If this is of interest, someone (perhaps someone else) wrote this on Facebook concerning the NKT tradition QuoteGOMPA - Official Fansite To Whom It May Concern, First allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sulmaya, I have been a practitioner within the New Kadampa Tradition for twelve years and have studied Buddhism and Vedanta-Dharma in general, both in other centers and organisation
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think I made a fault. I checked only on a surfaced level the last comments and I was wondering what their value are with respect to the topic. But now after having glanced through it, I think they have some interesting points. The issue of spiritual materialism and also Chögyam Trungpa seem to fit well into a discussion of NKT too. So I do apologize for my previous comment because it was based
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteSulmayaFurthermore this blog was originally about Geshe Kelsang and the New Kadampa Tradition, not Trungpa... :-) As you can see, that was my point as well. Stoic, I came on to this blog to give my own account, having had close association with NKT and seen different aspects thereof. You will see my account on the last page or two. In conjunction with my view, I mentioned the issue of �
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteStoic Why are you here on the Geshe Kelsang and the New Kadampa Tradition thread? Good point. It would be good to stick to the topic and not to distract from in be it accidental or consciously.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

You introduced Trungpa as an exemplar of wisdom, I have pointed out that he has not displayed any, in fact he has dispensed ludicrous advice that proved stupid to his successor and lethal to his students. I am afraid that as yet you have not made your point clear. Why are you here on the Geshe Kelsang and the New Kadampa Tradition thread?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Stoic, These things may all be true. But they have absolutely nothing to do with my point, which still stands. Furthermore this blog was originally about Geshe Kelsang and the New Kadampa Tradition, not Trungpa... :-) Peace
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yep, Its that old authoritarian staple again, do as I say, not as I do. Ensures that the lower orders know and keep to their lowly ignorant places, all done by smoke and mirrors, and the absurd notion that Tibetan Buddhist 'demi-gods', by virtue of their ancient magic ways, get a pass on the consequences of their actions in this life.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A guide book written by someone who clearly did not follow the guidelines himself---I find that dubious. Were I tackling Everest for the first time, I would want as a guide someone with more than a passing knowledge of the terrain and its dangers, I would want someone who had made it up the mountain already and more importantly--come down again in one piece. I would classify that guide as hav
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteStoic Just a thought, how do you define wisdom---fine words on the page or real world consequences in real time? quote] Dear Stoic, In this context, I feel that 'wisdom' cannot be defined as either - nice words on a page are not wisdom, nor are real actions in real time, since these too are interpreted and viewed through our own individual 'glasses'. Therefore I th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Sulmaya, You are as entitled to your opinions as anybody else. My opinion is that Trungpa, along with an awful lot of his fellows, talked a good game but his behaviour, that which has most impact on his trusting followers, was nothing to write home about. I've also heard that his books were ghostwritten, gossip, sure, but then I like to hear the gossip, not aiming for perfection
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Note by Corboy--this may be a different name. But the arguement is articulate) QuoteFirst allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sulmaya, I have been a practitioner within the New Kadampa Tradition for twelve years and have studied Buddhism and Vedanta-Dharma in general, both in other centers and organisations, as well as at University. On behalf of myself and many Sangha friends, I am w
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Stoic, Do you know that for a fact, or is it something you've heard? For that too is an important question for the spiritual quester to ask. With all the negative hearsay around, at the end of the day we have no idea as to the quality of the mind of any individual other than ourself. If a teaching is beneficial, then it comes from wisdom; thats what I think!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'Chogyam Trungpa’s book “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism” is an excellent teaching on that subject.' Just a shame that the great teacher couldn't practice what he preached. But then that's what all of these threads are about, battlefield or not. Its that old authoritarian staple: do as I say, not as I do.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear all, I have recently read through this thread. Seems lots of it has gone off course. This appears to be a battlefield. One group (represented by Pema) promoting another tradition over this one, another group viciously attacking NKT and a third group desperately and zealously trying to defend it. I have been, in a sense, a Buddhist/Buddhologist for many years and have had very close
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There was another book on the same subject mentioned by SteveLpool which looks at the power politics at play in the courts of the high lamas over succession to a vacant throne. The similarities to the past intrigues and infighting of the various royal families of Europe and the pretenders to their thrones is striking.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

In case these are pertinent, here are two books mentioned in another thread by SteveLpool Any citizen, even if not in the Dharma has a right to read and express an opinion. Many of these entities declare themselves religious non profits, so they are indirectly subsidized by less evolved folk who continue to pay tax to the IRS. And in some cases, especially the vajrayana lineages, money i
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Your posts are always interesting Stoic as are Misstyk's. I guess it should be different with monks, nuns, lamas and other gurus because they are following the spiritual path, and one would like to believe that it would lead to saint-hood. Perhaps the only real saints are those who are out helping mankind without a Bible or the Gita in their hand, like Mother Teresa who took the dying of
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Like all good punchlines, the joke is much better appreciated if you arrive at the finishing line through your own mental efforts, and without suffering too much pain and grief on the way. Getting caught in these ephemeral thought worlds and taking them for a concrete reality is where the pain, damage and psychiatric casualties happen. People who promote these thoughtworlds as some kind of su
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There is , of course, a funny punchline to this notion of the 'spiritual path' and the obstacles that are deliberately thrown up to be overcome. For those who manage to navigate these thought worlds and keep a foot on the ground ie retain a semblance of critical and independent thought throughout this process of being comprehensively hoodwinked by master con-men, there is a final arri
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' I would amend that to say, "Carnal acts with reviled women are necessary to reach enlightenment, in Tantric Buddhism". ' I used the 'carnal acts with reviled women' to underscore the real acts from which the thought world that is being constructed derives. The chased-after, creativity- creating 'wholeness' that is sought is a marriage of the male and f
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QuoteStoicCarnal 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
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

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 t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

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
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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
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QuotecorboyI 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
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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 aff
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Travel Advice for Brazil This very detailed health advice is from the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. Final question: If you get these vaccines and the prophylactic malaria medication, w
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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, ret
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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.
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Wow what an mixed discussion- I was recently considering attending a NKT meditation evening. I myself have been studying Buddhism for several years and most of my studies have been through the Sakya Tradition. Our local Centre recently closed and our resident teacher has been sent teaching thoughout Australia. As I started to miss the closeness of a Sanga I started looking for another centre that
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