When
Discrimination Fails Dharma
One
of the biggest problems buddhism has is the strict authoritarian
position of the teacher, or guru. As a tantric buddhist teacher
myself I certainly do not deny the importance of guru but it is too
often the case that the role of the guru becomes considered too
widely than it should. Usually teachers are founders and directors of
their own dharma organisations, on top of being the sole person who
guides the sangha spiritually. Often teachers get way too much power.
When this is combined with too little of an attainment of the
teacher, all kinds of problems start arising.
Bad
apples
Recently
I read about Sogyal
Rinpoche's extensive misconduct. A similar
case of Lama Norlha Rinpoche was reported only two months prior.
Reading stuff like this is like reading of the ancient Roman emperors
who did all the crazy things they could imagine with the expense of
others. I wonder how far it would go without any moderation. When
someone with too small of an attainment and with too little
motivation to attain buddhahood, becomes unchallenged and too
comfortable, really bad things can happen. This happens because they
don't continue their own practice (that would keep their minds clear
enough to keep their conscience in the picture) and because they are
not living buddhas (even though their followers often like to, or
even insist
thinking so).
We
see unbelievably wild cases of abuse and harm in new age and other
religions but it also happens in buddhism. In my view buddhism of all
religions probably has the highest and clearest standards of training
and yet we also have these disasters happen one after the other. I
think this is the greatest harm a teacher can do. Such teachers will
experience the karmic backflow of their actions but I also think they
should be treated by the common law. If someone in high governmental
position abuses his employees they get properly punished by law of
their actions. Why should it be any different for spiritual gurus?
Sogyal's
case is so extreme that I think he should not be allowed to enter any
dharma hall anymore. I think it is unrealistic and stoopid to expect
a book case narcissist with decades
of physical, sexual and power abuse be able to come back to his
senses and have a healthy mind. It's sort of like hoping that a mass
murdering dictator would all
of sudden become lucid of his horrible actions. It's not
impossible but highly unlikely, very
highly, because the negative marks that such very harmful actions
weigh on the subtle nerves are so deep and compelling that even
several lifetimes are not enough to neutralise them. Sometimes it is
best to let go and go separate ways.
No
matter what, always question
Buddhism
is known for it's 2.5 thousand years of tradition. The definition of
tradition is that knowledge and knowhow, dharma, is transmitted
effectively from generation to generation.
However
seeing cases like that of Sogyal Rinpoche, who is a venerated and
highly regarded by his Tibetan buddhist teacher colleagues, makes me
reason that being a recognised reincarnation of someone important in
past life (tib. tulku) or having spent decades with the highest
authorities and yogis of Tibetan buddhism (see photos 1.,
2.,
3.,
4.,
5.)
actually might not mean anything
at all.
You don't become a movie star just by hanging out with movie stars,
do you? To become a movie star, you have to learn how to act and act
in famous movies.
I
am going to get more unpopular than I already am by saying this but I
recently saw someone online write of his guru:
”...
the man who became my master, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, is a special
kind of master. Everyone once and a while a master who is
unbelievable comes around. This is Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. For
example, he is a living master who had two of his Gurus attain
Rainbow Body, he is a terton, treasure revealer, and has revealed
pure visions. He is a student of many great masters, including the
famous female Dzogchen practitioner Ayu Khandro. His uncles were
great masters. His grandmother had pure visions. He is the
incarnation of Adzom Drugpa, a famous Dzogchen master... But he was
also raised as a tulku of Adzom Drugpa in a Sakya monastery, so he
has a very, very firm education in Dharma. He then went to go meet
his tsawai lama, the incomparable Chongchub Dorje who lived to a
ridiculously old age, and who introduced him to the real meaning of
Dzogchen, which changed Rinpoche's life. He also received teaching
from his other uncles, and many masters, and Dakinis.”
And
yet, in the Summer of 2016 in a live webcast, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
himself said that among activities his rigpa lasts for ”3 seconds”
at a time. This was his response to people who came to him and
claimed they they were aware at all times. I am sorry if saying this
causes strong emotions but when anyone is in the natural state for
few seconds at a time, that person is not a living buddha nor a
dzogchen master because the definition of a master is that such
person doesn't leave the natural state. This is a simple fact. This
does not lessen or nullify the long lasting dharma work of the
teacher in question in any way.
The
conclusion is that no matter who you have studied with, unless you
are a great practitioner yourself, 1. you will not become a living
embodiment of the dharma, i.e. a living buddha and because you are
not a living buddha 2. you might make bad mistakes, misjudgements and
cause a lot of harm for yourself and for others.
No
matter how long and impressive the teacher's resume or title is his
validity as a dharma teacher should be weighed by the insight of his
students, not by what he has achieved materialistically. All the
decorated monasteries, dharma halls and centers mean nothing unless
people are waking up and maturing in that insight. Students of
buddhism should only take
refuge on the enlightened principles, not samsaric beings.
Open
Heart Bhumi Model
One
big problem why mainstream buddhism suffers is that they do not have
a concrete way to measure attainments, even though attainments is a
major concern. I am saying ”they” because I am not part of the
buddhist establishment, even though I feel like being in the same
boat with them.
The
Open
Heart Bhumi Model is a genious measuring stick when it comes to
spiritual attainments. By learning and applying it we can come to see
exactly where we or our guru is at on the map of insight, from the
initial awakening to the bodhisattva stages, to buddhahood and all
the way to the full rainbow body. As far as I know there is no other
system like it.
If
we knew where our lama is at, whether far or close from buddhahood,
this would help us to use our own discrimination and intelligence,
instead of becoming blind believers. And this makes all the
difference.
Let's
not put buddhism to shame. Let's not become believers.
Yours
In Dharma.
-
Orgyen Pema, 22.7.2017.
