What is Modern Buddhism?
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
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. Meditation practices taught in the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) are practical, accessible, and deeply transformative.
Our Kadampa Lineage
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 Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche’s beneficial activities.
