Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes that the five powerful mantras (Namgyalma, Mitukpa, Kunrig, Stainless Pinnacle, and Wish-granting Wheel) are very powerful for purification. When someone has died, if you recite these mantras while thinking of them, it protects them from the lower realms. Even if they’re already born in the lower realms, they will transcend into a higher realm. It’s also very powerful to recite for living people and animals.

Rinpoche advises that before death comes, we must ensure that we have a good rebirth. This is not the ultimate achievement of this life; however, if we’re unable to achieve enlightenment in this life, we need a good rebirth (either in a pure land or the perfect human rebirth) to complete the path to enlightenment.

Rinpoche highlights how all the suffering in this life is the result of self-cherishing. Conversely, all happiness and realizations of the path to enlightenment are the result of bodhicitta. Bodhicitta comes from the root, compassion. Compassion is generated by depending on the kindness of every single sentient being. Therefore, all our present, past, and future happiness—including enlightenment—is received by the kindness of every sentient being. Rinpoche encourages us to meditate on the kindness we’ve received from every hell being, preta being, hungry ghost, animal, human being, sura being, asura being, and intermediate stage being. Rinpoche concludes by stating that there’s nobody to cherish other than sentient beings. Therefore, we must free them from all suffering and its causes and lead them to enlightenment. With this motivation, we take the oral transmissions and recite the mantras.

Rinpoche bestows the oral transmissions of the Mitukpa, Kunrig, Namgyalma (short version), and Stainless Pinnacle mantras. He also bestows the Milarepa mantra, which he received from His Holiness Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche, who is the incarnation of Marpa’s son, Dharma Dode. Lama Zopa says that the Milarepa mantra is also a powerful purification for a dying person. Reciting it causes you to be born in the pure land of Milarepa, and then you receive teachings from Milarepa.

From April 10 to May 10, 2004, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave extensive teachings during the Mahamudra Retreat at Buddha House in Australia. While the retreat focused on Mahamudra, Rinpoche also taught on a wide range of Lamrim topics. This retreat marked the beginning of a series of month-long retreats in Australia. Subsequent retreats were held in 2011, 2014, and 2018, hosted by the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo.

Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at https://fpmt.org/