Lama Zopa Rinpoche full length teachings

Lama Zopa Rinpoche begins this teaching, recorded on July 31, 2021, at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, by referencing this quote by Thogme Sango in Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva: All sufferings come from desiring happiness for oneself. Full enlightenment comes from the thought of benefitting others. Therefore, exchanging one’s own happiness for the suffering of others Is the practice of bodhis...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche begins this teaching, recorded on July 30, 2021, at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, explaining that while he’s offering this teaching specifically to the Sangha at this time—to encourage them to keep their vows as those intent on the virtue that is nirvana—anyone is welcome to listen and benefit from the advice. The total cessation of obscurations, is nirvana, ultimate happiness. It i...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche begins this teaching, recorded on July 25, 2021, at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, by reminding us that the perfect human rebirth doesn’t last long. This body is like a machine—breathing in and out—and can stop at any time. Why does the body keep working? Karma. How long the breath lasts is also due to karma. It can stop at any time, we have to remember this. Some students have even...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche begins this teaching, recorded on July 22, 2021, at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, by reminding us of the motivation he established last session, particularly for the Sangha. He emphasized requesting the guru for blessings to be able to generate a strong wish to be liberated from samsara, quoting verse 87 of Lama Chopa. Rinpoche adds that for this teaching’s motivation, we can look t...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche begins this teaching, recorded on July 20, 2021 at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, discussing two important and powerful holy objects. First, Rinpoche discussed the three-story Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) statue being built in Maratika, Nepal, to pacify war, famine, and disease—and, of course, for all the six-realm sentient beings, who have been suffering from beginningless rebirths...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains that the purpose of visualizing the mandala is to attain those paths within one’s own heart. To collect the most extensive merit for this practice, Lama Tsongkhapa advised to do the visualizations clearly and visualize as many as possible. Rinpoche describes how to start the day with a bodhicitta motivation and a meditation on impermanence-death. We should think how won...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche describes the motivation, visualizations, and dedications for making our offerings expansive. With a bodhicitta motivation, we should visualize that we are offering all the offerings in all FPMT centers on behalf of all sentient beings to the ten-direction Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, thinking that their essence is the root virtuous friend. Rinpoche goes into detail about incense...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche talks about the Arya Sanghata Sutra. He says it is an incredible source of collecting merit. The minute you hear this Arya Sanghata Sutra, it completely purifies all the five uninterrupted negative karmas. It’s like an atomic bomb to purify negative karma. Rinpoche says that to build the Maitreya Buddha statue as quickly as possible, many sangha and students have been reciting t...

In recapping the benefits of stupas and the mantras to fill them, Rinpoche advises not to put all kinds of things inside the stupa, such as incomplete Dharma texts or wrong-view texts. He says that we need to be careful because what you put inside a stupa affects the monastery, nunnery, center, or family. It’s also necessary to check what kind of person made the offering. If it comes from someone...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains why Buddha manifested relics. He says that it was explained in the Golden Light Sutra that the Buddha showed a short lifespan to benefit sentient beings. The activity of passing away and leaving relics shows the skillful means of the Buddha. By prostrating, making offerings, and serving the relic, you are able to abandon the eight non-freedoms. You will also meet a virt...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reads the General Confession in the presence of two relics. He clarifies some of the points and explains how to mediate on how everything is merely labeled. Rinpoche then recites the increasing effect mantra, the mala blessing mantra, and the mantra for blessing the feet. He describes the benefits of these mantras. Next, he gives the oral transmission and a detailed commentary o...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reads some verses from Phabongkha Dechen Nyingpo’s Calling the Guru from Afar and discusses the meaning. He talks about the rarity of finding a precious human body and meeting the Dharma. In every second, you have the unmistaken choice to either create the cause to be born in hell or to achieve enlightenment. Having this incredible opportunity is only due to the kindness of the...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gives an extensive presentation on the benefits of making stupas. He says that it’s so easy to benefit other sentient beings by making holy objects, such as statues and stupas. The minute it’s completed, it becomes an object of purification. It purifies sentient beings’ negative karma and plants the seed of enlightenment because of the powerful mantras and sutras held within. Ri...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche reads the Mahamudra lineage prayer and explains the fundamental meaning of mahamudra. He says it is the unification of emptiness and dependent arising. No phenomena exist without being empty. All phenomena are sealed by emptiness; they exist by dependent arising, being merely imputed by the mind, related to the base. Rinpoche also outlines the supreme mahamudra, which is the pat...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains that the Ten Innermost Jewels of the Kadampa Geshes is mainly aimed toward Sangha and those doing a lifetime retreat. Even though most of us are unable to practice like the Kadampa geshes, reciting the Ten Innermost Jewels leaves a positive imprint so that we can practice like them in the future. Rinpoche reads the bodhicitta motivation aimed toward freeing hell beings,...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains that the Ten Innermost Jewels of the Kadampa Geshes is mainly aimed toward Sangha and those doing a lifetime retreat. Even though most of us are unable to practice like the Kadampa geshes, reciting the Ten Innermost Jewels leaves a positive imprint so that we can practice like them in the future. Rinpoche reads the bodhicitta motivation aimed toward freeing hell beings,...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes that this perfect human body is more precious than skies of wish-fulfilling gems. It enables you to achieve any happiness you want. Therefore, it’s important not to waste it. Rinpoche cites Shantideva, who said that while one is ignorant, don’t sleep. Rinpoche explains that this not only refers to sleep, but also the mind being distracted by meaningless activities, pa...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that bearing hardships while doing this retreat purifies negative karma in the same manner as when doing a nyung-nä. He mentions how bodhisattvas bear hardships for other sentient beings, even if it causes life danger. They enjoy it so much because they can see the benefit for others. Rinpoche says that he wants to speak out on behalf of all the millipedes, worms, and other...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gives the oral transmissions of the long and short Namgyalma mantras and the Twenty-one Taras’ praise. Next, Rinpoche discusses how the first realization of lamrim is to switch from thinking about the happiness of this life to thinking about future lives. This transformation is achieved by training the mind in the eight freedoms, ten richnesses, impermanence, the sufferings of t...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes that the five powerful mantras (Namgyalma, Mitukpa, Kunrig, Stainless Pinnacle, and Wish-granting Wheel) are very powerful for purification. When someone has died, if you recite these mantras while thinking of them, it protects them from the lower realms. Even if they’re already born in the lower realms, they will transcend into a higher realm. It’s also very powerful...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche describes how to do the Lama Chöpa chants based on His Holiness Song Rinpoche’s tunes from Gaden Shartse Monastery (supposed to be also from Pabongka’s lineage). He says that in the past, the chanting came from enlightened beings. It came out of their bodhicitta to benefit sentient beings, and with their realization, so it carries their blessings. Rinpoche advises that when the...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that Lama Tsongkhapa gave very clear explanations about the difficult points of sutra and tantra. He points out that this is not just his personal view but is commonly known. He cites His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma, who praised Lama Tsongkhapa’s clear explanation of the path. Lama Zopa mentions that all four traditions can lead to enlightenment if pra...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche continues his oral transmission and commentary of the Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni. He explains how the second last verse of this prayer shows how all causative phenomena are transitory and they do not exist in the way they appear. He emphasizes that they do exist, just not in the way they appear. Rinpoche says that it’s a very good meditation to continuously practice mindfulness...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche completes the oral transmission of The Heart’s Utmost Need (previously known as Heart-Spoon) by Pabongka Rinpoche. He explains that this text is particularly good when your mind is losing inspiration or becoming distracted by the activities of this life. It has the power to bring you back into the path to enlightenment. It’s also inspiring to read when you are beginning a retrea...

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that the penultimate stanza in Praise to Shakyamuni Buddha contains two important meditations: causative phenomena are transitory, and they do not exist as they appear. ‘A star, a mirage, the flame of a lamp, An illusion, a drop of dew, or a bubble, A dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud— See conditioned things as such!’ Rinpoche explains that the transitory nature of pheno...