Namo Buddha

Many people are drawn to Tibetan Buddhism but don't know where to start. They search online and find scattered, outdated, or commercial information. A practitioner in Melbourne wants to know if Mingyur Rinpoche is teaching anywhere nearby this year. A new student in London has no idea there is a Kagyu centre twenty minutes from their home. A monk in France is looking for iCal feeds so his monastery's events appear in practitioners' calendars.

These problems are solvable. Namo Buddha is our attempt to solve them — a single, well-maintained, tradition-neutral directory of events, teachers, retreat centres, teachings, and sacred sites, covering the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism — Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug — alongside other Tibetan traditions including Jonang and Bön.

The site is built and maintained by a small team of practitioners. It is not affiliated with any particular lineage, teacher, or organisation. We try to represent all traditions with equal care and respect.

We cover the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism — and the other Tibetan traditions alongside them — with equal respect. No tradition is primary. No lineage is promoted over another.

A reference is only as valuable as it is trustworthy. Tibetan Buddhism carries a living heritage of lineages, empowerments, titles, and transmissions where precision is a form of respect. We take that seriously, and we would rather say less than say something wrong.

Here is how we work:

We cite our sources. Wherever possible, entries reference the texts, translations, monastery records, or recognised authorities the information draws on. You will find a “Sources & references” section on pilgrimage sites, teacher profiles, monasteries, and glossary terms. Where a source is missing, treat the entry as still being researched.

We favour recognised authorities. When drawing on secondary sources, we prefer established, scholarly references — published translations, Treasury of Lives, Lotsawa House, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki, and the official communications of monasteries and their representatives — over unverified material.

We let the tradition speak for itself. Teachers and monasteries can claim their own listing and keep it accurate first-hand. A verified badge marks listings maintained by a genuine representative of that teacher or centre. Information confirmed directly by its subject is the most reliable of all.

We are non-sectarian and descriptive, not prescriptive. We present the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism — Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug — alongside other Tibetan traditions such as Jonang and Bön, each on its own terms and with equal respect. Bön is presented as Tibet’s indigenous tradition, distinct from the Buddhist schools, not as one of them. We describe what each tradition holds; we do not adjudicate between them or promote any teacher, lineage, or view.

We correct errors openly and quickly. We will make mistakes — this is a large and evolving body of material maintained with limited hands. Every page invites you to suggest a correction, and we act on those reports promptly. If you are a teacher, scholar, or practitioner who spots an error, your help genuinely improves this resource for everyone.

We distinguish fact from field observation. Where an entry includes first-hand impressions — such as a pilgrim’s account of visiting a site — it is clearly marked as a personal account, separate from the sourced, factual material.

Found something inaccurate? Please write to dthinley@gmail.com. Corrections from those who know the tradition are always welcome.

Namo Buddha is a community resource and grows through the participation of the community. The most helpful things you can do:

List your centre or monastery — If you manage a dharma centre, retreat centre, or monastery, add your listing. It takes ten minutes and helps practitioners worldwide find you.

Submit your events — Share your upcoming retreats, teachings, and empowerments. Or give us your iCal feed URL and we will import your events automatically every day.

Tell others — Share Namo Buddha with your sangha, teacher, or community. A mention in a newsletter or WhatsApp group reaches people we never could.

Report errors — If you find incorrect information about a teacher, centre, or teaching, please email us. We take accuracy seriously.