Thubten Gyatso (NKT)
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The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT—IKBU) is a global
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
new religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...
founded by
Kelsang Gyatso Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (; 4 June 1931 – 17 September 2022) was a Buddhism, Buddhist Bhikkhu, monk, Lama, meditation teacher, scholar, and author. He was the founder and spiritual director of the New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition-Inter ...
in
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in 1991. In 2003 the words "International Kadampa Buddhist Union" (IKBU) were added to the original name "New Kadampa Tradition". The NKT-IKBU is an international organisation registered in England as a charitable, or non-profit, company.Cozort, Daniel (2003). ''The Making of the Western Lama''. Quoted in Heine, S., & Prebish, C. S. (2003). ''Buddhism in the modern world: Adaptations of an ancient tradition''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 230. It currently lists more than 200 centres and around 900 branch classes/study groups in 40 countries.number of centres as of 29 August 2009, retrieved fro
map.kadampa.org
3 International Retreat Centres (IRC), 19 Kadampa Meditation Centres (KMC), 196 Kadampa Buddhist Centres (KBC), there may be even some more centres that have not been placed on the map yet, listed here
kadampa.org/en/centers
/ref> founded by the Tibetan-born Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the BBC describes the New Kadampa Tradition as "one of the major Buddhist schools in the UK". The NKT-IKBU describes itself as "an entirely independent Buddhist tradition" inspired and guided by "the ancient
Kadampa file:Portrait of the Indian Monk Atisha.jpg, 300px, Tibetan Portrait of Atiśa The Kadam school () of Tibetan Buddhism, or Kadampa was an 11th century Buddhist tradition founded by the great Bengalis, Bengali master Atiśa (982–1054) and his ...
Buddhist Masters and their teachings, as presented by Kelsang Gyatso".Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. p. 129. Its founder,
Kelsang Gyatso Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (; 4 June 1931 – 17 September 2022) was a Buddhism, Buddhist Bhikkhu, monk, Lama, meditation teacher, scholar, and author. He was the founder and spiritual director of the New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition-Inter ...
, sought to make Buddhist meditation and teaching more readily accessible to twenty-first century living. He also wanted to ensure that people did not simply study
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
from an academic point of view, but learned how to extend this knowledge through
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking", achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state, while not judging the meditat ...
and practical Buddhist experience. The NKT-IKBU is described as being "very successful at disseminating its teachings" and Geshe Kelsang's books have been called "very popular". The NKT-IKBU has expanded more rapidly than any other Buddhist tradition in
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, and has spread across the globe with 1,200 affiliated centres over more than 40 countries. In 2003, Daniel Cozort (2003: 231) described the NKT as one of the largest and fastest growing Tibetan Buddhist organizations in the world, and as “a Western order that draws primarily upon the teachings of the Gelukpa tradition but is not subordinate to Tibetan authorities.Daniel Cozort, The Making of Western Lama in "Buddhism in the Modern World", , page 230 Some Tibetans have described it as a "controversial organization" and a "controversial" new religious movement,Clarke, Peter Bernard. New Religions in Global Perspective, p. 92, Routledge 2006 or a breakaway Buddhist
sect A sect is a subgroup of a religion, religious, politics, political, or philosophy, philosophical belief system, typically emerging as an offshoot of a larger organization. Originally, the term referred specifically to religious groups that had s ...
. ''Modern Buddhism'', one of Kelsang Gyatso's most popular books, says: "Today we can see many different forms of Buddhism, such as Zen and Theravada Buddhism. All these are equally precious, they are just different presentations." According to Harding, Hori, and Soucy, “Global Buddhism... attempts to transcend the parochialism of local place and ethnic identity” (2014: 16). The attempt to transcend the parochialism of Tibet and Tibetan politico-ethnic identity is high-priority for the NKT. Considered in the context of the movement’s global missionary efforts, the NKT is clearly a form of global Buddhism."


Historical background of the formation of NKT


"Timeline of Events Towards Establishment of the New Kadampa Tradition"


1976 Creation of Manjushri Institute and Invitation to Kelsang Gyatso

* July 1-
Manjushri Institute Manjushri Institute was a large Buddhist college situated at Conishead Priory in Cumbria, England from 1976 until its dissolution in 1991. In 1991 its assets, including Conishead Priory, were transferred to a new centre on the same premises, Manj ...
is legally established as a charitable trust with four Trustees: Lama Yeshe, Peter Kedge, Harvey Horrocks, and Roy Tyson – and Lama Yeshe as Spiritual Director – Legally these four trustees have complete ownership of and control over Manjushri Institute.''New Kadampa Truth'' – published by the NKT
/ref> * Manjushri Institute purchases
Conishead Priory Conishead Priory is a large Gothic Revival building on the Furness peninsula near Ulverston in Cumbria. The priory's name translates literally as "King's Hill Priory". Since 1976, the building has been occupied by a Buddhist community. History ...
, a neglected Victorian mansion in
Ulverston Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it lies a few miles south of the Lake District Lake District National Park, National Park and j ...
, England is purchased for £70,000.David N. Kay: ''Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantation, Development and Adaptation'', London and New York, pages 55, 56 *August Some members of the group move from the London area to Conishead Priory * Kelsang Gyatso is invited from India to teach the General Programme at Manjushri Institute: :* Thubten Yeshe and
Thubten Zopa Rinpoche Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (; born Dawa Chötar, 3 December 1945 – 13 April 2023) was a Tibetan Buddhist lama in the Gelug school. He is known for founding the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition and Maitripa College in Port ...
visit him to make this request, they seek the advice of the
14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama (born 6 July 1935; full spiritual name: Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, shortened as Tenzin Gyatso; ) is the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. He served a ...
when choosing Kelsang Gyatso.'' :* Kelsang Gyatso later recounted that after a request from Lama Yeshe,
Trijang Rinpoche The Third Trijang Rinpoche, Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1901–1981) was a Gelugpa Lama and a direct disciple of Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo. He succeeded Ling Rinpoche as the junior tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama when the Dalai Lama was ninete ...
suggested he teach
Shantideva Shantideva (Sanskrit: Śāntideva; ; ; ; ) was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda. He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka philosophy of Nāgārjuna. Abhayadatta Sri also li ...
's ''
Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Ex ...
'', Chandrakirti's ''Guide to the Middle Way'' and
Lamrim Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pr ...
, and then check whether there was any meaning in his continuing to stay."''Modern Day Kadampas'' – published by the NKT


1977 Kelsang Gyatso Arrives at Manjushri

* August: Geshe Kelsang arrives at Manjushri Institute and becomes the first Resident Teacher at Manjushri Institute


1978 Name "FPMT" Proposed, Kelsang Gyatso Resignation, Petition to Stay and Plans to Sell Manjushri Institute

* August 24 The name FPMT is proposed for the first time by Lama Yeshe 'FPMT Publication, Winter at Manjushri, p3''
/ref> * Kelsang Gyatso establishes Madhyamaka Center in
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
under his own spirtual directionKay pages 61,62,63,64 * Lama Yeshe sends a letter to Kelsang Gyatso asking him to step down as Resident teacher at Manjushri InstituteKay pages 61,62,63,64''FPMT Publication, Reaching Out, p13''
/ref> * Kelsang Gyatso agrees to step down *
Geshe Rabten Geshe Rabten (1921–1986) was a Tibetan geshe born in Tibet. He was a student at Sera Monastery in Lhasa, and achieved Geshe status before leaving Tibet in 1959. He became known as a debater, scholar, and meditation master. Lama Yeshe and La ...
(on knowing about the resignation) invites Kelsang Gyatso to teach at Tharpa Choeling Buddhist Centre in Switzerland for three months and teach Dharmakirti’s Commentary to Valid Cognition, and Geshe Kelsang accepts this invitation. * The community of Manjushri Institute request Geshe Kelsang to stay. Everyone signs a card petitioning Geshe Kelsang to remain, and say that they will take responsibility for preventing any problems between Manjushri Institute and FPMT. Representatives of the community, including Jonathan Landaw, visit Geshe Kelsang and give him the letter from the community, and request him to stay. * Geshe Kelsang accepts the request from the community, and although this decision is against Lama Yeshe’s wishes, he believes that the Manjushri Institute community was purely motivated."Eradicating wrong views" a letter, dated 27 October 1983, written as a response to the FPMT report "A report on recent events at Manjushri Institute (dated October 1, 1983) * Peter Kedge, the principal officer of FPMT makes plans to sell Conishead Priory to raise funds for FPMT’s business projects in Hong Kong. Later it becomes clear that Lama Yeshe is in agreement with these plans.


1979 Establishing the Geshe Studies Program

*Lama Yeshe asks a Geshe at Manjushri Institute, Geshe Jampa Tekchok, to teach a twelve-year Geshe Studies Programme, recognised and validated by the Dalai Lama and modelled on the program of studies for the traditional
geshe Geshe (, short for ''dge-ba'i bshes-gnyen'', "virtuous friend"; translation of Skt. ''kalyāņamitra'') or geshema is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns. The degree is emphasized primarily by the Gelug lineage, but is also awar ...
degree.


1981 Proposed Sale of Manjushri Institute

* January: Lama Yeshe appoints Chip Rodarmor (later Gen Tharchin) as acting Director. * Chip makes efforts to sell the building, but Geshe Kelsang gradually encourages him not to.


1983: Peter Kedge Appointment Rejected and Manjushri Institute Vote to Separate from FPMT

*January Chip offers Lama Yeshe his resignation, it is not accepted. *May - :*Peter Kedge arrives unannounced to take over as Director. :*Peter Kedge begins to take over the office, changes the bank accounts, and makes plans to remove the Institute’s managers. :*Peter Kedge tells Geshe Kelsang that he and his students may have to move out within six months because he is going to sell the building * June: The Institute’s managers – then called the “Priory Group” – requests Geshe Kelsang for help and he accepts. *July :*Geshe Kelsang and the Priory Group writes to Peter Kedge, refusing to accept him as Director and stating their wish that Manjushri Institute formally separates from FPMT. :*A meeting is called and the community is asked to vote on two proposals: (1) that Manjushri Institute separate completely from FPMT, and (2) that Roy Tyson remain as Manjushri Institute Director. Of those who signed: forty-four people vote “yes” to both proposals (this number excluded the Priory Group of eight members); eleven abstain; and two vote “no”. Unfortunately, this is a disappointment to Lama Yeshe * August: After this meeting, the Priory Group writes to Peter Kedge telling him to leave by a certain deadline or the Police will be called to remove him. Peter Kedge then leaves.


Also in 1983

* The Priory Group makes two requests to Lama Yeshe: :(1) to change the constitution of Manjushri Institute so that it belongs to the public and not to the four private individuals, and :(2) that he remain as Manjushri Institute’s Spiritual Director and Spiritual Guide continually throughout his life and for life after life. *Letters received from Lama Yeshe indicate that he is unhappy with Manjushri Institute. He mainly expresses his displeasure and does not agree to change the constitution. *The Priory Group write many letters to the FPMT managers, especially to Peter Kedge; but the request to separate from FPMT and create a new constitution is continually rejected. *The Priory Group then begins to prepare legal proceedings against the FPMT managers. *Zong Rinpoche stays at Manjushri Institute


1984 Manjushri Institute becomes Independent from FPMT and Death of Lama Yeshe

Source: *When the FPMT managers realize that this legal action is being prepared, they request the Dalai Lama’s Office to send mediators to help solve the problem. *February 13 &14 :*At London Manjushri Centre there are two days of meetings with the Dalai Lama’s two representatives. Peter Kedge and Harvey Horrocks represent the FPMT, and Geshe Kelsang, the Priory Group, and two Manjushri community members represent Manjushri Institute. :*With the Dalai Lama’s representatives, both sides reach a peaceful agreement to formulate a new constitution such that Manjushri Institute will be in public ownership. A legally binding agreement is made, which is signed by the FPMT’s representatives, Kelsang Gyatso, the Priory Group and the community representatives. :*Another part of the agreement confirms that Lama Yeshe is the Spiritual Director of Manjushri Institute. The community makes it clear that it does not want to separate from Lama Yeshe, only to separate from FPMT." * March 3: Lama Yeshe dies.


1984-1990: 15 New Kelsang Gyatso centres established in Great Britain and Spain.


1985 A New Constitution for Manjushri Institute

October: Four new Trustees of Manjushri Institute are appointed, two chosen by FPMT and two by Manjushri Institute. A new constitution is formulated


1987 to 1990 Kelsang Gyatso Retreat, New Books and Visiting Teachers

*Kelsang Gyatso engages in a three-year retreat in
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
*Geshe Losang Pende from Ganden Shartse monastery is invited by Kelsang Gyatso to lead the General Programme in his absence. *During the period of retreat, Kelsang Gyatso writes some books and works out how to establish the NKT. *Kay states: "The first major development that took place during Geshe Kelsang's retreat was the introduction of the 'Teacher Training Programme' (TTP) at the Manjushri Institute."


1988 Lama Zopa teaches at Manjushri Institute


1990 Kelsang Gyatso Teaching Tour of USA and Removal of Dalai Lama Pictures

* Kelsang Gyatso teaches in the USA, including visiting the centre of Geshe Lhundup Sopa in Madison, Wisconsin. *Pictures of the Dalai Lama are removed from Kelsang Gyatso's centres to clarify that he is not a lineage Guru of those centres


1991 Formation of the New Kadampa Tradition

* April: Geshe Kelsang announces the creation of the NKT by sending a letter to his centres, inviting them to be members of a worldwide family Kay page 79


1992 Manjushri Institute is Dissolved

*A new charitable company Manjushri Mahayana Buddhist Centre is incorporated, which is completely independent of FPMT. Manjushri Institute then passes all its assets to the new charity, and dissolves. , *Manjushri Institute is renamed the Manjushri Mahayana Buddhist Centre, and later, Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. Since then, it has remained the NKT's flagship centre. *Manjushri Institute Library, with over 3,000 books, is removed.Kay page 76 *From this point onwards, only students of Kelsang Gyatso teach at his centres.


Different Views on these Events

According to a disciple of Lama Yeshe from this time, Lama Yeshe intended the institute "to become the central monastery of the
FPMT The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) was founded in 1975 by Gelugpa Lamas Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, who began teaching Tibetan Buddhism to Western students in Nepal. The FPMT has grown to encompas ...
... one of the early jewels of the FPMT crown" and "the pioneer among the western centres". Kay sees the opening of Madhyamaka Centre in 1978 as the beginning of a conflict between Thubten Yeshe and Kelsang Gyatso.Kay pages 61,62,63,64 However, according to Kelsang Gyatso, "the opening of the Centre in York caused not one moment of confusion or disharmony". Both Kay and Cozort describe the management committee of Manjushri Institute from 1981 onwards as made up principally of Kelsang Gyatso's closest students, also known as "the Priory group"."Daniel Cozort, The Making of Western Lama in "Buddhism in the Modern World", , page 226 According to Kay, "The Priory Group became dissatisfied with the FPMT's increasingly centralized organisation." Cozort stated that different disagreements "led to a rift between Lama Yeshe and his students and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and his, and eventually the Manjushri Board of directors ( Geshe Gyatso's students) severed the connection of the between institute and FPMT." According to Kay, Lama Yeshe tried at different times to reassert his authority over the institute, but his attempts were unsuccessful.Kay, page 63 The visit of Thubten Zopa in 1988 Kay page 73 "is significant, indicating the ongoing devotion of the students to this lama and their desire to leave the negativity of the schism with the FPMT in the past."


The foundation of the New Kadampa Tradition

With the foundation of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) by Kelsang Gyatso, he established a new and independent religious movement aiming to "principally follow the teachings and example of Je Tsongkhapa". This also gave a new identity to his followers. The many NKT centres which were built up rapidly by his followers could gather under the common auspices of the NKT and their spiritual guide, distinguishing and disassociating themselves from other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, especially the Gelug school from which Kelsang Gyatso originated. Cozort describes this as unusual in the Tibetan tradition. The NKT described themselves as being "an entirely independent Buddhist tradition with no political affiliations... that is appropriate to the needs and conditions of the modern world". David Kay comments:


The Internal Rules

The defining and governing document for the NKT is called A Moral Discipline Guide—The Internal Rules of the New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union.A Moral Discipline Guide: The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union. (2020) (UK Charity Commission)


The identity of the NKT

In 1998 Kelsang Gyatso stated in an interview: According to an NKT brochure, written by James Belither while secretary of the NKT: Nowadays the New Kadampa Tradition describes Kelsang Gyatso's presentation of Buddhism to the West as Kadampa Buddhism with the following statement: Moreover, the NKT presents itself as being the continuation of the ancient
Kadampa file:Portrait of the Indian Monk Atisha.jpg, 300px, Tibetan Portrait of Atiśa The Kadam school () of Tibetan Buddhism, or Kadampa was an 11th century Buddhist tradition founded by the great Bengalis, Bengali master Atiśa (982–1054) and his ...
tradition by naming its school ''Kadampa Buddhism'' and equating this ''Kadampa Buddhism'' with the historical Kadampa School of Atisha: Followers of the NKT refer to themselves as Kadampa Buddhists, the temples of the New Kadampa Tradition are referred to as Kadampa Buddhist Temples, and more recently, NKT teachers are named Kadampa teachers. Additionally, the Dharma centres of the New Kadampa Tradition are called Kadampa Buddhist Centres. James Belither, the former secretary of the NKT, described the NKT as "a Mahayana Buddhist tradition with historical connections with Tibet", rather than a Tibetan tradition, and explained that Kelsang Gyatso wished his followers always "to present
Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
in a way appropriate to their own culture and society without the need to adopt
Tibetan culture Tibet developed a distinct culture due to its geographic and climatic conditions. While influenced by neighboring cultures from China, India, and Nepal, the Himalayas, Himalayan region's remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinct ...
and customs". Whereas the NKT celebrate Kelsang Gyatso as the one who "is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time",Official NKT website
/ref> "critics have described The New Kadampa Tradition as a breakaway sect or
cult Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...
and argue it is not part of the ancient Kadampa Tradition but a split from the
Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
school of
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
." Tibetologist Thierry Dodin has described the NKT as a cult, "... on the basis of its organisational form, its excessive group pressure and blind obedience to its founder. The organisation's extreme fanaticism and aggressive missionary drive are typical cult features too." On their website, the New Kadampa Tradition have countered the claims by Tibetan Buddhists that they are a cult. Bluck remarked that there remains an apparent contradiction between claiming a pure Tibetan lineage and separating completely from contemporary Tibetan tradition. While the NKT strongly emphasises its unbroken 'lineage', it has no Tibetan followers and claims to stand outside current Tibetan Buddhism.Bluck, Robert (2006). British Buddhism Teachings, Practice and Development. RoutledgeCurzon, A legally binding document entitled The Internal Rules, §1, was approved by the UK Charity Commission in 2020 and indicates the tradition is democratic. The NKT is defined as follows: "the union of Kadampa Buddhist Centers, the international association of study and meditation centers that follow the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism derived from the Buddhist meditators and scholars Atisha (982-1054 AD) and Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 AD), introduced into the West by the Buddhist teacher Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union."


Activities


Teachings and books

Bluck lists the specific traditional teachings that are seen as important in the NKT-IKBU: "the nature of the
mind The mind is that which thinks, feels, perceives, imagines, remembers, and wills. It covers the totality of mental phenomena, including both conscious processes, through which an individual is aware of external and internal circumstances ...
,
karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
and
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...
, the preciousness of human life, the role of meditation, death, and the commitments of going for refuge", as well as "understanding the
Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (; ; "The Four Arya (Buddhism), arya satya") are "the truths of the noble one (the Buddha)," a statement of how things really are (Three marks of existence, the three marks of existence) when they are seen co ...
, developing renunciation, and the training of moral discipline, concentration and wisdom", followed by "becoming a compassionate
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
(by developing
bodhicitta In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhicitta ("aspiration to enlightenment" or "the thought of awakening") is the mind ( citta) that is aimed at awakening (bodhi) through wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings.Dayal, Har (1970). ''T ...
and the
six perfections 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics A six-sided polygon is a hexagon, one of the three regular polygons capable of tiling the plane. A hexagon a ...
), understanding the ultimate truth of
emptiness Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation, nihilism, and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression (mood), depression, loneliness, anhedonia, wiktionary:despair, despair, or o ...
and finally attaining
Buddhahood In Buddhism, Buddha (, which in classic Indo-Aryan languages, Indic languages means "awakened one") is a title for those who are Enlightenment in Buddhism, spiritually awake or enlightened, and have thus attained the Buddhist paths to liberat ...
." The NKT-IKBU's teachings are based exclusively on the teachings and published works of Kelsang Gyatso, which in turn are commentaries on
Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
works, especially those of its founder
Je Tsongkhapa Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
's texts. According to Helen Waterhouse, Kelsang Gyatso followed the
Tibetan Buddhist Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Arunachal Prades ...
custom of studying texts through the teacher's commentaries. With respect to the contents of the teachings she states that "NKT doctrine is not different from that of mainline
Gelugpa 240px, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Bodh_Gaya.html" ;"title="Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya">Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous')Kay, David N. (20 ...
", with a Prasangika Madhyamaka philosophical orientation, and emphasising the teachings on
dependent arising A dependant (US spelling: dependent) is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income and usually assistance with activities of daily living. A common-law spouse who is financially supported by their partner may also be included ...
and
emptiness Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation, nihilism, and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression (mood), depression, loneliness, anhedonia, wiktionary:despair, despair, or o ...
. The main practice in the NKT-IKBU is
Lamrim Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pr ...
(the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment),
Lojong Lojong (, 'mind training') is a contemplative practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition which makes use of various lists of aphorisms or slogans which are used for contemplative practice. The practice involves refining and purifying one's m ...
(Training the Mind), and
Vajrayana ''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mahāyāna Buddhis ...
Mahamudra Mahāmudrā (Sanskrit: महामुद्रा, , contraction of ) literally means "great seal" or "great imprint" and refers to the fact that "all phenomena inevitably are stamped by the fact of wisdom and emptiness inseparable". Mahāmud ...
(the practices of Highest Yoga Tantra). The books studied in the NKT are published by the Buddhist publishing house
Tharpa Publications Tharpa Publications (Sanskrit for "liberation" and pronounced "Tar-pa") is a New York-based "major international and multilingual publisher of Buddhist books." These include basic Buddhist meditation books such as '' The New Meditation Handbook'', ...
.


Study programs

NKT-IKBU offers three study programs: "the open and introductory General Programme, the Foundation Programme for more committed practitioners, and the demanding Teacher Training Programme."Waterhouse, Helen. "New Kadampa Tradition" entry in Melton, J. Gordon, and Martin Baumann. 2002. ''Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices''. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. p. 940 The study programs of the NKT-IKBU are what distinguishes it from all other Buddhist traditions. Giving an overview of the purpose of the programs, the NKT-IKBU says: "Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has designed three special Study Programs for the systematic study and practice of Kadampa Buddhism that are especially suited to the modern world." It is believed by NKT-IKBU followers that the teachings transmit the pure lineage of Je Tsongkhapa in its entirety.Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. p. 130. The three spiritual programs are: # The ''General Program'' (GP), which provides an introduction to basic Buddhist ideas and meditation. Cozort explains that GP classes are "simply the ongoing general instructure for all comers at NKT Centers or wherever NKT teachers find a venue for teaching."Cozort, Daniel (2003). ''The Making of the Western Lama''. Quoted in Heine, S., & Prebish, C. S. (2003). ''Buddhism in the Modern World: Adaptations of an Ancient Tradition''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 232. # The ''Foundation Program'' (FP), which includes the study of six commentaries written by Kelsang Gyatso on the following classical texts. Cozort remarks that the format of study resembles that of a British or American University, "with textbooks, lectures, small and large group discussion, and examinations." #* ''Joyful Path of Good Fortune'' – based on Atisha's teachings on Lamrim or The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment #* ''Universal Compassion'' – a commentary on Bodhisattva Geshe Chekhawa's ''Training the Mind in Seven Points'' #* ''Eight Steps to Happiness'' – a commentary on Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa's ''Eight Verses of Training the Mind'' #* ''The New Heart of Wisdom'' – a commentary on the
Heart Sutra The ''Heart Sūtra'', ) is a popular sutra in Mahayana, Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Sanskrit, the title ' translates as "The Heart of the Prajnaparamita, Perfection of Wisdom". The Sutra famously states, "Form is emptiness (''śūnyatā''), em ...
#* ''Meaningful to Behold'' – a commentary on
Shantideva Shantideva (Sanskrit: Śāntideva; ; ; ; ) was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda. He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka philosophy of Nāgārjuna. Abhayadatta Sri also li ...
's ''Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'' #* ''Understanding the Mind'' – a commentary and detailed explanation of the mind based on the works of the Buddhist scholars
Dharmakirti Dharmakīrti (fl. ;), was an influential Indian Buddhist philosopher who worked at Nālandā.Tom Tillemans (2011)Dharmakirti Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy He was one of the key scholars of epistemology ( pramāṇa) in Buddhist philo ...
and Dignaga # The ''Teacher Training Program'' (TTP) is, according to Cozort, the "NKT's most ambitious undertaking,"Cozort, Daniel (2003). ''The Making of the Western Lama''. Quoted in Heine, S., & Prebish, C. S. (2003). ''Buddhism in the Modern World: Adaptations of an Ancient Tradition''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 233. intended for people who wish to train as NKT-IKBU Dharma Teachers who, in turn, will teach Buddhism to newcomers as well as serve as tantric gurus. All Resident Teachers of NKT-IKBU Centers follow this program of study and practice. The program involves the study of 14 texts of Kelsang Gyatso, including all of those in the Foundation Program, and the additional 8 listed below. This program also includes commitments concerning one's lifestyle, based on the 5 lay vows of the Pratimoksha, and the completion of specific meditation retreats "on each of the preliminary practices ('' sngon 'gro'')." There is also a "teaching skills" class every month. #* ''The Bodhisattva Vow'' – a commentary on Mahayana moral discipline and the practice of the six perfections #* ''Ocean of Nectar'' – a commentary on
Chandrakirti Chandrakirti (; Sanskrit: चंद्रकीर्ति; ; , meaning "glory of the moon" in Sanskrit) or "Chandra" was a Buddhist scholar of the Madhyamaka school who was based out of the monastery of Nalanda. He was a noted commentator ...
's ''Guide to the Middle Way'' #* ''Clear Light of Bliss'' – a commentary on meditations of Highest Yoga Tantra #* ''Great Treasury of Merit'' – a commentary on the puja ''Offering to the Spiritual Guide'' by the First Panchen Lama #* ''Mahamudra Tantra'' – meditation on the nature of mind according to Tantra #* ''Guide to Dakini Land'' – a commentary on the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of
Vajrayogini Vajrayoginī (; , Dorjé Naljorma) is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. In Vajrayana she is considered a female Buddhahood, Buddha and a . Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet ''sarvabuddhaḍā ...
#* ''Tantric Grounds and Paths'' – an explanation of the practice of the lower and upper classes of Tantra #* ''Essence of Vajrayana'' – a commentary on the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of
Heruka :''Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.'' ''Heruka'' (; ) is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. In East A ...


Religious practices

NKT-IKBU meditation practices include traditional
Lamrim Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pr ...
subjects such as "precious human life, death and
rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a 2011 documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * '' ...
,
karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
and samsara, taking refuge, the development of equanimity,
kindness Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return. It is a subject of interest in philosophy, religion, and psychology. It can be directed towards o ...
and
compassion Compassion is a social feeling that motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental, or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is sensitivity to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based ...
towards all beings,
bodhicitta In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhicitta ("aspiration to enlightenment" or "the thought of awakening") is the mind ( citta) that is aimed at awakening (bodhi) through wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings.Dayal, Har (1970). ''T ...
, understanding
emptiness Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation, nihilism, and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression (mood), depression, loneliness, anhedonia, wiktionary:despair, despair, or o ...
, and relying on a
spiritual guide A spirit guide, in Spiritualism, is an entity that remains as a discarnate spirit to act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated individual. Description In traditional African belief systems, well before the spread of Christianity ...
." Chanted prayers follow "a traditional Tibetan format": * going for refuge, * generating
bodhicitta In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhicitta ("aspiration to enlightenment" or "the thought of awakening") is the mind ( citta) that is aimed at awakening (bodhi) through wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings.Dayal, Har (1970). ''T ...
and the ‘ four immeasurables’ of boundless love,
compassion Compassion is a social feeling that motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental, or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is sensitivity to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based ...
, sympathetic joy and equanimity, * imagining the Buddhas and bodhisattvas as physically present, * a seven-limbed prayer of prostration, offerings, confession, rejoicing in virtue, asking holy beings to remain, requesting Dharma teachings and dedicating merit, * offering the
mandala A mandala (, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid ...
(seeing the universe as a
Pure Land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...
of happiness), * asking for and receiving blessings (becoming filled with ‘rays of light and nectar’ from the Buddha's heart), * following specific meditation instructions, and * dedicating the accumulated
merit Merit may refer to: Religion * Merit (Buddhism) * Merit (Christianity) Companies and brands * Merit (cigarette), a brand of cigarettes * Merit Energy Company, an international energy company * Merit Motion Pictures, an independent documentar ...
for the happiness of all beings. While the
Je Tsongkhapa Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
and
Dorje Shugden Dorje Shugden (, Wylie: ''rdo rje shugs ldan'', ), also known as Dolgyal and Gyalchen Shugden, is an entity associated with the Gelug school, the newest of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Dorje Shugden is variously looked upon as a destroyed ...
practices are recited daily, NKT-IKBU practitioners also regularly perform a number of other ritual practices, including Avalokiteshvara,
Heruka :''Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.'' ''Heruka'' (; ) is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. In East A ...
,
Vajrayogini Vajrayoginī (; , Dorjé Naljorma) is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. In Vajrayana she is considered a female Buddhahood, Buddha and a . Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet ''sarvabuddhaḍā ...
, Tara,
Manjushri Manjushri () is a ''bodhisattva'' who represents '' prajñā'' (transcendent wisdom) of the Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism. The name "Mañjuśrī" is a combination of Sanskrit word " mañju" and an honorific " śrī"; it can be literally transla ...
, Amitayus and the
Medicine Buddha Bhaiṣajyaguru (, zh, t= , , , , ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rāja ("Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light"; zh, t=藥師琉璃光(王)如來, , , ), is the Buddha of healing and medicine i ...
. Bluck notes that "All these sādhanas have either been 'compiled from traditional sources' by Geshe Kelsang or translated under his supervision."


Religious observances

From its inception, NKT-IKBU Dharma centres followed a common calendar for religious observances, including some of the traditional Buddhist religious days. These include the following: Monthly observances of Buddha Tara, Je Tsongkhapa, Eight Mahayana Precepts, and Dorje Shugden practices: * Tara Day (8th of each month) * Tsog Day (10th and 25th of each month) * Precepts Day (15th of each month) * Protector Day (29th of each month) Annual holidays common to other Buddhist traditions:Chryssides, George (1999). ''Exploring New Religions''. London: Cassell. p. 237. * Buddha's Enlightenment Day (15 April) * Turning the Wheel of Dharma Day (4 June 9 days after Buddha's Enlightenment Day, and also Kelsang Gyatso's birthday * Buddha's Return from Heaven Day (22 September) * Je Tsongkhapa Day (25 October) Annual holidays unique to the NKT-IKBU: * NKT Day (the first Saturday in April) * International Temples Day (the first Saturday in November) In 2004, the dates of lunar month observances were changed to the respective days in the common calendar. NKT Day commemorates the founding of the NKT-IKBU, while International Temples Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of building Kadampa Buddhist Temples throughout the world.


International Buddhist festivals

Three annual Buddhist NKT Festivals are held each year: (1) The Spring Festival – held at Manjushri KMC in UK; (2) The Summer Festival – held at Manjushri KMC in UK; (3) The Fall Festival – held at various locations outside the UK. These are taught by the General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition, currently Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong, and include teachings and empowerments from the Spiritual Director, reviews and meditations led by senior NKT Teachers, chanted meditations and offering ceremonies, and meditation retreats. They are attended by between 2000 and 6000 people from around the world.


Ordination

Within the NKT-IKBU community there are over 700 monks and nuns. Ordination ceremonies are usually held twice a year in the main NKT Temple at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center in Cumbria (UK), Ulverston. To ordain, one must ask Kelsang Gyatso's permission, and also the permission of his or her parents. Buddha established both lay and ordained Pratimoksha vows, and established several levels of ordination vows. However, in the NKT-IKBU, Kelsang Gyatso established a simplified alternative tradition of ordination with ten vows that summarise the Vinaya, and a single ordination ceremony. The 10 vows in New Kadampa Tradition ordination are identical for both nuns and monks: # abandon killing # abandon stealing # abandon sexual activity # abandon lying and cheating # abandon taking intoxicants # practice contentment # reduce one's desire for worldly pleasures # abandon engaging in meaningless activities # maintain the commitments of refuge # practise the three trainings of pure moral discipline, concentration, and wisdom In ''The Ordination Handbook'', Kelsang Gyatso described these vows as being easier to integrate into today's society, saying: He also says: The ordination tradition of the NKT-IKBU differs from that of other Buddhist groups in that it is based on the Mahayana ''Perfection of Wisdom Sutras''Gyatso, Kelsang. (1999). ''The Ordination Handbook of the New Kadampa Tradition''. p. 16. instead of the Hinayana ''Vinaya Sutras''. According to Kelsang Gyatso, "The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras are our Vinaya and
Lamrim Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pr ...
is its commentary." Robert Bluck observed that in the NKT-IKBU a ''Vinaya Sutras''-based "full ordination is not available, and those who do ordain remain as novices, though again this is common in Tibet." Kelsang Gyatso explained that when a person is first ordained they receive a Rabjung (preliminary) ordination; when their renunciation improves and deepens, their ordination naturally transforms into a Getsul (
sramanera A (Pali; ), is a novice male monk in a Buddhist context. A female novice nun is in , and in or . In Tibetan Buddhism, a female novice nun is known by the Tibetan language term , and a male novice monk is a .bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (, ) is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male, and female monastics (''bhikkhunī''), are members of the Sangha (Buddhist community). The lives of all Buddhist monastics are governed by a set of rules called the pratimok ...
) ordination. For this reason, Kelsang Gyatso did not require a separate ritual ordination ceremony. Monks and nuns in the NKT-IKBU abandon the physical signs of a lay person by shaving their head and wearing the maroon and yellow robes of an ordained person. They are given a new name which starts with "Kelsang", since it is traditional for ordinees to receive part of the ordaining master's name (up until his death, this was Kelsang Gyatso). They also engage in a Sojong ceremony twice a month to purify and restore their vows. Monastics who break their ordination vows must leave their Centre for a year, with the exception of attending various bigger courses, Celebrations and Festivals. After that year, "with some conditions" they can return but cannot teach or participate in the Teacher Training Program. Practitioners who wish to ordain approach their Buddhist teacher when they feel ready, and request formal permission once they have their teacher's consent. They may decide to live in one of the NKT-IKBU's many Buddhist centres, but this is not a requirement. They are, in general, not financially provided for by the NKT-IKBU. And, if they live in an NKT-IKBU Dharma centre, they still have to pay rent for their accommodation and pay for meals and the spiritual programs. To finance this, some have part-time or full-time work.Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. . p. 146. According to Belither, "a few people are sponsored because of their NKT work but others are on 'extended working visits' or work locally, and some are legitimately on employment benefit." When working, they may "wear ordinary clothes if this is more convenient."


Teachers


Lineage of teachers

The NKT-IKBU traces its spiritual lineage through these main Buddhist figures: #
Buddha Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
#
Vajradhara Vajradhara (; ; ; ; ; ) is the ultimate primordial Buddha, or Adi-Buddha, according to the Sakya, Gelug and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also a name of Indra, because "Vajra" means diamond, as well as the thunderbolt, or anything ha ...
#
Manjushri Manjushri () is a ''bodhisattva'' who represents '' prajñā'' (transcendent wisdom) of the Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism. The name "Mañjuśrī" is a combination of Sanskrit word " mañju" and an honorific " śrī"; it can be literally transla ...
# Atisha #
Je Tsongkhapa Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
#
Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo (; 1878–1941) was a Gelug lama of the modern era of Tibetan Buddhism. He attained his Geshe degree at Sera Mey Monastic University, Lhasa, and became a teacher in Tibet. He taught lay people. Pabongkha was offered ...
# Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang #
Kelsang Gyatso Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (; 4 June 1931 – 17 September 2022) was a Buddhism, Buddhist Bhikkhu, monk, Lama, meditation teacher, scholar, and author. He was the founder and spiritual director of the New Kadampa Tradition, New Kadampa Tradition-Inter ...


Kelsang Gyatso

After leaving Tibet in 1959, Kelsang Gyatso taught and engaged in retreat in India for 18 years.
Trijang Rinpoche The Third Trijang Rinpoche, Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1901–1981) was a Gelugpa Lama and a direct disciple of Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo. He succeeded Ling Rinpoche as the junior tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama when the Dalai Lama was ninete ...
, the root Guru of Kelsang Gyatso, asked him to be the resident teacher at
Manjushri Institute Manjushri Institute was a large Buddhist college situated at Conishead Priory in Cumbria, England from 1976 until its dissolution in 1991. In 1991 its assets, including Conishead Priory, were transferred to a new centre on the same premises, Manj ...
(now known as Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre) in England. Kelsang Gyatso taught the General Program at Manjushri from 1976 to 1987. In 1987, Kelsang Gyatso entered a 3-year retreat at Tharpaland in
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
, Scotland. During his retreat, he wrote five books and established the foundations of the NKT-IKBU. Since that time, the NKT-IKBU has grown to comprise over 1,100 Centres and groups throughout 40 countries. After completing his retreat in the spring of 1991, Kelsang Gyatso announced the creation of the NKT-IKBU, an event which was celebrated by his students in the NKT-IKBU magazine ''Full Moon'' as "a wonderful development in the history of the Buddhadharma." In 1992, the NKT-IKBU was legally incorporated under English law, which constituted the formal foundation of the NKT-IKBU. The many Dharma Centres that were following Kelsang Gyatso's spiritual direction were gathered under the common auspices of the NKT-IKBU, with him as their General Spiritual Director (GSD). He remained GSD until August 2009 when he retired and was replaced by his successor, Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab. Each of the individual Centers is legally and financially independent.


Successor to Kelsang Gyatso

From 1991 to 1995 Gelong Thubten Gyatso was designated as Kelsang Gyatso's future successor. He disrobed in 1995, and Kelsang Gyatso provisionally appointed 4 'Gen-las', i.e. Losang Kelsang, Kelsang Jangsem, Kelsang Dekyong and Samden Gyatso. After about a year, the former two resigned as Gen-las and were re-appointed as Resident Teachers. Samden Gyatso became the Deputy Spiritual Director and successor to Kelsang Gyatso while Kelsang Dekyong was appointed as the US National Spiritual Director. From this time onwards, the Deputy Spiritual Director also held the appointment of Resident Teacher at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. In February 2007 Samden Gyatso resigned as Deputy Spiritual Director. Kelsang Khyenrab was appointed as Deputy Spiritual Director and became the General Spiritual Director when Kelsang Gyatso retired in Summer 2009. In August 2001, Kelsang Gyato established a system of democratic succession for the General Spiritual Director of the NKT- IKBU. The ''Internal Rules'' state: In 2008, Gen-la Khyenrab became Acting General Spiritual Director, under Kelsang Gyatso's supervision, and assumed the post of General Spiritual Director in August 2009 for a four-year term. Gen-la Dekyong, the National Spiritual Director of the United States of America, has in turn assumed the post of Deputy Spiritual Director, while retaining her post as US National Spiritual Director in accordance with the ''Internal Rules''. Gen-la Khyenrab retired as the General Spiritual Director due to ill health in April 2010 and, in accordance with the ''Internal Rules'', Gen-la Dekyong was appointed as General Spiritual Director. Her position as Deputy Spiritual Director was taken by Gen-la Kunsang.


Other teachers

Alongside Kelsang Gyatso, who as founder and former spiritual director was the main teacher of the NKT-IKBU and his successors, all teachings (i.e. the three study programs) are held by Western students; lay persons and ordained alike. Qualification as an NKT-IKBU Dharma teacher is generally achieved by attending the NKT-IKBU's own Teacher Training Program, which Kelsang Gyatso regarded as "a western equivalent to the traditional Tibetan
Geshe Geshe (, short for ''dge-ba'i bshes-gnyen'', "virtuous friend"; translation of Skt. ''kalyāņamitra'') or geshema is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns. The degree is emphasized primarily by the Gelug lineage, but is also awar ...
degree." Cozort has noted that "Several of the most prominent Tibetan teachers have long recognized themselves the need to train Westerners as Dharma teachers." Kelsang Gyatso explained the importance of Western Dharma teachers to the flourishing of Dharma in the world, saying that one fully qualified teacher is worth a thousand enlightened students. He expounded on the qualifications of NKT-IKBU teachers in 1990: Regarding the qualifications of NKT-IKBU teachers, Kay observed that "Whilst personal experience of the teachings is considered important, the dominant view within the NKT is that the main qualification of a teacher is their purity of faith and discipleship." According to Robert Bluck, "Most teachers are appointed to centres by Kelsang Gyatso before they have completed the Teaching Training Programme and continue studying by correspondence, with an intensive study programme at Manjushri each summer." Daniel Cozort explained that this is "rather like graduate students who teach undergraduate courses while pursuing their own Ph.D.'s." Kelsang Gyatso said that monks, nuns, lay men and lay women can all become Spiritual Guides if they have the necessary experience, qualities and training. All NKT-IKBU teachers, lay and ordained, study on the same study and retreat programmes. The ''Internal Rules'' specify the criteria for completing the programme: In addition to the TTP commitment, all Resident Teachers have to attend International Teacher Training Program each year, taught in repeated rotation according to a sixteen-year study scheme. Ordained and lay Resident Teachers who have taught successfully for four years are given the titles 'Gen' and 'Kadam', respectively.


Former Senior Teachers


Kelsang Khyenrab

Kelsang Khyenrab who studied and practised Buddhism since 1980 under the guidance of Kelsang Gyatso, was formerly General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT). In 2008, Khyenrab became Acting Spiritual Director, under Kelsang Gyatso's supervision, and assumed the post of Spiritual Director in August 2009 for a four-year term. As Spiritual Director, Khyenrab was the Resident Teacher at Manjushri Temple and Kadampa Meditation Centre, the Mother Center of New Kadampa Buddhism. He Khyenrab resigned in 2010, for health reasons, and was replaced by Kelsang Dekyong.


Thubten Gyatso

From 1991 to 1995 Gelong Thubten Gyatso (a.k.a. Gen Thubten or Neil Elliot) was appointed as a 'Gen-la' and Resident Teacher of Madhyamaka Centre (Pocklington, York) and as Kelsang Gyatso's future successor.''Sect disrobes British monk'', World Tibet Network News, Sunday, 18 August 1996, He was described by the NKT as "the first qualified English Tantric meditation master in Britain" and was known as the 'heart-disciple' of Geshe Kelsang who wrote a prayer for his long life which was recited regularly at NKT centres. According to
Madeleine Bunting Madeleine Clare J. Bunting (born March 1964) is an English writer. She was formerly an associate editor and columnist at ''The Guardian'' newspaper. She has written five works of non-fiction and two novels (''Ceremony of Innocence'' will be publi ...
"Gen Thubten .is described by former members as having been the 'power behind the throne'." Bunting states further that "Former members understand that Gen Thubten was disrobed because of a breach of his monastic vows. He was deeply revered by the 3,000 NKT members for his knowledge of Buddhism and his charismatic teaching."


Organisation and development


Internal Rules

The legal document ''A Moral Discipline Guide: The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union'' explains that the NKT-IKBU The New Kadampa Truth website explains: "Its Internal Rules – containing numerous checks and balances on the behavior, election and dismissal of the administrators, teachers, and spiritual directors – also guard against any extreme behavior and are legally binding." An NBO member describes them:


Growth

The NKT-IKBU currently lists more than 200 centres and around 900 branch classes/study groups in 40 countries, with an estimated 8,000 members. The centres are independent charitable corporations, and the groups are branches off an established centre which meet weekly in places such as churches and community centres. In comparison, Waterhouse says the NKT-IKBU "is very good at marketing its product", with Centers and branches producing leaflets that advertise local NKT-IKBU groups in their respective towns, a level of publicity that according to Jones is comparatively more "forceful and extroverted" with regard to other Buddhist groups, and has helped the NKT-IKBU to achieve "a phenomenal increase in membership and centres." Another attraction is the high level of activity at an NKT-IKBU Dharma centre, where it is often possible to be taking part at the centre every day of the week, in contrast to other groups "which meet on a weekly basis but provide little other support or activity." Bluck attributes NKT-IKBU's rapid growth to "a wish to share the Dharma rather than ‘conversion and empire-building’." Kay says that the NKT-IKBU is sensitive to criticism on the subject of expansion and cites Kelsang Gyatso's response to any criticisms about its outreach efforts, stating that "every organization 'tries to attract more people with appropriate publicity.'" New Dharma centres are expected to be self-supporting, as neither Kelsang Gyatso nor the NKT-IKBU owns the centres.


Kadampa Meditation Centers

A Kadampa Meditation Centre (KMC) is a Kadampa
Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
Center that serves the local, national, and international communities. A KMC is generally more centrally organised than regular Kadampa Buddhist Centers. Besides having a program of courses for the local community, KMCs host major gatherings such as Dharma Celebrations, National Festivals, and International Festivals. They are also home to the International Kadampa Temples. KMCs are non-profit organisations and all their annual profits are donated to the International Temples Project. There are currently 18 KMCs around the world, with several in the US.


Temples for World Peace, World Peace Cafés, and Hotel Kadampas

The NKT-IKBU has established a Kadampa Buddhist Temple in the United Kingdom, as well as in Canada, the United States, and Spain; recently opened a Temple in Brazil, with plans to build one in Germany too. The NKT-IKBU states in its publicity that: "World Peace Cafés" have opened at some NKT Centers, starting in Ulverston, UK and now in other countries including the United States. In 2005 the NKT-IKBU opened their first "World Peace Hotel", called "Hotel Kadampa": a no-smoking, alcohol-free hotel in Southern Spain. (A second Hotel Kadampa opened in Montecatini in Tuscany, Italy, but has since closed). The hotel "functions as a normal hotel but with the benefit of a shrine room and meditation teaching. The absence of alcohol and loud entertainment attracts those who appreciated a quiet and peaceful atmosphere."


International Retreat Centers

International Retreat Centers (IRCs) are centres that offer facilities for those wishing to do both long-term and short-term meditation retreats. Tharpaland International Retreat Centre was founded by Kelsang Gyatso in 1985, when he began a three-year retreat there, and has since hosted thousands of people. Kailash International Retreat Center was founded in Switzerland in 2007.


New Kadampa Tradition and Gelugpa Tradition

According to the NKT-IKBU, it is Tibetan in its antecedents and follows the teachings of the historic, "Old"
Kadampa file:Portrait of the Indian Monk Atisha.jpg, 300px, Tibetan Portrait of Atiśa The Kadam school () of Tibetan Buddhism, or Kadampa was an 11th century Buddhist tradition founded by the great Bengalis, Bengali master Atiśa (982–1054) and his ...
and the " New Kadam" Tradition of
Je Tsongkhapa Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
, the latter of which became the
Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
school of
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
.Belither, James
''Modern Day Kadampas: The History and Development of the New Kadampa Tradition''
. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
Critics on the other hand characterise the NKT-IKBU as "a breakaway movement and argue that the New Kadampa Tradition, as it is known today, is not part of the ancient Kadampa Tradition but a split from the ontemporaryGelug school." The founder of the
Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
school,
Je Tsongkhapa Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
, and his disciples were popularly known as the "new school of Kadam." Je Tsongkhapa himself referred to his monastic order as "the New Kadam" (Tib. ''Kadam Sarpa'').''An Interview With Geshe Kelsang Gyatso'' by Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Tricycle Magazine, Spring 1998, Vol. 7 No. 3. p. 74 The term Gelug came into use only after his death.Lopez, Donald S. (1998). ''Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 193 Je Tsongkhapa's apparent
eclecticism Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories i ...
was actually "an attempt to determine which teachings and practices should be considered normative."Powers, John. "Gelukpa Tibetan Buddhism" entry in Melton, J. Gordon, and Martin Baumann. 2002. ''Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices''. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. p. 533. In creating a new synthesis of Buddhist doctrine, ethics and practice, Je Tsongkhapa endeavoured "to rid Tibetan uddhismof its pre-Buddhist shamanic elements," and the NKT-IKBU sees itself as continuing to keep Tsongkhapa's unique form of Buddhism free of non-Buddhist teachings and practices.Chryssides, George (1999). ''Exploring New Religions''. London: Cassell. p. 235. In this regard, Kelsang Gyatso explains: In short, Waterhouse says that "the early Gelugpa legacy is one which the NKT wishes to emulate" and that the name of the organisation itself makes a statement about its "perceived roots within the 'pure' transmission of tisha'sIndian Buddhism into Tibet." According to Lopez, "For Kelsang Gyatso to call his group the New Kadampa Tradition, therefore, is ideologically charged, implying as it does that he and his followers represent the tradition of the founder, Tsong kha pa, more authentically than the
Geluk 240px, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Bodh_Gaya.html" ;"title="Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya">Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous')Kay, David N. (20 ...
establishment and the
Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
himself." Kay comments: Kelsang Gyatso used the terms New Kadampa and Gelugpa synonymously, in accordance with his lineage gurus as well as the current Dalai Lama, who explained: "So we call the teachings of both Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa the Kadampa tradition, and then slowly this becomes the New Kadampa and then finally it is known as the Gelugpa." Kelsang Gyatso refers to NKT-IKBU practitioners as Gelugpas, defining ''Gelug'' as: When asked about the relationship between the NKT-IKBU and the Gelug tradition, Kelsang Gyatso again self-identified as a Gelugpa: The closing prayers of all NKT-IKBU spiritual practices include two dedication prayers for the flourishing of the 'Virtuous Tradition' (i.e., the Gelugpas), these being "recited every day after teachings and pujas at all Gelugpa monasteries and Dharma Centres." Of the words, "New Kadampa Tradition", James Belither (NKT Secretary for 20 years) states that the "word 'New' is used not to imply that it is newly created, but that it is a fresh presentation of
Buddhadharma Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth- ...
in a form and manner that is appropriate to the needs and conditions of the modern world."


Kadampa Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism

According to Waterhouse, Kelsang Gyatso "has broken away from the school's representatives in India and
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
." Cozort confirms that the NKT-IKBU "is not subordinate to Tibetan authorities other than Geshe Gyatso himself."Cozort, Daniel (2003). ''The Making of the Western Lama''. Quoted in Heine, S., & Prebish, C. S. (2003). ''Buddhism in the modern world: Adaptations of an ancient tradition''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 231. James Belither explained that the NKT-IKBU "does not accept the Dalai Lama's authority 'simply because there is no political or ecclesiastical reason for doing so.'" Instead of presenting itself as a Tibetan tradition, James Belither has said that the NKT-IKBU is "a Mahayana Buddhist tradition with historical connections with Tibet", saying it wishes "to present
Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
in a way appropriate to their own culture and society without the need to adopt
Tibetan culture Tibet developed a distinct culture due to its geographic and climatic conditions. While influenced by neighboring cultures from China, India, and Nepal, the Himalayas, Himalayan region's remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinct ...
and customs." Bluck sees an "apparent contradiction between claiming a pure Tibetan lineage and complete separation from contemporary Tibetan religion, culture and politics." The NKT-IKBU disagrees that there is a contradiction, saying "It is possible to be a follower of Je Tsongkhapa's lineage but not a Tibetan Buddhist, just as a child of Russian immigrants to America may consider themselves American but not Russian." Despite the NKT-IKBU's separation from contemporary Tibetan Buddhism, the commitments undertaken by its members also include maintaining "a deep respect" for all Dharma teachings and other Buddhist traditions. When asked about sectarianism between the Gelugpas and other schools of
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
, Kelsang Gyatso replied:


Relationship with the current Dalai Lama

For some scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism the NKT is considered to be “anti-Dalai Lama” for its involvement in a Tibetan diasporic debate between propitiators of Dorje Shugden, a Geluk protector deity dating to the 15th century, and the Dalai Lama, who banned Shugden practice in all Central Tibetan Administration institutions and monasteries in 1996. Martin Mills states: The Dalai Lama has since rescinded the ban.
Robert Thurman Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (born August 3, 1941) is an American Buddhist author and academic who has written, edited, and translated several books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at ...
states the International Shugden Community is a
front group A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, terrorist organizations, secret societies, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy ...
of the New Kadampa Tradition, something they deny.Thurman, Robert
Concerning The Current Wave of "Protest Demonstrations" Against His Holiness the Dalai Lama
3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
The NKT-IKBU is one of the largest Buddhist movements in the UK, which describes itself as "a new organization making an ancient tradition accessible to all", by combining Tibetan tradition with western adaptation.
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
professor Peter Clarke sees a paradox here, and has characterised the NKT-IKBU as a "controversial Tibetan Buddhist
New Religious Movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...
," not because of any moral failings but because of the NKT-IKBU's separation from contemporary Tibetan Buddhism. Madeleine Bunting writes: In 1998, the BBC produced a documentary, “An Unholy Row”, which discusses the NKT and the Dorje Shugden Controversy.


New Kadampa Survivors

There is a group of former members who speak out against the New Kadampa Tradition and their demonstrations against the Dalai Lama's ban on Dorje Shugden practice.6 Things You Should Know About the Anti-Dalai Lama Protesters
5 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.


Academic articles



Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 12, No. 3, 1997; pp. 277–293.
Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantation, Development and Adaptation - The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), and the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC) – David N. Kay
London and New York, 2005,


See also

* Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre *
New religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * {{New Religious Movements 1991 establishments in England Buddhist charities Buddhist new religious movements Buddhist organisations based in the United Kingdom Dorje Shugden controversy History of Tibetan Buddhism Religious organizations established in 1991 New religious movements established in the 1990s