Controversial 'Buddhist' Teachers & Groups
"When teachers break the precepts, Having thought long and hard about making this page or not, I decided to go ahead to avoid people getting into trouble with questionable teachers and organizations who claim to be Buddhist, but whose motivation is questioned. For obvious reasons, this page itself is controversial, as people who are involved with such teachers or groups will usually deny the controversy or even claim not to be aware of it. The teachers and groups below are not all criminals or necessarily involved in distorting Buddhism, but serious complaints have been made about their conduct and/or teachings. I am not a policeman or judge, and I cannot verify if all these claims are true. I can only try to warn innocent newcomers to be aware of potential problems and controversy. Especially in China and Taiwan, I would recommend serious caution when people are called "Living Buddhas". Such kind of title pretty much goes against all Buddhist ideas of modesty. Also when teachers promote practices for wealth and fame, it may be good to start asking some serious questions about the main purpose of Buddhist practice. If you are aware of any currently active teacher or group that is controversial, but not on below list, please help other people and . For the rest, please remain aware of the dangers of cults or abusive teachers, and take responsibility for your own life. Especially in Tibetan Buddhism, a personal teacher is seen as essential for spiritual progress, so better make really, really sure that you chose a genuine master; the more impressive the titles, the more critical one should investigate... See also: How to spot a Buddhist cult
* Please note that with this comment, my intention is to warn western women to not confuse their spiritual practice with having sex with any spiritual teacher, even a famous person like Sogyal Rinpoche without thinking twice. At the same time many people - including myself - find his Dharma teachings inspiring, and you will find many of his quotes on this website for that reason only. |
