Spiritual Teachers

Shakyamuni Buddha was a great teacher who lived in India 2500 years ago and, after attaining enlightenment, showed how all others can do the same.

Nagarjuna was the pioneering Indian master who explained Buddha’s teachings on emptiness.

Aryadeva (mid 2nd – mid 3rd centuries C.E.) was the main disciple of Nagarjuna. He explained and elaborated Nagarjuna’s teachings on emptiness.

Buddhapalita was a 5th-century Indian Buddhist master, regarded as the founder of the Prasangika Madhyamaka school, whose writings elucidated Nagarjuna’s foundational texts on voidness.

Bhavaviveka, a profound philosopher and influential figure in Buddhist thought, pioneered insightful interpretations of Madhyamaka philosophy, enriching the understanding of voidness and the Middle Way.

Chandrakirti, a brilliant scholar and advocate of Mahayana Buddhism, profoundly shaped philosophical discourse with his elucidation of Madhyamaka principles, contributing greatly to the study of ultimate reality up to the present day.

Vasubandhu was a prominent Indian Buddhist philosopher and prolific author of works on both the Hinayana and Mahayana teachings.

Asanga is one of the most pre-eminent masters of early Mahayana Buddhism and the main formulator of the Chittamatra tenet system.

Dignaga was a 5th-century Indian Buddhist scholar and luminary, whose work on logic and epistemology has influenced Buddhist thought and debate ever since.

Dharmakirti (6th or 7th century) is revered for his outstanding contributions to the fields of logic, epistemology, and philosophy in accord with the Sautrantika and Chittamatra systems. His works have served as the cornerstone for the study of valid cognition and the practice of debate throughout the world of Tibetan Buddhism.

Shantideva (8th century) was the Indian source for the bodhisattva teachings found in all traditions of Tibet, especially regarding the practice of the six paramitas (the six perfections).

Dharmarakshita was an important Indian Buddhist teacher and author on karma, and the guru of Atisha, who would set forth Buddhism’s second period of transmission to Tibet.

Atisha transmitted Buddhism from India to Tibet once more after its temporary decline.  

Langri Tangpa, who came to be known as the “Sour-Faced Langri Tangpa” due to his somber demeanor, was an important early Kadam teacher and the author of the Eight Verses of Mind Training, a succinct text on developing the heart of compassion.

Geshe Chekawa was an eminent Buddhist teacher from the Kadampa lineage, whose Seven Point Mind Training came to be regarded one of the most practical and beloved mind-training texts of the last millennium.

Gampopa was the main disciple of the Kagyu master Milarepa.

The Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, was an accomplished spiritual teacher who mastered the teachings of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and an influential advisor to the Yuan court in Dadu, modern-day Beijing.

Longchenpa was an eminent scholar and meditator, whose prolific and extraordinary writings on dzogchen and other Dharma subjects have made him one of Tibet’s most revered Buddhist masters.

Tsongkhapa was the founder of the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

The First Dalai Lama, Gendun Drub, was an outstanding scholar who combined rigorous study with the depth of spiritual practice.

Dulnagpa was a skilful Gelug master and author, who was known to be able to cure the sick and tame demons with the Migtsema prayer of Je Tsongkhapa.

Gorampa is regarded as one of the greatest luminaries of the Sakya tradition, whose works on Madhyamaka philosophy are still today studied widely, especially within the Sakya monastic curriculum.

The Ninth Karmapa, Wangchug Dorje, is best known for his profound works on mahamudra practice and is regarded as one of the Kagyu lineage’s most important masters.

The Fourth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Chokyi Gyaltsen, who was the first to be accorded with the title “Panchen Lama” during his lifetime, was a prolific author and teacher, and one of the most illustrious Buddhist masters of the Gelug tradition in Tibetan history.

The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Losang Gyatso, was an esteemed master of the Dharma who unified Tibet under his spiritual and temporal leadership, leaving an indelible mark on the region's history that resonates to this day.

The Sixth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Palden Yeshe, distinguished himself as a revered spiritual leader and prolific scholar, championing Tibetan Buddhism's teachings and cultural heritage with wisdom and compassion.

The Third Changkya, Rolpe Dorje, was the tutor of the Qianlong Emperor of Manchu Qing Dynasty, oversaw the translation of the Tengyur into Mongolian and the Kangyur into Manchu, and wrote extensively on the Buddhist and non-Buddhist tenet systems.

Tuken Losang Chokyi Nyima was a prominent religious leader from eastern Tibet, who taught widely in Mongolia and China. Well-connected with the Qianlong Emperor during Tibetan Buddhism’s heyday at the Manchu Qing court, he was a highly influential and prolific author.

Ngulchu Dharmabhadra was a luminary of Tibetan Buddhism who illuminated the path of spiritual wisdom and scholarly excellence, leaving an enduring legacy in the preservation of Je Tsongkhapa's teachings.

Detri Rinpoche, Jamyang Thubten Nyima, was an esteemed writer and a gifted master of the Gelug tradition, especially of Kalachakra, who travelled and taught widely in Tibet, Mongolia, and northern China.

Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro dedicated his life to the study of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, becoming the foremost master of the Rimé movement and regarded by many of the Tibetan teachers who brought Buddhism to the West as their guru.

The 14th Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism, winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize and world icon of non-violence and compassion.

Yongdzin Ling Rinpoche was the Senior Tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama and 97th Ganden Tripa, the spiritual head of the Gelugpa tradition.

Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche was one of the teachers and Master Debate Partners of the 14th Dalai Lama and master of the full scope of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II, the Spiritual Head of Tabo Monastery in Spiti, is the reincarnation of one of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s esteemed teachers. Known for his warm and practical approach, Rinpoche has become a beloved teacher, imparting profound teachings on wisdom and compassion to both beginners and advanced students alike.

Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey was the pioneering teacher of Buddhism for Westerners at the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, Dharamsala, India.

Dudjom Rinpoche was one of the 20th-century’s most highly revered Nyingma teachers. As the leader and historian of the Nyingma tradition, he helped ensure that the Nyingma lineages, along with those of the other Tibetan schools, became firmly established in the West for the benefit of future generations.

The 33rd Menri Trizin, Lungtok Tenpai Nyima, the head of the Bon tradition for almost five decades, was instrumental in preserving the Bon teachings after the Chinese invasion of Tibet and became the beloved teacher of Bon students all over the world.

The 34th Menri Trizin, Lungtok Dawa Dargyey Rinpoche, is the latest leader of the Bon tradition in a lineage that stretches back almost 700 years.

Dezhung Rinpoche was one of the last century’s most important Sakya masters, well-known for his non-sectarian views and renowned for the depth of his knowledge of all four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Beru Khyentse Rinpoche II is an important Karma Kagyu teacher and a prominent master of the Kalachakra tantra, who has spent the last four decades teaching the Dharma across the globe.

Doboom Tulku, former Director of Tibet House, New Delhi, was a Gelug teacher with a keen interest in sacred music and Tibetan history, who for over fifty years worked at preserving and promoting the Tibetan cultural heritage.

Geshe Sonam Rinchen was the highly respected and much-loved resident teacher at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, where for over thirty years he imparted Buddhist wisdom to thousands of devoted students.

Khenzur Rinpoche Geshe Dawa is a highly educated Tibetan Buddhist master, who has contributed greatly to the preservation and promulgation of the Buddhadharma through his roles at Namgyal Monastery and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.

Geshe Namgyal Wangchen was a renowned scholar who was key in making Buddhism accessible to the West. A prolific author, he is regarded as one of the greatest masters of the previous century.