GUEST POST by VETTED CONTRIBUTOR A court-mandated paternity test has proven conclusively that the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje fathered a child with a woman, according to a source close to the Karmapa. The woman, […]
Tibetan Buddhism – Struggling With Diffi·Cult Issues
Controversies, cultish tendencies and abuse in Buddhism
A Disheartening Article: Stuart Lachs & Rob Hogendoorn on the Dalai Lama
Update Jan. 2022: Stuart Lachs wrote an article in reply to this article and the subsequent discussion to it we had on this blog. My comment to Stuart’s article can be read here. (Tenzin Peljor) By […]
Hurts within the Karma Kagyu school – Is it time for a change of heart?
Guest Post by Joanne Clark The latest troubles within the Karma Kagyu¹ look like the last gasp of the Tibetan tulku system. This is my opinion of course, but honestly, how can this system be […]
Buddhism Panel Discussion at 2017 International Cultic Studies Association Conference
GUEST POST In 2012 I presented an essay called Zen Has No Morals! at the annual conference of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) in my home town of Montreal, Canada. The paper discussed […]
A Call For Impartial Compassion
If you look from the point of view of cultivating or acting from an impartial compassion, a compassion that goes out to everybody equally, you can view abusive situations within Buddhist communities from four different […]
Fact-finding results in response to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by Dagri Rinpoche
Exactly 18 months ago, on May 16, 2019¹ a group of well respected senior Buddhist nuns urged the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) “to commission an independent, third-party investigation” into multiple […]
Expressions of Whiteness in Buddhism
By Kaitlyn Hatch Recently the Black Lives Matter movement has gained incredible momentum, first in the United States and now globally. We are seeing a potential tipping point of white people committed to anti-racist actions […]
On the Road to Healing from Abuse in Buddhism – An Interview with Kata
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 […]
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 organisations […]
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 […]
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 project […]
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 […]
The Dalai Lama on Abuse by Buddhist Teachers or Gurus
Question to H.H. the Dalai Lama at the press conference at Tibet House, Frankfurt, Thursday, 14. September 2017 Ursula Richard: Your Holiness, I would like to ask you to say a few words about abusive […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
A Tibetan Translator’s Testimony by Tenzing Wangdak
GUEST POST My Diary – The Ticking Bomb That Took 23 Years To Explode My name is Tenzing Wangdak. I woke up at around 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning, December 17th, 2014. I was […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Dalai Lama and Sogyal Rinpoche: A Roaring Silence?
GUEST POST One of the questions asked by many since the long running saga of Sogyal has once again gathered pace is why hasn’t the Dalai Lama spoken out? Why is it, if he knows […]
Tibetan Buddhism – Struggling With Diffi·Cult Issues 