Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism.

Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time.

Study and retreat

From the age of eight, Geshe-la 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, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas.

Teaching in the West

In 1977, Geshe-la accepted an invitation to teach at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England, where he lived for many years giving teachings and guidance to an ever-growing group of disciples.

Geshe-la has continued to teach Kadampa Buddhism in many countries around the world, and has published a series of extraordinary books on Buddhist thought and meditation, from basic introductory books to advanced philosophical texts and meditation manuals.

He has established three unique study programmes and over 1000 meditation centers around the world, has trained qualified teachers and a flourishing ordained community, and has created The International Temples Project  to build Buddhist temples in every major city in the world.

Teaching by example

In his teachings, Geshe Kelsang emphasizes the importance of meditation and how to apply it in daily life, how to fulfill our deepest wishes for true happiness, and how to cultivate a kind heart to help other.

This remarkable teacher inspires so many people from so many different countries because he teaches from his own personal experience, and demonstrates these qualities perfectly in his own life.

He is a humble Buddhist monk dedicated to helping people throughout the world find true happiness in their hearts.