New Kadampa Tradition
Kadampa Meditation Centre Australia is part of the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union. The New Kadampa Tradition is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, pictured left. It is a worldwide network of Buddhist Centres, which help people from all walks of life develop peace and happiness through understanding and practicing the teachings of Buddha.
Manjushri Centre is the mother Centre of modern Kadampa Buddhism and is the largest residential Kadampa Centre in the world.
Kadampa Centres function to preserve and promote the pure teachings of Je Tsongkhapa, the great Kadampa Buddhist teacher.
Je Tsongkhapa
Je Tsongkhapa pictured left, whose ordained name was Losang Dragpa, was a great 14th century Tibetan Buddhist Master who promoted and developed the Kadampa Buddhism that Atisha had introduced three centuries earlier.
His appearance in Tibet had been predicted by Buddha himself.
Je Tsongkhapa patiently taught the Tibetans everything they needed for their spiritual development, from the initial step of entering into a spiritual practice through to the ultimate attainment of Buddhahood.
This was a golden age in Tibet, and thousands of Tibetans were inspired by Je Tsongkhapa's immaculate example of pure moral discipline, compassionate way of life, and profound, liberating wisdom.
His followers became known as the 'New Kadampas', and to this day Kadampa Buddhists worldwide study his teachings and strive to emulate his pure example.
A common prayer among Kadampa Buddhists is:
May I meet the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa,
Who has a pure practice of stainless moral discipline,
The courageous practice of the extensive deeds of a Bodhisattva,
And the yogas of the two stages to supreme bliss and emptiness.