Following the exposure of the 'Master of Dur-Con', it would appear another individual's claiming to be an adept in Tibetan Bon. Like others who have asserted themselves to be genuine Bon practitioners, he too seemingly had a mysterious teacher, this time in Japan; who, we are asked to accept, tutored him to the 'highest' possible level of 'Bon' studies. Once again such claims have not been supported by any independent sources, nor has it been possible to locate or identify any of the key figures and centres he names. The person under scrutiny calls himself 'Padma Gonpo', operates in Wisconsin USA, and has a handful of devotees, who refer to him as 'Rinpoche', it appears as if his real name maybe Paul McDowell, who is involved in film/media productions. There are a number of questions concerning his background. Some of these have been explored at:

[padmagonpo.blog.co.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2008 04:46AM by jeff bowe.

[[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]

For details on 'Padma Gonpo' please visit:

[dagpabon.blog.com]

I have requested 'Padma Gonpo' (alias it seems Mr. Paul McDowell) on a number of occasions, to provide information to corroborate his claims, as being some sort of Tibetan Bon adept. I have made it clear, here, and elsewhere, that this is a critical and speculative enquiry of such claims, that asks questions and seeks to expose the facts. A reasonable objective, and one well in keeping with the principles of free speech, and dissent, that characterises a central role of the Internet. Despite my efforts to communicate, 'Padma Gonpo', has maintained a virtual silence, which required me to contact Paul McDowell via his MySpace account.

His response (11.57pm 4th February) was curious, avoiding yet again any mention of the questions placed before him, it would appear attorneys (seemingly on the basis of stalking) are advising silence, why would that be? Is there some concerns that people may incriminate themselves? Surely the fact that he is seemingly unable to provide a shred of verifiable evidence to support his claims, is more than enough incrimination? He closes with a caution about slandering his 'organization' and 'officers'.

Why the heavy handed threats? Is this a case of 'the law being the last refuge of the scoundrel'? Why can 'Padma Gonpo' not answer the case presented to him?

Here are the key questions, which thus far 'Padma Gonpo has been unwilling or unable to address:

1). Paul McDowell, known possibly as ‘Padma Gonpo’ (and reportedly also as ‘Lama Paul’) has stated that he studied under “Yongedn Urgyen Dondrup (the transliterated Tibetan name is actually Yongden, not as written by ‘PG’) in Yokohama, Japan in 1968“.

In order to corroborate this claim would ‘Padma Gonpo‘, or his students, care to make available contact details for this supposed teacher, or any of his family. Having approached the Office of Tibet in Japan, Tibetan Centres, and a number of contacts there, no such individual has been identified. All that is required are details, surely these can be provided?

2) According to their group:

“Rinpoche (sic) 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, “Losar.”

What does ‘verified’ mean here? Is ‘PG’ claiming to have received an authentic and traditional ordination, a prestigious ceremony in Tibetan religious practice, that follows a number of conventions, including the award being conferred by a prominent Lama, or Head of a Monastery. If so would he, or his students, care to name the individual who bestowed this recognition? Surely someone carried out this seemingly prestigious ceremony and can thus be approached to verify these claims.

Secondly, would ’PG’ provide independent authoritative documentation, or verifiable instances, which can identify so-called Bönku Rigdzen as being an award given within Tibetan Bon?

3). Given that Bon is in essence a Tibetan tradition, of immense complexity and unfathomable depth, one wonders in what language medium ‘Padma Gonpo’ (alias Mr.McDowell?) was tutored to be awarded such a seemingly prestigious title? Does he have a fluency in Tibetan? Was PG able to read and translate Bon texts?

4). It is claimed that ‘PG’ also received:

“Tibetan Nyingma Lamiac Ordination at Urgyen Same (sic-the correct Tibetan title is Samye) Choling, Montignac-Lascaux France, during the years 1982 - 1985 at the hand of H.H. Dujom (sic-the correct transliteration of this Tibetan name is Dudjom). Rinpoche”.

It is reasonable to conclude that such centres have a record of such important ordinations, and that details of individuals, who have achieved such a status, are maintained. Otherwise any individual could make such claims without any corroboration. The current head of this centre is H.H. Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche who speaks English fluently, perhaps ’Padma Gonpo’ could call upon this Tibetan to verify his claims? Alternatively perhaps ’PG’ has some official documentation, or photographic record of his apparent ordination at that centre? Will he make such documentation available?

5) ‘Padma Gonpo’ claims to have studied at a monastery, which he states was Dorje Ling, at a place which he wrongly cites as “Madori Ku“, Yokohama Japan. There is a Midori-ku in Yokohama Unfortunately this centre is rather difficult to locate and identify, and several efforts to verify its existence have proved futile. Would ‘PG’ care to furnish more details about this place, such as postal address, email, or a telephone number. A simple communication could clarify matters.

6) The self-styled ‘Rinpoche’ also states that he:

“….spent a year in Tibet traveling (sic) to the various monasteries and villages giving teachings and providing traditional Bon services”.

Can he back up this assertion with any details, to corroborate his account. What monasteries did he visit, and supposedly ‘teach’ at? Which villages did he travel to bestowing his ‘wisdom‘? What year did this happen? Can he name anyone from these monasteries, that presumably would still recall such a visit? What language did he use to give these teachings? Does he speak Tibetan? In offering “traditional Bon services” how did he communicate with local Tibetans?

If the claims made by ‘Padma Gonpo’ are valid, then he will have no difficulties in being able to provide information to address these questions. Moreover, if he is indeed a ‘Rinpoche’, he would value openness, transparency and integrity, and be happy to cooperate in validating his claims with verifiable information. Anyone with a genuine interest and respect for Tibetan culture look forward to these queries being addressed.

The self-titled ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’ makes a number of interesting claims regarding his supposed training and recognition, these assert him as having received teaching in the Tibetan Bon tradition, being honoured with a prestigious religious award, performing rituals and teachings inside Tibet. It is an exotic résumé, and for the more impressively minded, seeking some ultimate esoteric truth, such claims may well appear genuine. One imagines ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’ (alias Paul McDowell) is equipped with a certain charm , intelligence, and probably well developed business sense, all of which could contribute towards convincing, the credulous?

The house-of-cards, which would seem to have been assiduously fashioned by this individual, is looking decidedly unstable, just remove one and the edifice collapses. One of the key claims to credibility he makes is that he was ordained as a Lama, by no less than a high ranking Tibetan Nyingma Rinpoche. In an email dated 1st January 2008, his group stated:

“Additionally, due to his strong ties with several of the Nyingma Lamas, and cooperation with the Buddhism in the west, he received Tibetan Nyingma Lamiac Ordination at Urgyen Same Choling, Montignac-Lascaux France during the years 1982 - 1985 at the hand of H.H. Dujom Rinpoche (Rigdzen Nuden Dorje).

Sadly, HH.Dudjom Rinpoche has passed away, the centre however is still open, lead now by HH Shenphen Rinpoche (Dudjom’s son). I contacted Urgyen Samye Choling directly, and thanks to the kindness and support of one of its administrators was able to explore a number of questions about the claim that ’Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’ (alias Paul McDowell) attended the centre, and apparently received ordination as a Lama.

They were rather puzzled by such a claim:

“ To be ordained a monk or to be trained as a Geshe are two different things…. but in the Nyingmapa tradition, that H.H. was head of, we do not have Geshes. We have Khenpos. . In any case there was, and is no training to be Khenpo, here in the West in our tradition. Perhaps he was ordained a monk by H.H. here, but that doesn't make him qualified for anything in particular, other than to be a Buddhist monk. Being a Buddhist monk doesn't mean that one is a Lama or a Geshe or a Khenpo”

So even if Padma Gonpo had attended the centre in France, his claim to having received “Tibetan Nyingma Lamiac (sic) Ordination” was being seriously eroded by the centre itself!

Efforts were then made to contact someone who had attended the centre, during the same period, that ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’ claimed to have attended. Thanks to the support of Urgyen Samye Choling, a person who had lived there was asked if they could recall, or identify a Paul McDowell as being at that Monastery. They could not. The next step was to enquire about records kept at the centre, to document names of attendees and note key events, such as the ordination claimed by ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche‘. The reply was emphatic:

“….there are no records of any kind of this event here at the center. “

Clearly if someone is falsely claiming to be a Nyingma Lama, and asserting they were ordained by a high Tibetan Lama, this would generate concern, particularly to the Monastery itself. As a last line of enquiry the current head of Urgyen Samye Choling, HH Shenphen Rinpoche was approached in New York. If anyone can speak, with final authority on these claims, it is the son of HH Dudjom Rinpoche. I received an email on 2nd February 2008.

“Shenphen Rinpoché said he never remembers HH Dudjom Rinpoché giving a lama ordination here and that usually it is only given to a recognized tulku. The whole thing doesn't sound right to Him“.

There we have it, according to Urgyen Samye Choling, they do not know either Paul McDowell or ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’

The centre does not perform such ordinations.

There is no record of any such event at the centre.

It is not possible to train as a Khenpos (Geshe) at Urgyen Samye Choling, , let alone train to be a Lama.

An individual who was living at the centre throughout the 1980s was unable to recollect either a Paul McDowell, or Padma Gonpo Rinpoche, as being there.

The current religious head of Urgyen Samye Choling, HH Shenphen Rinpoche, the son of the very Lama who is claimed to have ordained ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’ , is suspicious of these claims, and cannot recall any Lama being ordained there, a procedure reserved in any case for genuine Tulkus.

On the basis of this information it is difficult not to conclude that self-styled ‘Padma Gonpo Rinpoche’s’ claims are a nothing but a cynical fabrication, that seek to exploit a genuine Tibetan tradition, in this case the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism.

As the administrator of the centre noted:


“I'm really sorry that this person is making such claims. I'm sorry for him and for the people that he has gathered around him as students”

Still unable, and seemingly unwilling, to address the troubling questions placed before him, self-titled 'Padma Gonpo' remains silent in the face of the exposé that revealed his supposed training as a 'Lama' in the South of France was a cynical fantasy, as was his baseless claim that he received 'Bon' teachings in Japan, and that he travelled to Tibet and performed rituals and taught at Bon Monasteries and villages. This exotic account has thankfully convinced only a handful of people, who appear so possessed by this 'pseudo-lama' that they have gone into denial and refused to accept the facts. Meanwhile as they are not able to provide independent corroboration of the claims made by 'Padma Gonpo' and refuse to question any aspects whatsover of his account, they can only indulge in a crude effort to avoid the central issues. It matters not to them that he is not fluent in modern Tibetan. let alone archaic Tibetan, nor indeed the historic Bon language of Zhang-Zhung, they do not ask how then he managed to receive any 'training' in his supposedly ancient 'tradition', without such specialized linguistic expertize. Perhaps they would uncritically accept that he received such knowlege through some form of ectoplasmic exchange, or telepathically? Nor do they seem bothered by the fact that the very Tibetan center which he claimed to have 'trained' to be a Lama has stated they have no record of any individual named either Paul McDowell or 'Padma Gonpo' and no such training exists to 'become a Lama. Moreover the current Tibetan Lama who heads that center has expressed his own doubts about these claims. such an extreme process of denial is really a type of fundamentalism, and one wonders, in light of the false nature of the 'teachings' and 'teacher' what is operating that generates such a psychotic resistance to accept the facts.