The Modern Buddhism Podcast
Practitioners from the New Kadampa Tradition explain Buddhist principles for modern problems like anxiety, grief, and uncertainty.
This is an interview show that serves as an outreach for the New Kadampa Tradition, a global Buddhist organization. Each episode features a teacher from the tradition who breaks down a core Buddhist concept—like karma, letting go, or compassion—and applies it to a specific, modern-day problem. The conversations are framed as practical advice, using personal anecdotes and relatable scenarios to demystify ancient wisdom for a contemporary audience.
“Unlike many spirituality podcasts that feature a wide range of guests, this show exclusively features teachers from a single, specific lineage: the New Kadampa Tradition. This gives the podcast a highly consistent philosophical framework, with every episode reinforcing the same core teachings as presented by the NKT's founder.”
Who hosts this show
The Modern Buddhism Podcast features inspiring conversations with monks, nuns, and lay practitioners who apply Buddha's timeless wisdom to the challenges of daily life. Produced by the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), the show uses a rotating cast of hosts to interview guests from within the NKT community. The discussions aim to make Buddhist teachings accessible and practical for cultivating inner peace and resilience.
Credentials & credits
- Produced by the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU)
- Guests are typically ordained monks and nuns (Gen, Gen-la) or senior lay teachers (Kadam) within the NKT
- The NKT was founded in 1991 by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to present Buddhist teachings for the modern world.
Other ventures
- New Kadampa Tradition (NKT-IKBU)
- Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre
- Tharpa Publications
- International Kadampa Festivals
- World Peace Cafes
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01A BUDDHIST MONK’S HONEST ADVICE ON LETTING GO & INNER PEACEMay 9, 2026 · 38 min
- 02MEDITATION TOOLS WHEN YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS NEXTMay 2, 2026 · 44 min
- 03THE BUDDHIST MIND HACK THAT STOPS THE BLAME CYCLE WITH GEN KELSANG NORDENApr 11, 2026 · 1h 08m
- 04Cameron Mathison Opens Up About Facing Hate on Social MediaApr 4, 2026 · 18 min
- 05
- 06I GRIEVED FOR 20 YEARS… UNTIL I LEARNED THISMar 7, 2026 · 39 min
- 07A CEO’s GUIDE TO RESILIENCEFeb 21, 2026 · 37 min
- 08A BUDDHIST NUN'S JOURNEY FROM TRAGEDY TO TRANSFORMATIONFeb 14, 2026 · 36 min
Notable episodes
- 01A BUDDHIST MONK’S HONEST ADVICE ON LETTING GO & INNER PEACE
Features a memorable origin story where the guest, a Buddhist monk of 29 years, first discovered Dharma in a butcher's shop doorway while drunk and eating a kebab.
- 02THE BUDDHIST MIND HACK THAT STOPS THE BLAME CYCLE WITH GEN KELSANG NORDEN
This episode tackles the difficult, real-world scenario of how to have compassion for someone who bullies your child, demonstrating the show's practical approach.
- 03CAMERON MATHISON ON HOW HE REBUILT HIS LIFE AFTER THE LA FIRES, CANCER, DEATH AND DIVORCE.
Features a well-known actor and talk show host, Cameron Mathison, discussing how he applied Buddhist teachings to navigate multiple profound life crises.
What you'll be asked on this show
The hosts, who rotate between episodes, begin conversations by asking for practical advice or framing a common modern problem, such as 'How do you cope with uncertainty?'. They actively listen and will often paraphrase a guest's point before building the next question. A signature technique is to voice common counter-arguments or skeptical viewpoints, like 'Isn't this perspective just for older people?' or 'Doesn't letting go mean you let people mistreat you?'. This allows the guest to directly address listener doubts. Questions are direct and aim to extract actionable 'how-to' steps from abstract spiritual concepts, often using highly personal and emotional examples like 'How do you not want to harm someone who bullies your child?'.
The show uses a rotating cast of hosts who are themselves practitioners, lending an insider's perspective to the interviews. The format is a straightforward Q&A, often opening with a direct request for a practical 'method' or 'tool'. A key feature is the host playing devil's advocate, posing common objections or skeptical questions to help the guest clarify complex or counter-intuitive ideas.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
advice
4- Q.01
“What's a practical method to stay positive when things are going wrong?”
This is a common opening question, immediately framing the conversation around actionable advice for the listener.
- Q.02
“How do you apply compassion when someone is, for example, bullying your child?”
The host uses specific, emotionally charged scenarios to test the practical limits of a spiritual concept.
- Q.03
“How do you balance compassion with holding someone accountable for their actions?”
This question follows up on challenging scenarios, seeking to resolve apparent contradictions in the teaching.
- Q.04
“Isn't confronting death a perspective for older people? Why should a young person do it?”
The host often represents a specific demographic's viewpoint to challenge the universality of the teaching.
origin
1- Q.01
“How did you first get into Buddhism?”
The host asks this early on to ground the guest's spiritual authority in a relatable origin story.
mindset
3- Q.01
“What's the root cause of our struggle with [uncertainty/anxiety]?”
This type of question seeks a core philosophical diagnosis for a common modern ailment.
- Q.02
“Why do we avoid thinking about difficult topics like aging and death?”
This question explores the psychological resistance that the teachings are designed to overcome.
- Q.03
“What keeps you motivated in your practice after so many years?”
Asked after a guest mentions their long history, this question explores the topic of long-term commitment.
controversy
1- Q.01
“If you practice letting go, doesn't that just mean you let people mistreat you?”
Hosts frequently pose these kinds of devil's advocate questions to address common misconceptions about Buddhist ideas.
process
2- Q.01
“How can you begin to control your mind when it feels so inaccessible?”
This question voices the listener's potential feeling of being overwhelmed and asks for a starting point.
- Q.02
“How can you tell if you're acting from compassion versus anger?”
This probes into the subtle internal work required, asking for a way to develop self-awareness.
future
1- Q.01
“How is Buddhism still relevant for young people in modern society?”
This question is often asked near the end to summarize the contemporary importance of the teachings.
Signature segments
- · Tagline: 'Everyday wisdom, everyday life'
- · Devil's advocate questions
- · Focus on practical methods and 'mind hacks'
- · Guests are exclusively from the New Kadampa Tradition
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are exclusively ordained monks, nuns, and senior lay teachers from the New Kadampa Tradition. They often have decades of experience practicing and teaching within the NKT and are chosen to speak on topics that align with their personal stories or expertise.
- Gen-la Khyungon A BUDDHIST MONK’S HONEST ADVICE ON LETTING GO & INNER PEACE
- Kadam Mick Marconon MEDITATION TOOLS WHEN YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
- Gen Kelsang Nordenon THE BUDDHIST MIND HACK THAT STOPS THE BLAME CYCLE WITH GEN KELSANG NORDEN
- Cameron Mathisonon Cameron Mathison Opens Up About Facing Hate on Social Media
- Gen Gomlamon I GRIEVED FOR 20 YEARS… UNTIL I LEARNED THIS
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast does not feature third-party sponsors. It is produced and funded by the New Kadampa Tradition as a form of public outreach and teaching.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of the podcast?
- The podcast does not have a single, consistent host. It features a rotating cast of interviewers, such as Niamh Finan, who are also practitioners within the New Kadampa Tradition.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is an interview-based show where a host speaks with a guest teacher (a monk, nun, or senior practitioner) from the New Kadampa Tradition about a specific topic.
- Is this podcast still being updated?
- Yes, the podcast appears to be releasing new episodes on a weekly or bi-weekly basis as of mid-2026.
- What is the New Kadampa Tradition?
- The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT-IKBU) is a global Buddhist organization founded in 1991 by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to make Buddhist teachings accessible for modern life.
- How can I be a guest on the show?
- It is unlikely that the podcast accepts outside guest pitches, as all interviewed guests are established teachers within the New Kadampa Tradition.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the official New Kadampa Tradition website.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]The Modern Buddhism Podcast on NKT Websitekadampa.org
- [02]New Kadampa Tradition Official Websitekadampa.org
- [03]The Modern Buddhism Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [04]New Kadampa Tradition - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Spiritual Directors of the New Kadampa Traditionkadampameditationcenter.org
- [06]New releases for the Modern Buddhism Podcastskadampa.org
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