The ngondro as outlined in Ole's book is authentic as far as I can tell, though the description of the mandala offerings is incomprehenislbe to me.

I can speak about the situation in Bulgaria.

Quote
rrmoderator
valontin:
You say that Diamond Way is a "very democratic cult" and "the finances are transparent."
How is that?

As I said before in Bulgaria we are registered according the law of religion. I don't have very much interest in book-keeping, but I know that we have an accountant and book-keeping is according the Bulgarian law. It is important to have finances clear for the members and for the society.
As far as I know Diamondway centers are officially registered in most of the countries. Karma Kagyu Diamondway Bulgaria is open for everybody to join and to leave, there is no special ceremony for that. Diamondway Bulgaria is not sending money on regular basis to no other Diamondway organization i the world. For the last 10 years there was one exclusion. We (DW buddhists in Bulgaria) have collected about 20 000 Euro and helped to buy Europe Center., which is place for all.
This is the website of the German orgaization

Quote

Is there a democratically elected board that is voted upon by the general membership and serves fixed terms per constitutional bylaws?
Please be very specific and explain this in detail.

Yes there is democratically elected board . The board consists of 5 people. In September this year 2 members of the board were changed.

Quote

A democratic government has a constitution, bylaws, elections and so on. Give us the details.

Yes we have bylaw, and the board was democratically elected from all about 150 people.

Quote

If "the finances are transparent" there should be an annual financial report that discloses in detail all salaries, compensation and expenses paid out from group funds. Many such reports are independently audited.

There is official financial report, (I don't know if it is audited, but it is according Bulgarian book-keeping laws), there are no salaries and compensations. Nobody in DW Bulgaria is receiving money. We work voluntarily. Also it is not obligatory to work for the organization.
Generally Local centers are not sending money for the central organization in Sofia.

Quote

Can you produce such a report so that the finances of Diamond Way can be seen transparently?

Yes probably I can do that for the Bulgarian organization.

Generally we are trying to keep the organization to the minimum possible level. As I said there is no hierarchy, we are more colleagues and friends united by common goal. Of course not every Buddhist is fully realized Buddha, so maybe there are some people with other ideas and views, but the goal is enlightenment for the benefit of others.

valontin:

You don't seem to know much about the group's finances.

Apparently there is no annual report that discloses all salaries, compensation and expenses.

I don't understand why members of the DW are the only ones to back their claims with evidence? Financial reports are indeed puplic available. I have seen several financial reports, despite not being very interessted in it. I was always told that I could just ask if I wanted to see it, since economi as well as everything else should be transparrent.

I googled "Diamond Way Financial", this is one thing that apperred:

[www.charity-commission.gov.uk]

Thats the annual financial report from the Diamond Way Buddhism UK. It is not just available from request, it is even on the internet.

Hao

Hao:

It doesn't seem to specifically disclose all salary and compensation paid out to individuals, but thanks.

Britain does require greater disclosure than the United States.

Quote
rrmoderator
Hao:

It doesn't seem to specifically disclose all salary and compensation paid out to individuals, but thanks.

Britain does require greater disclosure than the United States.

Well, since all work is voluntarily, I don't know how to find a a financial report disclosing salaries...?

Here's some more:

[www.diamantweg-stiftung.de]

Germany (I think) is by far the biggest country for Diamond Way Buddhism. Under “The Foundation“ click on “Annual Report” for more insight in the economy. You can also click on “Articles of Incorporation ("By-Laws")”, for the legal basis.

Hao

Quote
Hao
Well, since all work is voluntarily, I don't know how to find a a financial report disclosing salaries...?

If all work is voluntary, and no money is paid, how come so much money was sent from Diamond Way centres all over the world to buy the 'Europe Centre', and so much money is sent to Ole Nydahl to fund his all-expenses-paid trips flying around the world? I also know the centre leaders here in the UK go home with lots of money from the groups, as do the 'travelling teachers. All that money goes somewhere, because if it stayed in the groups they would not be so hard up for cash and pressuring members to donate all the time.

I read a report recently in the paper that Diamond Way was going to get it's tax status in the UK revoked after they discovered fraud during investigating the Edward Penney group in Wales which recently had it's tax status revoked for the same reason. I will try and find this report...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2008 01:35AM by Emma C.

Quote:

"Of course not every Buddhist is fully realized Buddha, so maybe there are some people with other ideas and views, but the goal is enlightenment for the benefit of others."

This is exactly where things get mixed up and perhaps some disciples, followers, etc can mis-understand the concepts of good and bad karma as only good (personal) karma is encouraged in the DW group (the path to personal happiness).

Everyone seems to side step the total disregard for family values that is common with DW groups, just google about; www.flickr.com for example and bring up some DW groups you may know, please come back to me and tell me how many happy families versus happy singles you see in the group photo's.

Not one DW supporting contributer on this forum has defended or given evidence of DW consideration for family values.

Enlightenment is not the sole treasure of Buddhism (whatever the lineage) it is the ability to be true to ones self, to have the ability to follow ones own mind.

DW is a commercial operation, not charitable, how many DW groups interact openly outside their holy Gompa where all meetings are conducted under a photo of Ole Nydahl??????? The same Gompa where you can buy a wallet sized photo of Ole, Idolization is indeed an integral part of DW.

Lets be honest about this now folks

Dear Friends,

I am new to this forum, but not so new to Dharma. I was a student of Ole Nydahl for 5 years, so I know him and his organisation quite well. I left Ole Nydahl two years ago. I left him, because I wanted to practice Buddha´s teaching and not the teaching of Ole Nydahl. I know that the following arguments are probably not going to persuade his followers to do as I did, but at least it might give them some food for thought. What is the difference between authentic teaching of buddhism and that of Ole Nydahl?
First of all there is a difference between teaching vajrayana and teaching methods of vajrayana. Ole Nydahl does the second but claims to do the first.
To teach vajrayana means to confer an empowerment upon student, to give the student samayas and to explain the view, method and behaviour of vajrayana. As for teaching the method even I can do that - maybe even better than Ole. Teaching method means that you give lung (reading transmission) and explain how to do the sadhana. But to confer empowerment one needs to be vajracharya - a master of vajrayana. Vajracharya needs to be thoroughly educated in the particular class of tantras which he/she teaches, vajracharya must be able to perform rituals of vajrayana, explain the meaning of tantras and their commentaries, draw mandala of the deity, make tormas etc. Only someone who can confer 4 empowerments can be your root guru - this is explained in many tantras. Ole Nydahl´s students are on the other hand lead to believe that Ole is their root guru - eventhough he is absolutely not qualified to act as a root guru. People in diamondway believe that they pracitce vajrayana, when they do not. They believe this because they do not know anything else, they have not studied tantric texts - study is even discouraged by Ole Nydahl himself, he likes to make remarks about studiet people, that they are childish and boring. So his students are like sheep, if they studied vajrayana texts they would clearly see that Ole Nydahl is not teaching vajrayana to them, but is deceiving them.
In any other tibetan buddhist group it is welcomed when students take teachings from various masters. In Diamondway this is not alloved, this means that people are not allowed to receive Dharma (except for the teachings of Ole Nydahl). It goes even that far, that Ole asks his students not attend teachings in other Karma Kagyu center - and I am not speaking of ones which support another Karmapa - but of those who support same Karmapa, but have other teachers. Ole is in fact the only boss of this company -he invites Asian teacher and sends them to teach in those Diamondway centers which he himself chooses as suitable. So Asian masters are just like guests at Ole Nydahls centers, they are only guests, but not teachers. Even if they confer empowerment, people are reminded afterwards by traveling teacher that Ole Nydahl is their root teacher, when in fact the master who confered empowerment is root teacher and not Ole Nydahl. People are also threatened not to take another teacher or else Ole would not be their teacher anymore. So you see how sectarian it is.