[[size=small]I wanted to establish some facts, about the 'individual' calling himself 'Padma Gonpo', as all I had to go on initially were the claims featured in his communications to me (1st and 9th January 2007) These first 'details' were included in an unsigned email (dated 01/01/08)
"Padma Gonpo began bon (sic) study under Yongedn (sic) Urgyen Dondrup in Yokohama Japan in 1968. Rinpoche was "verified" during the fourteen months preceding Tibetan New Year 1975 and received the Bön's highest recognition. He received coronation as a Bönku Rigdzen during the Tibetan New year celebration, .......he received Tibetan Nyingma Lamiac Ordination at Urgyen Same (sic) Choling, Montignac-Lascaux France during the years 1982 - 1985 at the hand of H.H. Dujom Rinpoche (Rigdzen Nuden Dorje). As for Ethnic background, Rinpoche is American, but raised in Japan and had spent a year in Tibet traveling to the various monasteries and villages giving teachings and providing traditional Bon services......"Having received this response I made some detailed enquiries to a number of long-standing contacts I have in Japan. The response is very interesting and raised some questions. Firstly:
I approached the Tibetan Community inside Japan and the Office of Tibet to seek confirmation and details of "Yongedn (sic) Urgyen Dondrup". This 'individual' has not been recognized nor any details been made available, rather curous that such a small community of Tibetans should be so seemingly ignorant of a fellow Tibetan, particulary one who is claimed to be a Tibetan religious teacher. To anyone familiar with the exotic and absurd claims made by Christopher Hansard-see [
christopherhansard.blogspot.com] this will sound all too familiar, a mysterious 'Tibetan' teacher in a remote location, whose idenity cannot be verified by the very community who would know such a figure!
Readers will have noted that it is claimed that 'Padma Gonpo Rinpoche (sic) was "verified" although significantly we are not informed, who presided over, and conferred "Bon's highest recognition". Like Hansard's bogus account, this is all too vague, key details are omitted, for fear of what further scrutiny may reveal?
I turned my attention to his supposed 'training' and 'ordination' in France. Due to my long involvement in Tibet, having campaigned, written and researched since 1988, I have a wide network of contacts and colleagues across the Tibet scene. It was easy for me to approach a number of people in France to enquire about 'Padma Gonpo', and his apparent time at Urgyen Same (sic) Choling, Montignac-Lascaux. The result? No one has heard of this 'individual' nor has the centre itself been able to confirm such a person received any training or ordination. Curious that once again we seem to find ourselves in the absence of detail and confirmation regarding this 'individual'!
Determined to extract further details I again contacted 'Padma Gonpo', and on the 9th January received the following response:
"Greetings....
Your email was forwarded to me (Padma Gonpo) to answer, and as such regretfully has taken a little time to answer. The Monastery that I studied at in Madori Ku, (sic) Yokohama Japan was called Dorje Ling. I would be happy to discuss my "qualifications" with an ordained Lama or other teacher under ordination vows. Your discussion of our website and assumptions about our intentions were also revealed. We share concerns about many of the organizations you have on the listings on that website and work to educate the members of those organizations that cite Tibetan traditions as being part of their influence. I wish you well in your endeavors and sincerely hope that you find what you seek. Padma Gonpo"Conduct a Google search for Dorje Ling Madori Ku Yokohama and the result is ZERO. This could be due to the fact that 'Padma Gonpo' has mispelled the place name that he supposely studied at. It should be Midori-ku! No matter a search still draws a big fat blank. I emailed a contact who is fluent in Japanese, they carried out a Google in Japanese of Dorje Ling/ Tibet/ Tibetan Buddhism in Midori-ku/Yokohama. Guess what? It too returned no search results. Interesting how such key figures and centres should prove so difficult to confirm! There is of course an easy and effective solution, perhaps 'Padma Gonpo' would care to provide contact details of these individual and religious centres?
Unfortunately, as evidenced by his email above, there seems to be a certain reluctance to disclose information, unless shared with an ordained Lama, one presumes therefore any request for email, or telephone details, to confirm the claims made by 'Padma Gonpo' will receive a similar resistance.
On the 4th January I emailed the following:
"Dear Sir/Madam,
Further to your helpful reply. You mention one Yongden Urgyen Dondrup as being a Bon tutor of Padma Gonpo. When you say 'verified' what do you mean exactly? I ask as you do not state clearly which, recognized Bon tradition Padma Gonpo follows. Moreover I am curious as to which Tibetan lama conferred his 'coronation' and at which Tibetan monastery? Will you kindly confirm which Bon tradition Yongden Urgyen Dondrup belongs to. Any information would be most welcome."Predictably these specific questions have not been graced by a detailed response. It seems, rather like Christopher Hansard, 'Padma Gonpo' is a master of concealment and evasion? The questions shall of course not simply evaporate, indeed there are an increasing number of concerns regarding 'Padma Gonpo' and so-called 'Dagpa Bon' not least of all, are we witnessing another cultural vulture at work, who is happy to exploit Tibetan culture for personal gain? Given the unverified claims made by this individual, the lack of corroboration, or independent evidence of genuine training in the authentic Bon tradion of Tibet, surely the good people of Wisconsin, or elsewhere, should be exercise some caution concerning this individual?[/size]