Buddha originally gave teachings in India, over 2600 years ago. Those teachings subsequently spread to Tibet and other eastern countries, only moving to the rest of the world quite recently. The history of the New Kadampa Tradition in America, and now Hollywood, can be traced to 1977. At this time, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who lived in India at the time, accepted a request to teach in the West, leaving his home, his Teacher, his family, his culture and everything he knew to give Buddha’s teachings to a group of students in a castle in the Lake District of rural England. Subsequently, over the course of the next 36 years, “Geshe-la” as he is affectionately called, has worked continuously to help Kadampa Buddhism spread throughout the world for the first time. In 1991, Geshe-la gave his inaugural teachings in the United States to a group of 50 students in Seattle, Washington. Later, Venerable Geshe-la would return to live as a Resident Teacher in Dallas, Texas, subsequently teaching to larger audiences throughout the United States and the world. Through Venerable Geshe-la’s dedication and loving kindness, a Temple has now arisen in Hollywood, California. Kadampa Meditation Center Hollywood is the result of the efforts of countless people over the past thirty-five years.