KADAMPA BUDDHISM

Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982-1054).

Kadampa Buddhism in Tibet

At that time, the Buddhism which had flourished in Tibet had degenerated. Atisha travelled to Tibet at the request of the Tibetan King, Yeshe Ö, and revitalised Buddhism in the country. His followers are known as 'Kadampas'. 'Ka' refers to Buddha's teachings, and 'dam' to Atisha's special Lamrim instructions known as 'the stages of the path to enlightenment'. Kadampas, then, are practitioners who regard Buddha's teachings as personal instructions and put them into practice by following the instructions of Lamrim.

The Kadampa tradition was later promoted widely in Tibet by Je Tsongkhapa (1357 - 1419) and his followers, who were known as the 'New Kadampas'.  Je Tsongkhapa worked tirelessly to spread Buddhadharma throughout Tibet.

Kadampa Buddhism in the West

Kadampa Buddhism was first introduced into the West in 1977 by the renowned Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Since that time he has worked to spread Kadampa Buddhism throughout the world by giving extensive teachings, writing many profound texts on Kadampa Buddhism, and founding the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union, a growing, global union of nearly 800 Buddhist Centres