The Founder of Modern Kadampa Buddhism is Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, a fully accomplished meditation-master and internationally renown teacher who holds the very essence of Buddha’s teachings in his heart.

Venerable Geshe-la transmits this profound wisdom and compassion to the people of the modern world in very practical ways through the extremely accessible methods of Modern Kadampa Buddhism.

A life of dedication

From the age of eight, Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, studied extensively in the great monastic universities of Tibet and earned the title ‘Geshe’, which literally means ‘spiritual friend’. Under the guidance of his Spiritual Guide, Trijang Dorjechang Rinpoche, he then spent the next 18 years in meditation retreat in the Himalayas.

In 1977 he accepted an invitation to teach at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England, where he lived and taught for many years, giving teachings and guidance to an ever-growing number of students, including at many International Festivals.

Since coming to the West, he worked very hard to create a modern presentation of the Kadampa lineage of teachings, through writing 24 books, giving thousands of teachings, establishing over 1400 centers and temples world-wide, training hundreds of Buddhist teachers, and developing practical study and meditation programs to suit the needs of the modern world.

Through his great kindness, everyone – regardless of nationality, culture, age or gender – now has the opportunity to practice these time-tested methods for solving the problems of daily life that ultimately lead to true and lasting happiness.