“The fast talker inserts himself into the centre of a crowd,
Monastic wealth inserts itself into the monks’ stomachs,
Thick d**ks insert themselves into young girls:
That is the teaching on the Three Insertions.” –satirical verse by Drugpa Kunleg (1455-1529)
“Pressurising or seducing a young, naive child or teenager to give up their virginity, or engage in sexual relations with a much older adult man, is not only manipulative and unethical in a worldly context, but in Buddhist and Vajrayana practice, totally unnecessary for the purpose of attaining awakening and realisations.”
“Age is just a number in the ultimate view, but in the relative world, where we all have to function and operate, including Tibetan Buddhist teachers, consent also matters. People of certain age are deemed too young mentally and physically to give full consent, and that aligns with the Buddhist principles of non-violence, love and compassion. Forcing any kind of sexual activity is criminal, and also breaches monastic Vinaya and Vajrayana vows.”
“It is important that teachers and leaders set the role model and example for women, children and young people that Buddhism and religious communities are places of safety, love and compassion and real refuge. Not places where sexually perverse and repressed male predators will cause more harm and trauma to them, which they may already have experienced in a worldly context. Age is just a number, but consent matters, not only in Buddhist practice and philosophy, but in any culture or religion in which love and compassion are paramount.”
I read with sadness the 14th Dalai Lama’s name has surfaced 168 times in newly released Jeffrey Epstein case files, prompting renewed scrutiny of his past associations with the disgraced financier, according to multiple media reports.
Here is my report on those allegations, as well as a general analysis as to whether Buddhist tantric practice allows or encourages the abuse of women and children, in the name of attaining enlightenment. I conclude that it does not and moreover that it lacks full and genuine consent and may even be physically harmful to a young female’s body and mind.
The Epstein Files and 169 mentions of the Dalai Lama name, and alleged meeting with Epstein in 2012
Reports this week alleged that the 14th Dalai Lama met Jeffrey Epstein, a pathological child sex offenders, even after he had been convicted of child sex abuse in 2008:
“Recent documents unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice mention the 14th Dalai Lama 168 times, as reported by India’s The Financial Express and confirmed by Guancha searches.
A 2012 email from Epstein described plans to attend an event on an island where the Dalai Lama would also be present. In July 2025, journalist Michael Wolff stated on a podcast that he had seen the Dalai Lama at Epstein’s Manhattan residence. Wolff suggested many people mingled with Epstein seeking financial gain.
In August 2025, independent journalist Jacob Silverman highlighted Wolff’s account in an article, noting his access to elite circles. Silverman also referenced the Dalai Lama’s 2009 appearance and speech at NXIVM, a group later exposed as a sex cult, for which he reportedly received US$1 million.”
Many various women have now come forward and spoken about how they were groomed and abused as young teenagers by Epstein and other rich, older, powerful men connected to him. These actions left women feeling traumatised and abandoned as adults in later life, as one survivor (who states she was groomed and abused at 14 years old) spoke recently about here and here.
The public meeting of the 14th Dalai Lama with the NIXVM branded a “sex cult” in 2009, also caused concern among the general public.
Tibetan exile and international reaction to the Epstein File reports
The Office of HH Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India today (8th February 2026) issued a public statement denying that he had ever met Epstein.
Yet in one of the main survivor accounts I was sent by an Indian osource (a registered court document, by Virginia Roberts-Guiffre) there is a reference to her seeing a photo of Epstein together in a photo with his arm around the Dalai Lama. Another witness is a biographer of Donald Trump. One Indian source told me that local Indians are repulsed by these latest revelations, coming in so soon after the inappropriate incident with the Indian boy (see below). An Indian source told me that now is the time for the Dalai Lama’s Trusts, foundations, charity managing institutions to disclose sources of funding to clearly prove he was not with Epstein and not getting funds from him.
There were other very emotional reactions in Tibetan exile media, such as this one by a North American based Tibetan, offering zero, intelligent or nuanced reflection on it. Just defend and attack, blame and demonise other people like Deepak Chopra. For example, an email was released in the Epstein Files where Chopra states that he felt the Dalai Lama did not have a lot of knowledge of certain aspects of Buddhism, which provoked outrage by some Tibetans in North America (see image).
Yet, with all due respect, there may be some truth in this. It has been remarked on by various people and scholars, that despite having given the Kalacakra many times globally and in India, the 14th Dalai LAma has very rarely taught about the contents or actual practice of Kalacakra, nor its origin and history. This may be also because the Kalacakra is not originally held by the Gelugpas.
In any case, surely the question has to be, if the Dalai Lama is a living Buddha and emanation of Avalokiteshvara (as is claimed) , and had any connection with Epstein (whether he met him or not) he must have known that Epstein was doing these things. Buddhas have omniscience and can read people’s minds and so on. Also Buddhas can, and did transform criminals and prostitutes’ and hunters’ lives around, and were able to prevent further harm to others. This suggests that he is not a Buddha as claimed. Yet, many Tibetans and his followers want to claim this, while still claiming he was ignorant about Epstein’s activities.
Most importantly perhaps to reduce conflict and division, there was no encouragement or statement from Buddhist teachers or followers to develop love and compassion for the survivors (and the perpetrators). Proving that many Tibetans and their international Buddhist followers and friends of the Dalai Lama may idolise him, but they are not putting into practice the Buddhist principles, or ethics or pure perception of seeing all beings as having Buddha Nature. Worse than that, they are not being encouraged to do so either in the public statements by such institutions or teachers.
Indian officials and public reaction was more cynical and disapproving though, with one senior government official stating that the Dalai Lama and Gelugpas were now a “spent force in India.”
In addition, if the Dalai Lama’s Office can issue such a clear statement, why has the Office of the 17th Karmapa still not issued a statement about the Canadian court case, and claims of an unplanned child being supported by millions of dollars secretly by people associated with the Karmapa. A clear statement would have helped clear up what was true or not, and prevented huge amounts of negative speech, karma and gossip speculating about it by those connected to the Karmapa. The silence has been deafening, as we say. In any case, the 17th Karmapa has still not returned to India, and his in person appearances are kept strictly private to an “elite few monks” and unknown laypeople.
14th Dalai Lama pressurising a Indian boy to make oral contact with him and excessive use of long-life offerings
These allegations regarding the 14th Dalai Lama come only a couple of years after a video was published (not fake) of his inappropriate act with an Indian boy at a public event at the Dalai Lama’s temple and residence, in Dharamsala, India. The 14th Dalai Lama is clearly seen and heard requesting and pressurising a young Indian boy 12 years old, who had merely asked for an affectionate hug (which had been given), to then kiss his lips. When that was bodily and verbally refused by the boy, the Dalai Lama (seemingly frustrated that the boy did not comply) then pulled the boy in again sticking his tongue out and asking him to suck his tongue.
This happened also during a time after COVID restrictions had been lifted, but where it was still compulsory at the Dalai Lama temple to wear mask, even entering the courtyard there, and during audiences with him. So how does forcing an Indian boy fit with that health fear? [1]
At the time, I wrote down my own thoughts about the incident, but decided not to as emotions were running very high. I was in Dharamsala at the time, and Tibetans there took to streets with angry and loud protests demonising the Indian media and anyone who dared agree with them on it.
My own view is that it was a mistake (which the Dalai Lama apologised for) but rather than angrily rush to defend it (as many did with all sorts of illogical and inaccurate statements) it would be compassionate and loving to place more emphasis on the boy’s physical and verbal reactions and feelings, at the time of the acts. Not afterwards when asked about it with huge pressure from the media and family. Acknowledging that children’s and women’s rights to bodily autonomy and consent are paramount. No-one should be pressured or forced to make oral contact with an adult, unless there is a good reason, and they have clearly consented [3].
The constant long-life offerings for the 14th Dalai Lama are also part of the issue with the obsession with youth and age though (where young consorts are used on secret levels to squeeze their life-force out of them) Yet, even Buddhists state such amounts of practices are unprecedented and something that even the Shakyamuni Buddha himself at 80 years old, never requested or needed.
Sexual abuse of children by Gelugpa Dob-Dob monks, the cultural norm for three centuries in Tibet
I was also aware due to my research on Gelugpa sectarian history and how they came to power in Tibet, on the back of serious mass murder, theft and destruction of other lineage monasteries with the support and help of the foreign invaders, Mongolia. [3]
In addition, there is the child-abusing Gelugpa “Dob Dob” monks that became the “cultural norm” in Tibet for centuries, as documented by Tibetan writers like Tashi Tsering, in his book Struggle for A Modern Tibet. It details how Gelugpa monks and monasteries ruled with brutality and fear, and would not only sexually abuse young monks as “sex toys” in their monasteries, but would even kidnap school boys walking home from school and keep them for days sexually abusing them.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Age is just a number but bodies are not, and consent of women and children matters too: Misunderstandings, misinterpretations, lack of safeguarding in monasteries
Moving away from the 14th Dalai Lama allegations, to more general concerns, there also seems to be some major misunderstanding in Vajrayana Tantric Buddhist cultures that the young ages mentioned in some Tantras, particularly of consorts, but also of female goddesses like Tārā, is to be taken literally. However, this is a worldly mistake (mainly due to male misinterpretation of the texts to satisfy some paedophile type desires and lust or easy manipulation). All the teachings I have ever received on such statements, all state the age is a mere number and is symbolic, and refers more to the state of mind, vitality, energy of a 16 year old, and doe snot have to be a physical age.
For example, the most famous example of a woman who attained awakening as a consort, was the 61 year old Sukhasiddhi, who then transformed into a 16 year old girl on the inner level.
Some (mainly men) try to justify this male error (or paedophile tendencies) as being in the texts, often point to the 15th Century Tibetan yogi, Drugpa Kunleg, who (jokingly I think) referred to having the samaya of never having a consort below the age of ten. However Kunleg also said this (translation not mine though):
Monastic wealth inserts itself into the monks’ stomachs,
Thick d**ks insert themselves into young girls:
That is the teaching on the Three Insertions.”
So, reading this (and knowing the character and rebellious and witty personality of Kunleg, as well as his criticism of corrupt monks, the “thick d**ks, and “ten year old consort” comment could also a bit like a joke and sarcasm, not to be taken literally [4].
However, the English translations have been done mainly by men (who are not realised practitioners with the pith instruction of practice experience), who often get it wrong (with a sexist bias) and take it literally too.
Women and children’s experiences and voices not heard or valued
In any case, Drugpa Kunleg and Gedun Chophel were living in times when women and children globally (not just in Tibet) did not hold politicial , religious, spiritual or economic power in Tibet. Various Tibetan women have written about their experiences in Tibet, such as Sera Khandro, Yeshe Tsogyel, and more recently by Tibetan woman, Kunsang Dolma, in her autobiography, One Hundred Thousand White Stones. As I know from meeting and interviewing Kunsang Dolma personally in 2013 (see here), such Tibetan women have then faced more abuse within the community for doing so and bullying such as “trying to be like western women”, even though basic human rights for women is not a western thing at all.
However, we are now living in the 21st century and women and children are considered to have autonomy over their bodies, speech and minds and the right to say no. The reason why the age of consent in most countries is 16 years old is because children are easily manipulated and pressured by adult men to do and say things they might not do otherwise. This is why statutory rape (based only the age of a person, not on consent) is a crime, because it acknowledges that there is an imbalance of age and power.
The lack of safeguarding and abuse of boy monks within Tibetan Buddhist monasteries has been exposed as a cause for concern many times, yet nothing seems to have changed on that either, even after a well-known Bhutanese tulku, Kalu Rinpoche in 2011 exposed his rape and abuse as a teen monk in a monastery.
Consent matters and predatory male abuse has no part in the love and compassion of Buddhism, nor in generating the necessary bliss and devotion in Vajrayana union
The great bliss spoken about in Tantric texts gives the example of a woman experiencing a full orgasm, as I wrote about here. So, consent matters, but is it even really necessary for a consort or sexual union partner in Buddhist tantric practice to be very young? The answer is a clear no. The union of a man and woman is based on inner practice, qualities, merit, devotion, wisdom and so on. It is based on both the consort and teacher being qualified and as the minimum quality having genuine love and compassion for all beings.
Pressurising or seducing a young, innocent, naive child or teenager to give up their virginity, or engage in sexual relations with a much older man, is not only manipulative and unethical in a worldly sense, but in Vajrayana practice, totally unnecessary for the purpose of attaining awakening and realisations.
The inner and secret subtle body of an adult and child are also different, and physically a child’s body is not fully matured either, so such unions may not only be unwanted but even uncomfortable and not cause bliss at all.
In any case, to generate and transform the desire in Vajrayana union practice, there needs to be that “sexual lust/attraction” element there, and frankly I have never personally found the bodies or minds of boys and pre-teens attractive or sexually desirable. Nor has taking the virginity of a male excited me. So, it is clear that men who do find such things desirable are simply engaging in misogynist, paedophile fantasies that have not place in Buddhism.
Buddhism is based on love, compassion and non-harming. How could pressurising or seducing a young person to have sex with a much older adult male be loving, or compassionate? If that was their daughter, or sister, would they want that for her? Maybe some of them perversely would, but the vast majority of men still find the idea repulsive, unethical and predatory.
OTHER CASES
Another covered-up case of sexual exploitation of a minor female in the USA by Karma Kagyu Monlam organiser, as well as forced tantric unions, bullying and online attacks of Buddhist women, and grooming female children for future targeting
Unknown to most, years ago the main organiser of the Kagyu Monlam, Lama Chodrag, was also caught by a family he had been staying with in the US as their guest, of having seduced and had sexual relations with their daughter a minor). Yet, despite their unhappiness about this, Lama Chodrag who is still dressed as and acting like a monk, is still organising the Monlams to this day, even though he has not returned to the USA since, due to fears of prosecution for the crime of statutory rape by the family. [4]Why was he allowed to continue in such a high-profile position or responsibility, after doing such a thing?
As a survivor myself of sexual misconduct, as I wrote in 2020, two identifiable women whom I spoke to about the senior Karma Kagyu tulku, Sangye Nyenpa told me they had been groomed and messaged as young children by the same teacher (from 12 years old), with the express permission of their Buddhist parents who followed the teacher.
One woman described how when she reached adulthood, she was then made to feel intoxicated/romantic/sexual by him, and then understandably expressed feelings to him. She was then rejected in a cold and uncaring way. She even excused it and said she thought he had become sick due to mercury poisoning with Tibetan medicine (hmmm, that’s a new excuse). This is probably just the tip of the iceberg. It has been alleged that some women have committed suicide after such callous and misogynist treatment. And who can blame them? Their pure, open love and intention, is trashed and dumped by the teacher who got bored, attached or went off to find some new fresh catch. Often doing it without any permission or input from their own gurus in the lineage.
Then, there is the alleged abuse and misuse of tantra on women’s retreats at Holy Isle, Samye Ling in the UK, by Drupon Karma Lhabu and Lama Katen, including allegations of sexual assault. Followed by a classic DARVO response from the teachers and students. Interesting how these people all actively support and promote each other, with zero reflection or pause as to whether or not they might need to change their conduct?
Yet, still the male-dominated Tibetan Buddhist patriarchal system ignores and overlooks the valid experiences and feelings of women and children, as can be seen in the 17th Karmapa’s sister meeting and giving a gift said to be from the 17th Karmapa to Sangye Nyenpa and Drupon Karma Lhabu in Nepal, said to be from the 17th Karmapa, this month. Instead of meeting those men, why don’t they meet their female survivor followers, and speak to them about what these men are doing and trying to help and protect them?
Conclusion: symbols, karmic interdependency and Drugpa Kagyu
It is not suggested that the 14th Dalai Lama himself engaged in any wrongdoing towards children. However, it important to set the role model and example for women, children and young people that Buddhism and monasteries are places of safety, love and compassion of real refuge. Not places where male predators will cause more harm and trauma to them, which they may already have experienced in a worldly context. Age is just a number, but consent matters, not only in Buddhist practice and philosophy, but in any culture or religion in which love and compassion are paramount.
As I wrote this article in the space of a few hours at a Tibetan Buddhist inspired vegan restaurant, with a photo of the Drugpa Kagyu lineage head, on a small shrine, the irony and symbolism was not lost on me at all. The Gelugpas, were not only the only main Tibetan Buddhist lineage to encourage and state that eating slaughtered animals was permissible if they did not kill the animal, but also for health reasons, as the 14th Dalai Lama has said is the reason he eats meat. Yet, according to monastic Vinaya, no monk should ever eat a slaughtered animal, offered or not, unless it died naturally.
Also, the Drugpa Kagyu were one of the most persecuted, destroyed and disempowered lineages in Tibet and in Ladakh due to the Gelugpa sectarian military and religious violence inflicted on them. Vajrayana and Tantra works via symbols, and it was as if the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and dakinis themselves were all clearly showing the karmic symbols again.
Endnotes
[1] Millions who watched the full video (not the edited one initially provided by Tibetan exile-US media) were filled with visceral shock– not because they are Chinese spies or loathe the Dalai Lama and Tibetans—but because to most adults it was clearly a powerful adult male not listening to or respecting the clear No of the child. A No that was given in front of not only that powerful person, but also to an audience of many adults and media. For a 12 year old child tor refuse that kind of pressure, three times, is something even an adult might not be able to do.Clearly proving the boy did not want or welcome it.
The boy was not Tibetan and he was not biologically related to the Dalai Lama either. Yet, many Tibetans who see any criticism of Dalai Lama as blasphemous (due to centuries of Gelugpa sectarian propaganda) , refused to tolerate any peaceful, wise reflection on the Indian or international outrage on it, instead they went into “full battle mode” with mass media campaigns to excuse it as a “cultural norm” or “playful fun”.
Even though children’s rights advocates in India called it wrong, regardless of the Dalai Lama’s intentions of playful fun or even it were cultural (which itself is debatable). I have lived in Dharamsala on and off for several years, and I never heard or saw an adult male pressurising a child to do that in a public, or even private context. As one writer pointed out, “no-one is sucking anyone’s tongue” in that kind of context (including adults).
[2] One Indian government minister (then Director of the Ministry of Culture), Niraj Kumar who is also a recognised Kalacakra scholar, had the courage to speak out about the incident. He was then harassed and defamed online by Tibetans defending the Dalai Lama, with mass email campaigns to his office, and even Tibetans turning up there unannounced. Kumar eventually chose to leave his senior office in the Ministry of Culture due to these bullying and harassment campaigns. I also experienced a”black magic” type attack there, which left me physically injured, and decided it was time to leave Dharamsala, and India (despite having lived there on and off for several years) and have not returned there since.
I had been warned several times not to stay in the area due to the amount of Gelugpa monks there doing such “worldly protector” practices and attacking ordinary beings they perceived as a threat to Gelugpa domination. Something that the 5th Dalai Lama himself also participated in and encouraged, see my research about that here.
[3] This takeover led to mass conversions of stolen monasteries to Gelugpa and everyone having to have a photo of the Dalai Lama on their shrines and recite his long-life prayer daily. This practice (despite the later Chinese communist takeover of Tibet, which came about due to the Gelugpas giving all the administrative power to the Qing dynasty in the years previously for their military protection), has continued to this day in exile. Although in Tibet, as a karmic turning of tables, the Dalai Lama photo is forbidden in Tibet.
[4] The well-known non-sectarian rebel and writer of the early 20th Century, Tibetan Gedun Chophel apparently also mentioned the ages and sexual types and procilivities of women in his book The Arts of Love. Chophel was also a joker and may have also been influenced by the sexist and patriarchal norms he was living in, as I wrote about here.
[5] I was asked not to write about the Lama Chodrag case by some people close to it who didn’t want to dredge up old trauma. However, surely it is in the public interest to expose such men who are still in positions of religious power and influence? After all, the survivors have to live with the shame, embarassment and trauma of it for the rest of their adult lives, so why not the “religious” men who carelessly and needlessly inflicted that harm on those young people? One of the Bodhisattva vows is protecting people from harm too.
the meditation & mind transmissions of beings is getting destroyed by the corruption & selling it commercially.one can not even speak anymore. the cosmic feminine divine is gone they have to steal it from children & animals . there will be a lot if deformed births
Vajrayana tantra has been kept confined to its practitioners. It may be so. However, this is right opportunity to educate people about this practice and methodology and may be initiation courses could be offered online. This will make it open source and a lot of exploitation which happens in name of tantra will be arrested. In higher realms reality looks different than it looks to normal people.