Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
The FPMT is an organization devoted to preserving and spreading Mahayana Buddhism worldwide by creating opportunities to listen, reflect, meditate, practice and actualize the unmistaken teachings of the Buddha and based on that experience spreading the Dharma to sentient beings. We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility and service. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion. Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founders Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
Die Stiftung zur Erhaltung der Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) ist eine Organisation, die sich weltweit für die Erhaltung und Verbreitung des Mahayana-Buddhismus einsetzt, indem sie Möglichkeiten schafft, den makellosen Lehren des Buddha zuzuhören, über sie zur reflektieren und zu meditieren und auf der Grundlage dieser Erfahrung das Dharma unter den Lebewesen zu verbreiten.
Wir bieten integrierte Schulungswege an, durch denen der Geist und das Herz der Menschen in ihr höchstes Potential verwandelt werden zum Wohl der anderen – inspiriert durch eine Haltung der universellen Verantwortung und dem Wunsch zu dienen. Wir haben uns verpflichtet, harmonische Umgebungen zu schaffen und allen Wesen zu helfen, ihr volles Potenzial unendlicher Weisheit und grenzenlosen Mitgefühls zu verwirklichen.
Unsere Organisation basiert auf der buddhistischen Tradition von Lama Tsongkhapa von Tibet, so wie sie uns von unseren Gründern Lama Thubten Yeshe und Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche gelehrt wird.
La Fundación para la preservación de la tradición Mahayana (FPMT) es una organización que se dedica a preservar y difundir el budismo Mahayana en todo el mundo, creando oportunidades para escuchar, reflexionar, meditar, practicar y actualizar las enseñanzas inconfundibles de Buda y en base a esa experiencia difundir el Dharma a los seres.
Proporcionamos una educación integrada a través de la cual las mentes y los corazones de las personas se pueden transformar en su mayor potencial para el beneficio de los demás, inspirados por una actitud de responsabilidad y servicio universales. Estamos comprometidos a crear ambientes armoniosos y ayudar a todos los seres a desarrollar todo su potencial de infinita sabiduría y compasión.
Nuestra organización se basa en la tradición budista de Lama Tsongkhapa del Tíbet como nos lo enseñaron nuestros fundadores Lama Thubten Yeshe y Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
A continuación puede ver una lista de los centros y sus páginas web en su lengua preferida.
L’organisation de la FPMT a pour vocation la préservation et la diffusion du bouddhisme du mahayana dans le monde entier. Elle offre l’opportunité d’écouter, de réfléchir, de méditer, de pratiquer et de réaliser les enseignements excellents du Bouddha, pour ensuite transmettre le Dharma à tous les êtres. Nous proposons une formation intégrée grâce à laquelle le cœur et l’esprit de chacun peuvent accomplir leur potentiel le plus élevé pour le bien d’autrui, inspirés par le sens du service et une responsabilité universelle. Nous nous engageons à créer un environnement harmonieux et à aider tous les êtres à épanouir leur potentiel illimité de compassion et de sagesse. Notre organisation s’appuie sur la tradition guéloukpa de Lama Tsongkhapa du Tibet, telle qu’elle a été enseignée par nos fondateurs Lama Thoubtèn Yéshé et Lama Zopa Rinpoché.
L’FPMT è un organizzazione il cui scopo è preservare e diffondere il Buddhismo Mahayana nel mondo, creando occasioni di ascolto, riflessione, meditazione e pratica dei perfetti insegnamenti del Buddha, al fine di attualizzare e diffondere il Dharma fra tutti gli esseri senzienti.
Offriamo un’educazione integrata, che può trasformare la mente e i cuori delle persone nel loro massimo potenziale, per il beneficio di tutti gli esseri, ispirati da un’attitudine di responsabilità universale e di servizio.
Il nostro obiettivo è quello di creare contesti armoniosi e aiutare tutti gli esseri a sviluppare in modo completo le proprie potenzialità di infinita saggezza e compassione.
La nostra organizzazione si basa sulla tradizione buddhista di Lama Tsongkhapa del Tibet, così come ci è stata insegnata dai nostri fondatori Lama Thubten Yeshe e Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Di seguito potete trovare un elenco dei centri e dei loro siti nella lingua da voi prescelta.
“护持大乘法脉基金会”( 英文简称：FPMT。全名：Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) 是一个致力于护持和弘扬大乘佛法的国际佛教组织。我们提供听闻，思维，禅修，修行和实证佛陀无误教法的机会，以便让一切众生都能够享受佛法的指引和滋润。
護持大乘法脈基金會”（ 英文簡稱：FPMT。全名：Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition ）是一個致力於護持和弘揚大乘佛法的國際佛教組織。我們提供聽聞，思維，禪修，修行和實證佛陀無誤教法的機會，以便讓一切眾生都能夠享受佛法的指引和滋潤。
Realize that the nature of your mind is different from that of the flesh and bone of your physical body. Your mind is like a mirror, reflecting everything without discrimination. If you have understanding-wisdom, you can control the kind of reflection that you allow into the mirror of your mind.
The Foundation Store is FPMT’s online shop and features a vast selection of Buddhist study and practice materials written or recommended by our lineage gurus. These items include homestudy programs, prayers and practices in PDF or eBook format, materials for children, and other resources to support practitioners.
Items displayed in the shop are made available for Dharma practice and educational purposes, and never for the purpose of profiting from their sale. Please read FPMT Foundation Store Policy Regarding Dharma Items for more information.
Following the 49-day period after Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing in April 2023, FPMT Inc. board members took the opportunity while together at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, to greet the FPMT community in a video. We invite you to watch to meet each board member, learn a little about their background, and hear them express their commitment to fulfilling Rinpoche’s wishes during this new, transitional time for the organization. The video also offers a glimpse into the non-stop activities at Kopan during the 49-day period.
About Our Board Members
Below are short biographies of each member of the FPMT Inc. board of directors. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was the senior member of the FPMT Inc. board until his passing in April 2023.
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi was born in Nepal in 1962. Khen Rinpoche joined Kopan Monastery after being ordained by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1974. After 18 years of intensive study and debate in Sera Je Monastery in South India, Khen Rinpoche was awarded the title of Geshe Lharampa, the highest Tibetan Buddhist doctorate conferred in the Gelug monastic tradition.
After completing his education at Sera Je, Khen Rinpoche joined Gyudmed Tantric College for one year where he furthered his studies on tantra. Gyudmed Monastery is one of the two key monastic colleges in the Gelug tradition that specializes in the teachings of Buddhist tantra. Khen Rinpoche again excelled in his studies there and was awarded first position in his class.
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi has been the resident teacher of Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore, since 1999, and he was appointed as the Abbot of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery in Nepal in July 2011. He was appointed as a member of the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors in 2011.
Venerable Roger Kunsang
Ven. Roger Kunsang became a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan Gelug tradition in 1975 at the age of 26. He has continuously served the FPMT organization in various roles since 1974. For the first seven years of his ordination, he lived mainly in Asia where he studied and practiced Buddhism. Following this he was founder, director and resident teacher of the FPMT center, Vajrayana Institute, in Sydney, Australia for four years.
In 1986, Ven. Roger became the full-time attendant and secretary to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who was FPMT's spiritual director, and he continued to serve as Rinpoche's assistant, helping maintain the connection between the Spiritual Director and the entire FPMT organization, until Rinpoche passed away in April 2023.
Ven. Roger Kunsang has been a member of the FPMT Board of Directors since 1989. In 2005, Ven. Roger became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FPMT Inc. As CEO, his main responsibilities are to ensure that the organization achieves its mission as stated by its founders, Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Venerable Thubten Pemba
Ven. Thubten Pemba has served the FPMT organization in many capacities. Initially, in the early 1980s, Ven. Pemba served for a few years as Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s cook. He then worked in the Kopan Monastery office, was an interpreter for lamas and geshes for a few years, was with Tenzin Osel Hita for six years, and has been co-director and resident teacher at Cham Tse Ling Centre in Hong Kong for 25 years.
Ven. Pemba also served on the FPMT Inc. Board for 14 years, as well as being the Geshe Coordinator for FPMT for 18 years.
Paula de Wys
Paula de Wys was born and raised in New York City. After living in San Francisco from 1965-70, she moved to Amsterdam where she met her Dutch husband. Together they traveled to Asia, and in Nepal in 1972, she met Buddhism through her teachers, Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Later, in the Netherlands, she was one of the founders of Maitreya Instituut and various organizations working for Tibetans and the preservation of Tibetan culture. For many years she was a member of the FPMT Inc. Board of Directors, was on the board of the Buddhist Union of the Netherlands and is the chair of the foundation that organizes the visits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Netherlands. Until recently she was director of Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam, and she continues on the national board of Maitreya Instituut. Paula rejoined the board in March 2021.
Dale Davis
Based in Nepal, Dale Davis has worked extensively for women and children’s health and nutrition. She has a Masters degree in Public Health and a background in mental health, and has served through a range of international development organizations. Since meeting Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1981, Dale has continued to be a student of Buddhism. Dale joined the board in March 2021.
Karuna Cayton
John “Karuna” Cayton was born in 1954 near Los Angeles, California. In 1973 he enrolled in Evergreen State College, majoring in Eastern studies. In his third year at college Karuna attended the “Year In Nepal” undergraduate program. It was during this period, 1975, that he found his way to Kopan Monastery, attending the 8th meditation course and engaged in teaching the young monks English.
When departing a year and a half later, Lama Yeshe asked Karuna to return to Kopan and establish a Western studies curriculum for the monks. In 1978, Karuna returned to Kopan as a graduate student from Antioch University. For the next 10 years he developed and directed the Western curriculum for the Kopan monks. Along with his wife, Pam, they founded the Kathmandu center, Himalayan Yogic Institute, currently named Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center.
In 1988, Lama Zopa Rinpoche suggested Karuna return to the United States and get a degree in Clinical Psychology. This was also the same year Karuna first joined the FPMT Board of Directors where he served until 2016.
As a psychotherapist Karuna worked at Stanford University’s Children’s Health Council and Mental Research Institute until the 1999. After that he established The Karuna Group where he began to practice psychotherapy privately. During this period and up to the present day Karuna has been exploring and teaching the integration of Buddhist Psychology into modern life. One result of this work was his publishing of The Misleading Mind in 2012.
Karuna and Pam still live in Santa Cruz, California where they settled after they left Nepal in 1988. They have three adult children. Karuna rejoined the board in March 2021.
Advisors to the Board
The FPMT Inc. board invited, and very much appreciates, the help of these FPMT students who bring their professional skills to assist the board in an advisory capacity. Currently our advisors are:
Alan Marsh and David Andrews in Australia, and Dean Alper in the USA: providing legal advice.
Robyn Brentano, an Institutional Advancement Consultant: bringing her expertise and experience in organizational development, fundraising and strategic planning.
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Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi
