About Khedrubje Buddhist Centre

Khedrubje Buddhist Centre is a place where everyone is welcome to come and find out about meditation and Buddhism, and to learn how people use meditation and Buddhist practice in their everyday lives. Weekly drop-in classes offer the chance to try meditation, listen to talks on various aspects of Buddhism, and ask questions.

Khedrubje Centre has grown steadily since classes first began in 1985. Due to a growing interest in Buddhism and meditation the centre has blossomed into a vibrant and friendly residential community, offering both general introductory classes and in-depth study programmes for those interested.

Khedrubje Centre was formally opened in 1992 by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who taught the first classes here.

New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union

Khedrubje Buddhist Centre is a member of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union; an international association of Mahayana Buddhist study and meditation centres that follow the Kadampa Buddhist tradition founded by the modern day meditation master Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso who has worked tirelessly to spread Kadampa Buddhism throughout the world by giving extensive teachings, writing many books on Kadampa Buddhism, and establishing the International Temples Project.

Kadampa Buddhism is a time-honored tradition that for centuries has made Buddha’s teachings and meditation practices available to people throughout the world.

Buddhism has a timeless and universal relevance, and can be practiced by anyone in any culture, regardless of race, gender, or age.

Through training in meditation and other Buddhist practices you can improve the quality of your life by developing inner peace, compassion, and wisdom.

Please visit the website www.kadampa.org for further information about our tradition.

The Origins of Kadampa Buddhism

Kadampa Buddhism is a special tradition of Mahayana Buddhism founded by Atisha (982-1054 CE), an Indian Buddhist Master largely responsible for the reintroduction of Buddhism into Tibet in the eleventh century.

‘Ka’ refers to all Buddha’s Sutra and Tantra teachings, and ‘dam’ refers to Atisha’s special instructions called the ‘Stages of the Path’, or Lamrim in Tibetan.

Kadampa Buddhists integrate their knowledge of all Buddha’s teachings into their everyday lives. The Kadampa Geshes, the followers of Atisha, were not only great scholars but also spiritual practitioners of immense purity and sincerity.

Our Founder - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

The Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition and of Khedrubje Buddhist Centre is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - a fully qualified meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism. Geshe Kelsang was ordained as a monk at the age of eight in 1940 and studied at one of the great monastic universities in Tibet. After completing his studies he spent over twenty years in meditation retreat in the Himalayas. In 1977 he was invited to the West to teach, and has remained ever since.

He is the author of a best-selling series of practical guides to meditation and Buddhist practice. He is the founder of the New Kadampa Tradition of Buddhism and has established Buddhist meditation centres in over 40 countries worldwide. This includes 47 Kadampa Buddhist Centres in the United Kingdom alone. The New Kadampa Tradition and it’s member centres are registered charities and non-profit organisations.

Our Resident Teacher - Gen Kelsang Rigma

The Resident Teacher or main teacher in Hull is Buddhist nun Gen Kelsang Rigma. Ordained in 1994 and a student of Buddhism for 25 years, Gen Rigma makes use of her considerable experience to present Buddhist teachings in a friendly, accessible way.

As the Resident Teacher in Hull, Gen Rigma has been instrumental in the development of Khedrubje Centre. She devotes her time to teaching the various courses and study programmes at the Centre, and also teaches in locations outside of Hull. She is valued in her formal capacity as a teacher, and also as a spiritual friend.

Gen Rigma teaches the drop-in classes in Hull and Barton, the Foundation Programme and the Teacher Training Programme, as well as various special events.