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

NKT Day 2026 – Rejoicing In Our Guru’s kindness

The first Saturday of April is NKT Day — a time to celebrate the extraordinary kindness of our Spiritual Guide and Founder, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, who in 1991 founded the New Kadampa Tradition. We can take this opportunity to reflect on and rejoice in the flourishing of Kadam Dharma throughout the world.
The One Hidden Source of All Our Suffering’ by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Over the holiday period we share this beautiful video excerpt from our Spiritual Guide and founder Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. May we never forget his kindness and strive to repay it by putting his teachings into practice.
Why we enjoy the International Teacher Training program

As the ITTP enters its final week, we hear from some of the Resident Teachers about why they love this program and how both they and their centers benefit from it.
Where can we find peace of mind?

What do all living beings desire most? Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong reveals the universal wish we all share: to be happy and free from pain and problems. Yet, as Gen-la explains, despite this deep wish, we often sabotage our own happiness through anger, jealousy, and selfish habits.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Intensive Teacher Training Program 2023

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

Qualified Teachers for the modern world

FOUNDER & SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche has transmitted all the essential teachings and practices of Modern Kadampa Buddhism to his students and provided training and support for hundreds of modern Teachers to carry this living lineage into future generations.

Learn more about Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche →

The GEN-LAs & other SENIOR TEACHERS

Gen-la Kelsang Jampa

General Spiritual Director

Gen-la Jampa is an internationally renowned, ordained Buddhist teacher and the General Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU).

As a senior NKT teacher, Gen-la Jampa has been a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for many years, and under Geshe-la's guidance has taught at many centers and events around the world.

Gen-la is well-loved for his clear and inspiring teachings and his ability to touch people’s hearts through his sincerity and loving-kindness.

Deputy Spiritual Director

Gen-la Kelsang Sangden

Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong

Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab

Gen-la Kelsang Kunsang

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 Chodor

Gen Kelsang Mudita

Gen Kelsang Gomlam

Kadam Bridget Heyes

Gen Kelsang Rinchung

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

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.