Ulverston, UK

This is home to the first Kadampa Temple for World Peace and the mother center of the New Kadampa Tradition, led under the guidance of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union. This inspiring center is home to a spiritual community of almost 100 people; young and old, lay and ordained, families and single people living harmoniously together and striving to put Buddha’s teachings into practice in their daily lives.

Based at the historic Conishead Priory, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, just south of the Lake District, Manjushri KMC is a residential Buddhist College and also features a shop, café and guided tours of the historic house and Kadampa Temple for many visitors. Following the pure example and profound teachings of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the Manjushri KMC community exemplifies the Buddhist way of life through public service.

Conishead Priory is a Romantic Gothic listed building which has been lovingly restored over the past 30 years by the resident community. The 70 acres of woodland and gardens lead down to the shores of Morecambe Bay, an area of great natural beauty and historic interest. This is an inspiring, peaceful and supportive place to live and visit.

Members of the community volunteer their time to maintain and run all of the facilities offered by the center, including a full program of Buddhist study and meditation courses, and regular classes throughout the year. These range from short general program classes to month-long meditation retreats and their large, annual NKT – IKBU International Spring and Summer Festivals, which are attended by over 5,000 people who travel in from around the UK and the world.

Also on site are Tharpa Publications which publishes Buddhist books and related products, and the Kadampa Art Studio which produces qualified Buddhist statues and artworks that adorn temples throughout the world. The center also runs a World Peace Café in nearby Ulverston town centre serving organic home-made food and drinks.

Visitors are welcome to come for a relaxing holiday or to attend one of the residential courses, which cover a wide range of Buddhist topics from introductory meditation weekend retreats to in-depth exploration of Buddhist thought. All courses and study programs are taught by qualified Buddhist teachers.