Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: September 08, 2012 10:02PM
D's reported misbehavior started early.
For him to have been entrusted with the Hampsted Vihara and then being liked enough by Trungpa to assist in purchasing property for Samye Ling (in Scotland) hints that Dawson must have been from the upper classes.
If he went to one of the public schools, sadistic flogging would still have been used to punish and discipline students, and the fagging system, in which older students tyrannized and used younger students (fags) for servants and worse, would still have been in use.
Causes and conditions, folks. jfh reported being abused between 1969/72.
There was another report on Wangyal on the Google listserve in 1997
Sangahrakshita was founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) listed as a troubled group here on the Ross archives.
[fwbo-files.com]
FWBO is now known as the Tritratna Buddhist Community
[www.google.com]
[webcache.googleusercontent.com]
and
more history. S refers to Sankarashita and AB refers to Ananada Bodhi.
Christmas Humphries was an eminent barrister/litigation attorney who later became a judge and was instrumental introducing Buddhadharma to the UK and thence to the West.
For him to have been entrusted with the Hampsted Vihara and then being liked enough by Trungpa to assist in purchasing property for Samye Ling (in Scotland) hints that Dawson must have been from the upper classes.
If he went to one of the public schools, sadistic flogging would still have been used to punish and discipline students, and the fagging system, in which older students tyrannized and used younger students (fags) for servants and worse, would still have been in use.
Causes and conditions, folks. jfh reported being abused between 1969/72.
There was another report on Wangyal on the Google listserve in 1997
Sangahrakshita was founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) listed as a troubled group here on the Ross archives.
[fwbo-files.com]
FWBO is now known as the Tritratna Buddhist Community
[www.google.com]
[webcache.googleusercontent.com]
Quote
View profile
More options Nov 17 1997, 3:00 am
Newsgroups: alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan, uk.religion.buddhistFrom:
<m...@pallas3.demon.co.uk>Date: 1997/11/17Subject: FWBO-Requests for information.Print | Individual message | Show original | Report this message | Find messages by this author MD1.
...There are rumours (from more than one source) linking Ananda Bodhi (Leslie Dawson), now called Namgyal Rinpoche, with improprieties involving young male students of Buddhism, mostly in Canada. Namgyal has web pages, one of which states: 'Rinpoche continues to travel throughout the world giving teaching, most frequently at centres established by his students in North and Central America, Great Britain, Europe, New Zealand and Australia...and not to be confused with Namgyal the individual person, who is a Canadian born Bhikkhu/Rinpoche. AB/Namgyal must have been ordained as a bhikkhu in India around the same period of time as Sangharakshita. Did he know S? He was S's immediate predecessor at Hampstead. He left under a bit of a cloud. Does anyone from the period have any info'
and
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Wilding <ale...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote: > I just noticed the difference between a Kagyu site, which reports: > >
Also, during the late 1960's or early 1970's, some 200 Canadians came > >to Rumtek monastery on a pilgrimage. Their teacher, known as Ananda > >Bodhi, was a Theravadin practitioner at the time.
After meeting with His > >Holiness and receiving His blessings, Ananda Bodhi and several > >Canadians asked for and received ordination as Kagyu monks from His > >Holiness Karmapa.
**Ananda Bodhi was given the name Karma Namgyal > >and later became known as Namgyal Rinpoche
> and a site run by his own followers, which puts a different slant on it: > >... he met H.H. the Dalai Lama and H.H. the XVIth Karmapa, who, > >recognizing him as fully enlightened, had him enthroned.
> So what's the truth? Going by what was said at the time from both sources, the truth lies about halfway between. He was recognized in some way and used the title Rinpoche thereafter but 'fully enlightened' was not mentioned.
*Another factor was Anandabodhi's gift of Johnstone House i.e. Samye-ling to Trungpa.
more history. S refers to Sankarashita and AB refers to Ananada Bodhi.
Christmas Humphries was an eminent barrister/litigation attorney who later became a judge and was instrumental introducing Buddhadharma to the UK and thence to the West.
Quote
Lots. Here's a summary. He arrived in England to take charge of the Centre then owned by the English Sangha Trust at Swiss Cottage (NW London).
He was a dynamic leader with a considerable following and popularity but sometimes rather flamboyant. He was initially welcomed but eventually Christmas Humphreys (who was wary of the English Sangha as a rival organization) came to dislike him strongly. But that is a whole subject in itself.
AB was very dynamic and rapidly established the meditation centre at Biddulph in Staffordshire and the Hampstead Buddhist Vihara (in North London in much better premises than those previously owned by the English Sangha). Also at a later date he founded the centre at Johnstone House in Scotland (later Samye-ling) and a short-lived centre in NE London.
(The last two were not owned by the English Sangha Trust). At this time he had a considerable following and lectured and took classes all over the UK. During this period a number of new novices were ordained and AB (?) invited back the English and German monks he had known in Burma. Sangharakshita was also invited from India and agreed to return. He was senior; so there was some issue as to who should be in charge after he came. (This was ignorance of practice in the Buddhist countries of course; seniority does not give any right to take over a centre run by another monk.) AB went on a visit to Thailand (Nai Boonman taught meditation there during his absence and afterwards.) While on that visit he heard (eye-witness ?) allegations against S which he believed. On his return he consulted with other Buddhist leaders about the matter and wrote to S withdrawing the invitation to him. Obviously I do not know the details of the consultations but it is clear that at least Maurice Walshe and Christmas Humphreys refused at this point to accept the allegations.
I am not sure if Jack Austin was consulted at this point, but from conversations with him later at the time of the formation of the WBO I know that he rejected them then. All three of course subsequently came to believe that they were in fact true. Not surprisingly, after S arrived there was conflict between his supporters and those of AB.
He quickly acquired a following among people who didn't like AB and also many of the existing members of the Western Buddhist Order eventually reformed around him.
In due course the English Sangha Trust announced that they were placing S in charge. This met resistance and eventuually there was a compromise with S in charge at Hampstead Buddhist Vihara and AB in charge at Biddulph meditation centre.
This did not endure and eventually AB and his supporters were all in effect expelled from the English Sangha Trust's premises and reformed on Johnstone House and in NE London and Manchester.
My impression was that AB's support was considerable but much hampered by the fact that AB himself was very unhappy about engaging in public conflict and urged his followers not to do so. Eventually of course he left England when he received an invitation from Canada and many of his followers left with him. They have subsequently been very successful.
I could write a great deal more but perhaps this is quite long enough. I should add that I was present at the time and attended at least peripherally throughout this period.
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I have recently been told that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is well known as saying that Namgyal is NOT a tulku (ie not an incarnation or emanation of an established lineage) Apparently LD/AB/Namgyal now calls himself Star One and is in contact with extra-terrestials. I hope the Mounties are keeping an eye on him. Hopefully more details on this later. -- M D
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...@pema.demon.co.uk>Date: 1997/11/20Subject: Re: FWBO-Requests for information.Print | Individual message | Show original | Report this message | Find messages by this author Lance Cousins in response to Mark Dunlop >>
I have recently been told that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is well known as >> saying that Namgyal is NOT a tulku (ie not an incarnation or emanation >> of an established lineage) >As far as I know, he doesn't claim to be. As far as I know, he does. Have big file on him, much of which is very distressing. However, I also know people from his group who revere him as a thorough and inspirational teacher. One person's guru is another's demon...my current mantra:-) >>
Apparently LD/AB/Namgyal now calls himself Star One and is in contact >> with extra-terrestials. I hope the Mounties are keeping an eye on him. >> Hopefully more details on this later. >Somebody has been winding somebody up.
**( Apparently not. Seems this is mentioned in a book by Andrew Rawlinson who AFAIK, is a careful researcher.
(Corboy: Rawlinson wrote The Book of Enlightened Masters:Western Masters in Eastern Traditions
[www.google.com]
Note: Rawlinson passes no judgement on whether the persons listed are indeed 'enlightened.' He reports on those who are reputed by others as enlightened, and traces their lineage claims and legitimation processes, making no judgement on whether they are special beings or not. He also passes no judgement on their behavior, whether saintly or vile. Rawlinsons book is an examination of a novel social and anthropological process--and a good starting place for researchers.
The book in no way proves whether someone is enlightened. Though probably many will abuse Rawlinson's book as evidence that they or their favorite teacher is enlightened..
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Sorry, didn't put the reincarnation bit in. Below is the full text from the web page www.resonate.com/e_heart/namjal.htm ('reincarnation' is at the end of the first paragraph.)
Namgyal Rinpoche was born G.L. Dawson in Ontario, Canada, to parents of Irish decent. At the age of 27 he travelled to India and on 28th October 1958 he took the vows of a novice monk at Bodh Gaya. In December of the same year he was ordained a Bhikkhu, or full Buddhist monk, in the Great Ordination Hall at the south gate of the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon.
He followed up his ordination with intensive meditation in Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Not long afterwards he was recognized by His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kargyu School of Tibet, as the reincarnation of the famous Tibetan Lama, Mipham Namgyal Rinpoche.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Karmapa, seating Namgyal Rinpoche on a throne equal to his own, transmitted to Rimpoche all the essential Nyingma teachings of Mipham Namgyal, along with the main empowerments of the Kargyu tradition. Seeing these two great Lamas together was an inspiring event.
Namgyal Rinpoche founded Johnstone House as a contemplative community in Scotland, so as to continue the Buddhist tradition in the West.
Later through the auspices of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, then new to the West, Johnstone House was converted into Samye Ling, one of the first Tibetan Monasteries to be established in the Occident.
Namgyal Rinpoche spends the greater part of his time travelling, meeting students throughout the world, and performing work to heal the spiritual aura of the planet. The Namgyal Rinpoche went from being a monk to a tantrika some years ago. He is renowned as a great Lama and a teacher of Mahamudra. In recent times he has gone to both Bhutan and Tibet, and visited the reincarnation of his root Guru, the Gyalwa Karmapa. He is a leading inspiration for the work which the Enlightened Heart Meditation Center aims to accomplish in San Francisco.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: September 08, 2012 10:11PM
Quote
Subject: Re: FWBO-Requests for information.Print | Individual message | Show original | Report this message | Find messages by this author kim speller wrote: > In article <UwV1LDABhid0E...@pallas3.demon.co.uk> > m...@pallas3.demon.co.uk "MD" writes: > >
Namgyal Rinpoche founded Johnstone House as a contemplative community in > > Scotland,
> I am afraid this not correct Mark. > Johnstone House was set up in 1965. The Founder was Ven Ananda Bodhi> , the other original trustees were Alfred Bartram, Michael Pope, Phyllis > Short and Mary Chapman.
Venerable Ananda Bodhi and Namgyal Rinpoche are the same person (at least in the conventional sense of the word "person").
I have heard from his disciples here in Canada that he is now going by the name his parents gave him, viz., Leslie Dawson. --
Richard P. Hayes mailto:rha...@wilson.lan.mcgill.ca Faculty of Religious Studies [www.mcgill.ca] McGill University
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: September 08, 2012 10:11PM
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
Misstyk
()
Date: September 09, 2012 12:32PM
Were criminal charges ever filed in this case? You certainly didn't lack for proof. Why don't people prosecute these predatory, abusive charlatans?! By filing charges and letting the story get into the newspaper, you might have helped some other unsuspecting victim escape your fate.Quote
jfh
I recently came across this valuable website. I was a member of the Dharma Centre of Canada from 1969 until 1972. I was a young man in my early twenties at the time, but looked much younger. Mr. Leslie Dawson was referred to simply as "the Bhikku" at the time. His persona was that of urbane cosmopolite, and his charismatic qualities were undeniable. However, he began to ask me to come to his house where his true nature manifested: he forced me to have nonconsensual sex with him and finished the sessions by telling me to spread-eagle against the wall while he would beat me with a very long bullwhip. The pain involved was considerable, especially on the exposed buttocks and posterior thighs. I learned that the pain of the whip was less on the back than the buttocks or legs. I would emerge with huge welts that would take weeks to subside. He was a svengali of the first order. Towards me he was a violent sexual predator, and he was abusive in many other ways. It took me many years to get over this. I am submitting my experience to public view so that his apologists in the Dharma Centre Toronto/Kinmount can consider an alternate view of his activities in their ongoing apotheosis of him. Sincerely JFH
btw, jfh, I've noticed that gurus tend to go for adults who look much younger than their years, i.e. 20-somethings, even 30-somethings or older who look like teenagers or pre-teens. There's definitely a pedophelic aspect to the sexual predation.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 12:39PM by Misstyk.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: September 09, 2012 07:38PM
In the late 1960s, early 1970s, men raped by other men were often forced to suffer in silence, because homosexual acts were illegal, even for consenting adults.
Even now it remains difficult (though not impossible but still, difficult) for men or boys to go public and report rape.
And, too often, by the time the victim has recovered for the shock and shame and regained a sense of agency needed to report his rape, in the old days the statute of limitation for prosecuting the crime might have expired.
Reporting this now is very much better than remaining in silence for a lifetime.
Even to report this rape after decades is a contribution.
The world needs to understand that Tibetan Buddhism and even other forms of Buddhism have some quite fine teachers, persons in the middle--and also has some opportunistic predators who are doing all too well now that Tibetan Buddhism has become chic.
Even now it remains difficult (though not impossible but still, difficult) for men or boys to go public and report rape.
And, too often, by the time the victim has recovered for the shock and shame and regained a sense of agency needed to report his rape, in the old days the statute of limitation for prosecuting the crime might have expired.
Reporting this now is very much better than remaining in silence for a lifetime.
Even to report this rape after decades is a contribution.
The world needs to understand that Tibetan Buddhism and even other forms of Buddhism have some quite fine teachers, persons in the middle--and also has some opportunistic predators who are doing all too well now that Tibetan Buddhism has become chic.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
hankw
()
Date: September 10, 2012 12:39PM
I find it distressing that people are so quick to believe the things said here. Somebody says that Namgyal was a sexual predator and then suddenly its true and fair discussion.
A few points:
1. What does being into water sports have to do with being evil?
2. Why have no charges been laid or reports been made public (and not just on a small forum) regarding namgyal rinpoche?
3.Why is nobody considering that these accusations are simply people with grudges.
4. Why are there hundreds of people that were close friends with namgyal that have complete faith in his legacy. I know some of these people personally and they are not brainwashed fools. If there was even the slightest chance of sexual misconduct, they would demand an investigation.
I'm not saying that these things did not happen. But as somebody who is involved with one of namgyals main students, i would like some more legit information
To the more serious posters. If you would like to gmail chat or better yet have a telephone conversation about george dawson, i would be interested and open. I have to admit though that most of what o have jist read about him sounds like slosh. If uou can convince me that you were indeed raped and beaten i assure you i will help make your case known and spread the word.
A few points:
1. What does being into water sports have to do with being evil?
2. Why have no charges been laid or reports been made public (and not just on a small forum) regarding namgyal rinpoche?
3.Why is nobody considering that these accusations are simply people with grudges.
4. Why are there hundreds of people that were close friends with namgyal that have complete faith in his legacy. I know some of these people personally and they are not brainwashed fools. If there was even the slightest chance of sexual misconduct, they would demand an investigation.
I'm not saying that these things did not happen. But as somebody who is involved with one of namgyals main students, i would like some more legit information
To the more serious posters. If you would like to gmail chat or better yet have a telephone conversation about george dawson, i would be interested and open. I have to admit though that most of what o have jist read about him sounds like slosh. If uou can convince me that you were indeed raped and beaten i assure you i will help make your case known and spread the word.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
hankw
()
Date: September 12, 2012 02:55PM
Just realized what was meant by water sports....ugh.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
Eisel Mazard
()
Date: October 09, 2012 11:33PM
(1) I have not yet read all of the information on Dawson (Ananda Bodhi / Karma Namgyal) scattered around this website, but I noticed that several of his former-followers offered to provide interviews on the issue. In general, I would like to take them up on this offer (and I could extend whatever degree of anonymity they prefer in the ensuing article).
Similarly, I have not yet read any significant percentage of [fwbo-files.com] (that I just learned about from this forum) --but, again, this seems to have a great deal of information of real importance.
(2) Even if nobody ends up speaking to me directly, I would like to thank the contributors to this forum for providing this type of information. This is an important area of research, and it is almost impossible to find people who will speak about any of these issues openly/honestly. This is also a type of "research" that directly improves peoples lives by addressing the wrongs against them (and resulting in those wrongs being acknowledged by institutions that would otherwise sweep them under the rug --though rarely any more "justice" than that).
(3) I would like to note that I'm using my real name in this forum, and that this allows other users to verify my (peculiar but substantial) background as a scholar of Buddhism relatively easily (I'll provide some links at the end of this message).
I am not a Buddhist monk, but in my peculiar status as a Pali scholar with a shaved head, I have several times had Buddhist monks confide in me about scandals within contemporary Buddhist orders.
Of course, I have also had career academics confide in me about scandals within Buddhist academia (hard to say which is worse: one of the first articles I published on Buddhism concered the battle between A.K. Warder and his detractors that destroyed Indology/Sanskrit at the University of Toronto).
(4) Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of the Rick Ross forum is that the information here is disorganized and very difficult to find. I would like to alert other scholars of Buddhism to this information, but few of them would be willing to "click around" this website to draw together the disparate information on a single subject (such as the career of Ananda Bodhi / Karma Namgyal / Namgyal Rinpoche).
(5) Someone should draw together this information into a coherent article --and I say this knowing that "someone" would quite possibly be me.
Links concerning myself (as promised above):
[Blog:] [a-bas-le-ciel.blogspot.ca]
[Map of where I lived and worked in Asia:] [www.pali.pratyeka.org]
[List of publications:] [url]https://plus.google.com/118222702679452306115/about[/url]
Similarly, I have not yet read any significant percentage of [fwbo-files.com] (that I just learned about from this forum) --but, again, this seems to have a great deal of information of real importance.
(2) Even if nobody ends up speaking to me directly, I would like to thank the contributors to this forum for providing this type of information. This is an important area of research, and it is almost impossible to find people who will speak about any of these issues openly/honestly. This is also a type of "research" that directly improves peoples lives by addressing the wrongs against them (and resulting in those wrongs being acknowledged by institutions that would otherwise sweep them under the rug --though rarely any more "justice" than that).
(3) I would like to note that I'm using my real name in this forum, and that this allows other users to verify my (peculiar but substantial) background as a scholar of Buddhism relatively easily (I'll provide some links at the end of this message).
I am not a Buddhist monk, but in my peculiar status as a Pali scholar with a shaved head, I have several times had Buddhist monks confide in me about scandals within contemporary Buddhist orders.
Of course, I have also had career academics confide in me about scandals within Buddhist academia (hard to say which is worse: one of the first articles I published on Buddhism concered the battle between A.K. Warder and his detractors that destroyed Indology/Sanskrit at the University of Toronto).
(4) Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of the Rick Ross forum is that the information here is disorganized and very difficult to find. I would like to alert other scholars of Buddhism to this information, but few of them would be willing to "click around" this website to draw together the disparate information on a single subject (such as the career of Ananda Bodhi / Karma Namgyal / Namgyal Rinpoche).
(5) Someone should draw together this information into a coherent article --and I say this knowing that "someone" would quite possibly be me.
Links concerning myself (as promised above):
[Blog:] [a-bas-le-ciel.blogspot.ca]
[Map of where I lived and worked in Asia:] [www.pali.pratyeka.org]
[List of publications:] [url]https://plus.google.com/118222702679452306115/about[/url]
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: October 10, 2012 02:29AM
Dear Prof. Mazard, welcome.
This message is ten years old, and sprawls, but is searchable. The search button is tiny and in the upper right hand corner---it is not visually salient, and a lot of visitors miss it.
The search function has some minor glitches--
1) To cover the ten years of of the message board, always select the 'all dates' function, or your search will only extend back by 30 days, 90 days or a year.
2) If a search is unsuccessful, one quirk is that unless you make sure to erase your search terms, they may linger in either the author or subject slot.
3) Names and terms may be misspelled, so use variant spellings.
Welcome again.
This message is ten years old, and sprawls, but is searchable. The search button is tiny and in the upper right hand corner---it is not visually salient, and a lot of visitors miss it.
The search function has some minor glitches--
1) To cover the ten years of of the message board, always select the 'all dates' function, or your search will only extend back by 30 days, 90 days or a year.
2) If a search is unsuccessful, one quirk is that unless you make sure to erase your search terms, they may linger in either the author or subject slot.
3) Names and terms may be misspelled, so use variant spellings.
Welcome again.
Re: Fake Tibetan Buddhist Lamas - Do you know any "Wolves in Lama's Robes
Posted by:
hankw
()
Date: October 12, 2012 01:55PM
After doing my own research it would seem that George Dawson was not the person my teacher made him out to be.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.