The International Mahayana Institute (IMI) is a community of Buddhist monks and nuns of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Lama Zopa Rinpoche is the current Spiritual Director and Abbott of the IMI. Lama Thubten Yeshe, the founder of FPMT, established the IMI in 1973 in order to develop a community of nuns and monks where we would not only be cared for, but where we would also take care of each other.