The Founder
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, affectionately known as ‘Venerable Geshe-la’, a world-renowned meditation master and Teacher, he is a truly international Teacher who presents Buddha’s teachings in ways that anyone, regardless of nationality, culture or age can easily understand and apply to their modern daily lives. Through helping people to integrate the pure and life-transforming teachings of Buddha in their daily experience, Venerable Geshe-la has enabled them to solve their personal problems and to discover a deep and lasting inner peace and happiness.
Inspired by his extraordinary vision, a global infrastructure of Temples, centres, books, teachings, meditation and teacher training programmes, for this and future generations, has arisen, creating a truly international Buddhist tradition that benefits all living beings equally and without discrimination.
Venerable Geshe-la is the Spiritual Guide of many thousands of people, whose hearts have been touched by his extraordinary wisdom and pure example. The legacy of his life’s work enriches and will continue to enrich the lives of people of all nationalities and cultures throughout the world.
The Teacher
Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab is a retired General Spiritual Director of the NKT-IKBU, he has trained closely with Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for more than forty years. His humility and pure example reflect his many years of reliance on his Spiritual Guide. He is greatly admired as a sincere practitioner and a powerful Teacher. He is also well-known for his wisdom and deep understanding of Buddha's teachings, and for his pure example of compassion and loving-kindness.
Upcoming Friday Night Lectures
The Buddhist Worldview - why Buddhists are different
December 12th 2025 | 7:30 - 9:00pm
All Buddhists believe that the teachings of Buddha, which are called Dharma, explain the actual truth of how all things exist. Buddha gave many different explanations of this subject for the varying types and mental capacities of living beings. In summary they all teach that the real world as it appears, is the world of the mind; for Buddhists, therefore, everything begins and ends with the mind, all experiences and phenomena are created by mind including even the entire universe, and there is nothing existing outside the mind. It is a radical and singular understanding that has benefited generations of practitioners over thousands of years.
Buddha's ultimate worldview is unique among all philosophies and gives clarity, purpose, and meaning to the everyday lives of Buddhist practitioners. In general, the Kadampa Buddhist teachings are a very special and rare presentation that is suitable for everyone without exception because there is no difference between these teachings and people's everyday experiences. This Dharma cannot be separated from daily life and accords with people's daily experiences. The exception among these teachings is Buddha's ultimate worldview which requires great good fortune and great wisdom to correctly understand.
Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab, in this Friday night lecture, will introduce this profound topic and provide some pointers on how we can begin to correctly understand the Buddhist worldview and see its immensely practical application to both our personal problems and the problems generally experienced in the wider world today.
Is Buddhism True?
March 13th 2026 | 7:30-9:00pm
It is sometimes said that the teachings of Buddha are scientific methods for improving our human nature and qualities through developing the capacity of our mind. But how can anyone be sure that Buddhism is true or not? Are we to simply accept such statements at face value? What proofs can we examine to check the truthfulness of Buddha's teachings?
Nirvana and full enlightenment are said to be states permanently beyond suffering and that each and every living being can attain these. But what actually happens to us when permanent liberation from suffering is attained? Do we disappear into empty space? What about our friends and relatives - do they continue to experience the cycle of impure life - samsara while we are completely free from problems? Is that really possible?
By understanding Buddha's unique analysis of our condition presented in the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths we can begin to recognose the validity of his teachings and see that there are no contradictions between any of his teachings; eventually we will understand Buddha's ultimate intention and from this will arise unmistaken clarity giving us profound confidence in the truth of Buddhism.
Overnighter @ Tara!
Why not enjoy an overnight stay with us? Relax into the beautiful environment as well as enjoy the World Peace Cafe and Tharpa Book store and gift shop. Breakfast is also available!