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About Dorje Shugden => General Discussion => Topic started by: Pema8 on July 01, 2018, 08:33:17 AM

Title: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Pema8 on July 01, 2018, 08:33:17 AM
Again, a public apology for sexual assault!

"Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is the latest in a string of Tibetan Buddhist lamas linked to allegations of sexual misconduct. Sakyong Mipham recently made a public apology for sexually assaulting three of his female students and engaging in coercive sexual relationships with others."

The CTA is well-known to publish much against Dorje Shugden practitioners, restricts our freedom and well-being and much money is used to abuse their power against religious freedom. But what does the CTA do against the numerous sex crimes?
How does the CTA protect everyone from such harm?

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/crime-is-fine-as-long-as-you-are-endorsed-by-the-dalai-lama/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/crime-is-fine-as-long-as-you-are-endorsed-by-the-dalai-lama/)
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Pema8 on July 01, 2018, 08:44:55 AM
Quote
"A prominent Tibetan Buddhist leader based in Halifax, Canada, sexually assaulted three of his female students and engaged in coercive sexual relationships with others, according to a report released Thursday by the advocacy group Buddhist Project Sunshine.

Sakyong Mipham, whose legal name is Osel R. Mukpo, leads a global network of meditation centers called Shambhala International. The report includes two accounts by women who say Mipham sexually assaulted them and one by a woman who says he engaged in an emotionally abusive sexual relationship with her. Other women’s accounts are summarized in an appendix to the report.

Carol Merchasin, the lead investigator for the report and a retired employment lawyer, also spoke to a woman who says she personally overheard Shambala leadership discussing how to cover up an allegation of rape by Mipham. The report does not probe the rape claim, which it calls “second or third hand at best,” citing a lack of evidence.

In a letter to Shambhala members on Monday, Mipham acknowledged what he called “relationships” with women in the organization, but he stopped short of admitting any sexual misconduct.

“I have recently learned that some of these women have shared experiences of feeling harmed as a result of these relationships,” Mipham wrote. “I am now making a public apology.”

The Kalapa Council, a governing body appointed by Mipham, issued a second letter to Shambhala members late Wednesday, ahead of the report’s publication Thursday morning. It stopped short of acknowledging any specific wrongdoing and reiterated the council’s support for Mipham.

“Our lineage is led by human [teachers],” the council said. “They have offered us profound teachings, and as humans they can cause harm.”

“As well [as] caring for the victims, our hearts are also with the Sakyong… as we navigate this challenging time,” the letter continued.

The council’s letter said Shambala was working with An Olive Branch, a Buddhist consulting organization that purports to help “leaders understand the role of conflict in organizational health.”

There are two women on the nine-person council. One man on the council, Mitchell Levy, recused himself from signing the letter, citing unspecified “allegations against me on social media.”

Neither Mipham nor the Kalapa Council immediately returned ThinkProgress’ requests for comment.

One woman featured in the report, who also spoke with ThinkProgress, described an incident in 2011 where she said Mipham lifted up her skirt, groped her breasts, and began kissing her in the kitchen of his home in Halifax after a drunken birthday party for his one-year-old daughter.

The woman said she was taken aback by the behavior of her spiritual mentor, whom she had always tried to see as the Buddha himself — a common Tibetan Buddhist religious practice.

“It was gross. It was disgusting. I think I was just so shocked,” she told ThinkProgress. “I think I thought I was supposed to be doing this.”

The woman asked the remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal.

Another woman featured in the report described Mipham’s personal attendants calling her to his room late one night after a teaching. When she got there, the woman said, Mipham was dressed only in a bathrobe. After he began kissing and undressing her, she told him they couldn’t have sex.

“Well you might as well finish this,” Mipham allegedly responded while pushing her head toward his penis.

“I was so embarrassed and horrified I did it,” the woman said in the report. “He rolled over in bed and didn’t say another word to me.”

The allegations come after another report by Buddhist Project Sunshine in February alleged a pattern of sexual misconduct within the organization, including child sex abuse by some of its members.

In the wake of that report, the Kalapa Council announced measures aimed at addressing sexual misconduct, including the formation of a Sexual Harm and Misconduct Task Force.

The new allegations against Mipham are likely to hit the community hard. Tibetan Buddhism places a premium on the relationship between student and teacher, and some of the tradition’s most beloved stories involve teachers going to extreme lengths to shock their students into enlightenment.

Many contemporary teachers warn that those stories can be taken out of context and that students shouldn’t hesitate to point out when their teachers are hurting others. Other teachers, however, revel in a side of the tradition that has often eschewed conventional mores.

Chogyam Trungpa, Mipham’s father and the founder of Shambhala, was famous for raucous parties, drinking heavily, and sleeping with his students. The organization has cultivated a tamer image under Mipham’s leadership, but it still portrays him as a king at the center of the “enlightened society” it says that it’s building. Attendants wait on Mipham like royalty, and his home in Halifax is called the Kalapa Court. His Tibetan title, sakyong, translates to “earth protector.”

For one of the women who says Mipham assaulted her, that lofty view of his place in the world made it almost impossible to come forward.

“If you contest anything he says, you’re wrong, because there’s such a hierarchy,” she told ThinkProgress. “He’s a king. Literally, he’s a king.”

Do you have information about sexual misconduct in Shambhala or another religious organization? Contact reporter Joshua Eaton by email at [email protected] or by Signal at 202–684–1030."


https://thinkprogress.org/buddhist-leader-sexually-assaulted-students-report-finds-0d08e17cedd9/

Picture:
Sakyong Mipham, left, The Leader of Shambhala International, presents the Dalai Lama with the Living Peace Award at Shambhala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lake, Colorado, in August 2010.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 01, 2018, 02:49:57 PM
Yup, basically you can get away with anything, even sexual abuse and rape, if you are liked and/or endorsed by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan-exile-government, they will never say anything to you! Double standards? Nah --- just plain hypocrisy!

However, if a Dorje Shugden lama does anything, anything at all, even putting real historical facts about Dorje Shugden, wow, the number of hate messages and slurs hurled at them would be unending. Heck, they'll be labelled as the "Taliban" of Buddhism like what some so-called bitter, jealous Professor Robert Thurman has been caught saying about Shugden-pas before. The amount of hypocrisy that exists in the Tibetan leadership is unbelievable, especially since they are supposed to be a Buddhist society! Very very disgusting.

I guess Mipham thought he should follow his father's footsteps all the way. But he forgot he ain't no Mahasiddha like his father. Sorry to say this and no one got enlightened or any realisations. The only realisations they got was that they were violated! What a shame... I used to respect Shambala and their organisation, this is a huge set back on them and their reputation as a whole. But you know what, they'll still get much support because they are NOT Dorje Shugden practitioners.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Harold Musetescu on July 01, 2018, 03:29:14 PM
These sexual assaults by Trungpa Junior are just the tip of the his iceberg.

For every sexual assault he committed there are many many more that go unreported.

We will see in the weeks and months to come many more victims of Trungpa Junior.

Here is something that the Kalapa Council will not do and that is to contact the Halifax Regional Police - Sexual Assault Unit.

Who are the members of this Kalalpa Council?

They are the die hard cult followers of Trungpa Junior who were hand picked by him to be members of HIS Kalapa Council.

The Council is there to PROTECT Junior and not his followers.

Again in the next few months we will hear about how Junior's Council knew about other victims of this "Enlightened" pervert and hid all the facts about his sexual assaults.

Here is a quote from from this article that is quite telling.

Quote
Another woman featured in the report described Mipham’s personal attendants calling her to his room late one night after a teaching.
Unquote

His own "Personal attendants" aided and abetted him in his sexual assaults.

They had no problems in feeding young woman to be sexually assaulted by their "Englightened Master".

They were part of his "Assembly Line" for rape and sexaully assault.

But I find no mention of them then the Kalapa Council's remarks on this matter.

Quite telling.

I wouldn't be surprise if we also hear allegations of massive lavish spending by Junior with Shambhala money.

When will we westerners stop treating these Tibetans as GODS and collectively grow up?

The Catholics have but many followers of Tibetan Buddhism still live in a state of denial.

Sexual animals like Junior and Sogyal Rinpoche don't belong in temples they belong in PRISON.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 01, 2018, 03:40:18 PM
Do not judge a book by its cover. All these so-called lamas: Sogyal, Choedak, Tenzin Dhonden and now Mipham, are overrated by the image their followers and organisations created in order to promote them. There is nothing wrong to promote the good qualities of all these lamas and their organisations' good deeds but the promotion should not override the real issues that are happening within the organisation. The followers should put dharma into practice and speak up before anyone is being hurt. Buddhism is about truth and compassionate to all sentient beings, no harmful act should be concealed and allowed.

All Buddhists, especially those who are following Tibetan Buddhism, should observe their gurus' behaviours in accordance with the dharma. While the guru may be exercising crazy wisdom, there are still clear indications on whether the actions carried out will benefit one's spiritual practice or not. Also, there are no speedy ways to enlightenment, even with tantric practice. Efforts are required from the students' side to perform and transform while following the guru's guidance. Hard work and consistency in dharma practice is compulsory. 

Just remember sexual conduct IS NOT necessary and it is not the only way to enlightenment.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Harold Musetescu on July 01, 2018, 03:44:49 PM
Here is a link to a follow up story done by Tricycle magazine.

Just as I had stated the Kapala Council has known for sometime about Mipham and his sexual assaults and covered it up.

Here's the link

https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/sakyong-mipham-rinpoche-sexual-abuse/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter

Quote

TRIKE DAILY
NEWSSOCIETY & ENVIRONMENT
Shambhala Head Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche Accused of Sexual Abuse in New Report
The Buddhist leader apologizes for inappropriate relationships as multiple women allege sexual assault in an independent investigation.

By Wendy Joan BiddlecombeJUN 28, 2018
Shambhala Head Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche Accused of Sexual Abuse in New Report
Sakyong Mipham | Photo by Breton Hoagland
Coming off the heels of a public apology for what might be perceived as harmful “relationships” earlier this week, a new report is claiming that Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche sexually assaulted multiple women in the Buddhist order that he leads and that members of Shambhala International actively covered up his tracks.

The report was written by Andrea Winn, a leadership coach and second-generation Shambhalian who says she was forced out of her Toronto sangha in 2000 after speaking up about the childhood sexual abuse she experienced from multiple members of the community. The latest findings are the second phase of Project Sunshine, which Winn started a little over a year ago as a way to give survivors a support network.

Winn said she did not hear about any allegations against the Sakyong until women started reaching out to her after the first Project Sunshine report was published in February.

This “phase two” report, released on Thursday morning, includes two accounts from anonymous women who closely served the Sakyong. Both women, whose names were not included, alleged that the encounters took place at or after alcohol-fueled private parties that were thrown for the Sakyong.

“When I first began to be invited to these parties, I was elated. I felt as though my devotion was being recognized and acknowledged and that I now genuinely ‘belonged,’” wrote a woman in one of two impact statements in the report. She wrote that over the years, when the Sakyong was “completely intoxicated,” he “kissed” and “groped” her while “aggressively encouraging” her to go to bed with him. She says she resisted his advances for years, and only ended up sleeping in his bed one night, during which she spent most of the time holding a bowl for him to vomit into. According to her account, when she confronted her teacher about his treatment of women, he “said that he was sorry, that he had not meant to hurt me” and after that, she was gradually relieved of her tasks in his “inner circle.”

A second impact statement describes multiple sexual encounters that left the woman feeling “ashamed, demoralized, and worthless.” She also alleges that his kusung, or close attendant, summoned her to the Sakyong’s bedroom on two separate occasions.

“I was so conflicted with doing what my teacher asked of me, feeling so devoted to him and not wanting to displease him or fall from his graces . . . More and more it felt like he had no interest in me or my well-being. Only his pleasure,” she wrote.

“I hope the community will press for the investigation,” said Winn of the new allegations.

Earlier coverage: Shambhala International Owns Up to Past Abuse, But What Comes Next Remains Unclear

The preliminary investigation into the allegations against the Sakyong was conducted by Carol Merchasin, a retired employment lawyer who says she has investigated  numerous sexual misconduct cases. Merchasin said she completed several levels of Shambhala training in Boulder, Colorado, in the early 1980s, and that her husband was a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Sakyong’s father and Shambhala’s founder. She reached out to Winn after reading about Project Sunshine earlier this year and later agreed to review some of the allegations.

“When there are claims of sexual misconduct, you can’t assume that they’re true or false, you have to investigate and try to move the allegations into facts if you can,” Merchasin explained. “Shambhala cut off communication channels . . . without access to Shambhala, and anyone accused, it was impossible to do a full investigation.”

Merchasin said that the women who have alleged sexual misconduct either had “very little or no connection to one another,” were from different cities, and if they did know each other through service, had gone their separate ways, debunking the idea that the accusers have a vendetta against the Sakyong.

“A pattern is a very strong indication of truth being told,” Merchasin said, adding that any “reasonable organization” would recognize these links and use their resources to complete a full investigation of what might amount to “institutionalized sexual abuse.” She added that all accounts were corroborated when possible through interviews and supporting documents, such as text messages, but many people she reached out to were unwilling to speak with her.

The latest assault allegation occured in 2011, according to the report.

Winn and Merchasin said they met with a mediator, Kathleen Franco, a lawyer who they say is a Shambhala member, on May 24 to share their findings. They then asked Shambhala to respond within eight days as to whether they were willing to appoint a neutral investigator to look into the allegations and have the Sakyong step down while that investigation was carried out. Winn said they received no response other than that they should both expect to be sued by Shambhala if they went ahead with publishing the report.

Tricycle’s efforts to speak with the accusers on the record were not successful.

Ashley Dinges, a spokesperson for the Kalapa Council, Shambhala’s governing body, when asked if Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is being investigated for sexual misconduct, and for confirmation on the meeting with a mediator, on Wednesday sent Tricycle the following statement: “The Kalapa Council and Shambhala leadership have not been made aware of the contents of Ms. Winn’s document and therefore cannot provide comment on it at this time. We will provide a response once we have had an opportunity to review it.”

A message was sent out to the Shambhala community by the Kalapa Council that evening maintaining that “this leadership body has never threatened legal action against any survivor, ally, or mediator. No one on the Kalapa Council has ever asked a victim to remain silent. However, we acknowledge the power systems that create the pressure to remain silent.” The statement said Shambhala is working with An Olive Branch, a project of the Zen Center of Pittsburgh that supports religious organizations during times of conflict, to improve their sexual misconduct reporting policies.

“Our lineage is led by human Sakyongs. They have offered us profound teachings, and as humans they can cause harm,” the Kalapa Council’s message said. “We are heartened that the Sakyong has taken a first step in engaging his community around these issues. As well caring for the victims, our hearts are also with the Sakyong, [his wife] Sakyong Wangmo and their family as we navigate this challenging time. We stand with our lineage through the pain of our heartbreak,” the statement also reads.

On Monday, a letter from the Sakyong was sent to Shambhala members.

“It is my wish for you to know that in my past there have been times when I have engaged in relationships with women in the Shambhala community,” the letter reads in part. “I have recently learned that some of these women have shared experiences of feeling harmed as a result of these relationships. I am now making a public apology.”

The Sakyong added that he has “apologized personally to people who have expressed feeling harmed by my conduct, including some of those who have recently shared their stories.” The letter does not indicate when these “relationships” took place.

The leader of more than 200 international Buddhist centers lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his wife and said in his letter that with her support he intends to enter “a period of self-reflection and listening.” He urged the community to “completely immerse itself in caring and kindness.”

Earlier this year, the Shambhala community issued an apology for past “abhorrent behavior” and improper relationships between students and teachers in the past that were “not always addressed with care and skill.”

This announcement coincided with the release of Project Sunshine’s first report in February, but Shambhala was careful to distance itself from Winn’s findings, which detailed five anonymous accounts that included childhood sex abuse and alleged cover-ups by leaders in the organization. At the time, Shambhala told Tricycle that their announcement on past handling of abuse cases was not a preemptive response to the Project Sunshine report.

Shambhala announced a change in the way they handle and report sexual assault the following month, and Mitchell Levy, a member of the governing Kalapa Council, recused himself from policy discussions due to social media allegations against him. And, in late March, the Sakyong led a day-long retreat in Los Angeles that included a panel discussion with Rev. angel Kyodo williams as well as the director of a local sexual and domestic violence prevention center on “how we can relate to each other with compassion in these challenging times.”

Shambhala joins a growing list of Buddhist organizations that have recently acknowledged misconduct by top teachers. In August 2017, Sogyal Rinpoche resigned from Rigpa and entered a period of retreat after accusations of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Last year, Lama Norlha resigned as abbot of New York’s Kagyu Thubten Choling Monastery after accusations of improper relationships with women. He died earlier this year.


Wendy Joan Biddlecombe is a freelance reporter and Tricycle's former web editor.
Unquote
 
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: michaela on July 01, 2018, 03:59:53 PM

I have always respected the Dalai Lama for his enormous contribution to make the precious Buddha Dharma available to people around the world.

However, there is no denying that the Dalai Lama has a significant influence and this influence has been misused and at times in a sad way. His endorsement of the so-called Buddhist teacher/ monk like Mipham, Sogyal, and Tenzin Dhonden are doing more harm than good to the Tibetan Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama should have put his foot down on those who are harmful to the lineage and Tibetan Buddhism in general and those who are harming others early instead of continuing to endorse them until the issues become huge. By doing this, he would limit the damage and the harm that they are doing.

Compared to the people mentioned in the article, there is nothing that Shugden people have done to harm the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan Buddhism. Therefore, the ban against this practice that has never been proven to be harmful should be removed immediately.

I do hope the Dalai Lama would put his foot down and address the pressing issues in Tibetan Buddhism like those created by Mipham, Sogyal, and Tenzin Dhonden and lift the ban on Dorje Shugden practice so peace and harmony can be restored within Tibetan Buddhism.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Harold Musetescu on July 01, 2018, 04:25:43 PM
Here is a link to a formal report done by Andrea Winn.

She was part of the Tricycle article that I published here.

It is a 52 page pdf report about Mipham.

http://andreamwinn.com/project_sunshine/Buddhist_Project_Sunshine_Phase_2_Final_Report.pdf (http://andreamwinn.com/project_sunshine/Buddhist_Project_Sunshine_Phase_2_Final_Report.pdf)

I hope you find it interesting reading.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 02, 2018, 05:35:45 PM
Come to think of it, perhaps Mipham is another one trying to be like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Sogyal made it very clear that he wanted to be like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He just loves the fact that Trungpa Rinpoche was like a rock star and many women were lining up to see him and the sexual relationship he had with them freely. Sogyal told himself he wanted to be just like that and he did but the outcome was totally opposite. Mipham's dad was Trungpa Rinpoche and he seems to follow everything his dad did. These two and much more abuse crazy wisdom and people's devotion to them for self-serving purposes. I wonder if they even understand karma.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Harold Musetescu on July 02, 2018, 10:23:51 PM
I think that "Crazy Wisdom" is just made up "Tibetan Bullshit".

Don't remember the Buddha going around having sex with any young beautiful girl he met.

If the Buddha didn't do that what makes it all right for these "Tibetan Rock and Roll Rinpoches" to bang any man or woman he DESIRES.

Are they living Buddhas or just Mick Jagger in Tibetan robes.

Are they giving Tibetan Buddhist teachings or just a "Tibetan Booty Call".

Could we all just grow up and tell these Tibetan perverts to get on a plane and go back to Tibet.

Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 03, 2018, 07:28:26 PM
Come to think of it, perhaps Mipham is another one trying to be like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Sogyal made it very clear that he wanted to be like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He just loves the fact that Trungpa Rinpoche was like a rock star and many women were lining up to see him and the sexual relationship he had with them freely. Sogyal told himself he wanted to be just like that and he did but the outcome was totally opposite. Mipham's dad was Trungpa Rinpoche and he seems to follow everything his dad did. These two and much more abuse crazy wisdom and people's devotion to them for self-serving purposes. I wonder if they even understand karma.

Oh yes, but Trungpa was very different, he was a Mahasiddha. You can definitely tell from the other things he did that produced great results. Should read his biography written by his consort Dragon Thunder and The Idiot Servant. Very very good books, eye-opening. Not only that many high Lamas in the Gelug tradition also respected him and said he was not ordinary for sure.

I guess Mipham was using his father's legacy to justify his perverted crimes. This is unfortunate and sad to hear as it paints a very awful picture on Shambala now, which is not good for them. This will set them backwards for sure. But the main point here is not so much about Mipham as we read the article, it is more on the Tibetan Leadership.

Basically, they condone such activities because they do nothing about it. Basically, you can sexually assault any woman you want, just like Sogyal, they will not do anything or say anything to you because you are NOT a Dorje Shugden lama, get it? See the biasness. That is the issue here. The HYPOCRISY.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 04, 2018, 06:47:11 PM
The CTA is known for their hypocrisy. They are known to have 2 faces and only interested in money. As long as you are not seen as against the Dalai Lama, you can really get away with anything but that's not because of the CTA's devotion to the Dalai Lama but they needed him as the cash cow for more corruptions.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 05, 2018, 11:13:09 AM
Well, they cannot continue with this hypocrisy of theirs for far too long.

I think even their own people are fed up with CTA. Internally there is a division between Rangzen and Umaylam, there is also a division between those who like and dislike the so-called President Sikyong Sangay. Overall, CTA is going down and with such news, it is going to make them look more and more biased if they don't do something. Because the world is watching and the Dalai Lama needs to say something. Otherwise, it just goes to show the bias, hypocritical, discrimination on their part.

How is it that the Dalai Lama keep getting it wrong and keep endorsing Lamas that does so many vices and breaks the very basic refuge vows? This makes people question the Dalai Lama's qualifications. If the Dalai Lama can get so many Lamas wrong, and make so many mistakes, doesn't that mean he can definitely get the Lamas who practice Dorje Shugden wrong too, meaning to say these Dorje Shugden lamas are right and is doing nothing wrong and hence, Dorje Shugden is not a bad practice.

But so far who can name a Dorje Shugden lama who sexual abuse someone? Is there any? But there has been 2 great Lamas who are endorsed by the Dalai Lama who has done so and a Karmapa who wants to quit his position due to political agendas and bullying by those who are in power. What does that tell us? hypocrisy much!
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 06, 2018, 07:33:51 AM
You see, they have been getting away for it for over 20 years. You know apart from fake lamas, His Holiness also endorses cult leaders and terrorists such as Shoko Asahara and NXVIM Keith Raniere. Shoko Asahara was the head of the Japanese cult behind the 1995 Tokyo sarin attack that killed 15 people and hurt over 6,000 people. Asahara has been executed by hanging. However, His Holiness endorsed and regarded him as a good friend and a student. This is the latest news for your information https://www.google.com.my/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-asia-43395483. (https://www.google.com.my/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-asia-43395483.)

Related article and discussion about NXVIM Keith Raniere and be found here http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dalai-lama-named-in-1-million-scandal/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dalai-lama-named-in-1-million-scandal/) and http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=6073.0. (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=6073.0.)

Either the His Holiness' clairvoyance and supernatural are flawed or the people surrounding him couldn't care less about his reputation and sell his fame off for more money they can corrupt. But then again, if His Holiness is an emanation of Chenresig and a seasoned tantric practitioner, how can he not tell what those people around him do? Why do he need others to expose them before he did anything to stop that?
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 07, 2018, 10:40:29 AM

Either the His Holiness' clairvoyance and supernatural are flawed or the people surrounding him couldn't care less about his reputation and sell his fame off for more money they can corrupt. But then again, if His Holiness is an emanation of Chenresig and a seasoned tantric practitioner, how can he not tell what those people around him do? Why do he need others to expose them before he did anything to stop that?

Well, I have heard of BAD KARMA from the high lama's students which create obstacles. So perhaps this is why the Dalai Lama is blinded by these culprits? It is the same question I ask too during the time of the 5th and how the Dalai Lama allowed Desi to somebody of authority although he is EVIL and in the end, he was the one who murdered Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen. How come Dalai Lama did not stop a murderer then, surely he'd be able to see with his 3rd eye what is coming? So this always makes me think it is the negative karma of the students, group together, blinding the enlightened ones from helping others. Plus the Dalai Lama allows it because of a higher purpose to fulfil.

However, the recent one and the string of cult teachers the Dalai Lama is associated with does not give him a good image and one by one they are all being exposed. CTA must be collecting loads of negative karma from all this fundraising.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Dondrup Shugden on July 08, 2018, 04:58:29 AM
Sexual Abuse, Molestation, Rape and all forms and levels of sexual misconduct are criminal acts both in the secular and spiritual code of law/vows.

It is impossible for me to accept that the government of the Dalai Lama will do nothing to take to task all these lust driven lamas, whatever their level of "seniority" with the monastic order. From what I read, these are high flying lamas who seem to be able to raise funds for CTA and are mixing within the international elite societies. So they are useful to fulfil the pockets of the Tibetan leaders.

Can we then conclude that for the sake of financial gains the stainless and pure practice and teaching of the Dharma is compromised?
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 08, 2018, 04:35:26 PM
It is a logical conclusion that the CTA will not do anything to lamas of other lineages provided they can bring in the money and manipulate international elite societies. They do not care about preserving the teachings of the lineages because only money and network matters.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 08, 2018, 05:15:56 PM
It is a logical conclusion that the CTA will not do anything to lamas of other lineages provided they can bring in the money and manipulate international elite societies. They do not care about preserving the teachings of the lineages because only money and network matters.

Yup I agree. I am beginning to realise that this whole Tibet Shambala paradise thing and about the people are Buddhist is a sham! It's all just to get the world mystified about them so that they can continue to cheat the world, especially the Western world who have no real clue. Real Buddhist do not favour money over vows, and principles based on Buddha's teachings. What the Tibetan Leadership does is a total contradiction of Buddhism, which means they do not know a thing about Buddhism. So how dare they persecute Shugden Buddhist monks and practitioners? Disgusting!
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 10, 2018, 09:14:36 PM
Just a hypothesis, perhaps the Dalai Lama only protects the Gelug teachings, so other lineages are not his concern? One thing to note, no scandals like this ever happened in the Gelug lineage, especially among the Dorje Shugden lamas.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: dsnowlion on July 12, 2018, 07:07:07 PM
Just a hypothesis, perhaps the Dalai Lama only protects the Gelug teachings, so other lineages are not his concern? One thing to note, no scandals like this ever happened in the Gelug lineage, especially among the Dorje Shugden lamas.

Well if the Dalai Lama only protects the Gelug teachings, he would be protecting all the different schools of Buddhism, wouldn't he? Because Lama Tsongkhapa created Gelug based on the essence of all four different schools - Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyu. So in reality Gelug scholl of Buddhism is the synthesis of all the different schools. So there really is no issue and the Buddhas do not follow labels, so I think Chenrezig would have the wisdom to know which is school of Buddhism is most relatable for this degenerate times and to suit the people's karma.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 21, 2018, 11:07:07 AM
Just a hypothesis, perhaps the Dalai Lama only protects the Gelug teachings, so other lineages are not his concern? One thing to note, no scandals like this ever happened in the Gelug lineage, especially among the Dorje Shugden lamas.

Well if the Dalai Lama only protects the Gelug teachings, he would be protecting all the different schools of Buddhism, wouldn't he? Because Lama Tsongkhapa created Gelug based on the essence of all four different schools - Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyu. So in reality Gelug scholl of Buddhism is the synthesis of all the different schools. So there really is no issue and the Buddhas do not follow labels, so I think Chenrezig would have the wisdom to know which is school of Buddhism is most relatable for this degenerate times and to suit the people's karma.

It is a benefit that the Gelug lineage arose later in order for Lama Tsongkhapa to learn from lamas of all lineages in order for him to combine them and present in the Lamrim Chenmo form for us. Lineages are labels for us to communicate but we shouldn't attach to it and use it to discriminate against other lineages. When we do this, we are no longer practicing dharma. Similarly, people who discriminate Dorje Shugden are in actual fact going against the Buddha dharma, performing actions that give rise to anger, hatred, and suffering. Buddhism teaches us to eliminate our suffering, not to add onto what we already have.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on July 28, 2018, 05:26:47 PM
Another disappointing exposé for Shambala. Their so-called meditation teacher and author Lodro P. Rinzler is found forcing himself onto a member of Shambala and took advantage on her after getting her drunk. What kind of meditation teacher is he? One that teaches on giving in desire and harm others based on that. He is clearly contemplating on sex other than dharma and clearly learns from their Mipham Rinpoche who does this always. Too bad for him to get caught after the first attempt while their 'spiritual guide' got away from so many sexual assaults before he was exposed. No wonder the Buddha predicted the demon who will destroy the dharma during the kaliyuga is no other than those who is suppose to practise and protect it!

Quote
Buddhist teacher quit Shambhala in ‘protest’ before his own sexual misconduct allegation went public
He's promoting a book called Love Hurts.

JOSHUA EATON | JUL 23, 2018, 8:00 AM | UPDATED: JUL 23, 2018, 6:24 PM

Meditation teacher and author Lodro P. Rinzler announced that he was leaving the Buddhist group Shambhala International on July 1 after several women came forward to accuse its leader, Sakyong Mipham, of sexual assault. He failed to mention that he had been accused of sexual misconduct himself.

“I am feeling a lot of pain around what is happening in the Shambhala community,” Rinzler wrote on his private Facebook page at the time. “I personally have clarity that it is time for me to officially leave Shambhala as an organization and no longer teach there.”

It was one of the most high-profile departures in an organization that’s been in tailspin since the sexual assault allegations against its leader.

But Rinzler was already facing fallout from Shamabhala over an allegation against him. A woman told the organization he had pressured her into sex in 2013 even after she said multiple times that she did not want to sleep with him. After Shambhala opened an internal investigation into that allegation last month, it asked local meditation centers not to host Rinzler’s upcoming book tour. Within two days, he announced he was leaving the group, according to interviews and documents obtained by ThinkProgress.

ThinkProgress is not aware of any other allegations of sexual misconduct by Rinzler. In a statement, Rinzler denied any sexual misconduct and said his decision to leave Shambhala had nothing to do with the allegation against him.

“I was deeply troubled by the allegations against the leadership of Shambhala and after learning of them stepped away from any involvement with Shambhala’s programs entirely of my own accord,” Rinzler said. “There is no truth to the allegation that Shambhala fired me. Nor have I ever been involved in any inappropriate sexual behavior or interactions with any individual.”

A source close to the Shambhala community confirmed that it’s investigating Rinzler for alleged sexual misconduct and defended how senior Shambhala officials Judith Simmer-Brown and Adam Lobel have handled the allegation since the woman first raised it in 2013.

“Lobel, Simmer-Brown and supporters within the Shambhala community feel confident that they took all appropriate measures, offering ongoing support and follow ups for over 5 years,” the source said by email.

“Let’s just relax and see what happens”
Rinzler, 35, ran Shambhala’s local center in Boston, Mass., before co-founding MNDFL, a for-profit meditation studio with three locations in New York City where he’s currently chief spiritual officer. He’s the author of six books on Buddhism and mediation, and his work has been featured in The New York Times. (Disclosure: This reporter pet- and apartment-sat for Rinzler for a week in 2015, when they were acquainted through Buddhist writer circles on social media.)

The woman, “Amy,” who requested we withhold her real name for privacy reasons, described her interactions with Rinzler in an interview with ThinkProgress. They first met when she coordinated his visit to Portland, Ore., to promote his book Walk like a Buddha in October 2013. Amy had been active in Shambhala most of her adult life and was interested in teaching meditation, so she was looking forward to working with a young teacher she looked up to.

After they talked at Powell’s bookstore, Amy said Rinzler invited her out for a drink and later up to the apartment where he was staying for a nightcap. She found the invitation flattering at first. But when he moved in for a kiss, she said she clearly told him that she wasn’t interested.

“I remember literally putting my hand out and pushing him away,” Amy said. “Like, ‘No, I don’t want to kiss you.’ He said, ‘Well no, I’m just curious. Let’s just relax and see what happens.'”

By that point in the evening, she was too buzzed to drive herself home. Rinzler suggested she stay there and promised not to touch her, even offering to build a pillow “wall” between them.

But once they were in the bed, Amy said, Rinzler continued his unwanted advances and began trying to kiss and touch her yet again.

“I think some part of me was flattered,” she said. “But I was also just really not into it. [I was] just going along with it.”

In a last-ditch effort to get through to Rinzler, she told him again that she didn’t want to have sex, and when he asked why, she revealed that she’d been sexually abused in the past. Instead of offering understanding and empathy, Amy said, Rinzler suggested that sleeping with him could help her break through the trust issues from her past trauma.

Then he began to touch her again, and she froze. She felt paralyzed, she said in an interview — as if she wasn’t in control of her own body. Tired, drunk, and dissociated, she said that she performed oral sex on Rinzler in the hope it would make him stop.

“I thought, ‘OK, I’m doing this to get him off of me without having to have sex with him and just survive,'” she said.

“[J]ust survive”
Amy told two people about what happened over the next two weeks — a local Shambhala teacher and a teacher at another Shambhala center. Both corroborated her account to ThinkProgress.

The next day, after an unsatisfying apology from Rinzler, Amy told the first official, based at the local center, about what happened the night before. That official sent an email, obtained by ThinkProgress, to senior Shambhala officials Simmer-Brown and Lobel with a brief description of what allegedly happened and an offer to put them in touch with Amy for more details.

Simmer-Brown responded to the local official five days later to say she’d read the email to Rinzler — without asking Amy first or obtaining her permission.

Rinzler was “heartbroken” over the “real mistakes” he made with Amy, Simmer-Brown wrote. But her email portrayed those mistakes primarily as a violation of the student-teacher relationship — not as an issue of consent.

“[Rinzler] is only now realizing the ramifications of pressing his affections while in the role of a teacher of Shambhala,” she wrote. “He was not defensive, and was very honest with me about what happened. He is also deeply sorry for any harm he has caused.”

Other things that Lobel and Simmer-Brown said gave Amy pause, she said. In one conversation, for example, Simmer-Brown talked about how she’d known Rinzler since he was a kid, making Amy wonder whether she would be impartial. And after Amy told Lobel what happened, she said he responded with, “Wow, that sounds really confusing.”

“It made it clear he had doubts about what I was saying,” Amy told ThinkProgress.

Lobel and Simmer-Brown offered two options for moving forward — mediation between Amy and Rinzler, or Shambhala’s internal investigation process, called “Care and Conduct.” But after a back-and-forth with both teachers, Amy decided to let it drop.

“At that point, I honestly just wanted to forget about it and not keep getting thrown around these different people,” she said.

Lobel checked in with Amy in 2015, according to a source close to the Shambhala community. She didn’t pursue more support from Shambhala then. But Lobel reached out again this year, after a report in February by the advocacy group Buddhist Project Sunshine detailed anonymous accounts of sexual abuse within the Shambhala community.

“I’ve been thinking of you in the midst of the painful and massive learning about gender and power that we are going through in Shambhala,” Lobel wrote in an email obtained by ThinkProgress. “I am wondering how you are and how this is all feeling to you? If you would like to check in, I would appreciate it.”

After a second report by Buddhist Project Sunshine publicized several allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct against Shambhala’s head, Sakyong Mipham, Amy decided to finally move forward with a Care and Conduct investigation. On June 29, she sent Lobel a written account that detailed the incident and her subsequent conversations with Shambhala officials. It matches her account to ThinkProgress.

In separate statements to ThinkProgress, Lobel and Simmer-Brown said they’re glad Amy decided to pursue Shambhala’ formal complaint process.

“After what has now been a few years of offering support, suggesting opportunities for further assistance, and access to resources through Shambhala’s Care and Conduct process, I am pleased that the complainant has decided to take the formal steps she feels are necessary,” Lobel said in his statement. “I stand behind her decision and remain completely supportive of her journey through this process.”

“I have been concerned for [Amy’s] welfare, and hope she will find the healing she seeks,” Simmer-Brown’s statement said.

On July 1, two days after Amy sent Lobel her written account, he wrote back to say a center director had heard about the allegation of sexual misconduct and confronted Rinzler about it. That triggered questions from other centers about whether they should host Rinzler as he toured to promote his new book of Buddhist relationship advice, Love Hurts.

Shambhala asked the centers not to invite Rinzler for book talks while the investigation was pending, Lobel wrote. But Lobel speculated that the question from the center director may have tipped Rinzler off. Rinzler announced he was leaving Shambhala that same day in a post on his private Facebook page, screenshots of which were obtained by ThinkProgress.

In that post, Rinzler also offered his support for anyone who wanted to talk about their experience with sexual misconduct in Shambhala.

“I will hold space and listen and share my heart if you would like me to,” he wrote. “I am truly available to you.”

Do you have information about sexual misconduct in Shambhala or elsewhere? Contact reporter Joshua Eaton by email at [email protected] or by Signal at 202–684–1030.

CORRECTION: This article previously stated that Judith Simmer-Brown spoke with Lodro Rinzler before speaking with “Amy.” Simmer-Brown and Amy did speak before she spoke with Rinzler, but she did not ask Amy’s permission first.

UPDATE (7/24/2018, 9:37 a.m. ET): This article has been updated with an updated statement from Adam Lobel.

https://thinkprogress.org/buddhist-teacher-quit-shambhala-in-protest-before-his-own-sexual-misconduct-allegation-went-public-c7b85ceb36e2/
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Drolma on August 27, 2018, 10:42:53 PM
It is so sad that the CTA is making use of the Dalai Lama to fatten their wallets. They know very well that these Lamas are involved in sex scandals, but they make arrangements for them to take photos, have audiences with the Dalai Lama. They don't care if it would affect the reputation of the Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden followers have not done any crime but the CTA segregates them from the Tibetan community, imposes a  ban on Dorje Shugden practice.  They have a name list of Dorje Shugden followers on their website to indirectly ask the Tibetans to be hostile towards them. They have many articles on the website to tell people how bad the practice is. It is a big scale smearing campaign. The CTA is doing this to cover up their failure in fulfilling their promise to the Tibetans.

These Lamas are the source of income for the CTA, of course, they will be friendly to them. They don't care about the welfare of the people, they care more about their own interest. They don't protect the purity of the Tibetan Buddhism, they are destroying it.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on September 01, 2018, 01:15:11 AM
Under the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership based in Dharamsala), one might be surprised that financial mismanagement, embezzlement, murder and sex scandals have always been common throughout the history of its existence.

Many monks and lamas have been accused of or admitted to sexual impropriety, or taking advantage of their positions to have inappropriate relationships with their students and women in recent years but cases like this were pretty much unknown to the world since Tibet was very much contained themselves in the mystical Shangrila. To make it worst, all of these lamas have not been sanctioned by the Tibetan leadership and, in many cases, have enjoyed the continued endorsement of the Tibetan leadership in spite of the allegations, the most recent ones being Sogyal Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham, Gangten Tulku, Lama Norlha, Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Tenzin Dhonden and etc. The reason is very obvious, they do not practice Dorje Shugden and hence whatever they do is excusable because they remain financially lucrative for the Tibetan leadership.

Take Sogyal Rinpoche for example. He was often pictured with beautiful women and is obnoxious in keeping a harem of women. In spite of decades of allegations of sexual abuse, he was able to continue unchecked because the Tibetan leadership endorses him and keeps his act of impunity until recently. Imagine he has not faced any repercussions from anyone because he doesn't practice Dorje Shugden. While the Tibetan Leadership and their supporters harass Dorje Shugden practitioners for peacefully practicing their religious freedom, the Tibetan Leadership says nothing about Sogyal Rinpoche and many lamas who are consistently and constantly accused of abusing their students.

This is just one of the many classical cases we see where criminals are allowed to run free as long as the Dalai Lama is being sent to their centers for pictures to be taken in exchange for lucrative donations paid to the Tibetan Leadership.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Pema8 on September 06, 2018, 07:14:42 AM
The news about scandals does not stop. Now in Germany a 62 year old Buddhist monk has been convicted of sexually abuse children was sentenced to seven years and nine months of prison.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/child-sexual-abuse-buddhist-monk-convicted-sentenced-hans-d-augsburg-bavaria-germany-a7836436.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/child-sexual-abuse-buddhist-monk-convicted-sentenced-hans-d-augsburg-bavaria-germany-a7836436.html)
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Rowntree on September 07, 2018, 05:09:47 AM
I wonder if he is a good friend of Stasi East German Tenzin Peljor who is fishy with his dealings with boys, young boys especially. Stasi Peljor loves boys and man, but more boys. He was 'touring' Germany going around to meet young boys in the name of Dharma. I just can't wait that he is busted for his unethical behaviors with the boys and he can spend the rest of his life in jail so no one will continue to be harmed by him. Some people are just born to create harm. All they know is to do evil deeds and earn lots of money from it.

The news about scandals does not stop. Now in Germany a 62 year old Buddhist monk has been convicted of sexually abuse children was sentenced to seven years and nine months of prison.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/child-sexual-abuse-buddhist-monk-convicted-sentenced-hans-d-augsburg-bavaria-germany-a7836436.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/child-sexual-abuse-buddhist-monk-convicted-sentenced-hans-d-augsburg-bavaria-germany-a7836436.html)
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: michaela on September 07, 2018, 09:05:56 AM
I respect the Dalai Lama for his immense contribution to spreading Tibetan Buddhism around the world. His influence is significant, and that is undeniable. However, sometimes he endorsed lamas and people with unsavory reputations and known to do harm and crime like sexual assault. The endorsements from the Dalai Lama were often used to justify for these people are doing.

I hope in the future, the Dalai Lama's attendants will be more selective in recommending personalities to be associated with the Dalai Lama.
Title: Re: Crime is fine as long as you are endorsed by the Dalai Lama
Post by: Tracy on September 07, 2018, 09:32:15 PM
It is really a shame to have the Dalai Lama taking photos with these monks who sexually assaulted their female students. Does the Dalai Lama actually know their background and still accepts their request to have an audience with him? Or his personal assistant arranged it without letting the Dalai Lama knows what these people have done?

The Dalai Lama's image will be affected negatively by having his photo taken with these lamas. The way the CTA handles these cases are similar to the Catholic Church, just close one eye and hide the truth. They let these monks continue to sexually assault other women and let Tibetan Buddhism degenerate.

One of the missions of the CTA is to preserve Tibetan culture and Buddhism, how they manage these sex scandal shows they don't really care about preserving Buddhism. These lamas are rich and they probably pay the CTA for an audience with the Dalai Lama. Instead of apologising to the victims, the CTA is letting them do what they want.  If this continues, more and more people will lose faith in Tibetan Buddhism.