Author Topic: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse  (Read 19817 times)

michaela

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2018, 04:03:16 PM »
Update on Sogyal case - The investigation result from Lewis Silkin law firm. So sad to see such a large Dharma center which has the potential to spread pure Dharma being tainted by such scandal.

https://whatnow727.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/lewis-silkin-report.pdf

PrajNa

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2018, 07:39:47 PM »
It is really evil that these monks don't follow their vows but abuse their students! Why is the CTA, who goes around banning Buddhist practices and creating endless problems for Dorje Shugden practitioners, not stopping such behaviour?

It seems that the CTA is not interested in the well-being of people but they have a hidden agenda and only act based on their own selfish interests.

This is so disgusting! Good that DorjeShugden.com informs everyone to be very mindful and to know that you have to check and not just blindly follow.

This CTA really has only their own interests in mind. They really should stop their fake show and hide somewhere where they hurt nobody!

This just shows clearly CTA's hidden agenda in enforcing the ban on Dorje Shugden. Why scrutinise the practice of a deity worship that was supposedly harmful to Tibet Cause, but not the lamas who are literally destroying the public's trust on Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan lamas? His Holiness the Dalai Lama worked so hard to promote Tibetan Buddhism, and now these lamas are enjoying and abusing the fruits of labour of His Holiness. Shame. 

Pema8

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2018, 03:16:58 AM »
New article on the sexually abuser - good that finally, they cannot hide anymore!

Why Tibetan Buddhism is facing up to its own abuse scandal

By Joe Shute 
9 SEPTEMBER 2018

The Rigpa centre on London's Caledonian Road contains all the traditional hallmarks one might expect with Tibetan Buddhism, a religion that over the past 30 years has exploded in popularity in the West.
Occupying centre stage is a golden Buddha statue, flanked on either side by ancient Tibetan scriptures. To many western minds, these are the symbols of the most peaceful of religions, a source of spiritual awakening and appealing counterpoint to modern life – and one that has largely escaped the scandal that has dogged other institutions.
Yet on Wednesday evening the London students of Rigpa, an international network with some 100 different centres across 40 countries, gathered here to watch the announcement of a damning new report detailing “serious physical, emotional and sexual abuse” by its founder and former spiritual leader, the famous Tibetan lama Sogyal Rinpoche.  

Last year the Telegraph published a series of allegations made by eight senior and long-standing current and former students against Sogyal, whose book The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying has sold more than three million copies around the world, making him the best known Tibetan Buddhist teacher after the Dalai Lama. 
The report, undertaken by the law firm Lewis Silkin to investigate the claims at the behest of Rigpa, confirms a shocking catalogue of physical, sexual and emotional abuse by Sogyal against students. It also concludes: “senior individuals within Rigpa were aware of at least some of these issues and failed to address them, leaving others at risk”. 
Yet such allegations of widespread abuse – and subsequent cover up – within the Tibetan Buddhist community is not restricted to Rigpa alone. 

In July, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the leader of the Shambhala Buddhist community – an organisation with more than 200 meditation centres globally – announced he would “step back from his administrative and teaching responsibilities” while allegations of sexual assault and misconduct are investigated. Other similar accusations are swirling around other centres elsewhere in Europe.
“There are huge cover ups in the Catholic church, but what has happened within Tibetan Buddhism is totally along the same lines,” says Mary Finnigan, an author and journalist who has been chronicling such alleged misdemeanours since the mid-80s and is a long-standing critic of Sogyal. 
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The rise and fall of Sogyal Rinpoche encapsulates many of the ongoing struggles of exported Tibetan Buddhism. His teachings offered the possible attainment of spiritual enlightenment in a single lifetime, in return for utter devotion. The student gives total obedience to the lama – a bond which, if broken, is believed to result in banishment to ‘vajra hell’, an infinity of unfortunate rebirths.
The report author Karen Baxter details widespread evidence that members of Sogyal’s inner circle – who catered for his every need, including providing massages as he fell asleep – were subjected to repeated acts of brutal violence. The lama’s wooden backscratcher was a favoured method for beating people, as was punching them in the stomach. Baxter says she has been provided with evidence of one individual being knocked unconscious, others being left bleeding and concussed. 
While the report could not find sufficient evidence to uphold some of the sexual abuse claims, including that Sogyal conducted relationships with girls under the age of 16, she does outline “significant” first-hand evidence of young women being coerced, manipulated and intimidated into providing sexual favours. 

One witness, a teenager who arrived at a Rigpa retreat seeking respite from depression and self-harm, was asked to strip a week after coming to work in the lama kitchen. When she refused, she alleges, she was beaten and then later forced into sex. 
Speaking to the Telegraph on the condition of anonymity one of the eight original complainants described how Sogyal “taught [us] to believe we were the problem, that we weren’t seeing purely.”
Another person who assisted the investigation described how victims’ “whole lives have fallen apart. The damage is huge.”
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Allegations against Sogyal Rinpoche have circulated privately for decades. In 1994, an American student using the legal pseudonym Janice Doe sued claiming he used his spiritual status to sexually and physically abuse her. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
The report reveals in 1992 a letter was also sent to the Dalai Lama highlighting concerns about Sogyal, but he only spoke out about them last year, describing him as “disgraced”. 
Sogyal retired as Rigpa’s spiritual director a few days afterwards and is now understood to be in Thailand receiving treatment for cancer. He declined to be interviewed for the report, and instead wrote a letter suggesting he did not intend to cause harm.

In her findings Karen Baxter described one of the unnamed Rigpa managers who assisted with the report as being “guarded, hostile and inconsistent”. Another senior member of the management team was described by the lawyer as “not prepared to hold Sogyal to account”.

A statement released on September 5 by Rigpa’s ‘vision board’ and all of its individual national boards stated “we feel deeply sorry and apologise for the hurt experienced by past and present members”. The organisation has also committed to act upon all of the report recommendations, which include disassociating from Sogyal as fully as possible and removing those in leadership tainted by the scandal.
The investigation has only relied on the UK’s civil standard of proof and it remains to be seen whether any criminal charges may ensue.

But the casualties of Sogyal Rinpoche’s so-called “crazy wisdom” are now plain to see.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/09/tibetan-buddhism-facing-abuse-scandal/

Rowntree

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2018, 07:34:01 PM »
Sogyal's negative karma comes back BIG time! He is such a disgrace of the dharma and Tibetan Buddhism! I am so disgusted with his behavior and how he spent other people's hard earned money to fulfill his desire. He enjoys woman and meat! His students went around telling people how holy and moderate he lives but in actual fact, he asked his student to buy the best part of the meat and he lives like kings with millions of cash for him to play around. He abuses his students and make them do the silliest act so-called to humiliate them but actually to vent his anger at them. He and Mipham etc. abuse the Rinpoche title and destroy the good name of Tibetan Buddhism. They should really pay off their negative karmas!

Rowntree

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #19 on: September 14, 2018, 07:58:41 PM »
More news on how the Dalai Lama supported the sexual abuse among his ranks by NOT doing anything about it. How come he allowed these so-called vajra masters get away with such disgraceful behaviors? Does he have no compassion for the victims who are abused?

Quote

The Dalai Lama is meeting victims of sexual abuse by Buddhist teachers during his visit to the Netherlands, broadcaster NOS reports.

The meeting comes in response to a request by twelve of the victims, three of whom are Dutch. They will be presenting written witness statements and are also going to hand over a petition asking for the abuse to be given wider attention in Buddhist circles.

It is the first time the spiritual leader talks to victims of sexual abuse by teachers, NOS said.

The Dalai Lama was ‘saddened’ by the reports and ‘has always condemned such irresponsible and unethical behaviour’, according to an email written by the Dalai Lama’s secretary Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa to the Dutch victims. Students should ‘name and shame’ teachers who persist, the secretary wrote.

Accusations of abuse by Buddhist teachers have not always handled in the same way, NOS states.

‘If we are feeling uneasy in the presence of a teacher it is best to distance oneself. Rather than talk to other students sharply or divisively it is best to softly move away’, NOS quotes the secretary’s earlier advice.[/li][/list]

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/09/dalai-lama-visiting-the-netherlands-gets-tough-with-abusers/

Tracy

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #20 on: September 15, 2018, 11:27:25 AM »
The CTA and the Dalai Lama are still endorsing these lamas who have sexually abused their students, this is unbelievable. Sexual abuse is a very heavy crime, the abusers should be brought to justice, why are they not? Why is the Dalai Lama still so close with these lamas?

The CTA applies 2 different standards when it comes to sex predators and Dorje Shugden followers. Dorje Shugden followers have not done anything damaging to the Tibetan community or Tibetan Buddhism. Just because the Dalai Lama had a dream and said Dorje Shugden is not good then a ban is imposed and the Dorje Shugden followers are discriminated against in the Tibetan community. These sex predators are damaging the Tibetan Buddhism, but no one in the CTA says anything about it, the Dalai Lama also did not say anything about it. Many people will start to lose faith in Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is a living Buddha, he has the ability to see what is happening, why is he not saying anything? He should know these lamas are harming people, why does he still want to be seen with them. I am actually very disappointed, I used to think the Dalai Lama is the most compassionate person in the world, it looks like I am wrong.

michaela

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #21 on: September 15, 2018, 05:12:05 PM »
Well just be fair, the CTA condemns Dorje Shugden for their religious belief, but for years, they said nothing about scandalous lamas such as Sogyal. We can see what is the CTA's priorities. The CTA is just using Shugden as a scapegoat to cover their many failures. What a shame!

Drolma

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2018, 07:56:00 PM »
It is very shocking that so many Tibetan Buddhist teachers are sexually abusing their students in the name of religion. In Tibetan Buddhism, guru devotion is very important for us to gain attainment. Guru devotion includes obeying what the guru says. But where to draw the line?

These Rinpoches are abusing the guru devotion to sexually abuse the students. They claim what they have requested the student to do is to help them progress in their spiritual path, it is to please the guru. Since many people are very new and ignorant to what guru devotion is, they will obey the guru until things are becoming too much and illogical.

The Dalai Lama has known about the sexual abuse cases many years ago but he ignores it and allows these Rinpoches to continue to abuse their students. What kind of compassion is this? So many lives are destroyed and they have made people lost their faith in the Dharma. As a spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama could have done more to protect and preserve the Buddha's teachings.

PrajNa

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2018, 09:45:25 PM »
These Rinpoches are abusing the guru devotion to sexually abuse the students. They claim what they have requested the student to do is to help them progress in their spiritual path, it is to please the guru. Since many people are very new and ignorant to what guru devotion is, they will obey the guru until things are becoming too much and illogical.

It is unfortunate that victims usually fall prey to the teachers/lamas because they think it was part of the spiritual path. The mysticism of Tibetan Buddhism also makes victims think that being a consort is something very special.

Recently, in China, the Abbot of Longquan Temple in Beijing was alleged to have coerced nuns into having sex, overseen illegal construction work and embezzled funds. It was big news in China. In a 95-page document submitted to Chinese authorities in July, two male monks at Beijing's Longquan Temple accused Shi Xuecheng of sexually harassing and assaulting multiple female nuns.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2018, 03:54:52 AM by Vajraprotector »

Tracy

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2018, 02:00:42 PM »
These Rinpoches are abusing the guru devotion to sexually abuse the students. They claim what they have requested the student to do is to help them progress in their spiritual path, it is to please the guru. Since many people are very new and ignorant to what guru devotion is, they will obey the guru until things are becoming too much and illogical.

It is unfortunate that victims usually fall prey to the teachers/lamas because they think it was part of the spiritual path. The mysticism of Tibetan Buddhism also makes victims think that being a consort is something very special.

Recently, in China, the Abbot of Longquan Temple in Beijing was alleged to have coerced nuns into having sex, overseen illegal construction work and embezzled funds. It was big news in China. However,
n a 95-page document submitted to Chinese authorities in July, two male monks at Beijing's Longquan Temple accused Shi Xuecheng of sexually harassing and assaulting multiple female nuns.

As what was prophecised, we are now in a degenerate time where the Buddhist practitioners are not as pure as before. People will use religion to gain person interest. In addition, people have wrong views on pure Buddha Dharma.

Just look at the CTA, they are also using religion to get what they want. The Dalai Lama to them is only a money making tool. If you have USD 1million, you will be able to sit beside the Dalai Lama. Why do you think the CTA cancelled the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Botswana but made him fly to Japan?

There are also 2 disgraceful monks who are supposed to study and spread Dharma but they don't. They take money from the CTA to spread lies and negative news to smear Dorje Shugden and Dorje Shugden practitioners. They are the Tibetan monk Lama Tseta and the German monk Tenzin Peljor.

Rowntree

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #25 on: November 29, 2018, 12:36:52 AM »
Imagine the Dalai Lama covering up for all these sex predators so there are donations to whatever he may need and for the CTA to corrupt. These sex predators are exposed and luckily there is karma so they stop what they are doing, like Sogyal Lakar, Sakyong Mipham, Gangten Tulku, Lama Norlha, Lama Choedak Rinpoche and Tenzin Dhonden. The Dalai Lama is now known to make friends with sexual cult such as NXIVM ‘Cult’ and praised its leader Keith Raniere who sexually abuse many women in exchange for millions of dollars.

I guess when there is politic involved, even the holy being cannot avoid from being corrupted and influenced also.

PrajNa

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #26 on: November 30, 2018, 03:59:53 AM »

As what was prophecised, we are now in a degenerate time where the Buddhist practitioners are not as pure as before. People will use religion to gain person interest. In addition, people have wrong views on pure Buddha Dharma.

Just look at the CTA, they are also using religion to get what they want. The Dalai Lama to them is only a money making tool. If you have USD 1million, you will be able to sit beside the Dalai Lama. Why do you think the CTA cancelled the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Botswana but made him fly to Japan?

There are also 2 disgraceful monks who are supposed to study and spread Dharma but they don't. They take money from the CTA to spread lies and negative news to smear Dorje Shugden and Dorje Shugden practitioners. They are the Tibetan monk Lama Tseta and the German monk Tenzin Peljor.

Yes, the fact is that for the Tibetan situation, in cases of Sogyal Lakar, it has been decades since there were complaints, but the Tibetan leadership did not take any action. It was RIGPA people who took action after so long. I wonder why? Perhaps they don't want to lose the cash cows of Sogyal's donation, as well as Sogyal's students' (westerners') donation? Or it could be simply that Central Tibetan Administration has no power over these lamas.

Rowntree

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #27 on: December 25, 2018, 04:51:35 AM »
What is touching is that Rigpa in Australia, for example, continue to protect and preserve the dharma without Sogyal Lakar. They listed rules and regulations, constitutions and etc. on how to move forward themselves. I can't find the news at the moment. If anyone manages to find, please share here. It is a good example of true dharma practitioner and correct exercise of The Four Reliances:

1) Rely on the message of the teacher, not on his personality;

2) Rely on the meaning, not just on the words;

3) Rely on the real meaning, not on the provisional one;

4) Rely on your wisdom mind, not on your ordinary, judgmental mind.

Alex

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #28 on: January 01, 2019, 07:18:01 PM »

As what was prophecised, we are now in a degenerate time where the Buddhist practitioners are not as pure as before. People will use religion to gain person interest. In addition, people have wrong views on pure Buddha Dharma.

Just look at the CTA, they are also using religion to get what they want. The Dalai Lama to them is only a money making tool. If you have USD 1million, you will be able to sit beside the Dalai Lama. Why do you think the CTA cancelled the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Botswana but made him fly to Japan?

There are also 2 disgraceful monks who are supposed to study and spread Dharma but they don't. They take money from the CTA to spread lies and negative news to smear Dorje Shugden and Dorje Shugden practitioners. They are the Tibetan monk Lama Tseta and the German monk Tenzin Peljor.

Yes, the fact is that for the Tibetan situation, in cases of Sogyal Lakar, it has been decades since there were complaints, but the Tibetan leadership did not take any action. It was RIGPA people who took action after so long. I wonder why? Perhaps they don't want to lose the cash cows of Sogyal's donation, as well as Sogyal's students' (westerners') donation? Or it could be simply that Central Tibetan Administration has no power over these lamas.

This is a shame to CTA. CTA is supposed to assist His Holiness the Dalai Lama in overseeing the Tibetan lama's and to make sure that no one brings a bad name to Tibetan Buddhism. However, Sogyal's nasty behaviour has bee rumoured to be true for decades and they did not take any action to investigate the authenticity of those claims.

It is obvious that they just brush it aside, most probably because they are getting fundings from this lama. CTA is known to be very money orientated and anyone can get away with anything as long as they can provide them with donations. That is why Sogyal's case was dragged so long until finally, Rigpa decided to take the matter into their own hands. CTA is the one supposedly should have done something to reprimand Sogyal and protect the public.

Even know after Sogyal has resigned and gone into hiding, CTA still have not sent out an official announcement regarding Sogyal's case to warn the public on the evil deeds of this Tibetan Lama so that everyone can be on alert if another Tibetan Lama decided to do the same evil deed. This shows that whatever Sogyal has done to his students and how much of bad name he has brought to Tibetan Buddhism did not affect CTA at all. They are totally not bothered by it and that is why they did not carry out any follow-up actions on Sogyal's case.

Rowntree

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Re: Tibetan Buddhist lamas who sexually abuse
« Reply #29 on: January 03, 2019, 01:53:24 PM »
The CTA likes samsara because that matches their greediness for money. All they want is money. They are seasoned Dalai Lama seller, so their focus is to give these sex predators favours by sending the Dalai Lama to their centres and take lots of pictures. In exchange, they get lots of money. This is why they keep quiet. They will not get any money if they expose those sexual predators.

I agree with what you said Rowntree but what's really puzzling is all this disgusting criminal activity can go on with all these lamas and the CTA does not say a damn thing. This goes to show their outward biasness and discrimination towards anything or everything the Shugden lamas and practitioners do. And probably because these Lamas are wealthy and also supports them like Sogyal and of course, because they tow the line for not practising Shugden. So in the end whether you are really acting against the law or not, you do not have to worry if you follow whatever the Dalai Lama says and do. And everyone follow the Dalai Lama simply because he is a famous, celebrity monk which the media have portrayed very well as a peacemaker, although in reality, it is not so.

I wonder when will the Dalai Lama stop talking about Dorje Shugden and start uniting his people and mend the wounds, hopefully when he goes to China and before he passed? Will he say anything when he is in China's Tibet? That is something we have to really watch out for!