Teachers of Modern Buddhism
Geshe Kelsang - Founder and Spiritual Director of the NKT
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism.
Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time.
Study and retreat
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 Trijang Rinpoche, his Spiritual Guide, he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas.
Teaching in the West
In 1977 he accepted an invitation to teach at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England, where he lived for many years giving teachings and guidance to an ever-growing group of disciples.
Geshe-la has continued to teach on Kadampa Buddhism in many countries around the world, and published a series of remarkable books on Buddhist thought and meditation.
He has established three unique study programmes and over 1000 meditation centres around the world, trained qualified teachers and a flourishing ordained community, and created a project to build Buddhist temples in every major city in the world.
Teaching from example
In his teachings Geshe Kelsang emphasizes the importance of meditation and how to apply it in daily life, the need to be truly happy, and how to cultivate a good heart to help others and he demonstrates these qualities perfectly in his own life.
This remarkable teacher inspires so many people from so many different countries because he teaches from example.
He is a humble Buddhist monk dedicated to helping people throughout the world find true happiness in their hearts.
Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong – Spiritual Director & Principal Resident Teacher of Manjushri KMC
Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong, the General Spiritual Director of NKT-IKBU and Principal Resident Teacher at Manjushri KMC, is a modern Buddhist nun dedicated to helping people from all walks of life attain lasting happiness through developing inner mental peace.
She has been a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for thirty years, during which time she has inspired thousands of people around the world through her sincere reliance on her Spiritual Guide, taking his teachings to heart and putting them into practice in every aspect of her life.
Gen-la Dekyong is a highly experienced Buddhist Teacher who has taught at many different centres internationally.
Before her appointment as General Spiritual Director she was the National Spiritual Director of the USA. She is a very powerful Teacher able to make Buddha’s teachings easily accessible and to show through her example how to integrate these teachings into our daily life.
Gen-la has dedicated her life to helping spread Kadampa Buddhism throughout the world by developing meditation centres and Temples in as many countries as possible, and she provides enthusiastic support and encouragement to everyone engaged in these projects.
But busy as she is, she never loses her connection with the people she is dedicated to helping and always has a kind word and wise counsel for whoever she meets.
Manjushri KMC is extremely fortunate to have such a wise, compassionate, and inspiring Teacher.
Kelsang Chodor - Resident Teacher of Heart Jewel Centre
Kelsang Chodor was ordained in 1995 and since then has worked to help Kadampa Buddhism flourish by teaching the 3 NKT study programmes at various Centres in the UK. He now shares his time between Heart Jewel Centre and Samudra Centre in Buxton.