It does depend on how we look at it, but from one perspective Buddhism is facing a crisis in many ways. This crisis is not due to a lack of financial support from laypeople sponsoring temples and monasteries, nor is it due to a shortage of prominent Dharma teachers. On the contrary, there are many influential Buddhist figures today who can fill auditoriums with devoted audiences. Newly prosperous Asian nations with Buddhist cultural roots provide substantial financial resources for building towering statues, magnificent temples, and large monasteries.

Despite these seemingly favorable conditions, it can nevertheless feel as though Buddhism itself is facing a crisis. Many people sense that the rich spiritual vitality that once characterized the tradition is no longer as strong as it was. If this trend continues, it could eventually contribute to the decline of the tradition itself. No religious tradition is guaranteed eternal longevity. After all, Buddhism once flourished in India, only to later disappear from its birthplace.

Generally speaking, growing trends of secularization and materialism are creating conditions that could gradually reduce Buddhism to a conventional religion—or even to a form of popular spirituality—rather than preserving it as a profound path of inner transformation. Such a situation may appear benign at first, but over time it could create a growing disconnect between people and the profound nature of the Buddhist path.

If Buddhism is like a lamp whose oil is running low, what it needs is not simply another famous master or influential teacher, but someone who embodies the higher qualities of the Dharma: humility, compassion, self-reflection, contentment, wisdom, and genuine realization. One figure who immediately comes to my mind is Khenpo Tsultrim Lodrö, who reminds us of great masters of the past.

Personally, when I think of the great lamas who have gone before us, I am struck by how exceptional they were in their devotion to the Dharma. They embodied the Dharma in every aspect of their daily lives, not merely through words and teachings, but through authentic inner realization. Their very lives were an expression of the Dharma. Such individuals are rare, and their presence cannot easily be replaced.

I belong to a relatively small monastery called Mardo Tashi Gakyil in eastern Tibet, where I had the opportunity to meet several elder lamas, all of whom have since passed away. Many of them were true mahasiddhas, saints, and bodhisattvas who had gone beyond ordinary preoccupations, including the eight worldly concerns. They seemed to possess a genuine transcendence, free from the grip of ego and attachment to fame, status, and recognition. I find it difficult to encounter people like them today. I do not mean to suggest that there are no extraordinary Dharma teachers today. I know several remarkable teachers who are still alive, and I have no hesitation in describing some of them as mahasiddhas or bodhisattvas.

Khenpo Tsultrim Lodrö is a disciple of the late Chöje Jigme Phuntsok and one of the primary Dharma teachers associated with Larung Gar in eastern Tibet. He entered the monastery in the beginning as an ordinary monk, without prestigious titles such as “tulku.” Over time, through his dedication to both study and practice, he distinguished himself and became not only a deeply respected Dharma teacher but also one of the most widely known teachers in Tibetan Buddhism. Millions of Tibetan and Chinese people have followed his teachings. Today, many people look to him as a kind of spiritual North Star, placing great trust in his goodness at a time when many people are struggling to maintain trust in leaders and institutions. He has earned that trust not through status or self-promotion, but through the merit and integrity of his own life.

Many people in Tibet regard him as their spiritual guide who embodies the principles of the Dharma, from humility and compassion to wisdom. He does not carry himself as though he were an important figure entitled to treat others as subordinate to him. Instead, he relates to people with genuine care and respect for their human dignity. You never feel an air of arrogance around him. That quality alone is noble, and it has the power to touch people’s hearts.

He lives simply, without a strong attachment to worldly wealth or status, at a time when so many people are caught up in the pursuit of mundane success. His simplicity is itself a powerful teaching. His way of life is a living teaching on transcendence—a reminder that true happiness cannot be found by taking refuge in worldly affairs, but by turning inward and discovering a deeper freedom beyond the endless pursuit of worldly satisfaction.

Not only is he deeply learned in Buddhist scriptures and philosophy, he also has a broad interest in secular subjects such as science and history. He understands the changing world and recognizes the importance of communicating with people today, particularly younger generations who are often more highly educated than previous generations and whose worldview is, in many respects, increasingly secular.

His presence in the world is a great blessing to many of us who hold him in the highest regard. His life gives us hope that the genuine teachings and practices of Buddhism are still very much alive in today’s world—and that Buddhism can continue to survive not merely as another conventional religious tradition, but as a living wisdom tradition that teaches human beings how to transform themselves and discover inner freedom and liberation. 

May he live long! May all his aspirations come true.

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