Lozang Yönten
Lozang Yönten | |
|---|---|
Yönten in 2015 | |
| Title | Venerable (Bhikkhuni) |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Larisa Wahler 1982 (age 43–44) United States |
| Occupation | Buddhist nun, meditation teacher |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Lineage | Gelug |
| Ordination | 2003 |
| Senior posting | |
| Teacher | Geshe Tashi Tsering |
| Organization | Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition |
| Website | lozangyonten |
Venerable Lozang Yönten (born Larisa Wahler, 1984) is an American Buddhist nun and teacher in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. She was ordained as a nun in 2003 at the age of nineteen and later received full bhikkhuni ordination in the Dharmaguptaka lineage.[1]
Yönten has taught Buddhist philosophy and meditation internationally through programs associated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).[2] She later joined the faculty of Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon, where she serves as a chaplain and instructor in Buddhist studies.[1]
Early life
Lozang Yönten was born in the United States as Larisa Wahler. During her youth she developed an interest in meditation and Buddhist philosophy and began exploring Buddhist teachings in the late 1990s. Seeking formal study she later traveled to Australia, where she became involved with Tibetan Buddhist educational programs connected to the FPMT network.[1]
Monastic training
Wahler was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 2003 in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and received the monastic name Lozang Yönten.[1]
She studied Buddhist philosophy for several years at the Chenrezig Institute in Queensland, Australia under Tibetan teacher Geshe Tashi Tsering. Her studies included classical Buddhist texts, meditation practice, and monastic discipline.[2]
Yönten later continued her studies at the Thosamling Institute in India between 2010 and 2011. She subsequently received full bhikkhuni ordination in the Dharmaguptaka lineage after further training in monastic discipline.[3]
Career
In 2012 Lozang Yönten became an accredited teacher within the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition.[2]
From 2012 to 2015 she served as resident teacher at the Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre in New South Wales, Australia, where she taught meditation retreats and courses on Buddhist philosophy.
Beginning in 2015 she was based primarily at the Mahamudra Centre in New Zealand, where she continued teaching meditation retreats and study programs.[1]
Her teaching activities have also included programs in Israel, Europe, and the United States.[4][5]
Teachings
Yönten’s teaching focuses on meditation practice, ethical conduct, and the practical application of Buddhist philosophy in daily life. Her courses often include instruction in mindfulness, compassion practices, and analytical meditation.
She regularly leads meditation retreats and workshops for both experienced practitioners and newcomers to Buddhist practice.[1]
Activities
Lozang Yönten is associated with the International Mahayana Institute (IMI), the monastic community connected to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).[6] Through this network she has participated in educational and contemplative initiatives intended to support the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism among both monastic and lay communities.[7]
Her work includes teaching meditation retreats, public lectures, and structured courses on Buddhist philosophy at international Dharma centers. These programs often focus on topics such as compassion, mindfulness, ethical conduct, and the philosophical foundations of Mahayana Buddhism. She has led teachings and retreats at Buddhist centers in Europe and North America, including programs hosted by meditation centers and Dharma organizations.[8][7]
In addition to formal teaching programs, Yönten has been involved in community-based initiatives that apply Buddhist ethical principles to contemporary social contexts. These activities have included contemplative care and hospice work, where Buddhist meditation and compassion practices are used to support people facing illness and end-of-life care.[4]
She has also contributed to Buddhist educational outreach through lectures, workshops, and online teachings aimed at making Tibetan Buddhist philosophy accessible to modern audiences.[9] Such activities reflect the broader role of Western Buddhist monastics in the contemporary global spread of Tibetan Buddhist teachings.[8]
Legacy
Lozang Yönten has been described as part of a generation of Western Buddhist monastics who present Tibetan Buddhist teachings to international audiences.[10] Her work reflects broader developments in contemporary Buddhism in which Western monastics and teachers play a growing role in transmitting Tibetan Buddhist teachings beyond traditional Asian contexts.[11]
Through retreats, lectures, and educational programs, Yönten has contributed to the spread of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices in Western Buddhist communities. Her teaching activities have included courses, retreats, and public talks organized by international Dharma centers and meditation institutions.[1]
Her work also reflects wider trends in modern global Buddhism, in which Buddhist teachers engage with contemporary audiences through educational institutions, international retreat networks, and digital platforms. These developments have contributed to the increasing visibility of Tibetan Buddhist teachings among practitioners in Europe, North America, and other regions outside traditional Buddhist societies.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Venerable Lozang Yönten". Maitripa College. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b c "Buddha Was a Grass Roots Organizer". FPMT Mandala. 2017. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Integrating Buddhism". Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b "Exploring Common Prayers and Practices with Ven. Lozang Yönten". Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "The Bodhisattva Vows with Ven Lozang Yönten". Lhagsam Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Ven. Lozang Yonten". International Mahayana Institute. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b "Teaching event with Ven. Lozang Yönten". Shantideva Meditation Center. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b "The Bodhisattva Vows with Ven. Lozang Yönten". Lhagsam Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Articles tagged Venerable Lozang Yönten". Middlemoon Malas. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Articles tagged Venerable Lozang Yönten". Middlemoon Malas. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ Powers, John (2016). The Buddhist World. Routledge. ISBN 9780815350958.
- ^ Harvey, Peter (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press.