International Kadampa Summer Festival 2025

How to be a Kadampa

Over two weeks, the Festival will emphasise teachings and meditations on Advice from Atisha’s Heart from our two most senior teachers. For the first time all of Venerable Geshe-la’s oral transmissions on the verses are brought together, including his special advice on how to engage in retreat on this text. Through Venerable Geshe-la’s encouragement and blessings they will transmit a complete commentary to all the verses.

By keeping Atisha’s Advice in our heart we can maintain a peaceful, happy mind, our human nature and good qualities will improve, we will show a good example in this troubled world and we will quickly attain great enlightenment. Kadampa Buddhists have an especially close connection with Buddha Tara because she appeared directly to Atisha, the founder of Kadampa Buddhism, and promised to care for all his future followers.

“Simply putting this Advice into practice we will naturally become a Bodhisattva, a holy compassionate being who is the object of everybody’s love and respect.”

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche