About Kadampa Buddhism

The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU) is a global Buddhist community founded in 1991 by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. Its aim is to uphold and make available the authentic teachings of Kadampa Buddhism for the benefit of all.

Rooted in the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni as passed down from the great Buddhist masters Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has made the timeless wisdom of Buddha's teachings accessible to people everywhere.

Through its international network of affiliated centers and community-based initiatives, the NKT shares the practical benefits of these teachings with people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

The New Kadampa Tradition is an independent Buddhist tradition with no political affiliations. Legally registered as a non-profit charitable organization in England under the name New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU).

The NKT main office is located at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center in Ulverston, UK, which is the Mother Center of the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union.

Kadampa Buddhism is a tradition of Buddhist practice that originated in 11th-century Tibet with the great Indian Buddhist master Atisha. He presented the teachings of Buddha in a clear, step-by-step format known as Lamrim, or “Stages of the Path to Enlightenment,” making the spiritual path accessible and practical for all.

In the 14th century, these teachings were further clarified by the fully realized scholar and meditation master Je Tsongkhapa, who emphasized the union of wisdom and compassion, Sutra and Tantra.

Followers of this tradition up to the time of Je Tsongkhapa are known as “Old Kadampas”, and those after the time of Je Tsongkhapa are known as “New Kadampas”. “Ka” is Tibetan for ‘word’ and refers to all Buddha’s teachings, “dam” refers to Atisha’s special Lamrim instructions and “pa” refers to a follower of Kadampa Buddhism who integrates all the teachings of Buddha they know into their Lamrim practice.

Today, the New Kadampa Tradition follows this lineage, making the essential practices of Kadampa Buddhism available to people around the world through Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche's beneficial activities.

You can read more about the life and teachings of Je Tsongkhapa in the book, Heart Jewel and more about the life and teachings of Atisha in the book Joyful Path of Good Fortune.

In the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), the key purpose of Kadampa teachings is to help people to develop wisdom and compassion in order to transform their minds and their lives.

By applying the teachings of Buddha in everyday situations, anyone—regardless of background—can learn how to reduce suffering, develop inner peace, and cultivate positive qualities like love, patience, and wisdom. This practical integration of Dharma with daily life is known as the union of Kadam Dharma and daily life, and it lies at the heart of the NKT’s approach.

Ultimately, the purpose is to enable everyone to make progress on the path to liberation and enlightenment, while also finding deeper happiness and meaning right now, in the midst of modern life.

Kadampa Buddhists combine study, meditation and work. They place a lot of importance on the study of Buddhist texts, the practice of meditation, and working in practical ways to benefit others. The way practitioners try to benefit others is by showing how to put the teachings into practice to improve their lives, and working to make Buddhist teachings widely accessible. This focus on study, meditation and work is intended to deepen practitioners' understanding, internalization, and practical application of Buddhist principles.

Meditation practices taught in the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) are practical, accessible, and deeply transformative. Just doing ten or fifteen minutes of breathing meditation each day will:

• Enable you to experience peace and contentment

• Give you greater control over your mind

• Reduce stress & help you to cope

• Develop a calm & spacious mind

• Improve your relationships

By engaging in the deeper Lamrim meditations such as in The New Meditation Handbook, we learn to recognize and reduce delusions like anger, attachment, and jealousy–the true sources of suffering. At the same time, we focus on cultivating positive minds, such as love, compassion, patience, and wisdom. Through regular practice, we create the causes of lasting happiness and make steady progress toward liberation and enlightenment.

Being a Buddhist means finding refuge in the Three Jewels–Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—as the true and reliable protection from suffering. Going for refuge is the foundation of the Buddhist path and the essential step that marks the beginning of someone’s life as a Buddhist.

Going for refuge means developing heartfelt trust in:

• Buddha as our guide and perfect example

• Dharma (Buddha’s teachings and our own inner experience of them) as the actual protection from suffering

• Sangha (the spiritual community) as our companions and support on the path

In the NKT, we train in this inner refuge by learning to turn inward for solutions to our problems, relying on the wisdom and methods taught by Buddha to transform our mind. We gradually let go of external objects or conditions as our main source of happiness or protection, and instead turn to Dharma practice to find real peace and freedom.

For those who wish to formally become Buddhist, there is the opportunity to take the Refuge Vow—a beautiful and meaningful ceremony in which one makes a conscious decision to rely on the Three Jewels and commit to living in accordance with Buddhist principles. This vow marks the beginning of a new life, one based on spiritual practice, ethical conduct, and the intention to progress toward liberation and enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Modern Buddhism in the New Kadampa Tradition refers to the presentation of Buddha’s ancient teachings in a way that is clear, practical, and directly applicable to modern daily life–regardless of a person’s background, culture, or belief system.

This approach was developed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, the founder of the NKT, who dedicated his life to making the essence of Buddha’s wisdom accessible and relevant to people today. In his words:

“Modern Buddhism is a special presentation of Buddha’s teachings that retains their original meaning while making them easy to understand and practise in modern society.”
— from the book Modern Buddhism

The book Modern Buddhism is available as a free eBook and widely used in Kadampa centers around the world.

The New Kadampa Tradition is a modern presentation of Kadampa Buddhism that includes the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana paths. They are rooted in the teachings of Buddha and the great Indian and Tibetan masters such as Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa.

All practices are grounded in love and compassion for all living beings. With the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, these teachings are presented in a way that speaks to modern people — clear, accessible, and relevant to the pace and problems of contemporary life.

The three key teachings are:

• Lamrim, or “Stages of the Path to Enlightenment.” This practical, step-by-step guide takes us from the basics of developing a kind heart, through cultivating deep wisdom all the way to the attainment of enlightenment to benefit all living beings.

• Lojong, or “Training the Mind.” These teachings show how we can use everyday difficulties as opportunities to grow stronger spiritually, developing greater patience, compassion, and wisdom—and learning to keep a calm and positive mind, whatever life brings.

• Mahamudra. According to Sutra, this refers to the profound view of emptiness. A direct realization of emptiness enables us to accomplish complete liberation from the sufferings of samsara. According to Tantra, or Vajrayana, Mahamudra is the union of spontaneous great bliss and emptiness through which we can attain full enlightenment.

One unique feature of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) is its structured approach to studying and practising Buddhism through three specially designed study programs:

• The General Program – open to everyone and ideal for beginners,

• The Foundation Program – for those who want to deepen their understanding and meditation practice,

• The Teacher Training Program – for those who wish to train as qualified Dharma teachers.

These programs provide a clear, step-by-step path for learning and applying Buddha’s teachings in daily life, making spiritual progress accessible and practical for everyone. This systematic structure is one of the reasons the NKT has grown into a strong, worldwide community of sincere practitioners.

In the New Kadampa Tradition, practitioners rely principally upon four enlightened beings, known as the Four Kadampa Deities.

Buddha Shakyamuni – the founder of Buddhism. Buddha Shakyamuni is the principal object of refuge for all Buddhists.

Avalokiteshvara – the Buddha of Compassion. By relying upon Avalokiteshvara we naturally increase our own compassion.

Green Tara – the female Buddha of wisdom and compassion. Kadampas rely on her especially in times of difficulty and for quick help in removing obstacles.

Dorje Shugden – the Wisdom Dharma Protector for modern Kadampas, who helps, guides and protects sincere practitioners from inner and outer obstacles by granting blessings, increasing their wisdom and fulfilling their virtuous wishes.

Through relying on these four Deities, Kadampa practitioners emphasize the essential practices of Kadampa Buddhism that enable them to gain pure Dharma realizations and make progress on the spiritual path.

All Buddha’s teachings help to improve our mental well being and happiness. However, we are not mental health experts and always recommend people with mental health problems to seek help from professional medical health practitioners.

Although there are healing practices taught within Kadampa Buddhism, those suffering from physical illness are always advised to seek medical attention.

As a tradition, the focus is on operating independently, without political affiliations or ties to specific cultural, national, or ideological identities. Emphasis is placed on pure spiritual practice, free from worldly concerns.ription

The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) holds a respectful and inclusive view towards other religions.

As explained in Modern Buddhism by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of the NKT, there are many different forms of Buddhism–such as Zen, Theravāda, and others–and all are regarded as equally precious. Though their presentations may differ, they are all pure lineages of Buddha’s teachings, and suited to the needs and dispositions of different people.

This spirit of respect also extends beyond Buddhism. The NKT respects any religion that teaches a path to true happiness.m description