Editing New Kadampa Tradition (section)

==Organisation==
===Leadership===
The New Kadampa Tradition was founded in 1991, when it separated from the [[Manjushri Institute]], and became a distinct legal entity the following year.{{sfn|Kay|2004|p=78}}{{sfn|Kay|2004|p=233}} Each of the individual centres remained legally and financially independent from the organisation as a whole, but Kelsang Gyatso set the teachings and practices across the organisation as General Spiritual Director.{{sfn|Bluck|2006|p=145}}{{sfn|Kay|2004|p=233}}

From 1991 to 1995 [[Thubten Gyatso (NKT)|Gelong Thubten Gyatso]] was designated as Kelsang Gyatso's future successor. He disrobed in 1995, and Kelsang Gyatso provisionally appointed four "Gen-las": Losang Kelsang, Kelsang Jangsem, Kelsang Dekyong and [[Samden Gyatso]].<ref>Bunting, Madeleine. [http://tibet.ca/en/newsroom/wtn/archive/old?y=1996&m=8&p=18_1 ''Sect disrobes British monk'']. ''The Guardian''. 15 August 1996. Retrieved 2008-12-08.</ref>

In August 2001, Kelsang Gyato established a system of democratic succession for the General Spiritual Director of the NKT- IKBU, with each term of office limited to four years.<ref name="internalrules">{{cite web |url=http://www.newkadampatruth.org/internalrules.php |title=A Moral Discipline Guide: The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union |work=newkadampatruth.org |publisher=NKT-IKBU |access-date=23 December 2011 |archive-date=13 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313094636/http://www.newkadampatruth.org/internalrules.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> In February 2007, Samden Gyatso resigned as Deputy Spiritual Director. In 2008, Gen-la Khyenrab became Acting General Spiritual Director, under Kelsang Gyatso's supervision and, when Kelsang Gyatso retired, assumed the post of General Spiritual Director in August 2009 for a four-year term. Gen-la Dekyong, the National Spiritual Director of the United States of America, additionally assumed the post of Deputy Spiritual Director.<ref name="internalrules"/><ref>[http://kadampafestivals.org/fall/festival-teachers/ ''Festival Teachers: Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong'']. Retrieved 23 August 2009.</ref>{{sfn|Bluck|2006|p=145}}

===''The Internal Rules''===
The governing document for the NKT is called ''A Moral Discipline Guide—The Internal Rules of the New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union''.<ref name="A Moral Discipline Guide 2020">A Moral Discipline Guide: The Internal Rules of The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union. (2020) (UK Charity Commission)</ref><ref name="Buddhism in Britain">[http://devworkernbo.typepad.com/nbo_development/2006/11/tara_centre.html Buddhism in Britain]</ref> Section 1 of ''The Internal Rules'' is a legally binding document, approved by the UK Charity Commission in 2020.<ref name="A Moral Discipline Guide 2020"/> ''The Internal Rules'' define the NKT-IKBU as the coalition of international study and meditation centres that follow Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's "pure tradition", his three study programmes, and ''The Internal Rules'' themselves.<ref name="internalrules"/>

===Dharma centres===
The NKT-IKBU currently lists more than 200 centres and around 900 branch classes/study groups in 40 countries, and reports having an estimated 8,000 members.<ref name="map.kadampa.org">number of centres as of 29 August 2009, retrieved from [http://www.map.kadampa.org map.kadampa.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324013850/http://map.kadampa.org/|date=24 March 2015}}: 3 International Retreat Centres (IRC), 19 Kadampa Meditation Centres (KMC), 196 Kadampa Buddhist Centres (KBC), there may be even some more centres that have not been placed on the map yet, listed here: [http://www.kadampa.org/en/centers kadampa.org/en/centers]</ref><ref name="Waterhouse, Helen 2002. p. 940"/> Each centre is an independent charitable corporation; smaller groups branch off the centres and meet weekly in places such as churches and community centres.<ref>Bunting, Madeleine. [http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/CTA-book/chapter-5-4.html ''Shadow boxing on the path to Nirvana''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205110954/http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/CTA-book/chapter-5-4.html |date=5 December 2008 }}. ''The Guardian'', 6 July 1996. Retrieved 2008-12-07.</ref> New Dharma centres are expected to be self-supporting, as neither Kelsang Gyatso nor the NKT-IKBU owns the centres.{{sfn|Waterhouse|1997|p=144, 146}}

A Kadampa Meditation Centre (KMC) serves the local, national, and international communities, and is generally more centrally organised than regular Kadampa Buddhist centres. Besides having a program of courses for the local community, KMCs host major gatherings such as dharma celebrations, national festivals, and international festivals. They are also home to the International Kadampa Temples. KMCs are non-profit organisations and all their annual profits are donated to the International Temples Project. There are currently 18 KMCs around the world, with several in the US.{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}

The NKT-IKBU has also established a Kadampa Buddhist Temple in the United Kingdom, as well as in New York, Arizona, Brazil, Portugal, and Spain.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061211111653/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/kadampa.shtml Religion and Ethics, BBC Website]</ref>