In the Wake of Revelations of Abuse in Rigpa
When Rigpa students study Ngondro, they are indoctrinated with teachings that make it very difficult for them to challenge their teacher’s abusive behaviour. Below are some of the key ‘teachings’ that supported the idea that we had to do whatever Sogyal asked of us and that everything he did, even if it didn’t ‘appear’ to … Continue reading Why Rigpa Students Find it Hard to Challenge Sogyal Rinpoche’s Abuse
This week we have a post by Joanne Clark. One belief on Tahlia’s list of “Beliefs We Need to Examine” has spoken particularly strongly to me: You must see your master as the Buddha if you want the blessings of the Buddha; This belief pervades Tibetan Buddhist culture. I had received that instruction myself, first … Continue reading Seeing the Master as a Buddha, an Examination
Dzongsar Kyentse's talks in Europe have begun. The first, in Berlin, was titled "Vajrayana Buddhism in the Modern World" and it has been uploaded unedited to the Rigpa videos You Tube channel in both English and German. It also appears on the Sidharta's Intent channel. It's 3 hours, so quite a committment to watch, so … Continue reading Vajrayana Buddhism in the Modern World.
Does Vajrayana fit the definition of a cult? ‘Cult’ is a word that has different definitions, but the definition that concerns us here is the negative one. According to the Google Dictionary a cult is “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object, in particular a relatively small group … Continue reading Is Vajrayana Buddhism a Cult Religion? Part 1
