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Mandala eZine A BENEFIT OF FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP Mandala eZine e-VOL. 2 ISSUE 3 AUGUST 2009 Are you a Foundation Member? If not, click here: www.fpmt.org/ membership FROM THE ARCHIVE: FPMT HISTORY CAPTURED

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Page 1: Mandala eZine August 2009

Mandala eZine

A BENEFIT OF

FOUNDATION

MEMBERSHIP

Mandala eZinee-VOL. 2 ISSUE 3

AUGUST 2009

Are you a

Foundation Member?

If not, click here:

www.fpmt.org/

membership

FROM THE ARCHIVE:

FPMT HISTORY CAPTURED

Page 2: Mandala eZine August 2009

F O U N D A T I O N M E M B E R S H I PInspired by an attitude of universal responsibility, for overthirty years the FFoouunnddaattiioonn ffoorr tthhee PPrreesseerrvvaattiioonn ooff tthheeMMaahhaayyaannaa TTrraaddiittiioonn (FPMT) has provided integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can betransformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others.

Your FFoouunnddaattiioonn MMeemmbbeerrsshhiipp helps support outstandingeducational programs and teachers, charitable projectsand services, and helps keep teachings and practicesalive, authentic and relevant to issues facing the modernpractitioner.

As a FFoouunnddaattiioonn MMeemmbbeerr you belong to an engaged,diverse, world-wide community of students and practitioners.All Members enjoy the benefits of MMaannddaallaa magazine andeZine as well as a discount at the FFPPMMTT FFoouunnddaattiioonn SSttoorree..Additionally, many levels of Foundation Membership offerbenefits from our newly launched OOnnlliinnee LLeeaarrnniinngg CCeenntteerrwhich promises continuously updated, interactive learning.

FPMT follows the guidance of His Holiness the XIV DalaiLama, our founder Lama Thubten Yeshe and our SpiritualDirector, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Become a Foundation Member today and lend yourheart to the cause of happiness for all.

MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

$30 YearGolden FishOne Year of Mandala Magazine and e-Zine. Foundation Store Discount - 5%

$60 Year/$5 MonthRight-Turning Conch One Year of Mandala Magazine and e-Zine. Foundation Store Discount - 10%

$108 Year/$9 MonthPrecious UmbrellaAll of above plusMystic Tibet DVD

$240 Year/$20 MonthDharma WheelAll of above, “How to Meditate onEmptiness” MP3, Access toselected courses (TBA) 2009Online Learning Center

$360 Year/$30 MonthEndless KnotAll of the above; Free DiscoveringBuddhism DVD Set; Full accessto Online Learning Center andLight of the Path Program (TBA)

$600 Year/$50 MonthLotus FlowerAll of the abovePlease allow us to honor you onthe web and in print

$1008 Year/$84 MonthTreasure VaseAll of the aboveYearly Patron Puja

$5000 and beyondVictory BannerAll of the aboveSpecial Honoree

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Visit www.fpmt.org/membership and register online.FOUNDATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAHAYANA TRADITION

FPMT International Office. 1632 SE 11th Avenue. Portland, OR 97214-4702. USA(503) 808-1588 phone * (503) 808-1589 fax * [email protected] Images of the Eight Auspicious Signs © Andy Weber

fpmtMembership Ad Final 7.09:Layout 1 7/19/09 9:20 PM Page 1

Page 3: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 3

contents

www.mandalamagazine.orgwww.fpmt.org

10

15

Mandala eZineMandala eZine5 FROMTHE EDITOR

6 LAMA YESHE’S WISDOM:Love and Equanimityby Lama Yeshe

10 ADVICE FROMTHEVIRTUOUS FRIEND:The Four Powers for CollectingExtensive Meritby Lama Zopa Rinpoche

14 COVER FEATURE:From the Archive: FPMT History Captured

20 MEDIA PAGE

COMMUNITY FORUM:22 Discussion Topic23 Photo Bulletin Board

e-VOL 2 ISSUE 3 AUGUST 2009. TheMandala eZine is published as an onlinequarterly for Foundation Members by FPMTInc., 1632 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97214-4702.

COVER: Lama Zopa Rinpoche and LamaYeshe, Kopan Monastery, 1977. PHOTOCOURTESY of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Page 4: Mandala eZine August 2009

Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive contains recordings and transcripts

of Lama Thubten Yeshe’s and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings

dating back to the early 1970s—and we’re still growing! Our

Web site off ers thousands of pages of teachings by some

of the greatest lamas of our time. Hundreds of audio

recordings, our photo gallery and our ever-popular

books are also freely accessible at lamayeshe.com.

Please see our Web site or contact us

for more information

THE HEART OF THE PATHSeeing the Guru as Buddha

by lama zopa rinpocheedited by ailsa cameron502 pages, $20

“Without guru devotion, nothing happens—no realizations, no liberation, no enlightenment—just as without the root of a tree there can be no trunk, branches, leaves or fruit. Everything, up to enlightenment, depends on guru devotion.”

DVD: BRINGING DHARMA TO THE WEST

lama thubten yeshe

Two interviews from 1982Total time hours.

UNIVERSAL LOVEThe Yoga Method of Buddha Maitreya

by lama thubten yesheedited by nicholas ribush158 pages, $15

Commissioned by the Maitreya Project, includes teachings and commentary on a practice near and dear to Lama’s heart.

* plus shipping charges of $1 per book ($5 minimum)

* plus shipping charges of

free books!*

Page 5: Mandala eZine August 2009

Mandala is the official publication ofthe Foundation for the Preservation ofthe Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), aninternational charitable organizationfounded more than thirty years ago bytwo Tibetan Buddhist masters, Lama

Thubten Yeshe (1935-1984) and LamaThubten Zopa Rinpoche. FPMTis now a vibrant international community, with a network of over 150affiliate centers, projects and services, and members in more than thirtycountries.

Editorial PolicyRecurring topics include: Buddhist philosophy; Education; Ordinationand the Sangha; Buddhism and Modern Life; Youth Issues; FPMTActivities Worldwide; Lama Yeshe and his teachings; Lama ZopaRinpoche and his teachings; His Holiness the Dalai Lama and histeachings, among many other topics.

Writers, photographers and artists, both amateur and professional,are encouraged to submit material for consideration. Mandala currentlydoes not pay for publishable content; we credit all photos and other workas requested.

Mandala, in addition to the Mandala eZine, is published quarterlyand is available via Foundation Membership. Additionally, bothpublications are supplemented by online stories published exclusively at:www.mandalamagazine.org

To learn about membership levels and benefits, contact us or visit:www.fpmt.org/membership

Foundation Membership supports the educational programming,charitable projects and global services of FPMT.

Mandala is published in January, April, July and October.

Mandala eZine is published in February, May, August and December.

Managing Editor and PublisherCarina [email protected]

Assistant EditorMichael [email protected]

Writers and ResearchVen. Sarah ThresherLise HullLaura Miller

Art DirectorCowgirls [email protected]

AdvertisingSandra [email protected]

Membership and CenterSubscriptionsSandra [email protected]

A B O U T M A N D A L A

D E A R R E A D E R

Lama Thubten Yeshe Lama Zopa Rinpoche

FPMT Inc.1632 SE 11th Ave.Portland, OR 97214-4702Tel: 1 503 808 1588Fax: 1 503 808 1589Toll free USA only 1 866 808 3302

FPMT Board of DirectorsSpiritual DirectorLama Zopa Rinpoche

Board MembersKhenrinpoche Geshe LhundrupVen. Roger KunsangVen. Pemba SherpaKaruna CaytonAndrew HaynesPeter KedgeTim McNeillTara MelwaniAlison MurdochPaula de Wijs-Koolkinwww.mandalamagazine.orgwww.fpmt.org

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to this August 2009 issue of theMandala eZine.We’ve been enjoying the process of telling the

story of FPMT over the last two print issues ofthemagazine. From the feedback we’ve received,it seems you are enjoying it too! Working withthe FPMT archive, engaging with the stories andstudents, accessing the precious early teachingsof Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche is anendeavormarked bymany unexpected treasures.Photos, documents and mementos have allcontributed to the profound pleasure of travelingback to the unchartered foundation of FPMT,to a time when the organization was mainly stillfunctioning on “the tip of a wish.”

Here we include some of our favorites fromthe archive, snapshots of FPMT’s history that

didn’t fit into the print versions of Mandala.We received many incredible photos of our

readers enjoying that last print issue ofMandala.We included a few of these on our BulletinBoard and invite you to visit the MandalaPublications’ FaceBook page to view them all.As always, we’ve included teachings by

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, andthe Media Page features audio and videoselections we hope you’ll enjoy.

Mandalawould like to give particular thanksto David Zinn, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive’sdigital imaging specialist, for his continuedenthusiastic support of our work.Please take your time and enjoy.

With love,Carina Rumrill

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 5

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6 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

LAMA YESHE’S WISDOM

Love and EQUANIMITY

By Lama Yeshe

The meaning of immeasurable, or limitless, love is clear from the words themselves. Fundamentally, we all have love; even animals have love. But the problem with our normal human love is that it’s limited. We choose our love

objects very selectively, whether they be other people or anything else. There are innumerable phenomena throughout the universe but we choose just a few favoriteobjects to love. This kind of fanatical love is actually a problem. Normally, we say loveis always good. Its positive side can be good, but its extreme, narrow side is not. Onereason it’s a problem is that it gives us an extreme view of its object, where we exaggerate its good qualities. Another is that it gives rise to the symptoms of conflictthat always arise from the dualistic mind. The inevitable reaction to fickle, narrowlove is conflict and discomfort.

Take, for example, the Dharma student. When you first get into Buddhism,your love changes slightly in that it now becomes, “I love Buddhism; I loveDharma; I love Lama.” Then it develops further in this direction: “This is reallygood. Before, I was down, but Buddhism has brought me right back up. Now

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August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 7

I’m happy.” Now you’ve really got a taste forDharma. The problem is that every time youimprint, “This is good; this is good; this isgood; Dharma good; meditation good,” instinctively there arises the mind that thinksthat anything that is not Buddhism is unimportant. Especially when you start studying philosophy and learn that there areaspects of other religions’ philosophy that con-tradict what we believe in Buddhism, you startto put other religions down. You get to the pointwhere you don’t even like to hear the wordsChristianity, Islam, Hinduism and so forth.

That means you’ve lost your love. Insteadof making you more tolerant and free, what

you’ve been calling love has become a cause ofconflict. I’m talking about love from the religious point of view. When you say, “I loveDharma,” be careful that you don’t love toomuch.

The point is that you should be usingDharma to solve your own problems, not create more. That’s its only purpose. The function of Dharma is to become an antidoteto your own problems. If your love of Dharmacauses conflict in your mind, makes you morenarrow and limits your communication suchthat you just want to ignore practitioners ofother religions, your love’s your problem.

The way your love becomes limitless is notthrough blind religious faith. It’s not that

someone tells you your objects of love are innumerable and you simply have to believe it.There’s clear logic behind it. Say there’s some-body whom you already love. Ask yourself whyyou love that person. Usually you’ll reply thatit’s because that person’s kind to you. That reason applies equally to all other sentient beings, but you should know all this from having studied the lam-rim, so I’m not goingto go into any more detail here. This is one ofthe reasons why understanding of the lam-rimis a prerequisite to taking tantric teachings.

But don’t take immeasurable love literally.Just because you love all sentient beings doesn’tmean you have to give people whatever they ask

for or sleep with everybody. True, profound,universal love can be wrathful too. True lovedoesn’t have to come with a smile; it can comewith a frown. Our problem is that we interpretlove too superficially. If people frown at us weautomatically assume they don’t like us.

One Tibetan yogi said, “Evil friends don’tnecessarily look like scorpions.” What hemeant was that sometimes the people who arenicest to us are the worst for us. Scorpions areclearly dangerous, and their very appearancemakes us afraid. But a person who strokes uslovingly on the arm, gives us gifts and whisperslovingly in our ear can be more dangerous thana scorpion. Such a person might even appear tobe kinder to us than Lord Buddha. He was

True love doesn’t have to come with a smile; it can come with a frown.

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8 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

LAMA YESHE’S WISDOM

incredibly kind, but he never stroked our arm,gave us gifts or whispered in our ear. The falsefriend might demonstrate such superficial loving actions, but in the end will cheat us andruin not only this life but also many lives tocome.

We often find problems between parentsand children. Most parents instinctively lovetheir children, no matter what the children do.But when the children fail or do stupid things,the parents get worried. Sometimes their emotions and frustration manifest unskillfullyas anger and aggression and the children thinkthat their parents really hate them. They don’tsee the deep love behind the scolding. This isjust another example where what’s on the surface belies what’s underneath.

… The extreme mind is a big problem. LordBuddha had two brothers. One of them had unbelievable lust. He was always running afterwomen. He was totally impossible. He was sooverwhelmed with lustful hallucinations thatthere was no way that Lord Buddha could givehim teachings. For example, say I’m in a night-club with twenty girls, dancing and drinking,and you come up to me, “Hey, let me tell yousome Dharma.” I’m going to go berserk. Even ifLord Buddha himself wanted to give meteachings I’d tell him to leave me alone. It waslike that. So he had to come up with anothersolution.

One day Lord Buddha showed this brothera vision of another realm. It was a hellish environment with flames and smoke allaround, and in the middle there was a hugecauldron sitting on a big fire, bubbling with

boiling oil and surrounded by fearsome protectors. Somebody asked what the cauldronwas for and Lord Buddha’s brother heard oneof the protectors say, “Shakyamuni’s brother isup there on earth, dancing, drinking and lusting his life away, but when he dies he’sgoing to be reborn right here in this pot.” Hetotally freaked out. Suddenly he compre-hended what he’d been doing and what wasgoing to result. He was so upset that he couldn’teven eat. Then with his great skill, Lord Buddha manifested a vision of a beautiful,peaceful environment that was in completeequilibrium. No extreme suffering; no extremehappiness. That made his brother’s mind verytranquil and even, and at that moment, LordBuddha gave him teachings. As a result, he realized the emptiness of his own mind, released his ego and became an arhat.

Therefore, to practice the yoga method,you need a firm foundation of equanimity sothat you can control your mind and set in theone direction. I can’t stress enough how necessarythis is. But if you can develop equanimity, youwill find that state of mind itself extremely blissful. The dualistic mind is a mind of extremes– uneven and unbalanced. It’s a painful mind.It’s the psychological equivalent of being constantly poked by a nail. The extreme mind isa complete hindrance to your developing thepeaceful, blissful mind of equanimity.

Lama Yeshe gave this teaching on the four immeasurablesduring a commentary on a tantric sadhana at ManjushriInstitute, England, in 1977. Edited from the Lama YesheWisdom Archive by Nicholas Ribush. Further edited herefor space.

Page 9: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 9

FPMT’S NEW ESSENTIAL LAM-RIM PROGRAM

A complete experiential commentary by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on

Atisha’s Light of the Pathover the next 5 years hosted by Kadampa Center, USA. The first teaching will be held

September 8-22, 2009

Gelong Thubten Gyatso will provide follow-up sessions during the course, with time for discussion and guided meditations.

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.The event will be available via webcast and as a facilitated online program starting in 2010.

Registration opens in March.

www.fpmt.org/education/lop

Page 10: Mandala eZine August 2009

10 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

ADVICE FROM THE VIRTUOUS FRIEND

The Four Powers for Collecting

EXTENSIVE MERIT

Basically, in our daily life, we should use every single action – eating, walking,

sitting, sleeping, doing our jobs – as much as possible; not only Dharma actions

such as meditation and prayers, which are the most profitable and which have the most

benefit, but even our normal daily life activities. There are four ways of collecting

extensive merit and one is by the power of the mind, the motivation of bodhichitta.

Whatever activities you do with a bodhichitta motivation collect limitless skies of merit.

Photo courtesy of Violette

By Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Page 11: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 11

The next one is the power of the object. TheGuru is the highest object of merit. If you makeofferings to numberless Buddha, numberlessDharma, numberless Sangha and to number-less statues, stupas and scriptures in the tendirections – not only in this one universe, butin numberless universes – you create the highest,most extensive merit. Having made offerings tothem is itself unbelievable, but compared tomaking offerings to the Guru, having madeofferings to numberless Buddha, Dharma andSangha of the ten directions and numberlessstatues, stupas and scriptures becomes small.

Therefore, even when you have a tea party,if you visualize that all those people are theGuru, you collect the most extensive merit.Not only with your altar and your holy objects,but even when you make charity to a beggar –a rich person or a beggar – if you think thatperson is the Guru, you collect the mostextensive merit. Or after you have madecharity to that sentient being, think, “This isthe best offering to Guru, Buddha, Dharma,and Sangha” because what the buddhas andbodhisattvas cherish most is this sentient beingwho is suffering from poverty or who hasproblems. Therefore, if you help this person,it is the best offering to numberless buddhasand bodhisattvas. Similarly, if you help thechild that is loved by the mother, her belovedchild, if you say a few words about how thechild is wise or beautiful, it makes the motherso happy, because this is what she cherishesmost. Like that, the best offering to numberlessbuddhas and bodhisattvas is helping sentient

beings. Then whatever you are giving, thinkthat it is also an offering to the Guru, Buddha,Dharma, Sangha.

The next power is the power of phenomena.Between giving material things and givingDharma, giving Dharma collects the mostextensive merit. My memory is not so good,but if you give one verse of teachings to onesentient being, you collect extensive merit.Compared to offering three thousandgalaxies filled with jewels, silver, gold anddiamonds to all the buddhas, giving oneverse of teaching to one sentient beingcollects far greater merit.

The King of Concentration Sutra elaboratesthe unbelievable benefits of teaching theDharma. This is for one sentient being. Now,if you teach two sentient beings, there is moremerit. If you teach three sentient beings,there is unbelievable merit. I don’t know howto express it, what words to use, but it’smentioned in that sutra that teaching Dharmais the most amazing way of collecting merit.

The last one is the power of the practitioner.A person living in the lay vows collects fargreater merit. If you live in the five lay vows,the merit increases hundreds, thousands, tensof thousands of times. And if you live in theeight lay vows, it’s much more. If you are livingin the thirty-six vows of ordination, every singlemerit you collect is unbelievable. Then ofcourse there is no question if you are living inthe 250 vows; every single merit you collect isincreased. It’s unbelievable! Living in thebodhisattva vows increases merit millions of

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12 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

ADVICE FROM THE VIRTUOUS FRIEND

times, and if you’re living in the tantric vows,it’s much more. Like that, if the practitioner isliving in vows, the merit increases. It’s unbe-lievable! That is how to collect extensive merit.

So it has to become a very important issuein your life. A successful life – temporary happiness and of course no question about theultimate happiness of liberation from samsaraand enlightenment – it all has to do withmerit. Whether it’s the success of the organization or the center, to solve economicproblems, it is the same. We need not only tocollect merit, but to collect it in an extensiveway. You have to know that.

Therefore, in our daily lives, whatever wedo becomes the means of collecting the most

extensive merit. This way, you achieve enlightenment. You are able to develop themind in the path to enlightenment quickerand most quickly, as well as being able to benefit other sentient beings, serving the Buddhadharma and so forth. Then also without much effort, the success of this life justcomes by the way, even without being attachedto that. That is the power of Dharma. You letgo of attachment, and then happiness justcomes.

Teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche April 28, 2009 duringthe CPMT 2009 meeting at Institut Vajra Yogini inMarzens, France. Transcribed by Ven. Joan Nicell andedited further by Ven. Gyalten Mindrol for inclusion inMandala ezine.

FPMT Education ServicesProviding Programs and Pract ice Materials For All

Buddhism in a Nutshell is an overview of the complete Buddhist path to enlightenment that combines the blessings and transformational teachings of Tibetan masters Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the common sense perspective of Western teacher Venerable Amy Miller. Simple meditation techniques help bring each topic “from the head into the heart”. Topics covered include the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, and a commentary on the steps of the path to enlightenment following The Foundation of All Good Qualities, a prayer requesting blessings written by the Tibetan saint, Lama Tsongkhapa.

210 pages and 11 hours of audio teachings and guided meditations on MP3.

Available from the Foundation Store:www.fpmt.org/shop

NEW from FPMT Education Services!

Page 13: Mandala eZine August 2009

Photo

: Pier

o Siri

ani

www.fpmt.org/shopFoundation for the Preservationof the Mahayana Tradition

The Foundation Store

Buddhist study materials

books

meditation supplies

ritual objects

educational programs

All proceeds are used to further

the charitable mission of

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT Inc.

May2009FPMTMandalaAd.indd 1 5/25/09 4:01:28 PM

Photo

: Pier

o Siri

ani

www.fpmt.org/shopFoundation for the Preservationof the Mahayana Tradition

The Foundation Store

Buddhist study materials

books

meditation supplies

ritual objects

educational programs

All proceeds are used to further

the charitable mission of

Lama Zopa Rinpoche and FPMT Inc.

May2009FPMTMandalaAd.indd 1 5/25/09 4:01:28 PM

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14 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Osel Ling Retreat Center, 1982 during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’sfirst visit to Spain: Ven. Wangchen, Lama Yeshe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

Geshe Losang Tsulrim, Ven. Basili Llorca

FPMT HISTORY CAPTURED

Ven. Connie Miller hand-drew what would become the FPMT logo in1975 at Kopan Monastery, under the direction of Lama Yeshe.

A s most of you know, Mandala has been telling the story of FPMT over the

last two print issues and we’ll continue on until the January-March 2010

issue. In our research, we’ve found dozens of incredible photos and documents that

help illustrate who we are and where we have come from. Here, we feature a few

priceless items from the archive that haven’t made it into the print publication.

Page 15: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 15

Kopan Monastery, 1977

Business card of FPMT’s Founder,Lama Thubten Yeshe (1935-1984).

Page 16: Mandala eZine August 2009

16 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVE

The precursor to FPMT eNews and postcursor to Wisdom Magazine, a monthly handmade “zine” called CentralOffice News, featured updates, events and teachings from FPMT centers around the world.

Central Office News ran for roughly two years. The next formal organizational communications piece, a sixteen pagenewspaper called Blissful Rays of the Mandala, debuted in 1987 and quickly became known as simply,Mandala.

Page 17: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 17

For over 30 years we have engaged in study, practice and service around the world, supporting your practice of Buddhism and laying the foundation for future generations of Buddhist practitioners like you.

If your life has been touched through the service and practice offered by our community of monks and nuns, then we offer you the opportunity to support the teachings, the monasteries and the monastics.

www.imisangha.org

399 Webster Street San Francisco CA 94117 [email protected]

Our practice of Buddhismdepends on you!We serve your practice of Buddhism!

Bodhgaya, 1982, Lama Yeshe with Ven. Gary Beesley and Ven. Thubten Wongmo

Page 18: Mandala eZine August 2009

18 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

FROM THE ARCHIVE

In 1976, Peter Kedge, who was then serving as attendant to Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, worked withLama Yeshe to write “Guidelines for World Centre Development.” Attached here is a scan of the first paragraph oforiginal document, complete with timeless advice from Lama Yeshe.

The First Dharma Celebration, 1982, Ven. John Feuille, Ven. Roger Kunsang, Ven. Thubten Gyatso, Ven. Stefano Piovella

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August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 19

Kopan Monastery, 1981. From left to right: Chomphel, a maintenance worker who was a classmate of Lama Yesheand left Tibet with him; Sechung, an English teacher; Lama Lhundrup; Karuna Cayton; Pam Cayton; Osel the dog,and Thubten Tsering, Office Manager.

What you write with ink, in smallblack letters, can all be lost throughthe work of a single drop of water.

But what is written in your mindis there for eternity.-HIS HOLINESS THE 6TH DALAI LAMA

Included in the back cover of the first issue of Central Office News, October-November 1984.

Page 20: Mandala eZine August 2009

F E A T U R E D M E D I A

FEATURED AUDIO:“Your Bank Account is Empty(of True Existence)”By Geshe Konchog KyabExcerpted from the third part of GesheKonchog Kyab’s recent lecture series,“Buddhist Economics 101,” entitled“Your Bank Account is Empty (of TrueExistence).” Geshe-la teaches a very fullschedule at Tubten Kunga Center inFlorida, USA. This and other lecturesfrom Geshe-la and other guest teachersare offered for free at TKC Audio.

MEDIA PAGE

FEATURED VIDEO:Unmistaken Child Trailer and ClipsDirected by Nati BaratzTrailer and clips courtesy of OscilloscopeLaboratories. Released in theaters inseveral cities across the United States,Unmistaken Child gives a rare, intimateaccount of Tibet’s tulku system andchronicles the four-year search for thereincarnation of Geshe Lama Konchogby his disciple, Ven. Tenzin Zopa.Available on DVD in Fall 2009.

20 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

Page 21: Mandala eZine August 2009

ORD

ER W

ORL

DW

IDE USA

Individual ordersSnow Lion

+1 (800) 950 0313www.snowlionpub.com

Individual orders, stores & Dharma centers

FPMT+1 (866) 482 5889

www.fpmt.org/shop

AUSTRALIAMandala Books

+61 (07) 3632 8380www.mandalabooks.com.au

ENGLANDWisdom Books

+44 (020) 8553 5020www.wisdom-books.com

FRANCEBoutique Vajra Yogini

+33 (05) 63 41 34 [email protected]

GERMANYAryatara Institut

+49 (089) 2781 [email protected]

HONG KONGCham-Tse-Ling+852 2770 7239

[email protected]

ITALYChiara Luce Edizioni

+39 (050) 68 56 90www.chiaraluce.it

NETHERLANDSMaitreya Instituut Emst

+31 (0578) 66 14 50www.boeddhaboeken.nl

NEW ZEALANDChandrakirti Meditation Centre

+64 (03) 543 [email protected]

SPAINEdiciones Dharma+34 (96) 560 3200

www.edicionesdharma.com

FPMT’s Liberation Prison Project supports the Buddhist practice of people in prison in the USA, Australia,

Mexico, Spain, Mongolia, Italy and around the world.

Now in its twelfth year, this small elegant wall calendar features Buddhist images and

inspirational sayings and the Tibetan lunar calendar for the Year of the Iron Tiger 2137.

Includesinformation

about more than

30 kinds ofastrologically

good andbad days that

relate to variousactivities and

events

• Buddha days• Meditating• Reciting prayers• Hanging prayer fl ags• Fire pujas• Medicine Buddha practice

• Tara practice• Eclipses, full and

new moons• Weddings and funerals• Medical procedures• Building new houses; etc.

astrologically

bad daysrelate to various

activities and

6½” x 6½”US$10

Liberation Prison Project’s

Tibetan Calendar 2010

Page 22: Mandala eZine August 2009

22 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

COMMUNITY FORUM

Mandala is committed to telling the story

of FPMT from its humble beginnings in

India and Nepal to the proliferation of

centers and initiatives around the world.

Through uncovering where we’ve come

from, we aim to show more clearly where

we are now and where we are headed in

the future.

Historian Gecko by Emma Bramma-Smith

HOW DO YOU ARCHIVE YOUR OWN HISTORY AND GROWTH? WHATBENEFITS DO YOU EXPERIENCE FROM CONTEMPLATING YOUR OWNSPIRITUAL EVOLUTION?

Please send your responses to [email protected]

Responses will be printed in the December issue of Mandala eZine.

RESPONSES TO LAST ISSUE’S DISCUSSION TOPIC

(How do you recognize the hidden jewels in your life and what makes them so precious?)Answered by GuyWheeler, Tucson, AZ

My parents have supported me and my family on our spiritual path, despite their differingbeliefs. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to follow my path with such ease and stability.They’ve never criticized me for my spiritual path nor disparaged Buddhism, and they’ve activelyhelped me to accomplish my goals. This kind of unconditional love and non-judgmental desireto assist others in their endeavors demonstrates the bodhisattva vows that I strive to emulate.

D I S C U S S I O N T O P I C

Page 23: Mandala eZine August 2009

August 2009 MANDALA EZINE 23

P H O T O B U L L E T I N B O A R D

Send us a photo of you or a group with an issue of Mandala and we’ll post it on

our bulletin board in the next eZine. This is an excellent opportunity for us to

visualize the amazing international community of teachers, students and friends

that make up the FPMT family.

To see more of the FPMT family reading their Mandalas, visit our Facebook page.

Send your photos to [email protected]

Geshe Tashi Tsering, resident geshe of Jamyang Buddhist Center, London

Page 24: Mandala eZine August 2009

24 MANDALA EZINE August 2009

COMMUNITY FORUM

Top Left: Ven. Carolyn Lawler, TaraInstitute, Australia

Top Right: Ven. Tonden, Mexico

Chag-Tong Chen-Tong Center,Australia

Orion and Elaine, VajrapaniInstitute, California, USA