Hi all,
My first question in this forum does concern one man activity within Tibetan Buddhism, Gelugpa tradition, he use to call himself Upasaka Lama Ponya Nawang Dorje Yeshe and became a little famous in and around Kentucky.
We did learn about this man in our online Buddhist forum called E-Sangha some weeks ago.
Some members active in our online community did ask about the authentic status of Lama Ponya Yehse, after checking his web-side we found several big contradictions which indicates that his claim as full educated Lama (Buddhist Priest) is most likely faked and everything was made up by himself!
After, we, that is to say, the moderator and i did contact him by e mail, and we post several questions concerning his authentic status?
I received one long winded e mail response from him without getting answered and clarifyied the vital points, but instead he tried to project the responsibility back to the poster with the clear intention to make the one who did ask him feel guilty in every respect.
To make this report not too long now, the problem with this man seems to be that he try to present himself as authentic without being, and produce himself to make him popular in order to find large number of followers.
Those who search for true spirituality and are not lucky to find some authentic person will have not much chance but fall prey of his faked presented image, without being able to see his true status and hidden motivations.
He gives teachings without studying the subject before.
He gives tantric initiations without being qualified.
His previous Buddhist teachers and follower students who know him from before, told us some background stories about him, which gives me reason to doubt his activity and personal integrity. (By our e mail request)
I like to ask you if somebody does know him, please share your informations.
Meanwhile he did protect his web-page with a password, he did successfully make shut down the private web-page controversial from A-Z of the moderator in E-Sangha.
All the informations about controversial sects, teachers, cults and more is lost for the public.
He did force us to shut down in E-Sangha the page about Lama Ponya Yeshe.
So, this man is quite tricky and danger. He hides behind a nice image, and if asked about his true status he use to fire back cunningly.
Everything i told you is a short summary of what i did experience live online.

With best wishes D.

[www.lioncity.net] Here's some deleted discussion on him.

Thank's for the history correspondence about Lama Ponya Yehse.

Additionally i like to add the correspondance with Lama Ponya Yeshe.

his answer:
Tashi Delek Most Ven. Lama Djimpa,
 
  Please accept this reply to your thirteen question letter with the  utmost
love and respect.  Nothing ill is meant or intended. So please do  not see it
as such.  I prostrate to you, all beings in all realms and the  Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas of the three times in all directions. Emaho!
 
  Thank you for your letter. I wish it were on better terms with a  "Hello!  
How are you? Blessings to you in the Three Jewels!"  It goes  right to the
heart of a controversy started by those filled with poison with the  intent and
motivation to spread poison.  It is not of the Three Jewels in  any way, shape
or form.  To give such poison the time of day is only to be  exposed to it. Is
this how we wish to spend our precious lifetime knowing that  it could end at
any moment?  It is true and utter nonsense.  Those who  know me know the
answers to the thirteen questions you posed and much more.  Those who know me take
the time to develop a relationship that is motivated by  love, compassion and
a genuine interest and not poison.
 
  The "homepage" your are referring to most Ven. Lama Djimpa is only  one
page of a large web site designed to educate and help those who wish to  learn
more about the Three Jewels.  The home page is actually located at
_[freewebs.com] (http://freewebs.com/nktbg)  and all resources  are offered
free of charge. I charge no one for anything. I urge those of  true interest to
really look over all the pages and not to focus on me. I am  nothing most Ven.
Lama Djimpa.
 
  Also, the page you are questioning has been there for three  years. Why
questions now and not three years or before now?  Ah,  questions, questions and
nothing of the Dharma?  "How will this help me  overcome my afflictions and
attachment to samsara?", one should be asking.  
 
  You refer to "we" and "our" in your letter. Who are "we" and  "our"?  Are
these thirteen questions designed to give air to the poisonous  accusations?  
What good are answers to a mind that is dualistic and has  already placed a
label on an object and put it in a stale box?  Are we not,  as Buddhist, to
strive in overcoming these very things?  Why do we continue  to play with poison?
Thus the reason we are trapped in the mud of samsara,  lifetime after lifetime.
We must awaken, change and break free!  Is this  not what the Buddha taught?
 
  You demand answers and requests for my "version" of my "accounts" to  "help
clarify and dispel the rest of our doubts" is pointless.  My dear  most Ven.
Lama Djimpa nothing I could possibly say could help you, them or any  others
at this point. If one has intertained this poison this far one must take  
control and refocus on the most precious and holy Three Jewels.  
 
  Those who know me have sat down with me and I have shared at great  length
my background, training and ancient history. Those that don't and  don't wish
to know me in the least this is their free choice.  Again,  nothing this one
could say can stop the charge of a poisoned elephant.   Since the spread of
this poison I have received some letters, as you can well  imagine.  Each one
trampling me to dust with words labeled as "Buddhist"  but not holding any
essence of the precious Three Jewels.  This is my karma  so I accept it freely and
openly. I welcome the charge!
 
  You posed thirteen questions without viewing the entirety of the web  site
from which it is part and not seperate. You received poison and acted on  it.
The poison took you straight to one who does all he can, tirelessly, for all  
beings, friend, foe and stranger, all are the same, no difference in the eyes
of  the Three Jewels.  But you did not see this? You spent precious time  
writing out thirteen questions just as I am spending precious time replying.  Have
we awakened due to this?  Is this what the Buddha did?  Is this  what the
Buddha taught?
 
  I leave you with the caption that I recently posted at the top of  that web
page to attempt to dissuade others from becoming infected by this  poison. I
pray it helps most Ven. Lama Djimpa
 
>Tashi Delek  and Thank you for visiting my bio page!  It appears to be the
object of interest these days.  
Please do not  allow the ancient history of my bio and all that makes up this
label to distract  you from your study and practice of the precious Dharma.  
I am nothing,  absolutely and completely. I have never claimed  nor will I
ever claim to be anything. Ego, self, pride, etc., are what keeps us  bound in
Samsara along with a big glob of ignorance, desire and attachment.  These are
things to abandon and not  cultivate. We've done that for enough lifetimes,
haven't we?  
So again, I'm  nothing, if you don't take it from anyone else take it from
me, I'm nothing.  Don't call me Lama or any of those other names  just call me
Compost.  Sometimes great and beautiful things come from it  and sometimes it
just stinks.  
Since you are  here I would like to extend to you an invitation to view the
rest of our  Sangha's website and not just this nothing page. Please
investigate all of  the incredible resources and pages. Every bit of it is free - just
as Lord  Buddha meant the precious Dharma to  be!  
I pray you  and all enjoy, benefit and grow beautifully in the Three Jewels!  
Emaho!
With palms together - bowing low and  humbly,
Compost<
Thank you again for your letter most Ven.  Lama Djimpa. I pray when next we
meet it is in support and celebration of the  precious Three Jewels and not in
regard to the poison that destroys us and keeps  us bound, chained and stuck
in samsara.
Infinite blessings, peace, love, health,  long life and lasting happiness to
you most Ven. Lama Djimpa and all you  represent in your letter.  I pray you
are able to return to your teaching,  study and practice of the Three Jewels
and allow this poison no more of your  precious time.
With palms together - bowing low and  humbly,
Compost and nothing  more
 
In a message dated 8/6/2005 5:53:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
djimpa2002@yahoo.de writes:


my request
Dear Lama Ponya Yehse
 
Concerning your home-page
 
_[www.freewebs.com]
(http://www.freewebs.com/nktbg/lamaponyayeshebio.htm)
 
and the current missing informations about the  education in your 2X 3 year 3
month and 3 day retreat, I like to ask you  some questions.
You said you did start your retreat 1979 until  1985?
Which place did this retreat take place and who  did guide you through the
retreat?
Which date did the retreat start and at  which date it was finshed?
Can you give a listing of  fellow-practitioners  who did accompany in  your
all together 6 year, 6 month and 6 day retreat?
You said, you did start the retreat with 10  years, that is indeed very
unusally and very early age, even in the east no  high tulku did similar what you
were able to do, can you give me a example,  how did you learn and follow the
normal western school educartion by  doing a long retreat together?
How did you fit in the group-retreat with much  older retreat college? What
did you parents say about your retreat, did you do  that with the permission of
them?
Wo did pay for your retreat?
What did the Lama say who did guide this retreat  about your age, such young
boy with 10 years?
How can you do a 6 year 6 month and 6 day retreat  in a timtable of 6 years?
Where did you finish the rest of 6 month and 6  days?
You see there are some questions which doesn't  fit with our normal dualistic
preconceptions, it would be good if you can  elucidate and give us an account
of your version to help us to clarify and to  dispel the rest of our doubts.
 
With regards  Lama Djimpa
 

Quote
Dave
Thank's for the history correspondence about Lama Ponya Yehse.

Google's a good friend of mine.

Lama Ponya's home-page:

Upasaka Lama Ponya Nawang Tenzin Dorje Yeshe (Lama - as we all know him) was born Sunday, April 6, 1969. Our Ven. Lama has over twenty-five years combined knowledge and experience in meditation and Buddhism. This is quite rare in our area and for a westerner of his age.

Lama is Tibetan for teacher. This is a title bestowed upon someone by their students and/or their teacher, those who complete a three year, three month and three day retreat, and/or those who are recognized as the incarnation of a previous Lama or Master. Please note that Lama has NOT been recognized as the incarnation of a past master, nor does he profess to be. Lama has completed two three year, three month and three day retreats consecutively (1979-1985) . This does not mean that Lama is a highly realized being or claims to be. In fact, our Lama is quite humble and always refers to himself as in the infant stage of study and practice.



Lama began meditation practice at the age of eight (1977) through the study and practice of Chan (Chinese Zen) Buddhism. This later lead him to the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama's root teacher is Ven. Tenzin Lodan. He and Lama met due to the blessings of George and Hee-Soon opening Drepung Gomang Meditation and Dharma Center. Ven. Tenzin Lodan gave his blessing to Lama to teach after they completed a twenty-four hour retreat together on June 13, 2003. Ven. Tenzin Lodan is from Drepung Gomang Monastery

(remark of the author, he claims that Ven. Tenzin Lodan is his root-teacher)




Lama teaches and leads our group in the Non-sectarian (also known as Rime') study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. This is yet something else that is unique, as it does not require a student to directly choose to follow one of the five Tibetan traditions Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug and Bon (once again permitted by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as a valuable Tibetan tradition). Lama is knowledgeable of all five Tibetan traditions and believes that it is important for all students to learn the basics of each tradition before choosing (if they wish to choose) to follow a particular lineage.

Sorry the following reads like a resume but it is very important to know a teachers background before choosing them as a teacher...



Our Ven. Lama is what is known, according to Tibetan tradition, as a "lay monk" (Sanskrit: Upasaka) or a "householder." A Upasaka (Upasika - female) has taken and upholds the Lifetime Lay Vows. There are five of these vows and they are 1) Not killing a human or a human fetus, 2) Not stealing anything of value, 3) Not lying about one's spiritual realizations, 4) Not commiting adultery, and 5) Not taking alcohol or intoxicants. Lama has taken and upholds the Bodhisattva vows (18 root and 46 branch vows). Also, Lama takes and upholds the Eight Mahayana Precepts 24/7. Lama always does his very level best to live as close to the monastic ways as possible, with the exception of renouncing his family or life in today's society. Lama has been married, for over seventeen years, to Upasika Lhamo Drisa. They also have a son Chemba Tenzin (Talon). They are both students of Lama as well.



This combined background and experience allows Lama to better understand every day life, family, and a carrier. Something one does not generally receive with a monastic teacher. Lama believes that, for westerners, it is important to stay exposed and in the middle of all that is going on in the world. Lama firmly believes that it is possible for us to study and practice Buddhism in today’s western world while still having a family and working a job. Lama attests that this can be done without getting caught in the grips of all that is "worldly" in western society. In fact, he states, "Life in the western world is great for our practice and for all beings. We can make a change and difference."

Lama is also most blessed and honored to be a correspondence teacher for the Liberation Prison Project. The LPP is an incredible group lead by the Most Ven. Robina Courtin and is associated with the FPMT. The LPP assists those in the prison system in receiving the precious Dharma. The LPP supplies all materials, teachings and teachers. All of this is at no charge to the student/practitioner. As one could imagine the costs to do such a great task are great. The LPP currently requires over $23,000 a month just to operate. Lama donates his time and teachings in assisting a few in this program and greatly urges his students, Sangha members, and all to help in any way they can. This is a great opportunity to help spread the precious Dharma where it is greatly needed. Please visit the before mentioned links for more information on the LPP and what you can do to help or feel free to contact Lama. He will certainly be happy to assist you and answer any and all questions you might have.

We are most blessed to not only have Lama guiding our group but are as equally blessed to have a westerner as a teacher/leader. Again, this is something that is rare here in the west. Generally, teachers are Tibetan and require a translator(s). Though it is incredible to have a teacher from Tibet this can also cause problems and a break down in teachings conveyed as well as when students wish to ask questions. If by any chance a translator(s) cannot attend a class or cannot be located there cannot be a class. With Lama we are certain to receive direct pure teachings as well as direct pure answers to our questions. Lama loves questions and greatly looks forward to receiving them.

Lama is always studying and practicing and he greatly encourages his students to do the same. In doing this we all learn more with each passing moment and when we all get together we can share our vast wealth of knowledge and wisdom. This will result in all of us learning incredibly more!

On Monday, July 18, 2005 Lama was interviewed by a local news channel regarding the misuse of a sacred image of the Buddha on a billboard. Click here to view this video interview with Lama. News Interview

If you would like to speak with Lama directly or if you have any questions regarding the Northern Kentucky Tibetan Buddhist Group please feel free to contact Lama at (PonyaYeshe@aol.com).

If you would like more information on non-sectarian Tibetan Buddhism please refer to this incredible teaching by Ven. Deshung Rinpoche titled, "Buddhism Without Sectarianism."

If you would like more information on lay monastics in Tibetan Buddhism, including historical examples please feel free to read "Lay Monastics in Tibetan Buddhism."

Bio written by Upasika Lhamo Drisa with assistance from Lama.

(remark of the author)
Some pages from Henry Gelegs controversial web-page i was able to save before it was forced shut down


source, Henry Gelegs home-page controversial A-Z, Lama Ponya Yeshe:

Upasaka Lama Ponya Nawang Tenzin Dorje Yeshe, better known as Lama Ponya Yeshe or Upasaka Angeles, is born on 6th April 1969. He was active in his own yahoo e-group, MahayanaTibetanGroup, which had shut down since 2004. He was also my co-moderator for my e-group, Cyber Rimey Movement, from 2002 to 2003. He resigned the post on his own accord.

In his biography, taken from his "The Northern Kentucky Tibetan Buddhist Group" website, it mentioned that he had over twenty-five years combined knowledge and experience in meditation and Buddhism. It stated that he had completed 2 sets of 3-year retreat consecutively (1979 to 1985).


I received a shocking email from Clifton Carmody in early 2004. At the same time, MahayanaTibetanGroup was shut down. Here is the content:

Hello Henry

I am the webmaster for www.IndianaBuddhist.org and a student of Geshe Jinpa Sonam in USA. Thank you for giving us a link on the esangha page!

Also, there is an American ("Lama Poyna" or Angel as we know him) who is gaining a little popularity in Cincinatti Ohio USA. He was a student of Geshe Jinpa's at one time. I know him well as we attended the same teachings for a while. The problem is he is totally lying on his website about his training, his retreats, his root lama, his wearing of the holy robes.

Geshe Jinpa is upset, but would never do anything directly. But you have this great ability to expose this horrible thing. Can you look into this? Here are the facts:

1) His website biography that HE created:

[www.freewebs.com]

2) "Lama Yeshe has completed two three year retreats consecutively" This is not true to my knowledge,nor to my teacher Geshe Jinpa nor to his "Root Guru" Ven. Tenzin Lodan. He never stated this ever to anyone in our class, nor to his teachers. He was a married man who worked in a nightclub as a bouncer/doorman.

3) While it is true that he recieved teachings form Geshe Jinpa and Ven. Tezin and Jhapha Kalsang Ph.D., none of them would say Angel was a teacher himself, nor would they say they were his teacher. He just came to a few dharma classes.

4) He wears robes and nobody authorized this. He was actually spoken to about this in the dharma center and he quit coming when the monks asked him about it.

5) He says he is a student of Ven. Tenzin, but he rarely taught and is currently in New York City where has no contact with Angel. Neither Geshe Jinpa nor Ven. Tenzin speak much English, but Dr. Jhampa Kalsang does.

Please look at his site and I think you will agree with me that he has no lineage. You can contact him, ask him questions etc. I also can get contact information for Geshe Jinpa and Dr. Kalsang if you would like.

You would be doing a great service to the dharma if you could investigate this.

Clifton Carmody
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
www.IndianaBuddhist.org 1

From: PonyaYeshe@aol.com
Date: Mon 01/08/2005 8:40 AM GMT+08:00
To: geleg@pacific.net.sg
Subject: Thank you Henry...

Tashi Delek,

Hello Ngawang! Lovely to see you are well, blessed and have time to write me, posing as a student looking for information on long retreats from Malaysia to turn into a cult web page about me. I see some things never change. This is exactly what we had spoken about two years ago - putting people on your cult list without proper investigation. The letter on your web page from Clifton Carmody is completely false. Mr. Carmody was a key figure in a schism that destroyed Gomang Meditation and Dharma Center. He took the resident Geshe (Geshe Jinpa Sonam) and moved him to Indianapolis. Anyway, you would not be interested in this, would you?

Anyway, thank you for the website and the slanderous, untrue remarks. Delusion and ignorance pervade the realms of Samsara and we are to do our best to overcome this - not succumb to it even more.

Thank you Ngawang for contacting me under the guise and falsehood as you did. And you thought I didn't know? Too funny. No matter Ngawang, I love you dearly no matter what. Say what you will, steal from my website all the photos that you wish. Remember, motivation and intention are key in all you think, say and do. One who has taken Bodhisattva vows and harms another under Bodhisattva vows is serious negative karma. But I'm sure you knew that already as you profess to know all.

Infinite blessings, peace, love, health, long life and lasting happiness to you and all!

With palms together - prostrating to you my dear teacher,
Angel
Lama Ponya Yeshe



This was the letter to my friend the webmaster and owner of the closed home-page the global moderator of E-Sangha, what follows is part of his published answer, the controversial A-Z, this web-page is now forced closed by the scheme of Lama Ponya Yeshe.



The answer by Henry Geleg:

He does sound very angry, isn't he? He has yet to explain the 5 questions as posted in my website, especially, my westerner lama friends from Kagyu tradition and myself thought that something was a bit suspicious when he claimed to have undertaken two consecutive three year retreats (1979 - 1985). We calculated that the retreat should be from the ages of 10 to 16. Upasaka Angeles had forgotten to add the additional 6 months and 6 days. One must also have to take note that the VERY FIRST three year retreat in North America wasn't until 1982, under the direction of the late Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche. It seems that 10 years old Angeles would have been hard pressed to find a retreat center in 1979.

What he is saying here is, 2 retreats a 3 years and 3 month and 3 days. That is together 6 years 6 month and 6 days, right? If he starts the retreat January the first and did continual without stop (which is unusual without the usual coming out ceremony and without holidays) he can not be finished before June the 6th 1986. This is the first flaw in his calculation! So his claim he did 2 retreats consecutively is most unlikely too. Since a 3 year retreat does have an end after it is finished. And a 3 year retreat has to be finished if it doesn't, than you did something else (a 6 year 6 month and 6 day retreat) unlikely to claim he did a 3 year retreat. That is the second flaw. He has to start the retreat with age of 10 years if you read and calculate what he wrote in his home-page. Even in historical Tibet no monk of novice are ready to take up such long retreat, (not even the highest Tulkus start at that early age) maybe some youngsters did become monks at that young age but they are for sure not fit for a 6 year retreat! This is the third flaw!

Who had supervised and guided him in the two consecutive 3 year, 3 month and 3 day retreats? Who had accompany him in his all together 6 year, 6 month and 6 day retreat? Which place did this retreat take place? Which date did the retreat start and at which date it was finshed? It seems that all these questions are left unanswered. And perhaps they will not be answered. It would be good if he can give us an account of his retreats to help us to clarify and to dispel the rest of our doubts.

However, no answer is also an answer. Upasaka Angeles has also mastered the reverse pyschology to answer my (our) questions. How did he try to escape all those critical questions? Firstly, flatter the person, secondly, to accuse the questioner or enquirer to be an anti-Buddhist, thirdly, to accuse his/her motivation is contradicting to the Bodhisattva Vows, and lastly, to accuse the questioner or enquirer for not knowing his mystic inner mind nature and etc. In order to shield his body and mind (Name and Form) by presenting to all those who are ready to ask critical questions, he accuses them. To break through his defined virtual untouchable Buddhist moral and by presents himself as an agent of the ultima ratio to know all this, he is pretending to protect them, but in reality, this is the practice of hypocritical exercise to shield away and to retreat from all these questions. The functional aspect of this is, to hide and to find a shelter behind any self-defined virtual untouchable moral (mystic), calculating every Buddhist would be afraid to climb over and discover the trick. So he works with the anxiety of the people's mind, make them believe any opposition towards him, trangresses automatically any Buddhist precepts and he works with the ignorance of the people's inexperience.

This is the logical extention of his activity, hypocritical activity needs, hypocritical defending system. And what makes him wonder is, if there are people, who are not blind and not impressed by his gamble, cannot be dazzed by this wrong game! All of his hypocritical strategy is based on illusions and wrong, if he comes in touch with truth, this must be frighten for him, provided, he has a rest of morality and shame in his mind. There must be some thought of, Buddhism is good, otherwise he wouldn't chose Buddhism as a vehicle for his ego-game. And this is the angle we can hit him! Much more, there must be the need to use this vehicle to enhance himself and to be the middle point being offered devotion and trust by all those who do not know Tibetan Buddhism in great detail. This is the expression of the inflation of his ego, poor satisfaction!

Some words of informations and warnings about the guru-disciple relationship

[buddhism.kalachakranet.org]

note: the link in the wep-page 'Henry Chia's World of Buddhism' was forced to close by the scheme of Lama Ponya Yeshe.