So far, the Dalai Lama is unusually quiet about the armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza that captures the world’s attention 24/7. Even his silence speaks volumes, though.

How do we decide what to do about systems that seem to be causing harm — not just to ourselves, but to others? If we have information, or stories, that might help prevent harm to others, do we have a ...

Recently, one of our readers took us to task for framing the fourteenth Dalai Lama’s transactional dealings with abusive or even murderous leaders as if his conduct were that of a perfectly ordinary…

Any plea to leave traditional Tibetan lamas alone because they just can’t help themselves, projects an image of moral impotence and cultural malaise that only serves to illustrate that the rampant…

Being ‘the happiest man alive’ is one hell of a job. Matthieu Ricard built a career out of its performance. For years, he peddled his ideas—Tibetan Buddhist boilerplate mostly—on podia such as Ted…

A French judge has requested judicial assistance from the Spanish authorities in relation to an ongoing investigation into allegations of physical and sexual abuse of underage children by the self…

In 2019, prior to the delivery of Robert Spatz’s final conviction in Belgium in 2020 for coercion, assault and sexual abuse of dozens of children, six survivors reported similar offences to the French…

So far, the Dalai Lama is unusually quiet about the armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza that captures the world’s attention 24/7. Even his silence speaks volumes, though.

According to Slovenian media reports, Ronan Chatelier (also known as Shenpen Rinpoche) has been arrested in France under a European arrest warrant. Slovenian prosecutors have investigated allegations…

The Dutch networks NOS and Omroep Brabant and Open Buddhism investigated a long-standing conflict over the governance of the Buddharama temple in Waalwijk, the Netherlands.

On International Women’s Day 2020, Oane Bijlsma published a self-penned story about her time with Sogyal Rinpoche († 2019) and his entourage. Bijlsma was groomed to become a member of the inner circle...

In 2013, the inappropriate, unauthorised use of the title Rōshi by Zen.nl-teacher Rients Ritskes was exposed in Dutch media after Sokun Tsushimoto Rōshi (Tenryuji, Kyoto) objected to it.

It is questionable whether the exponential growth of the number of Zen.nl-teachers appointed by faux ‘Roshi’ Rients Ritskes—180 and counting—is commercially viable when the demand is finite…

The German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk once described ‘power’ as the ability to frighten off facts. The Buddha, on the other hand, showed how liberating it is to see facts as they are. However…

Devotees of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse recently posted a “legal disclaimer” that he intends to use when unquestioning, undiscriminating followers are foolish enough to commit to a “real bond” with him…

Questioning even a single abusive teacher or community might trigger Buddhist lineages' collapse like a house of cards. The apparent unwillingness of the Buddhist Union of the Netherlands (BUN) to face the enabling conduct within its own ranks is a good case in point.

It is imperative to recognise that the interpretation of the qualities of fully enlightened Buddhas by true believing Tibetan Buddhists must be taken literally: Buddhas can do no harm, full stop.

The Dutch Buddhist Union's non-binding stance on sexual abuse is not new, for it has been its go-to approach since the early 1990s. For decades, its members' indifference to abuse and aversion to what they call 'moralism' has led to an entrenched focus on optics that must hide their tolerance of abuse, secrecy and circumvention of its self-imposed rules.

The Dutch networks NOS and Omroep Brabant and Open Buddhism investigated a long-standing conflict over the governance of the Buddharama temple in Waalwijk, the Netherlands. This complex dispute directly involves the Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague and a board member of the Dutch Buddhist Union (BUN).

The German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk once described 'power' as the ability to frighten off facts. The Buddha, on the other hand, showed how liberating it is to see facts as they are. However, converts who choose Buddhism, should do better not to turn away from the philosophical legacy of their youth.

The educational fraud by an Italian 'phantom university' is a clear reminder of patterns of deception that are all too common in Buddhist communities in the West.

The presiding judge granted the request for a stay in the case of three female plaintiffs against Palpung Thubten Chöling (PTC) until 6 June 2024. The plaintiffs hold PTC accountable for the alleged sexual abuse by Lama Norlha (d. 2018), its decades-long spiritual head.

In an interview by Damchö Diane Finnegan, American lawyer Carole Merchasin explains how civil and criminal law contribute towards holding Buddhist organisations and their leaders accountable for the sexual abuse taking place under their banner.

Palpung Thubten Chöling (PTC) requests that the United States District Court, Southern District of New York dismisses three female plaintiffs' demand for a jury trial with prejudice while awarding all of its costs. Even so, PTC and the plaintiffs request a stay of the proceedings until 6 June 2024 to enter into settlement discussions.

Buddhists' veiled speech might just offer the most impenetrable cover currently available for all manner of abuse. It is high time this was seen for what it is.

A community that doesn’t learn from the past, leaves its members to the mercy of abusers.

In the spring of 2015, along with the Dutch Eight O’clock News, I reported various allegations of abuse against the Thai Vipassana teacher Mettavihari. This faux monk sexually abused underage boys and...

A worn-out cliché, falsely attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, says: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Never mind its origins…

Western Buddhists who would rather not find themselves pilloried in public would do well to read up on abuse cases involving non-Buddhists.

Comparing the public performances of upper caste Tibetan Lamas to those of exiled royals and consummate actors helps keep one’s distance while judging their conduct on its merits.

Present-day Lamaism, the worship of deified Tibetan Buddhist teachers by gullible Western converts, crashes into the rule of law this week. It is bad enough that the Charity Commission for England and...

Stuart Lachs re-introduces ‘The Sasaki Archive’ and pays tribute to its creator and curator, Kobutsu Malone. The version made available here was reconstructed from a 2016 backup of Kobutsu’s original…

Besides The Sasaki Archive, until his death Kobutsu Malone (b. 1950 d. 2019) also kept the even larger The Shimano Archive up to date. This archive focuses on the abusive Zen teacher Eido Shimano…

Buddhists’ veiled speech might just offer the most impenetrable cover currently available for all manner of abuse. It is high time this was seen for what it is.

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So far, the Dalai Lama is unusually quiet about the armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza that captures the world’s attention 24/7. Even his silence speaks volumes, though.

A more complete understanding of the Dalai Lama’s intellectual milieu and mental framework serves to contextualize and appraise his contributions to the discourse on Buddhism and Science in general, a...

Is the Dalai Lama personally accountable for his enabling behavior towards the abusive Tibetan Buddhist lamas and violent spiritual teachers he is being warned about? Does he take ownership of…

These days, the fourteenth Dalai Lama loses no time in telling spiritual devotees of inveterate and deliberate offenders that they must make their abuses and crimes public. Likewise…

Early 2009, the World Ethical Foundations Consortium cancelled the fourteenth Dalai Lama’s scheduled appearance on April 19th. The Dalai Lama was supposed to speak during a conference at the 17,500…

Devotees of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse recently posted a “legal disclaimer” that he intends to use when unquestioning, undiscriminating followers are foolish enough to commit to a “real bond” with him…

The European Buddhist Union (EBU) expressed its sympathy with victims and survivors of abusive Buddhist teachers and their enablers. But what does its “Statement against any form of abuse” really mean...

The Dutch Buddhist Union’s non-binding stance on sexual abuse is not new, for it has been its go-to approach since the early 1990s. For decades, its members’ indifference to abuse and aversion to what...