Bad Lamas and Broken Samaya
RickFinney
and the controversy over that organization's authenticity:
As I may have mentioned in an earlier post, I am reading Ngakpa
Chogyam's and Khandro Dechen's book "Spectrum of Ecstacy" and
am genuinely impressed by the power and clarity of their use of
language to express the Vajrayana teachings. I have no idea
whether or not the Aro Ter tradition itself is made up. If it is,
then these two teachers have lied on a breathtaking scale, and
it's hard for me to imagine what the point would be of doing this.
Anyone with even a beginning understanding of Buddhist ethics
would, I would think, not want to create an organizational struc-
ture built on such an elaborate and detailed deception. If it could
ever be proved beyond a doubt that this is what they did, this would
be a catastrophe for their credibility and their work.
Two points occur to me, after seeing some of Chris Fynn's
reservations about Aro Ter's credibility: first, according to their
web site, the name "Aro" in their tradition derives not from "ro"
as "corpse" but from "ro" as "taste," and means "tasting the pri-
mordial "A." This has nothing to do with the earlier figure, Aro
Yeshe Jungne.
Also, the figure Khalding Lingpa, whose existence Chris Fynn
questions, is said by the Aro Ter organization to be a previous
incarnation of Khordong Terchen Chimed Rigdzin Rinpoche.
Chimed Rigdzin is a real person, alive today, who could be asked
about this.
I noticed too that Ngakpa Chogyam is scheduled to teach early
next year not only at Lama Tharchin's center, Pema Osel Ling,
but also at the Berkeley Shambhala Center. Both of these groups
must be aware of the controversy surrounding Aro Ter and have
done their own investigation. The Shambhala Centers in particu-
lar have traditionally been very selective in whom they allow to
teach at their centers.
One final observation, this one about the value of "accreditation"
of little-known figures by senior throneholders. His Holiness Penor
Rinpoche, the supreme head of the Nyingmapas, has for years kept
on a throne a Western "lama" who is the most abusive, deceptive,
and manipulative egomaniac I have ever met in my life. I used to
have a lot of respect for Penor Rinpoche. For me--and for many
others whom I know--his word counts for little now.
- Rick Finney
John Pettit
RickFinney wrote:
>
> Also, the figure Khalding Lingpa, whose existence Chris Fynn
> questions, is said by the Aro Ter organization to be a previous
> incarnation of Khordong Terchen Chimed Rigdzin Rinpoche.
> Chimed Rigdzin is a real person, alive today, who could be asked
> about this.
If what Chris said in an earlier post --
> Martin Boord who was Ngakpa Chogyam's first teacher, and his Tibetan
> teachers like Chime Rigdzin Rinpoche (who NC says recognised him as
> the rebirth of one "'a-Shul Pema Legden") and Ngagpa Yeshe Dorje have
> said that they feel the "Aro Ter" tradition is false
is true, then it wouldn't matter whether what the Aro organization says
is true or not.
>
> I noticed too that Ngakpa Chogyam is scheduled to teach early
> next year not only at Lama Tharchin's center, Pema Osel Ling,
> but also at the Berkeley Shambhala Center.
This proves nothing. POL allows many different groups, including
Christian campers, Sufis, yoga practitioners, etc., to use their
property for a fee. They are not invited, and must pay heftily to stay
there.
> Both of these groups
> must be aware of the controversy surrounding Aro Ter and have
> done their own investigation.
Not necessarily. Having yoga practitioners and Christian teenagers in
your center may not be harmful, but it doesn't mean you have to believe
what they say, either. I'm certain that POL's motives are primarily
financial, and the same could probably be said for Berkeley. The rents
there are astronomical, even by NYC standards.
> The Shambhala Centers in particu-
> lar have traditionally been very selective in whom they allow to
> teach at their centers.
Shambhala centers in Boulder and New York City both invited Kusum Lingpa
(though admittedly, only once each). Need one say more?
In my limited experience with him, Ngagpa Chogyam is a complex
character. When I first met him he was giving a 100 dollar bill to a
homeless woman on the street in San Francisco. The next time I saw him
was in the Kalachakra initiation in Madison Square Garden. He was
sitting on edge of the stage, behind many other dignitaries, including
some noted Geshes, Lamas and titled Tulkus. NC was 18" of brocaded
throne; the other dignitaries were on the floor. What was (or was not)
going through his mind?
> As I may have mentioned in an earlier post, I am reading Ngakpa
> Chogyam's and Khandro Dechen's book "Spectrum of Ecstacy" and
> am genuinely impressed by the power and clarity of their use of
> language to express the Vajrayana teachings.
I admit he has a catchy style. But the truth is, anyone with a little
background in Buddhism and a flair for language can write something
interesting about it. So the fact that NC writes well and persuasively
doesn't prove a thing. I could write very hiply and eloquently about
Vajrayana if I wanted to but that wouldn't make me a realized being or a
qualified Lama. However, if I were to write such a book, it would
probably cause others to project those qualities on me. Then, if I grew
my hair long and dressed in Ngagpa's robes, Guruhood be a cinch.
John
Mary Finnigan
>>
>> Shambhala centers in Boulder and New York City both invited
>> Kusum Lingpa
>> (though admittedly, only once each). Need one say more?
>
> Could you expand on this a little more?
Yes please from me too. Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
Mary
John Pettit
Mary Finnigan wrote:
> Tim Knutton asks:
> >
> > Could you expand on this a little more?
> Yes please from me too. Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
He is dodgy because
(1) Nobody really knows who he is. According to Tibetans from Tibet he
is nobody there (despite his claims). I don't know any Tibetans who take
him seriously.
(2) He claims to be a Terton but those claims have not, to my knowledge,
been corroborated or substantiated on the basis of textual evidence or
the confirmation of reliable witnesses (e.g., Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog,
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, inter alia). If you claim to be a Terton you
must substantiate your claims with reference to, among other things,
prophecies of Guru Rinpoche.
(3) He makes Tulkus faster than McDonald's makes hamburgers, and he
makes them out of inexperienced, ignorant Westerners who support his
activities financially (and in some cases, otherwise, e.g.,
organizationally).
(4) He is a braggart, and possibly a liar. He is always claiming to have
magical powers, but has never (as far as I have heard) backed up his
claims with actual demonstrations. In Tibetan tradition, when it comes
to such claims, you must either put up, or shut up.
(5) He knows little about the traditions he claims to represent. I read
a transcript of one his teachings, which was supposed to concern the
life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it full of distortions,
exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition, it was liberally
sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.
Tang Huyen
John Pettit wrote: <<I read a transcript of one his teachings, which was
supposed to concern the life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it
full of distortions, exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition,
it was liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.>>
Is there any biography in Buddhism -- of an individual (like Asanga or
Nagarjuna), of a group (like the Theravada, the Great Vehicle, or the
Diamond Vehicle) -- that is *not* "full of distortions, exaggerations, and
outright fabrications"? Is there any biography in Buddhism of an individual
that is *not* "liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio"?
Can one expect truth from Buddhists -- any Buddhists, ancient and modern,
Asian and Western -- in the matter of history?
Tang Huyen
Jonathan W Hendry
This isn't peculiar to Buddhists; it seems to be standard practice
in any religion, turning important (and not-so-important) historical
figures into superheroes.
The one exception might be Protestant Christianity, but there
may be cases I'm not thinking of. Perhaps they elevate people
to heroic status while they're still alive.
Christopher John Fynn
> Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
"HH Orgyen Kusum Lingpa" is a lama from Golok Tibet who has visited th US
and UK and
seems to have centres in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado & New York
see: http://www.kilaya.org/index.html ,
http://star1.sirius.com/~gomura/k_lingpa/
According to David Germano's article "Re-membering the Body of Tibet"
Kusum Lingpa has reportedly criticised Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog 'on several
of occassions and asserted that only his own "treasures" are valid.' Given
the
respect people in Tibet - and Nyingmapas in general- have for Khenpo Jigme
Phuntsog - if Kusum Lingpa has made statements like that it won't make hin
very popular at all.
Kusum Lingpa is also the lama who recognized Catherine Burroughs as a tulku
of Lhacham Mandarava in 1994.
- Chris
Tashi
>
> In talk.religion.buddhism Tang Huyen <thu...@bu.edu> wrote:
>
> > John Pettit wrote: <<I read a transcript of one his teachings, which was
> > supposed to concern the life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it
> > full of distortions, exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition,
> > it was liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.>>
>
>
> > Can one expect truth from Buddhists -- any Buddhists, ancient and modern,
> > Asian and Western -- in the matter of history?
>
> This isn't peculiar to Buddhists; it seems to be standard practice
> in any religion, turning important (and not-so-important) historical
> figures into superheroes.
>
This isn't particular to religion. All of
written history is pretty well sprinkled with
personalities, ass-kissing and other *opinion.*
Get over it Tang. Who told you Buddhism has to
live up to your ridiculous standards? Why don't
you go find some nice Muslims to bother?
yours,
Tashi
margaret
>Nagarjuna), of a group (like the Theravada, the Great Vehicle, or the
>outright fabrications"? Is there any biography in Buddhism of an individual
>that is *not* "liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio"?
>
>Can one expect truth from Buddhists -- any Buddhists, ancient and modern,
>Asian and Western -- in the matter of history?
Probably not. The literature on Tang is also full of such things.
And then you also say elsewhere :
"the Buddhist traditions (in the plural) are fragmented and inconsistent"
So how can you claim to be so sure about what "true" Buddhism is and from
there
give Vajrayana such a hard time? Talk about scoring an own goal (thanks)!!
MdB
Steven Lightfoot
<marg...@mdebethlen.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>>Is there any biography in Buddhism -- of an individual (like Asanga or
>>Nagarjuna), of a group (like the Theravada, the Great Vehicle, or the
>>Diamond Vehicle) -- that is *not* "full of distortions, exaggerations, and
>>outright fabrications"? Is there any biography in Buddhism of an individual
>>that is *not* "liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio"?
>>
>>Can one expect truth from Buddhists -- any Buddhists, ancient and modern,
>>Asian and Western -- in the matter of history?
>
>
>Probably not. The literature on Tang is also full of such things.
If you are truly living in the present, you can use history to awaken
others as well. The truth doesn't matter as much as your enlightened
intent to wake up the one in front of you.
>
>And then you also say elsewhere :
>
>"the Buddhist traditions (in the plural) are fragmented and inconsistent"
>
>So how can you claim to be so sure about what "true" Buddhism is and from
>there
>give Vajrayana such a hard time?
No one who is awake can give anyone else a hard time because they
wouldn't care what the person believed priorly to their meeting,
except as it related to dispelling such notions or having the person
practice them until they understood their *usefullness* for
themselves, and discarded them when the purpose was served.
Except to teach others whose karmic need it was for those teachings.
Talk about scoring an own goal (thanks)!!
>
>MdB
No goal, no foul. :-)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Christopher John Fynn
> Sounds like the story i heard about Kalu Rinpoche and Drugpa Dugsey
Rinpoche.
> Karmapa had originally given the monastery at Sonada to Dugsey Rinpoche
but
> when he arrived to settle in, he found that Kalu Rinpoche was already
there!
> This resulted in these two venerable gentlemen not being able to stand
each other's
> presence and they had to be kept apart at public functions. I don't know
all the details
> but this is more or less what i was told.
I think you may have the story a bit wrong. Kalu Rinpoche, Nenang Pawo
Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse originally stayed in a small Karma Kagyu
monastery in Bhutia Busty, Darjeeling.
The monastery at Sonada (which appears to originally have been a
Sherpa or Tamang temple) was offered to Yongdzin Trijang Rinpoche
the Jr. Tutor of HH the Dalai Lama and it was Trijang Rinpoche not
HH Karmapa who gave it to Kalu Rinpoche. Kalu Rinpoche mentioned
many times that Trijang Rinpoche had given him this monastery and
the main images in his room were of Je Tsongkhapa and his two main
disciples which he told me had also been given by Trijang Rinpoche.
Perhaps Trijang Rinpoche had also promised it to Drugpa Dugsey
Rinpoche - I don't know. There may also have been some bad feeling at
least on Dugsey Rinpoche's part as I know he didn't want Drugchen
Rinpoche to meet Kalu Rinpoche. But there was also allegedly some
difficulty between Dugsey Rinpoche and Khamtrul Rinpoche in
Tashi Jong; between Dugsey Rinpoche and HH Karmapa; and between
Dugsey Rinpoche and Dodrupchen Rinpoche - or so the Tibetan rumour
mill would have it.
I don't think it matters much at all since all these beings were great
lamas who benefited many people.
When I stayed in Kalu Rinpoche's monastery in Sonada in the 1970's
many of Kalu Rinpoche's students visited Dugsey Rinpoche regularly.
Kalu Rinpoche never discouraged anyone from doing so and I never
heard him say anything negative about Dugsey Rinpoche.
- Chris
Tang Huyen
Tashi wrote:
John Pettit wrote: <<I read a transcript of one his teachings, which was supposed to concern the life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it full of distortions, exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition, it was
liberally sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.>>
Tang: <<Is there any biography in Buddhism that is *not* "full of distortions, exaggerations, and outright fabrications"? Is there any biography in Buddhism of an individual that is *not* "liberally sprinkled with personal
braggadoccio"?
Can one expect truth from Buddhists -- any Buddhists, ancient and modern, Asian and Western -- in the matter of history?>>
Jonathan W Hendry: <<This isn't peculiar to Buddhists; it seems to be standard practice in any religion, turning important (and not-so-important) historical figures into superheroes.>>
Tashi: <<This isn't particular to religion. All of written history is pretty well sprinkled with personalities, ass-kissing and other *opinion.* Get over it Tang. Who told you Buddhism has to live up to your ridiculous standards? Why
don't you go find some nice Muslims to bother?>>
Odd, Tashi. It seems to me that Buddhism teaches certain criteria for behaviour, like truth and seeing thing-events as they are (yatha-bhutam), and on top of that monks and nuns are forbidden from, say, talking about worldly matters, so
the monk-historians of the Theravada had to invent a trick, after writing a worldly history, of adding a "redeeming feature" line, like: "all things are impermanent, etc."
If it is not true that Buddhism has to live up to some standards -- which are not mine but its -- then Buddhism may as well quit. Why just be a religion like any other religion?
And, Tashi, Buddhism is a method of inquiry, not a religion of blind faith. If you want blind faith, why don't you go to another religion? Like Christianity or Islam?
Tang Huyen
Tashi
Tang Huyen wrote:
> And, Tashi, Buddhism is a method of inquiry, not a religion of blind faith. If you want blind faith, why don't you go to another religion? Like Christianity or Islam?
>
> Tang Huyen
I fully embrace inquiry. You seem to enjoy sending spurious comments
without basing them on anything beyond your own prejudices. I don't want
blind faith. I want you to put up or shut up.
yours,
Tashi
Tang Huyen
Tashi wrote: <<I want you to put up or shut up.>>
The Buddha taught the Law, Tashi, and we Buddhists try to live up to it. To adhere to the Law is the ideal, which the reality and especially the historical reality of
Buddhism *must* be measured against.
No Buddhist should ever put up with the reality of Buddhism, without measuring it (and himself) against the Norm -- the Law as discovered and taught by the Buddha. No
Buddhist should ever shut up if he finds some discrepancy between the two, as he must. Remember all that discussion still going on about sexual improprieties of Lamas in
ARBT?
Tang Huyen
Brigitte Yves
>And, Tashi, Buddhism is a method of inquiry, not a religion of blind faith.
>If you want blind faith, why don't you go to another religion?
>Like Christianity or Islam?
Tang Huiren,
I have been reading this group for a while, and believe you are a "Huiren".
Could you enlight us why Christianity is a religion of blind faith?
Thanks,
_Brigitte
"A fool who thinks that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise
man. The fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed."
Dhammapada (63)
Tashi
Tang Huyen wrote:
>
> Tashi wrote: <<I want you to put up or shut up.>>
>
> The Buddha taught the Law, Tashi, and we Buddhists try to live up to it. To adhere to the Law is the ideal, which the reality and especially the historical reality of
> Buddhism *must* be measured against.
Law??!!! What law? The only rule He asked us follow was to question
His teachings until they made sense. Fundamentalism is *your* thing
Tang, no the Buddha's.
>
> No Buddhist should ever put up with the reality of Buddhism, without measuring it (and himself) against the Norm -- the Law as discovered and taught by the Buddha. No
> Buddhist should ever shut up if he finds some discrepancy between the two, as he must. Remember all that discussion still going on about sexual improprieties of Lamas in
> ARBT?
>
> Tang Huyen
What's one got to do with the other? Norm, did you actually say norm?
Here's a tip - pull your head out friend, you really need the air. If
the lamas broke samaya, they will have a lot of work to do to make up
for it.
Are trying to tell us we can control samsara or that it would be
bearable if we'd only follow the rules (Law)?
yours,
Tashi
Tang Huyen
Tashi wrote: <<If the lamas broke samaya, they will have a lot of work to do to make up for it.>>
Tashi, I want you to put up or shut up.
Tang Huyen
Tashi
And I want you to stop sending these inane messages to my private email
address.
If you think I can't *make* you stop harassing me, just keep it up...
yours,
Tashi
Patrick Walsh
>
>
> Mary Finnigan wrote:
>
>> Tim Knutton asks:
>> >
>> > Could you expand on this a little more?
>> Yes please from me too. Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
>
> He is dodgy because
>
> (1) Nobody really knows who he is. According to Tibetans from Tibet he
> is nobody there (despite his claims). I don't know any Tibetans who take
> him seriously.
>
> (2) He claims to be a Terton but those claims have not, to my knowledge,
> been corroborated or substantiated on the basis of textual evidence or
> the confirmation of reliable witnesses (e.g., Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog,
> Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, inter alia). If you claim to be a Terton you
> must substantiate your claims with reference to, among other things,
> prophecies of Guru Rinpoche.
>
> (3) He makes Tulkus faster than McDonald's makes hamburgers, and he
> makes them out of inexperienced, ignorant Westerners who support his
> activities financially (and in some cases, otherwise, e.g.,
> organizationally).
>
> (4) He is a braggart, and possibly a liar. He is always claiming to have
> magical powers, but has never (as far as I have heard) backed up his
> claims with actual demonstrations. In Tibetan tradition, when it comes
> to such claims, you must either put up, or shut up.
>
> (5) He knows little about the traditions he claims to represent. I read
> a transcript of one his teachings, which was supposed to concern the
> life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it full of distortions,
> exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition, it was liberally
> sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.
I asked my teachers about Kusum Lingpa. He is not a nobody. He was a rich
merchant before the Chinese came, and he spent many years in jail paying for
his prosperity. Other than that, there is nothing special about him.
--
If one would only apply to oneself what one teaches others, when one was
well disciplined oneself one could train others. It is oneself who is hard
to train.
Dhammapada, Shakyamuni Buddha
news.tvd.be
.
>Could you enlight us why Christianity is a religion of blind faith?
>
the error of thinking
that they are eternel, creates a faith in which they feel comfortable and
believes there is an OBJECTIVE
REALITY valid for everybody which is the greatest error.
Kind greetings from Belgium
Peace and love
Bruno
michae...@my-deja.com
Tseng Temple" on May 15th, paying a visit to the founder of the "True
Buddha School", "His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Shen."
The fact that the "True Buddha School" hosted this event speaks volumes
for itself.
The "True Buddha School" and its founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" are
ostracized by all mainstream Chinese Buddhist groups and even those
mainstream Tibetan Buddhist groups that have heard of the
founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" do not lend him any credence. He's
known for misrepresenting himself through photos and stories of himself
with Tibetan lamas. In his free newsletter, Lian Shen claims to have
actually reached Buddhahood and he brags about his magical powers and
criticizes other mainstream masters, especially Master Hsing-Yun of the
respectful Fo Kuang Shan based in Taiwan.
Lian Shen's organization and membership is huge and is one of the few
Chinese "Vajrayana" organizations that exists on such a large scale. An
interesting feature observed by many people is that native Taoist
deities are worshipped on the same altar as the Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas!
In article <ZtqrFBAd...@pema.demon.co.uk>,
Mary Finnigan <ma...@pema.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> John Pettit wrote:
> >>
> >> Shambhala centers in Boulder and New York City both invited
> >> Kusum Lingpa
> >> (though admittedly, only once each). Need one say more?
> Tim Knutton asks:
> >
> > Could you expand on this a little more?
> Yes please from me too. Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
> Mary
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Henry
michae...@my-deja.com wrote:
>
> The "True Buddha School" and its founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" are
> ostracized by all mainstream Chinese Buddhist groups and even those
> mainstream Tibetan Buddhist groups that have heard of the
> founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" do not lend him any credence. He's
> known for misrepresenting himself through photos and stories of himself
> with Tibetan lamas. In his free newsletter, Lian Shen claims to have
> actually reached Buddhahood and he brags about his magical powers and
> criticizes other mainstream masters, especially Master Hsing-Yun of the
> respectful Fo Kuang Shan based in Taiwan.
I have written a short thesis on True Buddha School:
http://members.xoom.com/_XMCM/geleg/cults.htm#Z
Check it out. :)
--
Yours in Dharma,
Henry Chia
(Ngawang Geleg)
email: ge...@pacific.net.sg
URL: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/4886/index.htm
<-: Ngawang Geleg's Buddhist Home Page :->
URL: http://members.xoom.com/_XMCM/geleg/cults.htm
<-: Buddhist Cults A - Z :->
URL: http://members.xoom.com/_XMCM/geleg/index.htm
<-: My Music Page :->
Jeffrey Nelson
I wish I could have gotten in on this thread earlier. A woman friend of
mine who was a member of the True Buddha School, and subsequently a
closefollower of HH Kusum Lingpa's went to a great deal of effort to set up
the meeting between GM Lian Shen. I was not present went the meeting and
visit took place, but from all reports, although Kusum Lingpa was courteous,
he was personally put off by all of the grandeur of Lian Shen's mansion in
Issaquah/ North Bend, WA. The meeting was not an advertised event, just
bringing the two together. Later in the week at an empowerment by HHKL at my
friend's house, His Holiness began to make thinly veiled reference to Lian
Shen as a self-serving "teacher", inferring that he was no representative of
the Mahayana tradition. My friend was humiliated as several of Lian Shen's
students were present. She was also placed in a position of having to make a
decision between her two teachers, and she chose Kusum Lingpa. I don't know
if there has been a problem between HHKL and the Shambala School. HH can be
very outspoken, and some people have been offended by that. He was accused
early on of being a "Money Lama", seeking to loot Westerners. He was after
money, but it was to build a very important stupa in Kham that he had
promised his own teacher he would build. This was based on a prophecy made
by Padmasambhava 1000 years ago, and can be read about in the book "Legend
of the great Stupa". He was also doing this under the auspices of HH the
Dalai Lama.
HHKL is my teacher, and by far the greatest and most powerful teacher I
have met, and I have met many. Please contact me if anybody has questions
about HHKL. I will do my best to answer them, or direct inquiries to someone
who can supply an answer.
I know a little about Grand Master, although I have met him. He does
like to talk about himself, and his followers seems to delight in this. I
attended a large event at his Redmond temple, and he was very courteous, as
were his followers. His approach is a rather strange blend of various
schools, including Taoism.
> Don't know about Kusum Lingpa but he was invited by Seattle's "Rey
> Tseng Temple" on May 15th, paying a visit to the founder of the "True
> Buddha School", "His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Shen."
> The fact that the "True Buddha School" hosted this event speaks volumes
> for itself.
>
> The "True Buddha School" and its founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" are
> ostracized by all mainstream Chinese Buddhist groups and even those
> mainstream Tibetan Buddhist groups that have heard of the
> founder "Living Buddha Lian Shen" do not lend him any credence. He's
> known for misrepresenting himself through photos and stories of himself
> with Tibetan lamas. In his free newsletter, Lian Shen claims to have
> actually reached Buddhahood and he brags about his magical powers and
> criticizes other mainstream masters, especially Master Hsing-Yun of the
> respectful Fo Kuang Shan based in Taiwan.
>
Dharmapala
project....
http://www.tricycle.com/innews3.html
"Jeffrey Nelson" <dharm...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:844jhn$imh$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net...
thub...@my-deja.com
"Patrick Walsh" <pwa...@banta-im.com> wrote:
> In article <3846A748...@hvi.net> , John Pettit <j...@hvi.net>
wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Mary Finnigan wrote:
> >
> >> >
> >> > Could you expand on this a little more?
> >> Yes please from me too. Who is Kusum Lingpa and why is s/he dodgy?
> >
> >
> > (1) Nobody really knows who he is. According to Tibetans from Tibet
> >he is nobody there (despite his claims). I don't know any Tibetans
> >who take him seriously.
> >
Gyatrul Rinpoche, who recently had his commentary on "Natural Liberation
- Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos" published and translated
by B. Alan Wallace had this to say about Kusum Lingpa:
"These advanced Great Perfection teachings were not designed for people
who don't even have any sense of refuge. So why am I offering this as a
public teaching? There are a number of great, contemporary lamas who say
the time has now come to make these teachings public. Yangthang Tulku
Rinpoche, his Holiness Jigmey Phuntsok, and His Holiness Orgyen Kusum
Lingpa have stated that now is the time when the teachings on the six
transitional processes should be taught openly."
I also know that Lingtrul Rinpoche has a great deal of respect for Kusum
Lingpa.
Kusum Lingpa has a large monastery - Thubten Chokhor Ling - in Golok. I
have seen many photographs of it. It is a huge complex in a valley with
dozens of buildings, 800 resident monks, hundreds of pilgrims in tents
and the beautiful, shining, white Great Stupa which his Holiness raised
money for in the West.
According to the short biography by Rigkdzin Namnang Dorje, translated
by Richard Barron, Kusum Lingpa has studied with the 10th Panchen Lama,
Dzongsar Khyentse, Dilgo Khyentse, the 16th Karmapa, Rigpai Dorje, Ahang
Terton, Tsangdrup Jampa Chodzin, Dongon Lama Monlam Zangpo, Jonang Lama
Rinchen Dargyay, Khenpo Sang-ngak of Lamkho, Sharo Lama Tsultrim
Namgyal, Dungkar Ngedon Gyatso, Tulku Dorje Dradul, Katok Siti, Moktrul
Jikdral Choklay Namgyal, the 6th Dzogchen incarnation, Drupwang Padma
Norbu (His Holiness Penor Rinpoche), Tulku Do-ngak Nyima, Gyangwa Maday,
Tsepchu Tulku Rinchen Drakpa, Ma Rinpoche of the Taklung School, lord
Adrak Lama Nangsel Gyaltsen, Paltrul of Tso and many others.
> > (2) He claims to be a Terton but those claims have not, to
> > my knowledge,
> > been corroborated or substantiated on the basis of textual evidence
or
> > the confirmation of reliable witnesses (e.g., Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog,
> > Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, inter alia). If you claim to be a Terton
you
> > must substantiate your claims with reference to, among other things,
> > prophecies of Guru Rinpoche.
> >
According to the biography by Rigkdzin Namnang Dorje:
" There is a prophetic passage in the hidden treasure, or terma
transmission of the great revealer of hidden treasures Nyima Drakpa,
which states, "In the northern region of Achakdru, to a family of those
who practice Vajrayana, he will be a latter-day rebirth of Lhalung
Palgyi Dorje. Born in the year known as 'guarding wealth', he will bear
the name Oddiyana (Orgyan in Tibetan). He will havee five moles on his
abdomen. In the year of the wood dragon, in the region of Achak, he will
reveal the hidden treasure of a mandala of deities, of nine gone to
bliss, so that happiness and well-being will increase in the land of
Tibet and the suffering of Achakdru in the north will be dispelled."
The fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje prophesized, " An
emanation of Vajrapani will appear in the year known as 'guarding
wealth', a son named Tumdrak in the region of Achakdru to the north.
Born to a family of those who reveal hidden treasure teachings of the
Vajrayana, he will blossom like a lily and then unleash himself like a
thunderstorm. He will establish a centre for the practice of the
legions of heroic students, both lay and ordained, ensuring that the
teachings of the Victorious One flourish to the utmost. He will guide
all those connected with him to Sukhavati, the Realm of Bliss."
There is also a prophecy from the previous Dodrup Rinpoche, which runs
as follows: "To the north of this region, in an area guarded by yaksha
spirits, the province of Golok, will appear one indistinguishable from
the lord protector Padmakara, one bearing the name of the one with five
tufts of hair, one who will engage in the sense delights of the mudra.
He will be one who will cause the teachings to flourish and beings to
experience happiness and well-being. His retinue will be of both the
'red hat' and the 'yellow hat' schools. In a park-like environment, the
blessings of Padma will pass to him. In the places in which he practices
the blessings of the Three Roots will gather like clouds. All efforts at
making prostrations, offerings and circumambulations in these places
will prove fruitful."
The revealer of hidden treasures Apang Terton prophesied "...at that
point, a manifestation of Denma Tsemang will appear in Achakdru. He will
have the good fortune to master three stores of hidden treasure
teachings. He will be born in a dog year, into a family of Vajrayana
practitioners, and will bear the name Oddiyana. If he is able to reveal
a hidden treasure of Manjushri Yamantaka, this will ensure that the
teachings of the Victorious One will become exceedingly great. All who
are connected with him will be guided to the pure realm of Khechara, the
'enjoyment of space'."
Another prophecy is one issued by Choktsang Dotrul: "With mastery over
three stores of hidden treasures, a mad revealer of such treasures will
appear in Achakdru: he will bear the name Oddiyana and be born in a dog
year. All those who establish a connection with him will certainly be
guided to Padma O, the realm of Lotus Light."
Finally, in the prophetic hidden treasure of Uza Khandro we read the
following: "An emanation of Padma's enlightened mind in the region of
Achakdru, a son named Oddiyana Lakshmi will appear, a person riding on
the wood dog."
In accordance with these and many other prophecies in hidden treasure
teachings, Orgyan Kusum Lingpa was born into a clan of the lineage of
Apo Dong...in the wood male dog year..on the Magyi Metok (Flowers of
Speech) Plateau, an area controlled by the chieftain of Achakdru."
> > (3) He makes Tulkus faster than McDonald's makes hamburgers, and he
> > makes them out of inexperienced, ignorant Westerners who support his
> > activities financially (and in some cases, otherwise, e.g.,
> > organizationally).
> >
> > (4) He is a braggart, and possibly a liar. He is always claiming to
have
> > magical powers, but has never (as far as I have heard) backed up his
> > claims with actual demonstrations. In Tibetan tradition, when it
comes
> > to such claims, you must either put up, or shut up.
> >
> > (5) He knows little about the traditions he claims to represent. I
read
> > a transcript of one his teachings, which was supposed to concern the
> > life and teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, and found it full of
distortions,
> > exaggerations, and outright fabrications. In addition, it was
liberally
> > sprinkled with personal braggadoccio.
>
According to his biography, Kusum Lingpa studied for many years with his
root guru Akong Khenpo, spent three years studying at the monastery of
Palyul Dartang, then spent three years at the monastic college of Sera
Tekchen Choling.
He has produced twenty-five volumes of religious writings.
I have found his teachings to be very good, very solid and practical
Dharma. Here is an example of His Holiness' teaching:
"...although we try to look at our mind we can't really see what is
going on in there, and we don't recognize what is happening in our own
mind. We are constantly projecting outwards and making judgments on the
external world, we keep saying "this is bad," "that is bad," "it is
bad," "he is bad," never looking at our mind and really seeing what is
going on in there. Other people as well cannot look into our mind and
see what kind of bad work we are doing.
So it is very important, instead of constantly looking outward at the
faults of others, constantly seeing and criticizing the characteristics
of other beings, to turn inside, look at our own mind, and look at the
thoughts we are thinking, look at the neurotic emotions that come up in
our own mind. Instead of criticizing others, critique yourself, and try
to abandon finding fault in others. Instead try to improve your own
mind, this is a very important teaching of Dharma.
So until the time of death, until we die, we should devote our time to
examining our own minds with great diligence. To the point where we can
see thoughts as they arise. To the point where we look inside and when
a thought of clinging desire arises, we should think, "Well, now I have
had a thought of clinging desire come up in my mind, I have to come up
with a method, create a method to dispel it, to neutralize this neurotic
emotion." We should really apply ourselves to this, instead of
criticizing others outside, we should constantly examine our own minds
and try to diligently apply methods to recognize neurotic emotions as
they arise, and to dispel them.
If we get angry we should recognize it immediately. Instead of letting
the anger project outwards and blaming someone outside of us for our
anger, we should recognize it as soon as it arises, and think, "Oh, now
I have become angry, I have and angry neurotic thought arising. I need
to recognize it and find some skillful methods to dispel this anger so
that I do not experience its result." This is something that we should
apply ourselves with great diligence to.
Now this is a fairly simple matter compared to the problems that occur
when we are under the influence of ignorance, or in states such as when
we get drunk or are falling asleep, or we are in a dream state, or
something where we cannot control our emotions at all well. We need to
apply this technique further. Having developed some strength with it in
our normal waking state, we need to extend it so that when we are
falling off to sleep or are in a deep state of unawareness, and we have
anger arising, we are able to recognize it. We need to recognize that
we have anger coming up in this state of ignorance and not go into the
power of it. We need to make an aspiration that, "Although this angry
emotion is arising in my mind, and I am under the influence of
ignorance, I will not be overwhelmed by it, I will not be overpowered by
it, I will not be deceived by it, I will not go off under its power, but
I will make some method that will dispel it," this is something that we
have to do."
Dharmapala
Thank you for doing this excellent footwork. It certainly can be said
that HHKL has been controversial since his first visit to the USA many years
back. The real answer to who he is can only be fathomed by spending time in
His presence. The Nirmanakaya body that we can percieve with our senses is
only a small point of compassionate contact with the ENORMOUS spiritual
being that goes by the name of Kusum Lingpa. I have experienced phenomena
around him that are tantamount to miracles, but the sheer presence of His
Holiness is the true miracle. He is all the wonderful things he is said to
be, and as such it is to be expected that he would meet up with obstacles.
When he was being held prisoner by the Chinese, they attempted to kill him
on many occasions. One time he was thrown outside naked in the prison
courtyard in the middle of the Tibetan winter in an attempt to finish him
off. The next morning, he was found sitting in meditation with no harm done.
On another occasion, the Chinese guards buried him alive. They buried him
deep to do a good job. Much to their surprise he was found the next morning
teaching the Dharma in the local village. Other stories of superhuman
activities have been told to me, mostly by his monks.
FAR too much badmouthing goes on in this newsgroup. I often stay away for
months due to this. This time I come back and find my own teacher being
assaulted by people on a hearsay basis only. Only a few of you apparently
pay any attention to your speech karma. It also applies to the written word,
you know. People need to take time to think about the power and impact of
their words, ESPECIALLy those who are skilled at the art of written
persuasion/debate......sheesh....
<thub...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:849f4e$984$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...