Editing New Kadampa Tradition (section)

===Kadampa Buddhism===
According to the NKT-IKBU, it is Tibetan in its antecedents, and follows the teachings of the historic "old" [[Kadampa]] school and the "[[New Kadam]]" Tradition of [[Je Tsongkhapa]], the latter of which became the [[Gelug]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]].<ref name="meditationincolorado.org">Belither, James. [http://www.meditationincolorado.org/history_new_kadampa_tradition.htm ''Modern Day Kadampas: The History and Development of the New Kadampa Tradition''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211123509/http://www.meditationincolorado.org/history_new_kadampa_tradition.htm |date=11 December 2008 }}. Retrieved 7 December 2008.</ref> The NKT consider Kelsang Gyatso the one who "is primarily responsible for the worldwide revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time".<ref name="Official NKT website">[http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/venerable-geshe-kelsang-gyatso Official NKT website]</ref><ref name=okws>[http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/new-kadampa-tradition Official Kadampa Website at]</ref>

The NKT has been criticised for the lack of clarity regarding its lineage, and especially the use of the name ''Kadampa''. Both Buddhists and non-Buddhists have described the NKT as "a breakaway sect or [[cult]]" of the [[Gelug]] school, rather than the older Kadampa tradition of [[Atisha]], as the NKT often suggests.{{sfn|BBC RE|2003}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gyatso |first=Kelsang |url=http://archive.org/details/joyfulpathofgood0000kels |title=Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment |date= |publisher=Ulverston; Glen Spey, N.Y. : Tharpa |others=Internet Archive |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-948006-45-6 |p=651 |quote=Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982–1054)... The great Kadampa Teachers are famous not only for being great scholars but also for being spiritual practitioners of immense purity and sincerity. The lineage of these teachings, both their oral transmission and blessings, was then passed from Teacher to disciple, spreading throughout much of Asia, and now to many countries throughout the Western world... Kadampa Buddhism was first introduced into the West in 1977 by the renowned Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Since that time, he has worked tirelessly to spread Kadampa Buddhism throughout the world by giving extensive teachings, writing many profound texts on Kadampa Buddhism, and founding the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union.}}</ref> Followers of the NKT refer to themselves as ''Kadampa Buddhists'', the temples of the New Kadampa Tradition are referred to as ''Kadampa Buddhist Temples'', and more recently, NKT teachers are named ''Kadampa teachers''. Additionally, the Dharma centres of the New Kadampa Tradition are called ''Kadampa Buddhist Centres''.<ref>Official Kadampa Website at [http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/teachers/], {{cite web |title=Samantabhadra Buddhist Centre – Finding Peace within the City |url=http://www.meditateinbirmingham.org/venerable-geshe-kelsang-gyatso.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061218031449/http://www.meditateinbirmingham.org/venerable-geshe-kelsang-gyatso.htm |archive-date=18 December 2006 |access-date=26 December 2006}}</ref>

Bluck says there remains an apparent contradiction between claiming a pure Tibetan lineage and separating completely from contemporary Tibetan tradition. While the NKT strongly emphasises its unbroken "lineage" to the Kadampa tradition, it has no Tibetan followers and claims to stand outside current Tibetan Buddhism.<ref name=Bluck>Bluck, Robert (2006). British Buddhism Teachings, Practice and Development. RoutledgeCurzon, {{ISBN|0-415-39515-1}}</ref>

In 1998, Kelsang Gyatso stated in an interview:

{{blockquote|We are pure Gelugpas. The name Gelugpa doesn't matter, but we believe we are following the pure tradition of Je Tsongkhapa. We are studying and practicing Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings and taking as our example what the ancient Kadampa lamas and geshes did. All the books that I have written are commentaries on Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings. We try our best to follow the example of the ancient Kadampa Tradition and use the name Kadampa to remind people to practice purely.<ref>Lopez Jr., Donald S. "Geshe Kelsang Gyatso discusses Dorje Shugden as a benevolent protector god." ''[[Tricycle Magazine]]'' (Spring 1998, Vol. 7 No. 3).</ref>}}