This profoundly moving tribute to Lama Zopa Rinpoche was recently published on the FPMT website. It's hard to imagine any practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism not being inspired by Rinpoche's extraordinary life and example. Well worth reading.
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/obituary/
Obituary for Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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Bristollad
- Posts: 1081
- Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:39 am
Re: Obituary for Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Thank you for posting the link: it was a very appropriate read today. 
The antidote—to be free from the suffering of samsara—you need to be free from delusion and karma; you need to be free from ignorance, the root of samsara. So you need to meditate on emptiness. That is what you need. Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Re: Obituary for Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Thank you!
It's wonderful to learn more about Rinpoche's life, his tireless work, his education and last moments. It sparked curiosity in me about the people he knew along the way -- time to read more of Lama Yeshe!
His foundation's online store is a treasure trove of resources (many free), including mantras and prayers anyone can recite, with audio to learn how, and beautiful art to uplift and season the mind.
Four resources of his in particular I want to share.
1. Rinpoche's simple teachings on benefiting animals and especially reciting the Medicine Buddha's mantra for them gave me a simple, direct, repeatable path to develop faith in a non-secular form of practice. I recited the mantra for cats at a shelter I volunteered at. Seeing its effect on me and the cats, I started to wonder, "I may not understand this Mahayana and Vajrayana world, but there is something here worth exploring." I never could have imagined some years later I'd be taking worms around holy objects, praying for their freedom from samsara.
This simple faith in following instructions with a sincere heart lead me to my home later in Pure Land Buddhism. I say the Medicine Buddha mantra to this day, for animals, and my chronically sick father.
2. Rinpoche's book Cultivating Mindfulness of Bodhicitta in Daily Activities unlocked daily life for me. Through countless examples, it ignited my imagination to make ordinary daily activites part of a continuity of practice. I still use these techniques to support my Pure Land practice.
3. His book Wish Fullfilment for All Animals gave our family a Buddhist way to help our 13-year-old cat as he suffered from cancer and eventually passed away. Because of Rinpoche, we could give our cat the bliss of a fortunate rebirth.
4. Rinpoche's book "Patience" is entirely focused on Chapter 6 of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. If anger is a wound burned into the heart, this book's advice is a cooling salve.
I could go on and on. I never even met Zopa, but feel so grateful for his tireless efforts that defy the imagination. The advice/letters section on FPMT.org offers a lifetime of study and inspiration.
What an example was Rinpoche! I will thank him one day face to face in Dewachen.
It's wonderful to learn more about Rinpoche's life, his tireless work, his education and last moments. It sparked curiosity in me about the people he knew along the way -- time to read more of Lama Yeshe!
His foundation's online store is a treasure trove of resources (many free), including mantras and prayers anyone can recite, with audio to learn how, and beautiful art to uplift and season the mind.
Four resources of his in particular I want to share.
1. Rinpoche's simple teachings on benefiting animals and especially reciting the Medicine Buddha's mantra for them gave me a simple, direct, repeatable path to develop faith in a non-secular form of practice. I recited the mantra for cats at a shelter I volunteered at. Seeing its effect on me and the cats, I started to wonder, "I may not understand this Mahayana and Vajrayana world, but there is something here worth exploring." I never could have imagined some years later I'd be taking worms around holy objects, praying for their freedom from samsara.
This simple faith in following instructions with a sincere heart lead me to my home later in Pure Land Buddhism. I say the Medicine Buddha mantra to this day, for animals, and my chronically sick father.
2. Rinpoche's book Cultivating Mindfulness of Bodhicitta in Daily Activities unlocked daily life for me. Through countless examples, it ignited my imagination to make ordinary daily activites part of a continuity of practice. I still use these techniques to support my Pure Land practice.
3. His book Wish Fullfilment for All Animals gave our family a Buddhist way to help our 13-year-old cat as he suffered from cancer and eventually passed away. Because of Rinpoche, we could give our cat the bliss of a fortunate rebirth.
4. Rinpoche's book "Patience" is entirely focused on Chapter 6 of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. If anger is a wound burned into the heart, this book's advice is a cooling salve.
I could go on and on. I never even met Zopa, but feel so grateful for his tireless efforts that defy the imagination. The advice/letters section on FPMT.org offers a lifetime of study and inspiration.
What an example was Rinpoche! I will thank him one day face to face in Dewachen.
Namu Amida Butsu
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jet.urgyen
- Posts: 2624
- Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2017 12:29 am
Re: Obituary for Lama Zopa Rinpoche
this person is really great, i dropped tears reading. thinking that such persons, like him, are still around is very encouraging. such a blessing.Tilopa wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2023 12:57 am This profoundly moving tribute to Lama Zopa Rinpoche was recently published on the FPMT website. It's hard to imagine any practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism not being inspired by Rinpoche's extraordinary life and example. Well worth reading.
https://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/obituary/