– Our Founder –
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche was a fully accomplished meditation Master and internationally renowned Teacher of Buddhism. Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, was primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time. From the age of eight he studied extensively in the great monastic universities of Tibet and earned the title ‘Geshe’, which literally means ‘spiritual friend’. Under the guidance of his Spiritual Guide, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas.
In 1977 Geshe-la accepted an invitation to teach at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England where he lived and taught for many years. He published a series of unique books on Buddhism and meditation, established over 1200 Centres and groups around the world and trained hundreds of qualified Teachers. Venerable Geshe-la was a humble Buddhist monk dedicated to helping people throughout the world find true happiness in their hearts.