Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund

FPMT directly preserves the Mahayana tradition by supporting the great masters of the Lama Tsongkhapa lineage. These lamas hold teachings and practices that have come in an unbroken line from Lama Tsongkhapa to the present. Every day they preserve this precious tradition by practicing it, teaching it, and passing it on to their students, the masters of tomorrow.

These great masters are not paid by their monasteries. That is why His Holiness the Dalai Lama requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche to establish the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund. This fund provides a monthly stipends for the great masters of Sera, Drepung, Ganden, and Tashi Lhunpo monasteries, and Gyume and Gyuto tantric colleges – centers of learning and practice that were established by Lama Tsongkhapa himself and his disciples, places where our own teachers learned and practiced (see Geshe Thubten Sherab's account of Life at Sera Je)

Through this fund, FPMT also revived the annual winter debate, where the best scholars gather to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings. Before the fund existed, the monasteries could no longer afford to hold the debates. Now these great scholars can meet once again to debate and practice with each other. The fund also sponsors the annual Gelug Exam, where monks become qualified as teachers.

LATEST NEWS

Please Rejoice!!!  In November 2008, FPMT sent $18,230 to sponsor the attendance of 650 monks – the top scholars from Sera Je Monastery – at the annual winter debate session (Jang Debate) at Gaden Monastery. This money covered the cost of transport (24 buses and 650 train tickets), food and offerings. The annual winter debate includes monks from Sera along with the top scholars from Gaden and Drepung Monasteries.

FPMT also sent $18,442 towards the monthly stipend for 137 abbotts, ex abbots and teachers of the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition, including the Gaden Tripa. These incredible teachers do not receive any money from the monasteries so for many years FPMT has been offering a small monthly stipend ranging from $31 to $10 to the main teachers from Sera, Gaden, Drepung, Gyurme, Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo and Rato monastery.

FPMT sent $6701 for the Gelug exam attended by 424 monks at Drepung Monastery. This money covered the cost of travel for the monks and the teachers, as well as offerings, food and tea for all the monks attending the exam.

Thank you to all the kind benefactors who helped FPMT support the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition in this way.

For more information please contact: Ven Holly Ansett

The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund  is a project of FPMT Inc. All donations made to the 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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