The End of Tenzin Peljor and the FPMT’s Unholy Love Affair

Tenzin Peljor, also known as Tenpel, was recently expelled from an event celebrating the Dalai Lama’s birthday. It was being held at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK) where Tenpel was hiding out to escape lawsuits in Germany. ILTK is a branch of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) which, in spite of its founder’s reliance on Dorje Shugden, has in the last two decades been vitriolic and vehement in its attack and suppression of Dorje Shugden practitioners. Tenpel, who was paid by the Tibetan leadership to do similar things, was hiding out with them until recently.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].

By: Shashi Kei

Anyone who is familiar with the sufferings of Dorje Shugden Buddhists due to the Tibetan leadership’s unlawful and immoral religious ban, will be aware of the name Tenzin Peljor, otherwise more commonly known as Tenpel. Tenpel is known by a few other names such as Michael Jäckel and Mick Jackman, and this is not taking into consideration his many fake and anonymous social media names such as Newqinni (Newqn) which he uses to make bogus and disparaging comments on various online sites, set up to specifically attack Dorje Shugden practitioners. Tenpel also uses these fake accounts to create dialogue in the comment section of his own blog posts, to give the impression that there is interest in what he has to say and to steer public discussion in a particular way.

Snake in the grass

While genuine and sincere Buddhist monks occupy themselves with studies, debates, meditation, contemplation and practices, serving their teachers and monasteries, teaching, writing, working the fields and in kitchens, up-keeping their teachers’ households, and finding means and sponsorship to pay the monastery expenses, Tenpel has gained notoriety for operating a blog that targets Buddhist teachers and centers with harsh and disparaging remarks aimed at discrediting them and undermining their works. Tenpel himself has no Dharma center nor does he teach or publish books or undertake anything that uplifts the Dharma.

That a Buddhist monk should focus on such a destructive vocation speaks volumes of Tenpel’s character and calls into question the authenticity of his monkhood. Tenpel dedicates himself to being a character assassin, engaging in agitprop which he learned when he was in the now defunct East German Communist army. Over time Tenpel honed his skills in disinformation campaigns and offensive propaganda. While this is not considered right livelihood or proper conduct for a monk, after a while it became clear even to Tenpel that this would be his only way of getting recognition, some semblance of respect, and how he would stand out. Given the high calibre of scholarship that the Gelugpa is known for, Tenpel must have been painfully aware that he doesn’t stand a chance to shine even remotely. After all, with the opinion of many people Tenpel’s sole motivation in blogging, being a paid informant of the CTA, being pro-Dalai Lama, and creating many blogs was in order to be recognized as some sort of Buddhist teacher-scholar and basically to bring attention to someone whose life has amounted to nothing. Sadly, Tenpel has not accomplished much in his life and has hopscotched from one lama and tradition to another finding fault in them where there were none. This shows his unstable character and his demoralizing hard-work towards fame and recognition. True that Tenpel’s aspirations are not very monkly at all, hence he has lost much support at least in the internet domain. Still, his unsavory trade is useful to the politically-motivated segments within Tibetan Buddhism who seek ways to advance their personal agendas.

Tenpel was hired to engage in a campaign of fear and intimidation against Dorje Shugden practitioners. At one point, he was caught photographing Dorje Shugden protestors. These photographs later ended up on the CTA’s hit list of protestors so that Tibetans knew who to violently target as revenge for these individuals protesting against the ban. This was a clear violation of the protestors’ rights to privacy, and to freedom of thought, expression, assembly and religious practice.

And so when the Dalai Lama’s Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) launched its persecution of Dorje Shugden Buddhists, Tenpel readily availed himself to Lobsang Sangay and Dhardon Sharling, the then-Secretary of the CTA’s Department of Information and International Relations which is charged with delivering their propaganda. Acting as a CTA operative, Tenpel was engaged to destroy the reputation of Dorje Shugden lamas and practitioners. This move was vital to the CTA since there was never any basis for the ancient practice of Dorje Shugden to be banned. Hence the CTA needed Tenpel to create a propaganda campaign similar to that which allowed the US to invade Iraq, depose Saddam Hussein and take over the country. The plot Tenpel executed to demonize Dorje Shugden by accusing Shugden Buddhists to be anti-Buddhist Chinese agents, is akin to the US campaign that misled the world into believing that Iraq was manufacturing weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This in turn legitimized American aggression against another sovereign nation. By the time the truth became known, Saddam Hussein was already dead and Iraq lay in ruins, under the control of its annexer, the United States of America.

As part of his tactic, Tenpel recruited ex-members of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) who were disgruntled for one reason or another with their previous teachers and Dharma centers. A host of social media sites were formed, under the cloak of anonymity to spread false information about Dorje Shugden. Tenpel was partially successful in his endeavors, aided by the CTA that paved the way for him to form a casual connection with the Dalai Lama’s Office, sufficient as an incentive for Tenpel to recruit a crew and teams of social media trolls to ignore laws governing religious freedom, and defame and demonize members of another faith.

Tenpel is particularly interested in leveraging those with deep-seated resentment due to unresolved personal issues and harnessing that resentment against Dorje Shugden. But clearly, Tenpel does not feel that he owes these minions even the most basic ounce of allegiance and has been known to expose them voluntarily in order to save himself. One clear example was when he very quickly gave up one of his recruits, a Lobsang Nyima, when the forensic trail got too close to him.

An unholy alliance

Lama Olé Nydahl with His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje. Lama Olé launched defamations suit against Tenzin Peljor, who fled to Italy instead of remaining in Germany to defend the statements he had made about Lama Olé. Hardly the actions of an innocent man.

Tenpel has not limited his slandering of Buddhist lamas to Dorje Shugden practitioners. In 2018, Tenpel pushed his luck too far when he defamed a Kagyu lama, Lama Olé Nydahl. Tenpel was slapped with defamation suits but instead of staying to defend himself (as one would if they believed their criticisms of another person had basis), he fled to Italy instead. Tenpel was offered sanctuary by the Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK), which is a branch of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) headed by Lama Zopa.

The FPMT is one of the main protagonists of the Dalai Lama and CTA’s persecutions of Dorje Shugden Buddhists. It is also the base of Dagri Rinpoche, an FPMT figurehead who has recently been arrested and charged for a sex offense, and is currently being prosecuted by the Indian government. He is also the subject of multiple accusations for having sexually molested ordained nuns against their will. Dagri Rinpoche is also attached to the Dalai Lama’s Office and is a useful link between the FPMT and the Dalai Lama.

Like Tenpel, FPMT carries out the CTA’s attacks on Dorje Shugden followers. Therefore it is not surprising that FPMT would harbor Tenpel when he is avoiding the reach of the law and justice. Quite ironically, Lama Yeshe, one of the most steadfast Dorje Shugden monks in modern history, founded FPMT. However, after Lama Yeshe’s passing, FPMT quickly abandoned its own spiritual roots to become the main apologist for the Dalai Lama’s religious politics. In Tibetan Buddhist circles, it is well-known that willingness to become an instrument of the Dalai Lama’s political objectives is the fastest way to achieve acclaim for those who regard Buddhism as a trade.

However, hiding out in the ILTK did not help Tenpel in the end. Lama Olé Nydahl’s lawyers managed to secure court injunctions compelling Tenpel to respond to the legal suits at which point, Tenpel swiftly instructed his lawyers to negotiate a settlement. Surely, this is not indicative of someone who believes in what he writes and the allegations he makes in his blog posts against innocent victims of his character assassinations. Tenpel’s cowardice in running away to Italy and then quickly seeking a settlement with Lama Olé raises questions about the legitimacy of the many claims he makes on his blog.

It was recently discovered that FPMT has been involved in the cover-up of Dagri’s sexual offenses for a decade. Now, FPMT’s treatment of Tenpel has pushed observers to comment that FPMT is like a cult, expelling members who dare question what is happening within the organization. Click to enlarge.

Then there is FPMT that has demonstrated its lack of hesitation in shielding and protecting the corrupt and the immoral. Instead of making sure that a confirmed sex offender like Dagri Rinpoche is exposed so that innocent people are not harmed, FPMT defends his sexual abuses and justifies them as the actions of a high being. In fact, FPMT have known about his abuse for as long as a decade but rather than ban him from their organization, they have instead promoted him all over the world, encouraging FPMT branches to invite him to their centers, thereby exposing him to more potential victims. In addition, FPMT has shamelessly gagged any discussions about Dagri and calls for him to be investigated.

Showing true colors

Instead of making sure that justice is done for those who have been harmed by Tenpel’s malicious lies, FPMT offers him shelter. While this may be shocking, it should not be – if FPMT can promote a recognized sex offender like Dagri, is their protection of Tenpel all that surprising? Similarly, it is not shocking given how FPMT has had no qualms dishonoring their own spiritual father, Lama Yeshe, by disowning his practice of Dorje Shugden. However, with such an unholy alliance, it was only a matter of time before such depraved collusion unraveled and it happened when Tenpel was forced to take a stance on the Dagri issue.

Not even his employer Lobsang Sangay’s presence at ILTK’s celebrations for the Dalai Lama’s birthday was enough to save Tenpel from being publicly expelled from the event.

Tenpel has portrayed himself as a self-appointed Buddhist police. As such it would be incongruous with the image he has created of himself if he had remained silent on Dagri’s sexual abuses, especially when there are such vibrant discussions on the social media. On the other hand, to take a stance against Dagri is tantamount to biting the hand that has been feeding him, which is FPMT. Remaining true to his disloyal nature and choosing to protect the image he has shaped over the years over his supposed “spiritual home”, Tenpel hosted a petition calling for Dagri to be investigated on his infamous blog. Over and over again, he has contacted and rallied various Buddhist teachers and personalities to sign and support the petition against FPMT, which he then gleefully announces.

A senior FPMT member Fabrizio Pallotti has been one of Dagri Rinpoche’s most staunch defenders, claiming that news of Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual abuse has been fabricated (although Dagri Rinpoche has already been arrested and charged by Indian police). It has been claimed that it was Pallotti who masterminded the humiliation and expulsion of Tenpel.

The Dagri episode proved to be the point of polarity between Tenpel’s egocentricity and FPMT’s self-interest, and so FPMT decided to punish him. During recent celebrations of the Dalai Lama’s 84th birthday held at the ILTK, Tenpel was already seated when he was unceremoniously ejected from the assembly, causing him great embarrassment especially given the fact that among the VIPs was Lobsang Sangay whom Tenpel had gone to great lengths to impress. In the words of an FPMT old guard, the episode was intended to be a public humiliation of Tenpel and to send a message that he was no longer welcome at the ILTK. A letter from the manager of Takden Shedrub Dargye Ling, the residence for monks attending courses at ILTK, has surfaced confirming that he has not met the requirements of ILTK’s Masters program he was enrolled into. The same letter also reveals that Tenpel used his supposed studies as a front for his subterfuge work and justification to claim free board and lodging from the ILTK. The fact his expulsion came at the hands of FPMT’s senior members makes it difficult for Tenpel to ever be welcomed back in FPMT again. Unless FPMT finds his skills in vice activities to be useful again, then he will be invited back which could be soon! Basically he’s been humiliated and it shows FPMT’s true feelings towards Tenpel. 

Letter addressed to Tenzin Peljor, asking him to leave the facility as he has failed to meet the requirements of the ILTK Masters program and has been taking advantage of their institution for more than a year and a half. It also mentions that his blog and online activities have created disharmony in the community.

It has been said that Tenpel’s humiliation was masterminded by the disrobed former monk Fabrizio Pallotti. Pallotti plotted and planned with another senior FPMT member, Massimo Corona who now claims to be regretful of his actions and places responsibility for the incident squarely on Pallotti’s shoulders. So much for loyalty. Regardless of Corona’s excuses and apologies, the fact remains that he still participated in the very public expulsion of Tenpel. Interestingly, Pallotti has been one of Dagri Rinpoche’s more vocal defenders online; despite Dagri Rinpoche already in appearing in court, Pallotti continues to claim that he is innocent and all of the charges against him are made up. That is to say, Pallotti is complicit in and involved with the cover-up of Dagri’s abuse of FPMT members, and therein lies the source of his conflict with Tenpel and his petition.

Tenpel’s treatment by the old guards of FPMT is a slap to his face. It is confirmation that the Tibetan Buddhist establishment does not hold him in high regard nor does he have very much power or standing anywhere. It is also an attestation to the fact that Tenpel does not even remotely come close to being in the shadows of the CTA or the Dalai Lama’s inner circles despite having carried out the most vicious attacks on Shugden lamas at the behest of the Tibetan leaders. To them, he was simply a paid mercenary who is now isolated and abandoned; even the presence of his employer, Lobsang Sangay, was not enough to prevent his humiliating expulsion.

Sean Jones refers to the current FPMT leadership as “Buddhist Taliban”, saying they suppress anyone who dares to think, act, do or say differently from the organization’s leaders. Many years ago, the same label was directed at Dorje Shugden practitioners in an unfounded attempt to paint them as violent and archaic. How ironic that FPMT, whose members were very vocal in supporting the suppression of Shugden practitioners, is now being accused of similar behavior. Click to enlarge.

Ironically, this is the same situation he has forced many innocent Dorje Shugden followers into when he falsely charged them to be anti-Dharma, anti-Dalai Lama, anti-Tibetan cause and, on top of that, paid Chinese agents. As for FPMT, they have shown their true colors. That they would rather expel someone calling for an investigation into Dagri, rather than initiate it to protect Dagri’s victims, clearly indicates the distinct lack of spirituality, compassion or wisdom at the highest levels. Nor is the FPMT known for its gratitude; they have been known to cold shoulder generous sponsors such as Sean Jones Esq who not only aided the organization financially when it needed help but was also an effective member of the Directorship who pushed for the FPMT to be run professionally and ethically. Their actions have prompted members of the public to comment that FPMT is an intolerant cult, with an ex-FPMT director even referring to it as being the Buddhist Taliban, the exact label forced upon Dorje Shugden worshipers by the sycophants of the Tibetan leadership.

And so after decades of collaborating to harangue, harass, berate, discriminate and persecute other people on the basis of their faith, it seems karma is finally catching up, seeing an end to the unholy love affair that is Tenpel and FPMT.

MEDIA

It was announced on Facebook by Sean Jones, a senior member of FPMT, that Tenzin Peljor had been expelled from the pujas celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.

Sean Jones, a senior student at FPMT, writes that a monk was expelled from the Masters program at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy. Click to enlarge.

Senior FPMT member Sean Jones calls the current FPMT leadership “the Buddhist Taliban”. In this screenshot, more details are also given about the public humiliation of Tenzin Peljor, including who was involved in enforcing the expulsion. Click to enlarge.