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。
For senior Tibetan refugees living in exile, elderly homes are more than places of shelter – they are sanctuaries of respect, protection, and kindness in the final chapters of life. Many elders have no family backing and live with chronic … Read more »
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Superficial observation of the sense world might lead you to believe that people’s problems are different, but if you check more deeply, you will see that fundamentally, they are the same. What makes people’s problems appear unique is their different interpretation of their experiences.
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.
Taking responsibility for supporting these practitioners is extremely worthwhile because they are preserving and spreading the entire teaching of the Buddha.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund was established in the tradition of the extremely successful Sera Je Food Fund, which offered three nutritious meals daily to all the monks of Sera Je Monastery for over twenty-six years. Over this time, the food fund established an interest-bearing endowment and offered this to Sera Je Monastery. The interest from this endowment is now able to cover the cost for all the food at the Monastery indefinitely.
The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund is broader in scope and offers support to nunneries and monasteries, and individual monks and nuns around the world for food, accommodation, health care, education and practice. The fund is not limited to any one institution and able to benefit many nunneries, monasteries and Sangha in need.
Supporting monks and nuns is one of the highest priorities for the FPMT organization, because the preservation of the Buddhadharma is dependent on the existence of Sangha.
What the Fund Supports
Below are highlights of the various ways the fund offers support to education and well-being of thousands of ordained Sangha.
Offering Food
Offering Food
By offering food to the Sangha we are providing one of the most fundamental needs for life – food – and this also allows the Sangha to be able to focus on their dharma studies. Through this fund we are offering daily meals to the monks of Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang in Mongolia, Shalu Monastery in India, Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal, Zigar Thupten Shedrupling Institute, a Kagyu monastery in Darjeeling, India and Thame Monastery, Nepal.
One of the biggest achievements of this fund was for twenty six years offering all the meals daily to all the monks of Sera Je Monastery. Then to create an endowment fund that is now able to cover the annual costs of offering three nutritious meals each day for all the monks of Sera Je Monastery, for as long as the endowment remains. This offering was made possible due to so many kind donors and recently Lama Zopa Rinpoche thanked all who have made this offering possible.
The practitioner and benefactor offering food create the cause to achieve enlightenment together.
—Milarepa
Support for Nunneries and Monasteries
Support for Nunneries and Monasteries
By supporting nunneries and monasteries around the world we are offering a place where Sangha can be taken care of entirely with accommodation, food, and dharma teachers and study. Through this fund we have offered support to Sera Je Monastery in many ways over the years, Sera Lachi for improvements to the monastery; Sera Mey Monastery for funding the debate courtyard; retreat rooms for Sangha of Gyurme Tantric College; rebuilding the Rolwaling Gompa, Nepal; Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal for food, accommodation, and rebuilding of the nunnery after the earthquake, ongoing support to Kopan Monastery and Nunnery, including help rebuilding after the earthquake, support offered to Gaden Tharpa Choling Monastery, Kalimpong, India, food offered to the Sangha at Zigar Thupten Shedrupling Institute, which is a Kagyu monastery in Darjeeling, India, building and support annually for food for the Sangha at Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang, Mongolia and many, many other Monasteries and Nunneries.
Also substantial support has been offered to the International Mahayana Institute Sangha communities; such as Nalanda Monastery, Dorje Pamo Nunnery, Chenrezig Nuns Community. The support for Monasteries and Nunneries has been continual and ongoing.
Numerous grants have been given to monastic houses in Sera Je Monastery such as Bhati Khangtsen, Ngari Khangtsen, Samlo Khangtsen, Dhakpo Khangtsen, Ngari Khangtsen, Tsangpa Khangtsen, Osel Labrang, Kopan House, and many others.
Support has also been given to individual Sanghas, such as for offerings for Geshe degrees, support offered for the education of many young reincarnated lamas who are sincerely engaged in study or when entering the monasteries.
Offering even one cent to the Sangha community brings uncountable benefit and merit. As long as the Sangha community exists your merit exist. It will not be exhausted.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Support for Education and Teachers
Support for Education and Teachers
Funding for annual exams and debates at the great monasteries of South India. Monthly stipends are offered to all the senior teachers of the Gelug lineage through theLama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, which is a project of the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund. In addition the fund sponsors travel and food for hundreds of monks attending the traditional winter debate and taking the annual Gelugpa exam.
Educating monks and nuns is one of the most important things in the world because they are trying to actualize Buddha’s teachings, learning the words and meaning.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Offering Robes to Sangha
Offering Robes to Sangha
Offering robes annually to all the FPMT geshes as well as ordained resident and touring teachers and also to Sangha who complete memorization of extremely difficult texts.
If you offer with the recognition that the Sangha are the guru’s pores then that is an unbelievable way to collect merit. When you offer to many Sangha, who have the same guru as you, then you are making offerings to that many pores of the guru. This is the easiest way to collect skies of merit.
—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
IMI Sangha with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khenrinpoche Geshe Chonyi at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, December 19, 2022. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Annual Grant Updates for Rejoicing
Below are annual news reports of the grant making activities for the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund, with details and photos for rejoicing.
Grants offered in 2025
Ven. Roger Kunsang receiving a certificate of thanks from Khen Rinpoche Geshe Ngawang Sangye, on behalf of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT organization for the offerings made towards the Gyudmed Monastery Food Fund. (close up of certificate can be seen below).
Supporting monks and nuns is one of the highest priorities for the FPMT organization, because the preservation of the Buddhadharma is dependent on the existence of Sangha.
In 2025, we were honored to have offered a total of US$932,361 in grants, helping ensure that monks and nuns can live, study, and practice with dignity and stability. Please join us in rejoicing in these offerings to the Sangha and we invite you to take a closer look at the various ways we have been able to offer this collective support. Read more »
Grants offered in 2024
Nuns of Machig Labdron Nunnery, a new Australian Buddhist nunnery, and a friend.
Within the FPMT organization, the support of monks and nuns is of utmost importance as the preservation of the Buddhadharma is linked to the existence and well being of the Sangha.
So far in 2024, the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund contributed a total of US$342,986 toward the needs of our Sangha. We invite you to take a closer look at the various ways we have been able to offer this collective support. Read more »
Grants offered in 2023
The monks of Sera Je Monastery offering prayers for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return.
In 2023, the SOSF has contributed a total of US$330,468.02 towards various projects aimed at benefiting and uplifting the Sangha. We invite you to take a closer look at the reports provided below.
In Tashi Chime Gatsal Gumba Nunnery, located in the heart of Bigu, a rural municipality in Northeastern Nepal, a truly inspiring story of courage and perseverance took shape. The small village of Bigu, which bore witness to the aftershocks of the devastating earthquake that shook Nepal in May 2015, suffered greatly, and the nunnery was not spared from its relentless force. But amidst the ruins, a remarkable story of reconstruction emerged. In the face of adversity, the FPMT extended their hand to alleviate the profound impact of the earthquake. It has played a pivotal role in the gradual rebuilding of the nunnery, ensuring a safe and secure environment for the seventy nuns who call it their home. Read more »
Grants offered in 2022
Monks of Zigar Monastery, Darjeeling, India.
Providing support to sangha living in vows is one of the highest priorities for the FPMT organization and the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund offers food, accommodation, health care and education to sangha living in nunneries and monasteries around the world. “Taking responsibility for supporting these practitioners is extremely worthwhile,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained, “because they are preserving and spreading the entire teaching of the Buddha.”
An amazing US$673,471 was offered for the support of sangha in 2022 and a further US$27,000 has been pledged and will be offered soon. We invite you to rejoice in these grants that FPMT has been able to make this year. Read more »
Grants offered in 2021
Young monks of Idgaa Choizinling Monastery, Mongolia, during long life puja for Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2017. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
In Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s May 10, 2021 thought transformation teaching, he explained that the Sangha are the “real heroes” among us because they are working to defeat the delusions and thus living the best lives as human beings. Supporting monks and nuns is one of the highest priorities for the FPMT organization and the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund offers support to nunneries and monasteries around the world for food, accommodation, health care, education, and practice.
We would like to invite you to rejoice in some of the ways we have been able to offer support to Sangha this year. Read more »
Lama Zopa Rinpoche led prayers and gave oral transmissions to young monks and Western visitors after the Nepal earthquake, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, April 2015. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche commented, “[I would like the organization to continue] establishing good quality monasteries and nunneries, with good quality Sangha in order to preserve the Dharma by having people practicing vinaya. [I would like the organization] to provide support to the FPMT Sangha and the monasteries and nunneries.”
As a tremendous blessing to all of the monks participating, His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended the annual Winter Jang Debate, held this year at Drepung Monastery, South India. Two-thousand monks participated from over twenty monasteries. This annual debate dates … Read more »
The Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund is a project of FPMT, Inc. and is administered by FPMT International Office located in Portland, Oregon, United States. All donations made to this fund are tax-deductible within the United States in accordance with IRS Code article 501(c)(3) to the extent allowed by law.
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