receive our newsletters
join Friends of FPMT
Tenzin Ösel Hita Torres
About Tenzin Ösel Hita Torres
Tenzin Ösel Hita Torres is the recognized incarnation of FPMT’s founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe. He is a 21st-century radical freethinker, humanitarian, documentary filmmaker, musician, father, friend, life-long student, and former Buddhist monk. Early in his life he was known as “Lama Ösel Rinpoche”, today he prefers to be called simply “Ösel.”
Ösel was born in 1985 in the village of Bubión at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, southeast of Granada, in southern Spain, to students of Lama Yeshe – Paco Hita and Maria Torres.
In 1986, when Ösel was just over one year old, His Holiness the Dalai Lama confirmed Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s observations that the son of Lama Yeshe’s students, María Torres and Francisco Hita, was the unmistaken reincarnation of FPMT’s founder, Lama Yeshe. Ösel was enthroned in March 1987 at Tushita Retreat Center in Dharamsala, India.
In 1991, when he was six years old, he began life at Sera Je Monastic University in South India, where he lived and studied until he was 18. Ösel then decided to leave monastic life to explore modern ways of life and thinking.
Young Tenzin Osel Hita Torres with Lama Zopa Rinpoche (left) and Geshe Sopa (right) in 1986, during the consecration of Lama Yeshe’s stupa at Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
Public Talks, Blogs & Other Media
Ösel has his own website, One Big Love, where you can find his blog, as well as an archive of video teachings, and other news. You can also view some of Ösel’s public talks and other media below.
Public Talks
You can find videos of a number of public talks from Ösel below.
Tenzin Ösel Hita with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Bodh Gaya, India, January 2017. Photo by Ven. Losang Sherab.
Blogs, Website & Photos
Ösel has a website, One Big Love, which has news about his current work, videos and an inspiring blog exploring many topics.
You can explore a FPMT photo archive of Ösel, and visit the One Big Love site for newest photos.
Being Your True Nature Documentary
In 2011, Ösel co-directed, with Matteo Passigato, the short film, Being Your True Nature, which introduces Universal Education, a vision of Lama Yeshe that enables people of all ages, cultures and traditions to lead a happy and meaningful life and be of service to others. The film was produced by the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom.
Young Osel with Geshe Gendun Choephel (left) and Lama Zopa Rinpoche (right) at Sera Je Monastery.
Biographies
- BBC News, “Ösel Hita: The Reluctant Lama.”
- Reincarnation: The Boy Lama, by Vicki Mackenzie
- Reborn in the West, by Vicki Mackenzie
- Forthcoming documentary, OSEL, by French award-winning filmmaker Anouk Burel
- Man’s Work, from Telegraph Magazine, London, England
- 1987 TV3 issued a documentary entitled Osel: the petit Lama
- 2010 RTVE issued a documentary entitled Osel, Granada Lama
- Ösel in Mandala Publications – archived articles