HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Born to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion. For extensive information, publications, photos, and travel schedule, please visit the fpmt website or the Office of Tibet.
VENERABLE LAMA THUBTEN ZOPA RINPOCHE, Spiritual Director of the FPMT Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born in 1946 in Thami, in the Mount Everest region of Nepal, not far from the Lawudo cave where his predecessor had meditated for the last 20 years of his life. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is now the Spiritual Director of the Foundation and oversees all of its activities. For complete biographical information, teachings, travel schedule and other resources, please visit thefpmt website. (photo credit: Bob Cayton)
VENERABLE LAMA THUBTEN YESHE (1935-1984) Lama Thubten Yeshe was born in Tibet in 1935. At the age of six, he entered Sera Monastic University in Tibet where he studied until 1959, "In that year the Chinese kindly told us that it was time to leave Tibet and meet the outside world." Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, together as teacher and disciple since their exile in India, met their first Western students in 1965. In 1974, the Lamas began touring and teaching in the West, which would eventually result in The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). For additional biographies, teachings, and photos, please visit the fpmt website.
VENERABLE LAMA TENZIN OSEL RINPOCHE In 1984, Lama Yeshe passed away on the first day of The Tibetan New Year. In 1985, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche assumed leadership of the FPMT organization and began a search for Lama's reincarnation. A western child was born on 12 February 1985 in Bubion, Spain at O.Sel.Ling Dharma Center in the beautiful mountains of Granada. In 1986, after a series of tests and divinations, young Osel Hita was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be the reincarnation of Lama Thubten Yeshe. He was then named Tenzin Osel. For current information on his life and activities, please visit the fpmt website.
photo: Kalleen Mortensen
YANGSI RINPOCHE, Resident Teacher Yangsi Rinpoche is our Resident Teacher for public teachings, as well as the co-founder and President of Maitripa. Please see the Maitripa Faculty page for complete biographical information.