Resource Where To Begin?
The New Kadampa Tradition is a modern take on Mahayana Buddhism that is accessible to everyone.

Founded by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, this precious tradition embraces all the essential teachings of Sutra and Tantra taught by Buddha himself as preserved and passed to the present day by great masters such as Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa. While faithfully preserving the meaning of these ancient teachings, with the permission of his own Spiritual Guide Trijang Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe-la prepared a new presentation making them easier to understand and apply in the modern world.

One of the most popular and introductory books in our tradition is How To Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang and can be downloaded as an eBook for free here.

Meditation + Compassion
Meditation for the benefit of all living beings

At Kadampa's core is the practice of Bodhichitta, the mind (chitta) that is aimed at awakening (bodhi) through wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. To aide us, Buddha taught the four noble truths and six perfections.

The Four Noble Truths

The Truth of Suffering
All contaminated phenomena in samsara are pervaded by suffering — birth, aging, sickness, death, dissatisfaction, change, and the inability of worldly pleasures to bring lasting fulfillment.

The Truth of the Origin of Suffering
The root of all suffering is our delusions, especially ignorance grasping at inherent existence, together with the contaminated actions (karma) they generate.

The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
Since suffering has causes, it can be ended. By completely abandoning ignorance and other delusions, we can attain a state of permanent inner peace and liberation (nirvana).

The Truth of the Path
There is a method — the spiritual path — that leads to this cessation. In Mahayana and Kadampa Buddhism, this means the union of compassion and wisdom, including the stages of the path (Lamrim) and especially the realization of emptiness.

The Six Perfections

1. Giving
2. Moral Discipline
3. Patience
4. Effort
5. Concentration
6. Wisdom

The Benefits of Bodhichitta

1. The conquest of all great evils
2. The attainment of the most sublime happiness
3. Wish-fulfilment
4. Bodhichitta carries with it a special name and meaning
5. Transformation of the inferior into the supreme
6. The value of the precious bodhichitta, so difficult to find
7. The inexhaustible and increasing fruits of bodhichitta
8. The power of protection from great fear
9. The swift and easy destruction of great evil
10. The additional scriptural benefits found in "The Stem Array" starting at verse 54.14

Bodhichitta is the supreme medicine that can heal the world. It is the best method to solve our own and others' problems. It is the best method to bring peace and happiness to the world.

You can find a comprehensive guide to Bodhchitta in Shatideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" written in the 8th centure ce along with the fantastic commentary "Meaningful To Behold" written by Venerable Geshe-la Kelsang Gyatso.

The Twenty-One Lamrim Meditations

The stages of the path to enlightenment, or Lamrim in Tibetan, is the backbone of Kadampa Buddhism.

Lamrim is a special set of instructions that includes all the essential teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni arranged in such a way that all his Hinayana and Mahayana teachings can be put into practice in a single meditation session.

1. Our precious human life
2. Death and impermanence
3. The danger of lower rebirth
4. Refuge practice
5. Actions and their effects
6. Developing renunciation for samsara
7. Developing equanimity
8. Recognizing that all living beings are our mothers
9. Remembering the kindness of living beings
10. Equalizing self and others
11. The disadvantages of self-cherishing
12. The advantages of cherishing others
13. Exchanging self with others
14. Great compassion
15. Taking
16. Wishing love
17. Giving
18. Bodhichitta
19. Tranquil abiding
20. Superior seeing
21. Relying upon a Spiritual Guide

The Daily Lamrim Email Subscription
Lamrim (meditation) + The Six Perfections + The Benefits of Bodhichitta

Life is hard and chaotic and we don't always have the time or we forget to practice our daily meditation. That's why we've created a daily lamrim email subscription that gives you a short two paragraph meditation based on the 21 lamrim meditation cycle, Buddha's Six Perfections and the Ten Benefits of Bodhichitta.

Think of it as a daily vita boost for your dharma practice!