Offering Thanks

Dear Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche,
I am extremely thankful and grateful for the advice and blessings that you gave to me to help me deal with the depression that I had struggled with for many years.

It is some years ago now that I received this advice from you. From what I can remember, I practiced tong-len and other methods you suggested at least once a day, formally, and whenever I needed to during the day.

Although I am not a great practitioner, with your blessings and some effort on my part, I soon experienced the results of the practice, and the length of my periods of depression shortened from months or weeks, to days, hours, and even minutes. I can’t tell you what a relief this has been.

I also experienced some surprising results. I have the memory of one time starting to become depressed and doing the practice. I was quite surprised when the depressed feeling that I was so used to cultivating was suddenly replaced with a feeling of joy. There have also been times when working through the depression, it stopped suddenly and I felt happy; but I also felt disappointed that I wasn’t able to experience more of this suffering on behalf of others. I really felt disappointed, and, in a way, wished it would come back.

Your great kindness was so fortunate for me, because it was only a few months later that I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Previously, this would have surely sent me into a depression. But it didn’t. During the past several years, with this sometimes very difficult illness, I am grateful to say that while there were times I felt discouraged and down, I was never as depressed as I had been previously.

Another thing which this practice has helped me to see is how depression comes from the self-cherishing mind. The words confused me. I didn’t understand how self-cherishing could play a role in hating myself. I came to see that what I was doing was grasping very strongly at my sense of “I,” and then giving it a negative label through which I saw the world. These insights have helped me very much. While I can’t say I have gained any realization, I continue to find these practices very helpful whenever I notice the signs of depression arising (thankfully not too often any more), and for other reasons.

Rinpoche, this is through your great kindness and your many blessings. I am very grateful. Thank you.

With much love and devotion,

Lara

Dear Lama Zopa,
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude to you, the lineage lamas and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Teachings [FPMT]. In your teachings and the teachings of this lineage, I have found the most precious jewel that is purifying my obscurations and cultivating bodhicitta in this transient and illusory life.

I first took refuge in 1991 and I have been practicing ever since. My practice has been totally pathetic at times and deeply transformative at other times. I have mainly practiced in the Nyingma tradition, and have had the good fortune to meet the most profound teachings in the tradition of Longchenpa and Dudjom. I am very close to completing the accumulations of ngön-dro.

Early on in my learning of Buddhism, I came across the writings of Langri Tangpa and Shantideva, and I hold these teachings the closest to my heart; I put my faith and trust in the teachings of these two masters more than any other. The teachings of Langri Tangpa and Shantideva are my supreme guide.

Now I have come across the FPMT mandala and Sangha here in the San Francisco Bay Area and your teachings. I feel like I have found my true home! I am so deeply inspired by the focus on bodhicitta, compassion for all sentient beings—my precious mothers in the six realms of cyclic existence. I came across The Everflowing Nectar of Bodhicitta in an FPMT practice book and have been practicing this daily. This is now my core practice. The combination of Chenrezig, the yi-dam [meditational deity] I feel closest connection with, along with Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, the ground of all wisdom and inspiration for me, is profoundly meaningful. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this sublime practice.

Indeed, deepening and widening compassion for all sentient beings in the six realms is my path. I know that the only way I can truly relieve the suffering of mother sentient beings is by actualizing buddhahood. This is the most important thing to me in life. I am finding that your teachings are providing the guidance and inspiration needed for me to realize this aspiration. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

About seven years ago, due to the increasing awareness of suffering of animals, I became vegetarian, and two years ago, vegan. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center to help injured and orphaned animals. For my work, I am fortunate to be employed as a hospice chaplain, providing spiritual and emotional support to people who are dying. I feel so fortunate to have so many ways to show compassion to others. Now I have found your teachings and the FPMT Sangha, and that supports and gives even greater meaning to these endeavors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I am inspired to write to you to express my deepest, heartfelt gratitude to you and the FPMT for transforming and supporting my practice and guiding me on this life’s journey of ever-deepening bodhicitta, onwards to buddhahood. I will never be able to repay your kindness. I pray that any karmic hindrances to the fulfillment of your highest aspirations ripen in me, and I give all the merit I have accumulated in this and every life.

Deepest blessings and auspiciousness to you,

Robert

Dearest Lama Zopa Rinpoche,
I just want to say how happy I am (and all of us here, really) to have had the karma to spend time with you. Your kindness and skill has inspired me to go back to the drawing board and totally change my life.

May I work as tirelessly as you to fulfill the wishes of every sentient being, and may you, Rinpoche, always abide in my heart. Thank you for all the understanding, teachings and purification. I have not fulfilled all my commitments to you, but I will!

Jessica