Kelsang Gyatso

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (1931–2022) was a Tibetan Buddhist monk, meditation teacher, scholar, and prolific author. He is primarily recognized as the founder and spiritual director of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), a global Buddhist organization that emerged from the Gelugpa school. The NKT aims to present Buddhist teachings in a way that is accessible to Western practitioners, focusing on the Lamrim, Lojong, and Mahamudra traditions.

Early Life and Education

Born Lobsang Chuponpa in Western Tibet in 1931, he joined the Ngamring Jampa Ling Monastery at age eight, where he was ordained as a novice monk and given the name Kelsang Gyatso. He subsequently studied at Sera Monastery, a major Gelugpa institution, pursuing the rigorous scholastic path towards a geshe degree.

Exile and Retreat

Following the 1959 Tibetan exodus, Kelsang Gyatso escaped to India, where he resided at the Buxa Fort monastic study center. He later moved to Mussoorie for sixteen years of intensive meditation retreat, during which he was regarded as a respected scholar and meditator within the Tibetan exile community. He also spent extended periods in retreat in the Himalayan foothills.

Founding the New Kadampa Tradition

In the late 1970s, Kelsang Gyatso was invited to teach in the United Kingdom. He served as the first resident teacher at the Manjushri Institute, establishing the foundations for what would become the NKT. In 1991, he formally announced the establishment of the NKT as an independent organization, separate from other Tibetan Buddhist lineages.

Teachings and Writings

Kelsang Gyatso's teachings are characterized by their emphasis on practical application of Buddhist principles for daily life. He authored over twenty books, including comprehensive guides on meditation, the stages of the path to enlightenment, and tantric practice. These works, published by Tharpa Publications, are central to the NKT's study programs, which include the General Program, Foundation Program, and Teacher Training Program.

Dorje Shugden and Controversy

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and the NKT have been notable for their strong advocacy of Dorje Shugden worship, a protector deity. This stance led to criticism and condemnation from the Dalai Lama and mainstream Tibetan Buddhist institutions. In 1996, Kelsang Gyatso was expelled from Sera Je Monastery for his views and activities related to Dorje Shugden and criticism of the Dalai Lama, resulting in the revocation of his geshe degree.

Later Life and Legacy

In 2009, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso stepped down as the General Spiritual Director of the NKT-IKBU, dedicating his remaining years to meditation retreat and writing. He remained in strict retreat from 2013 until his death on September 17, 2022. His legacy is primarily tied to the establishment and growth of the New Kadampa Tradition and his extensive body of published works.