Founder of Kadampa Modern buddhism

 

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche is a world-renowned meditation master who has founded hundreds of centres and is the Spiritual Guide to thousands of people around the world.

In his heart, Venerable Geshe-la holds the very essence of Buddha’s teachings, which he transmits to the people of the modern world in very practical ways through the accessible methods of modern Kadampa Buddhism that he has introduced into contemporary society. His compassionate presence is felt throughout the world.

 

General Spiritual Director

Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong is the General Spiritual Director of  NKT-IKBU.  She is also the Resident Teacher at Manjushri KMC, the mother centre of modern Kadampa Buddhism.

Gen-la Dekyong has been a disciple of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for nearly 40 years and holds the lineages of his blessings in her heart.

She is recognised as a fully qualified Teacher of Sutra and Tantra, and in particular is qualified to bestow the blessings of the Highest Yoga Tantra practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini.

She is an inspiring example of a modern Kadampa disciple who relies sincerely upon her Spiritual Guide in all her actions.

 

 

Deputy Spiritual Director

Gen-la Kelsang Jampa is the Deputy Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU and Resident Teacher at IKRC Grand Canyon.

Having taught internationally for many years he is greatly admired for his warm personality and clear, inspiring teachings.

National Spiritual Director of Canada

Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab is the Retired General Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU and National Spiritual Director of Canada. He is theResident Teacher at KMC Canada.

Gen-la is deeply respected throughout the Kadampa world as a sincere practitioner and powerful teacher.

Our Resident Teacher

Kelsang Khacho is the newly appointed Resident Teacher of Akshobya Kadampa Buddhist Centre. She is a modern Buddhist nun who has been a devoted student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for many years. She is known for her loving and compassionate nature, as well as her practical presentation of Buddha’s teachings.

She is an inspiring example of modern Buddhism in practice and is dedicated to helping everybody discover Buddha’s wisdom and find real, lasting happiness.

Buddha Shakyamuni, the Founder of Buddhism in our world

Venerable Atisha, an Indian Buddhist Teacher who founded Kadampa Buddhism

Je Tsongkhapa, a Tibetan Buddhist Teacher who founded the New Kadampa Tradition

Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist Tradition founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982 – 1054). ‘Ka’ refers to Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings, and ‘dam’ to Atisha’s special Lamrim instructions known as ‘The stages of the path to enlightenment’. By integrating their knowledge of all Buddha’s teachings into their practice of Lamrim, and by integrating this into their everyday lives, Kadampa Buddhists learn to use Buddha’s teachings as practical methods for transforming their daily activities into the path to enlightenment by improving their love, compassion and wisdom.

After Atisha, the Kadampa lineage was passed down through a succession of great Kadampa Teachers including Dromtönpa, Geshe Potowa, Geshe Sharawa, and Geshe Chekhawa. These precious Teachers were not only great scholars but also spiritual practitioners of immense purity and sincerity.

They placed particular emphasis on the practice of Lojong or ‘Training the Mind’ by which all our daily life experiences, and especially all our problems, suffering, and difficulties, can be transformed into the spiritual path.

The Kadampa lineage passed from generation to generation until the fourteenth century when it reached the great Buddhist Master Je Tsongkhapa. He clarified the teachings of Kadam Dharma and made them accessible to the people of that time. In particular, he showed how to combine Lamrim and Lojong with Mahamudra Tantra in a unified daily practice and his practitioners became known as ‘new Kadampas’.

After the time of Je Tsongkhapa, the new Kadampa lineage flourished for hundreds of years, down to the present day.

In recent years, it has been revived and promoted widely throughout the world by the contemporary Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. By founding the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union, Geshe Kelsang has created a truly global infrastructure to preserve and promote Kadampa Buddhism for many generations to come.

Rapidly growing, our Kadampa community is an international family, offering support, inspiration and encouragement for this joyful and profound spiritual path at Centres around the world.