Instrumental to our establishment as a Buddhist Centre is our Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the close disciple of Lama Yeshe. Lama Zopa Rinpoche took over the reins of the FPMT after Lama Yeshe’s passing in 1984.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche first came to Singapore in 1985. While in retreat in India, Rinpoche developed a very strong and sudden urge to visit Singapore. He saw how the Buddha’s teachings would greatly benefit a growing number of people here. So overwhelming was this instinct that as soon as the retreat ended, Rinpoche came immediately to Singapore and made contact with the fledgling ABC group. Through Rinpoche’s guidance, Amitabha Buddhist Centre was officially established in 1989. Our devotion to Lama Zopa Rinpoche has remained strong ever since.

Who Is Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born in 1946 in Thami near the Mount Everest region of Nepal. From the tender age of four, he was recognised to be the reincarnation of a Nyingma yogi known as the Lawudo Lama who had lived and meditated close by, in the Lawudo Cave.

While still a child, Rinpoche was brought to a monastery across the border in Tibet where by his own choice, he entered monastic life. With the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, Rinpoche followed thousands of other monks into exile in northern India. In the refugee camp of Buxa Duar, Rinpoche continued his studies together with monks from Sera Je Monastery. It was at Buxa Duar that Rinpoche met Lama Yeshe and became his student.

With Lama Yeshe as his main teacher, Rinpoche also studied the great philosophical treatises with another teacher Geshe Rabten. Rinpoche has received precious lineage teachings and initiations from many highly regarded lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche and Denma Locho Rinpoche, just to name a few.

Together with Lama Yeshe, Rinpoche began teaching Buddhism to Westerners in Nepal in 1971. The meditation centre which they originally founded and taught in, just on the outskirts of Kathmandu, soon transformed into the monastic institution now known as Kopan Monastery.

For nearly 40 years, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has travelled tirelessly around the world giving lectures and teachings, and overseeing the projects and activities of the organisation that he co-founded with Lama Yeshe, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).

Renowned and loved by thousands of students the world over for his indomitable patience and absolute compassion, Rinpoche actively lives what he preaches, showing inconceivable care and concern for every single being, literally, from the tiniest ant to a large elephant.

Visit Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s official webpage here.