A commentary on the Observer Triratna article ~ Scale of FWBO / Triratna abuse unfolds

Sangharakshita in 1966. Photograph: John Twine/ANL/REX/Shutterstock

Scale of FWBO / Triratna abuse unfolds

On Sunday 21 July 2019,  The Observer newspaper published a Special Report about the Triratna Buddhist Group, titled “Buddhist, teacher, predator: dark secrets of the Triratna guru”:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/21/sangharakshita-guru-triratna-buddhist-dark-secrets

Triratna have posted their response to The Observer article here:

https://thebuddhistcentre.com/adhisthana-kula/further-response-adhisthana-kula-observer-article

Triratna is primarily UK based, but has around eighty urban centres and retreat centres worldwide, including The Dublin Buddhist Centre, and holds activities in over twenty countries.

Sexual Healing or Taking Advantage? ~ Freya Watson

Since publishing linking this article by Freya Watson to my post,  a number of people have contacted Dialogue Ireland concerned that the very issues that this article are concerned with, namely unwanted sexual overtures which Freya Watson discusses here I have given her free reign on this site. However, questions are raised by Freya Watson’s support of the whole Lamaist Tibetan Abuse by her involvement  with the Elephant site.

As has very clearly pointed out by critics she is part of the enabling of the whole project and the attempted rehabilitation of Lama Sogyal and the role of the Dalai Lama in covering this up.

However, this article was published in its own right as part of the role Dialogue Ireland is playing in bringing a new group never mentioned on this site before into the public domain.

I have been approached by over 50 people on private messaging, the phone and email about Japa. Some are so afraid they believe these people can use use magic to expose them, others are just petrified to be identified. One person who is now well outside the clutches of this group passed on the article and told me those affected would immediately know who this story is related to. So this is a signal that we are slowly but steadily going to publish stories anonymously.

This means you can gain the benefit of using our commenting service and leave comments anonymously to advance your own recovery from the losses from this group.

It is our experience that these groups revert very quickly to using legal threats to try to stop the truth getting out. Obviously if we have published an untruth in error we immediately correct it, but also offer uncensored freedom of a right of reply. Those that use the power of the law have in my experience a different aim, namely to silence and take down anything we have on them. We have a simple remedy to that tactic which reveals that they are not a genuine spiritual movement but in fact want to close down free speech. What we do is we publish their correspondence for the world to see.

Do read the the comments which shows Freya Watson is herself a victim and and enabler all rolled into one.

There has been a lot of discussion about the abuse of power and how women have had to be the subject of sexual exploitation to advance in life. There has also been the major discussion in Tibetan Buddhism as to how the Dalai Lama could hide the abuse inherent in this deviant form of Buddhism. The sexual exploitation, violence and lavish lifestyle of Sogyal Rinpoche. He is not atypical but the logical expression of this totally misogynistic form of what is in reality unreformed Tantric Hinduism with its couple sex. There is a campaign to try to sent Sogyal to Coventry but save the Feudal project of Lamaism which pretends reform but is highly toxic. Then there are those Christian groups were abuse has taken place. But we have an opportunity to speak and get support for those who have gone on so called retreat to India with Yogic groups or with New Age therapists that mix their private sexual energy with that of a spiritual nature. This article is an important contribution to this discussion and we welcome the use of our commenting section to allow anonymous reflection on this whole area.

The Buddhist organisations that are thriving during the debt crisis by Mary Finnigan in The Guardian

In times of financial hardship, meditators are still willing to pay large fees to hear the teachings of high-profile Buddhists

Friday 18 November 2011

Introduction to ‘Going For Refuge’ BBC (East) by DI Buddhist consultant

This video, ‘Going For Refuge’ was made by BBC (East) and  broadcast in the Eastern region of the UK on 12 November 1992, as part of BBC East’s ‘Matter of Fact’ series. It is about a controversial organisation formerly known as The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO), which was renamed in 2010 as the Triratna Buddhist Community (TBC). Its leader is Dennis Lingwood, known as Sangharakshita. FWBO/TBC was founded in London in 1967, but now has centres in many parts of the world, including The Dublin Buddhist Centre.

FWBO commentary by BBC. Insight into their ways!

Analysis of Criticisms Levelled at the Friends of the Western Buddhist

Order, with Particular Reference to Claims Made in Relation to

Activities at the FWBO’s Dublin Buddhist Centre

http://www.dialogueireland.org/dicontent/media/AnalysisofCriticisms.pdf

The Dublin Buddhist Centre revisited

Dublin Buddhist Centre

The DUBLIN BUDDHIST CENTRE, or as it was formerly known THE DUBLIN MEDITATION CENTRE, is a part of the “The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order,” who are usually known as the FWBO. Some friends and family members of current and ex-members of the FWBO have compiled the following report. Dialogue Ireland as is its practice publishes the web sites of both sides of this debate.