Dr. Renuka Singh interviews His Holiness the Dalai Lama for her book Women Reborn. In it, His Holiness discusses his greatest spiritual accomplishments and struggles, celibacy, and separating from his mother at a young age, among other topics.

From Mandala January-February 1998.

As president of the Tibetan Women’s Association, Rinchen Khadro was the inspiration and energy behind many of the social welfare projects to help the Tibetan refugee community in India. 

American nun Ven. Thubten Chodron talked to Rinchen Khadro (in October 1992) about her views about social work activities.

From Mandala November-December 1999.

FPMT News Around the World

Lama Yeshe meditating in the botanical gardens, Berkeley, California, 1974. Photo courtesy of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

It’s no surprise that meditation continues to draw the media’s attention. More and more, its positive effects on the mind and body are being documented by scientists and its techniques are being taught in clinical settings. A 2007 national survey in the United States found that “9.4 percent of respondents (representing more than 20 million people) had used meditation in the past 12 months – compared with 7.6 percent of respondents (representing more than 15 million people) in a similar survey conducted in 2002.” In fact, U.S. National Institute of Health has a dedicated webpage on meditation’s health benefits, which include helping with anxiety, pain, depression, stress, insomnia and coping with chronic illness. All signs indicate this interest will only continue to grow. The inaugural International Symposia for Contemplative Studies recently brought together more than 700 neuroscientists, educators, and contemplative scholars from around the world to share cutting-edge research on the nature and workings of the human mind. We can sincerely rejoice in the benefits that people throughout the world may experience from this increased interest in and use of meditative techniques.

But for students of Mahayana Buddhism, a meditation practice has benefits beyond improved health (which is still important). Developing the ability to calm the mind facilitates one’s ability to progress towards enlightenment, when one can be of most benefit. Fortunately, FPMT offers many resources online to support the development of this kind of meditation practice. Discovering Buddhism’s Module 2 “How to Meditate” is available free of charge on the Online Learning Center as well as instruction on shiné or calm abiding meditation. In addition, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive offers many teachings from Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and other qualified teachers on meditation. These resources are freely available to you to deepen your Mahayana meditation practice and to share with others who might want to take the altruistic path of Dharma.

With 160 centers, projects, and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.

Read interviews with two amazing Colombian youths that are a part of Children’s Movement for Peace, nominated in both 1998 and 1999 for a Nobel Peace Prize. Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven. Roger Kunsang met the five teenagers chosen to represent the movement in their 1999 Nobel nomination last year in Los Angeles, where they visited local high schools and were being interviewed for a CNN documentary.

From Mandala September-October 2000

FPMT News Around the World

Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling Director Massimo Corona reports the recent uncovering of a VHS tape from a decade ago, featuring the former CEO of FPMT Mongolia Ueli Minder and Thubten Gyatso (Dr. Adrian Feldmann). The rough but fascinating video documents some of FPMT’s early contributions to the restoration of Buddhism in Mongolia. The 13-minute video, now available on FPMT Mongolia’s YouTube channel, includes footage of the renovation of a historic monastery located near Ulaanbaatar where Drolma Ling Nunnery, the first residential Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in Mongolia, was established. Also making a brief appearance in the video is Ven. Bakula Rinpoche, who greatly contributed to the return of Buddhism in Mongolia.

The history of Buddhism in Mongolia is rich, going back to the third century B.C.E. But with the rise of communism in the 1920s and Mongolia’s close alignment with the Soviet Union, Mongolian Buddhists suffered heavy oppression, witnessing the extensive destruction of monasteries and temples and the purging of an extraordinary number of monks and lamas in the late 1930s. The relighting of the lamp of Buddhism in Mongolia signifies the strength and determination of Mongolians to reclaim this nearly lost aspect of their cultural heritage.

Be sure to check out more of Mandala’s recent coverage of Mongolia.

With 160 centers, projects, and services around the globe, there is always news on FPMT activities, teachers and events. Mandala hopes to share as many of these timely stories as possible. If you have news you would like to share, please let us know.

From December 31, 2011 to January 10, 2012, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave teachings and the Kalachakra initiation to over 300,000 people in Bodhgaya, India. High lamas, Sangha and students traveled from around the world to attend this event, which empowers them to practice the yoga of Kalachakra tantra. Mandala received five distinct reports from students on and around the teaching grounds in Bodhgaya. Their stories cover the initiation itself, the environmental impact of such a large gathering, plus some of the charitable work happening around the event and at ongoing projects in Bodhgaya. In addition, we have compiled a photo gallery illustrating moments during this special time as seen though many different sets of eyes. From Mandala April-June 2012. 

Many Buddhists are heavily involved in social action. Mandala asked LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE why this is so, when other students devote prayers and practice, sometimes through lengthy retreats, to the solitary task of alleviating suffering. In his response, Rinpoche redefines social action. From Mandala December 2001. 

Jon Landaw discusses the parallels between Eastern mysticism and the modern science of nuclear physics. From his “The Passing Scene” column, Mandala March-April 2000. 

“Altruism is the attitude that regards the happiness and well-being of another as even more important than one’s own well-being. It’s an attitude of a very brave person, someone who is willing to give up their own happiness for the happiness of another. A co-dependent is not like that.” From Mandala August 2006, “Altruism Versus Co-dependency,” by Tubten Pende.

Money is a dirty word to some Buddhists. But money from its own side can’t be bad, it is how we use it and the motivation we have for obtaining it that determines the benefit. In What is Socially Responsible Investing, Adrian Dec discusses financial investing as a method for strengthening one’s ethical or moral commitments.