There is quite some discussion online about abuse in Buddhism and usually it focuses only on the first two of three points which were outlined by Kata as steps for healing: to see and to […]
Tibetan Buddhism – Struggling With Diffi·Cult Issues
Controversies: New Kadampa Tradition, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso // Dorje Shugden // Rigpa, Sogyal Rinpoche // Tsem Tulku, Kechara // Ole Nydahl, Diamond Way // Sangharakshita, Triratna // Shambhala, Sakyong :: Tibet & Dalai Lama :: Dharmakaya, Zen & More
Monastics Must Be Celibate – Also in Vajrayana?
By Joanne Clark Some time ago, I recall a comment on Facebook that caused something of a stir. A person posted a memory of HH Dalai Lama saying during a teaching or question/answer session (or […]
Knowns and Unknowns Regarding Sogyal Rinpoche’s Biography
By Bernd Zander A review of “Sex and Violence in Tibetan Buddhism: The Rise and Fall of Sogyal Rinpoche” by Mary Finnigan and Rob Hogendoorn One main concern for Sogyal Rinpoche’s (SR) former students is […]
A Timely and Important Book “Fallout: Recovering from Abuse in Tibetan Buddhism”
By Joanne Clark Fallout: Recovering from Abuse in Tibetan Buddhism, by Tahlia Newland, is the story of Rigpa students coming to terms with disclosures of Sogyal Lakar’s abuses over decades, as revealed in the letter […]
A Psychological Report on The New Kadampa Tradition
For those who were harmed by the New Kadampa Tradition (aka Kadampa Buddhism or Modern Buddhism), it is of grave concern that the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK as well as mindfulness […]
The Faultless Faulty Guru: Teachings from the 14th Dalai Lama
Statements from the 14th Dalai Lama on the Instruction to See All Actions of the Lama as Perfect, from Lamrim and from Tantric Perspectives We are providing these statements from His Holiness below because there […]
Petition To the FPMT Board of Directors by Senior Buddhist Nuns
To the FPMT Board of Directors Dear friends in the Dharma: We are a group of senior nuns who are deeply concerned by the recent allegations of sexual misconduct by Dagri Rinpoche, who has been […]
Will the FPMT Stand by its Code of Ethics?
By Joanne Clark Update: While the investigation continues, Dagri Rinpoche has been temporarily suspended from teaching at FPMT centres. For details see: Update Regarding Dagri Rinpoche. – May 13 + 14, 2019 Updates: Please see the […]
Does the Dharma Have a Role in Recovering From Mental Health Problems? – A Personal Perspective
By Joanne Clark Some years ago, I was having a major anxiety attack during a Dalai Lama teaching, something that often happens to me when in the presence of high lamas. I was sitting in […]
Buddhism Is Not A Cure For Mental Health Problems – Or Is It?
On March 7, 2019, The Atlantic published an article “Why So Many Americans Are Turning to Buddhism” with the subtitle “The ancient Eastern religion is helping Westerners with very modern mental-health problems.” The author, Olga […]
Triratna: Inside the Cuckoo’s Nest
By Alan J.W. I decided on a change of title after the illustration above became available, two weeks after the original was posted. This scanned image shows the first page of the article presented below […]
Research on abuse in Buddhist communities
In August 2018, a three-year research project started at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich under the leadership of Dr. Miriam Anders, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The objective of the […]
Why are cults so difficult to oppose?
By Mark Dunlop Overview What is the Brainwashing Hypothesis? How does Brainwashing Work? Misleading stance of Inform organisation and some academics Conclusion Part 1. Overview The aim of this article is to explain how cults […]
Clergy Sexual Abuse & Buddhist Ways of Dealing With Abuse | Triratna’s Whitewashing Terminology
Introduction During a remarkable member congregation of the German Buddhist Union (DBU) in April 2018 at the Europe Centre of the Diamond Way movement in Immenstadt, Germany, representatives of four organisations involved in the misuse […]
Triratna: The Eye of the Storm
By Alan J.W. Last year (2017) many comments were posted online regarding the controversy surrounding former Order member K, understandably not identified by a full name. The first part of this post is a memoir-cum-appraisal: […]
Links Relevant To The Current Crisis In Shambhala International Regarding Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s Conduct With Women
GUEST POST Shambhala International is no stranger to controversies regarding relationships between its teachers and their students. The founder of the organization, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, was a well known womanizer and alcoholic. Many articles and books have been […]
H.H. the Dalai Lama’s Comments on the Troubles in Rigpa
By Joanne Clark For years, the Dalai Lama has been criticized for not speaking out against Sogyal Lakar’s (Sogyal Rinpoche’s) misbehaviors. The idea was that one word from His Holiness could somehow fix things. Now, […]
Just to Clarify: What H.H. the Dalai Lama Said About Criticizing a Vajrayana Lama
By Joanne Clark When His Holiness the Dalai Lama made his first statement supporting the letter by the eight ex-senior Rigpa students, outlining abuses committed by Sogyal Lakar, he stated: Many years ago in Dharmasala […]
In a Nutshell: Self and No-Self in Buddhism
By Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche The Buddha, by rejecting the idea of soul, also rejected the concept of reincarnation. He was therefore at variance with many of the Hindu traditions of India that retained the […]
Finally, After Years Of Fanaticism, I Began Opening My Eyes
A New Kadampa Survivor Testimony My name is Ivy Wallace and I am a former member of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT). Here is my story in case anyone is interested. I was in the […]
Three Buddhists Walk into a Bar
By Kiera Van Gelder Three Buddhists walk into a bar. A Hinayana, a Mahayana, and a Vajrayana. The Vajrayana demands the highest stool, the Mahayana offers her body as a stool and the Hinayana sits […]
Testimony from an Ogyen Kunzang Choling (OKC) Survivor
The following comment was posted by a Buddhist as a comment after having shared Ben’s powerpoint presentation “40 Years of Abuse in the Name of Dharma by ex-OKC born-kids” on Facebook. Ben who stands behind […]
Certain Types Of Teachers We Should Avoid
By Patrul Rinpoche & Chatral Rinpoche Patrul Rinpoche in “Words of My Perfect Teacher”¹: On the other hand, there are certain kinds of teachers we should avoid. Their characteristics are as follows. Teachers […]
Sexual Union in Tantra: Distinguishing Between Sexual Abuse and Buddhist Practice – Guidelines from HH Dalai Lama
Guest Post By Joanne Clark When I was a student of Sogyal Rinpoche, I knew all about Yeshe Tsogyal. I didn’t wonder about the story, what it meant to be a consort, what the practice […]
The Buddha About Reproaching Others, Praise & Dispraise and Assigning Blame
REPROVING OTHERS Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks thus: “Friends, a monk who wishes to reprove another should first establish five things in himself. What five? (1) He should consider: ‘I will speak at a proper […]
Bringing About Change in One’s Own Self – Jetsünma Khandro Rinpoche
Ven. Jetsünma Khandro Rinpoche says: Teachers throughout the times have always said: Dharma is not about doing things. Buddhadharma does not become Buddhadharma, until through the methods applied one is bringing about change, transformation, […]
Abuse: Letter To Sogyal Rinpoche From Long Term Rigpa Students
We now see clearly the many ways that you betrayed our trust, manipulated and abused us and our Dharma brothers and sisters. On July 14, 2017 eight long term disciples and Rigpa students – with […]
Ready to Mine: Zen’s Legitimating Mythology and Cultish Behavior
Stuart Lachs, New York City[1] ICSA Paper June/July 2017 Conference Bordeaux, France I will show in this talk that the legitimating story and mythic history of Zen Buddhism lays the groundwork for an authoritarian […]
Robert Spatz, guru of the OKC cult, gets 4 years’ suspended sentence
Dated: 15th Sept 2016 On Thursday, Brussels criminal court (“tribunal correctionnel”)¹ sentenced Robert Spatz, spiritual head of the Ogyen Kunzang Choling (OKC) Buddhist community, to a suspended sentence of 4 years in prison. The man, […]
Whitewashing, Dishonesty & Culture of Abuse in the Triratna Buddhist Order (TBO)
Guest Post The real beauty of a sexual relationship between an Order Member and a Mitra is that if the OM is sufficiently mature then the other person stands to gain considerably from the experience. […]
“Lock the door.” – I was devoted to a great Buddhist master, and then I quit.
by Mimi, former Dakini Sogyal Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist master supported by the Dalai Lama. He is the author of the best-selling “Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.” He heads the Rigpa Association, a […]
Submission, devotion and sexual abuse: my investigation of Buddhism in France
By Marion Dapsance Anthropologist In the minds of Westerners, Buddhism is “secular spirituality”, a “science of the spirit”, in short: something perfectly rational. A few years ago, I began reading books on meditation, before wanting […]
FWBO / Triratna – Sangharakshita – Cases of Sexual Abuse
…ultimately, the way a group reacts to allegations of misconduct may be a better indicator of its underlying dysfunction than the content of the allegations themselves. – Christopher Hamacher The BBC reported on September 26, […]
The Dalai Lama’s Advice to Buddhists in the West
Q: Your Holiness, what advice might you give those of us who are working to develop Buddhist communities and organizations in the West? A: As I often tell my Buddhist friends, if we want to keep […]
A Warning Letter from Lama Ole Nydahl: Don’t Mix Tantric Methods and Teachers
Dearest Diamond Way students and friends, A few words of timely advice: I understand that many of you, who haven’t had the Phowa practice yet, are now looking to receive this timeless experience. Recently, at […]
Sogyal Rinpoche & Rigpa – An interview with the former director of Rigpa France Olivier Raurich
Translation of an interview with the former director of Rigpa France Olivier Raurich which appeared in the French magazine “Marianne”¹ Q: When did you become interested in Buddhism and how did you encounter Sogyal Rinpoche? […]
The psychological pitfalls of integrating an Eastern spirituality into a modern Western context. (Spiritual by-passing)
By Coline R. Moore (This was originally written as an essay submitted for a counselling qualification and thus is a bit academic – however some people might find it useful.) The disciple is unworthy; modestly […]
Who needs facts when we have the Internet?
Guest Post by Sandy Clarke Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal. There are those who do not realise that one day […]
“Name only”: The dangerous attitude of Nihilism being taught in the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT)
Just as a chariot is verbalized In dependence on collections of parts. So conventionally a sentient being Is set up depending on the mental and physical aggregates. — The Buddha Buddhism itself is very radical […]
What is faith and devotion in Buddhism?
This article is an attempt to clarify the terms “faith” and “devotion” in Buddhism / Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. In order to clarify the terms “faith” and “devotion”, it is essential to begin with a sober […]
What is the meaning of patience in Buddhism? – Ajahn Succito
Here is a wonderful experiential explanation of what real patience is. Patience deals with checking emotional reactions, but it’s not a denial of emotional intelligence. Patience has the gut-knowledge that recognizes that a problem or a pain […]
Why did the 14th Dalai Lama change his stance on Dorje Shugden / Dholgyal?
Some great learned and spiritually evolved persons have proclaimed (Gyalchen Dorje Shugden / Dhol-gyal) as a valid protector and even in their personal lives they have achieved amazing success; there are such persons to this […]
The story of a New Kadampa Tradition monk or How I got sucked into a cult
My name is Tenzin Peljor / Michael Jäckel. I was 29 when I met the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) in December 1995. At that time the general public didn’t know about any controversy relating to the […]
Propaganda: The making of the holy Lama Ole Nydahl
I am not too much interested in discussing Ole Nydahl in this post. I wrote at length about his controversial sides on my German website. The German article was my response to a collective effort by […]
The Guru-Disciple Relationship – Advice by HH the Dalai Lama
There is a tremendous potential for abuse in this idea of trying to see all the behaviours of the guru as pure, of seeing everything the guru does as enlightened. I have stated that this […]
Thoughts on Leaving Rigpa
GUEST POST After almost 20 years in Rigpa, I have left with a heavy heart and a wounded soul. I still have huge faith and trust in the Dharma and have connected with my own […]
Reporting Personal Experience On Religious Movements
The following is an information provided by Suzanne Newcombe, Research Officer at Inform. It is posted here as a separate post by kind permission.¹ People with personal experience that they wish to report anonymously on […]
Launch of ‘Recovery from The New Kadampa Tradition’ resources website
Dr Michelle Haslam, clinical psychologist and ex-resident of a New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) centre, has teamed up with several collaborators and supporters to relaunch her report based website http://www.newkadampatraditionreport.org. The site now also links to […]
The Bodhisattva vows: “Failing to ward off defamation”
The Buddha taught the “eight worldly conditions” (Lokavipatti Sutta), instructing his disciples among others not to be attached to status and not to have aversion to disgrace. In Tibetan Buddhism we speak of “the eight […]
Between Basic Goodness and the Lows of Human Behaviour
There is some research that suggests that children have natural altruistic impulses. A French-German ARTE documentary, “Die Revolution der Selbstlosen” (The Revolution of the Selfness), has documented some of these research results. The ARTE documentary, however, also […]
A New Book: Understanding the Case Against Shukden: The History of a Contested Tibetan Practice
A new book on Shugden, or Dölgyal, Understanding the Case Against Shukden: The History of a Contested Tibetan Practice, has been published. Three authoritative Gelug organizations—the Association of Gelug Masters, the Gelug International Foundation, and […]
Jamgon Mipham did not incarnate
By Zuzana Čerňáková Nowadays, if one speaks the truth, there is no one to listen. If one speaks falsely, everyone holds it to be true. Therefore, I have not disclosed this to anyone before: I […]
Has the New Kadampa Tradition Apologized or Changed? A Request to Lucy James from Carol McQuire
GUEST POST An article titled The One Pure Dharma by Judith Hertog appeared in the Winter 2018 edition of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Tricycle magazine is an influential publication based out of New York City, and is […]
A multi-volume collection presenting the Dalai Lama’s comprehensive explanation of the Buddhist path
By Joanne Clark Last week, the third volume of a multi-volume series on the entire Buddhist path, co-authored by the Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron, was released. This series is a compilation of decades of […]
A paper on Sogyal Rinpoche’s abuse, its effect on students, and the future of Buddhism in the West for the 16th Sakyadhita Conference in 2019
By Joanne Clark In early November, a group of 134 students signed a letter to forty Tibetan Buddhist lamas, asking for their opinions regarding the abusive behaviours recently disclosed by ex-Rigpa students. A month later, […]
Sangharakshita Obituary
By Mark Dunlop There was a short (5min 40s) obituary on Sangharakshita broadcast in the UK on BBC Radio 4. It starts 13:58, ends 19:38: Sangharakshita Born 26 August 1925; died 30 October 2018, aged 93. […]
A Groundbreaking Meeting Begins A New Era for the Karma Kagyu Lineage – The Two Karmapas Meet in France
On October 11, 2018 a statement was released jointly by the two claimants to the title of Karmapa, His Holiness Ogyen Trinley Dorje and His Holiness Trinley Thaye Dorje. The statement reads: We are both […]
