Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, also called Lama Zopa Rinpoche has an extensive biography of him in the book The Lawudo Lama by Jamyang Wangmo. Early in life, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe, from the same region. He took his monastic vows at Dungkar Monastery in Tibet where he travelled in 1957. Lama Zopa met Choekyi Gyaltsen, 10th Panchen Lama, in Nepal in 1986 and in Tibet. Lama Zopa is most noteworthy as the co-founder, with Lama Yeshe, of Kopan Monastery and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. In 1972 he along with Lama Yeshe founded Tushita Meditation Centre near McLeod Ganj at village Dharamkot in Himachal Pradesh. Since the 1984 death of Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa has served as the FPMT's spiritual director. FPMT is involved with a number of activities including "under Rinpoche’s guidance, FPMT plans to build two large statues of the future Buddha, Maitreya, in Bodhgaya and Kushinagar in India; The Sera Je Food Fund, which offers three vegetarian meals a day to all 2,500 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery in south India; Animal Liberation events around the world, at which creatures, big and small, are freed from immediate harm or blessed every year– the total number of animals liberated to date is over 200,000,000 and counting!" Lama Zopa Rinpoches's books are published by Wisdom Publications and Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Free transcripts of some of his teachings are available from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has requested some Tibetan lineage holders to support his Dharma work by being available to travel to teach at FPMT centers, projects and services. In 2019 one of the touring Lamas, Dagri Rinpoche, was accused of sexual harassment while on a flight from Delhi to Gaggal, followed by another accusation via a video of molestation at his residence at Namgyal Monastery in McLeod Ganj in 2008. Dagri Rinpoche was suspended as an FPMT Touring Lama. Lama Zopa Rinpoche offered spiritual advice to students of Dagri Rinpoche on how to relate to their teacher.
Lineage
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a Gelugpa lineage holder, having received teachings from many of the great Gelugpa masters. His Root Guru is HH Trijang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso since he was a young boy studying in Buxa, India. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a devoted student of the 14th Dalai Lama and has outlined that offering service to the Dalai Lama as much as possible and to be able to fulfill his wishes is the highest priority for the FPMT organization.
Published books
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has a number of books published by Wisdom Publications and Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive including the following titles:
How To Enjoy Death: Preparing to Meet Life’s Final Challenge without Fear
