The emergence of the Gelug tradition as a transregional and eventually global presence unfolded in distinct historical phases. After consolidating its intellectual and monastic base in central Tibet, it formed powerful alliances with Mongol rulers, beginning with Altan Khan’s recognition of the Third Dalai Lama. This relationship led to the establishment of Gelug monasteries across Mongolian regions and fostered a strong religious-political bond that extended the school’s influence into Inner Asia and parts of China. Royal and imperial patronage in these areas gave the tradition both visibility and institutional stability beyond the Tibetan plateau.

A later and very different phase of expansion arose from the upheavals that drove the Dalai Lama and many Gelug monks into exile. The creation of refugee communities and the re-establishment of major monasteries in India and neighboring regions allowed the scholastic and contemplative life of the tradition to continue in new settings. These communities became living repositories of the Gelug curriculum, centered on logic, debate, and rigorous philosophical study, and they gradually opened their doors to seekers from many cultures. The training of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners in these exile institutions ensured that the lineage could be transmitted with both fidelity and adaptability.

The personal role of the Dalai Lama became a crucial bridge between this preserved tradition and a wider world. Through extensive travel, public teachings, and moral advocacy, he came to embody the Gelug emphasis on compassion, ethical discipline, and analytical reflection. Recognition such as the Nobel Peace Prize drew global attention not merely to a political cause, but to a spiritual heritage grounded in careful reasoning and contemplative practice. Many were drawn less by exotic ritual than by a vision of Buddhism that could speak to questions of suffering, responsibility, and inner transformation.

As interest grew, Gelug teachers and institutions responded by creating structured avenues of study and practice outside traditional monastic settings. Dharma centers, retreat facilities, and international organizations such as the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition offered graded programs that mirrored the monastic curriculum in a form accessible to lay practitioners. Systematic translation of key texts and commentaries into various languages, along with academic study in universities and research institutes, further integrated Gelug thought into global intellectual life. In this way, a school once rooted in specific Tibetan monasteries came to be encountered in meditation halls, classrooms, and study circles across many cultures, while still drawing its authority from the depth and coherence of its original training lineage.