Sanat Kumara, is known by many in the East and West as The Buddha Maitreya or by his honorific Tibetan title, His Holiness Jetsun Gyalwa Jampa Gonpo. He has been enthroned and given many ceremonies of recognition in every lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He is the incarnated Living Buddha Maitreya, the Medicine Buddha and was born in Oregon in 1951. Maitreya comes from the sanskrit word "Maitri" meaning unattached and unconditional loving kindness. His Holiness is the reincarnation of God on Earth, the Planetary Logos, whose previous lives include Krishna, Gautama Buddha, Jesus The Christ, Babaji and several recognized incarnations within Tibetan Buddhism including the Tibetan Yogi Saint Milarepa, Padmasambhava and Je Tsong Khapa.

His Holiness has always taught that wisdom comes from giving and has made the support of Tulkus, living saints within Tibetan Buddhism, one of his main focuses as well as helping westerners to learn deep meditation and further their own self-healing through the transmission of his blessings. Through reincarnation, all the Saints of all the religions reincarnate and are always with us. Tibetan Buddhism supports and furthers this Tulku reality. His Holiness supports many of these Saints so that through the blessings of their relationship with him, they can recapitulate their true nature and have their practical and spiritual needs taken care of, allowing them to fully incarnate who they truly are from previous lives and live healthy, happy lives in this life so they may better serve and further humanity.

His Holiness consolidated his work of helping exiled Tibetan Refugees and Tibetan Monasteries in 1994, when he established the first Dharma Center in Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1996, His Holiness established the Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha, a 501c(3) Non-Profit American Buddhist Church offering the opportunity for westerners to become monks and nuns and lead more spiritual and service orientated lives here in the West. The church represents both East and West and the tenets of Christianity and Buddhism, with a focus on charitable activity as one of the fundamental necessities of personal and planetary healing. More about Buddha Maitreya »