Dharma Wheel

Finally - I'm still waiting for Rigpa as an organisation to apologize to the lady who, years ago, publicly spoke out against Sogyal for abuse and was roundly condemned for it. They rallied around their teacher at the time; when they're done with their introspection, they owe her a sincere apology. ...

JW wrote: That’s not what the Dalai Lama said. I think I’m going with the Dalai Lama on this one. HHDL's considered opinion of breaking with orthodoxy is good enough for me too. That's all there is to say about it from my P.O.V. Issue settled. I agree with HHDL too. He has made an important stateme...

it's quite interesting how we all (supposedly) read the same DJKR's piece but have such different interpretations! Perhaps because it is ambiguous and therefore this leaves it open for people to project their own biases and preconceptions onto it. It certainly has provoked discussion though and has...

Finally - I'm still waiting for Rigpa as an organisation to apologize to the lady who, years ago, publicly spoke out against Sogyal for abuse and was roundly condemned for it. They rallied around their teacher at the time; when they're done with their introspection, they owe her a sincere apology. ...

And now this by ... huh ... Justin Whitaker?: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/americanbuddhist/2017/08/the-merit-of-pointing-out-abuse-in-buddhism-dzongsar-khyentse-rinpoche.html edit: Oh Malcolm's quoted :smile: Thanks for posting the link. It was well worth the read. Justin Whitaker does an excellen...

If you do not have samaya, you did not receive the empowerment, you are not qualified to practice Vajrayāna, and so whatever effort you make in practicing Secret Mantra will become poison rather than medicine. Malcolm, would you have enough confidence in an online initiation to do a retreat on that...

Mod Note: This has certainly been a long and winding topic. By and large it's been a civil discussion with little need for moderation. Thanks to all who have participated with thoughtfulness on a sensitive subject. With a thread this long, a number of side issues that have come up for discussion. U...

Grigoris wrote:

tiagolps wrote:DJKR does mention the same thing:

I know he does, I was talking about the participants in this thread...

I'll happily wear my karma of appropriate and due criticism as opposed to the results of trying to shut-down discussion.

FYI: An article concerning Sogyal and the allegations of abuse appeared yesterday in the Süddeutsche Zeitung , an influential German newspaper. I haven't read it because it is behind a pay-wall. I have to say that there are some graphic details, both physical and sexual (since Germans are definitel...

This latest letter from Sogyal Rinpoche announcing his immediate "retirement" shares many common elements with his previous written responses. Most notably, lack of acknowledgment of responsibility for any wrong doing and lack of any apology or contrition. And while the Rigpa International organisa...

Now is not the time to continue with our negative speech and emotions but to make an aspiration that they will continue the path without obstacle. This discussion is not negative speech. On the opposite, the fact even after 23 pages of discussion people like you still claim that it is shows how nec...

This latest letter from Sogyal Rinpoche announcing his immediate "retirement" shares many common elements with his previous written responses. Most notably, lack of acknowledgment of responsibility for any wrong doing and lack of any apology or contrition. And while the Rigpa International organisat...

HHDL says SR is "disgraced": https://youtu.be/S6yzH-1si8o?t=4709 HHDL also made this observation, which I think provides some important context to Tibetan Buddhism's integration in the West: “I feel some of these lama institutions have some sort of influence of the feudal system. That is outdated a...

TharpaChodron wrote:There is no ultimate difference between what appear to be different realms. But that doesn't mean that we ignore abuse and injustice.

Well said. And is this not an integration of the ultimate and relative - a way between the extremes?

Something from Matthieu Ricard presented here: https://www.marianne.net/societe/scandale-chez-les-bouddhistes-matthieu-ricard-recommande-aux-disciples-plus-de-vigilance Google seems to translate it pretty well: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marianne.net%2F...

Everyone seems to be focused on the sex, which is a notoriously grey area. I mean, I have no doubt that young women have been coerced and manipulated into liaisons with Sogyal, and that there is a clear power imbalance and intimidation, but what really is more clear-cut and reprehensible is the viol...

But who judges if there is abuse and harm? How do you know if there is actual abuse and harm or if it is just an ego-centered reaction? I'll go by the eight senior signatories who composed the letter to Sogyal outlining the harm and abuse. I am going to trust their account, as they are the closest ...

But who judges if there is abuse and harm? How do you know if there is actual abuse and harm or if it is just an ego-centered reaction? I'll go by the eight senior signatories who composed the letter to Sogyal outlining the harm and abuse. I am going to trust their account, as they are the closest ...

Another worthwhile teaching related to the thread, from the recent Dorje Drollo retreat at Padmasambhava Buddhist Center on the topic of Crazy Wisdom https://youtu.be/FzB6a1-aFyU Just to paraphrase the Lama: crazy wisdom does not involve abuse and harm and are the activities of enlightened beings.

My main engagement with this thread has been been posting quotes or references that seem relevant. So far HHDL and Patrul Rinpoche's. Those fell somewhat to one side. On another note, it may also be useful to contemplate the notorious words of the great Dzogchenpa Thinley Norbu, considered an incar...