Not necessarily in lama Ole's eyes. Somehow the Diamond Way sangha has become way more sectarian than lama Ole himself. In the past I have talked with lama Ole and Karmapa about visiting other teachers, getting knowledge and empowerments from other lineages, etc. Both were completely ok with it! Ole just asked me not to become 'the local tour guide', to not distract those who focus on one thing. I'm ok with that.Giovanni wrote: ↑Wed Aug 03, 2022 9:17 pm The reference to Lama Olé objecting to a teashirt showing a Sufi teacher. I have a friend who knows the Sufi teacher Pir Shabda Khan. Pir Shabda is a formal student of Situ Rinpoche. This is public knowledge.
Although that might be even more problematic in Lama Olé’s eyes..
The sangha itself however, is completely focused on lama Ole and nothing else. It makes it difficult for me, and many others who started out in Diamond Way, to visit our old groups. We are usually greeted kindly, and then quickly something follows like 'surprised to see you here, who is your teacher these days?', 'did you choose?'. It gets tiring. Many old students struggle for a number of years to find new ways to make it work. Some never tell the DW sangha about the other teachers they visit. Lama Ole himself had many teachers by the way, and had a broad interest in many traditions.
The ngondro is translated but authentic, and powerful, and always accepted as an authentic ngondro by other teachers when it's a requirement for empowerments. Lama Ole always gave the lung for the ngondro at every event, not sure if he still does that given the mental challenges he is now facing.