Qualified Teachers

Qualified Teachers

For people to learn to meditate correctly and apply Buddha’s teachings to their lives they need qualified Teachers. For this reason, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche emphasized training Teachers of many nationalities.

The Teacher Training Program is an essential part of the three core study programs and is available at many centers around the world
In addition there is the Special Teacher Training Program taught by the General Spiritual Director and an Intensive Teacher Training Program taught annually by Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab.

Latest Updates

Intensive Teacher Training Program 2024 drawing to an end

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche created the Teacher Training Program to ensure that Kadampa Teachers around the world will continually improve their correct understanding of Kadam Dharma, pure moral discipline, and teaching skills to become a pure example for others to learn from and follow.

Read More

A New Wave of Teachers to Flourish Kadam Dharma

The students of the International Teacher Training Programme are setting forth on their next adventure to help Kadam Dharma to flourish in many different ways doing whatever is needed.

Read More

A wisdom inspiration

Soon thousands of people will be assembling in the first Temple for World Peace for the annual event – International Kadampa Summer Festival. Those attending, both in-person and online will receive Dharma teachings on Kadam Lamrim of Sutra and Tantra from the most senior disciples of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. See the full article for three inspiring videos from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong and Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab:

Read More

Conclusion to a meaningful six months

The ITTP class of 2023 is drawing to a close. This special  six month course was designed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche to prepare teachers to the modern world. It is held at Manjushri KMC and this year forty people completed the course.

Read More

Intensive Teacher Training Program 2023 – sharing a special dream

Over 40 people from around the world sharing a common dream to become a qualified Teacher of modern Kadampa Buddhism gathered last night in the North Wing Meditation Room at Manjushri KMC with Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab.

Read More

Intensive Teacher Training Program 2023

‘Buddha’s teachings are beneficial to others only if there are qualified Teachers.’
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

Read More

Preparations for Intensive Teacher Training Program 2023

This year over 40 fortunate Kadampas from all over the world will gather here for six months for the bi-annual Intensive Teacher Training Program with Gen-la Khyenrab.

Read More

Why training qualified Kadampa Teachers is so important

For the last three weeks in the run up to the 2022 Summer Festival, Manjushri KMC has been abuzz with almost 200 Resident Teachers from around the world studying on the Intensive Teacher Training Program.

Read More

Teachers gather for special training

Almost 200 Resident Teachers have gathered at Manjushri KMC for the Intensive Teacher Training Program 2022 with Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab, retired General Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU.

Read More

An intensive program for the Teachers

The Intensive Teacher Training Program is called ‘intensive’ for a reason. For three weeks, the Teachers follow a rigorous 6-day a week schedule of teachings, teaching skills, discussion, memorisation and prayers. Venerable Geshe-la has designed this special program to give Resident Teachers from the  centers around the world the opportunity to engage in intensive in-service training. 

Read More

Qualified Teachers for the modern world

FOUNDER & SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

GEN-LAs ~ SENIOR TEACHERS

Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong

Gen-la Kelsang Jampa

Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab

Gen-la Kelsang Kunsang

Gen-la Kelsang Thubten

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS

Gen Kelsang Ananda
Gen Kelsang Eupamé
Gen Kelsang Rabten
Kadam Morten Clausen
Gen Kelsang Tonglam
Gen Kelsang Sangden
Gen Kelsang Chokga
Gen Kelsang Demo
Gen Kelsang Dragpa
Gen Kelsang Mudita
Gen Kelsang Rigpa
Gen Kelsang Rinchung
Kadam Bridget Heyes

Resident Teachers Worldwide

Training qualified Teachers

Those wishing to become Teachers of Modern Kadampa Buddhism train on the Teacher Training Program, one of the three study programs developed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.

There is also a six-month Intensive Teacher Training Program and ongoing in-service training through the International Teacher Training Program and Special Teacher Training Program.

The Lineage of Modern Kadampa Buddhism

Je Tsongkhapa 4_transparent

In the word 'Kadampa', ‘Ka’ refers to Buddha’s teachings and ‘dam’ refers to Atisha’s instructions on Lamrim (the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, also known as Kadam Lamrim). ‘Kadam’ therefore refers to the union of Buddha’s teachings and Atisha’s instructions, and sincere practitioners of Kadam Lamrim are called ‘Kadampas’.

There are two Kadampa traditions, the ancient and the new. Practitioners of the ancient Kadampa tradition appeared to emphasize the practice of Kadam Lamrim of Sutra more than the practice of Tantra. Later, Je Tsongkhapa and his disciples emphasized the practice of Kadam Lamrim of both Sutra and Tantra equally. This new tradition founded by Je Tsongkhapa is called the new Kadampa tradition.

After Je Tsongkhapa, the New Kadampa lineage flourished for hundreds of years, reaching the present day through immensely pure lineage Gurus such as Je Phabongkhapa and Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche.

In recent years, this precious lineage has been preserved and promoted throughout the world by the contemporary Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, the present day lineage holder.

The dawn of modern Kadampa Buddhism
In 1981 Venerable Geshe-la's Spiritual Guide, Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche, encouraged him to develop a new presentation of Kadampa Buddhism for the modern world that everyone throughout the world could easily understand and practice. Thus, Modern Kadampa Buddhism was born.

Since that time Venerable Geshe-la has worked tirelessly to develop and promote the precious gift of Modern Kadampa Buddhism. This new presentation faithfully preserves the original meanings of the lineage of Kadampa Buddhism all the way back to Buddha himself while presenting them in a contemporary and easily  accessible way.

Above all it is an international presentation open to everyone, not anchored in any specific country or culture.

Buddha Shakyamuni
Je Tsongkhapa
Trijang Rinpoche
Atisha
Phabongkha Rinpoche
Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche