About Buddhism

Buddhism is a path of individual transformation. It teaches us to look inside ourself for the happiness we seek. Buddha taught practical methods that we can apply to our own daily life to bring about lasting peace and an end to our problems and suffering.
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    You Should Know Suffering

    We should know about the suffering of our countless future lives.

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    You Should Abandon Origins

    We should abandon the delusions in our mind – the origin of all of our suffering.

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    You Should Attain Cessations

    Temporary liberation from particular suffering is not good enough.

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    You Should Practise The Path

    We should practice the 3 Higher Trainings – the actual path to liberation.

Who is Buddha?

‘Buddha’ means ‘Awakened One’, someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. Because Buddhas are free from all faults and obstructions they are completely pure and are able to help each and every living being every day.
The founder of Buddhism in this world was Buddha Shakyamuni who lived and taught in India some two and a half thousand years ago. Since then millions of people around the world have followed the pure spiritual path he revealed.

Buddha explained that all our problems and suffering arise from confused and negative states of mind, and all our happiness and good fortune arise from peaceful and positive states of mind.

Lasting Peace and Happiness

Within Buddhist teachings we can find methods to solve our daily problems right now. They also offer a structured path of inner transformation that, if practised sincerely, will lead us to the state of permanent liberation for ourselves or enlightenment for the sake of all living beings.
Buddha taught methods for gradually overcoming negative minds such as anger, jealousy and ignorance, and developing positive minds such as love, compassion and wisdom. Through this we will come to experience lasting peace and happiness. These methods work for anyone, in any country, of any age. Once we have gained experience of them for ourselves we can pass them on to others so that they can enjoy the same benefits.

The Buddhist way of life – peace, loving kindness and wisdom – is just as relevant today as it was when Buddha appeared in ancient India

Kadampa Buddhism

Kadampa Buddhism is a time-honoured Buddhist tradition that for centuries has made Buddha’s teachings and meditation practices available to people throughout the world.
Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982-1054).

His followers are known as ‘Kadampas’. Ka refers to Buddha’s teachings, and dam to Atisha’s special Lamrim instructions known as ‘the stages of the path to enlightenment’. Kadampas, then, are practitioners who regard Buddha’s teachings as personal instructions and put them into practice by following the instructions of Lamrim.

New Kadampas

The original Kadampa tradition was both preserved and revitalised throughout the generations so that each new generation of practitioner could engage in the path that leads to the permanent cessation of all suffering.
The Kadampa tradition was later promoted in Tibet by Je Tsongkhapa (AD 1357-1419) and his followers, who were known as the ‘New Kadampas’.

By integrating their knowledge of all Buddha’s teachings into their practice of Lamrim, and by integrating this into their everyday lives, Kadampa Buddhists are encouraged to use Buddha’s teachings as practical methods for transforming daily activities into the path to enlightenment. The great Kadampa Teachers are famous not only for being exceptional scholars but also for being spiritual practitioners of great purity and sincerity.

Unbroken Lineage

One of the outstanding qualities of the Kadampa tradition is that this lineage of instructions has been passed down from realised master to realised master until the present day. This means that the lineage of these teachings and the blessings they carry are powerful and pure.
The lineage of these teachings, both their oral transmission and blessings, was then passed from Teacher to disciple, spreading throughout much of Asia, and now to many countries throughout the western world.

Buddha’s teachings, which are known as ‘Dharma’, are likened to a wheel that moves from country to country in accordance with changing conditions and people’s karmic inclinations.

The external forms of presenting Buddhism may change as it meets with different cultures and societies, but its essential authenticity is ensured through the continuation of an unbroken lineage of realised practitioners.

Modern Kadampa Buddhism

Kadampa Buddhism is just as relevant to the lives of modern day people as it was at the time when the ancient Kadampas first engaged in these practices. Through the activities and dedication of the renowned Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, Kadampa Buddhist teachings have spread to many countries in recent years and are making a difference to the lives of people from all corners of the globe.
Geshe-la, as he is affectionately known by his students, has worked tirelessly to spread Kadampa Buddhism throughout the world by giving extensive teachings, writing many books on Kadampa Buddhism, establishing the International Temples Project and founding the New Kadampa Tradition, the International Kadampa Buddhist Union.
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