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Blue Dakini
Hi Shimon,
In pre-Chinese Tibet it was widely accepted that one should be ultra cautious in one's committment to a spiritual master. In many cases one was advised to observe a possible guru for 12 years before making the profound, life-changing step of entrusting your whole being to another person. In turn, the lama was careful about who s/he took on as a student. Accepting responsibility for another person's total well-being is a profound, life-changing step. These days precautions of this nature have been swept aside. IMHO this change hinges on the interface between two dynamics -- the needs and aspirations of spiritually starved people in the developed world on one side -- and the needs and aspirations of a refugee community which has to deploy all its resources to survive in the modern world -- including the expertise and reputation of its spiritual mentors, on the other. It is beyond doubt that the Tibetan diaspora has become wealthy via the activities of the lamas propagating Tibetan Buddhism worldwide and raking in the $s, £s and Es from eager western neophytes in a hurry to plug into the power and compassion socket offered by the Tibetans. As this process unfolded a form of literalism emerged -- where the role of the lama/guru/rinpoche became conflated with *parent*. Increasingly newbie devotees parked their common sense at the shrine room door -- along with their shoes. In some instances, smart charlatans like Sogyal Lakar exploited this naivete, gullibility and psychological weakness to the max. Cynics like me became aware that rogues like Sogyal were more interested in Tibetan wallet massage than they were in deep contemplative experience. Sogyal's outfit --Rigpa -- has become a coercive cult run as a business mafia and designed to generate maximum cash flow.
Having said all this, there are some men and women of impeccable credentials and integrity around on the Tibetan Buddhist mandala. But -- caveat emptor -- never, ever take any alleged teacher at face value. Never be seduced by displays of siddhi -- spiritual power. Hang onto your discriminating wisdom like the precious gift that it is. Below are some TB orgs to steer clear of -- and some in my experience that are pretty much OK.
Avoid
Rigpa -- Sogyal Lakar aka Rinpcohe
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo -- aka Catharine Burroughs aka Alice Zeoli
The New Kadampa Tradition
Diamondway Buddhism -- Ole Nydhal
Traktung Rinpoche aka Stuart Kirkpatrick
Christopher Hansard
[...]
You will notice that there are very few Rinpoche titles here. Not all lamas are Tibetan and not all lamas are Rinpoches.
Hope this helps.
!2 years. Not possible, but more than that, you can't really get to know a lama until you have been his student. All gurus and lamas keep their dirty secrets away from most disciples. To find one that is honest is almost impossible, and I would like to leave the word "almost" out of this.
If anyone studies the tantras, they would see that sex is part of the bargain, but then no all disciples get to partake in the sexual act, which includes meditation along with sex. This is open only to a few in most cases. And the tantras and lamas claim that you have to have sex in order to become enlightened, which means mixing it with meditation as I have explained.
Tibetan Buddhists also turn the precepts upside down. Where Buddha taught morals, Tibetan Buddhists teach to do the opposite. This too is in the tantras, and I have had Tibetan Buddhists, and my own teacher lie to me so very easily.
Your list is good though, but I would suggest that if people desire to learn Buddhism, go to Theravada or Zen, but still, be careful because some teachers are rogues, but at least it is not ALL. Better yet, stay away from all organizations, teachers, etc. It is all within anyway.