Reviews and testimonials of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) Kadampa Buddhism

The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU) is a modern Buddhist organization that promotes the teachings and practices of Buddhism dating back to Buddha Shakyamuni 2600 years ago, and based on the teachings of the great Tibetan Buddhist master Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419). Founded by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in 1991, and with 1200 Centers and temples around the world, the NKT aims to make these ancient teachings of Buddhism accessible and practical for people in the modern world.

There are thousands of good reviews and testimonials of the New Kadampa Tradition, also known as Kadampa Buddhism”, on the Internet and elsewhere. However, the New Kadampa Tradition has also had a lot of negative reviews from some Tibetan and Western followers of the Dalai Lama who accuse it of being spirit worshippers, a breakaway cult, evil demons, not real Buddhists, antagonistic to other Buddhist groups, Chinese agents, murderers, and other stupid stuff. (Check out this article for how this came about). The most Googled criticism is probably that found on Reddit r/Buddhism, whose 3 moderators years ago banned the NKT from posting or commenting at all. Why? Because the NKT is apparently sponsored by the  Chinese Communist Party! This is an absurd claim that has no shred of evidence to back it up, and it might be humorous if it wasn’t so detrimental. I’m not saying that the NKT is perfect, because what is; and some critical testimonials have usefully aired some legitimate concerns that have been dealt with by the organization over the years. What I am saying is that there are some very weird things being said about the NKT that are simply not true.

Some Kadampas think that the NKT should just ignore the unfair criticism and controversy and focus only on doing the good stuff we do because people can figure out for themselves what is true and what is not true about the NKT. Although I have sympathy for that view, I also perceive that there is just too much risk of people being disturbed or spooked by the negative online criticism and supposed controversy, meaning that it’s helpful to provide a counterpoint.

It seems that we live in an age of disinformation, in which everything digital has a long half-life and reputations can be damaged or destroyed by a handful of people spreading slander or half truths. So in this context I think it might be helpful to share some of the good reviews of the New Kadampa Tradition in case you have stumbled upon only the unfavorable ones so far!

I think it’s always a good idea to check the sources of both negative and positive reviews and testimonies. You will see that a majority of people who repeat disinformation about the New Kadampa Tradition are those who have never actually set foot inside an NKT Center and just believe the criticism they have read online. This seems to have created a self-perpetuating negative criticism feedback loop or echo chamber. Meanwhile, the vast majority of those who do actually frequent NKT Centers have very positive and life-affirming experiences, and know from their own experience that the NKT is not a cult but a legit and beneficial organization.

A sample of Yelp reviews of the New Kadampa Tradition (Kadampa Buddhism) from two (of 1200) typical NKT Centers:

Wonderful guided meditation center. Lovingkindness. Happiness. Compassion. Thank you.

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I have been coming here regularly for a very long time and I immensely enjoy the lunchtime meditations and the classes as well. Through regular meditation I have discovered an inner peace that I had struggled to find prior to coming here. The main teacher is fun and engaging, and I really enjoy her teachings. The space and people here are very welcoming and inviting also. If you are looking to learn to meditate, or sharpening your meditations skills this is a great place to visit.

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I’ve been attending classes at Kadampa Meditation Center ever since I moved to the city in 2004. Since then, these classes have consistently been the best part of my week, and the transformative power KMC has had on my life is breathtaking. The main meditation teacher is a real treasure. She is truly a meditation master with over 35 years of experience teaching, running meditation centers and editing buddhist books and translations. She is able to relay her meditative experience so clearly with references to Buddhist texts, analogies, stories and humor, and skillful guided meditations (and all in a native British accent to boot). The topics in each class vary (often in monthly themes, or following a particular book) and cover the great expanse of buddha’s teachings – loving kindness, patience, mindfulness, wisdom, tantra, etc. Each class has helped me understand more deeply how my mind works, i.e. how to develop stable and lasting inner peace and how to overcome negative minds which cause anxiety, depression, stress and so forth. Having a meditation community has been so important and supportive of my spiritual practice. The community at KMC is so welcoming, consisting of long time practitioners, casual meditators and beginners all working towards developing happy minds and healthy lives. There is even a kids class on Sundays so family’s can enjoy! Can’t recommend enough 🙂

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Not sure what to say because in this situation I prefer to keep my personal experiences private. But KMC offers meditation and I think there are benefits to meditation. The people are friendly and I’ve always felt that they welcome new people and teach lessons with that in mind. What I like as well is the differing day courses on topics that are relevant to my life and help me become a better person. Apart from that, exploring KMC will largely depend on your personal journey and curiosity.

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Our family has been attending KMC for the last couple years. It is a wonderful place that we all enjoy. We take our 5 year old frequently; they are very welcoming to families. They have a fabulous children’s program on Sundays that teaches kids kindness and compassion thru a story/teaching, a meditation, a craft project reinforcing the teaching, and then an opportunity to present/speak in front of the larger adult group. We are very fortunate, as the folks that run the children’s program are both teachers and bring with them a wealth of skills and experience. We highly recommend exploring or depending your Buddhist practice at KMC!

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I walked in on a whim one Wednesday for the beginner’s meditation class with the main teacher. Having virtually no experience with meditation, I was somewhat intimidated, but I found the teachers and staff at KMC to be very welcoming and accessible. I would highly recommend KMC to anyone who is interested in learning more about mindfulness and weaving it into every day life.

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KMC is a very welcoming and peaceful place for everyone! No matter what kind of mood I’m in when I arrive, I ALWAYS leave feeling much lighter and with a much more positive attitude! The general program classes are awesome… useful and practical advice for everyone, not just Buddhists! You can take what is useful from these classes and leave the rest behind if you choose… but I can honestly say there is nothing I have ever wanted to leave behind! There are even classes for kids on Sunday mornings! There is no pressure from anyone to turn you into a Buddhist, they just simply want to help you lead a more peaceful and fulfilling life full of positivity. Everyone at the center is super friendly and eager to explain anything you may have questions about. I highly recommend stopping by and checking it out. You won’t feel awkward or disappointed!

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Excellent classes provided for beginner and experienced meditators. If you are looking for a path to finding the origins of your happiness and maintaining a peaceful mind, this could be it. The teachers at kmc will show you the tools. A true beacon of love, hope, and peace in the city. I recommend attending a few of the beginner classes to determine if it is the path for you. That’s what I did, and I’ve been a member for over a year now, doing self study, attending Sundays or thursdays, and the workshops.

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wow. Such an authentic place….. beautiful teachings….. beautiful meditations
wonderful free E – books………… A wonderful place to learn to find inner peace……… Struggled all my life to find peace and these teachings helped me to get there… Such a great way to live !!!! I so so much recomend this place

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It’s about centering, strengthening your inner self, alleviating suffering, and increasing compassion for self and all around you. What’s not to appreciate?

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Gorgeous space & practical, inspiring teachings. The people are very friendly and the teachers are very qualified and easy to understand.

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If you’re looking to get your zen on, this is the place to do it. Beautiful space, friendly staff, clear instructions–an oasis in the midst of chaos.

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I stumbled upon this place a few years ago at one of their branch classes.   After a few good general classes with one of the teachers, I was told I should check out the resident teacher at the main Chelsea center.  I went and was hooked.  He’s funny, clear, inspiring and enlightening!  It’s incredibly practical & accessible  –  whether one wants to be a formal buddhist or not.  They did start bringing a prayer song (translation from ancient texts) to the Thursday open class which I can see based on some of the reviews is tough to digest for some  first timers;  but I’m a big believer in  “take what we need and leave the rest”.  And there’s indeed a lot of wisdom to take away that supersedes any hang ups I may have personally had about prayers and chanting.   The prayer actually grew on me (& I loathe organized religion being raised catholic).  The teacher makes it clear that it’s purely to settle the mind and tap into our own higher potential.  Works for me!  🙂  I can honestly say it’s been a big eye opening life changer.

A few direct responses to criticism of the New Kadampa Tradition (Kadampa Buddhism) made online

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.

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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.

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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.

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A cult requires its followers to exclude and avoid communication with ‘the other’ even if ‘the other’ is their families, their neighbours and their communities. The NKT does the opposite. We are encouraged to develop loving kindness and compassion to our family (easy), then expand it gradually to our neighbours (a bit more difficult), our communities (we maybe need to interact with organisations some of whose members have different beliefs than ourselves but similar objectives) and finally widen our compassion to the whole wide world and beyond (this may need Bodhisattva vows). There is no suggestion in the NKT of ‘shunning’ unbelievers as is a compulsory feature of cults. If a belief system requires you to exclude ‘the other’ then it is a cult, even if it claims to be a religion with millions of followers. Authentic Buddhism does not shun or exclude ‘the other’ , nor for that matter does authentic Christianity (the parable of the Good Samaritan).

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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.

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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.

A few reviews of the New Kadampa Tradition (Kadampa Buddhism) from Trust Pilot Customer Service Reviews 

I started going to Kadampa meditation classes to reduce stress and frustration over 10 years ago. After a short while I realised how incredibly beneficial the teachings and meditations from the Kadampa Tradition were. I have continued to attend classes, festivals and have been teaching these practical and helpful instructions to others for about 8 years. I have met hundreds of wonderful people who are committed to making not only their life better but the lives of others too. I know my life and my relationships have transformed as a result and I also know that people around me have noticed how calm and grounded I am (most of the time!) If everyone took a little bit of time to train their minds in meditation to increase love and compassion we would be living in a much more peaceful and happy world.

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I lived in a Kadampa Buddhist centre for 11 years with my wife who is a practising Buddhist. I am not a Buddhist practitioner but I loved my time at the centre and I still keep in touch with many people there. It was a wonderful community and some of the happiest years of my life were spent living there. I know Kadampa Buddhism helps my wife and many other people to find inner peace.

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I’ve been going here (Manchester centre) for 8+ years now and my experience has been very positive all the way. It’s definitely been life improving for me. I can’t comment on other people’s past experiences, but I’ve never seen anything that felt like a red flag, and I was very much watching out for it. You do see some really aggressive criticism about the NKT online, but none of that tallies even slightly with my experience.

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If you want 100% authentic mainstream Buddhism the New Kadampa tradition is the place for you. When Buddha taught 2500 years ago there were no Buddhists so who was he teaching? Everybody and anybody according to their circumstances and inclinations. Modern Kadampas maintain this inclusivity, keeping the essential purity of the lineage while welcoming all without any form of discrimination. It is a wholly non-sectarian tradition. What gives you confidence is that it is thoroughly open, transparent and fundamentally honest about its origins and practices. If the NKT is not for you, and you find happiness elsewhere, that is, wonderful. The NKT would never criticize anybody for finding or following another path. Nor reject you even if you rejected them. Genuine Buddhism in practice.

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The proof is in the pudding

This is just a small sampling. There are thousands more reviews like this for NKT Centers all around the world. One thing you could do is check out the name of the Center closest to you and look for Google or Yelp or Trip Advisor reviews.

As I said further up this page, I think it’s always a good idea to check the sources of both negative and positive reviews. Have the people writing the criticism of the NKT actually spent time at an NKT Center or are they repeating hearsay? As one Center manager replied to someone who left a negative review based on hearsay:

“When you say you undertook a deep dive into our organization and you concluded we are dangerous and a cult, it is worth pointing out that it can be very difficult to know these days whether online sources are reliable, and even to know the identity of the author of anything you read. That is why it is always best to go by your own personal experience. What was your experience of our Center? Were there any nefarious activities you witnessed or extreme requests made of you, such as to stop contacting your family, to give large sums of money to our organization, or to blindly worship anybody? These are characteristics of cults. I know you will not have witnessed any of that, because that is not the nature of our center or our tradition. Instead, you will have encountered a very relaxed and open environment, allowing everyone to participate at their own level and to feel free to question and discuss the teachings, and a very dedicated, loving and friendly community.”

You might also be interested in these podcasts and blog articles by teachers and everyday practitioners within the New Kadampa Tradition.

My Living Meditation – New Kadampa Blogs

Living Clarity Kadampa Podcasts 

Podcasts showcased on Buddhism in Daily Life 

To my mind – and along with experiences, teachings, and community that people have at the 1200 Centers worldwide – these clearly demonstrate that the NKT is nothing like a cult. (Read the articles on this blog, for that matter, to see if you think this tradition is as bad as some people like to say it is). The New Kadampa Tradition is a genuine Mahayana Buddhist Tradition dating all the way back to Buddha Shakyamuni and providing teachings and benefit for hundreds of thousands of Buddhists worldwide. The NKT is not really controversial at all; it is transparent and open and has nothing to hide. The NKT is not scandalous or abusive; loving-kindness and ethical behavior lie at the heart of the Kadampa Buddhist tradition (and you can read about its Internal Rules and safeguarding here.) And nor is it any of the other outlandish criticisms some people accuse it of. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

Finally, I hope that if you are ever spooked by negative reviews you might consider countering this negativity with your own lived experience (if you have spent time at an NKT Center) or with that of others who have had overwhelmingly good experiences of this modern, authentic, and helpful Mahayana Buddhist tradition.