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.

Glenn H. Mullin describes meeting Lama Yeshe in what was for Mullin a truly mystical encounter.

From September-October 1995.

Big Love, the long-anticipated authorized biography of Lama Yeshe written by Adele Hulse, provides an intimate portrait of FPMT’s founder. This excerpt is taken from the chapter chronicling the purchase of Nowrojee Kotee, renamed Tushita Retreat Centre, and now Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala, India. From Mandala, April-June 2012.

Mandala celebrate’s this Losar with a collection of intimate reflections about FPMT’s most precious founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe, who passed away 28 years ago on Losar. Much of this content was generously offered by Adele Hulse who is writing Lama Yeshe’s biography, Big Love, to be published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive soon!

From Mandala April-June 2009

“Remarkable Meetings with Lama Yeshe: Encounters with a Tibetan Mysitc” is a truly moving account of meetings with Lama Yeshe by Glenn Mullin. “The lama sat there chanting, seemingly oblivious to the danger we were in. I wanted to jump and shout an alarm, to scream out words saying that we should all leave the building before it was flattened. I tossed my eyes to the waterbowls on the altar to check how intense the quake was. To my amazement, the water was utterly still…. I looked back at Lama Yeshe. His eyes were on me, like suns blazing across a thousand universes. Well, I thought to myself, so this is what Tsong Khapa meant when he said that, on meeting with the guru, some people clutch at their breast in fear.”

From Mandala, September 1995. 

As an original student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dr. Nick Ribush, director of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, has played an integral role in the development of FPMT as we know it today.  With Nick’s personal stories and anecdotes from the early days of the organization, this video is an enlightening and entertaining look at the origins of FPMT.

In October 1988, Harvey Horrocks gave Mandala a rare glimpse into the early days of the FPMT organization and Lama Yeshe’s incredible vision and kindness.

Published in March, 2003, “The Attendant Who Pledged Her Life,” includes reflections from Jacie Keeley about the precious teachings she received through serving as Lama Yeshe’s attendant.

The April-June 2009 issue of Mandala featured a special tribute to commemorate Lama Yeshe’s life, 25 years after his passing. The article focused on reflections from the early students of FPMT as well as first hand accounts from Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche regarding the beginnings of the organization. This article is now freely available as a PDF. Please enjoy and pass along.

The long anticipated biography of Lama Yeshe, Big Love, is to published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive this year. Meanwhile, we are pleased to publish ongoing excerpts from the work in progress. This excerpt is taken from the chapter chronicling Lama Yeshe’s life after he fled Tibet in 1959 and made his way to Buxa Duar, India – a former prisoner-of-war-camp that became home for hundreds of Tibetan refugees.