Sex and Violence in Tibetan Buddhism: The Rise and Fall of Sogyal Rinpoche

poor and not credible, totaly biased approche, so surprised that this book was allowed to be published.Reflection of all the curent medias

I've been a student of Buddhism since the early 90's. The first book I ever read on Buddhism was 'Buddha in the palm of your hand', by Osel Tendzin. I quickly became aware of the scandal surrounding him and the group associated with him and Trungpa. And yet I was still profoundly attracted to the teachings and continued to study and practice. Over the years I've connected with many groups and teachers.As years passed I was shocked to learn about the allegations brought against so many spiritual teachers and the groups surrounding them.So, this is nothing new. Technology has made it possible to shine a very bright spotlight on these types of problems. It does not take much effort to research and find many examples of cults in every religion, some of them are not even religion based but instead based on sex, money or power. I believe that it takes a whole lot of people to create a harmful culture.And yet I continue to practice and study Buddhism. There are still many wonderful teachers and students of the Dharma.I do believe the stories are true. I think people need to be aware of what is happening. It's wise to be cautious on the spiritual path. Just don't give up the path.

This book is a milestone — and, now that Sogyal Lakar Is dead: a tombstone sans eulogy.It makes harrowing reading and I read it out of a sense of human duty — as a committed Vajrayana Buddhist.This is a work that everyone connected with Vajrayana should read. It serves as a grave warning to exactly how far people can delude themselves. It shows exactly why people should not trust what is popular or fashionable.Lakar was fashionable with celebrities whom he seduced by simpering and smirking as he trotted out wisdom-cookie cliches designed to impress the credulous. It is frightening how credulous intelligent people can be when faced with Tibetan mystique. Lakar was a clever businessman - but not so clever as to stay within limits. This is because he was afflicted with Antisocial Personality Disorder/ Narcissistic Personality Disorder and abused people to such a horrible degree that he was finally exposed for what he is. The fact that he was a Tibetan served to obfuscate his insincerity.He was supported by a high ecclesiastical pontiff and only reluctantly disavowed.He bought the term ‘crazy wisdom’ into severe disrepute — and damaged the reputation of Vajrayana Buddhism.Those who wish to repair the damage perpetrated by Lakar would do well to read this accurate indictment of a despicable criminal. When I bought this book -- I thought nothing would come as a surprise. I have been an observer of this man since the late 1970s - but this book did contain new information, even for me. The depths of his degradation went further than I knew.

Un livre fort bien écrit, qui se lit facilement et permet de mieux comprendre le parcours incroyable et les succès d'un gourou tibétain débauché et violent jusqu'à sa chute récente et sa fuite ne Thaïlande.Ce scandale éclabousse non seulement des hauts cadres responsables de la secte, mais aussi toute une élite de lamas de hauts rang qui par leur silence complice et leur acceptation des invitations de celui dont ils ne pouvaient ignorer les "exploits" depuis des décennies, ont montré un coté bien obscur de leur façon de manifester leur compassion. Sans la lettre des 8 signataires, les abus sectaires sexuels et financiers auraient pu continuer en détruisant la vie des sincères et crédules aspirants à une sagesse au delà des concepts dualistes.Le livre évoque d'autres scandales et abus du même type dans la sphère lamaïque internationale actuelle...On en sort écœuré et plein de sympathie pour les victimes des ces agissements lamentables et dégradants.Un grand merci aux auteurs.

This is really an important book about the most famous fraud within Tibetan Buddhism. The authors meticulously follow the rise of Sogyal Lakar as a teacher of Buddhism turning more and more into a cult leader. Blinded by the celebrity status of Mr. Lakar thousands of followers were drawn into his circle of attractions where at the center was an inner circle of physical and sexual abuse. This book is eye opening and a must read for all those truly interested in Tibetan Buddhism.

I was one of those who was enormously interested in Sogyal's best seller (which he almost certainly didn't write and wasn't capabale of writing) and when I first heard about the allegations against him my reaction weas along the lines of 'Say it ain't so, Joe!'. But the evidence of his abusive behaviour is overwhelming, and this book lays it out clearly and backs it up with witness accounts. Some are still in denial, which is why it's so important that Western Buddhists, and especially those who follow Tibetan Buddhism, which because of its 'guru worship' aspect seems to be particularly prone to cultish behaviour and a refusal to acknowledge the faults of teachers or support victims, take note of revelations like this one.Not all teachers are like Sogyal and his ilk (although I've gradually realised that there are more than I would have believed) and I remain a commited Buddhist, but we should always confront bad behaviour and not write it off as 'crazy wisdom' or abandon our critical faculties.