The Voice of a victim of Rigpa on the road to surviving!
below, please find a copy of an email i’ve sent to primetime as I think they are the best vehicle for this on rte tv. if others can also contact them on primetime@rte.ie, that might help. i’ve included links and contact details for various people who might be able to help from information i’ve found on google, so i hope this is correct but i’ve blanked out here in case any issue with posting numbers or emails on a blog response
Hi,
Canadian TV recently showed a documentary produced by Cogent Berger productions called s”ex scandals in religion – in the name of enlightenment”. This was part of a series of programmes focussing on abuse and exploitation in different faiths from Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, it exploded the comforting belief we sometimes have that sort of thing only happens in Christianity.The programme entitled “in the name of enlightenment” was particularly interesting to me as i’ve had some experience of the Buddhist group Rigpa that it spoke about and I have now left that group – you can see more on the clip below.
This group is particularly active in Ireland with large amounts of people attending courses and retreats with it every year and it has a network of centres around the country. It is growing with planning permission for a large temple recently granted in Cork and i think people should know more about what they are getting involved with before they jump in. I am currently in counselling regarding my exit from this group and I can’t describe to you how difficult this is and i know of many people who have been emotionally damaged in a severe way from their experiences. It’s a cause of great sadness to me and many others that this group has grown at such a rate in Ireland and that little attention is shone on the fact that its founder and main guru has a past and present that is worth exploring. The relationship between a student of Buddhism and their teacher or guru is akin to that between a therapist and a client or a doctor and patient and the crossing of boundaries that has occurred with many people with Sogyal Rinpoche and how this is covered up by Rigpa is shocking. People are often told if they complain or question they will go to hell and that to question is wrong – you can read more here. If you believe you will go to hell for questioning, you can’t imagine how traumatic that situation is.
https://dialogueireland.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/briefing-document-on-sogyal-rinpoche-5th-symphony/
Further information on Rigpa is available from Mike Garde of Dialogue Ireland, who has done great work through his website to educate people and also from the Guardian journalist Mary Finnegan, who is presently writing a book on these issues. About two years ago, President McAleese visited the main Rigpa centre in Cork and met with the Tibetan Buddhist master Sogyal Rinpoche, at the centre of this controversy, this featured in the Sunday Times article below.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6638586.ece
Paywall-free: https://archive.li/oiZoE
I understand that Inform based at the London School of Economics also featured a speaker a few years at a conference about experiences in Rigpa. http://www2.lse.ac.uk/sociology/research/INFORM/Home.aspx
I’ve provided you with the above background and links in the hope that you may explore further and make people aware of what is happening – I feel physically sick writing this email as even in the midst of counselling, I still feel fear and anxiety that I am somehow betraying Rigpa. I cannot do otherwise – please contact Mike Garde, Mary Finnegan and others and the people who made the Canadian documentary http://www.cogentbenger.com
and see if it’s possible to bring these issues to the attention of the Irish public before other people are duped or put in harm’s way. A lot of people in Ireland give a large amount of time and money to Rigpa with the best of intentions and they are kind people as individuals I’m sure but at the core of the organisation there is this spectre of abuse and breach of fiduciary duty which cannot be ignored and it is defended by many in the hierarchy. As people seek for new beliefs or direction, it would be all too easy to fall prey to this group and their presence in Ireland is significant. Please take some time to research this issue so that others may not suffer the breach of trust and deep emotional turmoil that so many have already done.
Thank you
Filed under: RIGPA |
Dialogue Ireland 
The reason why so many Buddhism students got cheated is that they do not understand what “Buddha” is.
Most people mistakenly thought Buddha is some kind of higher being with supernatural power that enable him cease to come back to Earth to suffer (his karma).
They mistakenly thought that only Tibetan Tantric masters has the “secret” to “Buddhahood” and can “make” their devoted students a “Buddha” without students doing all the hard work. Therefore students are very afraid to offend their lamas (teachers), just to “stay in the guru-student relationship to attain Buddhahood”. In the events students find out the lama is sexually abusive, or steal the temple’s fund, they keep silence, hoping “as long as I please my teacher, one day he will teach me the way to Buddhahood.”
What is a Buddha?
Buddha is somebody who has overcome all his/her negative thoughts, speech and actions – the five poisons. Therefore Buddha is someone who has no clings to food, drinks, sleep, lust, money, fame, ego, etc. He/she doesn’t need them. He/she doesn’t want them. Either does he only cares about “his own” people, “his own” disciples, “his own” temple, “his own” lineage, “his own” religion…, because “all people are just like our mother and father”, therefore everyone is important. He does not hate. He does not fall in love. He does not jealous. He does not look down on anyone. He does not see anyone bad, or good.
Buddha is somebody who has a thorough understanding of the universe – that there is this thing call karma: what goes around comes around, so don’t do stupid things! We are supposed to be good! We are all one: harming any one of us is harming ourselves. Buddha is someone who has that “great wisdom” – that samsara (for example, life on Earth) is not real – it is the manifestation of our own mind (due to karma). A wise person would not feel devastated by the lost of a child, or overwhelmed by a good fortune, because he/she knows that we deserve what we get, and if it wasn’t anything from our past, it will have to do with our future (we will be compensated if wronged, as long as we stay good and calm). You don’t really lose anything or gain anything. In fact all emotions and actions create karma, which result in endless rebirth that brings us uncertainty – rich in one lifetime and poor in the next. Don’t let outside situation affect our feelings and ruin our sense of happiness. Happiness comes from within, from confidence and love.
In order to achieve Buddhahood, one must practice as a Bodhisattva, putting other sentient beings interests before their own interests. In the event that somebody must sacrifice for the world at large, a Boddhisattva chooses to sacrifice him/herself. That is why they are called “Boddhisattva” – the noble people.
A Buddhist practitioner lured by demon chooses to sacrifice others people’s benefits for his/her own benefits, and therefore is no longer on the path to Buddhahood. How can such a person teach us “the right way to Buddahood”? How can he “make” us a Buddha, while he himself is not a Buddha?
Most “Buddhists” around the world are still wondering at the main entrance, on the basic level of practice, struggling to detach from “all the good things in life”. Such people are not even Hinayana practitioners, as Hinayana Buddhists are very sick of samsara and will do anything to break the reincarnation cycle.
Most “Buddhists” proudly announce themselves Mahayana practitioners, but they haven’t developed the good quality of Bodhicitta, which is the determination to help all other sentient beings free from endless rebirth, even that means they themselves will have to go to hell for many times. In order to be a Mahayana practitioner, one must live as a Bodhisattva, ready to sacrifice him/herself for others.
If someone is either a Hinayana Buddhist practitioner nor a Mahayana Buddhist practitioner, honestly, he/she is NOT a Buddhist practitioner.
He/she is just somebody who is interested in things and events related to Buddhism.
Or, he/she is a Buddhist (taken refuge to the Three Jewels and taken 5 precepts), but he/she does not practice Buddhism.
Here come tantric students claiming that they are Vajrayana practitioners, believing they don’t need to go through the above-mentioned “fuss”. Obviously they missed the reading in all Tibetan Buddhism texts: In order to be a Vajrayana practitioner, you need to be a Mahayana practitioner first. Before studying Tantra (secret teachings), one must spend at least 10 to 20 years practicing Mahayana Buddhism.
And if you read any basic Mahayaha text books (of any country), they wrote: Before you start learning Mahayaha Buddhism, you must finishing practicing Hinayana Buddhism, which is, “stop harming anyone”: no killing (human), no stealing (taking what is not given), no sexual misconducts (involve in extra-marital affairs), no lying (lie to benefit at the cost of other being’s interests), no alcohol/drug/cigarette (to keep your mind clear and sound so that you don’t do stupid things)!
In order to become a perfect divine being (Buddha), one must at least become a saint or nobleman (Boddhisattva). Before one can put other sentient beings interests before one’s own interests, one must at least learn to be a good person. Before we can call ourselves a “good person”, we must first stop harming others, because anyone who harms others for his own benefit on purpose is a “bad person”!
There is no secret becoming a Buddha!
There is no other ways of becoming a Buddha!
Don’t think if you can just work out some of your cakras and channels, you’ll become a Buddha in one second, and can fly up in the sky or kill your enemies by chanting secret mantra. Whoever with supernatural power and attempts to harm others is NOT a Buddha! He is a demon!
In real Buddhism teaching, “enemies” refer to our own weaknesses: selfishness, proud, jealousy, greed, lust, ego, ignorance…We are supposed to overcome them, take back the control of our mind, control our life.
Because very few people were armed with these basic readings, bad teachers were able to take advantage of them.
Buddha said: “I cannot make you a Buddha, but I can show you the right path. It is up to you to follow me or not.” No human can “make” you a Buddha. Only you can work yourself up to that level.
What did Buddha show us? He was a prince, he gave up all that power, money, wives, entertainment…he lived a simply life for only a few decades, achieved realization – eternity of joy, happiness forever.
He didn’t teach his followers to give up all their wealth and possessions, and order his family members to take all those wealth and possessions.
He certainly wasn’t involved in any scandals with his female disciples.
Buddha also said: “Do not make alms to those (monks) who broke any of the four basic precepts! Then you are my real disciple.”
What are the basic 4 precepts for monks? No killing (human), no stealing (eg. Taking what is not given, including stealing fund or monastry/temple property for his family/relatives), no sexual misconducts (even touching a woman’s skin or just verbally suggesting sexual intercourse), no big lies (declaring enlightenment or seeing a Buddha while one hasn’t).
If a female student just knows that, she would not let her teacher touch her.
If a donor knows that, he would not keep donating to the wrong practitioner, and waste his money on “masters” who cannot earn him merits.
If Buddhist students know that, they would shun the bad teachers and go seek real accomplished masters, and practice happily on the right path to Buddhahood in no time.
Precepts are guidelines. They are here to protect us. Buddha set precepts to help us to stay away from all potential harm and risk – fake Buddhism teaching products or teacher in the name of enlightenment.
Precepts are not restrictions. If you don’t take any precept and kill, you will still go to hell any way. But by taking a vow not to kill, you remind yourself not to do kill while the circumstances arise, therefore save yourself a trip to hell in next life. It is not the precept that lands anyone to hell, it is the bad deed.
But why don’t we take precepts?
Why do we never listen to Buddha?
Why are we more interested in Demon’s promises?
LikeLike
The Prophecy of Guru Rinpoche:
Thanks to the power of all Buddha of the past, present and future, in the Dharma Ending Era, human beings may enjoy a short period of time of gay and pleasure. However, those so-called gurus and tulkus have intensive greed for wealth and fame. They travel all over the world to cheat on their followers, sweet talk them into giving offerings, and tightly hold onto these offerings. Instead of using all these donations by making offerings to Buddha and giving to the poor, they turn these offerings into their own private properties.
Monks and nuns are more interested in chanting in rituals of repentance (for offerings – They should spend most of their time on reading, reflecting and meditating in solitaire for attaining Buddhahood). They indulge in music, dance and entertainment (which are forbidden by precepts). They covet other people’s precious possessions, accumulate wealth (monks and nuns must not own wealth) and refuse to provide financial assistance to those (public) in need.
Many ordained monks take off monk’s robes to sneak into places forbidden by Buddha. Many nuns break root precept(s) without feeling ashamed. They pretend to conform to the Buddha’s teaching and can teach Dharma proficiently. However they do not do real good deeds but rather make themselves look and smell more attractive.
Translated by Khenpo Tzai-do (from Tibetan to Chinese)
from Serthar Buddhist Institute in Si-Chuan, China
The largest Buddhist Institute in the world,
established by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok – Teacher of Dalai Lama
Source: (Chinese Translation)
http://www.lama.com.tw/content/meet/acto.aspx?id=1544
LikeLike
What is it about us women that makes us so prone to this. Should we be educating our daughters and ourselves more. Why do we believe what these men tell us. Why didn’t our mothers educate us against this. Not saying the victims are to blame. Just asking how we became victims.
LikeLike
I just saw the documentary on line, and I don’t understand the denial of some Sogyal’s disciples.
Why Sogyal never offers excuse for his beheavior toward those womens?
Tibetan buddhist is a very machist religion…
LikeLike
The documentary of the Canadian TV is free to watch, however you need to be in Canada in order to do so. The video is very interesting and I suppose the interest to be seen is great, so I managed to download it and I’m sharing it with you.
Here’s the link to the videos regarding the topic – http://www.fileserve.com/file/uUZEpPf/In the Name of Enlightenment Documentary.rar
Feel free to re post it and re upload it in different sites and forums (after a certain time, no idea how long, the link wont be valid any more, so it will be great if anybody can upload it to a safe place).
LikeLike
Good to know. Excellent website especially on topics like scare away pigeons.
LikeLike
the above segment is taken from the weblink below
http://www.survivingtherapistabuse.com/2010/03/silence-is-not-the-answer/?replytocom=189
LikeLike
The first three words that automatically come up when you start typing Sogyal Rinpoches name on GOOGLE are: 1. SCANDAL 2. CONTROVERSY. 3. ABUSE. Only as nr. 4. comes RIGPA followed by QUOTES as nr. 5.
I have personal experience of Rigpa(having attended a center for app 4 years) and Sogyal Rinpoche(in the sense that I have seen him teach and been to one of his retreats).
The 10 day retreat I went to with him was a chocking and disturbing experience that I still reflect on and struggle to comprehend.
Most prolific was the way Sogyal was treated by his students. He is surrounded by an entourage of predominantly young, attractive people who are constantly waiting attentively by his side to provide him with whatever he demands the second he demands it. If they fail in their task, in however small or insignificant way, he will, if he is in the mood, easily tell them off for an hour or so in front of everyone who has come to see him teach(in this case it was around 400 people). This is meant to be a valuable teaching for everyone witnessing and of course especially for the person he is telling off. He is “working with their ego” and they do themselves testify how absolutely amazing it is to be “worked with” in this manner.
Sogyal had a couple of young women who would put his shoes and socks on and off in front of the 400 participants before and after he thought.
When Sogyal asked for something that was not in the room during a teaching someone would get up and run, and I mean run as in “as fast as you can, there’s been a serious accident, someone is dying” kind of run to get it.
One incident I remember was, during a lunch break, seeing the three men who were working behind the lighting desk come running in this “a bomb is just about to explode” kind of speed. I was with a friend who was helping out at the retreat, hence he had a walkie talkie, and was that way informed that the reason they were running was that Sogyal was hanging out by himself in the shrine room and wanted a spotlight moved slightly.
Sogyal would not turn off his mobile phone while he was teaching and if somebody would text or call him(his ring tone being his own long life prayer) whilst he was teaching he would stop teaching and quite happily chit chat on the phone or send text messages.
The worst thing I experienced in relation to his mobile phone was when he was doing blessings at the end of the retreat. Everyone is in a long line and goes up one after the other. One man on the retreat was in a wheel chair. Because of this he was obviously lower down than everyone else, (and you also bow your head and look down when you receive a blessing whilst Rinpoche held a small sack containing Buddhist holy objects on your head). Whilst Rinpoche was “blessing” this man he simultaneously started writing a text message on his phone. So one hand on the mans head… and the other busy writing a text obviously looking at the phone rather than the man. This was very disturbing to witness because the man didn’t know since he was looking down, he probably thought he was getting an extra long blessing whilst the rest of the 400 people knew that that was not the case.
At the retreat we had discussion groups every day. The groups were divided by your experience. Since I was fairly new to Rigpa I was in a group with mainly other new student which resulted in a lot of upset feelings and questions about the way things were conducted.
I never felt that these questions, my own or those posted by others, were answered properly.
In my experience, the answers I have got, with regards to the above and other similar scenarios are:
Sogyal is a “crazy wisdom teacher”. This basically means that what he does is “wisdom” on such a profound level that to us mere western, unenlightened ego infested beings it may come across as crazy but we just don’t understand it. I suppose it could slightly perhaps translate into “God works in mysterious ways” in Christian terminology. My opinion is that this term, in the context discussed is being gravely misused as well as abused and it allows Sogyal to get away with absolutely anything.
Another explanation is that some people claim that he is or may be something they call a turton. A turton is, if I understand it correctly, a lama in or through whom new teachings or teachings that have been dead for many years resurface and manifest. This speculation is based on, as I got it explained to me, the fact that Sogyal sometimes says “I’ve never said this before” whilst he is teaching.
I am not quite sure how but this is also supposed to excuse Sogyals behavior.
Yet another answer you can get when questioning Sogyals manners is “this is your own ego reacting”. With this kind of argumentation it is needless to say that there is no point in having the discussion or questioning at all. If anything I question or criticize will be met with the answer that I have an ego, this is my ego speaking and I can not see clearly because of my ego… then hey, where do we go from there?
I interpret this as you should just accept that you don’t understand, do as you’re told and follow and trust blindly. (Even though the teachings time and again clearly tell us NOT to have blind faith and to question and examine your teacher thoroughly).
You are also encouraged to ask the students who are subject to his harsh words or who for example put his socks on what they think. Since they are doing it they will obviously tell you that it’s great, they want it etc. Despite this I am not reassured. I do not know these people, their lives and history. I do not know if they are strong, balanced, happy or unhappy… If they have self esteem and a sense of self worth or not… And I do not know the nature of their relationship to Sogyal and how it is built. There are many forms of psychological dependency that can develop over time and that are not healthy. How do I know that this is not the case here?
People within the Rigpa Sangha are keen to often point out the importance of separating the teachings from the teacher and I can most definitely see why it would be in their interest to do so.
In my view, you lead by example and no one is exempt from this code of conduct. This is what HH Dalai Lama does and surely Sogyal should follow his example.
I have seen HH Dalai Lama teach on several occasions, as well as other Tibetan Lamas, I have perceived them to be humble, genuine and wise. The difference from seeing Sogyal teach is like night and day to me and I do not understand why some people fail to see this.
When I was at the retreat I remember thinking “Am I the only one who can see the absurdity of this?” I felt like I was in a sect where everyone but me was brainwashed and I wished I had had a hidden camera, thinking what a chocking documentary it would make.
Why is then Rigpa, with Sogyal as it’s leader, such a huge organization?
My personal view would be that Rigpa is very well organized and it does make Buddhist teachings and practices easily available. (And, the Buddhist philosophy/teachings are beautiful, wise and therapeutic whoever they come from). Many of the wonderful Tibetan lamas are not as easily accessible so sometimes people do not have a choice. I actually think this is a big reason. I personally know people who have had big doubts regarding Sogyal but since they are by the time they see or hear something concerning used to regularly going to Rigpa and having the people and community they have encountered there in their lives they rather not give that up and turn a blind eye to their own doubt.
We must also remember that it is often troubled and vulnerable people or people at vulnerable troubled times of their lives who turn to religion.
Richard Gere said it well in the documentary “When the Iron Bird flies” when he said that we did not seek out Buddhism because we wanted to save the world we sought it out because we just had enough of suffering.
Life is hard and some people seam to struggle and suffer more than others. We need something to take comfort in. Religion can be great for this. But this equation comes with many other factors such as power, dependency and attachment. It is a huge responsibility to have this power and it can be detrimental when in the wrong hands.
There seam to be religious leaders within every religion who abuse their power. This is very sad since it can give the religion as a whole a bad name. And a religion, used in a positive, loving and compassionate way can enhance life quality as well as humanity on a whole.
The Catholic Church has in recent years, after decades, probably centuries of denial, had to finally admit, face up to and deal with the issue of abuse. It is time for the leaders of Tibetan Buddhism to do the same. I understand the reluctance since there is a risk of this reflecting badly on the religion as a whole, and Tibetan Buddhism is, in contrary to Catholicism, a young religion in the west. I understand the wish not to have it judged before it is known. In the long run however, I believe that it will be beneficial. People will trust leaders who have the courage to speak up against wrong actions and protect its students and followers. It is high time for action to be taken and the longer the wait the longer the healing process.
LikeLike
I’m glad you were treated kindly – it wasn’t my experience and i’m talking about experience with so called rigpa senior people – your experience doesn’t make mine any less valid, they are different experiences. my doubts and growing sense of uncomfortableness with how accusations against rinpoche were dealt with actually co-incided with me completing my ngondro practice, after about 14 years of practice, so it was a very strange and liberating time for me. i don’t think people are isolated in the way described above if taken literally but people are definitely worked and worked hard in a way that actually can be quite isolating and disempowering. it’s the constant work, business and doing that can isolate you from friends and family and that can be just as potent as an actual physical disconnection. i appreciate you’ve had a different experience, so have i and i am genuinely concerned for you, that you take some time and space to read and hear more. i don’t think that telling people to combine their wildest fantasies and fears and write a story is really been fair to anyone. we shouldn’t automatically dismiss someone’s story because it makes us or our experience uncomfortable.
LikeLike
Just combine your wildest fantacys and fears – then write a story.
LikeLike
Pamela, I also spoke and asked questions. I was not treated aggressively, but understandingly and kindly.
anon, “They are separated from family and friends, discouraged from contact with the outside world and persuaded to see the organisation as family with the guru (confusingly as father-lover) in absolute power and control.”
I have seen many family members visiting Rigpa. People are not isolated from anything. Rigpa wants it’s people to exist in the world, you know? Benefitting people and all that… what Buddhism is all about. How could you isolate thousands of people with working places and careers? How ridiculous, I must say.
LikeLike
is bellab from Stockholm?
LikeLike
Lama sex abuse claims call Buddhist taboos into question
Allegations against Sogyal Rinpoche highlight the dangers of Buddhist injunctions against gossip and insistence on loyalty
guardian Friday 1 July 2011 12.41 BST
In November 1994 an American woman known as Janice Doe filed a $10m lawsuit against the Tibetan lama Sogyal Rinpoche, charging him with sexual, mental and physical abuse. The case was dealt with out of court and Janice Doe signed a non-disclosure agreement in return for a cash settlement.
Sogyal denies allegations of abuse, but fresh evidence against him was recently aired in an investigative documentary called In the Name of Enlightenment, broadcast on Vision TV in Canada. A beautiful young woman identified as Mimi described an abusive sexual relationship. She was the first person claiming direct experience of Sogyal’s exploitative attentions to go public since the 1994 lawsuit.
Sogyal (surname Lakar – Rinpoche is a title that means “precious one”) is the frontman for a Tibetan Buddhist organisation called Rigpa, which has a worldwide reach with 130 centres in 41 countries. He has a bestselling book, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, to his name and he starred alongside Keanu Reeves in the movie Little Buddha. Sogyal is a formidably successful guru – probably the best known Tibetan after the Dalai Lama. His trajectory into Buddhist superstardom suffered only a temporary setback following the Janice Doe lawsuit – despite the fact that lurid rumours about his sex life circulate on the internet with increasing volume and persistence.
The allegations raise a wider question: why are victims of sexual exploitation by charismatic religious leaders reluctant to denounce their abusers? In the Canadian documentary, Mimi highlights the Stockholm syndrome – a term used to describe the paradoxical reactions of individuals who bond with their abusers. “The person beating us, she says, “is also the only one giving us affection – and food and a roof over our heads.”
Sociologist Amanda van Eck is deputy director of Inform, the cult information resource at the London School of Economics. She says fear is probably the main reason why women stay silent: “In some groups there has been fear of retribution,” she says, “which means they don’t want to speak publicly. In other cases, which may overlap with fear of retribution, they are fearful of negative consequences – damnation, of not being saved, of possession by evil spirits, of being attacked by negative forces and so on.”
If the outside world has been demonised by cult leaders, Van Eck says, women may also be fearful that no one can be trusted.
Many women who have described abusive sexual relationships anonymously on internet forums refuse to come out of hiding because they want to move on, rather than relive traumatic periods in their lives. Some also feel a need to protect their families.
In my personal experience, there are two taboos in Buddhist organisations, both of which have merit and both of which can be used as manipulative tools. One of them is an injunction against gossip – useful when trying to establish a calm mental state, but also useful to prevent the circulation of critical comment.
The second is samaya – the bond of loyalty that is one of the key tenets of Tibetan Buddhism. It supports the relationship between teacher and neophyte, but it can be deployed unscrupulously as a threat – break your samaya and attract dire consequences to yourself and your loved ones.
Another factor is that acceptance into the inner circle around an important guru delivers high status within the organisation. Women are persuaded to view the master as a deity and to be compliant with his wishes and whims, to undertake a punishing workload and be available for sex on demand. They are separated from family and friends, discouraged from contact with the outside world and persuaded to see the organisation as family with the guru (confusingly as father-lover) in absolute power and control. By the time women realise they are being abused, exploited and embedded in a coercive cult, it is often too late for them to extricate themselves. Their investment is total and their chances of making lives for themselves beyond the organisation have dwindled into non-existence.
Whether or not Sogyal’s relationships were abusive, as claimed, they raise another question: how does a short, overweight, Tibetan lama manage to attract beautiful young western women? The answer is rooted in the mystique of tantra – the only Buddhist tradition that includes sexual union in the path that leads to enlightenment. Professor Geoffrey Samuel from Cardiff University explains: “In the third initiation of the highest yoga tantra, sexual union is introduced as a parallel to the experience of enlightenment. It creates certain sensations that help towards experiencing the state of ultimate realisation – in other words Buddhahood.”
But Samuel says that although this arcane version of sacred sex is present in Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, it should not be confused with the modern neo-tantra movement and nor is it appropriate for recent converts to Buddhism.”People should have a health warning” he says. “An elderly guru seducing a young woman probably isn’t doing it to assist her towards enlightenment.”
Tibetans outside Tibet are refugees who feel constantly under threat from forces beyond their control. Their social conventions include a taboo against criticising lamas. The Dalai Lama is constrained by this and so too are the majority of other lamas teaching in the west. They have closed ranks around Sogyal, regardless of their misgivings about the allegations against him. A more cynical view of this apparent conspiracy of silence hinges on the fact that Sogyal pulls in a lot of money – some of which is channelled into Tibetan worthy causes.
LikeLike
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/jul/01/lama-sex-abuse-sogyal-rinpoche-buddhist?INTCMP=SRCH
LikeLike
bellaB, I feel your frustration and the amount of energy you are putting into your posts – i’ve been there. for almost twenty years, i was involved with rigpa and haven’t been now for quite a while. the source of my departure- these stories, compelling testimonies and my first-hand experience of how these issues were handled within rigpa. the attitude was one of denial, dismissal and discrediting of people – it made me tremendously uncomfortable and the more i talked to other people, the more uncomfortable i became. i have continued to practice buddhism and it has been a source of comfort and refuge to me but i can’t describe to you the pain and suffering it causes you to have your opinions and expectations of a teacher totally shattered, shattered with a certainty and credibility that can’t be denied. read as much as you can, talk to as many people within and particularly outside of rigpa as you can – get the full story and facts and make up your own mind. i appreciate you feel the need to constantly defend sogyal rinpoche and rigpa from these stories. by the time i was leaving rigpa and as i voiced my doubts i didn’t meet any of the love and compassion that was talked about, i got well-rehersed lines and people who were nervous and aggressive with me because i asked too many questions too often. i really do wish you well.
LikeLike
“Indeed, the men near the inner circle willingly offer up intimate details about what their girlfriends are like in the sack, and a sort of pimping takes place, not that they would see it that way. ”
Are you talking about your friends at the bar? I have never seen this – nor has my ‘lad-friend’ seen or heard ANYTHING like this happening in the inner circle of Rigpa. You really must be out of your mind, in confusion – or haven’t been there – just throwing in your wild speculations! Please: if you have no facts, just keep quiet: you will make it really difficult for the Rigpa ‘inner-circle’ take your stories seriously with stuff like that thrown in.
LikeLike
Tiger lily, Nemesis, all
The rather tawdry truth I fear, is that most Rigpa students don’t care whether beautiful young women who turn up looking for spiritual teachings are groped at by Sogyal Rinpoche or not. Anyone who has been around a while, accepts he has an eye for the ‘babes’ and is a bit of a lad when it comes to a young pretty woman. Indeed, the men near the inner circle willingly offer up intimate details about what their girlfriends are like in the sack, and a sort of pimping takes place, not that they would see it that way. They are also keen to be seduced by Sogal, so much so, that offering up their lover is seen as just part of their practice. It is a teaching in non-attachment. The women in the inner circle don’t talk about it, and I guess some see it as part of their path, a teaching. They maybe the fortunate ones, or the no-hopers, having invested everything into Rigpa, where else are they now going to go? Who would care about them? The middle aged woman student probably feels pangs of jealousy for the young pretty women who all sit in the front row and revolve around him, fetching him this that and the other. As for bellab, s/he is a troll. Designed to repulse people from these pages, probably a strategy devised by older students. Seriously, no one cares, they only care that it’s being talked about. Rather that it all happened behind closed doors, with no leakages.
LikeLike
Where one can see the documentary or is it only on TV? (I’ve been faced with these rumours already 9 years ago, so I don’t think I could be more shocked. If the rumours are true, they are of course disappointing.)
LikeLike
I’m still not certain Mimi was his consort. Encouraged to it, you say. It’s hard to judge without seeing the events, though. Especially when people have really been treated well by SR it is hard for them to believe a completely different story. It in fact sounds ‘surreal’. It would be another matter if he was misbehaving in public… but he is not, not in a serious way: he is usually joking.
I don’t think he himself thinks he is a Buddha, Guru Rinpoche or enlightened. People consider him like that if they do. He has impressed me as a teacher and I know he has great realization, but I don’t expect him to have lost his humanity… Even though I’ve been an idealist I lost my ‘blind faith’ in anyone before I was 25 (rough road) and that was before I met SR. Once he said: “The teacher may have worse karma than his students.” If he considered himself enlightened, I don’t think he would say so. He has actually denied being enlightened.
I spoke with a woman who had been working as his masseur and she is a long term student. She said he never made advances – and she also knew some of his girlfriends, but never heard they were mistreated. Another student also said he had stayed at her place – and he had never made advances to her either. All the bad stories I’ve heard are in the internet. In real life I have heard different stories.
I must say that I have also heard that these subjects are discussed in Rigpa with the students, so they are not just wiped aside. I heard SR has also tried to solve things with people who feel mistreated, but unsuccesfully.
Tiger Lily, I must see how things evolve eventually. At the moment I don’t have the feeling I know enough. I’m not closing out any possibility at the moment – blind as it may seem to some, not even the possibility of healing in the long run. (I guess I have been already angry for years to other men for personal reasons – and I guess I don’t have that in my system at the moment. I do want to protect women: that has not changed.)
LikeLike
Hello BellaB. As I have understood it, Mimi was encouraged by SR to see herself as his consort. Offering sex was one of the duties of a close female attendant; as Mimi said herself to me, sleeping with him went with the job. I don’t know whether all his female attendants have a sexual relationship with him but I believe from Mimi’s statement that most do. I know it may be very distressing for you to watch the documentary and honestly I can feel sympathy for you and other Rigpa students. However I do think it is better that you are all informed and that this matter is out in the open so that it can be put to rights. You see the danger is that if SR feels himself to be an emanation of Guru Rinpoche he may be entirely unaware of the long-term detrimental effect his actions are causing numerous women who have had sexual relations with him. Mimi is not the only one, but she is one of the very few who have spoken openly about their difficulties. It is tremendously hurtful for them when their voices are not listened to or they are told to shut up. This is why a number of critical people become very impatient when their enquiries hit a wall of silence that is built around SR by his students and other Tibetan Lamas who cannot know the full facts of what goes on behind closed doors. On a positive note, I think Rigpa can rise above it if it adapts a more transparent code of ethics. It is now a world wide organisation which connects students to some excellent Teachings from visiting Lamas. I think that at his best SR can and has contributed helpful guidelines to Westerners. The downside of several Rinpoches is the way they regard women, and it is up to us to declare that this is no longer acceptable. There must be accountability in the manner the Teachings are passed on in the West. Many of the old Tibetan methods are simply unsuitable. So I wish you well BellaB and hope you can openly discuss these things with your friends at Rigpa to everyone’s advantage.
LikeLike
Nemesis, you weren’t there, so you don’t have a clue of the context. I’m waiting for Tiger Lily’s answer.
LikeLike
Qualifed Buddhist masters dont tell their disciples to take off their clothes as a joke.
LikeLike
Thank you Tiger Lily for your comment. Actually your post is the first one that I can relate to.
“Mimi also had the courage to return and confront SR some time after she had left Rigpa. She took her lawyer with her. Her father Guy who subsequently left the 3 year retreat when he learned what had been happening to his daughter also confronted Sogyal.”
Was Mimi really a consort – or was that ‘take off your clothes’ some ridiculous sounding comment SR made?
LikeLike
Dear BellaB
Yes, I certainly agree with you that the time has come for women to stand up for their rights. And it does seem to be happening across the board globally. That is why the Canadian documentary “In the Name of Enlightenment” is out there for people to see and make up their own minds from the information that is given.
Mimi, the young french woman was very brave to stand up for her rights and contribute to such information being made available. I have met her and heard from her directly her description of what it was like to be Sogyal Rinpoche’s “consort”. I knew she was telling the truth because of my own experience with SR and Rigpa. You see unless you have had experience or have met other women (and men) who left Rigpa in pieces, as Mary Finnigan has by interviewing them, you will never know what has been going on behind closed doors. Mimi also had the courage to return and confront SR some time after she had left Rigpa. She took her lawyer with her. Her father Guy who subsequently left the 3 year retreat when he learned what had been happening to his daughter also confronted Sogyal.
For me it is actually terribly sad that SR and the majority of his students are in denial of his behaviour which can be deeply damaging to women. It is not the behaviour of a bodhisattva, but of someone who really needs to look deeply at himself and his motives. His students are not helping him at all by keeping it all hidden. For sure those in his inner circle are perfectly aware of what goes on, but perhaps they don’t know the full details. All the time that Mimi was encouraged by SR to see herself as a “consort” she was suffering a very great deal with no-one to turn to for help. As a result when she finally managed to extricate herself she was completely traumatized.
This is what women and men around the world are complaining about. It is so obviously wrong and a disgrace to the authentic Buddha Dharma.
Many of us are older students who have been involved with Tibetan Buddhism for
approximately 40 years. We passionately care about preserving the pure Lineage.
I know that reputable Lamas also teach at Rigpa, and that students are fortunate to have access to their Teachings and energy. In that respect, Rigpa as an organisation is serving a useful purpose. What is so shockingly disappointing is the fact that under their “umbrella” SR can pretend to be something that he is not. That is an enlightened Master. If he were he would have liberated countless women by now. Instead he has done great harm to many of those he has had sexual relations with.
The Canadian documentary is intelligently and responsibly made in a low-key, unsensational manner. I believe it is due at some future date to be shown in the USA and Australia.
LikeLike
I have been fighting in my life and work against sexual exploitation of women in our whole culture. I think almost all men (and some women) have a brain damage – nothing else explains prostitution, sexual abuse of children and young women… There is something fundamentally sick in our culture. Or is it so that industrialized society has taken us too far from the roots and too many of us have gone sickly?
It’s not just some priests, some Tibetan lamas, many muslims… that exploitation goes too deep and far in our cultures. Our whole society should be questioned! Every woman should start fighting for their rights.
LikeLike
Tiger Lily:
I’ve read June Campbell’s book.
I think all secret relationships are harmful – and I wouldn’t enter one. I’m not one to carry anybody’s secrets.
I think it’s good to be warned as a young or older woman… about ALL the men in the world. Religious leaders are of course – as parents – are in a position where abuse is very harmful. I don’t disagree on this fundamental fact.
I just haven’t read here nor seen in reality enough convincing things to turn my course. Gossip seems to be worse than reality.
LikeLike
“Numerous reputable Newspapers, nationally and internationally, plus other media such as the Canadian TV channel have repeatedly published claims by a number of disgruntled ex Sogyal followers, claiming, sexual, psychological and physical abuse.”
Oh really? Sorry to inform you that I don’t live in Canada – and have never seen these clips.
I also don’t blindly believe what is in the media. It’s also part of my profession to be media critical. If Mary Finnigan is a perfect example of a journalist, she doesn’t really rock my boat. I’ve lost my illusions long ago.
Those are not only personal attacks. She presents her stuff as a reliable source, stating she is a journalist (or former, should be retired at her age). If the lies she presents are an example of her journalisticethics (as she says) anything she says has no groung for me.
I met a lot of manipulative men in my youth and have become allergic to anyone lying. If you can lie once in an important issue, you can lie forever. Those people have lost it to me. In judging this issue, I think her own crimes should be highlighted too. Maybe for other people it’s okay to lie, but for me not.
LikeLike
Oh bella bella bella
Again the personal attack tactic-if you cant supress the information, attack the source (Check out SCIENTOLOGY/L Ron Hubbard ‘Attack the Attacker’ and ‘Fair game’) Its the oldest cult response on earth-is that realy the best you can do?
Dont you think it possible that MAYBE, Mary Finnigans aim is to prevent further abuse?
(“What? There is no abuse!” You reply) Take a step back and look:
Numerous reputable Newspapers, nationally and internationally, plus other media such as the Canadian TV channel have repeatedly published claims by a number of disgruntled ex Sogyal followers, claiming, sexual, psychological and physical abuse. NOT ONE OF THESE NUMEROUS SOURCES HAS BEEN SUED.
WHY? The only possible explanation for their not being sued is a very simple and obvious one-THE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE. PERIOD.
Your unwillingess to admit to the obvious shows an extremely unhealthy unwillingness to abandon a most deep rooted attachment, that being your attachment to the (imagined) personality and reputation of Sogyal Lakar. This is the mentality at the root of the cult of personality that underlies various forms of abuse in several Buddhist traditions (FWBO[‘Urgyen’ Sangharakshita-Ha!], NKT [Kelsang Gyatso-‘The Third Buddha’-Not!]) and beyond, in the wider cult world of the current menagerie of truth merchants .
It would do you well to cut and run, taking the knowledge you have gained from studying the teachings of the Nyingma tradition which were conveyed to you via the portal of Sogyal, and rely solely upon yourself for the time being, at least until you can find a guru whose reputation is not tarnished by such repeated and widespread allegations,
However, judging by your obvious dependence on the physical form of your teacher, I suspect this will not be possible. Two lines come to mind
1) Dont rely on the personality of the teacher, rely on the meaning of his words
2) From the Prajnaparamita literature ‘Those who know me through my body do not know me’
At present your devotion does not seem to have discenred these two, fundamentally important facts
LikeLike
http://www.anandainfo.com/tantric_robes.html
LikeLike
My criticism toward Mary Finnigan is that she has not met SR for 30 or more years. Yet she claims to *know it all*.
– Smoking Cigars… Did you happen to study Buddhist view on smoking, subtle energy and so on?
– Watching porn… Maybe Mary Finnigan watches porn, who could know? It’s pretty much available for anyone.
– Financial abuse… He probably buys cigars, alcohol and even more porn (even if it’s for free in the internet) – those are the reasons why he needs to abuse people? He doesn’t make offerings to monasterios/nunneries in India and elsewhere – or other beneficial stuff… Did you ever notice him talking of helping monasterios in the East? Do you consider it selfish?
– If I thought that I’m threatened with hell because I ask questions – and I have ASKED for a decade now – I think I would be scared to death posting here… Jesus…(sígh…)
– Mary Finnigan has a mission… who knows for what? Extreme hatred and anger can be sensed… I would really like to know what is the very PERSONAL reason behind it all. Nothing else could explain the hunt for 40 decades. Did you ask yourself what is the real reason? Other people from the early years of SR in the West have remained with him. Did you ever asked those people their view? Are you not at all interested?
I’m myself a rebel – and I’m not one bit worried what SR or how Tibetan Buddhism traditionally would consider me. If I can’t be myself, however neurotic, I cannot exist. I’m not a perfect example of a cult character – because of my desire for freedom… Still I really see your view of SR so narrow and many times ridiculous.
LikeLike
I’m sorry for you too – for misunderstanding. The only time I EVER heard about Sogyal Rinpoche talking of hell was in the context of Words of My Perfect Teacher…
– and he commented that “never mind about this”…
LikeLike
Sorry bellaB, but now you`re REALLY getting hilarious and out of your mind!!
I was a member of Rigpa for many years and I personally (!) heard Sogyal threat students with going to hell That`s common sense in the whole Rigpa-Sangha and it`s part of a totally mislead superstitious belief system which is pretty strong within that group…Also: have you ever read “Words from my perfect teacher”? Do you honestly want to tell me that using fears by threatening followers with possible future existences in hell realms belongs exclusively to christianity? Open your eyes…
It`s hard to believe how blinded someone can become if he or she tries to defend his or her teacher and you bellaB are doing nothing but giving a perfect and frightening example of what can go wrong when a religious group becomes a cult which leads to following the leader of that group with blind faith! (and no, talking about the possibility of questioning your teacher and actually doing it is not the same! If you would have thought about the substantial criticism regarding this complex subject offered by Martine and Stephen Batchelor in their Interviews even for a second, you simply could not have written your last helpless comment…)
In one of your other comments you suggest people to read all the other comments so that they could find out just what of an evil person Mary Finnigan, who dares to criticise your teacher, has to be…Well, if you knew what she has gone through you would probably be a liitle bit more careful with YOUR level of slander…or maybe not…Have you ever thought about the possibility that everybody with the least bit of sanity might find that what you are demonstrating here between the lines way more revealing than what you actually try to achieve with the words themselves? It`s absolutely obvious that you would still defend Sogyal even if he would abuse someone right in front of you…you would find a way to justify even that, so you would not have to deal with the pain of questioning and maybe losing your teacher…and that`s fine with me but if you really want to do your teacher any favour: stop posting here…believe me…because what you`re writing is absolutely ridiculous! Even if MF would be the impersonated evil as you seem to believe, there are still thousand of others thinking in the exact same way about Sogyal and who also had to deal with their really devastating experiences within Rigpa. Also there are wonderful Teachers like Stephen and Martine Batchelor and even Teachers within Tibetan Buddhism (and close to the Dalai Lama) who have nothing good to say about Sogyal either! And what about all the ex-members in the documentary who speak about their heartbreaking personal (!) experiences (!!) they had to make with this man?! Of course they are all part of a multileveled conspiracy instigated by the chinese to harm Tibetan Buddhism in general and your teacher in particular…or they are just not as far spiritually developed to understand that they were actually healed not wounded! Again not the least respect and compassionate words for all the victims and that, to me is what comes across in all your comments and also in those of most other Rigpa-Followers…and it’s exactly what I personally experienced in that group…
Like Mary wrote: seems like there are wheels in motion…and even if they are spinning slowly…you won`t stop them!
My deepest and heartfelt respect to everyone who had the courage to speak out in this documentary!
Mary, I wish you all the strength you need in your fight for justice! Please never give up! I`m sure there are thousands of people who are deeply wounded by this organisation and who are reading this but feel powerless because they are not in the position as you are and don`t have the ability to do what you`re doing! I hope you and everyone who is fighting with you will be successfull soon!
LikeLike
Who is that character creating stories? Sogyal Rinpoche is wise and intelligent man. I have never ever heard him nor his students saying that you will go to hell!
I can’t believe this level of slander MF is exploring…
Already Buddha said you should question…
How stupid can this page be? It’s a Christian thing to threat with hell – and a people from Afganistan are threating kids with hell if they don’t join Al-Qaeda.
(… really I hope people reading this page are more intelligent than the producers of this nonsense….)
LikeLike
http://www.cogentbenger.com/docs/sexscandalsinreligion/inthenameofenlightenment/directorsblog.php
Debi Goodwin the director of “In the Name of Enlightenment”, talks about her research into making the documentary and the women she met who had experienced abuse from their gurus.
LikeLike
that’s a good idea mary but i wonder if enough people would attend and see it in such a format. if it was shown on irish tv, it would make such an impact or bbc for that matter. the british journalist john sweeney who did such a great show for panormana on scientology might be good place to start. do you think the bbc might cover this as that would get both coverage in uk and ireland.
LikeLike
It may not be possible to see In The Name of Enlightenment on television in Ireland. But I am willing to fly to Dublin if my expenses are covered and show a DVD version of it at a venue in the city. I will take part in a discussion afterwards, so long as there is a moderator to keep order.
LikeLike