Generally, as I wrote about here, my time in Europe attending teachings with HE 9th Gyalton Rinpoche was blissful, meaningful and memorable indeed. I was able to attend most of his teachings that I had planned on.
However, sadly it was deliberately disturbed (on several occasions) by a few “power-trip” administrators intent on harming that blossoming vajra connection due to some petty vendetta (driven by self-clinging, jealousy and aversion) wanting to “punish and ban me” for very minor issues, like politely asking not to have my photos taken or shared on social media (which was ignored, and I was openly mocked about and bullied by some of the course organisers for requesting it), but more for my existence as a prominent and widely-followed Buddhist woman scholar-translator, and/as a writer/survivor and some of the experiences I have shared and exposed (which effect Buddhist women predominantly). Even though I often attended the events incognito, spoke little and sat at the back
I will soon write a list/summary of who, when, where and what happened in Europe during August-September 2025, and share some observations how risky/vulnerable it is for a Buddhist woman like myself to attend these events alone. And how easy it is for some people intent on attacking me to gang up on, bully and accuse me of all sorts of things, without any due process or objective accountability! Like being back at school with people whose emotional and intellectual IQs are very low and need other people to gang up on individuals they are jealous, angry or resentful of. Not much practising of love, compassion, wisdom or patience.
The worst example of such an abuse/misuse of “worldly power” during my brief time in Europe, came in the form of an anonymous email, sent to me on 2nd August 2025 from the Palpung Europe City Institute, Austria banning me (without any signed official letter from their head office or Palpung Sherab Ling in India) from attending an Avalokiteshvara empowerment on the 17th August 2025, with a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, HE 9th Gyalton Rinpoche (whom I have a clear vajra connection/samaya with). Although I received this empowerment from Gyalton Rinpoche subsequently in Prague, it is not the denial of access to the empowerment per se, but the reasons and manner in which it was denied that matters.
I have never visited this centre before, whose main teacher is a nun called Lama Palmo (who sadly seems to have been suffering with cancer for several years) but was well enough to attend both the course and empowerment. The author of the email was a white Austrian female administrator (whose name she later gave as Susanna) whom I have never met or spoken to before either.
While trying to talk to Susanna as a human being, I started to wonder if she might be psychologically unwell, as it was like “talking to a brick wall” (as we say) and she seemed to view the centre like her own private, personal property (not a public Dharma centre for all sentient beings to visit). She refused any discussion or even to allow me to speak to the resident lama or Rinpoche about the decision. Compassion arose quickly at the suffering she was causing herself, me and others by her irrational (and non-Buddhist) actions.
However, this was an unnecessary draconian action not only against myself and Rinpoche, and it is in the public interest to protect the teachings and beings from similar treatment by unaccountable Dharma centre administrators, here is a report/timeline of what happened and when.
Positive and solid vajra connection with 9th Gyalton Rinpoche in Asia and Berlin
After happily attending teachings and empowerments with 9th Gyalton Rinpoche for the first time in Vietnam [1] and then at three Palpung centres in Taiwan, as I felt the connection was beneficial and admired Rinpoche as a vajra master and practitioner I decided to go to Europe to attend some of his advertised teachings there.
So, I met Gyalton Rinpoche again in Europe at a three-day event at Bodhicarya Berlin (5th-7th August 2025), a centre I visited before over ten years ago. Rinpoche gave the clear impression that he was fine with my attending his teachings there. In fact, we enjoyed a very blissful walk around Berlin with him and a few other people (as I wrote about here). At the teachings I chose to sit at the back, and for the empowerment at the front, and there were no issues with doing so.
Barred from attending an Avalokiteshvara empowerment with Gyalton Rinpoche via an anonymous email sent from Palpung Europe City Institute on 2nd August 2025
However, before the Berlin teachings, on 1st August 2025, I paid and registered online for an Avalokiteshvara empowerment on 17th August with Rinpoche at Palpung Europe City Institute, Vienna Austria. It was advertised as open to all the public, no restrictions (see picture above). I used my Tibetan name (given to me personally by 17th Karmapa in 2005 in India), to stay low-key and avoid potential discrimination and “drama” by those with a personal vendetta etc. However, as the compulsory registration fee was paid with my bank card, it alerted some ill-intentioned people to my attendance.
Thus, the day after I registered for the empowerment in Austria (2nd August), I got an anonymous, unsigned email from “Palpung Secretariat” (see screenshot below) saying: “we the community” have samaya with Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and that it was “inappropriate” to receive the empowerment or visit their centre and that a refund of the fee had been issued (which was not true as I later discovered).
This message was sent despite the fact I had recently attended several Vajrayana teachings and empowerments with 9th Gyalton Rinpoche in Asia and Germany, and have also received many Vajrayana empowerments since 2006 from Karma Kagyu teachers, attended several Kagyu Monlams, and various teachings with senior Karma Kagyu teachers, such as HE 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche and Tai Situpa and have samaya and vows with HH 17th Karmapa.
As I had received impersonatory/fake emails before, I replied back requesting the author provide an official signed letter, with names and to verbally confirm it. I also requested they get proper authorisation from the Palpung head office in India, and/or HE 12th Tai Situpa and HE 9th Gyalton Rinpoche as it was a serious decision to bar any person from one of the Palpung dharma centres, no discussion or questions asked.
Yet, there was no response, no offer of discussion and no evidence of authorisation. It was rather depressing that in so called liberal and “progressive” Europe, women and survivors were facing such blatant institutional abuse, discrimination and bullying by so-called “Buddhists” and even more so for an Avalokiteshvara empowerment, the embodiment of enlightened love and compassion!
Approaching the Palpung Austria centre for a refund and explanation
So on the 16th August, the day before the empowerment, when the centre was advertised as open to the general public, I went to visit briefly and see if I could speak to the office staff to verify the email. Just before 5pm, a woman whom I have never met before (who later told me her name was Susanna) came out and immediately approached me in a suspicious manner asking me for my name and why I was there.
It did not feel like I was at a Buddhist centre but more on a worldly laywoman individual’s private property. I told her my name and without a “hello, nice to meet you” she then ordered me to leave the property . When I asked why, she refused to respond and told me an email had been sent already to me.
Even though Palpung City Institute is a public non-profit, Susanna would neither tell me her full identity or position at the centre, nor who had given the authorisation etc. She also would not allow me to speak to the resident Lama Palmo or Gyalton Rinpoche who was at the centre for their advice and guidance. The money was not refunded either by the time of the empowerment which happened on 17th August.
So I left the “private property” feeling disturbed and saddened by such conduct and messaged Rinpoche via his Facebook page to inform him of the situation, as well as Damien Jampa a French monk who is one of the organisers of the Discovering Buddhism Within in Europe to make them aware of it. Jampa responded via Whatsapp, but he was unable to offer any assistance.
Day of the empowerment: Police time wasted by Susanna who also insist she give me the refund
So, on 17th August the following day, as there had still been no refund, and no official signed letter of authorisation, I went again to the centre, just before the empowerment started, to see if some wisdom, sanity and compassion would prevail, and I would be allowed to attend it and/or speak to Rinpoche himself. Or at least get the money refunded.
Thankfully, as I had anticipated because I had not committed any crime, the police did nothing, and they also insisted to Susanna (after speaking to her) to return the money to me. The police asked me for my ID, which I showed them, they then asked Susanna for her ID, and she even pretended she did not have it on her. How’s that for transparency! So the policeman insisted she provide it before he left and she was told to unlock the gates to let him in so he could get the ID from the office with her.
One of the policemen half-joked with me outside that he also did not understand why I was being refused entry, and that he thought Buddhist centres were supposed to be places of love, peace, compassion and inclusion. The policemen agreed with me that it was a waste of police time but as that was not a crime per se, there was nothing they could do in relation to Susanna having wasted their precious time (and mine!).
The empowerment and Lama Palmo, resident lama
Bizarrely, and “inappropriately” too, this all happened while 9th Gyalton Rinpoche and Lama Palmo and a few others were inside the hall getting the Avalokiteshvara empowerment. Yet, the anti-thesis of compassion and love was happening right outside the centre towards a lone Buddhist female scholar-translator-practitioner, by one of the centre’s female staff, with police being called.
Did Susanna ever once think that was extremely “inappropriate”? Was Lama Palmo aware of this decision and/or did she encourage it? Considering Lama Palmo has been struggling with cancer the past few years one would think she would have great compassion and not want to put anyone else through unnecessary suffering or distress. Answers would be welcome. Wisdom arising!
Here are some photos of 9th Gyalton Rinpoche, Lama Palmo and others at the teaching/empowerment they publicly shared on their FB page afterwards:
Conclusion/Questions?
This ongoing harassment, bullying and defamation [2] by anonymous people who normally do not have to take any public accountability for it, sadly shows that female survivors who call out lama abuse, corruption and dishonesty are continually hounded, bullied, harassed even several years after their initial complaint.
New Vajrayana connections and samaya are targeted and attacked and destroyed by their vengeful, petty gossip and attacks in the name of protecting their “vajra samaya”. These attacks and actions are rarely taken face to face in person, but behind my back or online. Why do they not follow the example of 9th Gyalton Rinpoche on it who had no issue with my attending his teachings in Europe?
What is their aim and who is actually driving/encouraging these continual “attacks”? Is it Sangye Nyenpa and his Benchen monastic community still? If not, then why are they allowing people to act in his “name” in this way? Surely any teacher with genuine love and compassion in their hearts would never want to harm any sentient being, and would rejoice at them making new connections, continuing to attend Dharma teachings and that they have not been “put off” the Vajrayana or Buddha Dharma? If their aim is to stop all that happening, that would be a fundamental breach of the Bodhisattva vows, never mind Vajrayana.
This kind of conduct also brings the name of Tibetan Buddhism, HE 12th Tai Situpa, Karma Kagyu and Palpung Austria centre into public disrepute as an unnecessary “heavy-handed” misuse of administrative power against a lone woman. I would have reported the matter to the Austrian Buddhist Union, but was told that the Palpung centre was not a member.
Dear Adele, thank you so much for sharing this. Making this transparent is of benefit for all beings. I am sorry for your suffering, and I hope this will not repeat, neither for you, nor for anybody else. Magnetizing like Vajrayogini you will continue your practice and work single-pointedly, unstained by the muds of samsara.
Thank you Lars, yes despite this gang-up bullying, harassment and serious attempts to sabotage and break new connections I am making with teachers, I continue to practice and do the work single-pointedly. Not easy as I am alone, and they are groups of people with worldly influence and small power in these small groups, but I try my best and keep the bodhicitta, vows, compassion and wisdom. People need to know what is happening, where and when and why. If it is not exposed, it will never stop and others will also face similar treatment, who may not as resilient and devoted to Buddha Dharma and the guru, yidam and protectors. I will be writing a summary soon of the places, people, centres, reasons, dates etc. when I encountered this kind of targeted bullying, harassment and discrimination by Dharma centre admins or volunteers. I try not to take it too personally though, after all Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyel both were attacked and they even tried to burn them alive by jealous gossipers. Sera Khandro faced similar issues when she was a consort and trying to see/meet a guru she was devoted to/magnetised by.
One thing to keep in mind is that many lamas traditionally treat their lay sangha as a sort of feedstock and encourage infantile behavior in their followers instead of teaching them how to take responsibility for their own lives and resolve their emotional problems. In Kagyu, such teachings are artificially and unfairly barred behind 3 year retreat (and not necessarily first one at that!). This all is antithetical to everything Buddhist, and was never done before Lodro Thaye invented 3 year retreat. It was always a thing between teacher and student. So why all this then, to keep rich “tulku” overlords in power? If this system is not abolished, in near future there wont be any difference between real historical lineages and recently made up scam ones.
Well, there have always been incidents of corruption, rogues misusing Dharma and even trying to kill the Buddha himself! Samsara is endless and afflictions are what they are. Ultimately, we have to hold up the mirror to ourselves too and ask what we are contributing to these issues by silence, lack of involvement or by active participation?
Pls. contact Austrian Buddhist union and inform them too about your experiences in Vienna.
Thank you. I was told that Palpung City Europe Institute was not a member of the Austrian Buddhist Union. However, I have contacted a couple of other organisations responsible for ensuring there is no blatant discrimination at religious centres there.
As always, fantastic writing and peerless courage! If we don’t reflect their abuse on them, nothing will ever change! You are a gem to us sincere practicing Buddhists! Good circumstances and conditions for practices are earned, not given. Much love!
Thank you! You are welcome and happy to hear you understand and see the value in what am doing and why am exposing these incidents. Exactly, silence and pretending not to see are like ignoring a huge giant mess under a rug, keep sweeping under it and ignoring it, eventually someone has to lift the rug up and clean the hidden mess, because the stench is seeping out and becoming unbearable. As Einstein is quoted as saying: ‘The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.’