Buddhist hate group unable to defend sexual abuser Dagri Rinpoche

The Buddhist hate group the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM) has been heavily criticized for remaining silent in the wake of the Dagri Rinpoche sex scandal

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].

Dear DS.com,

I am from Malaysia. I don’t practice Dorje Shugden but I have come to your site a few times and found that your articles are very educational and (surprisingly) unbiased. In Malaysia, there’s been an issue recently regarding a molesting monk named Dagri Rinpoche who was being invited by FPMT’s Losang Dragpa Center and co-marketed by the so-called Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM).

In case you don’t know, this Vajrayana Buddhist Council or VBCM is a tiny splinter group in Malaysia who basically like to take pictures with the Dalai Lama. They offer small donations and take pictures with him, and then come back to Malaysia to try and be the authority of all Tibetan Buddhists here. Their work never takes off and their facilities are very small. They basically have nothing to show for their work. If you go to their Facebook page, there’s very little interaction. I myself don’t post there or get involved but I was looking for information in Malaysia on the sex scandal monk Dagri Rinpoche and VBCM’s Facebook page came up.

So I went in there and started reading, and that’s when I found the exchange between VBCM’s Nicole Sia and another commentator. It’s very interesting so I thought I’d submit this to you, because it seems that your portal is carrying news on Dagri Rinpoche.

By the way, I find the news about him absolutely disgusting and shocking. The full extent of the law should come down on him. I hope you will post all of these items here for the benefit of sharing information on this Dagri Rinpoche. If you decide not to post it, no hard feelings.

James Lim

By: James Lim

EDITOR’S NOTE: The comment exchange below originally took place on the Facebook Fanpage of the Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM). As the article submitter James Lim explains, the VBCM are a small group of lay people based in Malaysia who persistently attempt to position themselves as their country’s Buddhist police, although their self-appointment has never been recognized, funded nor supported by any Malaysian government department. Few centers in Malaysia support the VBCM, both online and offline, as evidenced by the lack of activity on their Facebook page.

In the wake of the Dagri Rinpoche scandal, VBCM shared letters issued by their co-conspirator, FPMT Malaysia’s Losang Dragpa Centre and Dagri Rinpoche himself. In response, Alison Ong commented to express disappointment in their reactions. She described especially the shortcomings of Lama Zopa’s statement and questioned his whitewashing of the abuses committed by Dagri Rinpoche, using Dharma to cover up Dagri Rinpoche’s despicable actions. Alison’s comment led to a heated response from Nicole Sia, a member of the VBCM.

What is unusual is that no official response has been issued by the VBCM regarding Dagri Rinpoche’s abuses. VBCM have traditionally been extremely discriminatory towards others, using every opportunity to impose their self-righteous judgement on other lamas and centers, but in this Dagri incident where he has been found to sexually assault women, VBCM have been silent. Although Dagri Rinpoche was even arrested by the Indian police, the VBCM have not spoken up against Dagri Rinpoche nor the FPMT who covered it up for 10 years.

The original comment exchange below may be found on VBCM’s Facebook Fanpage but please be aware that the VBCM has a long history of deleting or hiding posts because they do not believe in speaking the truth: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335 For this reason, we have reproduced the entirety of the comment exchanges below, inclusive of a screenshot.

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?

Dagri Rinpoche (right) is frequently pictured with Lama Zopa, thereby giving Dagri Rinpoche some credibility within FPMT and therefore access to more victims he can sexually abuse.

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

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?

Nicole Sia Mei Yee, a VBCM member who uses language like “you know nuts” when chastizing other people online for not being Buddhist enough according to her estimation.

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.

VBCM is a small group of laypeople in Malaysia who persistently attempt to position themselves as their country’s Buddhist police, although their self-appointment has never been recognized, funded nor sponsored by any Malaysian government department.

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.

Alison subsequently 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.

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.

Instead of spending the last 30-40 years in a monastery studying the Dharma, VBCM Committee member Pek Chee Hen has spent it on worldly pursuits. Yet he presumes to tell ordained monks and nuns what they can and cannot do. VBCM recently tried to cover their endorsement of the Malaysian sex monk Shi Zhao Liang who has been arrested. They have a habit of endorsing monks and teachers who they never thoroughly check out. Most recently Pek Chee Hen and his VBCM group endorsed as a special guest to Wesak Day 2019, the Tibetan sex monk Dagri Rinpoche. Dagri Rinpoche has been molesting women for decades and was reported to FPMT and the Dalai Lama’s Office. Both places did nothing. In fact FPMT continue to send Dagri Rinpoche to their various centers to teach, endangering more women. Now Dagri Rinpoche has been finally suspended from FPMT’s teacher’s list. They have finally caved into public pressure and shaming.

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.

Shi Zhao Liang, the Malaysian ‘monk’ who was arrested for the sexual assault of young boys for the last decade

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.

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.

Ms. Tee Siew Seet, a long-time committee member of the VBCM who hides behind other VBCM members, relying on them to do her dirty work of criticizing and discriminating against other lamas and centers. She has been on the committee of VBCM since the first day of their inception. She insists on being their committee and does not allow new people into the ‘top’ posts in their small ‘council’. She enjoys taking pictures with the Dalai Lama and then posting these on social media to gain the ‘authority’ to tell other centres in Malaysia what to do. She likes to infer she is in the Dalai Lama’s good books and therefore has the right to dictate what other Tibetan Buddhism-based centres in Malayisa can and cannot do. She has very little knowledge of Buddhism but it is said by the Buddhist circuit that she enjoys the power.

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?

The Dalai Lama takes photos with thousands of people every year. Just because someone has had their photograph taken with the Dalai Lama, does not make them an authority on Buddhism. VBCM flashing their photograph with the Dalai Lama is exploitative, and it abuses the Malaysian public’s good will and unfamiliarity with Tibetan Buddhist customs in order to make themselves (VBCM) appear as a Buddhist authority. In reality, the VBCM are not qualified to be such an authority nor are they recognized, funded or sponsored by any Malaysian government department.

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.

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.

FPMT’s Malaysian branch Losang Dragpa Center (LDC) invited Dagri Rinpoche to officiate their 2019 Wesak Day program, encouraging members of the public to be exposed to this sexual offender and therefore endangering their safety. Many on social media protested his visit, writing comments on LDC’s Facebook page which they hid. LDC has recently accepted Dagri Rinpoche cancelling his trip to conduct Wesak Day 2019 in Malaysia. Public opinion and exposing him to be a Tibetan sex monk has sent him into hiding. Three victims have come out to speak against Dagri Rinpoche who was arrested and released on bail. LDC has lost much of their reputation due to their negligent handling of this sex monk who is a danger and menace to society. LDC tried their best to cover this situation and when people called them, they did not pick up the phone or hung up on people.

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.

Lama Zopa’s statement regarding the sexual offences of Dagri Rinpoche were widely derided online, and denounced as tone deaf, out of touch and lacking compassion and understanding for the victims’ experiences. It is clear that Lama Zopa knew of Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual offences against women but kept sending him to various centers of their organization. Many have spoken out against Lama Zopa and his insensitive message to the students of Dagri Rinpoche who are very disillusioned, and for him failing to reaching out to 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.

Bottom line is VBCM has no right to tell us what lamas and practices are good or bad because they have no basis and no qualifications and they should keep quiet. Even when a lama like Dagri is bad, they have the chance to exercise their councilship but they do not. Shame. Their motivation is not genuine, that is why they don’t speak up when necessary. No one respects the VBCM and it is reflected in the lack of support in person and online.

We will keep speaking up and we will keep sharing our opinions with the public after we do thorough research always. We are simply the concerned public who do not want more women being abused in the name of religion. We know how that feels.

Also, do you want to take a chance and leave your daughters and sisters with Dagri in a room? I wouldn’t!

CC
H.H. the Dalai Lama
FPMT/Lama Zopa
All Malaysian Buddhist centers
Religous department of Tibetans in Dharamsala
Buddhist Scholars
Malaysian government
Media
Buddhist forums
Monasteries in India and Nepal
Dharma centers around the world

The news on Dagri Rinpoche’s sexual molestation is big, and growing bigger still, all around the world.

Dagri Rinpoche’s teachings around the world are being cancelled: https://www.facebook.com/carol.mcquire/posts/10161953935340145?comment_id=10161954361765145

 

Links to news talking about this issue:

1. https://www.tibetsun.com/news/2019/05/08/tibetan-lama-dagri-rinpoche-faces-me-too-allegations
2. http://www.tibetanjournal.com/senior-tibetan-lama-faces-allegations-of-sexual-assault/
3. https://medium.com/@alexandernazzarro/dalai-lama-offices-dagri-rinpoche-molests-women-cb3c5f8f1b1a
4. https://hindi.news18.com/news/himachal-pradesh/dharamsala-women-molested-in-delhi-to-kangra-filght-old-men-arrested-hpvk-1953835.html
5. https://www.jagran.com/himachal-pradesh/kangra-tibbati-man-tease-with-women-in-delhi-kangra-plane-19191754.html
6. https://news.raftaar.in/kangra-crime-news-state-tibbati-tease-with-women-teasing-plane-%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%86-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%9B%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%9B%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC/detail/ec9e4e49c2ba67cd2459f42005974c12
7. https://www.amarujala.com/shimla/crime/molestation-with-female-passenger-in-delhi-kangra-flight
8. https://www.bhaskar.com/himachal-chandigarh/shimla/news/30-year-old-woman-accused-65-year-old-man-for-molesting-her-in-air-india-flight-01537189.html
9. https://www.facebook.com/palden.gyalpo.5/posts/680924665671499
10. http://bangchen.net/42968/22/58/
11. http://tibetexpress.net/10307/second-woman-alleges-molestation-by-dagri-rinpoche/
12. https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/myanmar-journalists-freed/
13. http://timesasian.com/archives/6801
14. http://timesasian.com/archives/6838
15. http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=41433&t=1
16. https://www.lionsroar.com/prominent-tibetan-lama-accused-of-molestation-by-two-women/
17. https://himachalabhiabhi.com/latest-news/dagri-rinpoche-denies-sexual-assaults-allegations.html
18. https://thetibetstar.com/2019/05/13/breaking-news-is-dagri-rinpoche-guilty/
19. https://www.tibetwebsite.com/prominent-tibetan-lama-accused-of-molestation-by-three-women/
20. https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/tibetan-lama-dagri-rinpoche-suspended-from-teaching-after-molestation-allegations
21. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/tibetan-monk-in-eye-of-metoo-storm/770574.html

ORIGINAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN
ALISON ONG AND NICOLE SIA

Click to enlarge (Source: https://www.facebook.com/ONEvbcm/posts/10156597455989335)