How Guru Shakyamuni Frees Sentient Beings



So, what is the way that Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, what is his way of freeing the sentient being from suffering? By revealing the absolute truth, by revealing the nature of the existence.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains how Guru Buddha Shakyamuni frees us from suffering by revealing the true nature of reality. But the Buddha cannot transplant his realizations of emptiness into our minds. It is up to each of us to apply the teachings so we may generate our own realization of emptiness. Rinpoche gave these teachings at the 14th Kopan Meditation Course at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1981. You can also follow along with the transcript on our website.


The Importance of Compassion in Daily Life



If you have compassion for others, then that gives meaning to everything, all the expenses that we do, all the hard works that we do, including studying, doing job, many hours of job—it gives meaning to everything.

Listen to a talk given by Kyabje Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche on the beneficial results of practicing compassion for others during all our actions. This talk was given during a three-day series of teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New York, in August 1999. Follow along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/talk-guru-devotion-audio-and-unedited-transcripts


Fulfilling Life’s Purpose



If we take care of others, work for their happiness, we are automatically taking care of ourselves. Trying to make others happy is the best way of loving ourselves.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Listen to this profound teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on transforming everyday actions into the cause of enlightenment. Given during a four-day course at FPMT’s Tilopa Center in Decatur, Illinois, August, 1997, these teachings detail practical methods for developing compassion and wisdom in our everyday lives. The teachings in this podcast were ultimately published as Chapter 1 in Virtue and Reality bit.ly/Fulfilling-Lifes-Purpose


Practicing the Good Heart



You have to develop perfect power, so that you can reveal to all sentient beings the appropriate methods according to their level of mind.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains why practicing the good heart is so extremely important, the basis of all action. Recognizing the workaday world reality in which most of his students live, Rinpoche shows us how to think and act so that every moment of our lives will be of maximum benefit to both ourselves and others. This excerpt is from a four-day course given at an American FPMT center, Tilopa Center, Decatur, Illinois, in August, 1997. These teachings were published by LYWA as Virtue & Reality. You can read along with the edited transcript here.


Vajrasattva Mantra and Heart Sutra



Oral transmission by Lama Zopa Rinpoche of the Vajrasattva mantra and the Heart Sutra. Excerpted from a series of teachings given in Malaysia in 1997. Listen to the rest of the series and follow along with the unedited transcript here.

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The Benefits of Bodhicitta



The benefits of bodhicitta can never be finished explaining it is said in the teachings by Buddha, like limitless sky.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave these lamrim teachings on the immeasurable benefits of bodhicitta at the 29th Kopan Meditation Course held at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, in 1996. You can also read along with the transcript by navigating to https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/benefits-bodhicitta 


The Benefits of the Enemy



“So this time maybe mention little bit about reincarnation, going back from where it started, back to the beginning of the life…” Lama Zopa Rinpoche gives these lam-rim teachings at the 29th Kopan Meditation Course held at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, in 1996. This excerpt includes teachings on patience, bodhicitta, and reincarnation, and a question and answer session. You can also read along with the transcript by navigating to http://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/benefits-enemy


The Nature of the Mind on the Path



Taking refuge, now, becomes a very serious matter or serious practice, very fundamental, like the earth is used for many things, roads, houses, to grow food, crops, plants and so forth; the earth is used for so many things, for happiness.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

These teachings on the nature of the mind and the stages of the path, including extensive teachings on refuge, were given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Twenty-Eighth Kopan Meditation Course in November, 1995. You can read along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/lecture-nine-nature-mind


The Meaning of Secret Mantra



The meaning of the word ‘mantra’ includes the whole path to enlightenment.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the use of mantra in highest yoga tantra and explains how our minds should approach the practice of the mantra of Chenrezig. These teachings were given at the Twenty-Eighth Kopan Meditation Course in November 1995. Read along with the transcript on our website here.


Buddha’s Compassion Never Gives Up



The Buddha of Compassion is the embodiment of all the buddhas’ great compassion that embraces and never lets go, never gives up on sentient beings even for one second.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

These teachings on the benefits of reciting the Compassion Buddha’s mantra were given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Twenty-Eighth Kopan Meditation Course in November, 1995. After reciting Om Mani Padme Hum, Rinpoche also reassures us that no matter how low we may go, we can trust that the Buddha’s compassion will never give up on us. You can read along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/lecture-one-compassion