“Be isolated, be ignored, be attacked, be in doubt, be frightened, but do not be silenced.” –Bertrand Russell
“Sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognize your power – not because they don’t see it, but because they see it and they don’t want it to exist.”
“If you try walking in my shoes, you’d stumble in my footsteps.” –Depeche Mode
Introduction/Summary
As I have already reported, during my time attending the teachings of HE 9th Gyalton Rinpoche in Europe this year, there were several similar incidents in various centres (not isolated, unconnected one-offs) that revealed a pattern of deliberate disruption and bullying by a few individuals in administrative roles (all of whom, except one, I had never met or spoken to before) “holding personal grudges” motivated by jealousy and aversion at their root, as well as some kind of personal “power/ego-trip” intent on trying to humiliate or provoke in some way for some unexpressed (and thus unknown by me) grudge, even though I had never met or spoken to them before, at these events or afterwards.
These few people operated like a small “gang” and used “anonymous” emails (without names, or signed official letters) to communicate their “judge and jury punishment” decisions with me online only (never in person verbally I guess then I might get a chance to express my opinion and they might have to listen). The intent being to prevent my getting access to Rinpoche, or the teachings in person, or even (can you believe it) to the online recordings of teachings I had attended.
As there were several incidents, and people have asked me to list them in a clear format, here is a summary list/timeline of the “where, what, by whom and actions taken”. Some incidents were more serious than others, such as Palpung Vienna administrator banning me from attending a publicly advertised an Avalokitshvara empowerment, refusing a refund, calling the police and so on. Also, changing the rules of a course to ensure I could not attend, then a physical assault by an administrator to try and prevent me from peacefully leaving (yes leaving) a centre. Here is the list, with full details in the article below:
1) Vietnam Discovering Buddhism. Hanoi (May 2025): Damien Jampa and Titi (Neneng Setiawati)
2) Bodhicarya Berlin: Maria Schriver, Titi and unknown others
3) Palpung Europe City Institute, Austria: Susana, Lama Palmo, Elizabeth and others unknown
4) Tibet Open House, Prague: Damien Jampa, Titi and Micha
5) Theg Chog Norbu Ling, Fourtou, France: Lama Sangyay, and others (including Damien Jampa and Titi it seems)
6) Jardins de Meditation Beaumont, Belgium: Damien Jampa, Titi, Tomas, Emile and other volunteer staff unknown
On a more general level, these incidents all revealed a pattern of a persistent, targeted bullying and smear campaign (always in my absence) by a few “administrators” spreading gossip and malicious rumours about me via email, Whatsapp and in person. Moreover, these actions were taken by people who were supposed to be helping and supporting the Discovering Buddhism Within courses, yet acted without the express permission or request of 9th Gyalton Rinpoche himself, and did not seek his advice or follow his example either. They literally became “a law unto themselves” with zero empathy, compassion or verbal communication in a calm, mature, friendly manner.
For the Discovering Buddhism teachings, I deliberately chose to sit at the back, kept silent during Q&A, did not speak socially with other people, and attended incognito (using my Tibetan name). My only request was for no invasive and distracting photography during meditation sessions and empowerments, and no photos of myself on social media, without express permission.
Yet despite that, these people (all of whom I had never met or spoken to etc. bar one Damien Jampa) actively targeted me for bullying, harassment and exclusion. I never experienced this kind of bullying, gossip, exclusion, isolation and banning at Karma Kagyu events and empowerments in India, Indonesia, Thailand, or Taiwan, with Gyalton Rinpoche or other Karma Kagyu senior teachers such as 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche, Drupon Dechen Rinpoche and other lineage teachers, such as Garchen Rinpoche.
As I am a now publicly known individual scholar-translator-practitioner in the Buddhist field and founding sole author of one of the most widely used, valued and read Dharma translations and research resources online, my photo and name are freely available. However, as the people who took these decisions, are not so well-known, and were freely discussing, sharing photos of, and taking administrative decisions about me and my participation in the courses without my presence or invited input, it seems fair and reasonable that those individuals should be known and identifiable. Even when they started to harass and exclude me, I never explained to them who I was, unless they specifically brought it up.
In conclusion, I do not bear any ill-will or grudges to these people (as they clearly have shown they do to me). Am sure some of them would be nice, friendly people if they could see past their own “gossipy” minds and try to get to know me on a human level. They are being led in the wrong directions by teachers who act the same way towards women etc. They are pawns of deeper, malevolent forces driving their actions by people with real power and influence who remain anonymous behind the scenes. Harmony, trust and friendship is only possible where truth, justice, ethics, accountability are present too.
Thus, I write to share my testimony and experience (in the spirit of Marpa, Milarepa, Yeshe Tsogyel, Sera Khandro and others who shared the obstacles they faced on the path) partly out of compassion for them and myself, but also to prevent any other people past, present or future, that may be treated in similar ways by them. To ensure that such people who act in bullying power-trip ways understand that eventually, regardless of whether they were “handpicked by Guru Vajradhara [12th Tai Situpa]” (as Damien Jampa told me on more than one occasion to justify their doing whatever they wanted), that outside of their small “clique” they are still expected by some to maintain minimum standards of ethics, accountability, inclusivity and fairness and held accountable when they do not.
The fact that these standards were all absent in so called “progressive, educated and liberal” Europe shows the full extent to which European administrators of Dharma centres/courses have co-opted and enabled the de-humanising, ghosting, gaslighting, unwise and zero accountability approach of some Buddhist teachers. The exact opposite of what the Shakyamuni Buddha taught and modelled to his original sangha when there had been breaches of ethics and Vinaya. As of yet, none of the European Buddhist Unions have investigated or taken any action in relation to these incidents either.
Fortunately, as someone devoted to and “in love” with Buddha dharma, such incidents are disheartening but do not cause me to give up the path or teacher. However, others new to Buddhism may not be so devoted or resilient. Frankly, considering the way they behaved generally, they did not display much intellectual (or emotional) maturity and intelligence, and so it was also a “blessing in disguise” that I was “protected” by the Guru from such needless, petty, “waste of time” discussions too. It would have been “unsafe” to be in the same room as a “small gang” intent on humiliating and spreading gossip and lies about me.
To be honest, these few people/incidents (whose role was supposed to be friendly representatives, helping and supporting Rinpoche and ALL participants on the DBW courses) have put me off attending future DBW courses at which they will be present (which I think was their aim). But also even weary of attending other teaching events with Gyalton Rinpoche. At the very least, as a woman alone in a foreign country, I am a lot more vulnerable to group/gang-up bullying, lies and gossip. I am not perfect or faultless, but no-one is worthy of being disrespected, barred and bullied in these ways by anonymous, jealous ordinary people, especially on a course called Discovering the Buddha Within! What happened to the Buddhist ideals of kindness, compassion, empathy, humanity, respect and friendly communication and equanimity?
What they clearly did not understand/fathom is that a woman who has spent years using her hard-earned (and uncommon) skills to build something up from scratch alone, with little public applause, support and so on, is already used to being excluded and marginalised by gossipy, small-minded cliques. After all, anyone who immediately believes gossip and lies about you, without wanting to hear “your side” of the story, was already looking for reasons to dislike you.
Fortunately, these individuals were unable to sever or permanently damage my vajra connection with Rinpoche, who maintained a calm, stable, unwavering influence throughout, and did not seem to be shaken much by any of the worldly gossip, exaggerations and “calls to have me removed”. In fact, despite their best (and at times, comical) efforts to keep us physically distant after Berlin (without revealing any secrets), our “vajra union” remained continuously stable and very blissful!
Music? Try Walking in My Shoes and Policy of Truth by Depeche Mode, Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits, Go Off by MIA, and I’m Still Standing by Elton John. Short reel about listing challenges one has faced.
Written with love, compassion and a dash of wisdom-humour, by Adele Tomlin, 21st October 2025.
ROUND-UP SUMMARY OF BULLYING/DISCRIMINATION INCIDENTS
(August -September 2025)
1) Vietnam Discovering Buddhism I. Hanoi (May 2025)
2) Bodhicarya Berlin
3) Palpung Europe City Institute, Austria
4) Tibet Open House, Prague
5) Theg Chog Norbu Ling, Fourtou, France
6) Samye Ling Beaumont, Belgium
1) Vietnam Discovering Buddhism I Hanoi, May 2025 : excluded without explanation (or discussion) from recordings of the teachings and online review classes by DBW organisers, Damien Jampa and Titi Dolma (Neneng Setiawati )
The Vietnam Discovering Buddhism Within I course (near Hanoi in May 2025), was the first time I had met or attended a course by 9th Gyalton Rinpoche (see my report here) . I did not know any other people there and travelled and attended alone. The only person I vaguely knew was Damien Jampa, a French monk who had founded Esukhia (Tibetan language school) in Dharamsala (a great and beneficial initiative but also bit of a macho “boys club”, as I recall).
I briefly met the Vietnamese translator, at dinner time, who refused to answer (and even seemed “offended”) by a simple question I asked “What is your Dharma background?” when she came to sit at the same dining table I was seated at with Damien. After hearing her speak to me, it became clear to me her spoken English was not high level though, and I wondered how and why she had been chosen as an oral interpreter. Afterwards, when speaking to Damien about her bizarre reaction and refusal to respond to such a simple question, he insisted that they had thoroughly checked her oral translations from English to Vietnamese, and I asked him how that was possible if they didn’t have someone both fluent in English and Vietnamese checking it? In any case, a trivial matter, and certainly a normal discussion to have between fellow translators, not worthy of anyone taking great offence at (which she seemed to).
In any case, I attended the course incognito, there was no registration or compulsory fee requirement. However, when the photography became invasive, and excessive, I requested organisers not to take photos of me, or during meditations and empowerments etc. as they were unnecessary and distracting. Rather than an emotionally intelligent, mature response of agreeing to this request, the organisers/photographers then increased the invasive photography with two men running around all over the place and even coming up directly behind, right next to and in front of me during teachings and meditations.
Moreover, even though these were actually petty and trivial things, I was then excluded without any explanation or meeting from getting links to the recorded teachings, and online review classes by organisers Damien Jampa and Titi Drolma. Damien told me on more than one occasion that he (and the others) had been “personally appointed/handpicked by Guru Vajradhara” (Tai Situpa) and so that made their decisions final and unquestionable. Yet, at the same time, Damien had told me that Tai Situpa had personally told him “not to let people do whatever they wanted”. However, Damien seemed to think that him and other non-Arhat/ordinary being administrators themselves were thus unaccountable for their actions and decisions too!
In fact, only a few days ago, I was informed by Damien Jampa that at a meeting at Sherab Ling India this month, the organisers were told I should have access to the recorded teachings, which I had never been sent for months, unlike all the other course participants.
Despite this, Damien suggested that it was up to the DBW administrators who could attend the DBW course or not, and that I may not be able to attend the DBW II Vietnam course. When I asked Damien if he was saying I had been banned from attendance, he refused to say and just sent me a gmail address labelled “CEO of DBW Vietnam” (I am not joking), and told me to email “them” (again an anonymous person). I informed Damien that I had no intention of going to that particular Vietnam course after the bullying, exclusion, pettiness and immaturity of some individuals there in positions of responsibility.
I have never met or spoken Titi so had no idea who she was. Even though she was a DBW administrator, she never introduced herself or spoke to me in a welcoming or friendly manner. However, I saw her a few times with Rinpoche at the DBW teachings and in photos shared on social media of prior courses. I am still not sure what she does, other than acting as a point of contact on the course ( which is not a particularly demanding or skilled role) but surely that should be someone who is an excellent, emotionally and intellectually intelligent communicator to all participants, including myself. Thus, I was shocked to discover Titi was alleged to be one of the main people spreading negative and malicious gossip about me to others, in particular during the Berlin teachings I attended (see below), with the explicit intent of ensuring I was not allowed to attend his teachings, and to damage and harm my relationships and reputation with others who did not know me.
2) Bodhicarya Berlin August 2025 : demand to leave the centre and threat to call the police
After an excellent two day teaching, empowerment and lovely walk around Berlin with Gyalton Rinpoche (6th-8th August), one of the board members and administrators of Bodhicayra Berlin, Maria Schriver (see photo) approached me the following day in a hostile manner while I was sitting alone meditating next to the stupa and, without discussion, demanded I leave the centre as some people had informed her I was a bad person who had written many bad things about teachers.
Maria told me Titi (who was not present in Berlin) was one of the people who informed her. At that time I did not know who Titi was. Maria threatened to call the police if I did not leave. I calmly told Maria she could call the police is she wanted as I had not committed any crime and she would waste their time, Maria then took some more phone calls. She then backed down and let me stay and return to the centre later that day. So it was not one of the more serious actions and to her credit, Maria had a change of heart.
Nonetheless, it was an unpleasant experience that was an inappropriate abuse of power and way of communicating, that was disheartening to say the least. Nonetheless, it was an unpleasant experience that was an inappropriate abuse of power and way of communicating, that was disheartening at the time, to say the least. Again, this action was taken without the express authorisation or request from Gyalton Rinpoche, the teacher himself.
I informed Damien about the incident and asked him to investigate if Titi had been saying these things to Maria. He said he would do so, but he never told me the outcome. At this point, both myself and Damien were already aware that the Palpung Vienna centre had barred me from attending an empowerment, no discussion or questions asked based on what they called their “samaya with Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche” (see below).
The German Buddhist Union have been informed, and have offered an investigation of the incident by a neutral person. However, even though I expressed interest in their doing an investigation, it never happened.
3) Palpung Europe City Insitute, Vienna August 2025: barred from attending empowerment and refund not issued
As I wrote in more detail here, on 2nd August 2025, I was informed in an anonymous, unsigned gmail address from “Palpung Secretariat Europe” that I was barred from attending a publicly advertised Avalokiteshvara empowerment at the Vienna centre, for which I had paid an online registration fee . No refund was ever issued and was refused a refund in person. I was not allowed to speak to the resident teacher or to Gyalton Rinpoche in person about the administrators’ decision. Damien Jampa was informed but did not provide any assistance.
The administrator, Susanna locked the gates on the day of the empowerment and called the police when I told her I would not leave until she gave me a refund. When the police arrived, Susanna came out of the office with the money in her hand. She also did not want to show her ID to the police who did nothing and insisted she provide her ID to them and return the money to me.
Palpung Europe City Institute are not a member of the Austrian Buddhist Union but an Austrian organisation responsible for ensuring appropriate and non-discriminatory conduct at European “religious” centres has been informed. As of yet, no formal response.
4) Prague Tibet Open House: new rules to screen me out from Gelugpa centre, self-appointed “dakini protector”, emotional accusations and physical assault to stop me “leaving”
Before I even arrived in Prague at the end of August (after Berlin and Austria), I sensed a few people were not alright with my attendance there. First, there was an attempt to deliberately exclude me with a “new rule” for the Prague teachings by the DBW organisers, Damien Jampa and Titti, that all participants had to have had a one year gap between the two courses, and fulfilled the course requirements of online review classes and watching the recordings (something I would not have been able to do because they had never provided me with the links to access that information!). Also, I noticed on other DBW courses social media, some people had attended them back-to-back without any gap of a year.
When I queried this new rule, I was informed by Damien (the French monk) that the “admin team” had created it (two months prior) because the Prague participants were unusual and “very focused and diligent relating to the course and practice”. However, Damien also admitted the new rule was because it was a form of “screening out” people beforehand. As some people there might not like what I had written about lama misconduct, and Gelugpa sectarianism in Tibet and exile (Tibet Open House is a Gelugpa centre). None of the other DBW courses had this rule though.
However, after I insisted that Damien ask Gyalton Rinpoche about this new rule as I had already booked travel and accommodation, I was allowed to attend because Damien said that Rinpoche told him that others may have also registered and planned their travel/accommodation before the new rule was implemented in June 2025, and they would also have to be “kicked off the course” too.
When I arrived at the centre, I also registered with my Tibetan name, and asked Damien to keep my presence there low-key. However, it seems other people were already aware of my presence, and I was told by a male participant on the first day I arrived that Micha/Michaela (whom he pointed out to me) was a dakini whose role was to protect the centre. This made me chuckle inwardly because anyone who says they are a dakini is obviously delusional (I personally have never said that about myself, and never would).
I replied to the man that dakinis are normally people who have some excellent, outstanding Dharma activities or realisations, not ordinary women whose role is to administrate a small Dharma centre (a skill that with all due respect, is two a penny in the world). Considering I was a foreign woman alone there on a first visit, and other people were all from Prague or the Czech republic, it did not feel welcoming or friendly. Micha did not introduce herself with a smile, and say welcome to the Dharma centre she was supposed to be “protecting” either.
This bizarre “dakini declaration” was an omen of things to come. On the third day of the course, after I was suddenly and publicly accused of masturbation and orgasming by Damien (who himself was not a direct witness) exclaiming in loud emotional manner in the teaching room in front of others that people had heard me orgasm and there were two witnesses, a woman sitting next to me and Rinpoche himself. Damien told me Rinpoche had been informed about their concerns, but that he had not told them to remove me from the course and did not want to discuss it with me or them. Yet they still decided to take matters into their own “unwise” hands.
That same day, in the early evening after Rinpoche’s teaching class, I was physically assaulted by the delusional “dakini” Micha, as I was peacefully leaving the centre, whom I had already told I would not be able to speak to her after the class after she requested it. As I left the centre, keen to get away from these “emotionally hysterical” people, I walked close behind Rinpoche, his monk attendant and Titi towards the exist, Micha then ran up behind me suddenly and slammed both hands on my shoulders pulling me back from the exit gateway. When I tried to go around her, Micha then pushed me back against a wall, at which point I had to then act in self-defence and push her back. At which point she backed off, and I was finally able to get past her and out the gateway. Undeterred she even chased after me, and then Rinpoche falsely thinking I had chased after him.
As I walked back to my hotel, I was then surrounded by Micha (and bizarrely Damien too) who both falsely accused me of “chasing after Rinpoche” even though I was trying to avoid their gang-up aggression, and also to take a private, important phone call with a family member. It was at this point, that I realised Damien who I had up to then assumed was friendly and neutral, was a “frenemy” who was adding his own interpretation and stating he had witnessed things he clearly had not been present to witness.
However, Micha and the DBW organisers, Titi and Damien then backtracked on that afterwards and issued (another) nameless unsigned email stating I could not attend the online review classes with Damien due to (wait for it) them thinking I might masturbate in that class! I responded that I have never masturbated (or felt the urge to ha ha) at any time with Damien leading a class, and that would never happen.
4) Thegchog Norbu Ling, France: deliberately misled and decieved by resident Lama Sangyay that no rooms available to rent during teachings
As I have already written about, after the Prague teachings (despite not lying/dishonesty being one of the main Buddhist vows of laypeople and monastics) I was then deliberately misled and given false information by the resident Lama Sangyay that there were no rooms available to rent during Gyalton Rinpoche’s teachings at his remote Dharma retreat centre (associated with the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa), only to find out the same day from the office staff (when using my Tibetan name) that there were two single occupancy rooms and shared rooms available during the course.
Again, I have never met or spoken to this Lama before, or since. All communications were online, and perhaps therein lies the “problem”. It is not clear if his decision to do this was based on the “gossip” and bullying at Prague though, as Lama Sangyay had also previously told me there was no accommodation at the centre during the Kagyu Monlam held there recently this year with Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. I had assumed he was being honest then, but now am not so sure.
Lama Sangyay never explained his actions, his only response was an image meme, in an email (I am not joking). The Lama also “accidentally” copied Titi and Damien into that image meme email , both of whom had nothing to do with those teachings at the centre, as it was not a DBW course. They seemed to have extended their administrative remit somewhat!
This did not surprise me much though, as I already knew after Vietnam and Berlin that both Titi (and Damien too, although perhaps less so) already beared a significant personal grudge towards me, and had not been happy about my attending DBW courses, or my connection with Rinpoche right from the very start in Vietnam. Jampa in particular, seemed jealous and resentful of my achievements and activities as a translator-scholar-writer.
The French Buddhist Union have been informed about the discrimination, as of yet, no formal investigation or response. Maybe they are taking their time to seriously consider the Lama’s image meme response ha ha ha.
5) Samye Ling Beaumont, Belgium
As I wrote about here, even though the final teachings I attended in Brussels with 9th Gyalton Rinpoche went on without incident (notably Titi and Damien were both physically absent as it was not a DBW course), I was bullied and harassed at the following event in Beaumont, by two tall burly men (Tomas and Emile) and one woman, and others, behaving like personal bodyguards around me preventing me from taking a seat near the front. And standing directly in front of me when Rinpoche approached and deliberately moving my personal objects from seats. These actions were revealed by one of the men, Tomas as a deliberate targeting of myself, due to an email they had received a couple of days before (with my photo attached) stating they had to keep me physically away from Rinpoche. Neither Tomas nor the centre office revealed the identity of who had sent that email to them (but it judging by prior events, possibly Titi or Damien again).
One unknown woman even messaged me on FB after the Belgium event, to “kindly” inform me that she was a dakini (what is it with these women telling me they are dakinis?) and that she had deliberately moved my personal things to provoke and show me I was “not all that”. Charming and mature, eh? She advised me not to block on her FB as I was blocking dakinis like her. As I have said before, and say again now, I am not a dakini, never claimed to be one, and never will claim to be one either!
The Belgian Buddhist Union have been informed, as of yet no investigation and no apology or accountability taken by those people who had been so easily misled by others to act in unethical and vajra samaya breaching ways. I received an email from Lama Rinchen, a nun who is the resident lama, who seemed very friendly and sweet, who assured me that those people must have thought they were acting in “positive ways”. Am sure they did, but that is no excuse and as a matter of principle, it is important to know who was guiding and encouraging those “innocent” staff members to act in those ways.
UPDATE: Emile, a man I had never met or spoken to before prior to the Belgium teaching, acted like a thuggish bodyguard around me as if he (and another man) needed to protect Rinpoche physically from me. Yet the opposite was true. I needed protection from him and people there. I later found out that Emile had been banned for life from Kagyu Samye Dzgon Dublin for his conduct towards women there. I have since been informed that Emile was accused of sexual harassment and misconduct at Samye Dzong Dublin and seems to have now moved camp to Beaumont. The women in Ireland were paid “hush money” whereas people like Emile, seem to have gotten off scot-free and still welcomed at their Dharma centres.
This time, Emile bizarrely has taken on the self-appointed role of protecting lamas from my “physical closeness/presence” (without any discussion or warning with me in advance) as if he was Rinpoche’s personal body guard, against a lone foreign woman in a big group. Yet, unbeknown to me, Emile himself has had serious accusations of harassing women in Dublin, and he is quite a big stocky man too.
Conclusion
The question that needs to be asked here is why did these people, whom I had never personally met or spoken to before, then or afterwards, see my presence at 9th Gyalton Rinpoche’s teachings to be so threatening, objectionable and worthy of deliberate disruption and harming the minds of others associated with him? Why did they take matters into their own hands and not seek his guidance, input and/or follow his personal example? And what was the real aim and benefit of doing that for them and myself? Answers on the back of postcard please!
Here are a couple of image memes I thought I would share in the same spirit as Lama Sangyay!
Oh Dear .. I vaguely know how it feels .. since I also was “demonised” once by a senior-founder & main donor of the Kamalashila Institute, which is still thriving to be officially accepted as european seat of His Holiness, when they fired me overnite as an ardeously working manager (60-70 hrs. per week) & board-member of Karma Kagyu Community Trust in Germany .. The senior and very fanatic “devotee” of first 16th, then 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, accused me of having secretly copied the memership-adress to be used in Berlin, which was a total bogus! She claimed that only Mahakala had protected the seat of His Holiness from more harm done thru me. Please beware of toxic people and protect yourself especially from the tibetan fanatics here in Europe or in Asia which you often find inside the notorious Gelugpa and sometimes Kamtsang-Kagyu tradition, because they can potentially harm you physically. As known Tibet has a long history of demonisation & opression. Sad to write this. Greetings & Grace.
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Thank you. Sorry to hear that. I have already had various rituals conducted against me by Gelug sectarians and abusive lamas whose reputations are under pressure. Yes they can and do try to harm people physically and mentally. Where is the love and compassion?! There can be no change though if people lack the courage and wisdom to speak out and expose it.
I find it interesting that the troubles you are having seem to be coming from other women. Is this a jealousy thing? Is it an age gap thing? Many people like to protect the status quo and it doesn’t seem like you fit into that mold which to me is good. The Tibetan version of the Buddha Dharma needs some correction and the patriarchy is always going to resist being exposed. Guru Rinpoche warned practitioners about what was going to happen to Tibet and the karma that was going to ripen. Most Western Vajrayana practitioners have no idea what they are getting into when they step onto this path. HH Dudjom Rinpoche warned us that the Vajrayana path is dangerous and clearly many of our self created demons will arise along the way. I think that it is a good thing to air out some dirty laundry and to expose the hypocrisy in some Dharma centers and Dharma teachers. Lord Buddha’s admonition to look for the truth (Dharma) and question everything until we arrive at the truth is extremely important especially in these dark days. I hope that everyone involved in this drama will look to their own faults and failings as well and find some much needed harmony with each other.
Yes, indeed Guru Padmasambhava warned us about these things. Courage is essential though. Because the more these things stay hidden festering under the carpet, the smellier and grubbier it will get until someone finally lifts the carpet up and says, we need to clean this up! Truth, justice, love, compassion and karmic interdependence and accountability are the foundations of Buddhist ethics and principles. It takes courage to face and expose the rot within.
Yes there were several women enablers and bullies, but also men. Damien Jampa and Lama Sangyay and other men. But yes, sadly women will often get jealous and see other women as competition, especially when they see a women getting close to a teacher or having a strong vajra connection (as translators/interpreters often do) or they seem them doing something unique, excellent, interesting, or they are intelligent, attractive and authentic etc. Many women (and men) in Dharma centre administrator roles let it go to their heads and they start acting on some ego-power trip. This happened here, Damien Jampa told me a few time that as these few individuals had been “hand-picked by Guru Vajradhara” (12th Tai Situpa) they had to answer to no-one, and their decisions, taken behind closed doors, in my absence and without my input, were final and unquestionable.
What was more surprising was how DBW administrators then sought to extend their administration and malicious gossip influence over courses with Rinpoche that were beyond the DBW remit. They seemed to have forgotten their roles completely and it was just a personal grudge aimed at poisoning and negatively influencing the minds of people at other Dharma centres and courses who had never even met me.
Anyway, I certainly do not bear these people any ill-will or grudges, I had not met or spoken to any of them previously and did not know them (other than Damien). They are being led in the wrong directions by teachers who act the same way towards women etc. They are pawns in the deeper, malevolent forces driving their actions by people with real power and influence behind the scenes. Harmony, trust and friendship is only possible where truth, justice, ethics, accountability are present too. One cannot hope for harmony when those things are lacking and solitary individuals are being bullied and denigrated by a gang.