3’18) –Témoignage d’une enfance malheureuse dans une secte bouddhiste en France.

Axé sur la méditation et la recherche de la paix intérieure, aux yeux des occidentaux, le Bouddhisme tibétain apparaît souvent comme une religion au-dessus de tout soupçon. Pourtant, la réalité s'avère parfois tout autre comme en témoigne l'enquête réalisée par les journalistes Elody Emery et Wandrille Lanos. Viols, emprises mentales et détournements de fonds n'épargnent pas cette religion.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama calls Sogyal Rinpoche "disgraced" and stresses that nobody should follow the teachings of any lama without question - not even from himself - stressing that they must live up to the teachings of Buddha and what society expects. He also reiterates his advice from 1993 that lamas who behave badly should be exposed in the media. TRANSCRIPT IS BELOW

TRANSCRIPT

“I feel some of these lama institutions have some sort of influence of the feudal system. That is outdated and must end - that feudal influence. Then eventually a lama institution creates lama politics [DL laughs heartily]. That’s very bad.

An individual lama’s disgrace doesn’t matter, but it gives a very bad impression about a monastery or a monk. Very bad. So we must pay more attention.

You should not say, “This is my guru. What guru says I must follow.” That’s totally wrong! Buddha himself mentioned, “You must examine my teaching”. Similarly if one particular lama says something, you examine whether this goes well according to Buddhaʻs teaching or according to the circumstances in society. Then you must follow. If the lama says something; if you investigate and it’s not proper, then you should not follow the lama’s teaching. Even Dalai Lama’s teaching; if you find some contradiction you should not follow my teaching.

As far as Gelugpa is concerned, Lama Tsonghkapa clearly mentioned; if a lama teaches something that is against the dharma it should be avoided and opposed. If the lama’s teaching is in accord with the dharma it should be followed, if it is in discord with the Dharma it should not be followed.

Many years ago in Dharmasala at a Western Teachers Conference, some Western Buddhist teachers mentioned some Zen masters and Tibetan Buddhist Masters had created a very bad impression among people. Then I told them them; these people do not follow Buddhaʻs advice, Buddhaʻs teaching. We cannot do. So, the only thing is to make it public, through newspapers, through the radio. Make it public!

These lamas, although they don’t care about Buddha’s teaching, they may care about their face [points at his face, indicating shame]. I told them at that conference, almost 15 years ago I think. Now, recently Sogyal Rinpoche; my very good friend, but he’s disgraced. So some of his own students have now made public their criticism.”

Extract is from full video of event here: https://youtu.be/S6yzH-1si8o?t=1h15m10s

Following up on his recent comments about Sogyal Rinpoche's "disgrace" (https://youtu.be/0wP4rsM7AZQ) the Dalai Lama discusses the importance of fighting against corrupt religious institutions. He describes Rigpa and Sogyal Rinpoche as "spoilt, not caring (about) the real sort of message of religion, but rather use the name of religion. Religion used (as an) instrument for exploitation."

DETAILS

Transcript:

"In the west when I use the word ‘secular’ some of my friends say secular means a little bit negative towards religion. You see, it’s understandable, during the French Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia there is some sort of tendency (of a) negative attitude towards religion. That actually is not religion, but religious institution. Religion, real religion, means love. Even animal(s) appreciate love. So nobody can (be) against religion, or love. But, you see, these institution(s), frankly speaking, I think (in) many cases religious teachers or religious spiritual leaders or institution(s), frankly speaking, in some cases (are) rotten. (HHDL puts his tongue out.)

"So, it’s worthwhile to (HHDL makes a fist) against these things. During French Revolution, before that, the elite, or kings or queens, elite people very much related with religious institution. So, they got benefit from these group(s) so automatically they support them. So, when people really suffer due to exploitation, then people should develop courage in order to topple that institution. They also need courage to (go) against religious institution. Isn’t it? What do you think?

"Now recently in Haryana some problems, now you know (HHDL is pointing towards audience). So the Dharma, use name of Dharma (for) exploitation. They themselves not properly practised these Dharma, including some Tibetan Lama also like that.

"Now recently in America [=The West], Rigpa, you may (have) heard Rigpa Dharma Centre, the leader, I know him. Now recently one open letter, or against, full of criticism about that person. So, therefore, religious institution quite often, you see, spoilt, not caring (about) the real sort of message of religion, but rather use the name of religion. Religion used (as an) instrument for exploitation. So French Revolution and Russian Bolshevik Revolution, some tendency against religion because of that.

"So, when I say ‘secular’ some of my friend(s) have a little sort of reservation. But in this country (India) secular means respect (for) all religion and also, I think, one unique thing is according (to the) Indian concept of secularism, secular (is also) respect (for) non believer."

Details about the discussion: http://tibet.net/2017/09/there-will-b...

Details about alleged abuse: Süddeutsche Zeitung International (Dr. Michaela Haas): "The Tibetan Book of Living and Lying" http://international.sueddeutsche.de/...

Buddhism Controversy Blog: "Abuse: Letter to Sogyal Rinpoche From Long Term Rigpa Students" https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com...

Ricardo Mendes reported to the Dalai Lama more than a dozen cases of physical and sexual abuse at Buddhist retreats around the world. The alert was made in 2018, but five years later nothing was done. Ricardo Mendes, victim of abuse in a temple in the Algarve, spoke with SIC.

Jean-François Colosimo (Historien des religions et éditeur)

Le dalaï-lama a présenté ses excuses ce lundi à un petit garçon et à sa famille, pour lui avoir demandé de lui “sucer la langue”, il y a quelques semaines à l’occasion d’une audience publique. Selon un communiqué publié sur son compte Twitter officiel, “Sa Sainteté souhaite présenter ses excuses au garçon et à sa famille, ainsi qu’à ses nombreux amis à travers le monde, pour la peine que ses paroles ont pu causer […] Sa Sainteté taquine souvent les personnes qu'elle rencontre de manière innocente et ludique, même en public et devant les caméras. Il regrette cet incident”.

Ce n’est pas la première fois que le chef spirituel du bouddhisme présente ses excuses. En 2019, lors d’un entretien sur la BBC, le dalaï-lama avait déclaré que si une femme devait lui succéder, elle devrait être “séduisante”. Censé incarner la tolérance qui symbolise la philosophie bouddhiste, le dalaï-lama a déjà tenu des propos très sexistes.

Le documentaire "Bouddhisme, la loi du silence", diffusé sur ARTE le 13 septembre 2022, dénonçait de nombreux abus avec des humiliations, des violences et des viols commis au sein de centres bouddhistes, mais aussi le silence des autorités bouddhistes tibétaines qui se sont longtemps tues sur ces sujets. Selon l’une des enquêtrices de ce documentaire, Elodie Emery, “en 1993, une vingtaine d'enseignants bouddhistes, tous occidentaux, ont expliqué au Dalaï-Lama qu'ils avaient des problèmes graves avec certains maîtres". Le moine bouddhiste tibétain Matthieu Ricard, interviewé pour ce documentaire, avait demandé que son interview soit finalement retirée. Selon lui, “les structures sont indépendantes, pourquoi on irait intervenir sur ce qu'il se passe ailleurs. Le dalaï-lama ne peut pas être au courant de ce qu'il se passe dans le monde entier" mais reconnaît qu'il manquait "une hiérarchie, des garde-fous et une structure".

Jean-François Colosimo, historien des religions et éditeur, reviendra sur des images du dalaï-lama qui ont choqué le monde entier et qui jettent une lumière crue sur certaines dérives du bouddhisme.

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