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Controversial 'Buddhist' Teachers & Groups
"When teachers break the precepts,
behaving in ways that are clearly damaging to themselves and others,
students must face the situation,
even though this can be challenging, criticize openly,
that's the only way."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Having thought long and hard about making this page or not, I decided to go ahead to avoid people getting into trouble with questionable teachers and organizations who claim to be Buddhist, but whose motivation is questioned.
For obvious reasons, this page itself is controversial, as people who are involved with such teachers or groups will usually deny the controversy or even claim not to be aware of it.
From shimanoarchive.com:
On March 16-19, 1993, a meeting was held in Dharamsala, India, between His Holiness The Fourteenth Dalai Lama and a group of twenty-two Western dharma teachers from the major Buddhist traditions in Europe and America. Also present were the Tibetan lamas Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, Pachen Otrul Rinpoche, and Amchok Rinpoche. The aim of the meeting was to discuss openly a wide range of issues concerning the transmission of Budhadharma to Western lands.
The following statement ensued from the meeting:
“Each student must be encouraged to take responsible measures to confront teachers with unethical aspects of their conduct. If the teacher shows no sign of reform, students should not hesitate to publicize any unethical behavior of which there is irrefutable evidence. This should be done irrespective of other beneficial aspects of his or her work and of one's spiritual commitment to that teacher. It should also be made clear in any publicity that such conduct is not in conformity with Buddhist teachings. No matter what level of spiritual attainment a teacher has, or claims to have, reached, no person can stand above the norms of ethical conduct.”
Signed:
Fred von Allmen, Brendan Lee Kennedy, Ven. Ajahn Amaro, Bodhin Kjolhede Sensei, Jack Kornfield, Martine Batchelor, Dharmachari Kulananda, Stephen Batchelor, Jakusho Bill Kwong Roshi, Alex Berzin, Lama Namgyal (Daniel Boschero), Ven. Thubten Chodron (Cherry Greene), Ven. Tenzin Palmo, Lama Drupgyu Crony Chapman), Ven. Thubten Pende (James Dougherty), Lopon Claude aEsnee, Lama Surya Das (Jeffrey Miller), Edie Irwin, Robert Thurman, Junpo Sensei (Denis Kelly), Sylvia Wetzel.
The teachers and groups below are not all criminals or necessarily involved in distorting Buddhism, but serious complaints have been made about their conduct and/or teachings. I am not a policeman or judge, and I cannot verify if all these claims are true. I merely hope to warn innocent newcomers about potential problems and controversy.
Especially in China and Taiwan, and teachers from there, I would recommend serious caution when people are called "Living Buddhas". Such kind of title pretty much goes against all Buddhist ideas of modesty. Also when teachers promote practices for wealth and fame, or even promise 'instant enlightenment', it may be good to start asking some serious questions about the main purpose of their own 'Buddhist' practice.
If you are aware of any currently active teacher or group that is controversial, but not on below list, please help other people and
.
For the rest, please remain aware of the dangers of cults or abusive teachers, and take responsibility for your own life. Especially in Tibetan Buddhism, a personal teacher is seen as essential for spiritual progress, so better make really, really sure that you chose a genuine master; the more impressive the titles, the more critical one should investigate...
See also:
Teacher |
Group/
organization |
Problems reported |
| Shoko Asahara |
Aum Shinrikyo |
Group responsible for the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway. Asahara also claimed to be the Christ. Probably needless to say this is an insane & dangerous group |
| Alon Bagwan Rinpoche |
|
See Dharmaling forum |
| Ching Hai |
|
Check out this critical article |
| Dogo Barry Graham |
The Sitting Frog
Zen Center. |
Serious questions about not only his references and qualifications as Dharma teacher, but also serious allegations of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse of women, see The Graham Scam and for a quick overview at Smilin Buddha Cabaret |
Dorje Chang Buddha III /
Wan Ko Yee /
Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu
|
|
A 'Buddha' without history, flooding the internet with self-referring messages of his coming, using all the possible titles he can find.... 'Highest Buddha', 'Supreme leader of Buddhism' on and on. This makes me quite suspicious, but please check it out yourself. |
| Lama Choedak Rinpoche (Canberra Australia) |
Sakya Losal Choe Dzong |
Serious allegations of sexual misconduct with his students, which he apparently admits, see this weblog, which also includes other unconfirmed suspicions, and this article on the Buddhist Channel |
| Andrew Cohen |
Impersonal Enlightenment Fellowship |
See his page on Wikipedia for some controversy links and writings. Cohen creates his own type of 'Buddhism'. |
| Ikeda Daisaku |
Soka Gakkai |
Website by 'victims'. Especially critique on Ikeda Daisaku |
| 'Geshe' Kelsang Gyatso |
New Kadampa Tradition (NKT)
Many centers and groups world-wide |
Shugden controversy, rejection of views of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, unauthorized use of the Geshe title, expelled from own monastery, self-invented ordination of monks and nuns, claims of sexual abuse by ordained members high in the organization etc. Just Google for shugden... or a website of its critics and academic research. |
Gurudas Sunyatananda
aka 'semi-retired archbishop of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Church'
aka Khenpo
aka Dharmacharya
aka Servant-Father Francis-Maria of the Immaculata |
Contemplative Order of Compassion |
Dharma-teacher, but also archbishop of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Church , which according to their own website, does not believe in the pope as head of the Catholic church, follows Tibetan Buddhism and he denounces the Dalai Lama (because of his understanding of the Shugden controversy) in a published book. |
| Li Honqzhi |
Falun Gong,
Falun Dafa |
http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm claims distorted Buddhism. However, they only claim to be inspired by Buddhism. One should be aware of the vicious attitude of the Chinese Govt. against this group, so much of the info may be distorted beyond recognition. |
Jhanananda
(Jeffrey S. Brooks) |
Great Western
Vehicle |
Self-ordained monk??? According to his own About me, modesty is not one of his qualities. |
| Lama Jigme |
|
See Dharmaling forum - possibly a fraud begging for money |
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo,
(Alyce Louise Zeoli) |
|
Quite some controversy over this 'first western woman to be recognized as a Tulku' can even be found at Wikipedia |
| Lin Yun |
Black Tantric Buddhism |
Apparently he admits himself that he is an imposter (see this page). Many signs of this being a cult are being reported. |
| Maitreya |
|
See a long list of would-be Maitreyas at http://www.globalserve.net/~Sarlo/Ymaitreyas.htm. Should I say more? |
| Lama Christie McNally |
Diamond Mountain University |
Student and ex-partner of Geshe Michael Roach (see below). Apart from her controversial relationship with a monk (Michael Roach), the way she presents herself is more then questionable, as is explained in Badkarmanews.blogspot.com |
| Dennis Genpo Merzel |
White Plum Asanga |
"Disrobed" as a Buddhist priest after admitting to sexual misconduct and resigned from the White Plum Asanga in February 2011. He still wants to continue teaching, but other Zen teachers requested him to stop teaching completely. |
| Ole Nydal |
Diamond Way Buddhism |
Influential western teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, whose sexual behavior and opinions are frowned upon by quite a few Buddhists as 'politically incorrect' or worse as can be seen at the Wikipedia article about him. Even the Shamarpa criticised him on this webpage 'comment by the Shamarpa' on his official website, but apparently that article was removed after threats of Mr. Nydahl to libel the Shamarpa; if this is how someone deals with his own teacher... |
| Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu |
|
Fake head of Tibetan Buddhism, chosen by the Chinese government. The current Dalai Lama named Gedhun Choekyi Nyima on May 14, 1995. The latter vanished from public eye shortly after being named, aged six. (from Wikipedia) |
Domo Geshe Rinpoche,
aka
Marjorie Wangchuk,
aka
Tara Wangchuk,
aka
Marjorie Tara Dadak
(Marjorie Quinn) |
White Conch
Dharma Center |
Serious questions on her claims as rebirth of Geshe Domo, her ordination and more, see infinitenetworks.com or on facebook |
|
Luis Kunga Choedak Riesgo |
|
Serious allegations noted at: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=147681110732&id=673604575&ref=nf , or even worse, I saw a psychological evaluation that mentions "many serious psychological symptoms", a bad start for any teacher to say the least. |
| Geshe Michael Roach |
|
His qualifications as teacher are not questioned, no reports of sexual abuse, but he does make outrageous claims of realizations - not very Buddhist. He also claims to be a monk, but has sexual relations; a contradiction in terms. See e.g. http://www.diamond-cutter.org |
| Sangharakshita |
Friends of the
World's Buddhist
Order (FWBO)
a.k.a. Triratna
|
See http://www.ex-cult.org/fwbo/fwbofiles.htm Most criticism appears directed towards the founder Sangharakshita and his sexual habits. The intentions of the FWBO itself are sometimes questioned as well. |
Sheng-yen Lu
'Living Buddha Lian-shen'
Not be confused with respected Zen Teacher, Ven. Sheng-Yen (or Chen-Yen) |
True Buddha
School
(Zhen Fo Zhong) |
See: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm or Wikipedia Shen-yen's extravagant claims of authority as a Buddhist master are questionable at best. He even gives Kalachakra initiations based on...who knows... |
Eido Shimano Roshi
aka Tai San
aka Muishitsu Eido Sotai Shimano, Roshi |
Former abbot of
Dai Bosatsu Zendo,
New York, and
chairman of Zen Studies Society |
Severe accusations of sexual harassment and more at shimanoarchive.com, see e.g. this article |
Edward A. Penney
(Edo Shonin, aka - et al.)
and William Van Gordon |
Pine Forest Sangha,
Tranquil Abiding,
Bodhayati,
Awake to Wisdom
|
More then dubious qualifications, see the Edward Penny Archive or EdoShoninArchive.com |
| Sogyal Rinpoche |
Rigpa |
Although Rinpoche's teachings are generally not questioned, his sexual behavior has caused controversy, as can be found even at Wikipedia *. There are reports claiming that not Sogyal Rinpoche, but Andrew Harvey wrote The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. More on http://dialogueireland.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/briefing-document-on-sogyal-rinpoche/ |
| Suma Ching Hai |
|
See: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm , http://www.rickross.com/groups/suma_ching.html or this critical article |
Tara Drolkhar Rinpoche / Tara Tulku Drimed Drolkar /
Tara tulku
(Alenka Bone) |
|
See Dharmaling forum |
Tshong Tulku
(Pavel Hanč) |
|
See Dharmaling discussion forum |
| Traktung Rinpoche |
Flaming Jewel
Sangha |
See: http://www3.telus.net/public/sarlo/Ynonice.htm#belowor http://approachingaro.org/hhdl Quite presumptuous claims, little or no proof? Relation with controversial Aro Ter. No major controversy reported though. Sorry, the links appear to change often and may be dead; whether this is a good or a bad sign, I don't know... |
Tulku Urgyen Tenpa /
William Cassidi
Not to be confused with Tibetan Tulku Urgyen |
|
Some quite heavy accusations vented e.g. in this blog |
| Wat Dhammakaya |
Dhammakaya International |
See: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm and Wikipedia |
| |
I Kuan Tao
(Tian Tao) /
Yi Guan Dao |
See: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/cults.htm |
Ani Tenzin Kalsang a.k.a.
Carol Watt
|
Tengye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Temple |
Very disturbing points listed in http://torontocultexposure.blogspot.ca/, varying from physical and emotional abuse to misuse of funds and unfounded claims of titles and spiritual realizations etc. |
'Living Buddha' Dechan Jueren
aka Master Yu |
Dari Rulai Temple, Puente, Ca, USA |
Charges outrageous fees for courses, focused on practices for wealth and success - especially his own. He appoints 'Vajracharya's' (tantric masters) after rediculously short trainings. In March 2011 charging £375 for (1 U$) masks for radiation sickness during the Japanese nuclear disaster after the tsunami! |
* Please note that with this comment, my intention is to warn western women to not confuse their spiritual practice with having sex with any spiritual teacher, even a famous person like Sogyal Rinpoche, without thinking twice. At the same time many people - including myself - find his Dharma teachings inspiring, and you will find many of his quotes on this website for that reason only.
Last
updated:
September 29, 2012
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