Tricycle Interview with June Campbell/ letter to Tricycle
The puddies
The following is my letter to Tricycle, which is a commentary specifically
addressed to individuals who have doubts which were perhaps generated by
the article in question. We will see if Helen Tworkov has the guts to
print it. As for myself, lest anyone have a question, I do not believe a
word of it. Kalu Rinpoche was a truly great teacher, as pure and fine a
being as has ever incarnated on this plane.
Karmapa Chenno
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness
Evelyn Ruut
EVELYN RUUT
68 Heaton Road
Monroe, NY 10950
(914) 783-0708 * pud...@ny.frontiercomm.net
1/4/97
Tricycle,
Some interesting questions were raised regarding your interview
with Ms. June Campbell who alleges a sexual liaison with Kalu Rinpoche. I
feel that the interview deserves serious comment and consideration, and as
a long time practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, with perhaps a little more
understanding of the practice and theory involved, I hereby volunteer my
comments.
This is not the first allegation of its type involving well known
personages, although I must admit this is the first I have heard involving
Kalu Rinpoche, whom, although he was not my own personal teacher, I have
respected him for years. That has not changed, and I feel I should
explain why that is, providing herewith, a fair overview of the situation,
discussing all the influences and possibilities and how they should be
viewed by any serious student.
At first glance I felt this type of thing might have been more to be
expected in the supermarket tabloids, as the latest kiss and tell tale, a
la Judith Exner, Gennifer Flowers, et al. rather than in a national
Buddhist Magazine, although I was not surprised that Tricycle chose to
confront the issue. Frankly there are many ways to view the situation, the
western self-righteous view, touting our freedom of speech, and our “right
to know,” and thus cultivating the victim mentality of the individual
involved, and then there is the Buddhist way. I would like to present that
side.
One must look very carefully at the motivation of this woman, since she
was a consenting adult, having consensual sex with another adult. It is
noteable that if she was sworn to secrecy, and she broke that vow, what is
her motivation now? To discredit a teacher, now dead, who can’t speak up
for himself, yet who obviously inspired many to higher aspirations and was
most respected? I have no problem dealing with the secrecy part, because
I can hardly imagine the credibility of a Guru whose groupies are clamoring
for their turn in his bed. Obviously he did not want that sort of thing.
There are many factors and influences here, some subtle and some not so
subtle.
For the sake of discussion, let’s assume that it is true. The basic
concept of Tibetan Buddhism claims to be able to use all emotions, all
situations, all motives, to transform negativity into positive action. I
have always regarded this “true alchemy of the soul” to be wonderful and
valid and possible. So then, why not this? Especially if the being is
supposedly enlightened, what would be the point of a lot of dogmatic,
religious rules, regulations and strictures carried on for their own sake?
From her standpoint, perhaps Ms. Campbell decided that if he wanted
to have sex with her and she complied, it would make her “holier” and
more powerful, closer to the teacher, in essence, the same as the woman who
marries a movie star or other famous person, basking in reflected power,
status and fame. Given the secrecy factor, if those desired results didn’t
come to her, she may very well have felt thwarted and cheated all these
years. So she tells all in a National Buddhist Magazine. Tricycle,
willingly acting as the “Enquirer”in this case. Conveniently this
revelation comes after the man is dead, and supposedly already
reincarnated, thus nullifying any possible lawsuits etc. It reeks of
“payback time”.
Given that this was presumably not a love match, maybe she thought
having sex with a Lama would give her a cosmic kind of super orgasmic
realization, a way to cut around all that hard work of meditation, you
know, sitting meditation, walking meditation, and now sexual meditation.
One might also think that when it didn’t happen to come out that way, and
afterwards she was just the same person, with her same karma, it might
stand to reason to her to conclude that she was simply being “used” for sex
by just another male, out to get his own gratification. Essentially,
perhaps she had high expectations, which were not borne out by the reality.
So here are two possible motives of ; a) a thwarted power and fame trip;
and b) hopes for tantric sex providing quick realizations. Add to this
conflicting emotions about being a “victim” and the thought of making money
off of a tell all book, one has a real stew of additional possible motives.
I personally have a problem with seeing her revelation as a sort of
betrayal, after all she did swear secrecy. Why is it OK for a woman to
kiss and tell and not a man? Maybe it WAS tantric sex for the Rinpoche,
and not for her. Present events show that she is not exactly on the
highest spiritual plane here. At least he kept quiet about it. The
understatement of the year, I am sure, is that having had sex with someone
and lived to later regret it is a fairly common occurrence.
From his standpoint, did any one consider that maybe he was trying to
make a Tulku? We didn’t hear whether they were attempting to prevent
conception or not. On a psychic and spiritual level, perhaps attracting
a certain being to incarnate may have been a motive. I recall a story
about a teacher, who in order to provide a place for his own teacher to
incarnate, psychically knowing of his impending demise, immediately
ravished the nearest woman, a cattle herder. We’ll surely never know the
circumstances here. To make a long story short, I won’t throw out the
Buddha with the bath water. I still think he was one of the greatest
teachers of our time, and this woman has not really cheapened him with her
story as much as herself, as she has broken her verbal contract of silence,
to discredit someone for her own personal gain, someone who has helped
many to obtain great realizations. Whether her tale is a revelation or a
lie, whichever the case may be, none of us will ever really know that
either. He isn’t on trial here, and can’t speak in his own defense. I
cannot condemn a person on one story, one allegation, least of all a sexual
one. The sexual drive is truly one of the most compelling and mysterious
we have as human beings. The assumption here is that sex is dirty, and I
can’t buy that.
From my own perspective, I wonder if perhaps I have a broader view of
sexual activity between consenting adults. She was not married, nor was he
at the time. This was not a rape. Everyone including Lamas have sexual
needs, and who is to say that the strictures of celibacy may not be
suspended at a certain point. I certainly don’t know, and there isn’t any
one talking from that standpoint, giving any but the usual party line, and
who would expect differently anyway? Incidentally, some Lamas do marry,
you know and they also produce children, therefore one would assume they
have sex......
What on earth is so fascinating to us about celibacy anyhow? I was
not raised as a Catholic, and recent lawsuits involving so-called celibates
later revealed as pedophiles in that tradition show us that celibacy
doesn’t work, it just is hidden really well. People need sex, just like
oxygen and food and love. Deny oxygen and food and it is fatal, deny sex
and love and it is not, but it isn’t particularly any good for you either.
What is repressed in one place usually comes out in another, often a bad
one. I believe that discovering that Lamas have sex, shit, eat, sleep and
pee, like you and I, only makes them more believable. If one is looking
for a superman, or a saint, there are some illusions here that need
re-examination. Maybe the tooth fairy might be a better guru candidate, we
at least know the tooth fairy is fictional. So also is the
greater-than-human teacher.
There are other issues that Ms. Campbell brings up that I found more
interesting than the allegation that she had some sexual activity with a
“holy” person and respected teacher who was generally thought to be
celibate. Those were the issues involving the repression of females
within the Tibetan system. This is not a new allegation, and I have
thought about that too, but then how would one explain Pema Chodron? This
is a very loved and respected WESTERN woman, who has risen within the
system Ms. Campbell claims keeps women subjugated! Notwithstanding, I
found some small but niggling echoes of truth within her claim. But since
American Tibetan Buddhism is still in an evolving state, we shouldn’t
unfairly judge something still in process.
To expound further on that concept, I for one, keep thinking that
these Tibetans have no real idea what we American women are really like;
we are quiet little tigers around the Lamas, but they can surely sense our
power and strength, and not to mention our motivation and committment to
spiritual pursuit, since there are quite a lot of women in this movement,
and even more so, not to mention our money. It is no understatement that
we are truly a force to be reckoned with. This is not Tibet, this is not
the East, and we are no little flower-faced wussies. Any organization that
expects to cut it in the West is going to have to deal with us. I have
never felt like a second class dharma student because I am a woman. If I
have felt it at all it was because of my own lack of sufficient effort
expended. It takes time and money and effort to be all that committed,
gender notwithstanding. Another reason one might have cause to feel
second class, might be great ambition or craving for fame and fortune. I
have no such needs at this time, but perhaps Ms. Cambell does.
I personally have noted that the more brave and powerful women, the
more rebellious and free thinking women are just the very ones who seem to
be coming to Buddhism, not the sweet little quiet things who just keep
quiet and go to church like good little girls, mind their hubbies and kids,
(and take their Prozac and shut up). I would say that the course of
American Tibetan Buddhism will be a very interesting one to follow, one
that will very probably have to deal with the female energy and work with
and within it. If the past is any indicator at all, Buddhism will harness
this force and make it a part of the system, like it has done with the Bon
religion of Tibet, and countless other influences and forces it has
encountered in its long history, and in the many countries it has taken
root. This is no problem for Buddhism, but one for the individual, as are
all problems ultimately.
Nonetheless, Ms. Campbell raised some points to ponder, to question
much like a koan, and they can only be dealt with by each individual. I
for one am not threatened by this male hierarchy, because I only give the
respect I really feel, the money I really want to give, and kow-tow as much
as I really feel is warranted, to get the teachings and empowerments I
really want to get. Maybe I am just a more secure woman than she is, both
in my faith and as a person. If the teachings were irrelevant I simply
wouldn’t go!
Perhaps Ms. Campbells motives really are extensions of her own deluded
or neurotic vision of herself. We all have that in one form or another.
If you don’t like it you can always vote with your feet. She did that
part already, I understand, so now she is making money from her story. I
should say that this is a rather obvious motive in and of itself and
deserves real attention. Why should she be any different than any other
groupie who kissed and told of liaisons with famous people? It worked for
Jessica Hahn and others! Money is a really good motive to some people you
know, and if the book sells, she stands to make plenty. Getting an
interview in Tricycle was a good start.
The ultimate question is; What wisdom can WE gain from this as a tool?
Where is the Buddhist alchemy here? I have found it useful to consider
the possibility that my own beloved teacher might be also a human being,
and if I heard something similar about him, how would I react? Firstly I
might be surprised and even a little horrified, but that wouldn’t change
what he taught me, or the impact he has had on my life. His wisdom would
not suddenly turn to garbage, I would not hate him, nor would I believe him
to be less genuine. I would have to try to see him as a man and with a
man’s needs. I don’t really try to envision him having sex with a
student, any more than I would envision him sitting on the commode
relieving his bowels either, although as a human being, he surely does the
latter, or he would not be alive to teach me! I regard these matters as
private.
You know, I think it is important that we see our heroes as human
sometimes, because I think that deification (different than respect) of
persons, only leads to disillusionment. It is very hard for people (most
westerners) who grew up with the concept of God and Jesus and Saints, and
Angels who are seen as super beings, to do that. I think it might
actually be quite therapeutic though, since having heroes and deities
diminishes our focus on the real task, ourselves and the Fourth Noble
Truth..... our personal path.
By the way, I see the deities and saints of Buddhism from a standpoint
of not in the same vein at all, as the Judeo Christian super-beings, but as
visualization focal points, tools if you will, of the Tibetan technology of
mind development. Tools which eventually along with everything else have a
limited purpose. After the house is built, you may put away the hammer.
And, while speaking of the fourth noble truth, the issue of right
livelihood seems to me to be an issue here as well. Making money from a
kiss-and-tell book is more than a bit suspect. How many people will attain
high levels of realization from her book? How many did so from Kalu
Rinpoche’s books and life work? How many beings do you think may be harmed
in their quest for realizations if they read Ms Campbells book and take it
in a wrongful way? Obvious isn’t it when viewed from this perspective?
Anyway, for what it’s worth, that is my take on the Kalu Rinpoche/
June Campbell, Great Sex Scandal of Nineteen-seventy-some-odd’s newest
incarnation as a 1997 kiss-and-tell, gossip book for Buddhists! Enough
already!
Now, excuse me but I think I’ll (figuratively) go chop wood and carry
water!
Sincerely,
Evelyn Ruut
rick
Evelyn wrote:
>>Anyway, for what it零 worth, that is my take on the Kalu Rinpoche/
June Campbell, Great Sex Scandal of Nineteen-seventy-some-odd零 newest
incarnation as a 1997 kiss-and-tell, gossip book for Buddhists! Enough
already!
water!<<
I can't tell from your lengthy and lurid "rebuttal" LOC if you're
jealous of Campbell getting laid by the rinpoche or trying to
discount the whole thing. All in all, it feels like "let's
rally around the rinpoche and to hell with the acolyte."
Really weird coming from a woman, since it was a woman who
was claiming sexploitation by "his" holiness...
The more I see the reactions to this article, the more I believe
Ms. Campbell. It's really stirring up people's deeper levels of
denial, ignorance and attachment.
FWIW,
Rick
Allen Klarreich
Rick, did you ever meet Kalu Rinpoche?
Signed
Lama Tsewang
kunukia
On Mon, 13 Jan 1997 15:30:14 -0500, we recieved this message from
rick <stc...@mit.edu>:
:Really weird coming from a woman, since it was a woman who
:was claiming sexploitation by "his" holiness...
Jeez, Rick. Don't encourage the seperation of woman and men into
categories of *victims*. We get enough of that from the media and special
interest groups.
k.
Robin Faichney
In article <01bbfe77$bcadf120$d39e1cce@ev-s-pc>,
"The puddies" <pud...@ny.frontiercomm.net> wrote:
>
> The following is my letter to Tricycle, which is a commentary specifically
> addressed to individuals who have doubts which were perhaps generated by
> the article in question. We will see if Helen Tworkov has the guts to
> print it.
I have no particular brief for June Campbell or for Tricycle, but they
might decide not to publish this letter for any number of reasons, one of
which is:
> One must look very carefully at the motivation of this woman, since she
> was a consenting adult, having consensual sex with another adult.
It is commonly held, especially by liberals like Helen Tworkov, that in any
relationship as assymetrical as spiritual teacher/student, full consent
is not possible. For anyone who takes that view, much of the remainder of
the letter is automatically invalidated.
--
Robin Faichney
http://www.stir.ac.uk/envsci/staff/rjf1/
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