Samden Gyatso

The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT—IKBU) is a global Buddhist new religious movement founded by Kelsang Gyatso in England in 1991. In 2003 the words "International Kadampa Buddhist Union" (IKBU) were added to the original name "New Kadampa Tradition". The NKT-IKBU is an international organisation registered in England as a charitable, or non-profit, company.Cozort, Daniel (2003). ''The Making of the Western Lama''. Quoted in Heine, S., & Prebish, C. S. (2003). ''Buddhism in the modern world: Adaptations of an ancient tradition''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 230. It currently lists more than 200 centres and around 900 branch classes/study groups in 40 countries.number of centres as of 29 August 2009, retrieved fro
map.kadampa.org
3 International Retreat Centres (IRC), 19 Kadampa Meditation Centres (KMC), 196 Kadampa Buddhist Centres (KBC), there may be even some more centres that have not been placed on the map yet, listed here
kadampa.org/en/centers
/ref> The BBC describe the New Kadampa Tradition as "one of the major Buddhist schools in the UK, founded by the Tibetan-born Geshe Kelsang Gyatso."

The NKT-IKBU describes itself as "an entirely independent Buddhist tradition" inspired and guided by "the ancient Kadampa Buddhist Masters and their teachings, as presented by Kelsang Gyatso".Bluck, R. (2006). ''British Buddhism: Teachings, practice and development''. Routledge critical studies in Buddhism. London: Routledge. p. 129. Its founder, Kelsang Gyatso, sought to make Buddhist meditation and teaching more readily accessible to twenty-first century living. He also wanted to ensure that people did not simply study Tibetan Buddhism from an academic point of view, but learned how to extend this knowledge through meditation and practical Buddhist experience. The NKT-IKBU is described as being "very successful at disseminating its teachings" and Geshe Kelsang's books have been called "very popular".

The NKT-IKBU has expanded more rapidly than any other Buddhist tradition in Great Britain, and has spread across the globe with 1.200 affiliated centers over more than 40 countries. In 2003, Daniel Cozort (2003: 231) described the NKT as one of the largest and fastest growing Tibetan Buddhist organizations in the world, and as “a Western order that draws primarily upon the teachings of the Gelukpa tradition but is not subordinate to Tibetan authorities.Daniel Cozort, The Making of Western Lama in "Buddhism in the Modern World", , page 230 Some Tibetans have described it as a "controversial organization" and a "controversial" new religious movement,Clarke, Peter Bernard. New Religions in Global Perspective, p. 92, Routledge 2006 or a breakaway Buddhist sect. ''Modern Buddhism'', one of Kelsang Gyatso's most popular books, says: "Today we can see many different forms of Buddhism, such as Zen and Theravada Buddhism. All these are equally precious, they are just different presentations."

According to Harding, Hori, and Soucy, “Global Buddhism... attempts to transcend the parochialism of local place and ethnic identity” (2014: 16). The attempt to transcend the parochialism of Tibet and Tibetan politico-ethnic identity is high-priority for the NKT. Considered in the context
of the movement’s global missionary efforts, the NKT is clearly a form of global Buddhism."

Historical background of the formation of NKT

In 1976 the students of Thubten Yeshe founded the Manjushri Institute with Lama Yeshe as the Spiritual Director and purchased the assets of Conishead Priory, a neglected Victorian mansion in Ulverston, England for £70,000.David N. Kay: ''Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantation, Development and Adaptation'', London and New York, pages 55, 56 The same year Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche visited Kelsang Gyatso in India and invited him over to teach at the Manjushri Institute, which was a part of their FPMT network.

According to David N. Kay, Kelsang Gyatso was invited in 1976 by Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa, who sought the advice of the 14th Dalai Lama when choosing Kelsang Gyatso. Whereas according to a NKT brochure, "Lama Yeshe requested Trijang Rinpoche to ask Kelsang Gyatso to become Resident Teacher of Manjushri Institute. Kelsang Gyatso later recounted that Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche asked him to go to England, teach Shantideva's ''Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'', Chandrakirti's ''Guide to the Middle Way'' and Lamrim, and then check whether there was any meaning in his continuing to stay."''Modern Day Kadampas'' – published by the NKT

Kelsang Gyatso was requested by Lama Yeshe to lead the "General Program" of Buddhist study. In 1979 Lama Yeshe asked a Geshe at Manjushri Institute, Geshe Jampa Tekchok, to teach a parallel twelve-year Geshe Studies Programme, recognised and validated by the Dalai Lama and modelled on the program of studies for the traditional geshe degree. From 1982 to 1990 this program was led by Geshe Konchog Tsewang. According to a disciple of Lama Yeshe from this time, Lama Yeshe intended the institute "to become the central monastery of the FPMT... one of the early jewels of the FPMT crown" and "the pioneer among the western centres".

In the late 1970s, Kelsang Gyatso, without consulting Thubten Yeshe, opened up a Buddhist Centre in York under his own spiritual direction. Kay sees this as the beginning of a conflict between Thubten Yeshe and Kelsang Gyatso.Kay pages 61,62,63,64 However, according to Kelsang Gyatso, "the opening of the Centre in York caused not one moment of confusion or disharmony"."Eradicating wrong views" a letter, dated 27 October 1983, written as a response to the FPMT report "A report on recent events at Manjushri Institute (dated October 1, 1983) Kelsang Gyatso was asked to resign so that another Geshe, described by Kay as "more devoted to FPMT objectives", could take over as a resident teacher of Manjushri Institute. Many students of Kelsang Gyatso petitioned him to stay and teach them, and on this basis he decided to remain. In the following years prior 1990 Kelsang Gyatso established 15 centres under his own direction in Great Britain and Spain.

Both Kay and Cozort describe the management committee of Manjushri Institute from 1981 onwards as made up principally of Kelsang Gyatso's closest students, also known as "the Priory group".Daniel Cozort, The Making of Western Lama in "Buddhism in the Modern World", , page 226 According to Kay, "The Priory Group became dissatisfied with the FPMT's increasingly centralized organisation." Cozort stated that different disagreements "led to a rift between Lama Yeshe and his students and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and his, and eventually the Manjushri Board of directors ( Geshe Gyatso's students) severed the connection of the between institute and FPMT." According to Kay, Lama Yeshe tried at different times to reassert his authority over the institute, but his attempts were unsuccessful.Kay, page 63 Kay goes on to describe an open conflict of authority which developed between the Priory Group and the FPMT administration in 1983. In February 1984 the conflict was mediated by the Office of the Dalai Lama in London. Kay states that after the death of Thubten Yeshe in March 1984, the FPMT lost interest because they saw it as a fruitless case. Since that time, Kay stated, the Manjushri Institute has developed mainly under the guidance of Kelsang Gyatso without further reference to the FPMT, but legally remained part of the FPMT until late 1990.Kay page 78

According to Kay, of the two Geshes at Manjushri Institute, it was Kelsang Gyatso who had always taken the greater interest in the running and direction of the institute, and most of the students there were closer to him. The courses offered by both Geshes complemented each other, but as Kay remarked, they "differed in one important respect: only Geshe Kelsang's General Programme included courses on Tantric Buddhism, and attendance upon these required the reception of a Tantric empowerment."

Kelsang Gyatso made a three-year retreat from 1987 to 1990 in Dumfries, Scotland and asked Geshe Losang Pende from Ganden Shartse monastery to lead the General Program in his absence, whilst Geshe Konchog Tsewang continued to teach the Geshe Studies Programme at Conishead Priory (Manjushri Institute).Kay page 73 Different Lamas, including Thubten Zopa, were still invited. Especially the visit of Thubten Zopa in 1988 "is significant, indicating the ongoing devotion of the students to this lama and their desire to leave the negativity of the schism with the FPMT in the past." In 1988 and 1990 the uncle of Kelsang Gyatso, Choyang Duldzin Kuten Lama, the oracle of Dorje Shugden, also visited Manjushri Institute. Before that time Song Rinpoche, Geshe Lhundup Sopa, Geshe Rabten, as well as other Buddhist teachers such as Ajahn Sumedho and Thích Nhất Hạnh have taught at Manjushri Institute.

During Kelsang Gyatso's period of retreat he wrote some of his books and worked out the foundations of the NKT. Kay states: "The first major development that took place during Geshe Kelsang's retreat was the introduction of the 'Teacher Training Programme' (TTP) at the Manjushri Institute."

According to Kay, Kelsang Gyatso was gravely concerned that the purity of Tsongkhapa's tradition was being undermined by the lingering inclusivism of his Western students, something he had been outspoken for some years.Kay page 77 Kay states that another result of these "radically exclusive policies" was that after the foundation of the NKT the Manjushri Institute Library, with over 3,000 books, was removed.Kay page 76 From this point onwards, Tibetan Gelug lamas would no longer be invited to teach within his network. The pictures of the Dalai Lama were removed from the gompas and shrines of Kelsang Gyatso's centres.

The foundation of the New Kadampa Tradition

In the Spring of that same year, Kelsang Gyatso announced the creation of the 'New Kadampa Tradition', an event which was celebrated in the NKT-Magazine ''Full Moon'' as "a wonderful development in the history of the Buddhadharma." In 1992, the Manjushri Institute developed a new constitution, which constituted the formal foundation of the NKT. The Manjushri Institute was renamed the Manjushri Mahayana Buddhist Centre, and later the Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. Since then, it has remained the NKT's flagship centre.

With the foundation of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) by Kelsang Gyatso, he established a new and independent religious movement aiming to "principally follow the teachings and example of Je Tsongkhapa". This also gave a new identity to his followers. The many NKT centres which were built up rapidly by his followers could gather under the common auspices of the NKT and their spiritual guide, distinguishing and disassociating themselves from other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, especially the Gelug school from which Kelsang Gyatso originated. Cozort describes this as unusual in the Tibetan tradition. The NKT described themselves as being "an entirely independent Buddhist tradition with no political affiliations... that is appropriate to the needs and conditions of the modern world".

David Kay comments:

The Internal Rules

The defining and governing document for the NKT is called A Moral Discipline Guide—The Internal Rules of the New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union.A Moral Discipline Guide: The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union. (2020) (UK Charity Commission)

The identity of the NKT

In 1998 Kelsang Gyatso stated in an interview:

According to an NKT brochure, written by James Belither while secretary of the NKT:

Nowadays the New Kadampa Tradition describes Kelsang Gyatso's presentation of Buddhism to the West as Kadampa Buddhism with the following statement:

Moreover, the NKT presents itself as being the continuation of the ancient Kadampa tradition by naming its school ''Kadampa Buddhism'' and equating this ''Kadampa Buddhism'' with the historical Kadampa School of Atisha:

Followers of the NKT refer to themselves as Kadampa Buddhists, the temples of the New Kadampa Tradition are referred to as Kadampa Buddhist Temples, and more recently, NKT teachers are named Kadampa teachers. Additionally, the Dharma centres of the New Kadampa Tradition are called Kadampa Buddhist Centres.

James Belither, the former secretary of the NKT, described the NKT as "a Mahayana Buddhist tradition with historical connections with Tibet", rather than a Tibetan tradition, and explained that Kelsang Gyatso wished his followers always "to present Dharma in a way appropriate to their own culture and society without the need to adopt Tibetan culture and customs".

Whereas the NKT celebrate Kelsang Gyatso as the one who "is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time",Official NKT website
/ref> "critics have described The New Kadampa Tradition as a breakaway sect or cult and argue it is not part of the ancient Kadampa Tradition but a split from the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism." Tibetologist Thierry Dodin has described the NKT as a cult, "... on the basis of its organisational form, its excessive group pressure and blind obedience to its founder. The organisation's extreme fanaticism and aggressive missionary drive are typical cult features too." On their website, the New Kadampa Tradition have countered the claims by Tibetan Buddhists that they are a cult.

Bluck remarked that there remains an apparent contradiction between claiming a pure Tibetan lineage and separating completely from contemporary Tibetan tradition. While the NKT strongly emphasises its unbroken 'lineage', it has no Tibetan followers and claims to stand outside current Tibetan Buddhism.Bluck, Robert (2006). British Buddhism Teachings, Practice and Development. RoutledgeCurzon,

A legally binding document entitled The Internal Rules, §1, was approved by the UK Charity Commission in 2020 and indicates the tradition is democratic. The NKT is defined as follows: "the union of Kadampa Buddhist Centers, the international association of study and meditation centers that follow the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism derived from the Buddhist meditators and scholars Atisha (982-1054 AD) and Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 AD), introduced into the West by the Buddhist teacher Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union."

Activities

Teachings and books

Bluck lists the specific traditional teachings that are seen as important in the NKT-IKBU: "the nature of the mind, karma and reincarnation, the preciousness of human life, the role of meditation, death, and the commitments of going for refuge", as well as "understanding the Four Noble Truths

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