Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | FPMT |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1975 |
| Founder | Thubten Yeshe Thubten Zopa Rinpoche |
| Type | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon United States |
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President / CEO
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Ven. Roger Kunsang |
| Website | fpmt.org |
The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) is a worldwide organization that teaches Tibetan Buddhism. It was started in 1975 by two important teachers, Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. They began teaching Western students in Nepal.
The FPMT has grown a lot since then. It now includes over 138 centers, projects, and services in 34 countries. Lama Yeshe led the organization until he passed away in 1984. Lama Zopa then took over until his death in 2023. Currently, the FPMT is looking at its future structure and leadership.
Contents
Where is FPMT Located?
The main office for the FPMT is in Portland, Oregon, United States. Over the years, its central office has been in different places:
- 2000-2005: Taos, New Mexico
- 1989-2000: Soquel, California (at a center called Land of Medicine Buddha)
- 1984-1989: Pomaia, Italy (at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa)
- 1975-1984: Kathmandu, Nepal (at Kopan Monastery)
As of 2023, the FPMT has 138 locations around the world. These include 85 dharma centers, which are places for learning and practice. Some are monasteries or retreat centers that also offer public teachings. The FPMT also has "study groups" and other projects like hospices or places that print Buddhist books.
How FPMT Started
The FPMT officially began in 1975 after Lamas Yeshe and Zopa traveled around the world teaching. However, they had been teaching Western travelers even earlier, since 1965. That year, they met Zina Rachevsky, who became their student and helped them.
In 1969, the three of them started the Nepal Mahayana Gompa Centre, which is now known as Kopan Monastery. Lama Yeshe initially wanted students to study a lot before meditating. But he allowed Lama Zopa to lead the first meditation courses at Kopan in 1971. These courses became very popular.
During the early 1970s, many Westerners came to Kopan to learn. Many of these early students were young travelers exploring Asia. They found Lama Yeshe's teaching style very appealing.
Lama Yeshe was a very inspiring leader. He was able to create a large international network of centers even though he started with no money or strong language skills. This shows his great dedication and organizational skills.
Growing the FPMT Network
In December 1973, Lama Yeshe ordained fourteen Western monks and nuns. This was the start of the International Mahayana Institute. As Lama Yeshe's students returned to their home countries, they began setting up new dharma centers. This led to more and more FPMT centers opening around the world.
As the FPMT grew, it became more organized. This sometimes led to differences of opinion with local groups. Some groups decided to become independent and start their own networks. To help with this, the FPMT now has an agreement for its teachers called the "Geshe Agreement." This agreement clearly explains what the organization expects.
When Lama Yeshe passed away in 1984, Lama Zopa became the spiritual director. In 1986, a boy from Spain named Tenzin Ösel Hita was recognized as the new incarnation (or tulku) of Lama Yeshe. As he grew up, Hita chose a different path, attending university and living a more everyday life.
After Lama Zopa's death in 2023, the FPMT decided not to have one single spiritual leader. Instead, a board of directors now shares these responsibilities. They also plan to have an "advisory council of teachers" to guide them.
How FPMT is Organized
The FPMT is managed by a board of directors. The FPMT International Office carries out the board's decisions. The current President and CEO of the FPMT is Ven. Roger Kunsang, who has held this role since 2005.
As of 2023, there are 138 FPMT dharma centres, projects, services, and study groups in 34 countries. Each center or project is its own separate organization and raises its own money. Individuals do not become "members" of the FPMT directly. Instead, organizations are members, and these local organizations might offer memberships to individuals.
Each FPMT center has its own local board and staff. They also have a spiritual program coordinator and often a resident geshe (a Buddhist scholar) or teacher.
Every few years, the leaders from FPMT centers around the world meet. This meeting is called the Council for the Preservation for the Mahayana Tradition (CPMT). They share experiences and discuss important topics together.
The 14th Dalai Lama is seen as an honorary "inspiration and guide" for the FPMT.
FPMT Programs and Courses
Many students first learn about the FPMT by attending short courses and retreats at its centers. A famous example is the annual month-long meditation course at Kopan Monastery, which has been offered since 1971.
Many FPMT centers use standard courses that can also be studied online. These courses range from short introductions like "Buddhist Meditation 101" to longer programs:
- Discovering Buddhism: A two-year course with fourteen modules about the lamrim (stages of the path to enlightenment).
- Living in the Path: A course with twenty modules based on Lama Zopa's teachings.
- Exploring Buddhism: A seven-module course designed to prepare students for more advanced study.
For students who want to study more deeply, there are several advanced options:
- The FPMT Basic Program: A five-year program with nine modules.
- The FPMT Masters Program: Started in 1998, this is a seven-year traditional study program. It uses a shorter version of the Geshe curriculum and aims to train qualified FPMT teachers. These courses are mainly held at the Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Pomaia, Italy, and Nalanda Monastery (France). They are also available online.
- Maitripa College: Located in Portland, Oregon, this college was founded in 2005. It offers three-year Master of Arts (MA) in Buddhist Studies and M.Div. programs.
- Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program: Started in 1996, this program trains FPMT interpreters. It involves two years of intensive Tibetan language study in Dharamshala, followed by two years of interpreting practice.
Students who complete any of these seven programs can apply to become FPMT registered teachers.
FPMT Projects
The FPMT supports many charitable projects. These include:
- Funds to build holy objects.
- Translating Tibetan Buddhist texts.
- Supporting monks and nuns (both Tibetan and non-Tibetan).
- Providing medical care, food, and other help in poorer parts of Asia.
- Helping to bring back Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia.
- Protecting animals.
One of the most well-known FPMT projects is the Maitreya Project. This project originally planned to build a very large statue of Maitreya (the future Buddha) in India. Due to challenges with fundraising and getting land, the project has been re-planned. It now aims to build several smaller statues instead.
Another important project is the Sera Je Food Fund. Since 1991, this fund has provided three meals a day to 2600 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
Well-Known People Connected to FPMT
- Nita Ing: A Taiwanese CEO of Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR).
- Lillian Too: A Malaysian-Chinese author who has written many books on feng shui. She wrote about her experiences with Lama Zopa and the FPMT in her book The Buddha Book.
- Daja Wangchuk Meston: An American Tibet activist and author of a memoir called Comes the Peace: My Journey to Forgiveness. Meston grew up as a boy monk at Kopan Monastery.
- Jan Willis: A Professor of Religion at Wesleyan University and author of several Buddhist books, including her memoir Dreaming Me. She was one of Lama Yeshe's earliest students.
- Gareth Sparham: A British-born expert in Tibetology who has translated several Buddhist texts.
- Thubten Gyatso (Adrian Feldmann): One of the first Westerners to become a Gelug monk.
- Nick Ribush: An Australian who was ordained as a monk by Lama Yeshe. He also founded several FPMT centers and projects.
See also
- Kopan Monastery
- Tara Institute
- Maitreya Project
- Lama Yeshe
- Lama Zopa
- Osel Hita Torres
