VENERABLE GESHE KELSANG GYATSO RINPOCHE
(1931-2022)
The Founder of Modern Buddhism
After engaging in the traditional trainings of a monk from a young age in Tibet, Venerable Geshe-la withdrew to remote areas in Tibet and India to engage in meditative retreats. During these retreats he received many signs and visions in which Je Tsongkhapa appeared to him and clarified all the essential teachings of Sutra and Tantra, and especially the Ganden Oral Lineage. It was during these retreats that Venerable Geshe-la formed an especially close connection with the people of this world and made a lifelong dedication to helping us find lasting peace and happiness through the teachings of Buddha.
Then in 1977 Venerable Geshe-la accepted an invitation to become the Resident Teacher
at the fledgling Manjushri Centre in the UK. On August 27, 1977 Venerable Geshe-la arrived in the west at the invitation of Manjushri KMC. His arrival heralded the dawn of Modern Buddhism and a new spirit of hope in this world. Almost immediately, Venerable Geshe-la opened his first Dharma center in the West, Madhyamaka KMC in the UK. He went on to establish literally hundreds of centers around the world
Venerable Geshe-la gave literally thousands of teachings at Manjushri KMC and other centers around the world. These extraordinary teachings were unique and life-changing for everyone who heard them. In total Venerable Geshe-la composed 23 extraordinary books on Buddhism and meditation. Based on these, he developed the three study programs – the General, Foundation and Teacher Training Programs – that are the core of all Kadampa centers around the world. In addition, hundreds of qualified modern Kadampa teachers are arising from the Special and Intensive Teacher Training Programs. Venerable Geshe-la was the holder of the uncommon lineage of the Ganden Oral Tradition. He transmitted this lineage through his senior disciples, making it available to everyone in the modern world.
The Birth of Modern Buddhism
As Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche explains in his book The Mirror of Dharma:
“The Indian Buddhist Master Atisha founded the Kadampa lineage in general, and Je Tsongkhapa founded the New Kadampa lineage in particular. Both lineages are the very essence of Buddha’s teachings and are most suitable for people of this modern age.”
In recent times, Venerable Geshe-la brought these two precious lineages into the modern world and founded the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT-IKBU). The International Kadampa Buddhist Union is a global family of fortunate modern Kadampa disciples bound by a common intention to bring peace into our world by developing peace in our minds. This precious union grows year by year, and Venerable Geshe-la’s enduring legacy is the conviction that world peace is really possible through the practice of Kadam Dharma.
This precious tradition embraces all the essential teachings of Sutra and Tantra taught by Buddha himself as preserved and passed to the present day by great masters such as Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa. While faithfully preserving the meaning of these ancient teachings, with the permission of his own Spiritual Guide Trijang Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe-la prepared a new presentation making them easier to understand and apply in the modern world.
Now for the first time, pure Kadam Dharma is available equally to everyone throughout the world regardless of nationality, culture, gender or age.
