Lama Zopa Rinpoche highlights the importance of practicing Guru Puja (Lama Chöpa), as it integrates many important practices. He cites Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo, who stated that the Guru Puja practice contains all the importance of the complete sutra and tantra. He also mentioned how His Holiness Song Rinpoche often praised the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition by expressing how Gyalwa Ensapa was different from Milarepa. They both achieved enlightenment in one brief lifetime during a degenerated time, but Gyalwa Ensapa did so while eating delicious food and living a comfortable life. The reason is because his heart practice was Lama Chöpa, which integrates the three deities: Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, and Chakrasamvara.

Lama Zopa says it is a very profound practice that will lead you to achieve enlightenment more quickly. Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo advised that this practice is like one key opening hundreds of doors of the Buddha’s teaching.

The main meaning of puja is pleasing the guru. It is only by doing so that you can achieve realizations and enlightenment.

Lama Zopa urges us to make this important practice heartfelt; it shouldn’t become mere words. He details the practice of generating strong bodhicitta, generating the deity, making offerings, blessing the offerings, taking vows, and dedicating the merit.

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/