Why Rigpa Students Find it Hard to Challenge Sogyal Rinpoche’s Abuse

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 …

Seeing the Master as a Buddha, an Examination

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 …

Is a Master Needed in Order to Recognise the Nature of Mind?

Today's post has two videos in it, one by me, Tahlia, and the other by Sangye, but we're both talking about the same topic. We are examining whether or not a master is needed in order to recognise the nature of mind. The videos compliment each other, and I hope you will watch both and …

Should a Spiritual Teacher Attack Your Hidden Faults?

Finally we've got to our examination of the beliefs we held without question. The first is one that we often heard from Sogyal Rinpoche, "A Spiritual teacher should attack your hidden faults" or other versions of that same idea. Looking back now, it seems like an attempt to justify abusive behaviour! And he did use …