Geshe Tenzin Namdak teaching at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, UK. Photo courtesy of Jamyang London Buddhist Centre.

FPMT Spiritual Director Lama Zopa Rinpoche regularly encourages Western students to undertake serious, in-depth study of Buddha’s teachings. Rinpoche advises this to his students not only for their personal benefit, but because once they complete their studies, they are able to teach others.

Geshe Tenzin Namdak, a Dutch monk who spent more than two decades studying at Sera Je Monastic University in India, exemplifies this potential. His ability to combine the traditional Buddhist monastic education with a modern Western sensibility makes him a profoundly qualified teacher for students at FPMT centers. And in the short space of nearly three years, Geshe Namdak has offered teachings to hundreds of appreciative students around the world.

Kamlo Chen-Duffy, the spiritual program coordinator at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, shared this profile of Geshe Tenzin Namdak, who currently serves as the center’s FPMT resident geshe.

On May 8, 2017, Geshe Tenzin Namdak became the first Westerner to complete the twenty-year-long Geshe degree at Sera Je Monastic University. With that, his name joined a short but inspiring list of Westerners who have completed geshe studies programs, including Geshe Kelsang Wangmo and Geshe Tenzin Losel (Graham Woodhouse). This momentous achievement was followed by the completion of traditional postgraduate studies at Gyudmed Tantric College in India, solidifying Geshe Namdak’s status as a paragon and torchbearer for Dharma students practicing within the Nalanda tradition, both in the West and around the world.

Shortly after Geshe Namdak’s graduation, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who is Geshe Namdak’s root guru, appointed him as the resident teacher of Jamyang London Buddhist Centre. Geshe Namdak follows an illustrious line of resident teachers at Jamyang, including Geshe Namgyal Wangchen and Sera Mey Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering. In the summer of 2019, Geshe Namdak became the present custodian of this forty-year-old community, quickly building a rapport with its students, who were deeply grateful for his arrival.

During his first years in this post, Geshe-la, as he is called, has placed an emphasis on in-depth Buddhist study, recognizing the great benefit students derive from pursuing the structured study pathways provided by FPMT Education Programs. Geshe-la has highlighted the importance of this kind of education to students:

Why are we studying these in-depth aspects of Buddhism? Basically, to eliminate suffering for self and others. To commit yourself to something is good. If you really want to step further in your understanding of the Buddhist path, though it asks for effort, commit yourself to something like this. … Then it starts to come alive.

This focus on structured learning at Jamyang began with the launch of Discovering Buddhism, a Foundational FPMT Education Program. The cohort of students who embarked on this study path with Geshe-la celebrated completing the course in July 2021. At the end of the final teaching, students were invited to share their reflections.

“We all really want to thank you from the depths of our hearts for your incredible, skillful, and prudent guidance over the last three years on this fantastic journey of Discovering Buddhism,” said Nick Holzinger, speaking to Geshe Namdak on behalf of his peers. “Thank you for your amazing kindness and love. Thank you for your patience. And thank you especially for the incredible Dharma wisdom that you shared with us.”

Geshe Tenzin Namdak holding pecha pages at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre. Photo courtesy of the center.

Given Geshe Namdak’s dedication to providing in-depth study, it is perhaps unsurprising that he would next turn his attention toward the FPMT Basic Program (BP), which is a five-year course of advanced study. Before undertaking such a long-term commitment, Geshe-la checked with Lama Zopa Rinpoche about whether it would be of benefit. Rinpoche confirmed that commencing the BP at Jamyang would indeed be the best next step for the center. His observations were quickly corroborated when registration for the course opened in the summer of 2020 and Jamyang received more than two hundred applications from interested students worldwide.

This level of enthusiasm certainly exceeded expectations. As Geshe-la said during Jamyang’s Open Day for prospective program students, “There was a trend that in-depth studies maybe had less interest in recent years, but now I see there is a lot of interest. So I’m very happy to see that. That’s a sign of being extremely fortunate.”

Even in its second year, the BP at Jamyang has already had a transformative effect on the lives and minds of many students. They are being nurtured, supported, and encouraged by Geshe Namdak and a dedicated group of teaching assistants, who are graduates from the previous round of BP at Jamyang. Students are now used to Geshe-la urging them to persevere. “Studying to become a Buddha” is no easy task, he says, but a defeatist attitude that balks at the challenge is “not very constructive” and in the end “gives the victory to the afflictions.”

Geshe Namdak’s students have come to see the advantages of studying in a systematized manner and appreciate the value of being able to do that under the guidance of someone as learned as Geshe-la. “With each and every teaching I realize more and more how privileged we are to have Geshe Namdak as the resident teacher here at Jamyang. It feels like an impossible task to fully understand how precious it is to have him as our teacher,” said Adam South, a BP student. “His humility, patience, and kind nature are a testimony to the effectiveness of the Dharma. His ability to skillfully navigate the complexities of Dharma teachings while maintaining a light-hearted attitude makes Jamyang a wonderful place for in-depth study.”

With Geshe Namdak’s 2020 cycle of the FPMT Basic Program having firmly taken root, an exciting new project has begun to germinate: the Exploring Buddhism course. This new Foundational FPMT Education Program covers carefully selected topics of Buddhist philosophy and practice. These are compiled and presented in modules that help students build a good foundation for advanced studies. At the request of Ven. Joan Nicell, who at that time served as FPMT’s Foundational Program Coordinator, Geshe Namdak drafted the initial course in collaboration with Ven. Tenzin Legtsok, who is currently studying at Sera Je Monastic University. At present Exploring Buddhism is under further development by FPMT Education Services and is being piloted by various FPMT centers in several countries, enabling FPMT students worldwide to advance in their Dharma education. 

As we all know, 2020 was no ordinary year. The pandemic changed the way many Dharma centers provide teachings to students. Geshe Namdak, like innumerable other teachers, had to adapt to using video conferencing platforms to give teachings. Out of this disruption, however, new opportunities arose. Teachers found themselves able to connect with a greater number of students. Indeed, many of those studying the FPMT Basic Program with Geshe-la do so remotely, from around the globe.

Geshe Namdak giving an online teaching from Jamyang London Buddhist Centre. Photo courtesy of the center.

Even while Jamyang was in lock-down, online teaching allowed Geshe Namdak to continue to accept invitations to teach from other centers and study groups, extending his activities far beyond the stone walls of the courthouse where Jamyang is situated in London. For example, Saraswati Study Group in Somerset, UK, is mid-way through its own cycle of the FPMT Basic Program. Geshe-la has been teaching the group on specific subjects.

“We have already benefited significantly from Geshe Namdak’s teachings. He is so clear,” said Neil Atkinson, Saraswati’s coordinator. “It’s a very secure basis on which to practice. I have the instinctive feeling that if one listens, reflects, and then meditates on what Geshe-la says, the scope for making mistakes or for things going awry is very small.”

Being able to teach remotely also removes the demands of international travel. And Geshe Namdak has certainly made the most of this opportunity, teaching as far afield as the Netherlands (his home country); Bangalore, India; New York; and Madrid, Spain. Due to specific advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe-la has also given well-attended teachings on philosophy to students at Nalanda Monastery in France.

“I am extremely lucky to be Geshe Namdak’s student,” said Conchi Fernandez, who is the spiritual program coordinator of Nagarjuna Centro de Estudios Budismo Tibetano in Madrid. “It is very easy for me to understand Dharma and integrate his teachings as he combines the traditional teachings with the way Western people need to study the Dharma. Also, his sense of humor and the way he is close to people—even though we study online—is something that makes the Dharma easy and profound at the same time.”

While Geshe-la is known by his students for his deep respect of the traditional presentation of the Buddhist teachings as preserved and passed down by generations of Indian and Tibetan masters, he is also innovative. Following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s example, he has made a concerted effort to collaborate with scientists. The fruit of this effort has manifested in “Science & Wisdom LIVE,” an initiative that brings contemplatives of various traditions into dialogue with experts in various scientific fields, including neuroscience and quantum physics.

As part of this project to make Buddhist wisdom accessible to new audiences, Geshe Namdak had an enlivening online conversation with theoretical biologist Dr. Rupert Sheldrake in June 2021. Their discussion explored the nature of reality, interconnectedness, and the relationship between consciousness and matter. “I much enjoyed the experience and found it very helpful in deepening my understanding of the Buddhist approach,” Dr. Sheldrake said of the encounter. “Geshe Namdak is amazingly clear in his explanations.”

Success in Buddhist studies requires many factors, including engaging in activities to accumulate merit, purify negativities, and eliminate obstacles. With this in mind, Geshe-la has inspired the community at Jamyang to undertake specific projects and adopt new traditions. These include annual recitations of scripture during the period of Saka Dawa and “Honouring the Lineage,” a project to install statues of the lineage masters in the gompa at Jamyang. Thus far, new statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, Lama Atisha, and Guru Rinpoche have been consecrated and installed, as well as Lama Tsongkhapa and his heart sons. The fundraising for the second part of the project—which will see the installation of statues of Manjushri, Chenrezig, Vajrapani, Nagarjuna, and Asanga—has already been completed.

Geshe Namdak on Losar at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, March 2022. Photo courtesy of the center.

Although he has adapted to life back in the West, for decades Geshe Namdak was immersed in, and derived great benefit from, Tibetan culture. He now gives regular talks to the UK Tibetan community, including the younger generation, in order to repay the kindness of the Tibetan people. Pempa Samuels is a teacher and member of the Tibetan community and also an FPMT Basic Program student at Jamyang. “He gives stories of his journey. He gives his time. He’s patient and encourages us. He gives us a realistic attitude,” Pempa said. “I’m really glad that Geshe-la has come to London and taken on board a massive amount of teaching roles. I’m grateful for that.”

A key factor that sustains Geshe Namdak’s connection to the Tibetan community is his fluency with the Tibetan language. This skill has also been put toward a number of virtuous translation projects, including short texts at the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and a big project undertaken in partnership with Ven. Tenzin Legtsok for Sera Je Monastic University. Their translation of key parts of Khedrup Je’s Clearing Mental Darkness: An Ornament of Dharmakirti’s ‘Seven Treatises on Valid Cognition’ will be titled Freedom through Correct Knowing: On Khedrub Jé’s Interpretation of Dharmakirti and will be published by Wisdom Publications in August 2022.

Finally, Geshe Namdak sets an inspiring example for students, not only through his many teachings, but also by remaining committed to go into retreat for several months of the year, despite his active schedule. As he has said himself, “It is important to do retreat even when involved in many projects.”

Geshe Namdak giving a teaching for Losar, Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, March 2022. Photo courtesy of the center.

It is clear to see from these many endeavors that Geshe Tenzin Namdak is fulfilling the vast visions and wishes of his own teachers, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Those who have the privilege of hearing his teachings have no doubt that his motivations are sincere and steeped in compassion. In a short space of time, he has uplifted the minds of countless students. In their gratitude, they pray for his long life and that he continues to turn the wheel of Dharma, and they thank Lama Zopa Rinpoche for his immeasurable kindness in enjoining Geshe-la to teach.

Kamlo Chen-Duffy began working at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre as the center manager in September 2019. He transitioned to the role of spiritual program coordinator in May 2020. Since then, he has helped coordinate the enrollment of nearly four hundred students in long-term courses taught by the center’s resident teacher, Geshe Tenzin Namdak. Kamlo is also studying the FPMT Basic Program with Geshe Namdak. 

Learn more about FPMT Education Programs and opportunities to study Buddhism both online and on site on FPMT.org. You can also read more about Geshe Tenzin Namdak.