibetan Heart Foundation | Integrated Indigenous Tribal Children’s Ministry of India | REWA Tibetan Youth Center | Thank you!

The Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Centre in Bodhgaya, India, had an exceptional year in 2025, serving 39,065 people through its clinic, mobile outreach, health camps, and education programs – surpassing its annual target of 36,000. Its mobile clinic brought essential healthcare and medicines to five remote villages, while special initiatives included large-scale health camps, blood pressure screening, and menstrual hygiene programs supporting women and girls. The clinic also strengthened preventive health education and reopened its Community Dental Clinic after a two-year closure. In 2026, the Clinic will focus on expanding dental services, strengthening women’s health programs, supporting undernourished children, and increasing preventive care through mobile outreach. The US$29,400 grant from the FPMT Social Services Fund will support these initiatives and essential operational costs, including staff salaries, medicines, and facility expenses.

Photo report from Maitri on their TB Program activities

MAITRI Charitable Trust in Bodhgaya, India, continues to provide deeply compassionate, practical care for mothers, children, and people affected by tuberculosis in some of the region’s most underserved communities. In 2025, its work reached far beyond the clinic walls: MAITRI detected and managed 525 new TB cases, collected 252 sputum samples from seven collection points, supported an average of 82 TB patients each month with food rations, and carried out wide-reaching TB awareness efforts in 1,535 villages through wall paintings, community outreach, school engagement, and World TB Day activities. For mothers and children, the team registered and followed hundreds of patients, delivered 221 healthy babies, provided 21 anti-tetanus vaccinations, completed 21 tubectomies for women in their third pregnancies, and offered regular checkups, blood tests, supplements, milk powder, cerelac, legumes, and sanitary pads to vulnerable women and children. What makes MAITRI’s work especially moving is the way it combines medical treatment with nutrition and consistent human support. The clinic continues to face several challenges, including growing healthcare needs among elderly women in nearby villages, rising living costs, delays in government TB services, and ongoing needs for staff support and building maintenance.  In 2026, MAITRI will continue strengthening its outreach, hospital services, staffing, and infrastructure to meet growing community needs. To help sustain this essential work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$55,000 toward MAITRI’s annual operating needs. This support will enable the organization to continue providing compassionate, lifesaving care to some of the region’s most vulnerable families.

LOP’s Soup Kitchen beneficiaries celebrate the new year with a special lunch

For more than 22 years, Lamp of the Path (LOP) Community Center, the flagship social service project of FPMT Mongolia, has been a place of warmth and hope for vulnerable families living in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar. Guided by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision of compassion in action, LOP offers practical care to people facing poverty, homelessness, illness, and social isolation, while creating safe and nurturing spaces where children can learn, grow, and flourish. In 2025, LOP served 14,199 hot meals through its year-round Soup Kitchen, delivered 1,920 meals to homebound families, distributed more than 9,000 items of warm clothing, provided regular medical check-ups and tuberculosis screening, and harvested 9,000 kilograms of vegetables to nourish beneficiaries while generating income to sustain its programs. Its growing Mahayana Children’s Program continued to expand, offering educational activities and healthy snacks for children from disadvantaged families.  To help sustain these essential services, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$27,203 toward LOP’s annual operating needs in 2026. This support will help ensure that some of Mongolia’s most vulnerable community members continue to receive nourishment, care, friendship, and hope throughout the year.

PCT’s free medical camp

For more than a decade, Patient Care Trust (PCT) has been a lifeline for Tibetan refugees and vulnerable Himalayan communities, ensuring that those facing serious illness can access high-quality specialized healthcare regardless of their financial circumstances. Working in partnership with some of India’s leading government hospitals, PCT helps patients overcome the barriers of poverty, distance, language, and complex medical systems with compassion and practical support. In 2025, PCT reached a remarkable milestone by assisting 10,506 patients through a range of healthcare initiatives. These included 4,832 free ophthalmology outpatient consultations, 2,698 patients treated through free medical camps in Mundgod, 2,064 Tibetan schoolchildren receiving free vision care in Himachal Pradesh, 567 people screened through community eye care surveys, and 345 patients receiving ongoing monthly medical assistance. Building on a new three-year partnership with AIIMS Delhi, PCT has also expanded its capacity to provide care through its Majnu-ka-Tilla center and a network of Delhi government dispensaries, laying the foundation to reach up to 20,000 patients annually in the coming years. In 2026, PCT will continue expanding its services through its strengthened partnership with AIIMS Delhi and ongoing outreach to underserved communities. To support this vital work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$10,000 toward PCT’s annual operating needs. This contribution will help ensure that thousands more patients receive care they deserve.

THCT’s cardiac outreach: CPR training session for monks

The Tibetan Heart Charitable Trust (THCT) continues to bring lifesaving cardiac care and preventive health education to Tibetan and Himalayan communities across India and Nepal, ensuring that distance and financial hardship do not prevent people from receiving essential healthcare. Through free cardiac screening camps, health awareness programs, and compassionate patient support, THCT is helping communities detect heart disease early, build healthy habits, and respond confidently to medical emergencies.  In 2025, THCT organized cardiac outreach camps across eight regions, providing more than 2,000 health screenings for more than 920 participants and delivering 12 heart health awareness sessions. The Foundation Home in Hubli also provided accommodation for more than 80 patients undergoing treatment, ensuring that vulnerable patients and their families had a safe place to stay during difficult times. Beyond cardiac services, the Trust provided support for patients requiring oncology, orthopedic, neurosurgical, pulmonary, and other specialized treatments, embodying its commitment to holistic patient care.  In 2026, THCT plans to expand its outreach through additional cardiac screening camps, preventive health education, and CPR and Basic Life Support training across Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal. To help sustain this vital work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$2,500 toward THCT’s annual operating needs.

Outside the completed orphanage building

The Integrated Indigenous Tribal Children’s Ministry of India (IITCMI) is dedicated to giving orphaned and homeless children from indigenous and tribal communities in Manipur a safe place to call home. More than simply constructing a building, the organization is creating a nurturing environment where vulnerable children can grow with security, education, healthcare, and hope for a brighter future. The orphanage project, made possible through the generosity of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Social Services Fund, is now nearing completion. In 2025, additional funding supported the construction of the kitchen, dining hall, electrical wiring, lighting, and other essential fittings, bringing the shelter significantly closer to opening its doors. The project now has its core infrastructure, accommodation facilities, and safety measures in place, with approximately 85% of the construction completed.  As the project enters its final stage, the greatest need is no longer the building itself but transforming it into a true home. Essential furnishings – including beds, blankets, cupboards, storage racks, and other basic household items – are still needed to ensure every child has a comfortable and safe place to live. To help complete this final phase, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$7,000 toward IITCMI’s 2026 needs. This support will help furnish the orphanage and bring the project across the finish line, enabling orphaned and homeless children to move into a permanent home where they can experience safety, care, and the opportunity to build a brighter future.

REWA participants cleaning the Rajpur Tibetan Old People’s Home as part of a community service initiative

REWA Tibetan Youth Center continued to provide rehabilitation, vocational training, and life-skills support to Tibetan youth and young adults affected by addiction and social challenges in Northern India. During the first half of the year, 19 participants enrolled in the program and 14 successfully graduated, gaining practical skills to support their long-term recovery and independence. REWA’s holistic approach combines addiction recovery with education and vocational development. Participants received training in Basic English, computer skills, sewing, guitar-making, and life skills, alongside daily physical wellness activities designed to build confidence, discipline, and healthy routines. The Center further expanded its impact through substance abuse awareness programs in Tibetan schools and military training institutions, mental health workshops for young entrepreneurs, and community service initiatives that inspired participants to contribute meaningfully to society. Several former participants continue to demonstrate the long-term impact of REWA’s work. Graduates who once struggled with addiction are now maintaining sobriety, supporting their families through employment, and mentoring others on the path to recovery. Some have even joined the REWA staff team, using their lived experience to guide and inspire current participants. In 2026, with the support of a US$5,000 grant from the FPMT Social Services Fund, the REWA Tibetan Youth Center strengthens its ongoing initiatives to empower young people and provide the skills, guidance, and support needed to build healthier, more stable, and fulfilling futures. 

Thank you!

Every consultation, warm meal, rehabilitation session, medical outreach, safe shelter, and act of kindness described in this report was made possible through the compassion and generosity of those who support the FPMT Social Services Fund. Together, these projects are relieving suffering, protecting lives, restoring dignity, and creating hope for thousands of people who might otherwise be left without support.

We warmly invite you to rejoice in the generosity of all the sponsors whose kindness made these grants possible, in particular Unione Buddhista Italiana (U.B.I.), whose support enabled us to offer assistance to three of the projects described above, and in the dedicated staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries whose efforts brought these compassionate activities to life. May every act of generosity and service continue to flourish, bringing ever greater benefit, healing, and happiness to countless beings!

If you would like to be part of this meaningful work, please consider supporting the FPMT Social Services Fund. Together, we can continue to extend our reach and uplift even more lives in the years to come.

The FPMT Social Services Fund. established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.