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“那些做出性侵行为的人置佛陀教法于不顾。透过媒体(将他们的行径)公诸于世。即便他们对佛陀教法当中的戒律置之不理,但若他们的脸孔出现在媒体上,他们大约还是会在意的。”
——至尊达赖喇嘛(2017年,拉达克)
Kay Beswick 著
印度媒体爆出一段新闻:一名藏族僧官帕立仁波切,因被指性侵女子而遭受警方扣押。 根据媒体报道,65岁的帕立仁波切(或被称为图登伦珠丹贝坚赞/图登绛秋)居住在拜拉古比(Bylakuppe),是达赖喇嘛位于达兰萨拉办公室的一员。控告者在加戈(Gaggal)警局报案,声称性侵就发生在一次由德里飞往加戈机场的飞行途中。加戈机场(Gaggal Airport)是最靠近达兰萨拉的机场,而达兰萨拉也是藏人行政中央(CTA/藏人领导)的所在处。人人都知道印度警力严重不足,因此,印度警方绝不会单凭不足为信的指控而逮捕任何人。当印度警方逮捕人时,那也表示他们已经完成初步调查,并且已找到让他们信服的证据才开展逮捕行动。多年来在藏族人的圈子当中,他乃一名性侵女性的“累犯”,是无人不晓之事。 这起事件引发以下让人极为困扰的几点:
- 透过印度媒体的用词,我们得知,在此次事件中,帕立仁波切不是隔着该名女性的衣物抚摸她,而是强硬的侵犯她——他将手伸入她的衣物中。
- 帕立仁波切因如此的举动而遭受警方扣押,对此,无人感到意外。如今他被揭露性侵一名来自印度金瑙尔(Kinnaur)的女子——藏传佛教在此地极为盛行,当地人对藏族僧人和上师近乎是盲目崇拜的。闹出这起事件更使人确信事件属实。
- 帕立仁波切并非首位涉嫌性侵的达赖喇嘛亲信。最近的一次,由达赖喇嘛背书的噶玛巴乌金钦列也被指向一名台湾女子求爱。同样的,索甲仁波切、萨姜米庞仁波切、丹增东登(还有许许多多的名字)也涉嫌性侵。
- 在盘问过程中,当被问及其地址时,帕立仁波切报上达赖喇嘛办公室的地址。这是公然的想为自己找开脱,暗示印度警方,因为他认识达赖喇嘛,警方不应进一步追究。
坦白说,这一点还真令人恶心。因为他本应为受过创伤的受害人着想,但帕立仁波切的第一个举动竟是利用“与达赖喇嘛关系亲近”为由自保。 帕立仁波切利用自己跟达赖喇嘛的关系自保的举动本身就是问题所在。像是索甲仁波切和萨姜米庞仁波切,他们之所以能几十年下来不断性侵女性,原因不外乎是他们拥有“与达赖喇嘛关系亲近”的“免死金牌”,于是才能如此肆无忌惮。 难道帕立仁波切与达赖喇嘛关系亲近,其罪行就能被豁免吗?当然不是的,因为若罪行成立,一名女子确实遭到侵犯,那么按照印度法律,犯罪者必将承受一定后果。在现实世界中,这些获得达赖喇嘛背书的佛教上师为受害女性带来的创伤是非常真实的。这些佛教上师跟达赖喇嘛关系有多亲近并不重要,因为这些上师拥有的才识并不会减轻那些受害女子经历的伤痛。 帕立仁波切是色拉杰寺的一位“在职上师”。色拉杰寺也是帕立仁波切完成其学业并考获格西拉让巴学位的地方。然而我们却明显看到:考获格西拉让巴并没有使他懂得,什么是承担维护大众对佛教的清净观之责,即便他还身披袈裟,如今甚至被指在公共场合性侵一名女子。拥有格西拉让巴学位者,理应对佛经佛理了如指掌,公众也会期待其言行,与佛经佛理所言一致。佛经佛理中的关键是什么?那就是:出离心、慈悲心及正见。如今很显然的,他所考取的高学位反倒成了他捞取金钱和自我利益的通行证,而不是带来自我反思和改变。
近年来,帕立仁波切与“护持大乘法脉联合会”(FPMT)关系甚为密切,后者更是大力推广他为一名资深、可靠的佛教导师。好比他即将在东南亚做巡回讲学,并且作为卫塞节庆典的一大亮点。FPMT经常邀请他到他们世界各地的道场给开示。说到此处,每一位从帕立仁波切座下接受过开示、释论及密续灌顶的人正陷入一大困境中。这些人的信心或许还会退转,甚至觉得恶心,感觉受骗。帕立仁波切和FPMT可曾切身地为这些弟子想过,这样的事会对他们构成伤害,又可曾想过这些弟子会作何感想。 再来,色拉杰寺和FPMT如今会谴责帕立仁波切的举止吗?又或者他们会继续推广帕立仁波切为一名传承持有者,只因他与达赖喇嘛关系亲近,是一大摇钱树?这当中不会有其他原因了,那些原因当中肯定不会有如法的理由。理由很简单:一个因性侵女子而被逮捕的人不可能具备加持力。 当然,不管是FPMT还是色拉杰寺,他们二者都非常积极参与反对多杰雄登修持的运动。以FPMT为例,他们放弃多杰雄登的修持表示“清净”,并且表示效忠达赖喇嘛,于是具备获得善款、资金援助和支持的条件。虽然他们的创始人喇嘛耶喜是多杰雄登修持的中坚份子,但他们还是放弃了这项修持。现在你们想想:谁死后往更深的地狱投生?一个性侵女子的人,还是一个修多杰雄登法门的人?你自己想想。
同样的,色拉杰寺最近实施徽章活动,给非多杰雄登修持者颁发一个“清白”的徽章,目的就是要隔离多杰雄登追随者。 再一次,他们为了讨好达赖喇嘛而推行宗教隔离运动,以向人们显示他们是值得支持的。 这当中最具讽刺意味的是,前世的帕立仁波切是众所周知的虔诚多杰雄登修持者,曾将这个修持法广传给许多人。这一世,他为了表示政治正确,放弃了这项修持。然而,若根据西藏领导人的说法,凡修持多杰雄登者将投生三恶趣,那么帕立仁波切又怎可能投生为这一世的肉体呢? 全世界正等着看达赖喇嘛、色拉杰和护持大乘法脉联合会接下来将会采取什么行动。有些人甚至可能说他是被诬陷的,但问题是,他被诬陷的前提是什么?为什么是他?他也许是护持大乘法脉联合会的一个超级巨星,但在现实世界中,他什么都不是。毫无疑问的,他们将试图让警方放弃指控,而完全无视受害者的经历。在西藏社会,你若是跟达赖喇嘛有关系,政策就会保护施害者,而让受害者受苦。 可悲的是,同样在西藏社会,你也可以守戒、行善,并成为佛陀教义的无瑕代表……但只要你修持多杰雄登,你就会立刻成为反达赖喇嘛的叛徒。 然而,如果你与达赖喇嘛有关系,且不修持多杰雄登,那你就可以为所欲为。 但是,何者更为严重?反达赖和修持多杰雄登,还是性侵女性,给达赖冠上污名后,再试图利用你跟他的亲密关系来保护自己?帕立仁波切等人在急于为自己辩护的时候,并没考虑到他们的行为将对达赖喇嘛构成什么影响。他们没看到公众已开始质疑达赖喇嘛为何偏袒这种行为。这就是达赖喇嘛的立场吗? 除非达赖喇嘛打破沉默,否则这个问题的答案就只能是“是”。现在是达赖喇嘛强烈谴责这些人的时候了。这是他该积极调查办公室和政府中的每个人,并罢免那些滥权者的时候了。
尤其是像帕立仁波切这样,既在西藏政府办公室工作,又跟达赖喇嘛关系密切的例子,不仅应该被驱逐下台,还要依法严惩。那些为西藏政府工作,并代表达赖喇嘛的人,若犯下这样的罪行,却无罪赦免,这将设下什么例子? 像帕立仁波切这样的人,不但没有教会藏人遵守法律,反而让他们看到,只要拥有权力和地位,你就可以为所欲为和逍遥法外。这难道是格西拉让巴所该传授的法吗? 像索甲仁波切、萨姜米庞仁波切、丹增东登和目前的帕立仁波切这类教师们对这些女人所犯下的罪行,理应遭受最严厉的谴责,因为它已经违背了佛教不伤害他人,不给他人带来痛苦的基本原则。然而,帕立仁波切的受害者目前已经感觉受侵,从此再不会以同样的眼光来看待僧袍。僧袍带给她的联想,只有恐惧、偏执和创伤的情绪。这种伤害对佛教构成的破坏是显而易见的,而该对此负责的,正是帕立仁波切等人,而非他人。
印地文媒体报道
[DAMAN KRANTI] दिल्ली: दिल्ली से कांगड़ा आ रहे विमान में महिला से छेड़छाड़, आरोपित तिब्बती गिरफ्तार 藏族男子被指在德里飞往康格拉的途中性侵一女子
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略译:
为您播报一名男子被指在德里飞往康格拉的途中性侵一名女子的新闻。该名男子目前已被扣押。 在一趟由德里飞往康格拉的飞行途中,一名男子在飞机上性侵一名女子。抵达机场后,该名女子向警方投报,后在加戈(Gaggal)正式报案。执法单位后将嫌犯带回警局扣押。 嫌犯居住在拜拉古比,但已在达赖喇嘛位于麦罗肯机(Mcleod Ganj )的办公室任职一段时间。该名来自金瑙尔的女子透过其誓词告诉警方,这名居住在拜拉古比的65岁的帕立仁波切图登绛秋在飞机上性侵她。
[NEWS18] दिल्ली से कांगड़ा आ रहे विमान में महिला से छेड़छाड़, 65 साल का बुजुर्ग गिरफ्तार 年长者因在德里性侵女子被捕
[JAGRAN] दिल्ली से कांगड़ा आ रहे विमान में महिला से छेड़छाड़, आरोपित तिब्बती गिरफ्तार 藏族男子因在德里性侵女子被捕
[RAFTAAR] दिल्ली से कांगड़ा आ रहे विमान में महिला से छेड़छाड़, आरोपित तिब्बती गिरफ्तार 藏族男子因在德里性侵女子被捕
[AMAR UJALA] दिल्ली से कांगड़ा आ रहे विमान में महिला यात्री से छेड़छाड़, आरोपी गिरफ्तार 来自德里的女游客;男子被捕
[DAINIK BHASKAR] हिमाचल / 65 साल के तिब्बती मूल के व्यक्ति द्वारा 30 साल की महिला से फ्लाइट में छेड़छाड़ का आरोप 30岁女子指在飞机上遭65岁藏族男子性侵
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英文媒体报道
[THE TRIBUNE] Tibetan monk in eye of ‘MeToo’ storm 西藏僧人捲入“MeToo”風暴核心
[THE TIBET EXPRESS] Second woman alleges molestation by Dagri Rinpoche 第二位女性控诉遭帕立仁波切性侵
[TIBETAN JOURNAL] Senior Tibetan Lama Faces Allegations of Sexual Assault 资深藏传喇嘛被控性侵
[TRICYCLE] Tibetan Lama Dagri Rinpoche Faces Second Accusal of Molestation 西藏喇嘛帕立仁波切面对第二项性侵指控
[TIMES ASIAN] Tibetan buddhist teacher Dagri Rinpoche facing molestation charge 藏传佛教导师帕立仁波切面对性侵指控
[TIMES ASIAN] Spanish woman alleged Dagri Rinpoche had molested her ten years ago 西班牙女子指控帕立仁波切曾在10年前性侵她
[LION'S ROAR] Prominent Tibetan lama accused of molestation by two women 两位女性指控著名藏传喇嘛性侵
[LION'S ROAR] UPDATED: Prominent Tibetan lama accused of molestation by two women 更新消息: 两位女性指控著名藏传喇嘛性侵
[PHAYUL] Ranking Tibetan monk denies molestation charges 出名藏传僧人否认性侵指控
[BUDDHIST DOOR GLOBAL] Tibetan Lama Dagri Rinpoche Suspended from Teaching after Molestation Allegations 藏族喇嘛帕立仁波切被指性侵后遭停职
[THE TIBET TIMES] Prominent Tibetan lama accused of molestation by three women 著名的西藏喇嘛被控性侵三名女子
[LION'S ROAR] Prominent Buddhist nuns urge investigation of Dagri Rinpoche 著名佛教僧尼要求调查帕立仁波切
[TIBET STAR] BREAKING NEWS: Is Dagri Rinpoche guilty? 最新消息:帕立仁波切有罪吗?
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藏文媒体报道
[BANGCHEN.NET] བྲག་རི་རིན་པོ་ཆེར་བུད་མེད་གཞན་ཞིག་གིས་ཉེས་འཛུགས་བྱས་འདུག
国际媒体报道
[BOEDDHISTISCH DAGBLAD] Boeddhistische nonnen eisen onderzoek naar beschuldigingen seksueel wangedrag Dagri rinpoche
[hyunbulnews] 티베트 고위승려 부끄러운 성추문
附录
帕立仁波切性侵案另一名受害者的视频刚被发布。视频主角是前僧尼察姬(Jaki,又名昆桑)。据她爆料,帕立仁波切其实是一名连环性侵犯,多年来一直侵犯女性。 值得注意的是,随察姬女士的视频附上的还有她当时在坎格拉警局所拟的法定声明书。察姬女士的法定声明书内容明确,且涉及许多细节,其真实与正确性已经获得公证。 在她的视频中,心烦意乱的察姬女士说,她在遭受帕立仁波切性侵后,曾向护持大乘法脉联合会(FPMT)和达赖喇嘛办公室求助。他们不但没有采取任何行动,反而跟她召开一场会议,企图淡化整件事。就像典型的性侵案一样,他们将受害者描述为骗子,爱引人注目,甚至是反应过激的人。他们不仅对她的遭遇不屑一顾,帕立仁波切后来甚至还撒谎,说察姬女士在会议中为她的行为道歉,并请求他的原谅。言下之意,帕立仁波切将她描绘成一个不值得信任,爱说谎的麻烦制造者。 达赖喇嘛鼓吹慈悲,但他的办公室对她的慈悲又表现在哪里?他们不仅没考虑到她所经历的痛苦,在面对一个受创者的时候,他们在处理上也显得十分不敏感。试想象,一个在异国他乡遭受性侵犯的受害者,本来就已充满恐惧,还要面对一群一心想要维护施暴者的男人。
从察姬女士的声音中,我们听到了明显的遭背叛,也清楚反映出过去十年来伴随着她的痛苦。让她最感到困扰的,似乎是FMPT尽管已经知悉了他的罪行,过去几十年来却依然鼓励他继续给人们授戒。察姬女士质疑帕立仁波切究竟是在什么基础上授戒?他几十年来性侵女性,违反了僧人禁欲的戒律,那他还算是一名僧人吗?如果他本身已经破戒,他就无法给任何人传授出家戒,那他又给弟子们保留了些什么?就他淫乱的方式看来,他是否还有清净的戒律可传授?究竟多少人从他那里接受了出家戒,而他们又是否是真正的僧人和僧尼?传授出家戒给僧人和僧尼是一回事,另一个问题是他摧毁了人们对佛法的信心,把他们推向信仰的黑洞。这些人现在该相信些什么?帕立仁波切究竟给几百个弟子传授了灌顶、教诲、释义、口传和忠告?这些人现在该做何感想?他们该如何看待他?他还是他们的上师吗?他们是否要放弃佛法和修持?他们怎么看他? 随着这些事件的曝光,FMPT鼓励人们继续跟帕立仁波切这个施暴者结缘这件事,就益发让人感到不安。他们对施暴者的态度令人感到遗憾,也让前来寻求心灵慰籍者沦为要面对歧视女性者和施暴者同谋。毫无疑问,FPMT允许帕立仁波切继续本身的罪行;从察姬女士的视频中,我们看到FPMT多年来接获许多关于帕立仁波切性侵的投诉,但他们依然继续大力吹捧他。他们不但没有保护自己的会员,反而还继续邀请他到各佛法中心弘法,而FMPT这么做的理由只有一个——作为达赖喇嘛办公室的一员,帕立仁波切是个吸引收入和善款的来源,所以他们也愿意去推广一个假和尚。 与此同时,拍摄这个随机视频很显然并不在察姬女士的计划内,但对帕立仁波切性侵事件的刻意掩盖,已超出了她所能忍受的范围,迫使她挺身而出,针对FMPT资深成员直接参与掩盖罪行,刻意淡化组织错误,并把责任归咎多杰雄登修持者一事发言。
这并不是一个跟多杰雄登有关的问题,但FPMT经常喜欢指责人们依止多杰雄登,借机诋毁他们及他们的组织。他们为何评论其他组织的事务? FPMT无权当佛教的精神警察,到处指责和批评,就像他们对多杰雄登问题的做法一样。因此,与其去纠正自己的错误,他们反而宣称多杰雄登修持者撒谎。这不过是把无辜者当替罪羔羊,企图分散公众注意力的做法。否认事实真相,这对一个自称为佛教的组织而言是多么奇怪的态度。针对此事,亲近达赖喇嘛的FPMT人士出面说,印度媒体报道关于帕立仁波切的新闻是假的,而讨论帕立仁波切性侵行为的人都是骗子。这些人宣传这一切都是多杰雄登修持者的精心策划。 FPMT不但没有制裁施暴者,他们还选择继续基于他人的宗教信仰,而妖魔化人们。那么,察姬女士在经历性侵后,向FPMT管理层求助时还被刻意刁难,也是不足为奇的事。FPMT不但没有减轻她的痛楚,还在伤口上撒盐。 再来,究竟是供奉藏人领导无法证实为邪灵的神明恶劣,还是资助、教唆及包庇一个身披袈裟却几十年来性侵女性的人更恶劣?再多一问,何者的罪业更深重?一个性侵无数位前来求法的虔诚女性之人,还是一个修多杰雄登法门之人? FPMT不应做冗长的解释、用华而不实的文字来隐瞒此事(正如他们处理其他事情的态度一样)。他们经常无凭无据地指控别人,说哪个人是中国间谍……现在看来,是因果报应的时刻已到。如今情势急转弯,因为这一事件可以如野火般燃烧开来。这时候,FPMT还能自恃清高、自觉高人一等吗?不仅是FPMT,南印度的色拉杰寺,即是帕立仁波切的母寺,也应该站出来发声。如果他们保持沉默,那么他们的沉默也意味着他们是犯罪的同谋,而这只会触怒更多人,致使事件升级。 帕立仁波切施加在受害者身上的伤痛之大,是我们难以想象的。敢于揭发真相的人无疑是勇敢的。我们衷心感谢察姬女士鼓起勇气站出来揭发真相。现在社会大众清楚看见,FPMT和达赖喇嘛办公室包庇一个性侵者多年。这彻底推翻FPMT弟子和管理层为证明帕立仁波切清白的所有言论。这时,FPMT会做什么?再一次打发察姬女士吗?FPMT应该具同理心,不管是察姬女士或是在飞行途中惨遭帕立仁波切性侵的受害者,她们都已经承受巨大的折磨。FPMT实在无需再盛气凌人的将她们受害的经历说成是雄登修持者的自导自演。 我们希望更多受害者站出来揭发真相,以防佛教因出现像是帕立仁波切如此的邪师,而走上绝路。FPMT、藏人领导及色拉杰寺不应只顾着维护自己的颜面,好让善款能源源不绝的流入。他们应该致力于维护佛教,以免佛教进一步式微。这一点应该是首要考量。 FPMT和达赖喇嘛办公室一直包庇一位性侵女性的假和尚数十年。察姬女士,还有面子书上的人们都清楚说明,惨遭帕立仁波切性侵的女性,还大有人在。FPMT的衰败,能怪旁人什么呢?他们是时候停止将矛头指向他人了。这个时候,他们应该弥补察姬女士和其他受害者受创的身心。在人类历史中,女性一直都遭受打压、虐待及被边缘化,而FPMT和达赖喇嘛办公室竟然成了这段黑暗史的贡献者,这实在令人感到厌恶和失望。这个时候,他们应该在被揭发之前,坦诚自己还做过什么。全世界都在盯着看,FPMT的下一步会是怎么做?
帕立仁波切其实是个连环性侵犯
Or to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T05xLBZ_1WU
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察姬的法定声明书
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法定声明书 (点击展开)
这是一个让人心碎的消息。Adelaide Foster 女士说:
“10年前 LZR * 曾跟我说不要提起这件事。我请他确保有人看管好他,别让他独自跟其他女性在一起。很不幸的,上星期他又在飞机上做出这个行为,印度媒体也说他被扣押了。西藏人和FPMT对这件事保持沉默。
* LZR是喇嘛梭巴仁波切的英文缩写
一些FPMT道场的确有胆量拒绝帕立仁波切出席他们的活动。Sean Jones的留言(中文翻译):
我接获一个人的真实经历分享,对方想保持匿名,但对方所说的话是可信的,其内容可以向澳洲一个接近墨尔本和珀斯的佛教道场成员求证。我的线人说:“澳洲本迪戈的阿底峡中心前董事告诉我,几年前帕立仁波切的到访行程被取消,因为一名来自珀斯FPMT道场的女子指控他做邪淫的举止。当然,大家都对这件事三缄其口,我也不曾对任何人说过,除了我一位非常要好的英国朋友。她说她不感到意外,于是我想线人所说的有其真实性。”
支援的信息
Jakaria的一些朋友张贴了本身所见和所听闻的事实。她们亲见了Jakiara遭受帕立仁波切侵害后,Jakaira所详细叙述的痛苦经歷。他们跟Jakairan两者的说法相符,他们同时叙述了她所所承受的痛苦,以及那些不相信她的人对她的攻击。所以,她不仅承受被一位“仁波切”性侵的痛苦,也承受因為企图说服别人自己所阐述的是真相,所带来的侮辱和身心疲惫。
其中一人Tenzin Taklha(达赖喇嘛的私人秘书),这位来自达赖喇嘛办公室的官员,被委任出席Jakaira在达兰萨拉杰朗寺的会议。目击者也揭露了帕立仁波切曾袭击一名来自美国的僧尼。这名僧尼的名字和身分还未曝光。他们清楚说明,Jakaira当时获得了来自杰尊玛丹津·葩默等僧尼的支持。
他们的供证,证明了帕立仁波切是有罪的,Jakaira的确被侵害了,达赖喇嘛和护持大乘法脉基金会置之不顾的事实。更甚的是,他们掩盖和包庇帕立仁波切。事实是,他们一早知情却置身事外,甚至默许帕立仁波切额外十年的时间,性侵更多无数的受害者。
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Karma Yeshe的支援信
我是昆桑的其中一位朋友。我曾出家为僧尼,法名Karma Yeshe,曾住在达兰萨拉一带。
我记得陪同阿尼昆桑到达赖喇嘛的办公室,出席一个跟帕立仁波切和达赖喇嘛办公室的Chime La的面对面会议。当时原本应该陪同她出席的僧尼临时无法出席。
这是第一次,也是唯一的一次,我看到或遇到仁波切。但是我曾听说了昆桑的事情,也听说了另一个关于他企图亲吻我们的另一位朋友,就是来自美国的僧尼的事情。
我对该会议的记忆是,仁波切跟他的侍者在一起,他看起来谦和及无辜,他说自己只是一心要帮助阿尼拉。
在会议中,昆桑对所发生的事表现坚定,她没有哭也没有道歉(像仁波切所说她道歉那样)。事实上,我记得是仁波切道歉,他指称当时发生的事是一场误会。
这并不是一次性的孤立事件,昆桑并不是唯一指控的人。我记得西方的僧尼十年前就有文字记录的声明书。现在,有更多人出来指控。
我记得杰尊玛丹津·葩默对昆桑还有处于类似处境的僧尼非常支持,她告诉她们必须站出来。
我为所有勇敢站出来的受害者,还有飞机上的印度女士打气,她的勇气成为其他人站出来发声的催化剂!
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Tenzin Yangchen的支援信
这是另一封来自另一位僧尼的支援信(也是我的一位好友):
我的名字是Tenzin Yangchen,2009年开始出家为僧尼。大部分时间我住在印度的达兰萨拉。
我10年前在印度遇见了昆桑,在认识她不久后知道了她(以及另一位僧尼)痛苦的经历。
在知道了仁波切的失当行为后,我跟Jotika姐妹进行了讨论,也寻求了她的忠告,看要怎样更好地处理。
之后,我也跟昆桑一起出席了,到尊胜寺跟达赖喇嘛的秘书Tenzin Takla的一个会议。
我记得他告诉我们仁波切的行为举止让达赖喇嘛和佛法蒙羞。
在昆桑跟 Ven Robina会面时,我陪同昆桑前往。我知道她当时跟杰尊玛丹津·葩默
和涅冲仁波切讨论了此件事。
此后,昆桑就面对了别人的各种不同反应。有人支持他,特别是杰尊玛丹津·葩默鼓励她举报他。其他人,有些是僧尼有些是在家人,反而谴责昆桑。我记得有人指责她缺乏净观,有人说她应该下地狱,甚至有人去探访仁波切表达他们对他的支持。
甚至有言论针对她的外表,说她的外表给一位导师或任何人非礼、侵害和伤害她的权利!
这个情况不仅影响那些直接被仁波切行为伤害的人,也在某种程度上伤害了我们所有人。
我们都知道这并非个别案例,但是我们都没有说出来,然而若不打破沉默的话,肯定会伤害其他人!
你的支持是至关紧要的!
亲启
图丹却准比丘尼针对帕立仁波切事件发表谈话
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西方佛法讲师图丹却准(Thubten Chodron)在她15分钟的视频中提到了帕立仁波切。她在01:52-05:06时段中提到,她也曾听闻过针对他的指控。帕立仁波切曾是舍卫精舍(Sravasti Abbey)的精神顾问,也曾在他们的佛法中心给予开示。这几天,他们已经将他的视频从他们的网站撤下,也撤下他是他们其中一名顾问的声明。该视频发布于2019年5月10日
文字稿(01:52 – 05:06)
我几年前就听过关于同一个老师的其他指控,但那时候我只是从这里听到一些二手[消息],从那里听到一些二手[消息]。提出这些指控的人士身份不详,我没被告知他们的名字,我无法跟他们说话,我无法向他们提问疑问。当时没有发布任何调查报告,所以只是根据那些,在缺乏资讯的情况下,我无法说,是的,你知道的,然后就针对整件事下定论。我必须保持非常开放的态度。所以现在,我真的希望……我确信警方会做些什么,但我想,更重要的是他[授课]的那个佛教团体,那他大量授课的大型佛教组织(FPMT),我想他们应该做个独立调查,因为在这种事情上,如果你只是坐着等待,事情不会被厘清,也没有人明确知道发生了什么事。而且,我认为最好能让完全不涉及此事的一方去进行调查,跟不同人说话;如果有这类调查的话,我认为那些曾被侵犯的女士们应该站出来跟那些人说话。也许她们不希望暴露自己的身份,但如果有这种调查的话,她们至少应该跟调查员谈谈。我当然希望(有关方面)能展开这项调查,因为涉及这种事,你必须得到可靠的消息,因为过去曾经发生过,我想几年前,又或许是一年前,当关于另一位上师的事件曝光的时候,我曾经发表了一系列谈话……
Adelaide Foster替她的友人察姬发声 – 藏语版
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Adelaide Foster用藏语录制视频表示帕立仁波切在说谎
Adelaide Foster替友人察姬發聲 – 法語
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Adelaide Foster用法语录制视频表示帕立仁波切在说谎
Adelaide Foster替她的友人察姬发声 – 英语版
Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)
Adelaide Foster用英语录制视频表示帕立仁波切在说谎
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嗨,今天帕立仁波切发布了一则针对他性侵指控的藏文声明。很可惜,这封信只以藏文发布,而且是在南印度的色拉寺。
对于那些不说藏语的人,我将给大家说一说这封信、这则声明中提出的某些内容大要。仁波切提到了他涉及的两件事。第一件事发生在2019年5月2日,在德里飞往达兰萨拉的飞机上,而第二件事则是一件发生了快10年,我想差不多是10年前发生在印度达兰萨拉的事件。第一件在飞机上的事件涉及一名印度妇女,她将事情牵涉到警方,而警方也逮捕了帕立仁波切,随后才让他保释出外。
首先,根据帕立仁波切针对这事件的陈述,他说自己在机上觉得不适,移动身体,而这妇女就起身开始对他说一些话,据他说那是他所不明白的话。由于他不明白,而且出于慈悲的心肠,他就对她微笑。他说,她后来说谎,指控他对她上下其手。我好奇仁波切什么时候才明白她说的。通常,你必须了解,在这些印度航班上常会有藏人,而藏人会说印地语,因为他们通常都已经在印度居住了很久。因此,我觉得他不太可能不明白发生了什么事。
无论如何,真相很重要,她的句子,有一部分看起来相当不同。所以,他所说的第二件性侵案是关于察姬最近的视频,她提到约莫10年前左右,她曾被仁波切性侵。当时我在达兰萨拉。你也听说我过去是她的朋友,我现在依然是她的朋友,我看到她,那时她是多么焦虑,那不是假的。我看过她,她平时不是那样的,一般上。为什么帕立仁波切是唯一跟她有这种问题的人,而她从来不曾提过任何类似的问题,关于别人这么对她,所以这也许是人们该知道的。
在帕立仁波切的声明中,他称她为“阿尼”,这在藏文中有着阿姨的意思,这是一种对僧尼不太尊重的称呼方式,我几乎没看过它被书写下来。通常,在藏文书写中,当你写藏文和说藏语时,那几乎是两种不同的语言,而你写的方式,当你提到一个僧尼的时候,你会写“尊玛”。我想这真的应该是第一次,我看到它以这么不被尊重的方式被书写下来。他当然可以有自己的看法,但当你看到时,头脑自然会浮现,因为你通常不会那样。而他说的第一件事,就是这位“阿尼”,这位阿姨是带着心理和身体的问题前来。她有心理上的问题,这是他在声明中写的。这是发生在她身上的事,某一次,帕立仁波切的助理向她的朋友搭讪,据说约十年前。我没有证据。这个朋友不能谈论这件事。这名助理在不知道她们是朋友的情况下,告诉她说察姬是疯的。这当然是那件事之后。所以,这不是什么新鲜事,他会在没有任何证据的情况下说人们是疯的。
西藏社会非常注重等级划分,你所展示的,你的声誉,你的面子,照顾面子,都是极度重要的。 所以,他给她制造了坏名声,而这封信再次使用同一种方式来歧视她的证词。我认识察姬已经超过十年,不曾见过(她有)精神病症状。我学习的是……我是心理学研究生,我想如果人们有严重的精神问题,我应该会觉察到。
仁波切在声明中还提到了六名证人,他们可以证明他对事发经过(的说辞)是对的,因为他们曾开过会,我不知道多久,但我被告知那不是几个月后的事情。我不确定具体是什么时候,但在骚扰事件发生后很快地他们就开会,因为察姬已提出,她已经向达赖喇嘛办公室,以及 FPMT的领导罗杰发出了她的宣誓证词。而那六名参加了会议并可以作证的证人,实际上包括了仁波切本身、包括察姬、她的朋友,包括在达赖喇嘛私人办公室工作的琪米拉,以及仁波切的助理。所以,六名证人不同意仁波切所说的,我不能说他们每一个人,因为仁波切的助理和仁波切本人当然不会不认同自己。希望是那样,因为如果不那样,我们将回到心理问题。那很有问题。但我没有参加那次会议,我无法作证。我对这件事的说法,都是道听途说。当时察姬亲自告诉我,现在又再次说起,仁波切在那次的会议中实际上有向她道歉。
然后我还要提到另外两件关于该声明的事情。声明中指出,那些指责他的人是用愤怒、执着、仇恨和执念来做这件事,因此他们累积了恶业,所以仁波切要求,请大家不要因为谈论他的坏话而累积恶业,不要说他的坏话。他没有承认自己犯了任何错。这是一个隐晦的威胁,因为他想让人们闭嘴,他想让人们不再谈论他,谈论这里的问题,如果他们讨论的话,他们就会有非常糟糕的业力。所以这项声明,这项公开声明的结语是他希望每个人都快乐。基本上,我不记得他确切的措辞,但这再次与他所说,所写的有点不同,即他本身并不是很尊重,但他希望人们会尊重,并能很高兴地透过闭嘴来累积一切善业。
无论如何,我想针对这问题说的最后一件事,是请注意西藏社区、寺院群体是非常注重等级划分的。顶层的人非常强大,要开口说话并不是一件容易的事情,且很少有人曾这么做过,但是我们听到了很多关于类似事情发生在帕立仁波切周围的证词。我不希望别人因此受到伤害。有人建议我不要谈论它,因为他们会威胁我在达兰萨拉的地位,以及其他人,因为在佛法中,在佛教修持中,你应该只谈论别人的品质和自己的坏处 如此而已。
然而人们会受到伤害,而让人们受伤害是不行的,无论那是出于对等级制度的信仰,或是宗教信仰或精神信仰,伤害别人并让人受伤都是不对的。有时你必须采取立场,感谢神明,或者感谢科学,因为如果我们没有采取立场,我们就会让事情发生。假设二战期间的人们没有采取立场,多少人将因此死亡、被杀害?采取立场是人类的价值或人类的特征之一,而使用我们的人类智慧,我们可以,且应该知道发生在我们周围的事情,而不是去相信那些名气大,那些被称为某某的人,就一定是完美的。
人们必须利用人类的智慧,他们必须自己去检查,自己去看,试图在这些事情上不带偏见地做出决定,但那是朝向不带偏见的一步。这是迈向决策,朝向选择立场的第一步,人们不应该在那里停下,变得盲目。
所以,请大家环顾四周,问问自己为什么仁波切好一段时间都没有到澳大利亚的FPMT中心去了。问问自己,问问自己为何FPMT的某些道德规则没有被遵守。问问自己,发生了什么?自己思考,分析情况,因为佛法是关于找到真相,寻求真相,而不只是一味接受和保持沉默。所以,非常感谢你,请放轻松和保持快乐。
第三位受害者站了出来
2019年5月14日,一位韩国籍女子申英善(译音,Young Sun Shin)站出来叙述关于她跟帕立仁波切的经验。申英善指出,她向达赖喇嘛和林仁波切求助;但是达赖喇嘛办公室告诉她达赖尊者很忙碌。林仁波切针对事情发表了非常糟糕的言论,很但是他没有采取任何行动。2005年至2009年间她一直住在印度,但是没有人在该事件后站出来维护她,她就回到了韩国。跟护持大乘法脉基金会(FPMT)一样,达赖喇嘛办公室和林仁波切选择把此伤害事件掩盖起来。在帕立仁波切受到惩罚前,到底还有多少女性要遭到非礼和性侵?
文字稿 (点击展开)
但是,看起來他們似乎想要掩蓋此事件。
因此,我決定站出來支持十年前在達蘭薩拉出家的前僧尼昆桑。
我已經原諒了帕立仁波切。
這篇貼文是為其他受害者而寫。
因為他們看起來還在承受痛苦。
我是帕立仁波切的受害者之一。我的藏名是Karma Yangchen、Yangchen Dolma 或 Thupten Dolma。Thupten Dolma這個名字是帕立仁波切為我起的。
2005年到2009年間,我人在印度。
我當時是位於達蘭薩拉Sarah 學院的學生。有一天,當我到位於達賴尊者處附近的帕立仁波切處時,帕立仁波切伸手抓我的胸部。
我冷冷的問他:這樣好麼?
他回答我說:好。
我被迫立刻離開他的住所。
因為我必須保護自己。
無論如何,當時我腦海出現了很多念頭。是不是我自己的惡業導致的?
是不是我太輕率所以才遭受他非禮?
我想要將這件事告知達賴尊者辦公室。
但是達賴尊者的辦公室告訴我,尊者他非常忙。
我想要將這件事告知格魯傳承的一位仁波切。
所以,我去了林仁波切那裡。
但是他只是告訴我:“這真是太糟糕了。”
然後…..就沒有下文了。
因此,我很沮喪。因此,這事件是致使我回到韓國的原因之一。
我在十年前把事發經過告訴了Julia Wilson、Tenzin Weigyel、Paldron Hyoam等人。你可以想象我當時有多痛苦嗎?
我責怪好幾位仁波切、大寶法和達賴尊者。因為我認為他們沒有真正在保護我這個弟子。
現在我還是一個佛教徒,在韓國結婚且有一個女兒。
我之前提過,我已經原諒了帕立仁波切。
但是,還有很多受害者,所以我決定站出來支持她們。
我可以明白你的上師很珍貴。
我可以理解你為什麼要維護你的上師。但是我只是希望你同時能明白受害者所承受的苦。
在這個時刻,我想我需要站出來維護受害者。
我沒有期望任何補償。
其實,沒有任何人可以彌補我過去所承受的苦。
這些都已經從我腦海消失。
如果你企圖不理會昆桑所經歷的苦……
(她在十年前是一名佛教僧尼)
我不會保持沉默。
因為她跟你的仁波切同樣是珍貴的有情眾生。
自申氏公开指控帕立仁波切非礼她后,扎瓦康村一如所料的第一个动作即是把一切归咎于修多杰雄登的人。这个做法显然激怒了跟多杰雄登人毫无关联,甚至于跟格鲁派传承也无关联的申氏。申氏的回应是,张贴本身跟帕立仁波切的合照、证明她没有修多杰雄登、她的确认识帕立仁波切、她所提供的细节是准确的,譬如她遭袭胸时的地点等文件。
多杰雄登人为一切负全责的说法,是完全不合逻辑的。遭受侵犯之后到加戈机场(Gaggal)警局报警的印度女子,本身并没有修多杰雄登。Jaki 和申氏两人,甚至性侵犯帕立仁波切也不是多杰雄登修行人。负责报道的印度媒体也没修多杰雄登,难道他们一如扎瓦康村所说般——全都在所谓的“魔罗的影响下”?假定印度媒体没有尽媒体该尽的责任,准确和中立的报道,简直是奇耻大辱。
不管涉及者是不是多杰雄的人根本毫不相关,重要的是他们在侵害中经历了创伤。扎瓦康村不仅没有给受害人提供援助,反而将事情的发生归咎于多杰雄登的人的做法,对所有性侵受害者而言,是一种侮辱。此做法不仅贬低他们所承受的创伤,视他们的经历为一群毫不相关的群体的阴谋。这是僧侣该有的行为举止吗?将本身的声誉与收入来源,置于如何减缓众生的苦之前?扎瓦康村没有担起责任也没有道歉,反而尝试找代罪羔羊。申氏和其他受害者当然有充分的理由感到难过。
来得太迟又太微不足道:FPMT终于“暂时”冻结帕立仁波切
在帕立仁波切在德里飞往达兰萨拉的飞机上,非礼一名印度女子且被扣留一周后,护持大乘法脉联合会(FPMT)国际终于发出一则官方声明,公布他们冻结了帕立仁波切成为官方导师的资格。这意味著,帕立仁波切不再允许授课,或者拜访任何一个FPMT 中心。冻结决定显示了FPMT相信该名女子针对帕立仁波切的指控。
关于帕立仁波切的最新消息 (点击展开)
二) FPMT道德政策
三) 申诉程序指南
四) 导师政策和指南,以确保由具格导师传授佛法(FPMT注册导师)
喇嘛梭巴仁波切给予帕立仁波切的弟子此劝告,协助他们从佛法的视角看待目前面对的情况。
FPMT在声明中承认事情爆发前,即早在2011年已经听闻了针对帕立仁波切的严重指控。达赖喇嘛办公室也完全知情帕立仁波切的性侵行为,他们更严正警告帕立仁波切必须避免类似情况再度发生。FPMT也指称,他们已经警告FPMT各中心,关于邀请帕立仁波切前往授课或拜访的潜在危机(譬如帕立仁波切对该中心女性成员和弟子做出性侵害的危险)
既然FPMT已经对帕立仁波切的问题事先知情,为何在印度媒体报道印度女子被非礼的新闻好一段时候后,还继续保持沉默?当针对帕立仁波切的传言开始在一年前再度散播后,为何FPMT不对全世界所有中心发出更加严正的警告?为何FPMT如此不负责任,没有在1年前或8年前,将帕立仁波切从他们的获批导师名单中除名?为何FPMT企图长期掩盖事实,直到事情发展到不可收拾的地步为止?FPMT,你真丢脸,成为另一个包庇性丑闻,以及允许你的中心会员暴露于当权性侵犯的魔掌下的宗教团体。FPMT现在和未来都会被视为在知情情况下,一个包庇性侵犯,对恶人的恶行袖手旁观的组织。
这不可信的令人伤心,在FPMT打破沉默前,有如此多僧尼和女性必须被帕立仁波切侵害。FPMT应该一早冻结和取消帕立仁波切的导师资格,而非将他送往世界各地去授课,让更多女性受害者。帕立仁波切完全是一名性侵犯。现在,受害人和他们的朋友站了出来,甚至将有更多受害者会站出来指控。他们不会继续保持沉默,FPMT冻结帕立仁波切的蹩脚借口,无法安抚公众。帕立仁波切议题不会如此消失无踪,反之它会继续发酵,且成为一再纠缠FPMT的梦魇。
FPMT现在需要做的是,用强烈的行动来表示其诚意和弥补过失。FPMT必须针对包庇帕立仁波切的性侵不当行为,向公众发出一份道歉声明。帕立仁波切犯下可以被监禁的罪行。现在是FPMT停止骑墙观望保护自己的最佳时候,它需要在失去更多的公信力前,为调查帕立仁波切案子的警方,积极提供全面的合作。
针对帕立仁波切非礼和性侵指控:喇嘛梭巴仁波切的解决方案
针对帕立仁波切的性侵指控,FPMT在保持沉默多个星期后,喇嘛梭巴仁波切终于出面解决,仁波切的劝告之后成为一个“开示”。
事实上,喇嘛梭巴仅轻轻带过帕立仁波切的议题,之后即围绕在其他的议题,让听者忘记帕立仁波切的罪行。
根据喇嘛梭巴的解释,遭帕立仁波切性侵的女性应该视他为神,因为帕立仁波切曾做过好几个的梦,说他曾造访兜率天,所以他是一个非凡的人。没错,喇嘛梭巴劝说,既然帕立仁波切有过这样的梦,他就是非凡的众生,所以那些女性应该让他为所欲为。
如果我们接受喇嘛梭巴的看法,那么我们也就不必理会法律、寺院条规、戒律和所有让佛教修行走在正道的修行。只要行凶者曾经梦见自己是个神,每个犯罪的人就不必得到制裁。根据喇嘛梭巴,遭受帕立仁波切侵害的人必须接受这个解释,开心地接受降临在他们身上的罪行。正是这种封建的中世纪思维,用来为奴隶制度和农奴制度进行辩护。
这个解释非常省事又不费劲,如果帕立仁波切的受害者能够用这个“净观”来看待他,那么喇嘛梭巴和FPMT就不需去处理者棘手的问题,以及不愿面对的涉及包庇帕立仁波切的事实。帕立仁波切本身则可以,按照此特别豁免权,想着都可怕。
喇嘛梭巴仁波切给帕立仁波切弟子的忠告 (点击展开)
否则,那意味着从你的角度,你不需要禅修,不需要修持佛法。不然,你为何需要禅修?你为何需要修持佛法?你希望自己无需投注任何努力,就能看到外面的一切都是正面的。要能够看到上师是过去、现在、未来无量诸佛的化现,要能够意识到这一点,你必须付出努力。
因此,宗喀巴大师在《功德之本颂》中说:
一切功德根基大恩师,如理依止是为道之本,
善察见已反覆多策励,深心恭敬依止祈加持。
这个偈颂说:“慈悲、圆满的上师是一切善德的基础,而如理跟随这个善友则是成佛的根本。明白了这个道理,也就意味能毫不费力地视上师与过去、现在、未来诸佛无二,请赐予我加持,让我能以大虔敬心全然依止这位上师。”所以,这意味着你本身要付出巨大的努力。宗喀巴大师根据本身的经验说了这些话。
由于我们(例如我自己)没有这种理解,我们以为我们不必从自己身上下手做些什么。 我们只希望从表面上能看到大师的品质,看到大师是纯洁的,是佛的体现。事情不是这样的。
即使你之前看这个人充满了过失,在你与他们建立佛法关系之后,你就必须修持成佛之道的根本:正确地跟随这位善友。如此训练自己的心续之后,你就能看到那是佛,意味着已经断除粗细障,成就一切善德。然后你就会意识到成佛的根本在于正确地跟随这位善友。从这里,你会实践下士道、中士道和上士道的渐进途径,然后就很容易证得菩提心和密续体悟了。
根据大乘佛教,根据现实,大师释迦牟尼佛在很久以前就开悟了。佛陀的侍从格隆勒贝噶玛(Gelong Lekpai Garma)侍奉佛陀长达二十二年,但他总是把佛看作是一名骗子。这是因为有一次当佛陀在托钵时,一个年轻的女孩在佛陀的钵里供了一把谷物。那时佛陀预言,她这么做的业,将让她未来能够证悟成佛。 格隆勒贝噶玛认为这是一个谎言,佛陀只是在恭维她。他认为这太过分了:“供养一把谷物怎么可能促成这一切的发生呢?”因此,他一生都视佛陀为一个骗子和普通人。佛陀是一位佛,但他从未将他视为佛。他反而对他的印度教大师更有信心。有一次他的印度教大师病了,佛陀建议他的印度教大师不要吃红糖。 格隆勒贝噶玛不相信佛,以为佛在说谎,所以他给了印度教大师红糖。他的印度教大师死去后,投生为一个饿鬼;有一次,当佛陀在路上行走时,这饿鬼发出了声音。当格隆勒贝噶玛去世后,他投生地狱道长达数劫。了解这些故事很重要。
感谢你。不要有遗憾。唯一要做的就是去享受这很短暂,且随时都会结束的生命。
十分感谢,
梭巴喇嘛仁波切
2019年5月12日于法国拉沃尔。 誊写:Holly Ansett法师 编辑: Ailsa Cameron法师
喇嘛梭巴有选择权,当机立断以逻辑和传统的方式处理危险的性侵者恶行。如此,每个人可以看到FPMT没有姑息其成员,或者将责任丢回给受害人,让他们自己去面对。
如果帕立仁波切确实是一个特别和非凡的人,要他负起责任和带领更多人去学法,以及增加佛教修行人的信心,应该是相对容易的。当非凡的喇嘛都无法遵守一般的法规,为何还要求平凡人用非凡的方式去思考?尽管这个解释有如何的特别,摆在面前的事实却是受害人是人,他们如平凡人般能感受痛楚。将包袱丢回给他们,无异于伤口撒盐,痛上加痛。
如果我们接受喇嘛梭巴的论证,现在起就应该通知所有未来将遭受帕立仁波切侵害的受害者,开始把他视为非凡的人,欢迎他非礼和胡乱触摸。每个人,当中肯定有很多人,应该被事先知会,期望帕立仁波切性侵他们,为所欲为地利用他们,他们还需为自己负责,同时要觉得很幸运。我们还应该告知帕立仁波切事件受害人,不必浪费时间和精神企图在未来讨回公道 。想一想,如果我们将这个解释应用在生活的所有层面,也就没有人会去守规矩,最重要的是做过一些特别的梦。
公众的反应
并非所有人像FPMT 想象中般,被喇嘛扎巴的声明所迷惑。公众已经在他们脸书账号表达本身的难于认同。大部分人认为该声明完全跟显示脱节,以及蔑视受害人的经历和企图掩盖事实真相。
公众能够看穿佛法词汇背后的意图,即喇嘛扎巴企图把公众的视线从真正的议题中转移——他的组织FPMT是包庇帕立仁波切性侵事件立的共谋。结果,这篇声明原谅了帕立仁波切的恶行,告诉受害者缺乏净观是他们的过错。然而问题是,如果他们没有任何需要愧疚的地方,他们何需劝告别人对帕立仁波切保持信心?他被迫做出劝告,因为存在必须给予劝告的对象,而这些对象正是他的受害者。
[TRICYCLE] Nuns Push for Investigation into Molestation Allegations against Teacher Dagri Rinpoche 僧尼要求彻查佛教导师帕立仁波切性侵案
Tricycle,一个闻名的佛教出版社首次刊登批评喇嘛梭巴的刊物。这个首次批评的起源,是一组拥有名望的僧尼递交一封信函,内容指向FPMT,要求FPMT对帕立仁波切性侵案件进行独立调查。 这封信函尤其重要,原因不仅因为这群僧尼的拥有名望,也是因为信函内容指出帕立仁波切实际上还性侵过更多女人,有的受害者还未站出来公开身份。目前这群僧尼已经勇于发声了,若独立调查正式启动,那么她们将会鼓励更多受害者站出来帮助调查。
若不是肯定帕立仁波切确实犯下罪行,这群僧尼并不会向FPMT递交这封公开信函,她们也不会为了没有事实根据的事发起运动而赔上自己的名声。再者,如果她们不肯定事情的结果会如何,也不会要求进行独立调查。
中文翻译 (点击展开)
僧尼要求彻查导师帕立仁波切性侵案
作者 Matthew Abrahams
2019年5月16日
这位著名的藏传佛教僧侣因性侵案而被中止传法,现在资深僧尼们要求对他的行为进行独立的调查。
当著名的藏传佛教老师帕立仁波切邪淫行为被察觉时,护持大乘法脉联合会(FPMT),于星期二在其网站上的声明中,宣布把他的名字从其教师名单中移除。隔天,10位资深的僧尼,包括頓居嘉察林创办人杰尊玛丹津.葩默和华盛顿州舍卫精舍的图丹.却准,给 FPMT 发函要求第三方调查针对帕立仁波切的指控。
帕立仁波切是藏传佛教格鲁派的转世喇嘛,也是一位巡回授课的老师,长期到美国的中心,例如他身为精神师导的舍卫精舍。无论如何,他于5月3日因为被指控在印度航空客机上非礼一名女士后被中止教学。随后,一名前僧尼,賈凱拉.佩雷斯.瓦爾迪維(或稱“察姬拉”)在 Youtube 公布一个名为 “帕立仁波切的确是一个性侵惯犯” 的视频。其中,她声称帕立仁波切在10年前曾非礼她。当时她住在印度的达兰萨拉。不久,另一位女士,신영선(音译:申英善)站出来,在5月13日于其面子书揭露帕立仁波切曾抓弄她的胸部。她在 2005 和 2009 之间就读于达兰萨拉莎拉学院。
帕立仁波切否认任何失德行为。
在她们写给 FPMT 的信函里,僧尼们说还有很多女士保持匿名。“我们当中有一些人认识举报被帕立仁波切非礼的其他西方僧尼。”信函提到:
我们呼吁 FPMT 委托一个独立的第三方调查团,彻查这些指控且公布调查结果。调查应该在受害者或证人感到安全和放心,或者希望以匿名身份讲述本身的经历的情况下进行。进行独立调查给大众传达一个清楚的信息,即这种行为是不能姑息,而且犯罪者将会得到应有的惩罚。这是至关紧要的,唯有如此才能确保建立一个弟子的信任能获得重建的生态环境。
除了这封信,僧尼们和一群修行人也开始在网上提交请愿书,督促 FPMT “找出真相。”
在5月13日发出的声明,帕立仁波切重申本身是无辜的。针对印度航空客机事故,他仅是在平衡身体时使用了指控人座位的扶手,当时指控人正在睡觉。他在文稿中指出,当对方醒过来时,“看起来很生气”,还开口用他不明白的语言说了些他无法理解的话。之后他获知这位女士向警方报了案。
至于他跟佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维亚之间的接触,帕立仁波切形容她为“一名经历生理和心理问题的僧尼”,并且指出他仅仅为她进行擦图,即一种洒净净化仪式;以及喀果,一种消除障碍仪式”,协助她面对上述问题。他补充说:“大约在三年后,她以这些我为她进行的仪式为理由,指责我不当触摸她。”
5月16日,佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维亚在寄给Tricycle的文告中回应说:“他不但没有道歉,反而责怪和诋毁受害人,显然最古老的方法也证实能有效帮助加害人脱罪”
她补充说,他“终其一生非礼世界各地的学生和信徒,却基于众人的缄默,以及某些组织和西藏系统本身的复杂本质,而逍遥法外。”
申英善也在本身的社交媒体上,道出存在不闻不问和禁止遭导师性侵的女士发声的文化。当权者包括第十四世达赖喇嘛的办公室,对此视而不见。她解释说,虽然本身已经原谅了帕立仁波切,但还是选择站出来挺佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维亚。她写道:“我为其他受害人而写,因为他们……还未成功从痛苦中走出来”。
与此同时,FPMT精神导师喇嘛梭巴仁波切给帕立仁波切的弟子发表的一封公开信,引来了批评。他的公开信写道:
帕立仁波切是一个很正面的圣者,他绝不是个凡人……于是,我想跟在帕立仁波切座下接受灌顶和开示的弟子说:你应该要百分之百随喜,不管这个世界怎么评论他,不管一些人如何批评他。即使悉达多在成佛后,也在木枪刺脚时示现疼痛。佛说此痛乃他许久前其中一个前世跟一位女子邪淫的业果成熟所致。
在她的声明中,佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维亚形容该劝告为“令人不安和愤慨”,并且“为性侵者化现的任何不当行为开脱罪责”。
察姬拉的回应
Tricycle也接获察姬拉·佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维亚的回应信函并刊登之。在后者的严厉回应中,她有条不紊地驳斥帕立仁波切、FPMT和喇嘛梭巴所发出的声明和回应。其中,她还点出喇嘛梭巴的回应内容企图利用业力和宗教之说,粉饰帕立仁波切犯下的罪行。在其他平台上,喇嘛梭巴的回应内容也遭受“内容离题跑调且缺乏慈悲及同理心”的嘲弄。
FPMT是时候做更多了,并且应该同意开展独立调查,否则只会让人相信他们又有意再次向社会大众隐瞒事实,欺瞒大众。FPMT唯有老实交代事情的真相,否则帕立仁波切的性侵案件将为喇嘛梭巴及FPMT染上污名,因为他们在过去的几十年中都在隐瞒此事。
中文翻译 (点击展开)
西班牙,2019年5月
我写这项声明是为了回应帕立仁波切的公开声明、其寺院的信函、FPMT网站发布的更新报告,以及梭巴喇嘛的忠告。
老实说,我多年来一直在重复,试图在各种不同的场合将这件事说出来,并一次又一次地受到指责和羞辱,从帕立为了保护自己的声誉而说谎诬赖我开始,而他目前就正做着同样的事情,没有一丝后悔和尴尬。他的态度是他这一辈子尽管性侵了全球各地的弟子和信徒,却由于某些机构和西藏体系本身的沉默和共谋,而让他每次都能成功逃脱的结果。
帕立在其声明中提到我的部分,一开始就先诋毁我,说我经历“身心问题”。我曾有一个身体上的问题,且就我而言,在证得更高的境界之前,我们都会经历某种程度的精神痛苦……但无可否认他想说的是我疯了。他几年前就对其他几个人这么说过。今天他重施故伎,不但不道歉,反而还怪罪和诋毁受害者,证实了这种避开受罚的最古老方法还是有效的。如果我当时疯了或处于精神不稳定状态,至尊达赖喇嘛也许就不会派遣我充当2011年在华盛顿举行的时轮金刚灌顶及教诲和接下来菩提迦耶的时轮金刚大会上的官方西班牙语翻译,也不会允许我这些年来将许多其他教义翻译成各种不同语言。我有丰富的知识和学术经验,足以证明我的智慧,但对此作出详细说明对我将是一种侮辱,因为我显然不是疯了。此外,即使一个人疯了,他或她依然有被聆听和保护的权利。
接着,这个施暴者说我在事发三年之后才说出这件事。这是一个谎言。看看我的法定声明书(附件)中的日期,上面写着2008年。看看声明末尾的警察印章,写着11/11/2010。 我用了整一年半的时间才从震惊中恢复过来并开始谈论它。每个人都知道,当这些情况发生时,受害者即使不是耗上一辈子,也可能要用很多年的时间才能开始谈论它,因此在这里,时间并不重要,也不能减轻事情的严重性。在跟一些朋友和姐妹商量之后,我终于在2010年10月接受杰尊玛丹津·葩默的忠告,并做出我的决定。最后,我在一个月后前往坎格拉警局做了相关声明。
然后,他说曾有过一场会议,出席者是我们两人和其他六位证人。这也是一个谎言。在那场会议上,只有他和他的助理,我和我的朋友噶玛耶喜,来自达赖喇嘛办公室的契美拉和一名做笔记的藏人。正如你所见,那并不是六位证人。
我也不知道他说“澄清真相”指的是什么,因为那场会议要他向我道歉,他也做了,而不是反过来像他过去和现在企图要人们相信的那样。请参阅我的证人噶玛耶喜的声明。
关于FPMT网站上有关帕立仁波切的更新内容,我对他们这次终于采取了某些措施而感到惊喜。但我不得不反对他们的某些观点,那也许是因为信息不足所构成的。例如,当它说“私人办公室告诉我们,他们已经针对指控做出调查,并解决了这件事”。我真的很好奇FPMT和达赖喇嘛办公室所说的“调查”和“解决”指的是什么意思。你如何“解决”性骚扰和虐待?施暴者最低限度要做的是承认本身犯下的不道德行为,道歉,并决心不再重犯……而从机构方面来说,至少要撤除对施暴者的支持,并停止在世界各地推广他。
当(达赖喇嘛)办公室告诉FPMT有关问题已经获得解决时,他们是否说我撤销指控?我从没撤销指控,因为我将不会取回我的法定声明书,FPMT是否读过它?我怎么可能撤回这一切?我不曾也不会,因为那是事实。所以,为了清楚起见,这项指控不会被撤销,因为我并没有提出指控,那是因为他已经道歉并承诺不会再重复他的行为。这些指控不会被撤销,因为所发生的事已经发生了,且无法被修改。我的警察声明书并不是一个意见,而是一个事实的描述。 即便办公室说“此事已获得解决”,但只要有人提出这项声明,且尚未撤回之前,继续推广帕立是一个正确的做法吗? FPMT曾想过要询问我或其他受害者对此的感受吗?
FPMT网站的更新内容中只提到了印度妇女和我,尽管在我之前和之后还有其他事件,最新站出来发言的受害者是这位韩国女性申英善,她曾经是萨拉(Sarah)学院的学生:https ://m.facebook.com/yeongseons/posts/10157134479759598。但之前还有其他一些指控。即使XXX祖古和XXX曾对帕立仁波切自上世纪80年代起的行为不断说过话,但它们没有被听见,也没有被批评,直到问题被淡忘。另一个来自另一个僧尼受害者的匿名证词于2010年被寄给了FPMT执行员,他在来往书信中示意知情并将此事保密。另外还有一个关于帕立仁波切的投诉,那是来自我的朋友——一名澳洲律师针对我的案件于2013年提出的。那意味着在2011年之后,还有其他投诉。该组织收到了这么多不同的证词之后,依然将此事当成仿佛只是一件发生在飞机上的印度妇女和我身上的不幸事件般来处理。而我们在遭受怀疑之际,帕立很有可能依然可以保持清白!事实并非如此,而FPMT知道这一点。一些受害者希望保持匿名的事实,并不意味着性侵案不曾发生或可以被保密,但这恰好就是正在发生的事——操纵、保密和恐惧。
*请注意,对性侵事件保持沉默并继续雇用面对多项指控的施暴者,将使得那个推广他的机构必须为受害者所遭受的伤害负责任。*
发生了这一切之后,我们当中没有任何一个人收到帕立仁波切给予只字片言的道歉或认错,完全相反的,也没有任何机构对此承担任何责任,证实我是个受害者或一个说出真相的人。我和其他支持我们的僧尼及朋友们所遭受的只是责备、羞辱、威胁和诽谤(现在有些人甚至试图让其他人相信,那些受害者和证人只不过是多杰雄登集团的一个阴谋!太荒谬了!),以致许多人到现在都在必须站出来说话时显得害怕和僵硬。我甚至无从讲述这一切是如何永远对我的生活以及我与佛法的关系构成影响,然而那是没必要讲述的,因为大部分人没有足够的同理心去想象。
关于察瓦康村针对这个问题的声明,试图去诋毁所有受害者、证人和支持者,将他们说成是受邪恶力量附身的多杰雄登的追随者,那是荒谬的。
关于梭巴喇嘛的忠告,那简直令人尴尬又十分离谱。这很显然是一个以业力为基础的威胁,充满了有关本尊和净土的奇妙故事,为施暴者开脱他所可能显露的任何不检行为。
一群来自世界各地的佛教徒和导师已经开始发出请愿书,要求FPMT委托第三方针对此事进行调查,以便那些希望保持匿名的受害者能够发言,请通过签署此文件来帮助我们: http://chng.it/L8BGfrf7Bs
这是解释这项请愿书的一封信:https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tTd4WA93wYbSNW5Us47e3Ovw485pF8DXgl-j4oaYjUw
这是我的证人噶玛耶喜针对该会议的声明:https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jtajwWoQiunq6U9MvXbqYJPyIQeXX0fU
这是FPMT的更新内容:https://fpmt.org/fpmt-community-news/statement/update-regarding-dagri-rinpoche/
梭巴喇嘛的忠告:https://fpmt.org/lama-zopa-rinpoche-news-and-advice/advice-from-lama-zopa-rinpoche/lama-zopa-rinpoches-advice-tostudents-of-dagri-rinpoche/
色拉杰察瓦康村的声明: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3Y7Mjq91PMweTliM0F5OEJCQk5rYVgySUxURmpfODBGczE4
帕立仁波切的声明:https://fpmt.app.box.com/s/6flpt7b4hm2bed14chgejhnd501h75i6
我的视频声明并附上警方声明书的链接:https://youtu.be/T05xLBZ_1WU
向大家致以最诚挚的问候,并感谢我们在过去几天来获得的大力支持
察姬拉·佩雷斯·瓦尔迪维 – 昆桑
热爆新闻:如何保护自己免受喇嘛侵犯
藏人如今站出来给非藏人建议,如何应对及保护自己免受性侵。不像喇嘛梭巴和护持大乘法脉联合(FPMT )会那样继续推广如帕立仁波切那样的性侵者,让无辜的佛门弟子暴露在危险底下。再者,FPMT和喇嘛梭巴也选择掩盖性侵事件,并且劝告受害者在被害之后可以如何看待整件事。如Mila Rangzen这样的藏人明显知道:防范胜于治疗。
正因为今时今日存在如FPMT这样的佛教团体,佛门弟子才需要被警告有会侵害弟子的上师存在;也正因为今时今日存在如FPMT这样的佛教团体,佛门弟子才需要被教导如何强迫他们的上师说实话。若FPMT有办事透明的文化,如帕立仁波切的上师才不会犯了罪后还能逍遥法外。
Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)
中文翻译 (点击展开)
嗨,欢迎收看Tibet Star。今天我要谈的主题是如何反击喇嘛的性侵。这支影片是专为面对这种问题的非藏人而做的。首先,切勿独自与喇嘛共处一室。如果你必须跟一位喇嘛共处一室,确保有第三者在场。第二,不管什么时候发生性侵事件,确保你有照片或录音,或最好有影片替你作证,也可以写下日志。把一切都写下来,日期、时间,所有细节记录下来。第五,确保你写在自己的博客上,拍Youtube,将事情经过说出来,在Facebook上分享,将该位喇嘛带上媒体并且挑战他。接下去这一点很重要,挑战他做以下事情:
第一,挑战他,挑战他发文告,媒体声明,文字声明。第二,挑战他上Youtube为自己辩解。然后再挑战他开记者发布会,不仅是发文字声明,因为文字声明没办法看见他的面貌、面部表情和肢体语言。这些对掌握某人是否说谎来说都十分重要,尤其当人们可以提问问题,找出事情的真相。然后再挑战他进行测谎。
下面的两个方法是比较传统的手段。然而,在藏人的世界里却十分受用。挑战他以他根本上师和其他他尊重的高僧之名起誓。挑战他以这些上师的性命起誓,来证明自己的话是真话,没有说谎话。非藏人或许不能理解,但是当你挑战他们以自己的根本上师起誓时,那会吓坏大部分藏人,其中就包括那些祖古和仁波切。因为他们对地狱的害怕是真的,十八层地狱对他们来说是真实的。如果你谈起无间地狱,他们会吓得屁滚尿流。百分之九十九的他们会没办法以根本上师之名起誓,从这里你便大概知道某个人是否说实话。如果他是清白的,要以他的根本上师之名起誓应该是没有问题的,但如果他不是清白的,百分之九十九的时候他不会起誓。如果他们不是清白的,百分之九十九的喇嘛、祖古和仁波切不会起誓,因为他们对地狱对惧怕是真实的。
然后,挑战他到达兰萨拉的乃琼和吉祥天母的寺院和你会面,或者到任何有乃琼和吉祥天母塑像的地方,但地点要在达兰萨拉。这是象征,更加有力的方法。挑战他到达兰萨拉,然后你们二人在乃琼面前起誓,在乃琼神谕和吉祥天母神谕面前起誓。这也会吓坏那些喇嘛、仁波切和祖古,如果他真是犯错,因为他们对地狱的惧怕是非常真实的。他们害怕的是,第一,他们相信的是,一旦他们去了,去乃琼和神谕面前起誓说自己说的是实话,犯错的人,说谎的人,他们相信在一个月左右内,犯错和说谎的人会吐血身亡。这是他们有的一个恐惧。第二,他们在死时会害怕投生地狱,十八层地狱的其中一个地狱,或是无间地狱。
是什么征兆表示某个人,某个犯错的人说谎?那就是接下去的30天内,有的时候是90天内,最多一年内,厄运会降临到他头上。他要嘛会在意外中断手脚,或是染上末期疾病,或死去。这个恐惧是真的,因此,这些都是指标。上述的方法要以渐进的秩序进行,别用倒过来的秩序进行,因为这会影响事情的高潮,因为事情会完全没高潮。因此,慢慢来。每一个方法间隔一星期,有的时候可以间隔几天。要按部就班。不要一天之内就祭上我说的十五种方法,不要这么做。一次采取一种方法,慢慢制造势头,然后最终祭出乃琼和神谕的那一招,那些喇嘛会被吓坏,相信我。
接下去你可以做什么?一般上藏人在面对这种问题或相同问题的时候,他们会将问题带到乃琼和吉祥天母那里解决而不是上法庭。在这个情况下,把他带到警局,聘请律师,在法庭上挑战他。我知道我在这里所提的方法对很多经历过性侵的女人而言是人尽皆知的,但作为一个曾经在核心的圈内人,这些起誓,挑战他以根本上师之名起誓,在乃琼和吉祥天母前会面决定结果,这些方法都出奇的有效,所以,就要善用它们。基本上你在寺院起誓、跪拜,大概是在乃琼塑像和神谕面前跪拜三次,并且起誓。两人一同起誓,说自己说的都是实话,说谎者、犯错者则会在短时间内遭遇不幸。所谓的不幸可以是在意外中断手脚,或是身亡,然后就在此散会。然后乃琼神谕会决定一切。这就是藏人的信仰,因此就利用它,当然,是为你的正义而做。
The FPMT’s second statement on Dagri Rinpoche’s
exposé shows bad intent
Just over a week after the FPMT’s initial statement regarding Dagri Rinpoche’s molestation charges, the FPMT has come up with a second statement.
Firstly, it should be noted that this second FPMT statement would not have been necessary if the FPMT had been sincere in addressing the Dagri problem from the start. Clearly, the FPMT tried to sidestep taking responsibility for its senior teacher’s abuses of innocent victims, and that sparked a huge public outcry making this second statement necessary.
In its first statement, the FPMT did not even acknowledge the pain and sufferings of Dagri’s victims, which it now does after considerable arm-twisting and pressure from the public.
If anyone is wondering if the FPMT is sincere about finding a proper remedy for Dagri’s victims, they should have the answer now. The FPMT now claims that it understands how difficult it has been for the victims to speak out publicly. Again if this were true, the FPMT would have provided a safe platform for Dagri’s victims to surface confidently and facilitated investigations by now. This was in fact what senior nuns like Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo called for, but to date apart from lip service, this has not happened.
After a casual and almost perfunctory mention of the feelings of Dagri’s victims, the FPMT spends the bulk of its second statement explaining its Ethical Policy as if to say that its commitment ends there and beyond that, it does not owe a duty of care to anyone who comes to the FPMT for the dharma, nor is it truly interested in preserving the Mahayana tradition.
A number of points need to be highlighted. This is the FPMT in the raw. Have a good look.
POINTS (click to expand)
- The FPMT acknowledged that the Office of the Dalai Lama notified it of Dagri’s sexual assault against Jakaira Perez Valdivia in 2011. The fact the Jakaira Perez had to lodge a complaint with the Dalai Lama’s office is proof that she could not get anyone in FPMT to take her seriously and therefore had to resort to seeking help elsewhere. This culture remains seeing how weeks after news of Dagri’s sexual abuses broke, the FPMT is still dodging blame and toying with semantics.
- The FPMT had the audacity to state that the assault on Jakaira Perez did not take place at an FPMT centre, and it implies that because of that, they do not have to take any responsibility. This is a shocking statement because it reveals the FPMT’s true character, not whether the organization and its people are doing the right thing but how it can escape liability. The fact that the assault was conducted by one of its senior teaching staff did not matter to the FPMT. In other words, it doesn’t matter what Dagri does and who he harms. The FPMT is prepared to ignore all that so long as it can escape liability and this is supposed to a centre that preserves the teachings of the Buddha? This is not an organization that is socially responsible, and its behaviour is more akin to the mafia than an organization that claims to uphold the Buddha’s teachings.
- In the FPMT’s second statement, it also acknowledged that it was quite happy to shrug responsibility of its staff and expect someone else (in this case, the Dalai Lama’s office) to clean up after it. Presumably the weight of the Dalai Lama’s office come in handy to sweep the issue under the rug. What is critical is the FPMT’s acknowledgement that it did not conduct its own investigation into complaints against Dagri. This is important to note because it goes to show that the FPMT is not seeking for truth and facts to be revealed. It is not interested in protecting victims. It is not interested in rectifying flaws in its system and to make sure that further damage to innocent people are avoided and those who have been harmed receive the help they need.
- We can also safely gather that the FPMT knew about Dagri’s predatorial ways, but continued to let him be on the prowl. The FPMT shows that it is not truly interested in what Dagri does, nor is it truly interested in the wellbeing of its regional centres. All it is interested in is to protect itself and hence all the FPMT did was to ‘remind’ its regional and national coordinators of complaints against Dagri but at the same time, promoting him as a credible teacher. We also see how Lama Zopa refers to Dagri as a holy being. Therefore the FPMT’s warnings are hollow and put in place for exactly situations like this so they can avoid culpability. In the FPMT’s second statement, it also confirmed that Jakaira Perez’s matter was still not dealt with adequately in 2012. A number of things become clear – the FPMT had no intentions of getting to the bottom of the Jakaira Perez incident. It is also clear that the FPMT must have continued to receive complaints about Dagri, which is why it became necessary to issue reminders to its regional and national coordinators in 2018. Why this 2018 reminder was necessary is suspicious. The pattern of serial sex offenders is almost all similar. They are habitual offenders and will continue to assault women so long as they are shielded and protected like the FPMT has been protecting Dagri. We know for sure that Dagri abused Jajaira Perez in 2011. We know of a 2013 case, and we know that FPMT felt it necessary to remind its regional and national coordinators about Dagri in 2018 and we know that Dagri molested a woman on a plane in 2019. The way Dagri brazenly attacked a woman on a plane in public indicates that he is unafraid and already out of control, thanks to the FPMT’s protection all these years that have emboldened him.
- The FPMT’s second statement also makes it very clear that they will not allow an independent investigation. The FPMT is awaiting results of the Indian investigation. In other words, the FPMT is waiting to see if they can get away with liability. The investigation by the Indian police will not cover Jakaira Perez’s case or any cases of Dagri’s abuses in the past. For all intents and purposes, this is history to the FPMT and something they have managed to get away with. As to the “professional assistance” the FPMT alluded to, it will not be a stretch to guess that experts have been engaged to spin the FPMT’s reputation out of the dirt and also the lawyers are ready to defend FPMT. Never mind if people continue to be hurt.
Lama Zopa’s attempts to wriggle the FPMT out of
the Dagri mess is nothing but a cheap trick
In an orchestrated move, Lama Zopa the head of the organization issued a second statement on the Dagri Rinpoche scandal. This took place on the same day as the FPMT’s second statement on the same issue.
Characteristic of spin doctors at work Lama Zopa’s first statement was, in essence, telling Dagri’s victims to rejoice that they were sexually abused by a ‘holy being’ by virtue of Dagri’s self-declaration and Lama Zopa’s endorsement.
It would have been difficult for Lama Zopa to change his story after such a bold claim and so in his second statement, Lama Zopa launched into a series of stories, which infer Dagri to be on par with the Buddha Shakyamuni, the Mahasiddha Asanga and the great Getsul Tsembulwa. This itself is designed to silence Dagri’s critics and victims by continuing to imply that they are persecuting a holy being.
But in his second statement Lama Zopa goes further and now directly tells victims and Dagri’s accusers that they have to subdue their own mind. Basically, it is repeat of Lama Zopa’s first statement that is, Dagri is holy being and although he has harmed innocent women, it is the victims who have to subdue their own minds rather than point out the crime and the criminal. Lama Zopa preaches monastic practices that forbid anyone from retaliating to harm inflicted upon them but as to why he would ask lay people to follow monastic rules when monks like Dagri do not have to abide by his vows, is a complete mystery. If anything this reeks of trickery.
To insult victims and Dagri’s critics, Lama Zopa insists that because Dagri’s victims and critics are not enlightened, they are not entitled to investigate Dagri. According to Lama Zopa, Dagri is enlightened and therefore he is exempted from having to obey the laws of the land and observe common standards of ethics. Lama Zopa doesn’t spell it out but the assumption is that he is also enlightened and therefore he knows better about Dagri than anyone else. In Lama Zopa’s world so long as one declares himself to be an enlightened being, he is above the law.
In what is no longer a surprise, Lama Zopa then brought in the Dorje Shugden issue with his own version of Tibetan Buddhist history. Over the past weeks as news of Dagri’s sexual exploits became public, FPMT personnel have attempted to blame Dorje Shugden for the mess the FPMT has dug itself into, but many people saw through the ruse. But right here, we see how mundane a trick Lama Zopa has had to resort to, attempting such a cheap sleight of hand more expected of suburban circus acts than of a supposed high lama, which is to distract attention away from Dagri’s crimes and the FPMT’s complicity by reigniting an old debate about the Dalai Lama’s Dorje Shugden controversy.
It would have been easy enough for Lama Zopa to instruct for an independent investigation to be commissioned. That would have shown good faith and integrity. But instead, Lama Zopa launches into a malformation of facts and issues that basically says that Dagri’s victims have no rights because Dagri is a Buddha and can do as he pleases and Lama Zopa another Buddha endorses his crimes. In Lama Zopa’s world, there is no need to obey laws. When in trouble, blame a deity. Interestingly Lama Zopa fails to explain how a ‘common ghost’ that Dorje Shugden is supposed to be, managed to get Dagri supposedly a Buddha to commit depraved sexual acts on victims, none of whom have any connection with Dorje Shugden.
Both Lama Zopa and the FPMT have now had weeks to take proper remedial actions regarding the Dagri scandal. But with this second statement, it is clear the truth is not going to see the light of day if the FPMT and Lama Zopa can help it. And yet they say Dorje Shugden is destroying the dharma.
Dagri Rinpoche is charged!
The State of Himachal Pradesh will be prosecuting Dagri Rinpoche (Dhagri Rinpoche Thuptein Jungchup). They have named him as a defendant, charging him under Indian Penal Code Section 354A for Sexual Harassment and Punishment for Sexual Harassment. The offences are listed as follows:
- Sexual harassment of the nature of unwelcome physical contact and advances or a demand or request for sexual favours or showing pornography which is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
- Sexual harassment of the nature of making sexually coloured remark which is punishable by imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
The first hearing was on 23 May and the next hearing is scheduled for 12 June. The case details can be viewed by the public via India’s ecourt services (https://services.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindia_v6/) by searching for the case or CNR number (HPKA120015502019).
Update on Dagri’s Case
Dagri Rinpoche’s matter is up for hearing on 12th June 2019 (tuesday). This is following the Indian Police laying formal charges on Dagri under the Indian Penal Code 354A.
It was learned that Dagri’s lawyers sought leave of the court to conduct the hearing ‘in camera’ meaning to say that the hearing would not be open to the public. Obviously Dagri and the FPMT are trying to minimize publicity surrounding the case and hearing.
Dagri’s case has been classified a high profile case due to his connection to the Office of the Dalai Lama and Indian news media are keeping a close watch on proceedings.
Dagri Rinpoche stalls court hearing, case adjourned
Dagri Rinpoche’s case was heard in court today (12th June 2019). The hearing, which was scheduled for 10am (North Indian time), was delayed until later in the day.
Dagri Rinpoche has been charged by the Indian Police under the Indian Penal Code 354A for Sexual Harassment and Punishment for Sexual Harassment after he was arrested on 3rd May 2019 for molesting a woman on board an Air India flight from Delhi.
The delay in the court hearing was due to Dagri’s transparent attempts to stall. Amongst other spurious reasons, Dagri insisted that he should have his own Hindi translator, stating that it was necessary for him to defend himself adequately.
Evidently, that was a ploy to delay the proceedings as Dagri is well-known to be fluent in Hindi, having lived in India for decades. Dagri could also have prepared for the case beforehand, either informing the court ahead of time or bringing his own translator. After all, it is not like the hearing was scheduled at the last minute, with no time for him to prepare beforehand.
The fact Dagri did not take the court seriously and adequately prepare for his hearing by bringing his own translator, was nothing more than a boldfaced attempt at manipulating the Indian courts. Dagri Rinpoche clearly disrespects the Indian justice system, alongside his total lack of respect for women’s rights. His are not the actions of someone who would be able to prove their innocence in court, where he would be able to get the charges against him dismissed.
At the end of the day’s shenanigans, Dagri Rinpoche’s case had to be adjourned, with the next hearing scheduled for 18th July 2019. Over one month away, that should give Dagri enough time to prepare his own translator.
Dagri Rinpoche has tried very hard to keep the public out of his court hearing, presumably to keep the media away from reporting more news of his crime but it has failed. There are many interested parties, from women’s equality groups to monastic communities and Tibetans-in-exile around the world. Everyone is now watching Dagri Rinpoche’s case to see that justice is served.
Mila Rangzen released his video on Dagri case
Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)
Well-known Tibetan activist and commentator Mila Rangzen, who is based in New York City, USA recently published this video updating Tibetans on the latest news related to Dagri Rinpoche’s court hearing. It is a strong indication that Tibetans remain very interested in the case and will continue to observe its proceedings, outcome and FPMT’s reaction.
FPMT should have monitored Dagri Rinpoche when they first learned about it over a decade ago, and they should have immediately stopped promoting him once allegatons of sexual abuse came to light. If they were the responsible organization that they pretend to be, they would have distanced themselves and disassociated from him, and advised their students not to go for teachings with him or create a connection with him.
Instead, FPMT did none of that, thereby exposing potentially hundreds of women to this sexual predator. The truth is that FPMT harbored and promoted a sexual predator for over a decade and now everybody knows.
Dagri Victim Jakaira’s exclusive exposé to Tibet Star
Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)
Recently, Tibetan alternative news media contacted Jakaira Perez Valdivia, the sexual assault victim of Dagri Rinpoche and in a tell-all letter, she exposes the emotional difficulties that she has suffered as a result from her standing up to the sexual abuse from Dagri Rinpoche.
Jakaira, who signed off as Jaki, gives an emotional account of how she lost everything, with all her years spent studying to be proficient in the Tibetan language wasted when she got blacklisted by the FPMT, thus losing her career as a translator. She also lost her position in the nunnery, her teachers, friends and worst, her self-esteem.
The letter also repeats her earlier accounts of her knowing of other sexual assault victims and that the FPMT has been continuosly covering up for Dagri Rinpoche.
Transcript of Jakaira’s letter
Dear Tibet Star,
As I mention in the video description,
I didn’t enable the comments
because I am tired of hearing people defending him all these years and I’m just not putting up with this nonsense anymore,
I have already gone through all this before and it wasn’t easy.
I don’t have the physical time
or the emotional space
and energy to deal with people
who want to shame me again and again.
There’s enough harm already
and exposing myself like this
was already a very big step.
I need to protect my emotional stability
and carry on with my own life,
this issue is very absorbing,
for the first three weeks after the news,
I didn’t even have the time to do normal tasks of my daily life.
I need lots of energy at my work,
I need to concentrate,
even kind comments stir up my emotions a lot.
You must understand that that person ruined my life.
Because of the slander I lost everything,
I couldn’t work as a translator in the FPMT centers
after all those years of studying Tibetan.
I could not stay in the nunnery,
my abbess didn’t support me,
and betrayed me by presenting her apologies to him,
like if I was an embarrassment.
I didn’t have much money and
I finally had to give back my vows
to get a normal job in the west,
also, because I couldn’t see myself anymore
as a representative of a system that had failed me.
I lost friends, teachers, and many of the best years of my life.
I became an outcast, my self-esteem was destroyed
and I’m still a bit damaged.
Even though I’ve rebuilt my life from scratch, it wasn’t easy.
I’m lucky to have a new life now,
but most victims are still too traumatized to speak up.
From the other two victims I know of,
one has completely shut down and disappeared,
and the other one has been working on cancelling his teachings here and there (Australia and New Zealand) for years,
but not publicly.
I guess they saw what happened to me at the time
and couldn’t handle it.
I know a total of 6 concrete victims,
5 of which I know personally,
but the trauma is too deep,
they won’t expose themselves like I’ve done.
That is why the nuns from the petition
have requested a private investigation,
so that victims can speak up anonymously
and have their identity protected.
I guess my friend Adelaide has a similar feeling,
she was the only nun at IBD
with 30 monks in her class for almost 13 years.
She was going to be the second geshema after Kelsang Wangmo,
but she had to quit.
She was abused multiple times by monks,
almost raped once, good she knew martial arts.
Yours,
Jaki
Nuns send second appeal letter urging
FPMT to conduct an investigation
In an update posted on Change.org’s petition Call for investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Dagri Rinpoche, a second letter was sent to FMPT’s CEO Ven. Roger Kunsang and the FPMT board calling the FPMT to open an impartial investigation of sexual abuse by Dagri Rinpoche in FPMT centers.
The senior nuns who started the petition wrote in the update that they “have heard of other women with stories to report, so it is clear that there is a need for third-party professional persons who are experienced in such procedures, and with whom these women can share their experiences anonymously.”
The letter to the FPMT’s CEO and board was ended with them saying, “the Buddhist sangha is entrusted by the Buddha to safeguard the Dharma, and we would be remiss in our duty if we did not continue to call on the FPMT board to take immediate steps to protect the Dharma, restore people’s trust in Tibetan Buddhism, and behave with the compassion and ethical integrity that the world expects of the Buddhadharma. Nothing short of an independent investigation will be sufficient to do that at this point.”
The petition has nearly 3,000 signatures, but since the FPMT’s second update on Dagri Rinpoche on 24th May, there is no news or action announced by the FPMT on what they will do to protect the safety and dignity of women.
Dagri stalls court proceedings again today
by asking for another adjournment
Dagri Rinpoche appeared in the Kangra Court No. 2 again today (18th July 2019) supposedly to defend himself against Indian Police’s charges for Sexual Harassment and Punishment for Sexual Harassment (Indian Penal Code 354A).
This case was first listed to be heard on 12th June 2019 and then again on 18th July 2019 after Dagri feigned not to understand Hindi and English and begged to have a translator. Clearly that was just a ruse because for years the FPMT has facilitated Dagri’s travels to FPMT centres worldwide to teach in English. He is also well known in Dharamsala to be able to converse in Hindi.
Today, Dagri’s court hearing was stalled again when it became a problem that the Prosecutor did not bring along a translator. The case was made that both parties – Dagri’s side and the Prosecutor’s side – should each have a translator to avoid any mistranslation. Why this was not raised previously is dubious.
In any case, Dagri’s lawyer Mr Neraj Mehra was instructed to agree to the postponement. The next hearing is now set for 26th August 2019.
This itself shows that Dagri is not confident of his own innocence.
More information will be posted here in due course so stay tuned.
FPMT Board says YES to third party investigation into sex harassment allegations, Lama Zopa (still) says NO
Inside sources within FPMT have revealed that the FPMT board at their recent Board meeting had resolved in favor of conducting independent third party investigations into Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual abuse allegations. Insiders also say that FPMT’s CEO Ven. Roger Kunsang defied the FPMT’s Board resolution and approached Lama Zopa, who is the organization’s spiritual head, for a mo (dice) divination.
Lama Zopa’s mo divination showed that the third party investigation would be “VERY BAD” for FPMT and because of it, the FPMT CEO defied the Board’s decision and vetoed the investigation.
What it really means by Lama Zopa’s mo divination is that Dagri Rinpoche IS guilty of sexual harassment which the third party investigation would reveal and confirm, and that is why the investigation would be very bad for FPMT.
As a leading Buddhist organization with centers around the world, FPMT has a moral responsibility to keep the public and their members safe and therefore FPMT should not continue to cover up cases of sexual harassment and protect FPMT teachers who abuse their positions.
FPMT CEO and Lama Zopa’s decision to withhold a third party investigation is a decision that will allow FPMT teachers who are sex predators to continue, putting FPMT’s female members and the public in danger of more sexual harassment.
Tashi
May 8, 2019
这个新闻实在是太令人震惊了。 虽然对于僧人犯戒、丑闻之类的新闻也略有所闻,不过这个新闻也太引起注意了, 还不断有更多的受害者挺身而出告发犯罪者。
还有就是这位所闻的仁波切还想丈着是达赖喇嘛身边的大红人想要脱罪。
达赖喇嘛的名号是这样用的吗?难道他不会感到羞耻? 如果他面对着警方也敢用达赖喇嘛的名号来寻求脱罪,那代表他并不是第一次那么做了。 所以现在越来越多人站出来指证他也是不无原因的。
据说这位仁波切还给过不少公开灌顶、开示等等。 那么那些接受过他的教诲的弟子们该何去何从? 他们或许多年来修持的法门是来自一位不纯净的上师。
所有人都有权听听看你们的解释。 希望达赖喇嘛办事处和FPMT 都会为此事给予回应。
小楊
May 8, 2019
傷心看到這新聞,起初還想可能是場誤會。隨著這位曾從帕立仁波切處獲得戒律的女子在youtube上講述本身的慘痛經歷後,會有很多人對這位在台灣名聲不小的仁波切失望。包庇他惡行繼續作孽的道場和單位更加可惡,可惡的他們助紂為虐,讓更多女性受害,更多人對佛法生退卻心。
對姑息養奸的FPMT道場(這裏很多人去學法和資助護持)和法王達賴尊者的辦公室,令人憤怒和失望。他們不是應該護持佛法和幫助行者的嗎?但卻跟幹案的惡人一起行惡😡
這些穿著羊皮的狼的佛法導師的所作所為,其實就是跟完完全全破壞了很多一心想要修行的人,摧毀了他們對佛法的信心。
心灰意冷
June 11, 2019
这件事清楚让我们看到了在达赖喇嘛率领下的藏传佛教世界其实一直都在歧视女性。虽然密续戒律中有强调要尊重女性,但他们在这件事上始终还是发挥着落后的男尊女卑的态度,并没有真正实践佛法中众生平等的精神。这令人十分失望。如果连一个出家的僧尼你都无法尊重,我怎能期待你尊重一切众生?我怎么相信你真的在实修佛法?毕竟,你连最基本的平等都做不到,又怎么贯彻平等舍?
YL
May 8, 2019
看到这篇新闻,真的是让人对FPMT彻底失望。FPMT的成立是为了保护和弘扬佛法,但是他们并没有很好的在处理这件性丑闻。据说喇嘛梭巴早就知道这位仁波切的恶行,他非但没有对这位仁波切施加压力让他在这件事上负责人,反而让他继续利用仁波切的衔头去伤害其他无辜的女性。最可耻的是,这位仁波切伤害的是出家的女僧人。
许多受害者都不愿意把事情揭露因为她们不想再回忆被侵害的惨痛经验。有些人会因此对佛法失去信心。FPMT还有这个无耻的仁波切的所作所为将会对格鲁教派造成负面影响。纯净的传承就这样让他们给破坏了。
咔喀
May 8, 2019
這簡直是太讓人感到震驚了。雖然說FPMT與多傑雄登跟隨者之間向來都勢不兩立,但就我本身而言,可能是對耶喜喇嘛的尊敬和信任,連帶對FPMT所推崇的老師也都算是信任了。但這一次我真的無言了。梭巴仁波切明知道這件事,但他不僅代為隱瞞,還叫人不要說,這未免太不負責任了。好吧,如果他們想要低調處理,我可以理解,但一方面叫人閉嘴,另一方面卻繼續重用有問題的僧人,這才是令人無法接受的。我這次真的是徹底失望。
康巴小子
June 28, 2019
我估计这一次,他们也依然会等事情静下来之后,再继续重用那些有问题的人。截至目前为止,一点消息都没有,我也不会期待有什么奇迹或改变。
明亮
May 8, 2019
每个人都理应获得尊重,不管是什么性别。这些是最基本的作为人的权利。但是,帕立仁波切 (及文章里提到的喇嘛们)身为一个佛法老师却知法犯法,忘记了要如何慈悲对人和不做出伤害他人的事情。他甚至利用与达赖喇嘛关系亲近,不让自己陷入困扰或被指控违背佛教不伤害他人。
我很感谢这些女性做出正确的决定, 勇敢的站出来说话,就为了避免有下一个或更多的受害者被侵犯或侮辱。希望FPMT和达赖喇嘛办公室不要再维护这些不遵从佛法基本教义的人。不要再为这些施暴的男人掩盖罪行了,长久下去,这会让人对佛法失去信心、远离佛法或更严重的诽谤佛法。
FPMT covered the truth
May 8, 2019
Tibet Sun, a well known media portal among the Tibetans has published the truth about Dagri Rinpoche and his molestation of women. Women are coming out and reporting the truth now. Some members of FPMT whose spiritual head is Lama Zopa Rinpoche, are trying to deny, lie and cover for Dagri Rinpoche but it’s too late. He has been found out and the news of this is getting bigger. It has gone mainstream in the media in India.
Dagri Rinpoche works in the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharamsala, North India as well as teach for various FPMT centres around the world for decades at the instructions of Lama Zopa. Now FPMT will be highly embarrassed as it is alleged Lama Zopa knew about this and covered it up along with his close students for a decade now.
Tibet Sun- https://www.tibetsun.com/news/2019/05/08/tibetan-lama-dagri-rinpoche-faces-me-too-allegations?fbclid=IwAR3X2ZPeBw5tjWCQO45io3zM54z-FtE0iDUpslaYuwIaFp7TgwasD5dVZgs
Photos-
1. Tibet sun article on Dagri Rinpoche
2. FB comment by Ms. Adelaide Foster who says Lama Zopa Rinpoche told her to keep quiet about this.
JHT
May 9, 2019
只能說是佛門不幸。FPMT可說是個相當大規模的組織,在全球藏傳佛教界算是很有影響力的,從創辦到現在,要走到今天這種地位也很不容易,結果卻要跟這種事情扯上關係?梭巴喇嘛的慈悲似乎用錯地方了,幹嘛要隱瞞這個人的行為?還讓他到處傳法?為什麼要冒這個險?結果遇到一個不懂得感恩的人,結果現在好了,這個慣犯越來越過分,連在飛機上都忍不住要去搞女人,難道他不知道那不是他的地盤嗎?還是他已經失去控制的能力?FPMT必須去承受這個果,逃不掉的,那麼多年來是FPMT一直打開大門,讓大家去接觸這個人,結果導致很多人受害,這個業太重了。與其要為這種色情狂在全球人面前承擔名譽掃地的風險,還不如為多傑雄登去違抗達賴喇嘛。梭巴喇嘛的算盤實在打得不怎麼響啊!
咯桑
May 9, 2019
喇嘛梭巴的FPMT,怎么会让这样的事情发生呢?事发到现在,已经是超过一个星期了,为什么还是没有出来交代?不会是想这位女士所讲的,又是想把事情隐瞒吧?!喇嘛梭巴应该跟帕立仁波切断绝关系!👎👎
康巴小子
May 21, 2019
FPMT终于开口了,也把帕立暂时从导师行列中去除,但却还坚持说这并不意味帕立是有罪的。看来他们是希望帕立这次又能够侥幸逃过,然后天下太平,仿佛什么都不曾发生。不只是这样,喇嘛梭巴说的话,更是完全力挺帕立仁波切,说他并非凡人,还要帕立的弟子随喜。他这么说,虽然没有直接宣布帕立没罪,但他所说的甚至是比直接宣布帕立没罪还来得可怕。因为如果他说帕立没罪,只能代表这一次他也许没罪,但他若说帕立并非凡人,那等于是直接赋予帕立权利去为所欲为,而要人们把他的一切丑陋恶行当成菩萨行为。这个后果严重许多。
孝陵
May 9, 2019
梭巴仁波切刻意隐瞒帕立仁波切性侵犯的丑闻,让帕立仁波切为所欲为,性侵无数个无辜的女生、僧尼(出家女众)等。这是何等荒唐啊!大乘法脈聯合會(FPMT)连同梭巴仁波切忽视受害者的哀求,视若无睹,继续送他到处说法、加持,实在是可怖可畏!我为那些接受灌顶和教诲的人感到担忧,因为一个破戒的僧人是不可能授戒或给加持的。
帕立仁波切这次被捕是因为上得山多终遇虎,咎由自取。希望 FPMT 把他逐出佛门,不再让人危害人间!
康巴小子
May 21, 2019
好说,好说,要逐他出佛门啊?人家FPMT负责人还把他说成是非凡人呢,还要他的弟子对他有净观,也就是要视他为佛,看来他的后盾还很强呢!
Sonam
May 12, 2019
It’s amazing how rude FPMT behaves after covering up for Dagri Rinpoche… Such audacity…
Hope Gomez
May 12, 2019
Source:
http://www.taooflightyoga.com/index.php/blog/will-the-fpmt-stand-by-its-code-of-ethics
Will the FPMT Stand by its Code of Ethics?
Saturday, 11 May 2019
By Joanne Clark
For those of us who have held hope that the Foundation For the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) might provide some leadership in resolving troubles of abuse within Western Tibetan Buddhist Centres, this has been a hard week. We have held hope because the FPMT’s code of ethics, signed by all teachers teaching at FPMT centres, has demonstrated a clarity about students’ needs not seen in other Tibetan Buddhist institutions.
Here is an example:
“FPMT is committed to promoting safe environments wherein the dignity of every individual is respected. Everyone participating in FPMT-related activities has the right and shall be free from harassment of any type, be it sexual harassment, intimidation, bullying, or other forms of harassment. Everyone coming into contact with the FPMT network shall be treated with dignity and respect.”
And this:
“Sexual relationships between Dharma teachers and students while a student is attending the teacher’s teachings, course or retreat are prohibited, and are strongly discouraged at all other times as long as there is a Dharma teacher-student relationship. Please see below for a policy specific to Dharma teachers. Others in positions of authority are also strongly discouraged from entering into sexual relationships in situations where there may be a real or perceived power imbalance. As well, no teacher, volunteer, staff member, or other representative of the hosting center shall make sexual advances to any participant during a teaching, course or retreat.”
This is the clear language students have been seeking from other Buddhist organizations. Sadly, however, a woman has recently claimed that the FPMT failed to honestly and appropriately address her allegations that Dagri Rinpoche, a teacher at FPMT centres, sexually assaulted her while she was a nun at Thosamling some years ago. This claim followed a recent allegation made to police in India by a woman who claimed that Dagri Rinpoche molested her while on a plane. According to The Tribune Newspaper (India), “the Gaggal police detained him before he was released on bail.” There are also claims that more women have been abused by him, though these have not been made public or verified.
In the first testimony, that given by Jakaira Perez Valdivi on Utube video, there is a disturbing description of the effort made by Dagri Rinpoche and the FPMT institution to undermine her story, effectively silencing her. She claims that Dagri Rinpoche lied to others about having apologized to her and that the FPMT labelled his actions as “compassionate massage” and not sexual at all. According to Jakaira’s story, his actions included fondling her breasts and pushing his genitals against her—not something that can be called “compassionate massage.” According to her, he apologized to her, but then lied and claimed that she apologized to him.
At best, the FPMT has failed to validate her concerns and failed to resolve a situation that has badly damaged her wellbeing and spiritual path. At worst, they are covering up a crime. At best, Dagri Rinpoche’s actions, as described by Jakaira and the recent allegation from the woman on the plane, disqualify him from ever teaching in an FPMT centre. At worst, they are criminal. Will he continued to teach at FPMT centres? Why has nothing been done to resolve the situation for Jakaira and why has he continued to teach at FPMT centres?
The FPMT say that these two incidents did not occur at an FPMT facility, project or institution and so the ethics policy does not apply. However, he has continued to teach at FPMT centres and the failure of this institution to act responsibly in the context of carefully screening their teachers and hearing the needs of survivors demonstrates a lack of fiduciary care and due diligence in my opinion. These problems are not fixed by simply finding loopholes.
And this is the big problem. In the current climate, with students from Rigpa, Shambhala and other Buddhist institutions still traumatized from disclosures of sexual abuse by their leaders, every Buddhist institution is called upon to be diligent regarding the behaviours of teachers. There should be no compromising on this, no finding loopholes or making excuses or quick fixes. It is one thing for a student to come to terms with the fact that a well-respected Dharma teacher is abusive. However, when the harm becomes institutionalized, when Tibetan Buddhist institutions fail to come forward with appropriate measures of validation, compassion and resolve, and continue to validate the integrity of that teacher, then the situation turns critical. This has happened in Rigpa, Shambhala and too many other Buddhist centres who are scrambling only now to put together flimsy codes of ethics.
The following letter from within the FPMT, from the Center Services Director of the FPMT International Office in Portland Oregon, reflects this sentiment. It appears that there is little appetite within the International Office for simply finding those loopholes in the Ethics Policy:
Dear Friends,
It has come to our attention that there are newspaper stories and social media accounts circulating stating that a lady in India has made a report to the Indian police accusing Dagri Rinpoche of molesting her on a flight in India.
As Dagri Rinpoche is currently an FPMT registered teacher, we at International Office are following this story closely and awaiting any additional updates and reports about the outcome of the accusation.
We understand that Dagri Rinpoche believes he is innocent of the accusation and is preparing a personal statement in response to the accusation.
Although the alleged event did not take place at an FPMT center, if the investigation results do determine that the accusation is correct, then we would follow the guidelines described under Administering the ETHICAL POLICY, in the ETHICS AND ETHICAL POLICY section of the Affiliates Area and it could impact Dagri Rinpoche’s inclusion on the FPMT registered teachers list, as per the FPMT Ethical Policy.
While we are awaiting any conclusions on this story, we send our prayers for all parties involved in and affected by this story.
We are sure that this will remind all of the importance of our responsibility to uphold ethical behaviour, especially by those of us who manage and teach at FPMT centers, projects and services.
Warmly,
Claire
Claire Isitt
Center Services Director
Statements such as this from within the FPMT’s establishment are encouraging. Indeed, the FPMT statement on the need for centres to take strong measures in instances of abuse is clear and strong within their ethical policy, though perhaps it can be amended to account for this situation. If it had been followed, Jakaira might have received the validation she needed. Here is how they describe those measures:
Misconduct on the part of persons in positions of power or trust can undermine the integrity of the organization, causing demoralization and loss of faith. Hence, the behaviours described in the Ethical Policy below are prohibited, and a center, project, or service’s grievance procedures should be put into effect if a breach occurs.
Each individual in a position of authority, within their area of responsibility in the FPMT organization, is also required to act on any appearance or complaint of misconduct. It is crucial that such individuals identify and express concerns about conduct that may be harmful, so that procedures for dealing with problems can be implemented.
FPMT’s Ethical Policy applies to all activities, interactions, or communications including those on-line, on social media, by telephone, in person, or by any other means as long as the activity, interaction, or communication in question concerns or pertains to FPMT-related actions, duties, or responsibilities.
We also need to be clear that we should have very little reason to doubt Jakaira’s story. In fact, if we hear FPMT make such a statement as to the “compassionate massage” of a monk alone with a nun (as she alleges they said), that should be enough to cause us to question their viewpoint! And statistics show that false allegations of sexual assault are rare and that most victims of sexual assault choose not to report — because they fear not being believed and becoming re-traumatized by a brutal system. These statistics are important because until women are believed and validated, there will be no change to a very widespread culture of abuse in institutions both East and West. We are in a “MeToo” movement where the problem will simply not go away without institutional change, without acknowledgement from all concerned that there is a systemic, serious problem.
Last November, some 130 former and current students of Tibetan Buddhism signed a letter addressed to over forty lamas from all four lineages. We translated this letter into Tibetan. Attached to this letter was a translation into Tibetan of another letter, that written by eight former senior students of Sogyal Lakhar, in which they outlined his serious physical, psychological and sexual abuses over decades. We asked only one question in the letter. We simply wanted to know whether or not lamas found these behaviours acceptable—e.g. behaviours of beating and sexually abusing students, using student donations to live a lavish lifestyle etc. As of this writing, six months later, we have had only two responses.¹
We wrote that letter with the intention of receiving better clarity on how we, as long-time Dharma students, could move forward on our spiritual paths after abusive situations—and how we could insure better safety within Western Dharma Centres. We neither want to be abused on our spiritual paths nor do we not want to practice in an environment of abuse. Many of us sat silent while Sogyal Lakhar spent hours of his teaching time viciously maligning and insulting students. We are horrified that we turned our back on harm as we sat through these tirades. The letter was written sincerely, from our hearts, with no ulterior motive other than stopping harm and knowing where safety lay. To many of us, the lack of response from forty lamas is in fact a very brutal and non-compassionate response. A lack of caring.
Tahlia Newland and I also wrote a letter to HH Dalai Lama in which we told him that we had written these letters to lamas and why. We explained also that the Vajrayana had been used to justify abusive behaviors and to silence students with threats of hell if they objected. We explained that many were questioning the Vajrayana now and many needed better clarity. We asked him to please bring the matter up at the meeting scheduled for Tibetan Buddhist leaders last November. We received a response from his office two days later, asking us to forward the matter to the Kalon of Religion and Culture and to CC His Holiness. We did that. Shortly after, the meeting was postponed and we fear that now, there will be little hope of this topic being raised if the meeting is ever held. The kalon has not responded to us either.
I believe that abusive behaviors within the context of the Vajrayana make this situation particularly critical—and particularly in need of strong leadership that can provide clarity. Though some FPMT teachers are amongst those who haven’t replied to our letter, many of us have nonetheless held out a hope for this organization because of its strongly worded ethics code—and because of the responsible and thorough approach to Dharma in the FPMT educational programs, their responsible approach to the Vajrayana.
I would like to add to this my desire that FPMT seek now to sincerely and compassionately reach out with support to Jakaira Perez Valdivi and others who might have made similar claims of harm from FPMT teachers that are not known to us. Publicly, a statement from the FPMT on how they intend to address this situation and others like it would be very helpful towards insuring that a growing group of disillusioned Dharma students do not lose trust in the good intentions of the FPMT. Trust demands better transparency and this has been lacking. Most of all, I truly believe that the code of silence that has ruled within Tibetan Buddhist culture in the West needs to end if the Dharma in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition is to thrive.
ashrao
May 12, 2019
In this video Adelaide Foster counters Dagri Rinpoche’s letter rebuking the sexual allegations against him. But as she says clearly in Tibetan, he is not telling the truth in what he wrote.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1557694075.mp4
ashrao
May 12, 2019
Looks like there are now a lot of activists taking notice of Dagri Rinpoche’s molestation of women for decades and FPMT’s cover up of the situation. This letter is a call for action to be taken to protect others. Comment taken from here: https://www.dagririnpoche.com/dagri-rinpoche-fpmt-cover-up/#comment-2
Amber Sonam
May 14, 2019
More and more news about Dagri Rinpoche and his sex crimes is surfacing. More truths about his scandalous behaviour are coming out.
Tashi
May 14, 2019
Wonder who is behind the website? It’s going everywhere
Tashi Pema
May 14, 2019
Shame on you Dagri, your crime is being exposed now. You will not get away with what you are going to see.
Tashi Pema
May 14, 2019
Other Buddhists are very angry… take a look!
Anne
May 14, 2019
More victims and witnesses are speaking up against Dagri Rinpoche. Attached here are two more testimonies in support of Jakaila (Kunzang), the Spanish lady whom Dagri Rinpoche molested years ago.
Carmen
May 14, 2019
FPMT’s Head Office has finally caved into public pressure and issued a statement, which is very interesting because it shows clearly that Jakaira Perez Valdiva (a.k.a Kunsang) of Spain was correct. She filed a report with the Dalai Lama’s Private Office and they held a meeting to mediate between her and Dagri Rinpoche (a.k.a Thupten Lhundrup Tenpai Gyaltsen / Thupten Jangchup). So, Jakaira Perez Valdiva was molested by Dagri Rinpoche and both the FPMT and Dalai Lama’s Private Office knew about it and they hushed it up.
Nearly a week after Dagri Rinpoche was arrested for molesting another woman, an Indian lady on a Delhi-Dharamsala flight, the statement was released announcing that they have suspended Dagri Rinpoche from their list of official teachers. This means that Dagri Rinpoche will no longer be allowed to teach in or visit any FPMT centres. The suspension shows that FPMT believes the allegations of the women who are speaking up against Dagri Rinpoche.
1. It is one thing to know about it, but it is another thing to hush it up and keep it quiet. The horrible thing about this whole issue is that the FPMT, instead of eliminating him from their list of teachers at an earlier time, continues to send him all over the world, allowing many more women to become his unsuspecting victims. For this, FPMT is wrong and they should issue a public apology and own up. In the truest sense of the word, what they are doing is a crime, punishable by law and in some countries punishable by sentencing to jail.
Because it was in India and they know that India is somewhat corrupt, they were able to pay off certain authorise and keep it quiet, after all, Ms. Jakaira did report it to the police. Now that everyone is back in their respective countries and there is the power of social media, FPMT has been shamed into acknowledging everything they knew happened. But they continue to send him on their teaching rounds at their centres.
2. FPMT should have long ago suspended and disqualified Dagri Rinpoche from teaching, which they did not. And it is surprising that they would allow their own members around the world to be subjected to this type of blatant sexual abuse. It was reported in Dharamsala that many western nuns were molested and accosted by Dagri Rinpoche, but the FPMT and Dalai Lama’s Private Office kept quiet about it. Now more women, victims and friends are speaking up and not keeping quiet anymore. It is extremely bad news for FPMT and is something that will not go away in the near future but continue to grow. FPMT from now on will be seen as an organisation that harbours sex predators and does nothing about it, but covers it up and keeps it hush-hush.
3. The very fact that FPMT Head Office has suspended Dagri Rinpoche from their list of teachers, it shows they believe the allegations made by these women who are speaking up against Dagri Rinpoche. Although FPMT said they temporarily suspended him, it has to be a permeant suspension instead. And FPMT better go to the respective countries that the offences were made in and make official reports with the authorities there if they want to save themselves. If FPMT continues to do nothing to placate the public they will lose even more credibility. So far FPMT has already lost a lot of credibility, I wonder if they risk losing more? Dagri Rinpoche is a sexual predator of the highest degree and more victims are going to speak out if the FPMT sits on the fence or tries to protect themselves. It will all be revealed. FPMT better take harsh measures to show they have done something and perhaps when the victims hear this, the healing process may begin.
Carmen
May 14, 2019
Two more close friends of Jakaira Perez Valdiva (a.k.a Kunsang) have come out in support of her and have decided to speak up. Ms. Jakaira, a woman of Spanish descent, recently published a tell-all expose of her abuse at the hands of Dagri Rinpoche (a.k.a Thupten Lhundrup Tenpai Gyaltsen / Thupten Jangchup) over 10 years ago in Dharamsala, when she was a nun.
These two friends are credible witnesses and they were present when Ms. Jakaira spoke with the Dalai Lama’s Private Office, FPMT and Dagri Rinpoche. This shows that Ms. Jakaira, when she was a nun, was really accosted, molested, and sexually manhandled by Dagri Rinpoche. These two women have come out to stand for their friend’s rights, and to speak about a crime. This proves that Ms. Jakaira did indeed tell the truth.
The FPMT and Lama Zopa covered all this up, along with the Dalai Lama’s Private Office and this is quite despicable. The Dalai Lama’s Private Office and FPMT rely heavily on western donations to survive and pay their bill all these years. Western donations allow FPMT to live in the lap of luxury and have their big temples and golden statues. Yet, when one of their registered teachers abuses a westerner, instead of paying back the kindness of westerners by terminating Dagri Rinpoche and ensure that he is taken to the law, they hide it. Lama Zopa is coming out with advice for Dagri Rinpoche’s students outside of the monastery on how to view him now, amidst the revelation of the scandal. Why would Lama Zopa teach people how to view Dagri Rinpoche if Dagri Rinpoche was not guilty? You can see that Lama Zopa believes that Dagri Rinpoche is guilty. More witnesses will come out of the woodwork to further the truth which has been revealed and it will only get bigger.
Javier Gonzales
May 14, 2019
So far 3 victims but it seems more are coming out.
拉姆
May 14, 2019
这真是一种耻辱,出家人清楚知道他们能做什么和不能做什么,更何况是他是一位仁波切。世界各地的人向他学习佛法,但是身为上师的他却没有作为好榜样,反而是破戒的人。 这可能是修行者的噩梦,因为他们正在向上师学习,但不幸的是他们的上师却让他们失望,对三宝失信心。
FPMT 会如何针对这件事情,做些什么事,这是关键。最少要为受害者伸张正义。
康巴小子
June 26, 2019
很显然FPMT只想整件事情早日被公众所遗忘。一个多月了,什么消息都没有,帕立究竟有没有被控上法庭?事件发展成怎么样了?如果你真有诚意,好歹也报告一下,刻意不去报道事情的发展,让人更觉得你心里有鬼。
Alexis
May 15, 2019
Third victim of Dagri Rinpoche to come forward, Ms. Shin Young Sun, refutes Sera Je Monastery’s Tsawa Khangtsen ridiculous statement falsely accusing her of spreading lies about Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual exploits. Sera Je Monastery goes on to further accuse the people sharing this news of being prejudiced against Dagri Rinpoche. https://bre.is/7jNfD5VC1
Amber Sonam
May 15, 2019
If Lama Zopa Rinpoche did not believe that Dagri Rinpoche was guilty of sexually abusing his students, why did he then issue a statement of advice to all his students on how to view the offender?
In response to a swell of complaints about Dagri Rinpoche’s molestation charges and the FPMT’s cover-up, Lama Zopa dictated an eloquent Dharma talk.
But if you listen to it very carefully, after a few lines, Lama Zopa is already distracting you away from the real issue, which is the fact that Dagri Rinpoche has been exposed for molesting and abusing women for a long time.
Lama Zopa wants us to view Dagri Rinpoche as an extraordinary being and close our mind to what really happened. However, if we viewed all sexual predators as extraordinary beings and keep up that faith, then we don’t need the law at all. Everyone who commits a crime is henceforth to be regarded as being ‘extraordinary’ and we are just simply to hold them with a good view. Then people like Dagri Rinpoche can continue to commit more crimes without any limits or restrictions.
But the truth of the matter is, whether Dagri Rinpoche is an extraordinary being or an ordinary being, is not the issue. The issue is that he inflicted criminal acts upon ordinary beings who only have ordinary views and, as a result, suffer very much like all ordinary people do when they are harmed. How can you tell ordinary people to have extraordinary views about a sex crime that has hurt them and shames their family?
So Lama Zopa should address the actual problem and “call a spade a spade”. And he must address the issue at hand directly, that is, Dagri Rinpoche is dangerous and he has harmed many people. Lama Zopa should advise his students and all victims to speak up and report what has been done to them. Lama Zopa should create a compassionate environment for the victims to speak up and receive support at a difficult time. Victims should not be told to view Dagri Rinpoche’s actions as extraordinary and just forget the whole thing because this will allow Dagri Rinpoche to continue doing what he has been doing and harm more women. I shudder at that thought of Dagri Rinpoche having complete immunity for all the things he could do to female students and nuns.
Shall we now apply the logic in Lama Zopa’s speech to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche’s exploits that he will commit eventually and say, “Hey, when he molests you, you just think about it this way, okay?” “You just view him as an extraordinary and allow him to abuse you because he had two dreams about himself going to Gaden heaven and being some deity.” “Because of these dreams, he is an extraordinary being and whatever sexual molestation that he inflicts on you should be taken happily.” Shall we say this to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche to pre-empt them?
If so why not send this letter to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche, because there is going to be a lot more of them?
Why not send this letter to every female Buddhist aspirant who will become Dagri Rinpoche’s student through FPMT, and tell them that when they get molested next time, to just think about his sexual assault in this way and not get angry. Don’t report him. Just keep offering yourself up to Dagri Rinpoche because whatever he’s doing to your body is beneficial to you! Shall we say this to all future female students of Dagri Rinpoche? No, we should not. Lama Zopa’s advice to students is not appropriate towards the victims and their families. The onus of responsibility should be on lamas to behave properly, not to harm their students physically and spiritually. It should not be on new and aspiring Buddhists to accept being abused and then told to maintain a pure view of their abuser.
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/dalai-lama-offices-dagri-rinpoche-molests-women/
Palden Tsering
May 16, 2019
Facebook Users Reacted to Dagri Rinpoche’s Sexual Harassment Allegations
Since Dagri Rinpoche was reported to the Indian police earlier this month for molesting an Indian lady, two other victims have decided to speak up. Dagri Rinpoche’s history of sexually harassing women has attracted many negative comments from social media users such as Facebook. Not only they condemn Dagri Rinpoche’s inappropriate conduct, but also FPMT cover-up of the issue.
Palden Tsering
May 16, 2019
Is Lama Zopa’s Response to Dagri Rinpoche’s Sexual Misconduct Allegations Acceptable?
Lama Zopa’s response to Dagri Rinpoche sexual misconduct allegations disappointed many. Instead of consoling the victims and addressing the confusion, chaos, and heartache caused by Dagri Rinpoche’s inappropriate behavior, Lama Zopa discussed Dagri Rinpoche’s spiritual attainments. Please find below the reaction to Lama Zopa’s advice on the matter.
Lee
May 16, 2019
(Part 1)
Alison Ong originally posted this comment below to the Facebook fanpage of the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM). They purport to be the council of Malaysia for all Vajrayanists but very few people in Malaysia believe in them, and even fewer support them.
Alison’s comment was in response to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s statement which used the Dharma to whitewash and cover up sexual abuses committed by Dagri Rinpoche, a registered teacher in his organization Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).
VBCM have traditionally been extremely discriminatory towards others but in this Dagri incident where he has been found to sexually assault women, VBCM have been silent. They have not spoken up against Dagri Rinpoche or the FPMT who covered it up for 10 years.
The original comment exchange may be found on VBCM’s Facebook Fanpage but be warned, VBCM has a history of deleting or hiding posts because they do not believe in speaking the truth: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335
—–
[[ALISON ONG'S COMMENT]]
If Lama Zopa Rinpoche did not believe that Dagri Rinpoche was guilty of sexually abusing his students, why did he then issue a statement of advice to all his students on how to view the offender?
In response to a swell of complaints about Dagri Rinpoche’s molestation charges and the FPMT’s cover up, Lama Zopa dictated an eloquent Dharma talk.
But if you listen to it very carefully, after a few lines, Lama Zopa is already distracting you away from the real issue, which is the fact that Dagri Rinpoche has been exposed for molesting and abusing women for a long time.
Lama Zopa wants us to view Dagri Rinpoche as an extraordinary being and close our mind to what really happened. However, if we viewed all sexual predators as extraordinary beings and keep up that faith, then we don’t need the law at all. Everyone who commits a crime is henceforth to be regarded as being ‘extraordinary’ and we are just simply to hold them with a good view. Then people like Dagri Rinpoche can continue to commit more crimes without any limits or restrictions.
But the truth of the matter is, whether Dagri Rinpoche is an extraordinary being or an ordinary being, is not the issue. The issue is that he inflicted criminal acts upon ordinary beings who only have ordinary views and, as a result, suffer very much like all ordinary people do when they are harmed. How can you tell ordinary people to have extraordinary views about a sex crime that has hurt them and shames their family?
So Lama Zopa should address the actual problem and “call a spade a spade”. And he must address the issue at hand directly, that is, Dagri Rinpoche is dangerous and he has harmed many people. Lama Zopa should advise his students and all victims to speak up and report what has been done to them. Lama Zopa should create a compassionate environment for the victims to speak up and receive support at a difficult time. Victims should not be told to view Dagri Rinpoche’s actions as extraordinary and just forget the whole thing because this will allow Dagri Rinpoche to continue doing what he has been doing and harm more women. I shudder at that thought of Dagri Rinpoche having complete immunity for all the things he could do to female students and nuns.
Shall we now apply the logic in Lama Zopa’s speech to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche’s exploits that he will commit eventually and say, “Hey, when he molests you, you just think about it this way, okay?” “You just view him as an extraordinary and allow him to abuse you because he had two dreams about himself going to Gaden heaven and being some deity.” “Because of these dreams, he is an extraordinary being and whatever sexual molestation that he inflicts on you should be taken happily.” Shall we say this to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche to pre-empt them?
If so why not send this letter to all future victims of Dagri Rinpoche, because there is going to be a lot more of them?
Why not send this letter to every female Buddhist aspirant who will become Dagri Rinpoche’s student though FPMT, and tell them that when they get molested next time, to just think about his sexual assault in this way and not get angry. Don’t report him. Just keep offering yourself up to Dagri Rinpoche because whatever he’s doing to your body is beneficial to you! Shall we say this to all future female students of Dagri Rinpoche? No we should not. Lama Zopa’s advice to students is not appropriate towards the victims and their families. The onus of responsibility should be on lamas to behave properly, not to harm their students physically and spiritually. It should not be on new and aspiring Buddhists to accept being abused and then told to maintain a pure view of their abuser. http://tiny.cc/werr6y
Lee
May 16, 2019
(Part 2)
In response to Alison Ong’s comment above, Nicole Sia Mei Yee, one of VBCM’s members and supporters posted this comment below.
—–
[[NICOLE'S RESPONSE]]
If you think you are so smart, reveal yourself. Don’t create phantom profiles ( 1 person create multiple profiles on social media ) with the intention to insult. This is the attitude of a coward. Characteristics of coward people,
1) Create phantom profile with a Lama picture or some bombastic Tibetan name.
2) Used an innocent person’s picture as profile picture
3) Raised concern over certain issue. Pretending to be civic minded but with bad intention in their cow brain
4) Attention seeker. Always strive to be in the limelight
5) Dare not show themselves in public or be brave to comment fearing they will be hit or cannot bear the humiliation
its obvious you have low self esteem.
You this kind of people, you forget the root teachings of Buddhism but try to claim like you are very concerned over social moral crimes. Internally you know nuts. In your heart, when you see innocent lives being claim by ISIS, you think
- oh my! i wonder where they will be reborn next life
- why don’t they have dharma inside them
- i wish i can help the innocent victims
but you fail to understand, you yourself is planting the seed of hatred. You yourself is planting negative imprint in people. You think you are doing a great job alerting the public but have you analyse yourself what you see and read on social media, it it verified? Have you think from all directions? Is the news real or just false claim?
Buddhist organisations and women leaders all over the world like Tzu Chi, Fo Guang, Haitao Life, Tenzin Palmo, Plum Village, Srawasti Abbey and many more are striving to inspire and educate young adults to ease their mind. Alleviating the burden in their heads. Help them from depression, suicide, family issue via their programs and social work. And here you are waking up every morning checking out whats the best way to inflict hurtful comments and finds it amusing. Think about your actions and look at yourself in the mirror. Compare your face with people from the positive side.
People like you, when you can’t achieve what you want, when your actions goes out hand and you land yourself in deep trouble, you think “aisk…i think Buddhism is not the suitable religion for me, the centre is not suitable for me to practice, Nobody help me when i am in trouble. So corrupted and unfair. Not only that, my boss and colleague in office also abuse me. Why am i suffering all this? I think i better switch to another religion and start all over again.”
Trust me, people like you will never find happiness in any religion you embrace as long as you have a negative intention inside you. Besides that, you wont even find happiness in your love relationship or smooth undertaking in your career or business. Think about it.
Lastly, to be fair. VBCM is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. They don’t receive any form of salary and also like any lay person have a family and career to look after. VBCM don’t receive any strong support from government like Fo Guang Shan or Maha Vihara. Don’t expect them to take lead in whatsoever moral issues and act like an activist. If they run into sticky situations, are you there to help? You ask yourself personally, are you a good leader yourself in your personal life, as a partner, as a parent and career before you insult organisations for their poor leadership. VBCM is just a representative of a small Buddhist minority group within Malaysia with His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama and many more leaders from the 4 traditions as their guide.
Palden Tsering
May 16, 2019
The Public React to Dagri Rinpoche Sexual Misconduct Allegation
Things look bleak for Dagri Rinpoche. After Ms. Shin Young Sun, Dagri Rinpoche’s third victim shared about how Dagri Rinpoche molested her ten years ago, his upcoming teaching sessions in London and Leeds are canceled.
In the meantime, Sera Jey Tsawa Khangtsen, where Dagri Rinpoche came from, tried to deflect from the issue by claiming that this is a Shugden issue. Another evidence that Sera Jey Tsawa Khangtsen does not have any intention to console and address the victims of that. Their main concern is looking good.
Lee
May 16, 2019
(Part 3)
Alison penned the comments below in response to Nicole Sia Mei Yee’s attempt to protect the VBCM’s refusal to speak up against Dagri Rinpoche although the Indian police arrested him for sexual assault. VBCM and their co-conspirator Losang Dragpa Center have traditionally been extremely discriminatory towards others but in this Dagri incident where he has been found to sexually assault women, they have been silent. They have not spoken up against Dagri Rinpoche or the FPMT who covered it up for 10 years.
The original comment exchange may be found on VBCM’s Facebook Fanpage but be warned, VBCM has a history of deleting or hiding posts because they do not believe in speaking the truth: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335
—–
To Nicole,
I am a real person. Whether you know me or not doesn’t matter. What matters is what I have to say, which is of value, to protect our sisters and daughters from bad people regardless of what their titles are.
Things have happened to me before in Dharma centers but when we speak up, they silence you. You tell me to reveal myself but I am not the one hiding. Why don’t you reveal more about yourself on your Facebook account? Why not? Why can’t everyone see your profile or any details about you?
But most importantly, and let’s not distract from the issue at hand, but this is not about me. The issue is about the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM) and why it failed to do the right thing, and why the VBCM promoted a sex offender and could not tell a proper monk from a sex offender. THAT’S the issue.
You are right, VBCM is only a very small group. The VBCM is a group of lay people who have very little real knowledge of the Dharma. They have no spiritual qualifications and no training and background whatsoever to be deserving of being a “Buddhist council”. And yet, the VBCM does not behave humbly or beneficially but instead has a history of having a big mouth, poking into the business of other centers and hurting many people in the past. Why is the VBCM even trying to control Tibetan Buddhism in Malaysia when it has no right and no qualifications to do so? No one is asking VBCM to regulate, watch over, mediate, police, comment, update and govern on Tibetan Buddhism in Malaysia. No one asked them to do it and they are just doing it on their own. Anyways, they are not even doing a good job because they are not qualified. There is no need for VBCM in Malaysia whatsoever. People do not even have enough time to run their own centers, find donations to pay bills, upkeep and so forth, so why should they donate manpower to VBCM? They already have enough to do in their own centers.
The VBCM committee is always the same, with the same people voting each other into the committee all the time and this has been witnessed firsthand, that is why VBCM never grows. VBCM’s current committee wants to hold on to their damaging policies and the way they are now, and never allow change or growth. Hence they keep the committee members rotating just among themselves. This is how they conspire with one another to hang on to what little “power” they wish to exercise. Don’t forget Losang Dragpa Center’s (LDC) Pek Chee Hen is also involved with VBCM and LDC. Of course you only promote each other.
You are also wrong to say they are volunteers. People like Ms. Tee have been paid a high salary by the Kuan Yin Contemplative Order (KYCO)/Tony Wong for many decades now, including travel expenses. So in fact, none of them are working for free unless they have some way of making money fall out of the sky for them. And what do they do to earn this money? What do they do to deserve being a “Buddhist council”? Absolutely nothing except to cover up for sex monks, discriminate against teachers, centers and practices.
VBCM covered up the sex monk Shi Zhao Liang who was proven to be guilty of his sexual assaults on young boys. The VBCM did nothing and said nothing. First, they said Shi Zhao Liang is not a Vajrayana monk so it’s not their business. But protecting young and innocent children should be EVERYONE’S business so that was just a lame excuse. Now they also do not say anything about the Dagri ‘Rinpoche’ sex scandal. Isn’t Dagri ‘Rinpoche’ a Vajrayana monk? So how come the VBCM is still quiet? How come the VBCM did not hesitate to promote a sex offender on their Facebook page and when the person they promoted was exposed for his sexual offences, VBCM just remained quiet and hid? Why didn’t the VBCM take responsibility for promoting the wrong person? Why do they not apologize? Look how little ‘likes’ and comments they get on their Facebook page and their name is the VAJRAYANA BUDDHIST COUNCIL of ALL Malaysia? Why is that? Because they have not been doing a good job and people see through that and do not support. We see that and we do not support, and we save everything they do and watch them carefully.
You say so much and yet clearly the intention is to deflect attention from the fact that Dagri ‘Rinpoche’ is a confirmed molester of women. Three female victims have come out. They and their witnesses have all spoken publicly and are confident enough to show their faces to back up their testimonies. If what they said were untrue, would they have shown their faces and opened themselves up to be sued? FPMT is rich and a big organization and can sue easily so this is not something made up or imagined. Lama Zopa and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) knew about all the many reports regarding Dagri and kept it quiet for many years. Lama Zopa even told people not to talk about it. Dagri has given initiations, teachings, commentaries and transmissions and so many people are now lost and don’t know what do. They have lost faith in Dagri because they trusted him, took refuge with him, donated to him, donated to his monastery and his khamtsen (Tsawa Khamtsen) and now they are lost. Think of them. There are many more victims in the spiritual sense besides the three women who have come out. All these invitations, empowerments and teachings carry no blessings because Dagri broke his vows and so everything he has given is void and invalid. Dagri is simply not trustworthy. So the issue here is Dagri and why FPMT, LDC and VBCM covered for him. Just to let you know, there are other monk teachers in FPMT organization that have had inappropriate relationships with female students and touched female members, that have been hushed up. FPMT Amitabha Buddhist Center (ABC) in Singapore has had many students leave due to this happening with their resident teacher and it was hushed up. Many of them are very angry and now looking for ways to make this public.
So you should not be asking me why I am speaking up. You should be asking VBCM and LDC why they wanted to bring this type of monster into our country to molest our sisters and daughters. Are you agreeable to sex predators coming to our country and assaulting our sisters and daughters? Is that what you want? Of course we dare to speak up. And it does not matter if how we speak up is agreeable to you or not. In this Internet age, everything we say can be easily verified if you do some light research. Lama Zopa even came up with a statement of how to ‘view’ Dagri’s offences in the last few days. Why? Because Dagri is guilty and Lama Zopa knows that. But to avoid liability in spiritual, legal and reputational terms, Lama Zopa has to advise victims and concerned people how to conveniently ‘view’ the situations or it will become a massive PR disaster for FPMT and LDC. He has to advise people in a way to placate their anger, hurt and loss of faith. It is not working though. Many are speaking up against Lama Zopa unfortunately. Just go to his Facebook page and read the comments, if they have not been deleted by now.
Lee
May 16, 2019
(Part 4)
Alison penned the comments below in response to Nicole Sia Mei Yee’s attempt to protect the VBCM’s refusal to speak up against Dagri Rinpoche although the Indian police arrested him for sexual assault. VBCM and their co-conspirator Losang Dragpa Center have traditionally been extremely discriminatory towards others but in this Dagri incident where he has been found to sexually assault women, they have been silent. They have not spoken up against Dagri Rinpoche or the FPMT who covered it up for 10 years.
The original comment exchange may be found on VBCM’s Facebook Fanpage but be warned, VBCM has a history of deleting or hiding posts because they do not believe in speaking the truth: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335
—–
[[Continuation of Alison Ong's reply]]
On the Dagri scandal and on promoting a sex predator, VBCM is as quiet as mouse. But in the past, they tried to act like ‘authorities’ of Tibetan Buddhism. What gives the VBCM the right to say who is good and who is not good, and which center and teacher is genuine or not genuine? Which practice is blessed or not? What is the VBCM’s so-called authority or expertise based on? Just because they have attended a few teachings and taken a few pictures with the Dalai Lama does not give them the right to do anything in Malaysia. Many people take pictures with the Dalai Lama but that does not mean they immediately become qualified authorities in Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama has taken pictures with mass murderers like Shoko Asahara who is also a cult leader. The Dalai Lama has also taken pictures with Keith Raniere, another cult leader. Both are now in jail. As I said, just because you take photos with Dalai Lama does not authorize you to govern the Tibetan Buddhist followers in Malaysia. It also does not give you instant wisdom. You make mistakes too. VBCM likes to splash their pictures taken with the Dalai Lama all over their unsteady website (sometimes it exists and sometimes it’s gone) and Facebook pages. They do this all the time to fool the Malaysian public into thinking that they are so holy, so learned and have the Dalai Lama’s backing. Well they are not holy, not learned and the Dalai Lama will take pictures with everyone, even his security guards. Splashing their pictures all over the place on social media does not convince the public that VBCM has any authority to judge and sanction any teacher, tradition, center, temple, practice and tradition. VBCM committee are just ordinary lay persons who are not Dharma teachers and not knowledgable. It will do them well to remain silent and just practice the Dharma they claim to protect. Even the great monks of Brickfields who are learned masters from Sri Lanka meet all monks of all traditions, peoples, centers, traditions and do not discriminate nor do they criticize, and they are real sangha and learned. If they do not discriminate, who are VBCM to do so? Ms. Tee Siew Seet, Mr. Pek Chee Hen and so forth are the core of VBCM and Ms. Tee likes to hide behind other committee members of VBCM to do the dirty works for her so she does not get into trouble and make her Sifu Tony Wong look bad.
VBCM has no knowledge, learning and authority to be the VAJRAYANA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA. You are right, they are not backed by any of our Government Departments because they are not qualified to be backed up. The VBCM is not backed up by anything and even you can see that it is nothing but a shell. Many of us will not keep silent about VBCM because they have no authority to judge other teachers, centers and lineages in Malaysia. They have no right to say who is bad and who is good. I have as much right as the VBCM but I don’t interfere in matters that do not concern me. The VBCM has in the past opposed centers inside and outside Malaysia and have tried to sabotage teachers trying to come into Malaysia or within Malaysia. What gives them that right? If they have the right because they are a member of the public, then so do I. I don’t need a ‘big’ name and big banner to say what is right and wrong. I only need to speak the truth and without fear. Anyway, on what basis does the VBCM decide which lama is good or bad? On what grounds and guidelines? And with what qualifications do they judge by? Just a few committee members ‘certifying’ and ‘authorizing’ which lama and center is good or bad in Malaysia? That’s absurd and fake. And we are supposed to follow what these unqualified fellows dictate and ignore our rights as citizens of our free nation? But when a lama is found out to be sexually molesting women and VBCM has promoted these lamas past and present, they remain quiet. Cowards that they are.
The people behind VBCM only dare to say things anonymously on Facebook. They only post as VBCM and do not reveal who is doing the postings. This is why none of the committee post the same things on their own Facebook pages. And why is there no transparency? Which of the committee have been deleting critical comments, which one of them have been hiding comments they don’t like? Which one of them deleted comments that shared facts that the VBCM doesn’t want the public to know? Which one of the committee is promoting this lama or that center? No one knows which person from within VBCM is doing this on their Facebook page, so they are anonymous and act while hiding behind anonymity. They should identify themselves at the end of each post and state who they are and take responsibility and be ready to be held accountable. So they are the ones that are anonymous and they have a banner of being a council? How can council members hide?
VBCM acts like a commercial marketing company and all they do is promote lamas on their Facebook pages without any care or screening. On the one hand, they presume to tell others who is a proper lama and yet evidently some have turned out to be sex offenders but VBCM keeps quiet. VBCM is not qualified to manage Vajrayana Buddhism in any way. No one is qualified in Malaysia to do so and no center should do so, lest people start looking deeper into them. Even if VBCM is claiming to carry out the Dalai Lama’s wishes, they are not qualified to do so. The Dalai Lama’s advices, wishes and concerns do not need to be enforced by anyone. It is up to the individual to follow them or not. Buddhism is an open religion and not militaristic or controlling so don’t make it that way. Buddhism is not like the Vatican where the Pope controls everything. The Dalai Lama is not the Pope and he has no Vatican. We Malaysians have full religious freedom and the Vajrayana teachings we follow are up to us. Although I respect the Dalai Lama very much, I do not have to follow everything he says. I have my own discerning wisdom, intelligence and free will. By not following everything that the Dalai Lama says does not make me his enemy. So don’t make me his enemy. It just simply makes me a proud citizen of Malaysia who exercises my free choice.
The question everyone should ask over and over again is who authorized the VBCM to judge who is good and not good. Just because they claim they follow the Dalai Lama’s teachings does not give them the right or qualification to be a moral compass. If VBCM are such good followers of the Dalai Lama and REALLY PRACTICED WHAT HE TAUGHT, the committee of the VBCM would be highly attained already. They should be healing people, they should be advanced in their meditations and they should be teaching the Dharma to many people by now. None of that is happening. That means the people in the VBCM don’t practice well and they are just like the rest of us. NOT PERFECT. In that case, they should not pretend that they are better than the rest of us and tell us what gurus we should follow or not follow.
Lee
May 16, 2019
(Part 5)
Alison penned the comments below in response to Nicole Sia Mei Yee’s attempt to protect the VBCM’s refusal to speak up against Dagri Rinpoche although the Indian police arrested him for sexual assault. VBCM and their co-conspirator Losang Dragpa Center have traditionally been extremely discriminatory towards others but in this Dagri incident where he has been found to sexually assault women, they have been silent. They have not spoken up against Dagri Rinpoche or the FPMT who covered it up for 10 years.
The original comment exchange may be found on VBCM’s Facebook Fanpage but be warned, VBCM has a history of deleting or hiding posts because they do not believe in speaking the truth: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335
—–
[[Continuation of Alison Ong's reply]]
If the VBCM had any qualifications or if had any decency or sense of civic responsibility, it would not have promoted a dangerous sex offender like Dagri. What the VBCM did was just wrong. It was dangerous for the VBCM to do that. How can anyone trust the VBCM and what they say now? VBCM making that mistake shows they are not qualified to screen teachers coming into Malaysia. They are not qualified to be a council of any sort. They should keep quiet and practice Dharma deeply instead of trying to be a council and assume to tell the rest of us what to do. Dangerous. They told us to get teachings from Dagri and look how that worked out. It worked out badly. More and more witnesses are speaking out. Dagri is a molester and preys on innocent women while hiding behind maroon robes. Dangerous. Because the VBCM makes dangerous mistakes, I as a member of the public will speak up and report. In fact, everyone should be asking the VBCM why it promoted a sex predator and then when exposed, just turned away instead of acting responsibly? Why did FPMT’s Malaysian branch LDC promote this molester? They should apologize and be honest and not just change their advert regarding Dagri’s coming quietly and not say anything. Shame.
Instead of doing the proper thing, the VBCM deleted and hid posts by the public that warned others of Dagri. On the one hand the VBCM claims to be a council and to be a source of accurate information, but on the other hand they hide and delete important posts and comments. The VBCM should never delete posts unless they are vulgar. I have personally screenshot many posts they have deleted and hidden so there is a record of the VBCM’s cover-ups. They even block accounts so where is the transparency and honesty? Why not let the public exercise the right to say what they like especially when it is on important issues like this dangerous Dagri? VBCM’s Facebook page has so little interaction already so why block people, hide and delete comments? How come they can tell the public what they want but the public cannot respond and tell them what the public wants and feels? We can be telling the truth too even if we don’t ADVERTISE our photos taken with the Dalai Lama, you know?
You asked why I speak up and monitor the situation? It’s because the VBCM failed to perform its job and duty to inform the public. In fact VBCM is not qualified for any duties in regards to Vajrayana Buddhism. So we the public have to stand up and make a stand. I repeat, the VBCM failed. Remember, FPMT has suspended Dagri. Why suspend him if the allegations are not real? After all the public outcry, the FPMT became afraid. They have always known the allegations are real. Dagri was arrested in North India by the Indian police and that is real. It is real. He did molest the Spanish lady and that is real. He did grab the breast of the Korean lady and that is real. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo said to speak up as she is aware of Dagri and what he did. The Dalai Lama said, “People who commit sexual abuse don’t care about the Buddha’s teaching. Make it public through media, though they may not pay heed to Buddhist teachings on ethical behaviour, they will likely take notice if their face appears in the media.” That is why we are speaking up. But why isn’t the VBCM speaking up? Why use the Dalai Lama as their claim to ‘authority’ but ignore the Dalai Lama when it is their own loss of face at stake? And how come you and VBCM do not even think about the damage done to Dagri’s victims? Where is your moral compass? What about the poor ladies who came to Dagri in full faith and trust and were horribly molested and it destroyed them? What about them? Do you have any sympathy for them? They have sworn statutory declarations and witnesses to this. They have gone to the police. They are open about it. They are not asking for compensation or money but just an admission, an apology so they can heal, so that potential victims will not become victims. FPMT, LDC and VBCM must think of the victims.
VBCM is covering for Dagri because the LDC is a part of VBCM. VBCM should disclose openly that the LDC invited a ‘teacher’ of doubtful character, exposing the public to danger. Why does VBCM protect the LDC instead of the Malaysian public? Very biased. Is it because you have members of LDC in the VBCM? Doesn’t this show that the VBCM only acts in its own self-interest? Why scold me when you should scold VBCM and LDC?
It is strange you and VBCM attack those who do the right thing and defend those at fault. Dagri has touched many women without their permission. That is wrong. For sure, we are not speaking up because we are disgruntled with our centers and teachers and giving up on the Dharma. We are very happy with our lives and our spiritual practice. We don’t have to be in any center to become spiritually evolved. We are speaking up because we haven’t given up on the Dharma. We are stopping monsters hiding behind religion to victimize women. Why don’t you think about the women, the victims? Why must the victims suffer more to protect VBCM and LDC’s face? Why? Think of the victims.
When you stop to think about it, the VBCM’s ONLY claim to fame is that some of them have taken photos with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So have I and I have also donated many times to his causes and teachings and will continue to donate. But that does not mean the Dalai Lama is perfect. He is a good person, good monk and knowledgeable but he makes mistakes too. Just look at the people he has endorsed such as Shoko Asahara and Keith Raniere. If you have no idea who they are, just Google those names and the Dalai Lama and you will see that the Dalai Lama has also made mistakes. And the Dalai Lama himself said that if he has made a mistake, I do not need to follow along the mistake but take his other teachings and apply it. The Dalai Lama has said, “If the spiritual master is following a wrong path, which is contrary to mainline teachings, the student should be able to take a stand and not blindly follow that path.” It is not improper to tell your guru he is wrong when he is wrong. It does not affect guru devotion. So Lama Zopa has made mistakes but that doesn’t mean I no longer regard him as a good person. I don’t need to follow men in robes blindly. But I must be discerning and open my eyes and be alert always. High lamas can make mistakes and they will continue to. That is fine, but they must own up to it.
The bottom line is, LDC has promoted a sex offender and is still promoting him. I, as a good member of society who values the truth and who understands the importance of the situation, am simply bringing this to their attention and to the public’s attention. Why does it have to be this way? Because if you bring it to their attention in an open and direct way, they will brush you off to save their own skin and face and because they do not want to lose revenue and income from events such as the one they wanted to bring Dagri in for. Of course having Dagri at LDC will bring money, new members and more resources, or so they hoped. Too bad.
Tenzin Palden
May 16, 2019
Public Outcry Against FPMT’s Cover up of Dagri Rinpoche’s Sexual Misconduct
FPMT’s reputation as an organization that protects and promotes sexual predator is growing, and the members of the public are disturbed with what FPMT has done.
In the online petition titled “Call for investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Dagri Rinpoche”, more people are calling for FPMT to stop covering up Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual misconduct, protect the victims, and investigate Dagri Rinpoche’s misbehavior.
https://www.change.org/p/buddhist-followers-call-for-investigation-into-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-by-dagri-rinpoche/c
Amber Sonam
May 16, 2019
In 2011 + 2012, FPMT’s branch in Malaysia (LDC) invited Dagri ‘Rinpoche’ to give pujas, oral transmissions and initiations. Now how do they feel? So many people have gotten empty transmissions, false teachings and rotten initiations from a sex offender teacher Dagri Rinpoche? What do they do now? Ask for a refund? How about when they lose faith in him? Do they go to vajra hell? It’s inevitable isn’t it due to FPMT’s negligence. How do FPMT make up for sending a dangerous sex monk to give teachings and initiations to the public when they knew about him and covered up all the victims complaints. Lama Zopa knew about Dagri Rinpoche victims’ complaints. Now it will get bigger and bigger. Karma is coming back to FPMT for all the lies and coverups. Shame. Shame. Shame.
Penjor T
May 16, 2019
A group of prominent Buddhist nuns has asked the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) to launch an independent, third-party investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Tibetan Buddhist teacher Dagri Rinpoche.
Signatories include well-known Western Buddhist nuns such as Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Bhikshuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo, and Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron.
Dagri Rinpoche, a teacher in the Geulgpa tradition, based in Dharamsala, India, has played an important role in the FPMT. The FPMT has already suspended him from teaching following multiple allegations. The group of Western nuns has now asked for an “objective and impartial investigation of the charges.”
Pema
May 16, 2019
These harassments seem to never stop! What is going on?
How can you behave like that!?! And now everybody around the world knows about it. Good!! But what is next?!!
It is very correct that the molestations are known and everyone should be aware and keep their eyes open!!
Lhamo Gyed
May 17, 2019
Have you guys seen this?
I have been reading up with all that had happened with the latest Dagri Rinpoche molestation case. I cannot believe there is so much going on, especially with the way FPMT, their spiritual head, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the monastery had responded. They are clearly downplaying the abuse, which is uncalled for in this day and age.
You guys should read what Jakaira, one of the victim’s responded to these parties. It is obvious that she is quite upset with the way they had dismissed her and the other abuse victims. This is quite shocking to read about and does not put FPMT, Lama Zopa or the monastery in good light. As Jakaira has said, they are all liable to the damages inflicted on the victims because they choose to side with the abuser, Dagri.
Very shocking and sad…
Do read her letter….
SabS
May 17, 2019
Wow Amazing! This is getting bigger and bigger.
Nuns Push for Investigation into Molestation Allegations against Teacher Dagri Rinpoche
The prominent Tibetan Buddhist monk has been suspended from teaching over abuse allegations, and now senior nuns are calling for an independent probe into his behaviour.
After becoming aware of allegations of sexual misconduct against the prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher Dagri Rinpoche, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) suspended him from their list of teachers, the international Buddhist group said in a statement on their website on Tuesday. The following day, ten senior Buddhist nuns—including Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, the founder of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, and Thubten Chodron, the abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Washington—sent a letter to FPMT calling for a third-party investigation into the accusations.
Dagri Rinpoche—a tulku [reincarnated master] in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and a touring teacher who regular visits centers in the United States, such as Sravasti Abbey, where he had been listed as a spiritual advisor—was suspended after being accused in a formal complaint of molesting a woman onboard an Air India flight on May 3. Following media reports of the charge against him, a former nun, Jakaira Perez Valdivia, posted a video on YouTube entitled “Dagri Rinpoche is indeed a serial molester,” in which she claims that Dagri Rinpoche molested her ten years ago while she was living in Dharamsala, India. Soon after, another woman, Shin Young Sun, stepped forward, writing in a Facebook post on May 13 that Dagri Rinpoche groped her breast while she was a student at Sarah College in Dharamsala between 2005 and 2009.
Dagri Rinpoche has denied any wrongdoing.
In their letter to FPMT, the senior nuns said there are even more women who have remained anonymous, “Some of us personally know other Western nuns who have reported that they were molested by Dagri Rinpoche,” they wrote. The letter continues:
We urge the FPMT to commission an independent, third-party investigation into these allegations, and to make the conclusions of this investigation public. This investigation should be conducted in such a way that plaintiffs and/or witnesses feel safe to come forward and tell their stories confidentially—and anonymously, if they so wish . . . Holding an independent investigation sends a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated and there will be repercussions for perpetrators. This is crucial in order to ensure an environment in which students’ trust can be rebuilt.
Along with the letter, a group of practitioners and nuns have also started an online petition to urge FPMT to “find the truth.”
In a statement released on May 13, Dagri Rinpoche reasserted his innocence. In the case of the Air India flight, he said he was only steadying himself on the armrest of his accuser, who was sleeping at the time. When she woke up, she “appeared angry” and said something to him in a language he did not understand, he wrote. He was later told that she had filed a complaint to the police.
In his interaction with Perez Valdivia—whom Dagri Rinpoche characterizes as “a nun who experienced some physical and mental problems”—he wrote that he only “performed Jabtru, a water purification ritual, and Kakgo, a ritual to remove obstacles” to help with her with those issues. He adds, “After about three years, she used these rituals as a reason to accuse me of inappropriately touching her.”
Related: Will Sanghas Learn from the Scandals in the Buddhist World?
Perez Valdivia responded in a statement sent to Tricycle on May 16, saying, “instead of apologising he’s blaming and discrediting the victims, the oldest method proved effective to get away with abuse.”
She added that he has spent his “entire life getting away with molesting students and devotees around the world due to the silence and complicity of some institutions and of the Tibetan system itself.”
In her social-media post, Shin Young Sun also described a culture of ignoring or silencing women whom teachers have allegedly abused, saying that those in positions of power have turned a blind eye, including the office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. She explained that although she has personally forgiven Dagri Rinpoche, she chose to speak out in solidarity with Perez Valdivia. “I write this post for other victims. Because they . . . still experience the hardships,” she said.
Related: Sex in the Sangha . . . Again
FPMT head Lama Zopa Rinpoche, meanwhile, has received criticism for an open letter he sent to Dagri Rinpoche’s students. He wrote:
Dagri Rinpoche is a very positive, holy being—definitely not an ordinary person . . . Therefore, I want to tell the students who have received initiations and teachings from Dagri Rinpoche that you should definitely one hundred percent rejoice, no matter what the world says, no matter if some people criticize him. Even after Buddha became enlightened, he showed the aspect of having pain in his foot when a piece of wood went through it. Buddha said that the suffering was the result of sexual misconduct with a woman in one of his past lives, a long time ago.
In her statement, Perez Valdivia called the advice “embarrassing and outrageous” and said it “excuses the abuser from any ‘appearance’ of misconduct that he may manifest.”
Sabrina
May 17, 2019
There is a change.org petition asking FPMT to take responsibility and conduct an independent investigation of widespread sexual molestation by high-ranking teachers within their organisation. Will the Tibetan leaders finally act on the crimes committed rather than sweep them under the carpet?
Sabine
May 17, 2019
Prominent Buddhist nuns issue statement calling FPMT to conduct an independent investigation after growing number of women have come out accusing FPMT teachers of sexual harassment and molestation.
According to reports from ex-FPMT members, sexual abuse is common in FPMT centres around the world.
The prominent nuns behind the statement are:
(1) Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, founder of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, India
(2) Bhiksuni Jampa Tsedroen, PhD University of Hamburg, Germany
(3) Bhikshuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo, PhD
Professor at the University of San Diego, USA, and founder of Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women
(4) Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, Abbess of Sravasti Abbey, USA
(5) Bhikshuni Sangye Khadro, FPMT teacher, USA
(6) Bhikshuni Tenzin Tsepal, FPMT teacher, USA
(7) Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi, FPMT teacher, USA
(8) Ghetzulma Carla Tzultrim Pemo Freccero, Italy
(9) Ghetzulma Lucia Tenzin Ciotzo Bani, Italy
(10) Venerable Tenzin Nordron, USA
Jing Jing
May 17, 2019
帕力仁波切这些真是佛教的败类和耻辱。最可恨的是做出这样的事情还大摇大摆、没有悔过之心、还若无其事的继续要在马来西亚举行开始。我不明白为什么FPMT和Lama Zopa早在10年前已经知道此事但却有意隐瞒、不止如此、还让帕立仁波切不断的继续他无耻的去性骚扰他的学生、甚至一个陌生女子、难道非要走到无可挽回的地步、才收手吗?
就算说帕立仁波切不是一个普通人、就算他是披萨、难道所有他要的女人都要无限的把自己供养给他吗?佛陀有4万八千法门、非要用非礼女人来度众生吗?那不如大家一个一个排队好、把非礼的动作当加持算了!光明正大不是更好吗?那男信众呢?佛法是平等的、为什么他们就没有得到帕立仁波切的加持呢?佛菩萨是无私的、怎么可以这样子呢?
大家被帕立仁波切摸过不该摸的地方之后就净化恶业功德无量!那为什么现在又终止帕立仁波切来马来西亚了呢?😆
JHT
May 21, 2019
这件事最可怕的地方,在于它让人对藏传佛教,或活佛,对藏传佛教所能带来的成就感到怀疑。如果一个能够控制自己的生死转世,一个所谓乘愿回来的修行者,竟然连那么一点小小的欲望都控制不到,他犯下的错误,竟然是比最普通不过的常人都还要低劣,那所谓的修行成就是什么,能给我们什么保障?能控制生死转世,不能控制性欲?这样颠倒的逻辑,让人不禁要怀疑,那个身份根本不是真的,再进一步去想,就变成转世根本不是真的。太可怕了。这难道就是《楞严经》里所谓的末法时期,邪师说法如恒河沙吗?
疑惑者
June 7, 2019
藏传佛教本来就充满神迹兼暧昧的色彩,本着密乘之名,大大合理化了许多不可说的秘密。加上西藏自古都是封建奴隶制,西藏许多农民都是文盲,因为信赖达赖而盲目跟从,所述历史很难让人相信,更让人对西藏佛法望而却步。学佛本就图个清静,如果要卷入这些纠纷中,倒不如完全不参与不介入来得更好。
Chuck
May 22, 2019
Disgusting. This is the example and tone that FPMT have set for their people, which is to EXCUSE SEXUAL ABUSE. Embarrassing that this Western organization allows their people to use cultural differences as a justification for abuse or a lack of reaction. This reaction is so illogical because:
(1) FPMT are Western-based so they should know how to react and that is, to not sweep it under the rug.
(2) The first victim is an Indian and Dagri spent most of his life in India so what cultural difference is there???
(3) Not to forget but it’s ILLEGAL to abuse women so the point on cultural differences is irrelevant. It’s ILLEGAL, plain and simple.
Really embarrassing that FPMT would go along with this. It’s not human, let alone Buddhist.
Genevieve
May 27, 2019
There is a new update from the FPMT and Lama Zopa just published (on 24 May) and it’s so sad that even now, neither FPMT and Lama Zopa are doing anything to take these allegations seriously. Quite the opposite, Lama Zopa is still protecting Dagri Rinpoche, still saying that he is “a holy being” and asking people to accept that him sexually molesting people is some form of divine act for the good of the victim.
Genevieve
May 27, 2019
Meanwhile, the FPMT is saying that Dagri Rinpoche is okay to be a teacher because the Office of the Dalai Lama said so.
Luckily, people today are not so easily fooled.
Ngawang Jigme
May 31, 2019
Unlike 5 years ago, Tibetan leader Lobsang Sangay is not invited to Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony this time. It is clear that PM Modi of India snubs the Tibetan leadership once again in favour of deeper ties with China. The Tibetan leadership finds itself increasingly isolated as nobody wants to offend China by lending any support to the ungrateful Tibetans.
Dagri #MeToo
May 31, 2019
Finally, Dagri is being brought to the court. The first hearing was done on 23rd May while the next hearing is scheduled for 12th June. I wonder if the FPMT is paying for his court case and if they will deny the law further by saying he is an emanation of some high being and settle it outside of court. I wish victim number 4 step forward to bring this case to the next level too!
Click here for the court case details https://services.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindia_v6/
CNR: HPKA120015502019
Gavin Kilty
June 2, 2019
Michael Richards has been caught saying Lama Zopa teaches “crap” !
See it at https://i.imgur.com/kpsvtFK.jpg
Peter Kedge
June 16, 2019
The Tibet Star video report is really accurate, it’s so clear that Dagri Rinpoche is trying to stall the court case by lying!
No one who is innocent will behave like that, he is surely guilty! I hope the Indian courts will serve the women he molested justice and put him in prison!
https://youtu.be/dgLyQb_0UR8
Xiao Fei
July 6, 2019
这个视频里: https://youtu.be/14Bb4I2FHX4,Jaki揭露了更多不为人知的事,譬如她在挺身而出后被FPMT黑名单,失去了翻译的工作;还有一些她认识的人险些被性侵的遭遇😞😥