Atish Dipankar Dhyan Kendra functions as a centre for meditation, and the study of Buddhist psychology and philosophy. It began as an informal group in Kolkata in mid-2019, with a few people gathering once a month to learn about Buddhism and meditate. When the country went into lockdown during the pandemic, the group started meeting online. Several others joined, and the online study and meditatio
n sessions became more frequent and regular. Noticing a growing interest in meditation among many and the meaningful changes that the participants were experiencing from applying the instructions in their day-to-day life, Atish Dipankar Dhyan Kendra was registered as a trust in July 2022 to make the teachings more accessible and widely available. The centre now holds regular study and meditation programmes, with an emphasis on their application in contemporary times. The Dhyan Kendra derives its inspiration from the teachings of the illustrious Bengali pundit Atish Dipankar, who restored Buddhism in Tibet in the 11th century; Je Tsongkhapa (1357 – 1419), the great Tibetan lama who gave extensive commentary to Atish’s works; and contemporary masters in Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition — Venerable Trijang Dorjechang (1901-1981) and Venerable Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche (1931-2022). Atish Dipankar Dhyan Kendra is an independent public charitable trust registered in India; it is not affiliated with any institution, religious or political organisation.