Lama Zopa Rinpoche full length teachings

Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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  • BUDDHISM
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This podcast brings to you the teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in full length. Our current focus for new episodes lies on older teachings by Rinpoche that have not been published in video yet as well as major retreats that Rinpoche had led over the years. These episodes are mostly unedited in terms of content but often improved in terms of sound quality. See their video counterparts on our RAN page at fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

  1. 05 Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Benefiting Sentient Beings Through Various FPMT Projects 6-Sept-2004

    23H AGO

    05 Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Benefiting Sentient Beings Through Various FPMT Projects 6-Sept-2004

    This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004. 00:00:36 Rinpoche emphasizes the urgent need to receive funding to complete the Maitreya Project statue and benefit sentient beings. 00:02:24 Rinpoche discusses the importance of supporting Sangha in various monasteries around the world by providing facilities, education, and food. 00:03:19 Building holy objects in different parts of the world is as an easy way to help sentient beings purify negative karma, collect merit, and achieve realizations on the path to enlightenment. 00:04:04 Rinpoche expresses the wish to establish more beneficial hospitals and social services for the elderly, similar to successful projects already underway in Australia. 00:07:01 The importance of Universal Education is discussed, especially in countries with a lot of violence. Rinpoche praises an existing project in India that has been very beneficial in developing students' minds. 00:10:38 Urgent social service needs in Mongolia are highlighted, such as providing food and shelter for the homeless. Establishing good monastic education with qualified teachers is also a priority to help revive Buddhism in Mongolia. 00:15:37 In conclusion, Rinpoche emphasizes that the real aim is to bring temporary and ultimate happiness to all sentient beings. He encourages everyone to pray and dedicate their practice for the success of these vast projects to illuminate the minds of all beings. Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/

    18 min
  2. 04 The Importance of Guru Devotion for Realizations 6-Sept-2004

    MAR 20

    04 The Importance of Guru Devotion for Realizations 6-Sept-2004

    This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004. 00:00:54 Lama Zopa Rinpoche introduces Calling the Guru from Afar, a profound text by Phabongka Rinpoche that contains lamrim and tantric path. 00:02:53 Without a guru, one cannot achieve realizations and enlightenment, even if one knows many texts by heart. Devotion to the guru is the cause of receiving blessings and attaining realizations. 00:11:51 When devotion is lost, it becomes difficult to benefit the mind and have realizations, even from hearing Lamrim teachings. Devotion needs to be stable and established by reasoning. 00:19:09 The objective of one's life is not just happiness for oneself, but to achieve enlightenment in order to enlighten all sentient beings. This is the greatest profit and success. 00:27:46 Lama Zopa explains the yoga of eating - making offerings with each bite of food and meditating that oneself and the food are empty. This becomes a means of collecting extensive merit. 00:40:57 In reality, despite the diversity of phenomena, everything is empty. Things function while being empty. Our basic meditation should be on emptiness. Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/

    40 min
  3. 03 Why Tantra is a Quick Path to Enlightenment 5-Sept-2004

    MAR 13

    03 Why Tantra is a Quick Path to Enlightenment 5-Sept-2004

    This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004. 00:01:57 It is extremely important to practice Guru Yoga, which involves developing compassion, power, and wisdom. This enables one to do perfect work for all sentient beings. 00:27:23 By doing Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga practice, one establishes the root of all goodness and collections of merit in this and future lives up to enlightenment. It makes one's listening, reflecting and meditation practice very effective. 00:48:45 The Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga practice helps one retreat from negative actions of body, speech, and mind. Keeping the mind in renunciation, bodhicitta, and right view also helps retreat from negativities. 01:05:05 In Tantra, one practices the path that harmonizes with the four purified results - purified place, body, enjoyments, and deeds. By visualizing these now, one collects unimaginable merit and quickly progresses on the path. 01:28:28 In Tantra, one's mind simultaneously focuses on the deity's holy body (method) while understanding its emptiness (wisdom). This unified practice of method and wisdom is extremely powerful for quickly achieving enlightenment. 01:42:33 The four classes of Tantra - Kriya, Charya, Yoga and Anuttarayoga, were taught by the Buddha to utilize attachment in the path to enlightenment according to the practitioner's capacity. The highest class, Anuttarayoga, enables achieving enlightenment most quickly. Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/

    1h 41m
  4. 02 How to Generate the Awakening Mind 3-Sept-2004

    MAR 6

    02 How to Generate the Awakening Mind 3-Sept-2004

    This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004. 00:00:00 Rinpoche leads the motivation and protector prayers. 00:26:00 Rinpoche gives a commentary on a quote from Lama Tsongkhapa about giving up the essenceless activities, like casting the husk, and practicing Dharma. 00:51:00 Rinpoche explains the meaning dag nyen - all sentient beings being one's kin. 00:57:35 From beginningless rebirths, every sentient being has cherished us more than themselves, especially when being our mother, suffering numberless times for our well-being, happiness, and even our education, creating so much negative karma due to not having Dharma wisdom. Even those who abuse us in this life have done this numberless times, and they continuously suffer in the lower realms without even one second of freedom from samsaric suffering, so we must generate compassion and loving kindness towards them. 01:36:15 All the Buddhas and bodhisattvas whom I pray to, follow, who inspire me, all the rest of the Mahayana path realizations come from suffering sentient beings. 01:50:50 Rinpoche leads the analytical meditation on taking responsibility to free suffering sentient beings and generating bodhicitta. 01:54:10 Rinpoche explains the importance of Highest Yoga Tantra in achieving enlightenment. 02:19:50 According to Lama Tsongkhapa tradition, integrating Chakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja and Yamantaka makes it possible to achieve enlightenment quicker. Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/

    1h 58m
  5. 01 The Best Solution for World Peace is Practicing Dharma 3-Sept-2004

    FEB 27

    01 The Best Solution for World Peace is Practicing Dharma 3-Sept-2004

    This teaching was given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lama Tsonkhapa Institute in Italy as part of the Ganden Lha Gyama retreat between September 3-30, 2004. 00:04:23 Lama Zopa Rinpoche thanks the organization and Lama Tsongkhapa Institute for providing the facilities and course. 00:08:46 To achieve enlightenment, we need to engage in both study and retreat. Dromtonpa explained, “While I am listening, I am reflecting. While I am reflecting, I meditate.” Listening, reflecting, and meditating should be practiced without separation. 00:16:15 Without learning and explanation, there is nothing to meditate on, except delusions. The more we practice, the more powerful our actions become to benefit others. 00:22:48 Even with intellectual understanding we can benefit so much, but especially if we have realizations, we are able to offer very deep benefit to others. 00:24:54 The meaning of "transmigratory beings": all those sentient beings who are transmigrating to one of the six realms under the control of karma and delusion. 00:42:43 If it was only up to the compassion and power of the Buddhas, there would not be a single suffering sentient being left. Sentient beings need to make effort from their side to change their karma. 00:59:14 The best way to benefit sentient beings is by learning and practicing Dharma - stopping non-virtuous actions and engaging in virtuous ones. This enables us to give others the ultimate benefit. 01:01:45 Even just by educating others in the Four Noble Truths, we can offer incredible benefit and lead them to ultimate happiness. This is the best solution and our contribution to world peace. Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/

    51 min

  6. FEB 23

    Whatever Happens in Your Life, Be Happy - Teaching #132

    Lama Zopa Rinpoche continued his video teachings on thought  transformation from Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore in August.  Here is a summary Thought Transformation video #132, offered on August  14, 2022: Make your suffering into the best happiness, Rinpoche urges us. All of  the pain we face in life came from our mind—our self-cherishing thought  with attachment, anger, and ignorance harmed others and now we  experience the evolution of that. We can use our pain as a cause to  achieve enlightenment, not only for ourselves like taking drugs for our  benefit alone, but for all sentient beings. This is so important to  write down and remember every day. When something undesirable  happens, remember this. Whether physical or mental pain—we can make  it into the best happiness by enjoying it. Every single suffering of all  sentient beings we take onto the path of enlightenment. This makes life so  happy. Whenever we see a suffering sentient being we can do this, we can  practice tonglen, by sincerely taking on other sentient beings’  suffering and giving our happiness to them in return. Each time we do  tonglen, we collect more merit than the sky and become closer and closer to enlightenment, and more and more distant from samsara.  The goal is to experience the suffering of sentient beings so that they  become enlightened, free from samsara. While there is pain, death,  relationship problems, etc., we experience it for all sentient beings,  for them to be free from suffering and achieve enlightenment.

    2h 55m

  7. FEB 23

    14 Transcending Materialism and Ego 01-May-2003

    The purpose of our life is not just to accumulate wealth or power. These pursuits alone cannot bring true satisfaction or happiness. In fact, the more we chase after material wealth without a good heart, the more we experience inner misery and dissatisfaction. Power, without the intention to benefit others, can be dangerous and lead to harm for oneself and others. Fame and reputation also do not fulfil the purpose of human life. Despite achieving fame, many individuals experience unhappiness and even resort to suicide. This shows that fame alone does not bring inner peace and happiness. The lack of spiritual practice and inner development can leave our hearts empty and unfulfilled, leading to a sad and empty life. Even if one possesses extensive knowledge of Buddhist scriptures and commentaries, it is meaningless without a genuine intention to benefit others. Education alone does not bring about inner transformation or positive change. Without practice and a compassionate heart, life remains empty, and the mind remains unchanged or even worse than before. On the other hand, someone with a good heart, even if they have limited intellectual understanding, can experience peace, happiness, and love for others. With a good heart, all external wealth, power, and education can be used to benefit sentient beings and bring them happiness. Fame and reputation can be used as a means to inspire and encourage others on the path of spiritual practice and benefit. Blocked by negative karma and defilements, one cannot experience the teachings as they are meant to be understood. Without continuous purification and a genuine connection between the teachings and one's heart, intellectual understanding alone does not lead to experiential transformation. Dedication is also essential as it safeguards the merits we have accumulated through our practice. It is important to meditate and deeply contemplate while reciting dedications, rather than merely reciting words. We should dedicate the merits to spreading the Dharma throughout the world and within our own hearts. If the mind is unhappy and depressed, it can lead to physical deterioration and a shorter life. By viewing one's own suffering as representative of the suffering of all sentient beings and voluntarily taking it upon oneself, one can cultivate the mindset of a bodhisattva. The main aim of life is to benefit sentient beings, rather than seeking personal comfort, health, praise, or reputation. This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18-May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/

    3h 13m

  8. FEB 23

    12 Embracing Guru Puja for Spiritual Progress 29-Apr-2003

    Guru Puja (Lama Chöpa) encompasses the essence of both sutra and tantra. This practice is the quickest way to achieve enlightenment. Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends studying His Holiness the Dalai Lama's commentary on Guru Puja, which provides a clear and effective explanation of this essential practice. Taking vows, specifically the bodhisattva vow and tantric vows, helps eliminate obstacles and create conducive conditions for spiritual progress. While many people recite prayers and perform various practices, it is crucial to target the root of suffering, which is the delusions and, especially, the self-cherishing thought. All practices should aim to overcome these obstacles in the mind. We should engage in meditation during prayers to prevent them from becoming mere rituals. Such meditation transforms prayers into a meaningful and transformative practice, preparing the mind for enlightenment and benefiting all sentient beings. We should also generate gratitude and awe for our precious human life and the incredible opportunities it presents for Dharma practice. The chance to practice the Dharma, particularly the lam-rim teachings, is a great fortune, especially when compared to those who lack access to such teachings and live with ignorance. Even though we may have access to extensive teachings, understanding how to integrate them into a path to enlightenment can be challenging without lam-rim guidance. Rinpoche provides commentary on "Calling the Guru from Afar," a profound guru yoga text composed by Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo. The practice combines guru yoga, guru devotion, lam-rim, and highest tantra, making it an effective and profound meditation. Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the impermanence of life and the significance of remembering the guru at the time of death. No matter how much one wishes to stay with loved ones or cling to life, there is no choice but to face death. Fear and distress can accompany the moment of death, even for those who may not believe in reincarnation or karma. This fear arises from the intuitive understanding of something terrible happening after death. In order to break free from samsara, we must learn, meditate, and make progress on the path to liberation. We need to take advantage of this precious human life and the opportunities it offers for spiritual growth. Understanding the guru in our hearts will lead to the realization of the dharmakaya, one of the three kayas (bodies) in Mahayana Buddhism. This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18 to May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/

    3h 28m
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About

This podcast brings to you the teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in full length. Our current focus for new episodes lies on older teachings by Rinpoche that have not been published in video yet as well as major retreats that Rinpoche had led over the years. These episodes are mostly unedited in terms of content but often improved in terms of sound quality. See their video counterparts on our RAN page at fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/

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