Calling the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) a “cult” is completely misleading. Below we explain how the NKT got labelled as a cult by some people due to their opposition to the 14th Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden in the 1990s.
The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) is not a cult but an authentic Mahayana Buddhist tradition. The definition of cult (Chambers Dictionary) is an “unorthodox or false religion”. Since the NKT follows the Mahayana teachings of the great Buddhist Masters Atisha (982-1054 CE) and Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 CE) , which are traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni himself (500 BCE), it is neither false nor unorthodox.
The overall tradition
There are hundreds of thousands of people who have had and are having very good experiences with the NKT. They see no reason for calling it a cult, and are often bewildered by that accusation. If you want to read any positive accounts, here are a few examples; and there has also been a great deal of good local press over the years. The best thing really is to go and talk to someone at a Center, or talk to lots of people at different Centers to get different points of view, if you’re worried by the criticism online.
For interviews of Kadampas, click here.
For some recent testimonials, click here.
For some Kadampa podcasts, click here.
Is the New Kadampa Tradition a cult?
In general, a good test as to whether something is a cult is to check: “Is what I’m hearing designed to control me or helping me control myself?” The former is a cult, the latter is a Buddhist tradition. In NKT Centers around the world, students learn how to gain mastery of their own minds and lives through reducing their negative states of mind (such as hatred, greed, and ignorance) and increasing their positive minds (such as love, compassion, and wisdom).
Addressing criticisms
Although it is important not to generalize or stereotype entire Buddhist traditions or communities based on the actions of some individuals, there have been criticisms of inappropriate behavior over the years and we try to address these on this site. We are really sorry for any mistakes that have been made. We’re also grateful for the criticisms insofar as addressing the problems and teething problems that have come up has steadily made us a stronger, gentler, kinder, and more qualified organization.
Making mistakes and wanting to learn from them is why the A Moral Discipline Guide, The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union came into existence, containing numerous checks and balances on the behavior, election, and, if necessary, removal of administrators, teachers, and spiritual directors — safeguarding against extreme or immoral behavior, and legally binding. The NKT is not afraid of criticism because everything is out in the open and the organization and individuals are constantly trying to improve.
How did the NKT come to be labelled a cult by some people?
Many NKT students joined Dorje Shugden practitioners in protesting the Dalai Lama for his ban of their spiritual practice, and as a result were branded as a breakaway cult — defamation that powerfully influences and colors other criticisms, especially the “cult” allegations. Dorje Shugden practitioners are considered by the 14th Dalai Lama’s most ardent followers to be spirit worshippers and cultists, especially as they opposed him in a bid for religious freedom; and the “cult” label has stuck, even though the Dalai Lama was wrong to try and destroy a much loved religious practice and has since rescinded the ban.
In the West, a project spearheaded and coordinated by Tenzin Peljor and Carol McQuire in the 1990s/early 2000s, asked followers of the 14th Dalai Lama in the UK to contact the organization INFORM and tell them the NKT was an NRM or cult. The claims were noted by INFORM, but INFORM simply includes the NKT amongst the other Buddhist traditions. However, to this day, this campaign set the tone for this label and the “cult” label to be used liberally when criticizing the NKT. It is very easy to throw the “cult” label around, just as it is easy to call people “fascists” or “socialists” when we don’t agree with them.
Contact us
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has said that whenever he was criticized, he would check to see if the criticism was valid and, if it was, he would feel grateful to the person criticizing because it gave him an opportunity to improve. If the criticism was not valid, he would also feel grateful because Buddhist practitioners always need to be working on removing the fault of self-cherishing. This is our intention and our hope.
If you have any concerns or complaints about the NKT~IKBU organization, teachers, managers, or students, please email [email protected]. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, ask to arrange a call with an Education Council representative.
Back on Jun 11, 1996, I read various allegations that were describing the New Kadampa Tradition as a harmful cult. I got in touch with Inform in London, who investigate all UK religious organizations. They said that they fully investigated the New Kadampa Tradition, and found nothing whatsoever that is a cause for alarm or concern. Regards, Eddie
Have mistakes been made within the NKT in the past? Definitely. Will they be made in the future? Definitely. As deeply regrettable as any mistake is – especially if anyone is hurt in any way in the process – I don’t know of any organisation (spiritual or otherwise) that hasn’t or won’t make mistakes over its lifetime. However, my own decades long experience within the NKT is that of a genuine humility and openness amongst practitioners and managers to learn and grow from these incidents. Instead of sweeping them under the carpet, I have seen issues tackled head on, and a tradition continually learning and developing as a result of this, to become a more compassionate and inclusive organisation that is continually evolving to embody the Mahayana teachings and lineage it exists to promote. That, at least for me, is the very definition of a healthy tradition – Adam
You have chosen a wholly inadequate definition of cult here. You also misrepresent INFORM who recently stated that the willingness of the NKT to engage constructively to address concerns was worryingly lacking.
The reports from Carol and Tenzin were far from isolated examples, as many hundreds also approached them about the NKT.
More worrying still, is the lip service paid to wanting to hear criticisms and fix them. That would be laudable were it true. Unfortunately saying that while neglecting to mention the character assasination perpetrated by the NKT against Carol, Tenzin, Dr Haslam, survivors support groups and members who voice criticism; all tell another story. Labelling critics as Unhinged, Vindictive, Deluded, or Mentally Ill is far more the normal response, and the ability to report anonymously is usually far from anonymous because of the opaque nature of the complaints processes and history of senior admins covering for one another, and removing victims to protect those responsible.
Maybe if this makes it past your moderators, some explanation of those points will be provided. I suspect more denial, deflection and blame shifting though, sadly.
Just to explain that we haven’t posted all your comments yet because most of what you say has already been addressed on this Information site; and we need time to look into those that have not been addressed or might benefit from being addressed more fully. For example, there has been no official NKT reply yet to Dr Haslam’s videos.
We are genuinely sorry for anything we have done wrong and for anyone’s bad experiences in the NKT, including yours. Please send your concerns to the NKT Office to look into more thoroughly. We are not paying lip service to wanting to hear criticisms. If there is anything that can be done that is not already being done in response to previous criticisms, it is in the NKT’s interests to address this.
Also, Atisha’s Cook, if it would make you more confident that your comments are getting through to the right person, we could pass them along directly. Let us know.
I think it is commendable that the NKT is addressing criticisms against it full on and for the most part pretty humbly without brushing them under the carpet or pretending they don’t exist or blaming the critics. Mistakes have been made but this shows an honesty and willingness to improve, which can surely only make this tradition stronger and even more accessible. This is good news for helping people find and practice Buddha’s teachings, which add peace and compassion to our world. Lord knows our world could do with more peace and compassion. Kudos and good luck to everyone who tries to help with this, in or out of the NKT.
I don’t find it in the least surprising that the NKT has had faults over the years because I don’t see how it is possible for a living being let alone an organization to be perfect. In my long involvement and observation, although some unpleasant things have gone down, even with regards to how I myself have been shoddily treated by some managers, these are few and far between compared with all the good stuff that happens for me and every day in centers all over the world. Quick example, a dear friend of mine was diagnosed a few months ago with incurable cancer and just passed away — she bore the whole ordeal with impressive amounts of peace, resilience and love thanks to practicing these teachings and being helped continually by her Sangha. And she is one of many I can think of . The Sangha everywhere are by and large very very kind. I personally have benefited more than I can say from Venerable Geshe-la’s teachings, example, and personal care.
Does all the good stuff excuse the unpleasant stuff? No, not really. There is no excuse ever for treating people shoddily and people who have behaved like idiots need to apologize (including to me!). But I think one response to this can be found in the teachings. Buddha teaches that all living beings have delusions (negative uncontrolled minds based on ignorance). He also teaches that the faults of living beings are in fact the faults of the delusions, not living beings. This means we can forgive each other while still holding each other accountable for our mistakes. As Mahayana Buddhists we need to be encouraging each other to listen to people, respond to their concerns, and accept defeat while offering the victory. And apologizing at every opportunity! We don’t need to be defensive or embarrassed or hide our faults — that is counter to the Bodhisattva’s way of life and will stop us improving.
Seriously, guys, if anyone treats you shoddily, ever, speak up. Tell them to behave. If they don’t, report them. It doesn’t benefit that person or our organization to not call it for what it is. Organizations are full of bullies — let ours not be one of them.
If NKT practitioners are generally trying to get rid of their delusions and faults, surely this is a good thing? A lot of living beings aren’t necessarily even trying cos they don’t know they CAN get rid of their delusions and faults. I do see how our efforts over the years are working to improve the organization as a whole — as you would expect. So I for one am deeply optimistic about the future.
I’ve been around this organization since the 80’s. I concur that the “cult” label only started being bandied around when the Dalai Lama’s followers started using it in the late 90’s and early 2000s. It didn’t add up then and it doesn’t add up now.
I have been attending NKT classes for just over 2 decades. I am also a social worker have worked in social services and other charities in the UK. Organisations are run by human beings – mistakes happen. Buddhist Centres are not an exception. One teacher encapsulated this perfectly, ‘we turn up to Buddhist Centres excepting to find Buddhas, but we end up finding Buddhists’.
Just like in many other organisations, I have worked in as a social worker, in some Dharma Centres some people are in the wrong roles. Some managers have lacked lack soft skills and have managed people unskilfully. This does not make NKT a cult – just an organisation run by humans.
I understand some people have been hurt by past mismanagements. I understand what it feels like to be at the receiving end of poor management – social services was rife with this. I too have made many mistakes, as a colleague, as social worker, as a manager and as a human being. Over the years, I have used the teachings I have learnt at the Kadampa Centres to improve myself, my patience, my empathy for us, my ability to let go of resentments and past hurts and forgive myself and others. This is the beauty of Kadampa Centres, you get the teachings and sometime also the opportunity to apply teachings within the Dharma Centres itself – specially when you encounter a fellow practitioner you find challenging.
More to the point, over the years I have been of this tradition, I have seen many extraordinary practitioners, who have transformed their lives using the Kadampa teachings; incredibly compassionate, generous hearted, loving and resilient people – who have inspired and continue to inspire me on my own spiritual journey. This is at the heart of the New Kadampa Tradition – normal people, using the Kadampa teachings to transform theirs lives.
Please read this incredibly inspiring blog post about a practitioner called Niamah Hassan- about her life and death- she is typical example of a kadampa practitioner who led an inspiring life and faced her final illness and death with strength: https://kadampalife.org/2022/11/14/naimah-hassan-the-life-and-death-of-a-modern-kadampa-practitioner/
NKT centres are mostly run by unpaid volunteers who out of love for the Dharma giving up there time and energy for the Centres. To them I am eternally grateful – without them I would not have met the Kadampa teachings, which I have so benefitted from.
I agree with many of the statements previously made stating that mistakes have been made but I do feel and continue to hope that the NKT as an organization will continue to address problems from the past openly, with accountability and with the intention to change. We are a new western Buddhist tradition and I feel as we continue to grow in wisdom and compassion when disharmony and other issues arise they will be handled in more loving and skillful ways. I have been witness to some unskillful decisions and attitudes over the years and I hope but I know that people are trying their best to practice dharma and take responsibility for their actions.
I suspect there are at least a few differing ideas about what constitutes a cult. My litmus test appears in the form of the question posed in the post above: “Is what I’m hearing designed to control me or helping me control myself?” In other words, does it align with my inner wisdom?
After thirteen years as an active member of the NKT, I still ask the question. After all, it was advice from Buddha himself. And, in fairness, these days I ask the question of pretty much everyone else: my society and the labels it uses to identify me (such as male, homosexual, caucasian, sexagenarian); my relationships (what others see in me or expect of me, or rather what I think they see or expect of me, and, most importantly, what I see in them or expect of them); but mainly I ask the question of myself. The most “enlightening” moments are when I realize I’ve unwittingly absorbed negative, unhelpful messages and allowed them to shape and control me. Once in a great while they’ve come from a misunderstanding of Dharma, but more often they’re messages from childhood or from life in general.
In an article in the “Los Angeles Times,” Matthew Perry, who died a couple of days ago, described himself as having been “tricked” into believing fame would solve all his problems. I thought that was tragic. But I think the only thing worse than being tricked by others is to trick oneself. And I’ve come to realize that for much of my life, I’ve been tricking myself.
I am eternally grateful to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and the hard-working members of the NKT for bringing Kadam Dharma to my corner of the world when I desperately needed the light of it. Buddhist wisdom and tools have helped me climb out of my pit of confusion and despair so that now, firmly planted on solid ground, I can climb back down to clarify any lingering misunderstandings – to attempt to see something “real” instead – and to embrace the residual pain so as to weaken its hold on me.
Groucho Marx once quipped, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” It’s one of the ironies of being part of a spiritual group that the longing to belong, the depression, the anxiety, the anger, the existential meaninglessness, the confusion, the quest for the truth, and whatever else drives a person to join, can also be the toxins that contaminate the group and make one want to leave. But I also know from my own observations that the best way (maybe the only way?) to grow spiritually is in relationship to others. We need their wisdom and insights. Their kindness and patience. Their positive and sometimes sobering reflections. And their grace and acceptance when we fall short.
Being a Dharma Teacher or a Center Manager is a very challenging job. I know this firsthand from trying them both. These days I think it’s particularly tough. Fortunately, there are generous and brave individuals willing to power on.
Looking back over these past thirteen years, I’m immensely grateful for all that’s transpired within the NKT. But mostly, I want to thank all my Kadampa teachers and friends for helping me to get to a place where I’m feeling strong enough and confident enough to finally take control of me. I feel very, very blessed.
The NKT
In my experience, language terms and their definitions are often slippery to pin down. A dictionary definition of a cult is quite straightforward: a devotion to a religious figure. However, in common parlance that term has come to have attached to it quite a lot of negative connotations. In every day language, when the word ‘cult’ is mentioned what comes to mind is thought or mind, control, restrictions and rules, a lack of free will, coercion, an inability to escape either through a form of, Stockholm Syndrome, or more physically being separated from family members and resources.
I have been an NKT practitioner for almost 30 years. Never has my experience encompassed any of those negative connotations that we attach in current society to the term a ‘cult’. For many of those 30 years, I attended weekly classes or online teachings. I’ve never been encouraged, and certainly not coerced, to abandon any of my worldly life to live within an NKT community. My attendance has often been erratic, but my private practice has been consistent and daily. I felt completely able to decide for myself based on my current circumstances at any given moment what my level of commitment was to any NKT Centre.
The reason I would consider myself devoted to the teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is because of the profoundly positive impact these teachings have had on my life. I am and have been in various roles, professionally as an educator, and personally as a parent, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and neighbour. I have never been encouraged, or felt compelled to abandon any of my personal roles to pursue, a sole focus within a religious community on spiritual development. In fact, quite the reverse, the teachings have had a wash back on my personal role, such as I feel I’ve been a much more successful parent (and so on) through the insights I have gained from the teachings. I live more compassionately, lovingly, peacefully, and meaningfully, as a result of NKT teachings derived from a wide variety of texts over the years. The only things I have given up, I am pleased to have given up: anger, irritation, jealousy, competitiveness, and attachment to worldly goals and material success. Whilst I still consider myself work in progress on all those fronts, I live by a completely different standard which is made me a much happier person and I would wish everyone to encounter Geshe Kelsang‘s teachings because of the experience I’ve had with them.
For the record, I’ve never given a penny to the NKT that I haven’t willingly contributed. I have never been asked to donate in any direct fashion, and I’ve certainly never encountered a hard sell through guilt tripping or other manipulative strategies. Again, I understand his negative connotations are associated with being in a “cult“.
I am not denying the experiences that some people have had with the NKT, which have been upsetting, distressing and frustrating. I can well imagine living within a community of any kind, there will be disagreements. I don’t think I’ve ever shared a dwelling with someone who I haven’t had a disagreement with. However, I think it is important to separate out those kinds of organisational difficulties from the very profound wisdom that we gain through NKT teachings and the pure Buddha Dharma.
Thank you Val for expressing this so eloquently. This pretty much echoes my experience of the New Kadampa Tradition. The teachings, the spiritual community and the most incredible Spiritual Guide of this tradition have helped me in all aspects of my life; a better professional, a daughter, a wife and now a mother! Only gratitude and appreciation for all that I have received.
I’ve been watching this new site for a couple of weeks now, reading all the comments as well as the articles.
I remember when I first came across claims that the NKT was a cult back in the 90’s after the Dalai Lama stuff. It shook me, except it had no bearing on my own experience. So I looked into all the things that cults are supposed to do, and found nothing sinister like that in this organization.
I have found annoying and deluded people in various Centers, doing annoying and deluded things; but I don’t think that counts as being a cult – they’re just being human. Kadampas by and large are normal, kind, introspective, care passionately about the world and its people and animals, are good-humored, funny. Etc. People including me are always bringing their family or friends along to classes and my non-Buddhist friends will call me whenever anything goes wrong as they know I’ll be able to help a bit (thanks to Buddha’s teachings). The survivors say that there is a honeymoon period after which we all get brainwashed. I have not seen that myself. It seems a bit far-fetched anyway to say that 100s of thousands of Kadampas around the world in all their different walks of life and so on are all brainwashed. The most vocal survivors say they don’t realize they are brainwashed, lol. Well, that sounds like a conspiracy theory to me. And, again, where’s the evidence?
What I have noticed from looking at survivors’ comments in other places (where Kadampas are not welcome to reply) is that although some of them have had bad experiences in the NKT, these experiences are not cult-like – they involve things like being asked to leave their Centers, which is not necessarily great, but doesn’t make the NKT a cult either. I agree that some managers and teachers have tried to rule with guilt and fear, but they are a minority and have slowly but surely been winkled out — they are really not what this tradition of Mahayana Buddhism is about at all. The vast majority of managers and teachers are gentle, kind, and caring. The 2 sexual scandals involving deputy spiritual directors were a huge shock and almost destroyed the tradition. But they were also 25+ years ago, they were dealt with, and this tradition has been pretty squeaky clean in that department ever since. We learned our lessons early, I think.
Some survivors have legitimate concerns. Some survivors repeat the same criticisms over and over again, rarely substantiating them; and it sometimes seems to me that whatever the NKT says or does it will never be enough to satisfy them. Some survivors would like the NKT to be totally destroyed – they say things to that effect a lot, and it’s pretty intense and unkind. Social media is bizarre with the things people feel they can say pseudononymously or anonymously – things they would not want to say face to face to any individuals. What’s new though? – this is the world we now live in. I’m glad this site is around to correct the misinformation and help people with the shock they get when they first hear that the tradition that is helping them so much and all their sweet friends has apparently been brainwashing them as opposed to teaching them Dharma and how to master their own minds. I hope this site will encourage them to trust their own experiences and/or to ask probing questions.
I am not a Kadampa Buddhist and l never will be…. l just married into it. My wife has been a practising Buddhist for 22 years. I have been to occasional Kadampa classes and regularly attend the festivals. I enjoy the festivals – mostly for the social aspect. Kadampa folk are fun to hang out and most of them are incredibly kind. It’s saddens me to see why this website has had to come about. Almost all of the Kadampas l have met are just normal people who are trying to better themselves. Obviously, there are some over zealous people, maybe it is these types who then end up as haters. The pendulum swings from one extreme to another. My own digging into this, l can see a handful of people who seem to spread hate towards this organisation, some seem to dedicate their whole lives to this. If you don’t like the organisation, just leave and move on with your life.
I just had the privilege of being in the International Teacher Training Program class of ‘23. We were from around the world, and of course a number of the students spoke English as a second language. The class can be characterized as people emotionally mature who had clarity about their strong commitment to sharing Kadampa Buddhism. When we completed our training, many of us were posted to new locations in the United States or other countries. These are people with strong character, courageous. Anyone suggesting to sincere practitioners that we are party to a cult is revealing their own ignorance.
Podríais escribir los post de la nkt en varios idiomas, como por ejemplo el Español?? Así llegaríais a más personas y los que no sabemos inglés podríamos informarnos. Gracias!
¡Sí! Ya estamos a la mitad de la traducción del sitio al español. Lo puedes encontrar aquí:
https://newkadampatruth.org/es/
I particularly like the point in this article that a good test of whether something is a cult is to ask: ‘“Is what I’m hearing designed to control me or helping me control myself?” The former is a cult, the latter is a Buddhist tradition’ — and as anyone who has actually attended NKT classes or centres can attest, the NKT clearly falls within the latter. From about 15 years of experience in the NKT, I can say with confidence that the main function of NKT activities and teachings is simply to help people to control their own minds. In fact, one of the key tenets of the Kadampa philosophy is that Kadampa teachings can then be practiced in whatever lifestyle people seek – normal working life, family life, working for the centre, not working for the centre, ordained, lay, etc – according to the individual’s wishes. And actually, that’s a large part of why people like the NKT so much – because far from trying to control people, it actively encourages people to practice in whatever way they choose.
Hi I wanted to write my experience on here in an attempt to give a broader view. Up to now I have been a student within the NKT in NYC for many years. The resident teacher at this Center (Kadampa Meditation Center New York City) is Morten Clausen. I also attended many of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s teachings when work has allowed. When first starting at this center and since then over the years, I have heard and read of many people saying the NKT is a cult. From the beginning I have listened to Morten Clausen’s teaching with quite a critical ear. In my initial teachings I found Morten Clausen to rely heavily upon reason and daily experiences and the undertone of the teaching was one which asked of the listener to use and rely on their own reason and experience. This is not the method of a cult, however I realise that often a cult may begin speaking like this to draw people in and then later change approach completely. Since then over the years I have heard loads of teachings by Morten Clausen on various levels and in each one he has consistently asked the listener to apply their wisdom, to use their own reasoning and experience and so reach their own conclusions. You would think that if the resident teacher had an underlying cult-like approach then this would slip out. Yet years on I have never heard Morten push anyone with his speech or demand any leap of faith, quite the opposite, on every occasion. I believe this would be apparent for most Buddhist or non- Buddhist or non- religious persons attending.
Prior to NKT Buddhism I studied Buddhism academically and since coming to KMC NYC I have received mainly Lamrim teachings and explanations of the practices relating to JeTsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. I found these to be remarkable and found within them a very clear commentary to the various Sutras of Buddha which I had previously encountered.
Outside of the teachings at the Center I have never been pressurised for money or for my time at all. This to me would have been another tell-tale sign of a cult. Take into account that this is no tiny Dharma Center, for years now KMC NYC has been one of the largest and most well attended NKT Centers in the world. Therefore it does seems scandalous to me when people start saying “The NKT is a cult”. My Center and Sangha group and resident teacher are a prominent part of the NKT and so we are included in this accusation. Yet as I believe can be witnessed by anyone coming to the Center, the teachings and culture surrounding this Center do not resemble those of a cult. Therefore I really must say that these people are wrong when they say “The NKT is a cult”. Of course I do not know what things certain people or “survivors” have experienced in their local Center or what the resident teacher there may be saying and doing (or have done). It may well be very bad, close-minded or cult-like. However these people should nonetheless recognise the limits of their experience as I do mine and simply say just their own Center is like this, or that particular resident teacher(s) or community act like this, at this time. Even if one of Geshe-la’s most well known English students ends up not practising the teachings and acting in completely the wrong way, how does this then make my Center and community a cult? Oh I know….. it doesn’t.
My other main experiences of the NKT are teachings at festivals from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Geshe-la himself seems to hold the use of and reliance upon logic and reasoning as of primary importance. He has repeated many times that we should not just accept the teachings but analyse them for ourselves as Buddha advised.
Other than these good experiences and teachings, I have attended a few teachings where the teacher did seem to have a method which appeared to be at odds with Geshe-la’s own way. There was a public talk by an NKT teacher back in 2008 in which near the very start the teacher stated firmly “Everything I am going to say to you tonight is the truth, because my teacher is a Buddha.” Now while in my own mind I agree with what is said here, to me this came across as quite cult-like and in some ways at odds with Buddha’s way and indeed Geshe-la’s way. This is just my own impression, my opinion.
In contrast when K. Khyenrab came to NY he immediately taught about the four reliances which Buddha gave. The first one being – “Do not rely upon the person, but upon the Dharma”. This shows the side of the NKT that many of us experience most of the time.
My main point in giving these experiences is to provide a broader view of the NKT in light of the various sweeping statements going around.
I have attended and studied at Kadampa Centres for almost 20 years. I currently volunteer as an Admin Director for a Kadampa Centre. My husband identifies more with the Church of England, but also feels part of the wider Kadampa family having met with and become friends with so many of them over the years. Like many other ‘non Kadampa’ partners, my husband has great respect for a religion and organisation that has helped me so much. In turn the experience and training and the importance of remaining peaceful in adversity is something I have been able to share with family &friends. If I am stuck for someone to do some DIY work at the meditation centre, he will come and help out, though he mainly enjoys pursuing his own retirement projects. He has had an earful of the ins and outs of my life as a Kadampa manager over the years and could explain to anyone how a Kadampa Centre operates making it clear that it does not operate as a cult organisation. I know many other Kadampas with non Kadampa partners who have great respect for the NKT. I think if we were a cult these marriages could not grow and thrive as they do and the fact that a non Kadampa can have love for and feel part of the wider Kadampa family shows an ethos of respect for individual choices and differing spiritual leanings. I think it is also worth mentioning that thanks to my practice of Kadampa Buddhism I no longer suffer from depression which plagued me from my early years into my 40’s. My husband also recognises this as one of the many benefits to our relationship. It really saddens me that labelling the NKT as a cult will undoubtedly put people off an opportunity to bring about positive change in their lives and in the lives of the people around them. I will continue helping people to access these meditation practices because I know first hand and have witnessed again and again with our students the positive transformative effect they have on people’s lives. I hope that all religious and non religious organisations that aim to increase love, compassion& wisdom in the world thrive and work towards improving people’s lives and the societies we live in. The world needs them more than ever.
I’ve being part of the NKT since mid 90’s. I would say it change my life in the most beautiful meaningful way and it still does !!!
It is my refuge it heals me every time I think of it and try to put it into practice.
It is from my personal experience 100% safe to practice if you follow Venerable Geshelas advice on how to engaged on it daily.
I have been practicing with the NKT since 2008. It has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I have been with the same centre all that time but have visited others.
I have only ever found communities of people sincerely trying to practice Buddha’s teachings. There has always been freedom within my practice for me to choose a level of practice that suits my situation. In fact the only one pressuring me has been me – we often bring our worldly attitude and expectations with us.
I have never experienced or witnessed coercion, or exclusion – people are free to come or go (and do) as they wish. Teachers will give advice if requested or within teachings but I have always had the freedom to take on board that which I found helpful and always have been encouraged to examine within my own experience and understanding.
Within the study programs there are personal commitments we can make, but again this is personal at a level we can maintain understanding that these enable our practice.
We do cherish as precious and valuable the teachings and traditions/practices as handed down to us in this lineage from Geshe la, Trijang Dorjechang, Je Phabonkhapa and the Ganden and old Kadampa lineages but this has never been taught to the detriment of other traditions as clearly stated in Modern Buddhism.
Such a clear, methodical practice full of beauty and meaning.