A Social Psychological Examination on Why Foreign or Countryside Assignments Require Caution

We are learning to purchase products not made by persons who labor in cruel condtions. We are learning to demand fair trade coffee and chocolate, for instance.

It is time for us to refuse to utilize spiritual projects or buildings that are produced by those who are ill treated by their supervisors.

From the standpoint of Buddhadharma there is this:

Buddhist practice is supposed to provide an emancipatory alternative to the cycle of suffering, not contribute to the cycle of suffering that is typical of the larger culture.

If Buddhadahrma is fully understood, a hostile work environment cannot produce a worthy practice environment. One of the Brahmaviharas is equanimity. Agitation of mind and emotion brought about by a hostile boss when one is dependent on that boss in a foreign country will ruin the Brahmavihara of equanimity and hurts the practictioner, not helps.

It will merely add more layers of reactivity and afflictive emotion to what a person is already carrying with them. The agitation of mind brought about by the behavior of a hostile supervisor will interfere with practice, not support practice. The tense body and mind of a frightened person cannot easily generate sympathetic joy or compassion, either. When the body is far from home and made tense by aggression from the very person one depends on when far from home, this affects the mind and emotions.



Concerning what Buddhist wrote about the NKT work project in Brazil:

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All of this is a form of abuse behavior, and complete and utter crap. This form of manipulation was manifest in Brazil, very obvious, and chillingly abusive.

Buddhist, could you tell us more about the conditions of that assignment?

Did you travel there at your own expense or did NKT pay for it?

If you needed immunizations and prophylactic drugs and the needed visit to your doctor, did NKT pay for this or did you or your insurance carry the cost?

1) a)Were you able to keep your passport and visa paper or did you have to give them to the work leader? Were you able to keep your credit card and mobile phone?

b) Were you told you needed to get particular immunizations and prophylactic drugs? Yellow fever is still endemic in parts of South America. So is malaria.
c) Once at camp were you given equipment and housing that would preserve your health? (mosquito nets, housing that was free of ticks (vectors for Chagas Disease-endemic in Brazil and other parts of South America

2) Did you stay to the end or did you find a way to leave early?

3) How many hours did your group members work each day? (As in what time did you get up in the morning and go to sleep? Were you allowed to take breaks?

4)What were the tasks? Did you have adequate protective equipment (work gloves, dust masks?)

5) Were you free to refuse work assignments that were beyond your strength or qualifications? (eg some of us prefer not to operate chainsaws)

Any answers to these questions about the NKT Brazilian work assignment you were on would be of the utmost value.

If the work project is in a foreign country with a different culture and language than yours, there are these difficulties as well:

* You will be especially dependent on your leader and work companions for social support, if the project is in a foreign country. This makes it harder to leave on your own if the work project and its leader are hurtful.

Unless you have retained possession of your passport , your visa and a credit card, you are stranded if you are in a foreign country and find that a work project is much worse than what you were lead to believe it was.

If that work project is out in the countryside, this adds to the difficulty in reaching the city where a consulate or embassy would be located.

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I have found in my short experience in the NKT that any rational explanation of why one cannot attend puja, or more profoundly do certain types of work in Brazil is often met with the response that "you do not have enough faith" or "you need to do more for your guru" or some other such nonsense.

If this Brazilian work assignment is presented as something one is only assigned to members who have demontrated they are worthy enough, by having enough faith, then you are in a bind if you find that in Brazil conditions are hurtful. And you are far from home.

When thousands of miles from home, it is specially painful to have second thoughts about a project after arriving there and being treated as Buddhist has described.

This is very serious. If you are sent away to a foreign country on a sangha work assignment, you cannot easily leave. You are all the more dependent on the group leader. If that leader is abusive, you face considerable difficulty leaving.

If you consider leaving early, there is the pain and grief of seeing your friends in this project and fearing you are deserting them in their time of need. This makes it harder to leave.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2011 09:38PM by corboy.

Additional questions about the Brazil work assignment that Buddhist describes:

Were you all told to check with your health care provider after leaving Brazil and returning to your home countries? It is possible to incubate some diseases after departure and not know it. A follow up visit to your home health care provider is very important.

Years ago, an acquaintance travelled in Mexico, returned to the US and developed flu like symptoms. There was considerable delay before his US doctor referred him to a travel medicine specialist. This gentleman actually had typhoid fever. He was diagnosed just before he would have suffered an abdominal rupture.

More questions about the Brazil work assignment

Was there a qualified health care provider on hand in case anyone got sick or incurred a work injury? If out in the country, this is important.

Did everyone have the same opportunities for food, good nights sleep, break time or were there differences between the conditions given to workers vs the leader?

What were you given to eat Was the diet balanced and did it keep you all work fit and healthy?

Did you have enough clean drinking water? If you are working hard, dehydration is a real hazard unless you 1) have enough water to drink and 2) are told how to monitor yourself for dehydration. Did you have access to food during work?

Was everyone given beds or hammocks, sheets and blankets that were clean and sufficient to ensure a restful nights sleep?

Did you have opportunities to wash your clothes and bathe?

Did you have enough rest time during the day to take naps/seistas have private time for yourself, enjoy conversation with friends?

Could you take breaks and lunch when you needed to?

Travel Advice for Brazil

This very detailed health advice is from the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia.

[www.google.com]

Yellow fever is no joke. It killed very many of the scientists who studied it. One can be infected and then fall ill with it after returning home--it all depends on when an infected mosquito zaps you.

[www.google.com]

Final question: If you get these vaccines and the prophylactic malaria medication, will NKT pay for all or part of this?

Or do you pay for it?

If you are paying for all this travel medical preparation, NKT should at very least, treat you with respect. Your donated labor is contributing to its wealth.

The BBC docu about NKT has been made available by someone:

[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

or
[info-buddhism.com]

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso??! He's the leader of NKT. His movement is all about sex! Men who join say that after just one year, they're already doing "advanced yoga tantra", sexual yoga. And the dharma center with dormitory attached had endless problems of the resident lamas preying on the resident women. Also a female teacher somehow manipulated one of the male students into an affair.

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corboy
I decided to wait and see what would unfold on the message board.

No one seems to have been willing to reply to Mr. Ross's inquiry--are you members of NKT and capable of discussing it--or allowing others to discuss NKT from a perspective outside itself.

Some may chirp, 'This is a violation of right speech.'

In my opinion, it is right speech to state 'there exists a variety of perspectives and here are the relevant URL' if there is a group that has already generated controversy and about which other persons formerly in that group have chosen to discuss it.

Stating that information exists from a variety of perspectives makes it possible for new practitioners like Judy and others to read this for themselves and then decide for themselves, and do so shielded by anonymity--and do it early in her involvement with NKT, so that if she decides to leave, she can do so before getting too painfully entangled.

Here is a message I already sent to Judy by Private Message early this morning (October 4th) at about 7 am PST, October 4th, Saturday. Judy, I hope you got this. Be well.

Dear Judy:

If others show up to yell and scream if this is to be posted publicly for you and others to read, you will be able to see that you risk having your practice compromised by stepping into a group that may have concealed from you that it is in a position of discord and isolation in relation to much of the Tibetan Buddhist community.

It is very difficult, even for a seasoned practitioner, to settle the mind when in group or dharma center that has put itself in a situation of discord.

This is something you should have been told about from the start.

I remember visiting a friend's house. His wife told me that their nephew might come visiting later in the day and that he was mentally unstable. She told me this immediately, as soon as I arrived, so I would not be unprepared or suprised if the man showed up and behaved oddly.

It hurt my friend's wife to say this, but she wanted me to know the full facts, so I would not be caught off guard. That refusal to keep a secret and her not witholding information is honesty and that is compassion. And its a sterling example of right speech.

Therefore, anyone thinking of joining any group that calls itself Buddhist, should be told the full history and loyalties of the group.

A new member deserves to know if this group has the social history needed to create the necessary conditions to support practice. Therefore, offering a person information about the history of a group from a variety of perspecties is right speech. Dont let anyone try to shame you otherwise.

if I recall, the NKT is at odds with the Dalai Lama
over a dispute concerning a protector deity. The DL once followed this practice, then later decided it was harmful and repudiated
this devotional practice.

Gyatso and what became of the NKT
clung to this practice, and their stance toward the DL became
acrimonious.

You may not have been told about this.

You probably met some lovely, nice people. They themselves may not know
all the details. And as a prospective new member, the outreach people at NKT may well be putting thier best foot forward.

Here some things to read

[westernshugdensociety.wordpress.com]

[www.buddhachat.org]


Google new kadampa tradition in the exact phrase slot, try putting 'Dalai Lama' then substitute 'shugden' then substitute 'deceit', and see what you get.

A reason to look into this is that the foundation of all Buddhist
practice, no matter what the tradition, is to investigate one's
own entrapment in the afflictive mind states of greed, hate
and delusion.

If you join a group that withholds this from a newcomer, its pattern of
discord with those who do not share its beliefs, you may risk
being pulled into what could be called a family quarrel, and
your own practice could be compromised by getting entangled
in the afflictive mind states that are part of the NKT itself.

In short, here you are, wanting to learn Buddhadharma and without
knowing it, being in the NKT could risk making you cannon fodder
in a doctrinal dispute that is part of a turf battle.

Before you get further into Tibetan Buddhism, I urge you to get and
read a book by Alexander Berzin, entitled

Relating to a Spiritual Teacher: Building a Healthy Relationship Snow Lion Publications

Some excerpts are here, and the rest of the website is great.

[www.berzinarchives.com]

[www.berzinarchives.com]

there is a fine discussion venue called e-sanga

[www.lioncity.net];

Final Thoughts on Right Speech

Some may declare that even to mention this in public is a violation of right speech.

Dont be intimidated by this. If discord already exists, it is honesty and right speech to mention that discord exists and supply information so people can read for themselves. If controversy exists and this is withheld from a new member who could later be affected by that controversy, in my opinion, it is dishonest, and a lie by omission to withhold such information.

Its common to say 'Oh, a beginner cannot understand the issues, but later on she will, so dont tell her just yet'. All too often later on, you have friends in the group, maybe you have taken up residential practice or become a monastic, or dedicated some substantial time or money. All of this makes it hard to leave.

Two, if some meditation practices are wrongly taught to you, they will not deepen your discernment, but might lead you into trance, which would compromise your capacity to achieve genuine and penetrating insight--vipashnaya--which is CHERISHED in Buddhist practice.

A controversy ridden group such as NKT also is apt to isolate itself in relation to other Buddhist communities. THis is not healthy, generates afflictive mind states that compromise practice. Anger and secrecy drain vitality away from one's life and constrict one's mind and heart--never a good thing.

Again, you dont have to agree with any of this, but its here for you as a library to consult and then form your own stance.

C (PS I practice in a non Tibetan Buddhist tradition that has no stake whatever in this matter. )

Tibetan Buddhism teaches one to go into a trance. It is different than vipashnana. And altered states of consciousness have their own risks. I know that this is an old thread, but I think that people should know this somehow.

Of this post above my last one, an ex NKT member wrote me:

“That is libel. The person is twisting the truth. There is no such thing as advanced yoga tantra and receiving a highest yoga tantra empowerment does not lead to sex. GKG did sack a few people for sexual abuse however. The NKT Highest Yoga Tantra is pure Gelugpa as taught by HHDL. . Men and women are treated equally and out of tens of thousands of people you will always find a few rogues. However I stepped out of the NKT because of those abuses which will be worse now that monks and nuns who are not Vajra Masters will be giving all empowerments.”

And I wrote back:

“How is this twisting the truth?

Advanced yoga tantra, I believe what this person is referring to, is the highest empowerment of the kalacakra. in the kalacakra it talks of taking a real consort and "monks are allowed by the buddha to have sexual intercourse with women and to take alcohol. the reason is that at a certain stage of practice, when one is sufficiently advanced, these same activities can further one towards the attainment of full enlightenment." it doesn't lead to sex, that is true, it is sex mixed with kriya yoga-type techniques. I know because I took Kriya, and I have read the Kalacakra. Plus the lama can also drink urine and eat feces. He somehow changes these substances into something holy.”

He wrote back and said I could post his comments:

“My objection was to the description of the NKT being 'all about sex'. This is nonsense. GKG has written 23 books and in 4 he mentions consort 'wisdom mudra' activity, but only mentions it.”

Secondly, the person posting clearly has no idea about NKT Tantra or would not have used the term 'advanced' when the NKT and all Gelugpa have never used that term.

Thirdly, the NKT has never taught Kalachakra, so he couldn't be referring to that, as you thought. The NKT teaches the Highest Yoga tantra of Vajrayogini and Heruka Charkrasambara.

Those are my 3 reasons why he/she is 'twisting' the truth, as the accusation makes no sense except as an ignorant and malicious comment. Most of these comments come from supporters of HHDL and arise because of the Protector Shugden disputes. Some are people who left the NKT disgruntled, mostly because they were seeking a savior rather than seeking to be their own salvation.

There is sexual imagery in Highest Yoga Tantra. Tashi teaches that it is metaphorical, as do most Lamas. Yes, it can be very colorful, as is everything else in Vajrayana - the statues, the music etc. here is another example, which may help:

In Tantra we work on abandoning attachments, firstly by developing equanimity and having compassion for all beings, whilst learning that there is no Self to cling to. At the highest levels this may involve Chöd , a ritual 'cutting away' of the Self with visualizations of chopping up our body and offering the flesh, blood and bones to beings such as spirits. The imagery is extremely vivid, but it is only imagery. Practitioners do not trot outside to the back yard and actually start hacking away at their body. The sexual imagery and the imagery of eating various 'meats' and 'nectars' (blood, urine, alcohol etc.)* should be regarded in the same way. The practitioner has also become (self generated as) their Yidam (meditational deity) and sees such things with the purity of the mind of that deity.

Working on the mind at these levels means that some will fall into the trap of treating these practices as mundane and engaging in sex or intoxicants. The scriptures are clear that such mundane indulgence leads to the hell realms.* This was the trap several NKT teachers fell into and were then made to leave. As GKG has resigned, and is the only Vajra Master in the NKT, I don't think the people giving the empowerments now are in a position to be properly qualified spiritual guides for Tantra, giving HYT empowerments, and for that reason I can't support them. However, GKG is my root guru for HYT and as such I know his teachings perfectly reflect those of the Gelugpa lineage. In the case of Tantra, of course, much was derived from India.

I can't really say more. Firstly because I don't study or teach Kalachakra, and also because I don't think you will accept that the words you quote are metaphorical, just visualizations which represent very complex interactions between Bliss, Wisdom and Emptiness. The true meaning is only communicated during an HYT empowerment.

In the West we are used to imagery which portrays sex in a metaphorical way - trains entering tunnels etc. In the Tantra it is the reverse, overt sexual imagery representing spiritual teachings.

That's all I can say really. I understand the imagery according to my HYT empowerment and teachings, as does Tashi, but can't really say more to you, so you may accept what I say or reject it, but I can't express it in any other way.

*(My notes: They do not lead to hell realms. The Kalacakra says this:

“However, monks who have gone quite far in their practice and have gained very high states of realization in terms of bodhicitta, realization of emptiness, as well as their practices of tantra, are allowed by the Buddha to have sexual intercourse with women and to take alcohol. The reason is that at a certain state of practice, when one is sufficiently advanced, these same activities can further one towards attainment of full enlightenment.” (page 159)

Commentary on the Kalacakra Tantra translated by Gelong Jhampa Kelsang, who was a student of the Dalai Lama and who is the same man that the Dalai Lama asked to come to the U.S to teach.

And one urine:

“The five ambrosias are literally substances such as excrement, urine and so forth. A highly realized yogin is able to transform them and actually experience great bliss.” (page 161)

P.S. When he knew I was in a Tantric religion, even before I did, he mentioned that the was now able to take the highest tantras because he had a partner now.

What disturbs me is that this idea of an advanced yogin now being able to have sex and drink alcohol reminds me of what I have read about the law of inversion on the Trimondis' website. The Kalacakra book touches on it when it says that Buddha taught that you could not be alone with a woman or have alcohol, but now you are advanced and can.

P.S. My teacher lied to me about even practicing sexual tantras. But it is understandable that he and this other person I know would lie because this is what the Kalacakra says in the forbidden book that I own after getting it on Amazon.
"
"ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE KALACAKRA INITIATION ARE PERMITTED TO READ THIS MATERIAL" In this book he states:


"If the secrets are not kept, one's head and heart will burst."


"If one keeps the secrets, this water will turn into nectar, which gives rise to the siddhis or realizations; but if one fails to do so, it shall turn into the molten iron of the hell realm. This indicates the great danger of disclosing tantric secrets to those who are not fit to receive them."

The Buddha was raised in Hinduism before he branched out and formulated his own new path. The religious and cultural practices of Hinduism therefore cannot but inform his new path--the influences don't come from thin air.

Tantra as a path of transgression of the current prevailing social mores, intended to loosen the culturally aquired attachments--which are seen as unchangeable because they have 'always been done that way' and to do them any other way is 'unthinkable'---has its roots in the transgressive activities of the Aghori who still today deliberately do disgusting things in an attempt to come to terms with the wholeness of everything, including disgusting things and the inevitable decay and death of the human body.

So this stuff was originally intended to be played out for real, not metaphorically, in order to face the natural revulsion felt from the real activity-- which is of an order of magnitude more powerful than any metaphorical visualisation or common western symbolic allusion that we all recognise. The 'unthinkable' not only becomes thinkable, it becomes doable.
Monastically trained males are taught to view women, and carnal acts with women, with revulsion, Carnal acts with reviled women are necessary, however, for procreation.

There is a good, non-sensational documentary following one such Aghori on YouTube, which gives a good overview of some of the practices.

[www.youtube.com]

It is not so far-fetched if you bear in mind that in extremis even westerners have done the unthinkable to preserve life.

[en.wikipedia.org]

In times of famine a not much talked about phenomenom is the disappearance of children, well-documented in Russia at least, who may end up in the cooking pot to keep an otherwise starving community going. Historically it was well-acknowledged but not much discussed that shipwrecked sailors would draw lots to be a human sacrifice, although the lowest ranking boy sailor often didn't get that option.
The lowest ranking boy sailors didn't get much option either when it came to his bigger and burlier shipmates looking for some sexual relief on a long voyage.

Why should it be any different in the cloistered world of the monasteries? The monks aren't saints no matter what they might want to pretend to the wider public in order to keep the donations flowing.

This isn't, BTW, an apology for either cannibalism or sexual abuse of children, just a pointing out that this stuff has gone on, is still going on and will continue to go on as long as these pious types think they can get away with it by pleading that it is all a metaphor for some ineffable greater good and so nothing to worry our little heads about, really.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2011 10:08PM by Stoic.

Quote
Stoic
Carnal acts with reviled women are necessary, however, for procreation.

Not sure how procreation is relevant to monks. I would amend that to say, "Carnal acts with reviled women are necessary to reach enlightenment, in Tantric Buddhism". That's the kicker. The monks are told for years, decades even, that women are to be reviled. Then suddenly, if they've reached a certain stage of attainment in their studies and practice, they're introduced to sexual yoga as a means to raise the "Inner Fire" (tummo, or Kundalini), balance inner winds and so forth, as part of the tantric "quick path" to enlightenment. No wonder there's so much abuse of women students (and occasionally men, by female teachers) in Tibetan Buddhism.

To address a point Grainne's friend raises: the Cakrasamvara Tantra involves sexual yoga. With a consort. And in my participation on Buddhist discussion boards, I've come across several male followers of NKT who have been taught these Highest Yoga Tantra practices at a very early age; in their teens and early twenties. (It was clear from a couple of comments that this involved work with a consort.) This is unique to NKT. In the other sects, it usually takes many years, a decade or more, even, before reaching the HYT stage.