[Gem]

Originally Posted by janielee

To be that Crusader, you would first want to be a real practicing Buddhist of realization, in my opinion. If you are not, you risk throwing good teachings and realities under the rug, as you are blinded by the hate and disgust towards teachings and teachers you dislike.

It's not the teachings that concern me, and it's not like I imagine any teacher as a special person, so like everyone and anyone, I assess credibility on the degree of integrity a person demonstrates. If they profess to to a status based on Buddhism, then a basic adherence to sila principles is required, which excludes intoxication and sexual misconduct.


Chodron is Trungpa's protege and member of the sangha, which is good, because she seems to have some integrity, but she resigned her post as a teacher because they appointed a known rapist to the trust.

Trungpa Rinpoche's teachings are some of the best, and stand on their own.

He can't walk the talk, so to me, it's a lot of empty words.

Many schools are also not as straight laced as the way you like it, Gem.

I can only suggest that if people want go to a school or get involved a the sangha, just make sure sila is the founding principle of the sangha.

For example, you choosing whether to chant or meditate shows how loose aversions and preferences can run in your school. The presence of a genuinely realized teacher is a boon for any true student.

At my school, emphasis is placed on mindful equanimity, so we try to be aware of our adverse/craven reactivity as it arises and minimise it as best we can.

To me a person is a person, and a teacher has a role which is respectable, but on what grounds is it respectable?

1) The teacher is giving all their time to the school for the benefit of the meditators expecting nothing in return. That's dana, and Generosity is respectable.

2) To be a teacher, your sila has to be impeccable and it takes many years to meet to meet the position's requirements. Such commitment is respectable.


Trungpas gets sex from his students and becomes rich from their kind donations - no dana. He gets intoxicated and perpetrates sexual misconduct - no Sila. His Trustees are degenerate and people get harmed in the school. No refuge.


Their respecrt is based on that delusion that he's a special enlightened person, and he took advantage of that. Their trust is misplaced and they take refuge where they are taken advantage of.

I can't speak to what happened to Trungpa's school after his death,

It's reliably documented - and that's only what was publically told. They were all up to mischief while he was alive, and after he died, and since they just appointed a rapist to the trust, it's reaonable to suspect something fishy is still going on today.

but Ryan's distaste of Gurus was clear years ago - as was yours. I agree that we don't want people getting harmed in the pursuit of religion.

If you don't want people to get harmed, don't promote Trungpa.

I find the whole guru parade to be pretentious on the whole whole, but there are good sorts in the spiritual teacher trade. You just have be very discerning, and my tip is, ensure they are founded securely in principles of sila... (and if the trust re-appoints a rapist whom they know to the trust... well, screw that).

Doesn't make Trungpa Rinpoche teaching's wrong

He can't walk the talk, so what he says is worthless. Chodron resigned because any reasonable person wouldn't stand for it.The rest of them support the rapist's appointment... so, I think maybe there might more than one sex fiend in the bunch?

and Krishnamurti had some interesting perspectives -- don't listen to anyone, while many bowed at his feet and idolized his teachings. It's all perspective and real life experience does count, in my opinion. I certainly wouldn't consider your taste and approach of Buddhism to be my approach or preference, but thank you for your practice.

JL

I guess people who admire Trungpa's approach would have a hard time with mine which is ethically founded. You'd be safe enough in a school like mine (but still have to be very discerning). The students aren't sexed even if they wanted it, and because we run on dana, 100% of your donations will be utilised for the benefit of future meditators.