Requests
of Formal Investigation Have Been Sent to High Lamas of
Tibetan
Buddhism
Dear
Students and Dharma Friends,
For
several years there has been ongoing doubt and crticism online about
the authenticity of Open Heart teachings, taught by yours truly.
Although there has been cases like mine in Tibet where tertons have
gone unrecognised until advanced age, it is customary within the
tradition of Tibetan buddhism to recognise tulkus (reincarnations)
and tertons (revealers of fresh dharma teachings) by high lamas of
particular schools. I have personally tried to connect and meet some
lamas over the past years with a request that they'd look into Open
Heart teachings but I have not been able to reach lamas who would
have the power to do formal recognitions, or rejections. For this
reason, early this year I asked my close student Karl Eikrem to write
a formal request of investigation about Open Heart and myself, and
send it to several high lamas of various schools of Tibetan buddhism.
These letters were sent late March 2019 and at the moment we are
waiting if any of them answers it. I have decided that this will be
the last effort to reach out for formal investigation. After this I
will not spend any more time on this matter but of course I hope some
of these lamas will look into the matter.
Open
Heart is often discussed in negative light and is shunned by many
because I do not have a letter of formal recognition. It is
understandable because I use some Tibetan terms and descriptions in
my teachings and also because Open Heart is said to be both mahayana
and vajrayana path. It is understandable that followers of orthodox
Tibetan vajrayana traditions question and critisize this because I do
not have the type of qualification they expect to see. It is always
the case that the validity of dharma and yogic teachings need to be
verified first hand but since there is the Tibetan establishment with
its ways and forms, it has sometimes been suggested to me to try to
reach out to high lamas of Tibetan vajrayana for verification.
Personally I do not feel a need for such recognition but I know
perfectly well that in this world where everyone's papers and
credentials is the first thing checked, having such recognition would
be greatly useful and beneficial. So personally I don't feel a need
to be verified by anyone because everyone can verify the authenticity
from our freely and openly given teachings online or at events.
However, I would be delighted to connect with high lamas with both
yogic skills and power to conduct such investigations.
The
biggest problem that lies on the way of this possible recognition or
rejection is that Open Heart has no connection whatsoever with any
lama of any Tibetan buddhist lineage. Open Heart is an outsider when
it comes to the Tibetan vajrayana establishment and therefore also it
might be difficult to get in touch with high lamas. It would be a
different case if I was a long time student of Tibetan buddhist lama
as there are many Western students, lineage-practitioners, who have
been recognised by Tibetan lamas. Being a Westerner is not the
problem, being a complete outsider is.
It
has now been about 2 months since the letters were sent, some by
email, some in snail mail. I hope we will hear of them soon. I also
hope Open Heart Sangha says prayers for this purpose in their
practice. I do not know how long it might take the assistants to get
to our email and when we could wait for their response but I guess if
any of them is going to do anything about it, 6 months should be
enough time for initial reply. Now we just have to wait and hope for
the best.
If
an investigation by the below mentioned high lamas will ever take
place and produce an outcome, whether approval or disapproval, I will
make these results public.
The
formal request of investigation was sent to the following lamas:
HH
14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Head of Gelug
HH
17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Head of Kagyu
HH
17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, Head of Kagyu
Jigme
Losal Wangpo Rinpoche, Head of Nyingma
HH
Shakya Trichen, 41st head of the Sakya
Chetsang
Rinpoche, Head of Drikung Kagyu
HH
Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, 42nd head of the Sakya
Dudjom
Tulku Sangye Pema Zhepa Rinpoche, Head of Dudjom Tersar
Zurmang
Rinpoche, Head of Zurmang Kagyu
Yours
in Dharma,
Kim
Katami, 29.5.2019,
Founder
and Head Teacher of Open Heart Sangha
Open
Heart, www.en.openheart.fi
In
its entirety, this post may be freely shared.
