Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche is the founder of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), a network of over 1200 Kadampa Buddhist Centers and groups throughout the world.
Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, was a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism.
Out of loving kindness and compassion, he devoted his life to making Buddha’s teachings accessible to the modern world.
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 Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche, his Spiritual Guide, he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas.
In 1977 he was invited to teach in England; and, from that time until his passing in 2022, he gave thousands of authoritative and practical teachings on Kadampa Buddhism in Europe, North America, Brazil, Singapore, and elsewhere, and wrote 23 highly acclaimed remarkable books on Buddhist thought and meditation.
He established three unique study programs and over 1200 Centers and branches around the world, trained qualified modern Buddhist teachers and a flourishing ordained community, and created a project to build Buddhist temples for world peace in every country in the world.
In his teachings and books, Geshe Kelsang emphasizes the importance of meditation and how to apply it in daily life, the need to develop inner peace if we are to be truly happy, and how to cultivate the ability to help others. He demonstrated these qualities every day in his own life.
This remarkable teacher continues to inspire many people in many different countries because he taught from example. He was a humble Buddhist monk dedicated to helping people throughout the world find true happiness in their hearts.
I feel forever indebted to Venerable Geshe-la and his beautiful, inspiring and accessible presentation of Buddha’s teachings.
Before I became a New Kadampa Buddhist, I explored Buddhism through various books and Western teachers but I never felt like I deeply connected with what I encountered. I was seeking a spiritual path, so much more than just Buddhist philosophy. In Venerable Geshe-la’s teachings and example, I have found everything I was seeking and my spiritual path has come alive. The New Kadampa Tradition is without a doubt my spiritual home.
I feel forever indebted to Venerable Geshe-la and his beautiful, inspiring and accessible presentation of Buddha’s teachings.
Before I became a New Kadampa Buddhist, I explored Buddhism through various books and Western teachers but I never felt like I deeply connected with what I encountered. I was seeking a spiritual path, so much more than just Buddhist philosophy. In Venerable Geshe-la’s teachings and example, I have found everything I was seeking and my spiritual path has come alive. The New Kadampa Tradition is my spiritual home.
What year and where did Kelsang Gyatso receive his Geshe qualification?
“My real situation is that in Tibet I studied the Geshe training for many years in my local monastery called Jampa Ling and Tashi Lhunpo University and passed two exams. One exam was memorization and the other was the actual exam. Soon after that, people publicly called me “Geshe”.
Later in Tibet I joined Sera Je Monastery and further studied the Geshe training. In India, I mainly emphasized meditation retreat. When I was living in a high mountain called Dalhousie, I received a letter from Sera Je Monastery. The letter encouraged me to go to Sera for an exam. Since I heard that the exam method or system had been re-created, I did not accept this new system.
However, in 1973 I had my Geshe ceremony in Sera Je Monastery, making numerous offerings to thousands of monks; and received a special traditional khatag (white scarf) to indicate that I am a Geshe.”
Thank you for your reply. It is very kind of you to reply, and indicate that Kelsang Gyatso never received a Geshe qualification. The chief rabbi, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Catholic Vincent Nicols and Iman Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeh can specifically state where and when they were they were ordained.
Why can’t Kelsang Gyato’s followers do the same?
We have screen-shotted our reply, as we know that you will delete it
In 1973, officially, as it says in the comment you are replying to. He was already a Geshe before he left for India, having attended 20 years at Sera Je Monastery and completed his Geshe studies.
Please refer also to this article: https://newkadampatruth.org/2023/09/07/is-geshe-kelsang-gyatso-a-real-geshe/
Thank you.
One of the most significant moment in my life is meeting Geshe-Kelsang and his presentation of Buddhist teachings. I studied philosophy at university and part of my degree was ancient Indian Philosophy. Once I forged a connection with Buddhism – I dabbled in Buddhist ideologies and found it interesting and stimulating but with no impact of my life.
It is only when I met Geshe-Kelsang and his teachings, Buddhist teachings became accessible to me, something I can live and breath – a practical guide to live my life. His presentation of Buddhist teachings, demystified Buddhism for me and made it relevant to my life.
Meeting him and by practising the Kadampa teachings, for me meant, end of my depression, bought more harmony and forgiveness towards, what was a troubled relationship with my parents, gave me a sense of purpose, helped me developed unbiased love and compassion helping all my relationships but in particular, my career as a social worker… the list endless.
Words can’t capture my feelings of gratitude towards Geshe-Kelsang. He is the embodiment of compassion – through his efforts we have this incredible tradition – and 1000’s of people like me are benefitting from his compassionate intention.
I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for Geshe-la’s teachings and the Sangha I have met. I’d been looking for a clear spiritual path for many years. The teachings are clear and practical and the teachers are kind and compassionate. My Sangha friends and teachers have on more than one occasion helped me keep my sanity! I feel more balanced, and my insecurities have gone. Because of the teachings I have been able to raise my children with love and compassion as the main driver, rather than anger and blame, which was my default.
I know many people who are benefitting from Geshe-la’s teachings and whose lives have changed for the better. I am forever grateful and can’t imagine living my life without the amazing practices that Geshe-la has given us.
Venerable Geshe-la is a fully qualified buddhist teacher, his rest-less effort to bring buddhism all around the world are increadible beautiful. Thanks you for everything!
I am deeply engaged in the bountiful, impeccable scholarship and rich spiritual practice of the New Kadampa Tradition, possible only through the generous and meticulous writings and teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, As such, I am deepening my connection to Buddhas, learning the layers of meaning in the Dharma, and strengthening my Buddhist practice through contact with sincere practitioners, the Sangha of past and present.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my deep admiration for Geshe-la and the profound influence he and his teachings have had on my life and the lives of thousands of others.
However, in these Comments I’m not sure how to reach the hearts of people with an adversarial view of our tradition and its founder. They may believe that our organization and the intentions of those within it are inherently existent, and that the non-virtuous actions of speech don’t apply.
I’m sad that my karma sees this strife and I am grateful that my Buddhist practice brings remedies leading me back to inner peace.