Saturday 2 October 2010

Worldy peoples view on religion and spirituality

This article concerning peoples dislike of religious and spiritual groups. Peoples viewpoint of religion is important and we need to study it and ask ourselves - does our group come across like this and if so can anything be done?

Normally we do not look at negative comments because we fear we will develop deluded doubts. We only read material that confirms what we believe. When we do read something that contradicts us we quickly conclude it is damaging our faith and stop.

We need to move forward from this weak position. It a position where we cannot listen to others. We have to leave a room when someone disagrees with us with this type of position. If we believe this position is correct, the following reasons disprove it:

1) In Tibet and India all all the great monasteries there was a great deal of open debate. People with many different viewpoints listened to each other and banged heads for hours or days at a time. The purpose of this was to deepen their understanding of reality and experience of logic/reasoning. Buddhists debated Hindus over Ishvara for example. We can see a summary in Meaningful to Behold.

2) Buddha defeated all the Maras. He did not run away from them. When he was under the Bodhi tree they tried every line of reasoning, but Buddha was so strong in logic that noone could destroy his faith. We need to follow this example and deepen our understanding of all topics. If we have true faith in Buddha we will not hold to the view that if we look at reality too closely we will see something that disproves Buddhas teachings and our bubble will be burst.

3) With clairvoyance we will see what everyone is thinking and we will hear everyones voice. If the sound of one voice we have to run away how are we going to strive for Buddhahood? We need to deal with this so the sound of others voices is teaching us Dharma. Every voice is explaining one thing, how samsara functions (the 12 dependant related links) or how nirvana functions. Therefore if we understand this we can see that everything confirms Buddhas teachings and deepens our faith. For example if we are surrounded by immoral people we see their karma and we also see our own superiority complex. Both teach Dharma.


So now we understand this we need to care for our kind mothers and try to look to see what is blocking them from religion so we can help them. We need to consider that they will have many valid points. Not everything people say is invalid. Its self cherishing that places us on the mountain of pride looking down at all other people, telling them to be quiet. Everything we know we have learned from others. Others led us to Buddhism by showing us love, patience, ettiquette, generosity. They gave us the taste for these things that made us seek more detailed instructions. The only reason others words dont sound like Dharma is because of our own spiritual weakness. Buddha hears Dharma teachings from every sound.

So by studying what has put people off religion we can ensure that we do not repeat these patterns. For example pushing people to convert. Therefore I recommend studying the following website.

Yahoo answers - all latest questions on hating religion
Yahoo answers - all the latest questions on problems with religion
Why do people insult religion- ballistics answer is very clearly expressing people views
What is the biggest problem with religion and spirituality?
Why do atheist have such a problem with religion?
Do atheists have a problem with religion in general or just God
Is religion the problem or is it the people in the religion?
What is spiritual abuse?
Why do spiritual people hate the word religion so much?

Friday 24 September 2010

Taking and cherishing others opens us to abuse?

This is an obstacle to spiritual progress. The reason why it is written as an obstacle to the tradition is because we blame our external environment for this obstacle. No matter who we live with we will have problems with this deluded doubt. If we become unhappy with a non buddhist friend thinking they are taking advantage of our new good nature, this does not damage our faith in Buddhism. But if we develop the same problem whilst living in a spiritual community we may conclude that the sangha is at fault. If we believe that non Buddhists also will also do this though, is this not a sign in truth that it is not all the living beings in the world who need to change? We simply need to overcome this obstacle because until we do we wont be able to see cherishing others as plausible. Blaming the sangha simply damaging our chance to have spiritual friends because if the sangha were to vanish this problem would remain. This shows that the sangha is not the cause.

Is spiritual practice supposed to be always comfortable?

What do we achieve if we run away or reject all hardships? We need to check what an authentic spiritual path will entail. If we study and discuss interesting topics and spend some time in a caring community, enjoying having many people friendly towards us - this is comfortable. But it is not the spiritual path. We can enjoy these comforts for many years and maintain a spiritual identity for these benefits. We can provide good intelligent spiritual discussions saying correct answers and points and appear to be fully engaged.

However if we want to engage in spiritual practice from the heart, we will be at out own pace, challenging ourself. There are various topics one comes to terms with when one trains in Buddhas teachings with deep faith.

During authentic practice one gains convicion in the existance of the lower realms. We need to ask ourselves how comfortable will we be knowing that beings who we come to regard as our mothers are experiencing hell realms. We need to ask this in our heart. If we fully engage in these realizations will we not be subject to a great internal challenge?

If we say that inducing fear, throwing oneself at a teacher and becoming intensely devoted and faithful is bad religion, are we not invalidating the core of the Buddhas teaching? We would have to reject the lower realms, death meditation, refuge practice and even meditation on emptiness as this can invoke fear and desperate tugging of our teachers robes.

Other topics such as facing our fear of death are not a walk in the park. When we feel we are falling from a building in dreams we experience terror. This is our current experience when we face death. We have to change on a deep level to overcome this response. How can it be that completely reversing all our normal ways of thinking is going to be a problem free proccess? We are talking about the most radical transformation of ourselves possible.

Our normal response is to blame others when anything goes wrong. This is human nature and we all do it. So who are we going to blame when this mental transformation proccess does not go smoothly?

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Thinking that Buddhists lack motivation and are denying themselves

What does it mean to be overcoming the ego? Does it mean we lose our motivation? When we subdue a powerful motivating force and replace it with an intellectual new idea this new motivation is obviously going to be very unfamiliar and lacking in potency of our previous driving force. So necessarily we will at first appear less motivated and dynamic.

We can see that if someone asks a person to do something where there is a big reward for the ego, that person finds energy that they didnt even know they had! Even someone who has been slow and lifeless for years can surprise everyone by suddenly moving with incredible speed!

When there is no reward for the ego most people will refuse to do anything. If an act of altruism rewards the ego people feel more motivated. Always general program students straight away raise their concerns that without the primal force of the ego, they will become bored and unmotivated.

Therefore at the beginning when you meet Buddhist who is not following the desires of the ego but instead trying to think of others getting the reward, of course when you ask them to do something they might appear reluctant. This is a sign in reality that they are not relying upon their old way of thinking.

They cannot develop the motivation to help you:
- so that you will be their friend
- so that they can develop a sense of achievement or congratulate themselves
- so that they will develop a reputation in a social circle and impress people
- so that you will help them later on/owe them one/return the favour
- to get into your good books


These are ego motivations. The motivation they are trying to generate is in its early stages. It is a motivation for no personal reward or benefit. But it is not powerful because they are training in it. Therefore it is not a fault that they cannot muster the same level of enthusiasm for helping others that comes when seeking personal reward. They havent mastered no reward motivations. But it is a great quest and so we should respect that they are trying their best and allow them the liberty to strive for these things without judgement. Because if they do succeed eventually it will be a great achievement.

In summary it is incorrect to say that people are not sincere about cherishing others because they appear less fired up. The fire is usually delusion or ego. If the fire is tamed this is a sign of a genuine wish to change.

Doubts about Dharma Protector practice

These doubts arise when we think that we are to accept all the conditions that arise seeing them as divine signs. With this attitude we conclude that as soon as someone asks us to do something, because we prayed for Buddha to arrange our conditions, that this is a sign and we must do this job. We then say yes to everything, end up in all sorts of difficulty, and then blame our Dharma Protector saying 'Why did you make all this happen?'

A great illustration of the illogical this behaviour is can be seen by watching the movie The Yes Man starring Jim Carey

This is a classic example of the important challenges to understanding reality correctly presented in Buddhas teachings on ultimate view. We can study the example of the Chittamatrin school who believe that everything is mind only. We know that when analysing dreams we regard everything as 'signs' because we know that all the objects are soley creations of the mind. However when inside the dream we do not take a passive position because at that time we do not believe the objects to be created by mind nor as created by Buddha to teach us some specific lesson.

This is an intellectual view we develop when awake. There are many spiritual followers of different religions who do this. They regard everything from a person knocking on their door to the number that comes when a dice is throw as determined and created by their deity. This direction leads to throwing dough balls, dice, divinations etc and is not the path of our tradition. The seeking of magical signs is a craving for excitement and arises if we feel we need a boost to energise our spiritual practice. It leads to many incorrect understandings where we conclude that people exist to feed our spiritual life. We cannot develop a genuine love for others if we are still thinking that people are tools and need them to be magicians for our entertainment.

Friday 10 September 2010

Thinking that Buddhists are less moral/caring than non Buddhists

The story of the good samaritan illustrates this obstacle. At some point in our life we are metaphorically like a man fallen at the side of a road. Perhaps our car is broken down or we become seriously ill. At such times we look to see who walks by and who asks us if we are ok.

Then we begin deluded doubts towards the people who walked past seeing them as bad Buddhists. We then start thinking that Buddhists are less moral/caring than non Buddhists. What is the answer to this?
We need to ask ourselves - How many non Buddhists would walk by? And how many Buddhists would?

The fact is the ratio is much improved and it is unreasonable to not only expect everyone to be perfect but to demand that people who have been working very hard to take on these extra tasks. Buddhists are not perfect. But they are here and trying to improve. Why do we demand so much of them? Why are we so judgemental of them?
If we told a worldly person that they have to be perfect and serve our every need they would tell us we are an idiot, yet this is our attitude towards senior Buddhists and senior followers of other religions.

We say things such as -
You are training in compassion therefore sit and listen to my problems its your job!
You are training in patience so I will test your patience and will judge your level of attainment by your reaction!
You are training in equanimity so you must treat me as equal to your best friend!
You are training in forsaking worldly desires therefore you must give me everything for free!
You are training in love so why are you not making me feel welcome, smiling at me, talking to me and so forth!?
You are training in happiness so why do you not smile more!?

In this way as soon as someone tries to lead a spiritual life they become subject to a tirade of criticisms. We need to support people who are trying to improve not attack them. Even if they are not doing a very good job they are trying. Why is this not good enough? Why do they have to be perfect?

This is the human way. To attack anyone who stands as a representative of good saying - You are not doing it properly or correctly. We can see it throughout history. When this mind is fully developed it turns into imprisoning religious people and torturing them to 'break them down' or 'test their level of accomplishment'.

This is ultimately what happened in the story of Jesus. Because he claimed to be a moral person and people following him claimed he had miracle powers as well as being the son of God, those who sought to disprove all this took him and tried to put him in a position where he could only free himself by revealing his powers and if he did not reveal his powers those leaders sought to claim he had no powers. They also tried to break him so that he would forsake his faith. Why? Because if he gave up they can then say that the path/religion doesnt work and then in proving it justify their own choices of lifestyle.

We can see also the witchcraft trials, trying to force people to show magical powers by making it so only magic could prevent death. Through this showing that magic doesnt work and to attack those who do anything unusual. It is a way of enforcing conformity to ordinary lifestyles.

We can also read the story of Shariputra how he was cornered by a demon who told him he wished for him to cut off his hand. Why do we try to corner spiritual people and attempt to make them look foolish?

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Pacifying Deluded Doubts

There are so many deluded doubts so all ideas are welcome

Thinking that Buddhism is a cult - here we analyse definition of religious abuse and traditional Buddhism
Thinking that Buddhists are less moral/caring than non Buddhists - here we can see the story of the good samaritian
Thinking studying one teacher is sectarian - here we look at traditional Buddhism to check
Thinking that our traditions can avoid human problems - Here we can see an amazing range of similar situations in the Catholic Church in this documentary about the Pope
Doubts about Dharma Protector practice - How our circumstances are not secret commands
Doubts about Guru Devotion practice
Thinking that Buddhists lack motivation and are denying themselves
Doubts about the focus on fundraising and work - thinking Modern Buddhism pressurises to give wealth and work.
Doubts observing the differences between senior Buddhists and new people

Monday 6 September 2010

who can the worldly accept

could they accept Milarepa? What would happen to him in the modern world?
Many traditional Buddhist ways are no long acceptable? Therefore of course people are going to find many things unacceptable. People in our society are publically hounded and ridiculed. Noone is spared, look at what happened to Lady Diana. She spent near the end of her life touring minefields whilst being mocked and then killed. Anyone who is religious is detested before they even have a chance to introduce themselves let alone explain what their religion is.

Why do we study one teacher?

Why do we study under one teacher?

We can see Milarepas story. When Marpa would not give a discourse Milarepa went to another teacher. However with this teacher he could not gain any experiences.

Is this saying that this teacher Lama Ngokpa was not teaching correctly? NO. He was a perfect teacher. The issue is that Milarepa had given his heart to another teacher. Because he had bonded deeply with this teacher the bond could not develop with another teacher.

The first time you fall in love is always an experience you cannot get a second or third time. There is always one person in your life you develop a deep bond with one that you cannot feel for others. But then there is the question of Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa who had many many teachers. Atisha had a deep bond with Tara. He didnt ask many people for advice he always asked Tara.

For some people it works to have one teacher for some people many. So what is the answer?

7) There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.

Biography of Milarepa
Biography of Naropa
Biography of Marpa
Biography of Tilopa

According to Rick Ross Buddhism is a cult. I say it is authentic spiritual practice. What are we to do about this quandry in our modern world?
We have a great sense of romance about ancient Buddhist masters and it is often our admiration of their stories that drew us towards Buddhism. One movie that depicts this well is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring,_Summer,_Fall,_Winter..._and_Spring
There are excerpts on youtube but in Korean but the story is clear
The beginning of the story is where he is told if one creature has died he will carry the stone in his heart forever.
Later he runs away with a girl and is told by his master that lust leads to the wish to possess and from that deeds such as murder. He returns distraught having killed his wife out of jealousy
His master finds him trying to suffocate for suicide and and subjects him to gruelling purification and he carves the Prajnaparamita Sutra to purify.
We have to decide if we admire these stories or not. We admire a path of hardship and then cannot endure the slightest difficulty. Was the young boy abused? Making him walk with a rock, reducing him to tears, then as a man having him walk with a rock as well as beating him with a stick?

Did not many of the great masters of Buddhism including Buddha himself have people or groups of people campaigning against them?

Devadattas campaign against Buddha
People are said to have made trouble for Marpas students here
Atisha had the works of King Langdarma to contend with and many false teachers challenging him to debate
Troubles of the Panchen Lama
Sakya Pandita and the Mongols

Just because there are difficulties and gossip does not mean that a teacher is inauthentic

Saturday 4 September 2010

6) Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

Whilst building and demolishing houses for Marpa this became Milarepas situation

Dagmema came and asked him why he was crying, but Milarepa did not reply. She lifted up his chin and said: Don't cry; you will get the Dharma teaching. Milarepa finally told her his real feelings: You are kind to me as a mother. And in order to obtain the precious Dharma, I must build this house. Yet in building this house my body is becoming nothing but a huge wound. Until now I have worked as hard as I can carrying stones and earth, but it is extremely painful. Dagmema now looked at Milarepa's body which had been covered before, and seeing all his festering, open sores, she cried: You are right. I've never seen such wounds on a human being before. Your situation is even worse than an animal's. A horse only gets saddle sores on its back, but you have them all over your body. I don't understand why Marpa is making you go through all of this.



One day Marpa was giving the initiation of Chakrasamvara (Demchok). Many of his students had come and brought wonderful offerings. Milarepa also went and happily joined the crowd. But Marpa looked at him and said, What do you have to offer? Milarepa replied, Well, I've been building this house and that's my offering. Marpa admonished him: You're building this house but it's not finished. It's a finished house that you must offer. And he chased Milarepa away, but Milarepa did not leave immediately even though he'd been told to. He made his request again: Please, let me stay and receive this initiation. Marpa came up to him, cuffed him across the face and tossed him outside. Milarepa went sobbing to Dagmema, who comforted him, Don't worry. Slowly, with time, you will receive the Dharma. Sometime after this initiation, Marpa came to Milarepa. We had a little bit of a set-to the other day. Has your mind not turned against me for this? Milarepa replied, I have committed monstrous negative actions. They are the cause of the bad things that happen to me. My faith in the lama has not changed, not at all.


If Marpa had 1000 students who he gave such methods there would be 1000 stories of abuse. In our lifetime there have been Tibetan Buddhist Masters who have been very hard with their students. So we need to decide, are we going to disparage these great masters or are we going to allow these sometimes quite outrageous teacher-disciple relationships a place in our society. When is it abuse and when is it qualified practice of Buddhism?

Wednesday 1 September 2010

5)There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

This is an exerpt of Ashvagosha's Fifty verses. We can see this is our lineage and need to ask ourselves, was Ashvagoshas teaching incorrect? What would Rick Ross think? Does the definition of cult allow for Buddhism or do they clash?

This is Ashvagoshas biography showing that this teaching in the Lamrim was also taught in 150 ad. It is not something that developed later on promoted by corrupt teachers seeking attention.

10. Having become the disciple of such a protecting (Guru), should you then despise him from your heart, you will reap continual suffering as if you had disparaged all the Buddhas.

11. If you are so foolish as to despise your Guru, you will contract contagious diseases and those caused by harmful spirits. You will die (a horrible death) caused by demons, plagues or poison.

12. You will be killed by (wicked) kings or fire, by poisonous snakes, water, witches or bandits, by harmful spirits or savages, and then be reborn in a hell.

13. Never disturb your Guru's mind. Should you be foolish and happen to do this, you will surely boil in hell.

14. Whatever fearful hells have been taught, such as Avici, the Hell of Uninterrupted pain, it is clearly explained that those who disparage their Gurus will have to remain there (a very long time).

15. Therefore, exert yourself wholeheartedly never to belittle your Tantric Master who makes no display of his great wisdom and virtues.

16. If from a lack of awareness you have shown disrespect to your Guru, reverently present an offering to him and seek his forgiveness. Then in the future such harms and plagues will not befall you.

17. It has been taught that for the Guru to whom you have pledged your word of honour (to visualize as one with your meditational deity), you should willingly sacrifice your wife, children and even your life, although these are not (easy) to give away. Is there need to mention your fleeting weath?

22. Therefore, a disciple with the good qualities of compassion, generosity, moral self-control and patience should never regard his Guru and the Buddha Vajradhara as different.

23. If you should never tread even on (your Guru's) shadow, because the fearsome consequences are the same as destroying a stupa, is there need to mention never stepping on or over his shoes or seat, (sitting in his place or riding) his mount?

24. (A disciple) having great sense should obey the words of his Guru joyfully and with enthusiasm. If you lack the knowledge or ability (to do what he says), explain in (polite) words why you cannot (comply).

25. It is from your Guru that powerful attainments, higher rebirth and happiness come. Therefore, make a wholehearted effort never to transgress your Guru's advice.

26. (Guard) your Guru's belongings as you would your own life. Treat even your Guru's beloved (family) with the same (respect you show for him). (Have affectionate regard for) those closely around him as if they were your own dearest kin. Single-mindedly think (in this way) at all times.

27. Never sit on the (same) bed or seat (as your Guru), nor walk ahead of him. (At teachings do not) wear your hair in a top-knot, (a hat, shoes or any weapons). Never touch a seat (before he sits down), or if he happens to sits on the ground. Do not place your hands (proudly) on your hips or wring them (before him).

28. Never sit or recline while your Guru is standing (nor lie while he is sitting). Always be ready to stand up and serve him skillfully in an excellent manner.

29. In the presence of your Guru, never do such things as spit, (cough or sneeze without covering your mouth). Never stretch out your legs when at your seat, nor walk back and forth (without reason before him), and never argue.

30. Never massage or rub your limbs. Do not sing, dance or play musical instruments (for other than religious purposes). And never chatter idly or speak in excess (or too loudly) within the range of (your Guru's) hearing.

31. (When your Guru enters the room) get up from your seat and bow your head slightly. Sit (in his presence) respectfully. At night, at rivers or on dangerous paths, with (your Guru's) permission, you may walk before him.

32. In the direct sight of his Guru, (a disciple) with sense should not (sit) with his body twisted around, nor lean (casually) against pillars and such. Never crack your knuckles, (play with your fingers or clean your nails).

33. When washing (your Guru's) feet or his body, drying, massaging (or shaving) him, precede such actions with (three) prostrations and at their conclusion do the same. Then attend (to yourself) as much as you like.

34. Should you need to address (your Guru) by his name, add the title "Your Presence" after it. To generate respect for him in others, further honorifics may also be used.

35. When asking for your Guru's advice, first announce why you have come. With palms pressed together at your heart, listen to what he tells you, without (letting your mind) wander about. Then (when he has spoken), you should reply, "I shall do exactly as you have said."

36. After doing (what your Guru has told you), report (what has happened) in polite, gentle words. Should you yawn or cough, (clear your throat or laugh in his presence), cover your mouth with your hand.

37. If you wish to receive a certain teaching, request three times with your palms pressed together, while before him on your (right) knee. (Then at his discourse), sit humbly and with respect, wearing appropriate clothing that is neat (and clean, without ornaments, jewelry or cosmetics).

38. Whatever you do to serve (your Guru) or show him respect, should never be done with an arrogant mind. Instead you should be like a newlywed bride, timid, bashful and very subdued.

39. In the presence of (the Guru) who teaches you (the Path), stop acting in a conceited, coquettish manner. As for boasting to others what you have done (for your Guru), examine (your conscience) and discard all such acts.

40. If you are (requested) to perform a consecration, (an initiation into) a mandala, a fire puja or to gather disciples and deliver a discourse, you may not do so if your Guru resides in that area, unless you receive his prior permission.

41. Whatever offerings you receive from performing such rites as (the consecration known as) "Opening the Eyes", you should present all these to your Guru. Once he has taken a token portion, you may use the rest for whatever you like.

42. In the presence of his Guru, a disciple should not act (as a Guru) to his own disciples and they should not act towards him as their Guru. Therefore (before your own Guru), stop (your disciples) from showing you respect such as rising (when you come) and making prostrations.

43. Whenever you make an offering to your Guru, or whenever your Guru presents you with something, a disciple with sense will (present and) receive this, using both hands and with his head slightly bent.

44. Be diligent in all your actions, (alert and) mindful never to forget (your word of honour). If fellow disciples transgress (what is proper) in their behaviour, correct each other in a friendly manner.

45. If because of sickness you are physically (unable) to bow to your Guru and must do what normally would be prohibited, even without (his explicit) permission, there will be no unfortunate consequences if you have a virtuous mind.

46. What need is there to say much more. Do whatever pleases your Guru and avoid doing anything he would not like. Be diligent in both of these.

8) Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

The following are quotes from the story of Milarepa. The question we need to ask ourselves is this. Is it neccessarily spiritual abuse or is it the lineage and a valid path? Milarepa experienced times of despair not only here but when he was in his cave. Many times he must have thought he was not good enough.
Wishing to leave his texts in a safe place, he put them in Marpa's shrine hall. When Marpa saw them there, he exclaimed: Take those books away right now! They are covered with obscurations. They stink of your negative practices and will pollute all my texts. Remove them immediately from the shrine hall. Milarepa thought: Marpa probably thinks these are my black magic texts and so took them out of the shrine hall.


Marpa asked Milarepa to use his magic to destroy people crops and frighten local people Which caused Milarepa distress to which he thought
Afterwards, thinking about what he had done, Milarepa became depressed and discouraged. In the past he had killed human beings and he now realized that in sending hail he had killed a lot of small sentient beings as well. If I think of the causes and conditions for rebirth in a future life, I have killed many people, and now I have killed small sentient beings as well. I haven't been able to practice the Dharma properly and certainly I'll be born in the hell realms. He went to Marpa and begged him: My negative activity is increasing and certainly in the next life I will be born in a burning hot hell. Please, through your great compassion grant me the teachings of the Dharma.


Whilst building and demolishing houses for Marpa this became Milarepas situation
Dagmema came and asked him why he was crying, but Milarepa did not reply. She lifted up his chin and said: Don't cry; you will get the Dharma teaching. Milarepa finally told her his real feelings: You are kind to me as a mother. And in order to obtain the precious Dharma, I must build this house. Yet in building this house my body is becoming nothing but a huge wound. Until now I have worked as hard as I can carrying stones and earth, but it is extremely painful. Dagmema now looked at Milarepa's body which had been covered before, and seeing all his festering, open sores, she cried: You are right. I've never seen such wounds on a human being before. Your situation is even worse than an animal's. A horse only gets saddle sores on its back, but you have them all over your body. I don't understand why Marpa is making you go through all of this.

One day Marpa was giving the initiation of Chakrasamvara (Demchok). Many of his students had come and brought wonderful offerings. Milarepa also went and happily joined the crowd. But Marpa looked at him and said, What do you have to offer? Milarepa replied, Well, I've been building this house and that's my offering. Marpa admonished him: You're building this house but it's not finished. It's a finished house that you must offer. And he chased Milarepa away, but Milarepa did not leave immediately even though he'd been told to. He made his request again: Please, let me stay and receive this initiation. Marpa came up to him, cuffed him across the face and tossed him outside. Milarepa went sobbing to Dagmema, who comforted him, Don't worry. Slowly, with time, you will receive the Dharma. Sometime after this initiation, Marpa came to Milarepa. We had a little bit of a set-to the other day. Has your mind not turned against me for this? Milarepa replied, I have committed monstrous negative actions. They are the cause of the bad things that happen to me. My faith in the lama has not changed, not at all.

Except for one goat with a bad leg, which he thought wasn't good enough to offer and thus left at home, Lama Ngokpa took everything he had gathered throughout his life as an offering to Marpa. Lama Ngokpa then said to Marpa, I give you power over my body, speech, and mind, and all the wealth that I have. Whatever I possess, I offer to you. The only thing I haven't offered you is one goat with a bad leg. I ask you to give me the special instructions of the Dakinis. Marpa replied, All the other Dharma I know I have given you, but if you want to receive this secret instruction of the Dakinis, you'll have to bring me that goat. Lama Ngokpa himself went back to his house and fetched the goat. It took him one day to return to his house, and then he walked the whole night back with the goat on his shoulders and offered it to Marpa.


Summary
________


Therefore the debate here is, when is it spiritual abuse and when is it the spiritual path. Is Rick Ross definition of abuse not taking into account traditional Buddhism? Is Buddhism an easy path? Is it easy to transform yourself completely? Is it wrong for teachers to sometimes be wrathful because they might make students feel this way? Or is it they have become so soft and gentle that we can now walk all over them & disrespect them?

10) The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible

MIlarepa sang of the Six deceptions as thus:
Monasteries are like collecting-station for hollow drift.
The priestly life ... is deceptive and illusory to me.
Of such prisons I have no need.

He also sang
How pitiful are sentient beings in Samsara ...
How foolish and sad it is to indulge in killing;
How sad to commit an act that in the end will hurt oneself;
How sad to build a sinful wall of meat, made of one's dying parents' flesh;
How sad to see meat eaten and blood flowing!

the 9th chapter of Shantidevas guide says
40. Hinayananist: Liberation comes from understanding the four noble truths, so what is the point of perceiving emptiness? Madhyamika: Because the scripture states that there is no awakening without this path.

In his second chapter he says
56. If I disregard the council of the Omniscient Physician who removes every pain, shame on me, extremely deluded one that I am!


The Prasangika school throughout all traditions claim that their way is the only way to liberation and mock other schools of thought. All the refuge teachings say that only the Three Jewels can protect us throughout all lineages. Already we can see sarcasm and mocking from both 700 ad Shantideva and Milarepa. Therefore if this is our lineage are we supposed to compromise it? How far does the compromising, and increasing gentleness need to go before the lineage is totally changed and becomes more of a mouse than a fearless snow lion?

Summary
________


Therefore the debate here is, when is it valid Buddhism and when is it teachers competing for disciples? Did Marpa or Tilopa claim to be the only valid teachers. Did they mock other paths or teachers? Did Buddha Shakyamuni challenge gurus of other paths saying his path is the correct path?

Once, when six highly-respected proponents of various non-Buddhist philosophies, [certainly Hindu and Jain, but possibly also Persian, Greek and even Middle-Eastern] having heard of Shakyamuni's teaching, came to contend with him in public debate. It is said that he demonstrated the superiority of his knowledge by emitting and transmuting fire and water.

Story of Naropa

Tilopa sometimes manifested as a yogi by performing yogic deeds and sometimes just seemed to be a simple madman. During all these times Naropa had no conceptual thoughts or doubts about Tilopa's realization.

Developing Naropa's Devotion
Once Naropa received a lot of vegetables from a wedding celebration and he offered them to Tilopa. Tilopa asked for more and so Naropa went again to the wedding reception, thinking that it would please his Guru. In India, it is not the accepted custom to go to a banquet twice in one day, so Naropa stole the whole pot of vegetables and carried it off. The people at the wedding caught him stealing and beat him with sticks and rocks, but Naropa managed to hang onto the pot and bring the vegetables to his guru.

At another time, Tilopa and Naropa encountered a princess sitting in a palyanka (palanquin) on the road. Tilopa said, "Grab the princess and bring her here!" Naropa transformed himself into a Brahmin and, uttering auspicious words, he put flowers on the girl's head. He then grabbed her and fled with her; the servants of the princess however caught up with him, and beat Naropa to the ground until he was like a corpse. Naropa subsequently recovered through the blessings and skillful means of his guru.

Once again, Tilopa and Naropa met someone's wife, this time married to a minister. Tilopa wanted her as his wife and told Naropa to do as he had done previously. Naropa paid her parents the price for a high caste girl and took her off with him. He thought he would offer her to his guru in the morning, but Naropa became very ill and was sick for many days. During this time, his guru recited mantras and Naropa soon recovered fully. At that time, Naropa offered the girl to Tilopa. However, the girl was so attacted to Naropa that she made love-glances at Naropa. Seeing this, Tilopa got very mad and said to the girl: "You don't like me but instead, you like him." He then beat both Naropa and the girl.

Those and many similar deeds were done in order to develop Naropa's faith. During all of these events that Naropa went through, his devotion and faith remained firm and was not shaken even slightly. Not only did it not diminish; in fact his faith and devotion expanded. In this way, Naropa served his guru Tilopa for twelve years and although he went through numerous hardships, Tilopa never even spoke a single good word to him


Summary
________


What would the cult experts say about this sort of behaviour, even beating a girl? Is there a teacher that is always right? Were Tilopa and Marpa always right?
Thus the debate here is, are there teachers who are always right and how do we know if we have met such a teacher or not?

4) Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.

Again, Milarepa went to gather together earth and rocks to make a house, and slowly the walls of the house were built up. It was such heavy work however, that large sores began to appear on his back. Since he could no longer carry things on his back, he carried them on his hip, but then sores also developed there, and so he carried things on his chest and sores developed there. He was surrounded by sores, and not only that, the water and earth he was carrying to make mortar entered into them and it was very painful for him. Yet he thought, Well, this is the command of my lama and continued his work with diligence and energy. Though he was in such pain Milarepa reflected: I can't really show these sores or speak of these problems to Marpa because he is a very high lama and also he would probably get angry with me. His wife is full of compassion and kindness but if I show them to her, she would probably think I am proud of all the work I've done. With no place to turn, he was filled with despair and weeping in the house. Dagmema came and asked him why he was crying, but Milarepa did not reply. She lifted up his chin and said: Don't cry; you will get the Dharma teaching. Milarepa finally told her his real feelings: You are kind to me as a mother. And in order to obtain the precious Dharma, I must build this house. Yet in building this house my body is becoming nothing but a huge wound. Until now I have worked as hard as I can carrying stones and earth, but it is extremely painful. Dagmema now looked at Milarepa's body which had been covered before, and seeing all his festering, open sores, she cried: You are right. I've never seen such wounds on a human being before. Your situation is even worse than an animal's. A horse only gets saddle sores on its back, but you have them all over your body. I don't understand why Marpa is making you go through all of this.


Firstly Marpa instilled despair and great distress as shown above. This was just the one storey house. In the end he built a nine storey tower! After building the tower he was not allowed to attend a teaching and was going to commit suicide. This is the ultimate painful mind far worse than any fear of the outside world. Milarepa also was told by Marpa to place a storm in a field and developed great fear that because he killed insects he was doomed to hellish existance.

Marpa explains why he did this as follows:
Marpa gathered all students around him and addressed Milarepa. Great Magician, you are my karmically connected son. I knew this from the very beginning. When I was plowing the field, that was my way of going out meet you. (In Tibet, there is the tradition that when someone important comes, you don't wait home, but you go out to meet them. The more important they are, the farther out you meet them.) However, you had killed many people and other sentient beings. In order to purify these negative actions, you had to go through all trials. Eight times you were thrown into despair. All these occasions were to purify negative actions, to make stronger your renunciation of samsara.


We have to ask ourself do these practices still exist in this world? Are they appropriate? Is this method valid? Not according to Rick Ross. Rick Ross's cult definition does not take into account traditional Buddhism and therefore traditional Buddhism is in danger of being branded spiritual abuse. We have all seen movies of oriental masters 'abusing' their disciples, 'controlling', 'enslaving' and everything that is defined as bad religion.

Even in the 7th century fear was greatly instilled as we see from Shantidevas works

Chapter 2 of his Guide says
40. Although lying here on a bed, and relying on relatives, I alone have to bear the feeling of being cut off from my vitality.

41. For a person seized by the messengers of death, what good is a relative, and what good is a friend? At that time merit alone is a protection, and I have not applied myself to it.

42. O Protectors, I, negligent, and unaware of this danger, have acquired many vices out of attachment to this transient life.

43. One completely languishes while being led today to have the limbs of ones body amputated. Parched with thirst, and with pitiable eyes, one sees the world differently.

44. How much more is one overpowered by the horrifying appearances of the Messengers of Death as one is consumed by the fevers of terror, and smeared with a mass of excrement?

45. With distressed glances, I seek protection in the four directions. Which good person will be my protection from this great fear?

46. Seeing the four directions devoid of protection, I return to confusion. What shall I do in that state of great fear?

47. Right now I go for refuge to the Protectors of the world whose power is great, to the Jinas, who strive to protect the world and who eliminate every fear.

48. Likewise, I earnestly go for refuge to the Dharma that is mastered by them and that annihilates the fear of the cycle of existence, and to the assembly of Bodhisattvas as well.

49. Trembling with fear, I offer myself to Samantabhadra, and of my own will I offer myself to Manjughosa.

50. Terrified, I utter a mournful cry to the Protector, Avalokita, whose conduct overflows with compassion, that he may protect me, a sinner.

Summary
________

In Buddhism we fear both a worldly life and impending catastrophy such as death and hellish rebirth

Therefore the debate is, is instilling fear bad religion or traditional authentic Buddhism?

3) No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.

Marpa made the following request and when Lama Ngokpa arrived and had brought everything he had come to posses throughout his life bar one item Marpa made the Lama walk back to get that item. It was a lame goat.
About this time a letter arrived for Lama Ngokpa from Marpa. It read: "The house is finally finished and I'm going to have a big celebration in honor of this occasion. Please come with your students and bring whatever you have to offer.

Therefore Marpa asked for people to bring all their possessions but he was not a false teacher. How would we view a teacher who asked us to do this nowadays? This is our lineage. Why is it in dispute when we have compromised so many of the methods so as not to be accused of abuse?

In the story of Milarepa and Marpa, Marpa took every type of offering and gold in order to amass wealth. This gold was then used to goto India to offer to Naropa to gain instructions.
Therefore the debate is, when is gathering money and demanding offerings religious abuse and when is it pure Buddhism? Does such a way of life have a place in our modern world or is Marpa now wrong?

2) No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry

Wishing to leave his texts in a safe place, he put them in Marpa's shrine hall. When Marpa saw them there, he exclaimed: Take those books away right now! They are covered with obscurations. They stink of your negative practices and will pollute all my texts. Remove them immediately from the shrine hall. Milarepa thought: Marpa probably thinks these are my black magic texts and so took them out of the shrine hall.


Marpa asked Milarepa to use his magic to destroy people crops and frighten local people Which caused Milarepa distress to which he thought
Afterwards, thinking about what he had done, Milarepa became depressed and discouraged. In the past he had killed human beings and he now realized that in sending hail he had killed a lot of small sentient beings as well. If I think of the causes and conditions for rebirth in a future life, I have killed many people, and now I have killed small sentient beings as well. I haven't been able to practice the Dharma properly and certainly I'll be born in the hell realms. He went to Marpa and begged him: My negative activity is increasing and certainly in the next life I will be born in a burning hot hell. Please, through your great compassion grant me the teachings of the Dharma.


Whilst building and demolishing houses for Marpa this became Milarepas situation
Dagmema came and asked him why he was crying, but Milarepa did not reply. She lifted up his chin and said: Don't cry; you will get the Dharma teaching. Milarepa finally told her his real feelings: You are kind to me as a mother. And in order to obtain the precious Dharma, I must build this house. Yet in building this house my body is becoming nothing but a huge wound. Until now I have worked as hard as I can carrying stones and earth, but it is extremely painful. Dagmema now looked at Milarepa's body which had been covered before, and seeing all his festering, open sores, she cried: You are right. I've never seen such wounds on a human being before. Your situation is even worse than an animal's. A horse only gets saddle sores on its back, but you have them all over your body. I don't understand why Marpa is making you go through all of this.


One day Marpa was giving the initiation of Chakrasamvara (Demchok). Many of his students had come and brought wonderful offerings. Milarepa also went and happily joined the crowd. But Marpa looked at him and said, What do you have to offer? Milarepa replied, Well, I've been building this house and that's my offering. Marpa admonished him: You're building this house but it's not finished. It's a finished house that you must offer. And he chased Milarepa away, but Milarepa did not leave immediately even though he'd been told to. He made his request again: Please, let me stay and receive this initiation. Marpa came up to him, cuffed him across the face and tossed him outside. Milarepa went sobbing to Dagmema, who comforted him, Don't worry. Slowly, with time, you will receive the Dharma. Sometime after this initiation, Marpa came to Milarepa. We had a little bit of a set-to the other day. Has your mind not turned against me for this? Milarepa replied, I have committed monstrous negative actions. They are the cause of the bad things that happen to me. My faith in the lama has not changed, not at all.


Except for one goat with a bad leg, which he thought wasn't good enough to offer and thus left at home, Lama Ngokpa took everything he had gathered throughout his life as an offering to Marpa. Lama Ngokpa then said to Marpa, I give you power over my body, speech, and mind, and all the wealth that I have. Whatever I possess, I offer to you. The only thing I haven't offered you is one goat with a bad leg. I ask you to give me the special instructions of the Dakinis. Marpa replied, All the other Dharma I know I have given you, but if you want to receive this secret instruction of the Dakinis, you'll have to bring me that goat. Lama Ngokpa himself went back to his house and fetched the goat. It took him one day to return to his house, and then he walked the whole night back with the goat on his shoulders and offered it to Marpa.


Then Marpa said to Milarepa

Although you went through great difficulties, never did you have wrong views, either about Dharma or myself. This is very wonderful: due to this circumstance, in the future your students will be genuine practitioners. They will also have faith and will not generate a negative view. Marpa continued: The view and the practice of Dharma that I teach is extremely important, wondrous, and most unusual, because within the secret Vajrayana, there's a special link between the lama and the student. Whatever happens between the two of them happens in order to develop the qualities of the student. If anger arises, it's not a normal arising of anger. There is a purpose to it. All of the Dharma teachings that I brought back from India at the risk of my life, I will give to you.


Milarepa never questioned Marpa saying his techniques approach or behaviour is subject to criticism. If Marpa wouldnt even tolerate someone not bringing a goat or sneaking into a teaching would HE tolerate questioning or critical inquiry?
Often his response in the story is as such:
Marpa became furious: What! I went to India at the risk of my life to get this Dharma teaching from Naropa.

However, if you think right now you are ready to get the precious Dharma for which I had to accumulate much gold to offer Naropa, and then travel along the hazardous route to India, if you think you are ready to get this now, you are overstepping yourself.


Yet now we complain if we are not allowed to put other books on our shrine and we question everything our teacher does full of doubts & misgivings. Our teacher says we can read other books because he is understands that we 'know better than him'. Marpa never took this approach. Even after doing all this doubting and telling our teacher what to do we are still allowed Dharma teachings and to attend our Chakrasambara initiations. We dont have to even bring offerings. Why is this? Even when all these things are compromised due to our lack of faith & stamina still we are not satisfied.
The debate here is do we abandon the way of Milarepa? Was he subject to religious abuse? When is no tolerance for questions or critical inquiry abuse and when is it the qualified path to enlightenment of Buddhism?

Here is a video about Ganden monastery. This is our lineage. Are they also wrong to forbade questioning the Guru?

1)Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability

In Milarepas story it says

Marpa said to him: I am Marpa, so you can make your prostrations now. Milarepa offered his prostrations and said: I am a great sinner who has committed tremendous negative actions. I offer you, however, my body, speech, and mind. Please give me food, clothing, and the teachings of Dharma so that I can attain buddhahood in this very life. Marpa replied: It doesn't really concern me that you have committed all these negative actions. What is important is that you have offered me your body, speech, and mind.


Wishing to leave his texts in a safe place, he put them in Marpa's shrine hall. When Marpa saw them there, he exclaimed: Take those books away right now! They are covered with obscurations. They stink of your negative practices and will pollute all my texts. Remove them immediately from the shrine hall. Milarepa thought: Marpa probably thinks these are my black magic texts and so took them out of the shrine hall.


Marpa asked Milarepa to use his magic to destroy people crops and frighten local people Which caused Milarepa distress to which he thought
Afterwards, thinking about what he had done, Milarepa became depressed and discouraged. In the past he had killed human beings and he now realized that in sending hail he had killed a lot of small sentient beings as well. If I think of the causes and conditions for rebirth in a future life, I have killed many people, and now I have killed small sentient beings as well. I haven't been able to practice the Dharma properly and certainly I'll be born in the hell realms. He went to Marpa and begged him: My negative activity is increasing and certainly in the next life I will be born in a burning hot hell. Please, through your great compassion grant me the teachings of the Dharma.


Whilst building and demolishing houses for Marpa this became Milarepas situation
Dagmema came and asked him why he was crying, but Milarepa did not reply. She lifted up his chin and said: Don't cry; you will get the Dharma teaching. Milarepa finally told her his real feelings: You are kind to me as a mother. And in order to obtain the precious Dharma, I must build this house. Yet in building this house my body is becoming nothing but a huge wound. Until now I have worked as hard as I can carrying stones and earth, but it is extremely painful. Dagmema now looked at Milarepa's body which had been covered before, and seeing all his festering, open sores, she cried: You are right. I've never seen such wounds on a human being before. Your situation is even worse than an animal's. A horse only gets saddle sores on its back, but you have them all over your body. I don't understand why Marpa is making you go through all of this.


One day Marpa was giving the initiation of Chakrasamvara (Demchok). Many of his students had come and brought wonderful offerings. Milarepa also went and happily joined the crowd. But Marpa looked at him and said, What do you have to offer? Milarepa replied, Well, I've been building this house and that's my offering. Marpa admonished him: You're building this house but it's not finished. It's a finished house that you must offer. And he chased Milarepa away, but Milarepa did not leave immediately even though he'd been told to. He made his request again: Please, let me stay and receive this initiation. Marpa came up to him, cuffed him across the face and tossed him outside. Milarepa went sobbing to Dagmema, who comforted him, Don't worry. Slowly, with time, you will receive the Dharma. Sometime after this initiation, Marpa came to Milarepa. We had a little bit of a set-to the other day. Has your mind not turned against me for this? Milarepa replied, I have committed monstrous negative actions. They are the cause of the bad things that happen to me. My faith in the lama has not changed, not at all.


Except for one goat with a bad leg, which he thought wasn't good enough to offer and thus left at home, Lama Ngokpa took everything he had gathered throughout his life as an offering to Marpa. Lama Ngokpa then said to Marpa, I give you power over my body, speech, and mind, and all the wealth that I have. Whatever I possess, I offer to you. The only thing I haven't offered you is one goat with a bad leg. I ask you to give me the special instructions of the Dakinis. Marpa replied, All the other Dharma I know I have given you, but if you want to receive this secret instruction of the Dakinis, you'll have to bring me that goat. Lama Ngokpa himself went back to his house and fetched the goat. It took him one day to return to his house, and then he walked the whole night back with the goat on his shoulders and offered it to Marpa.


In this story Marpa indeed has absolute authority. Who is he accountable to? We say that to take money is the sign of a bad teacher but Marpa took everything even the mans last goat!

Then Marpa said to Milarepa

Although you went through great difficulties, never did you have wrong views, either about Dharma or myself. This is very wonderful: due to this circumstance, in the future your students will be genuine practitioners. They will also have faith and will not generate a negative view. Marpa continued: The view and the practice of Dharma that I teach is extremely important, wondrous, and most unusual, because within the secret Vajrayana, there's a special link between the lama and the student. Whatever happens between the two of them happens in order to develop the qualities of the student. If anger arises, it's not a normal arising of anger. There is a purpose to it. All of the Dharma teachings that I brought back from India at the risk of my life, I will give to you.


Summary
________


Currently we complain that our teacher wishes for financial assistance from us and a degree of work. Yet Milarepa maintained faith no matter how hard he was worked and how much money and possessions Marpa took. Even his health was destroyed he still held faith. As the story says he did not develop wrong views about the Dharma or Marpa. When even his whole body was ruined with boils and sores Marpa was seemingly heartless not allowing him to attend the Chakrasambara intitiation. Nowadays we claim that there is a lack of gratitude. Where was the gratitude from Marpa? This story is a qualified lineage & pure behaviour. Marpa is absolute authority & would not explain himself or apologise for anything. Therefore the debate is when & why is this a characteristic of bad religion and when is it the path of Buddhism?

Refuting that Buddhism is 'cultish'

I am going to place this in pacifying because for some people in the tradition they believe that there is some truth in this and this is of course creating bad feeling within them. Rather than leaving this feeling festering it needs dealing with. We need to actually check, are these problems just normal religious problems or is there more to it?

Rick Ross names the 10 characteristics of a cult as follows. I will go through each offering a exerpt of Milarepas life story.

1)Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2)No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3)No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4)Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5)There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6)Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7)There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8)Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
9)The group/leader is always right.
10)The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

Summary
________

This article is an analysis of the experiences of Milarepa within the context of the definition of Rick Ross. Therefore the debate is based on the lifestory here http://www.samye.org/mila2.htm We need to remove the obstacle that historically Buddhism clashes with these modern Western definitions. Such definitions were written by people who havent studied traditional Buddhism. They therefore did not have the knowledge to ensure that their criterion do not clash with correctly practiced oriental religions. The oriental master beating his student with a stick for example!
I am not saying to accept this way of life. I am saying give people the freedom to choose what they want to do with their lives. Some may want to follow the path of Buddhism. If it not for you fair enough. But to say these methods are to be banned from the world and to campaign for this is to say that Marpa is wrong is it not? If society takes this route it will end with endless disparaging of Buddhism and requests for editing and anyone who follows the path of Marpa will be on television being deemed evil. Our democracy and concept of religious freedom will be in shambles.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatsos advice is to delevop a more gentle teacher student relationship in these modern times. His advice on this is at the following link relying-upon-the-spiritual-guide-in-these-modern-times

Saturday 21 August 2010

Exerpts

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Human Rights and Personal Freedom

Although this is mostly an illusion people hold very strongly to this. In reality ordinary life people are abused and mistreated by their employers on a daily basis and accept it because they need the money to get the basic things of life. The freedom comes at the end of the day when they aren't working. This is why I say its an illusion.
However people are very passionate about this topic. This is because of the history of oppression and slavery in our countries. Therefore I will post some links showing the power of worldly peoples feelings on these topics. This is the culture we are introducing Dharma to. It is very different from Tibetan culture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights - America was created by many oppressed people leaving their countries for a new life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery - the root of intense anti oppression and control ethics
http://www.survivalinternational.org/ - tribes losing freedom
http://www.amnesty.org/ - we can see the intensity people feel about the topic of human rights and freedom here
International Non Governmental Organisations Commitment to Accountability - a declaration of ethics that worldly organisations commit to (see charter). This is the standard worldly people expect at a minimum

We need to understand this ethic and the way to make our communities work within this powerful culture. My opinion is that if you ask people what they want rather than trying to get them to do what you want its very close to exchanging self with others. In this way people might volunteer for a work area they enjoy rather end up doing something they don't like for example. People chose to come to Dharma & join in so we don't need to control them. Because they are making the right choices without our input. All they need is our support and gratitude. They are going in the right direction so why do we want to grab the steering wheel off them? Or take over organising their personal schedule? The reason why Shantideva and Geshe Ben Gungyal were able to accomplish such great things is because they were given the freedom to choose what they do with their time.

Examples of administrative techniques in various monasteries

http://shargadenpa.org/administration quote "Later he was elected unanimously by the monks as a new administrator of Gaden Shartse Monastery, along with nine other eligible candidates, where he served with sincerity for 6 consecutive years. He and all other administrators were allotted suitable duties for limited periods of time, with a rotation of the duties yearly."

This is an interesting approach whereby one has to do a good job to stay in office. Also the rotation of jobs ensures that things do not get 'stuck' in such a way as one person being blamed or remaining in the same position if their strategy is not working well.

http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/video/mystics-and-cold-warriors/ Quote Historian Webster G. Tarpley "This was feudalism. It was the minorial system that you had in Europe in the dark ages. One monastery had 25,000 serfs. It was a monstrous system of theocratic desperatism and tyranny, not at all spiritual. It was probably the closest thing to hell on earth you would have. Again with any minor infractions, just lopping off the hand of the offended. And if you protested against this, you'd be told if you're a slave, if your a serf or even if your just a woman, that was your own fault because that was your misdeeds in your earlier lives that were coming back to haunt you, bad karma. So therefore social reform was impossible. It would have been frustrating divine retribution to give anyone a better deal."

This is interesting because although we claim to only take the teachings and to use Western culture, nevertheless we can see that on a much smaller scale this culture is influencing us. There is a wrathfulness within, a fear to say how you feel and a clash between people who want a better deal and the impossibility of reform. We do not lop off hands but we cut peoples heart strings with our punishments, threatening or administering expulsions or bans. And often it is for very minor infractions. So my question is - is the culture of tyranny well and truly removed in modern western Buddhism or is it still there? And if we are strict and hard is it because it is right and beneficial? How can Tibetan culture not be within our organisation? Everything we have comes from Tibetan people. Therefore we can makes requests and prayers that we will be allowed to practice these holy teachings whilst using our own western democratic style administration techniques, so that they feel comfortable with our culture.
Administration thus can be more with people setting up a system, seeing if everyone is comfortable with it, listening to feedback, being unafraid if someone is finding it uncomfortable and encouraging them to speak. Then revising the system. Slowly modifying it over and over with various open debates. This is the normal western way. Many businesses have meetings where everyone can speak freely and even debate quite passionately with no fear of punishment or reprisals. They dont lose their job for pointing out problems. Many good ideas come up and the organisation evolves into something that works for everyone. This is western administrative style.

http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/dalai-lama/what-has-the-dalai-lama-achieved/ Quote re Dalai Lama "(5) his sanctioning or instigation of many violations and abuses of human rights, including threats, coercion, intimidation, excommunication, physical violence and even murder.
But the fundamental factor underlying the present crisis lies within the very nature and function of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government as a feudal theocratic system – with its endemic mixing of religion and politics, its translation of religious ideas into government policy, its deep confusion over the roles of religious leader and head of state, and its retrogressive view of the position of the Dalai Lama as the 'God-King' of Tibet."

I ask here again has this culture influenced us? Are we doing things like this? Are we saying that religion and administration are the same thing? In Tibet the monks could disagree with all the teachings openly in courtyard debates but they would be forced to agree with political positions and silently watch as people are harmed with various techniques of coersion, threats, intimidation, excommunication. Those who didnt conform were booted out of their monasteries and shunned.
When people disagree on administrative issues is it tantamount to questioning Buddha himself? Do we use coersion, threats and excommunication to enforce political/administrative methods or silence people? Why do we not use these techniques when Dharma is debated? Surely the Dharma is far more important than managerial strategies. Surely if we say the Dalai Lama is doing incorrectly we need to show a better way rather than falling into similar patterns. If we are all doing it maybe it is an effect of self grasping. The question is how can we rectify so it doesnt become mixing Dharma with policy.


We need to consider the following - a political system and an administrative system are both techniques for organising running a community of people. Therefore if we say administration is infalliable and holy then we are saying that something that is not Dharma is holy. This is the thing that always leads religion in the wrong direction in history. Geshe Kelsang clearly stated the difference in one of his talks at a festival where he explained that his area of expertise is Buddhas teachings and not other topics such as computers and so forth. He then encouraged people to disagree with him on other topics such as how to use a computer. This saying managerial techniques are infalliable acts of Buddha is like saying that taking the fish from the road and putting it in the lake is infallible through the power of our intention. The intention is the Dharma a perfect wish to cherish others. The putting the fish in the lake is the administrative/political technique - in other words, when it comes to external objects and practical scenarios, nothing is inherently correct. If we hold to the view that administration is not a mixed bag, but infalliable divine decision and the word of Buddha we are creating the beginnings of what led to this system in Tibet. The system that meant that the Dorje Shugden ban could not be questioned and administrative techniques of those leading the Tibetan community could not be questioned, without reprisals.

http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html#notes Quote - Such may have been the case in the selection of the 17th Karmapa, whose monastery-in-exile is situated in Rumtek, in the Indian state of Sikkim. In 1993 the monks of the Karma Kagyu tradition had a candidate of their own choice. The Dalai Lama, along with several dissenting Karma Kagyu leaders (and with the support of the Chinese government!) backed a different boy. The Kagyu monks charged that the Dalai Lama had overstepped his authority in attempting to select a leader for their sect. “Neither his political role nor his position as a lama in his own Gelugpa tradition entitled him to choose the Karmapa, who is a leader of a different tradition…” As one of the Kagyu leaders insisted, “Dharma is about thinking for yourself. It is not about automatically following a teacher in all things, no matter how respected that teacher may be. More than anyone else, Buddhists should respect other people’s rights—their human rights and their religious freedom.”

So we can see we follow the teacher in Dharma but when it comes to administration it is different. This is because the teachers area of expertise is the Dharma. Our understanding is that we view the teacher as having omnicient wisdom, clairvoyance etc. But we have to remember they are also as an ordinary being because Je Tsongkhapa said this is our traditional way, to demonstrate how to live from the point of view of an ordinary human being trying ones best. Also the reason why they become an emanation of Buddha himself is because they speak Buddhas words. However when it is time to discuss other topics it is different. When a teacher is reading out a Sutra you can feel as if you are there...2500 years back in time sat before Buddha himself, and recieve the same power of blessings that those people did who actually attended. However when you are sat with your teacher discussing if to put the fish in the lake or not there is no lineage for this activity. At this time they are representing the Sangha and demonstrating how to live as a human being. Therefore at this point they will be showing a mixture of abilities in administration and so forth. If it comes to the point where the slightest comment on administrative topics is seen as disagreeing with Buddha then we are saying administrative policy (and then if Buddhism comes to dominate our country, political policy) is equivalent to the Sutras.


Summary
----------
In all our future lives when we encounter Dharma we will also encounter these situations. Our main issue therefore is to prepare for our future lives so that we ourself resolve the connection between the meditation session and the meditation break as well as the connection between Dharma and administration of a community or country. The simplicity of meditation and the complex scenarios that develop outside of it. And most importantly how we will deal with these situations we see in the future Dharma communities and Dharma countries. If we are seeing the karma of our current approach we can learn and move forward.

Thursday 19 August 2010

So much to do and so few volunteers!

How do we increase volunteers? Volunteers largely come from our community of long term Dharma practitioners increasing in size, or at least staying the same size. Usually if the amount of volunteers is reducing it is because our community of long term devotees is becoming smaller. Therefore we need to ask ourself why people are leaving or not sticking around.
The bucket analogy is a prime example. If our bucket has a hole in it no matter how much we try to fill it we will be fighting a losing battle. In the same way if we keep working to get volunteers whilst maintaining an atmosphere where long term people are not comfortable, the options will become fewer and fewer as each long term person jumps off the ship. It is hard to get someone to the point where they are devoted. Harder than it is to fill a bucket with water. So we need to make sure our bucket has no holes in it because the contents are much more precious. If we drive people away by telling them they are lazy and selfish for not volunteering more we are throwing them out of the bucket. Is it not better to care for them and accept the small amount of work they do? Surely every bit helps?
In short we can ask ourself - if all the people who have left the community due to being pressured to do extra voluntary work were still here, how big would our community be? And how much work would be getting done? We need large communities and the only way to get this is to remove the causes that are making people leave. The solution therefore is patience, tolerance, gentleness and compromise. Not stubbornness, scolding, frustration, controlling, pressurising.
If someone who is doing 10 hours a week is forced into an argument where they seemingly have no valid excuse for not taking on extra - they will leave. One volunteer is lost and the opposite has been accomplished.

The Bumbling Novice

This is a document depicting a traditional style of teaching which is wrathful which I heard many times in the past but which is less common recently. I believe this style of discourse can be very useful because many obstacles are named explicitly without any specific person being accused of anything. This is because the discourse is towards a large group.

We are all bumbling novices, newcomers to spiritual practice, walking around with a head full of arrogance and advice for others. Yet our understanding of everything remains intellectual. We are surrounded by holy objects. Negative actions towards any of the Three Jewels incur heavy negative karma but nevertheless we barge into any situation involving these with the naive enthusiasm of an elephant, charging towards its object, knocking aside everything in its path. Then as we stand completely oblivious to those who we trampled, we look to see we even damaged the object of our desire!
Through this we need to see that when we deal with anything regarding the Three Jewels we need to take the utmost care. Whenever we talk to visiting people about the Dharma we need to not be like this elephant, in a great rush to give as much information as possible trampling down the person in the process.
When we are deciding or doing work on something that will affect the welfare of the Sangha we need to be slow and thoughtful, consulting others and taking time to ensure that no bad karma or difficulty is created. If we are like the elephant, quoting various sources haughtily before we do something clumsy that causes damage, even if it out of a genuine enthusiasm, we have not fully understood the importance of caring for the Three Jewels. We should check over and over before we make any difficult decision. If we do something that harms a Sangha community as we sit and see the damage develop, it will become a torment to us, and all we will be able to do is close our hearts and developed a glazed look. It is far better to consult with the community to decide together rather than to ask people to follow your advice or simply give it the nod, because if it was your idea alone the burden will be all on yourself if it goes wrong.
It is important to not misrepresent the Three Jewels also, by claiming to be Sangha or a representative of Buddha, and then harming others. We need to be careful once we represent the holy Sangha of Buddha Shakyamuni. If we cause others to lose faith and give up the practice of holy Dharma, the karma we will experience is inconceivable. Why do we not take immense care? It is because our understanding of karma and the dangers of these downfalls is only intellectual.
When we become old our arrogance will reduce and our foolish deeds will plague us like vultures swirling over a weakened animal. No longer able to fend off our responsibility for our own actions they will stare us down when we are at our most vulnerable, at the time of our death. As we desperately try to deny these karmic seeds water, our foolish intellectual arguments will be like wind in the ears of the henchmen of death. The fear we feel will open up the doorway to our heart and out it will all pour, regret, guilt, shame, and self doubt. We will descend into terror, panic and insanity. This is what we always do and why moral discipline protects us. This is why humility protects us. We do not reach old age with a legacy of destruction, surrounded by haunting images of people we have harmed, gathering around us like a plague of ghosts.

As the author of this website I wonder if I am being that elephant and if this deed will come to haunt me. Often when we have any doubt we quickly brush it away by checking we have a pure intention then carry on. But then it occurred to me that if I do this then my real intention is to protect myself. By 'working to develop a pure intention' I am simply engaging in an attempt to ensure my own welfare rather than considering how my actions will affect others. So what does it really mean to do something for others? When is a pure intention correct and when is it that our motivation is still selfish.
What of those who show us what not to do..........are they not the lifeguards and those who pull us back from the precipice to hell? Are they not Buddha himself?

We need to as ourselves honestly, am I nurturing the faith of others or destroying it.
A classic example to consider is this. Recently it was considered that the policy of the Teacher Training Program is that it is for life. Once you have completed all the books you continue to study them. This rule was enforced like the elephant charging. It was seen as inherently correct from its own side. Then a complete reversal was made with the new policy of sponsored people being able to stop the Teacher Training Program. Now this is seen as the inherently correct way to do things. Yet they are the opposite. So how can they both be correct? That to leave the study program is wrong and to stay on it is wrong?
Therefore we need to enforce and rules to the best of our ability but when it comes to a time by doing so someone will be knocked or injured we need to consider that if injuring people ultimately leads them to abandon Dharma, is it sufficiently important to ram them with our inherently existent rule. Especially if the rule might be changed in a few years time. When the rule is changed we might look around and think how that person could still be here accumulating merit for many years if we had not rammed them with our ultimatums so aggressively. Is it not better that a person remains in the Dharma with their small occasional transgressions of the rules rather than they are treated with the care and gentleness of a bull in a china shop. If we are forcing these rules too heavily and driving people out of Dharma centres we are putting the rules before keeping people in the Dharma. We are putting something that could disappear before our own dear mothers. Therefore it is my advice that we always be gentle and walk through anything with care and compassion for all concerned. If our main focus is to keep people enjoying rather than being an enforcer, people will naturally want to cooperate because they will come to love us.

Saturday 14 August 2010

The Importance of Controlling and Eliminating the Cult Smear

I would like to ask Geshe-la, the current spiritual director and also the NKT office team members to examine a document I have formulated and consider the ideas within. Perhaps some ideas are of some use please read to the end even if you don’t think all the ideas are helpful some others might be. I will put a summary at the start & then detail so then anyone who is busy or if Geshe-la finds a lot of reading difficult then the summary at the top will give the essence. For those who don’t want to waste their precious human life I want to encourage you to not discount the reading as a waste of time as destroying the cult smear is a great task & is not a waste of our precious human life. Please find some time if you can. Thank you!



My document is to:

1) Remove the cult smear
2) Reduce & eliminate the creation of new disgruntled former NKT members/residents



Both of these aims will be removing any obstacles to the flourishing of the tradition and in doing this I hope create auspiciousness.




Summarised document
-----------------------------

The essential points of the document are as follows.


If we practice 7 spiritual ethics we will overcome all potential abuse problems. Listed below are the 7 spiritual ethics in summary. I composed these myself & they can be edited. This document was composed for any & all religious groups to use & is in no way a critique of any one group. I myself have done the opposite of these ethics due to my own incompetence due to inexperience in spiritual ways of life.



The religious ethic 1: To have a feedback system where the feedback is valued & considered properly & addressed both by the leader & its administrators. Again a feedback system that is not just a token gesture but genuine. Listening to feedback is a great protector of religious groups. If 1 out of 10 people are finding a problem then when you convert 1000 people, 100 of them will have a problem. So it is crucial to solve these problems & address these issues in the early stages. Otherwise it will develop that an increasing number of former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,5,13,134&pageid=37
http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,5,13&pageid=766

Religious ethic 2: Do not take large amounts of money from individuals. Find an ethical way to fundraise that is not this method. Do not lavish the leaders & admins with luxury whilst the new boy grinds away in a servile manner or vice versa. Do not spend fundraised money on other than you declared it was for.

Religious ethic 3: Do not speak ill of the non believer. They are sponsoring your spiritual life, building your halls of worship, making the clothes you wear & providing a society in which all the things you need are given with ease. They are also supporting your religious freedom. Do not say they are degenerates, lower beings, foolish etc. Always keep respect gratitude & valuing of the community. Keep good relations with neighbours and the community without any conversion agenda. Do not chastise people who want to read news & go outside & socialize.

Religious ethic 4: Do not coerce or pressure people in any way to convert so they then have to 'leave'. Do not let people take commitments/vows/contracts when they are not ready. People who have converted must be treated well if they choose to leave and not be put under any pressure to stay. They must be as free as a bird. Once they are outside they must continue to be treated well & respected with gratitude for their contribution before they left. If the philosophy is very different from world view then the person should be supported as they go back to their previous world view as it can be disorientating. Even traditional religions hold a strong view of the world & it is hard to move to a non religious view.

Religious ethic 5: Do not treat new people & visitors different from converts. If you wouldn’t do it to a new person don’t do it to a convert & vice versa. Do not treat rich young able people differently from sick elderly poor people. If you wouldn’t invade a new person’s privacy don’t invade the privacy of a long time devotee. Following this guideline solves a huge range of issues explained in the more detailed explanation. This is the summarised version.

Religious ethic 6: As a leader admit your mistakes. We are all on a spiritual journey together & seeing how you overcome problems will help us do the same. Purity is about your intention so if you are open to feedback on how to do things administratively this does not damage people’s faith in you as long as you have a good intention of cherishing & respecting other people both converts & non converts. Do not hide your faults & shortcomings. Do not discourage feedback by showing distress. If you are distressed by information, people who work for you will hide it from you. Do not teach arrogance by chastising people. Because then they will copy you. Do not be distant from your disciples as misunderstandings will develop if people cannot contact you. Do not dictate policy rather ask people for ideas. Of course the teaching cannot be edited but to administrate enforced control of people’s activities & speech leads to rebellion & harm to everybody, yourself, your admins, current members & former members.

Religious ethic 7: Do not pressure other sects to follow your methods; each sect has their own way. If another sect is pressuring you then show them this document. The only time to interfere in another sects business is if members of the other sect ask you for help. At that time help in accordance with their wishes if it is ethical. Do not belittle other sects as you do not know if they have secret more advanced instructions that surpass yours. If another sect is being unethical they will culminate many ex followers raising protest. Therefore the issue will automatically be resolved between the sect & its ex members. Therefore there is no need to criticize other sects as nature will take its course. The sect will have to adapt & stop upsetting people. If you think your sect is better than other sects you might be able to say this without it corrupting your heart but when everyone starts copying you & saying it and it becomes the norm what will happen? Offense, arrogance will become rife.


Summary of summary

One can check here if the 7 ethics refute the cult smear using this very concise document listing 10 healthy religious behaviours & their 10 opposites http://exitsupportnetwork.com/artcls/mindctrl/know_if.htm

Other groups have attempted also to make ethics documents. Here is an example: http://csp.org/development/code.html



Thank you for reading the summarised ethics document



===========================================





The extensive ethics document

Detailed explanation of the 7 ethics with research info

Introduction

In creating this document I consulted former members of the following religious groups. Without revealing my own religious background I asked them if the ethics solve the problems within their own groups, which many of them claimed were cults. This document is not specifically written for one group but to remove the grievances of former members of all organisations.

Ex Mormon
Ex Jehovahs witnesses
Ex Scientology
Ex Brahma Kumaris
Ex Fairfield life
Ex International Churches of Christ
Ex Christians
Ex MISA (Movement for Spiritual Integration Absolute)
Ex Diamond way Buddhists
Atheists
Ex Soka Gakkai
Ex Jesus Morning Star



(I also read 7000 posts in new Kadampa survivors yahoo group (to save you a depressing job))

The religious ethics document is designed to remove the 10 characteristics of a cult in any religious organisation. In detail below are the 10 characteristics, the 7 ethic refutations & what happens in the 7 ethics are applied & ignored respectively



How the ethics refute the 10 characteristics of a cult

This document is in 3 parts

A) The 10 characteristics of a cult
B) Removing the cult smear with the 7 ethics
C) Background research information

-----------------------------------------------------

The 10 characteristics of a cult are(Rick Ross):

Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
The group/leader is always right.
The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

Removing the cult smear with the 7 ethics
-----------------------------------------

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.

The religious ethic:

The solution to this is to have a feedback system where the feedback is valued & considered properly & addressed both by the leader & its administrators.

Would this solve it? Let’s try an example out. In any religious organization where celibates are running the show if they have a sex scandal this is damaging so let’s apply my solution.

Feedback ignored- always someone speaks up in the early stages. By discounting their evidence the person with the hidden scandal will rise in the organization & later when in a high position it will almost always come to light. At that time a lot of people will be affected. Most people will remember this scandal & think of how the person was hiding it, putting on a clean face. There will then develop 2 groups. The people trying to move on from the scandal & the people exposing it.

Feedback listened to- before the person gets power the scandal is told. The person exposing it is LISTENED to & an investigation is done that establishes the truth. The accused clearly understands the catalogue of disasters that will come if they are dishonest & in caring for the reputation of the organization cooperates with investigation.

Example 1 http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,5,13,134&pageid=37

Example 2 http://www.kechara.com/support/contact/

Example 3 http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,5,13&pageid=766
---------------------------------------------------

2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

The religious ethic:

Again a feedback system that is not just a token gesture but genuine. Listening to feedback is a great protector of religious groups. If 1 out of 10 people are finding a problem then when you convert 1000 people, 100 of them will have a problem. So it is crucial to solve these problems & address these issues in the early stages.

--------------------------------------------------------

3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.

The religious ethic

Do not take large amounts of money from individuals. Find an ethical way to fundraise that is not this method. Do not lavish the leaders & admins with luxury whilst the new boy grinds away in a servile manner. Do not spend fundraised money on other than you declared it was for.

So the outcome:

Advice ignored: Amongst the entourage of the leader, accountants & admins with time people naturally leave any organization & a few are unhappy. Those people produce financial information they were privy to that is an embarrassment. All the raised money ends up being spent on defending the group in legal circles. People come away in debt & with a feeling of having being used for their money. Due to their debts they cannot move on as it is a constant reminder so they stay bitter & naturally begin to warn others.

Advice listened to: Although some people may become unhappy in certain circumstances and leave the organization they will not feel like they were used for their money. They can move on & not have any debts to remind them of the organization.

-----------------------------------------------------------

4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.

Religious ethic

Do not speak ill of the non believer. They are sponsoring your spiritual life, building your halls of worship, making the clothes you wear & providing a society in which all the things you need are given with ease. They are also supporting your religious freedom. Do not say they are degenerates, lower beings, foolish etc.

Always keep respect gratitude & valuing of the community. Keep good relations with neighbours and the community without any conversion agenda. Do not chastise people who want to read news & go outside & socialize.



Advice ignored: The larger community will always find out from former members that they are being spoken of as lesser or lower. The group will get a bad reputation in wider society for doing this. Without interaction with the community

Advice taken: The group is respected in society as a whole and is accessible & unmysterious. The help they give to the community with no agenda is admired and neighbours as well as friends and relatives of members feel comfortable.

----------------------------------------------

5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

Religious ethic

Do not coerce or pressure people in any way to convert so they then have to 'leave'. Do not let people take commitments/vows/contracts when they are not ready. People who have converted must be treated well if they choose to leave and not be put under any pressure to stay. They must be as free as a bird. Once they are outside they must continue to be treated well & respected with gratitude for their contribution before they left. If the philosophy is very different from world view then the person should be supported as they go back to their previous world view as it can be disorientating. Even traditional religions hold a strong view of the world & it is hard to move to a non religious view.

Advice ignored: Members who inevitably leave develop mental health problems as they struggle to rebuild their belief system alone without any support. The lack of support brings them to believe they were being used because the friendships dissolved when they changed their beliefs. Feeling used & dumped they become resentful & bitter. Former members fill the internet with bitter propaganda against the group. People are hesitant to recommend the group as they feel that those they recommend might be pushed into a situation or used & dumped. The group gets a bad reputation. Members go through the motions because they are being forced to stay and have conflicting emotions/dual personality. They later speak of how they felt unable to leave online which scares off newcomers.

Advice taken: People go but they often come back & feel happy. They write on the internet that although it wasn’t for them it was a good experience & they would recommend it to others. People invite their friends to the group feeling confident that they will be looked after and not pressured to adhere to anything. The group becomes a valuable resource that people can come & go with confidence using at their own pace. People who are there are enjoying & want to be there.

-----------------------------------------------------

6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

Feedback ethic

---------------------------------------------

7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.

Follow the feedback ethic & you don’t end up in this situation

-------------------------------------

8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

Religious ethic

Do not treat new people & visitors different from converts. If you wouldn’t do it to a new person don’t do it to a convert & vice versa. Do not treat rich young able people differently from sick elderly poor people. If you wouldn’t invade a new person’s privacy don’t invade the privacy of a long time devotee. This ethic prevents pressure to be perfect controlling people, competitiveness, rivalry, gossiping, invading peoples personal space & reduced etiquette.

Advice ignored: Converts are like slaves whilst new people are lavished & praised. Converts criticized & being judged on their personal life whilst new people are treated with tolerance & respect. Converts come away feeling used & like the love teaching is hypocrisy.



Advice taken: During the early stages of the organization using this guideline of measuring converts and new people some inequalities in respect for people & valuing people are noticed. They are corrected & the organization becomes healthy with people feeling treated well & happy. Then later, when it is bigger there are not big problems. It also prevents convertees getting special treatment because the equality extends to that a new person could be a potential elder in the future & the convertee was once a new person & also a beer drinking hedonistic normal person.

------------------------------------------------------

9. The group/leader is always right.

Religious ethic

As a leader admit your mistakes. We are all on a spiritual journey together & seeing how you overcome problems will help us do the same. Purity is about your intention so if you are open to feedback on how to do things administratively this does not damage people’s faith in you as long as you have a good intention of cherishing & respecting other people both converts & non converts. Do not hide your faults & shortcomings. Do not discourage feedback by showing distress. If you are distressed by information, people who work for you will hide it from you. Do not teach arrogance by chastising people. Because then they will copy you. Do not be distant from your disciples as misunderstandings will develop if people cannot contact you. Do not dictate policy rather ask people for ideas. Of course the teaching cannot be edited but to administrate enforced control of people’s activities & speech leads to rebellion & harm to everybody, yourself, your admins, current members & former members.

Advice ignored: People endlessly seek to prove the leader doesn’t have the qualities he claims. The leader comes to be seen as someone engaging in deception to arouse faith. Members enforce rigorously more & more ridiculous rules because of things they saw the leader do or say and all sorts of administrative problems arise. Because some of these strange policies conflict with member’s wellbeing the leader is then deemed responsible for mistreatment of members and someone who teaches one thing whilst behind closed doors teaching to be heartless to members. The admins hide calamities from the leader and mistreatment. Forcing members to follow strange policies becomes the norm. In the end the group is more famous for these strange rulings that the philosophy they originally taught. Admins become like controlling, uncaring dictators.

Advice followed: Overexcited members tell you to tie your shoes the way the leader does because he is never wrong & is divine etc but they are laughed off because the majority have a good open relationship with the leader. People feel able to express their views & feelings to the leader. Administrators are able to make practical & sensible decisions rather than following policies which are inflexible. Strange policy clashes don’t arise & the emphasis becomes less on administration tactics & more on the philosophy itself. Administrative problems are quickly resolved.

It is inportant to also remember that when you give advice or ideas, if your student is very devoted they will often become very excited and when delivering your idea or advice will present it as a command written in stone. Enforcing it vigourously and giving it huge significance. This is simply a mixture of loyalty and excitement but can lead to disaster because you are then presented as an uncompromising dictator. So it can help to add a removal of this dynamic into your advice.

------------------------------------------------

10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible

Religious ethic

Do not pressure other sects to follow your methods; each sect has their own way. If another sect is pressuring you then show them this document. The only time to interfere in another sects business is if members of the other sect ask you for help. At that time help in accordance with their wishes if it is ethical. Do not belittle other sects as you do not know if they have secret more advanced instructions that surpass yours. If another sect is being unethical they will culminate many ex followers raising protest. Therefore the issue will automatically be resolved between the sect & its ex members. Therefore there is no need to criticize other sects as nature will take its course. The sect will have to adapt & stop upsetting people. If you think your sect is better than other sects you might be able to say this without it corrupting your heart but when everyone starts copying you & saying it and it becomes the norm what will happen? Offense, arrogance will arise in the disciples because they are human beings. Allow open debate of scriptures without chastisement.

Advice ignored: The group gradually transforms into people who are haughty & arrogant, looking down their nose at others. Newcomers sense this & the group gets a bad reputation in society. The habit of being big headed will filter into every area of the group’s routine. The leader might say we are simply acknowledging that these teachings are better but the members being human will be prone to self importance and thus these problems will grow. They will start lecturing others with a know-it-all attitude & become bad listeners, believing that newcomers have nothing to offer knowledge wise. They will come across as controlling dictator type people, and being bad listeners be deemed uncompassionate & uncaring. Other sects will have no respect for the group & relations with them will deteriorate.

Advice taken: The group maintains good relations with other sects. All people are valued as sources of knowledge. Newcomers feel welcome & listened to. Members are good listeners & are seen as caring & considerate. Many people gain spiritual insight from their listening & socializing skills.

=========================================================================

Background research info- optional reading of various forum discussions



Examples of invading privacy & personal space i.e. not following ethic 5

Example of effects experienced by Mormons(you can remove these names & put the word group/organisation to make it non specific) that practicing this ethic would prevent. An ex Mormon said this on an ex Mormon forum about my ethics list:

” There are a couple of aspects that may be implied in your list but are not stated explicitly:

1. Absolution of all personal boundaries of the members. The Mormon church is strongly of the belief that nothing is out of bounds in the members' lives from interrogating teenagers about masturbation to openly questioning (and expecting answers) regarding the sex lives of married couples to requiring full disclosure of your personal affairs to humiliating requirements of public confession of sin.

2. To exacerbate the above, the church also believes that it "owns" the individual members. Leaders think nothing of conducting sexually explicit interviews with youth in the absence of parents - or even parental consent. Where one spouse may be a little wobbly in his/her belief in the cult, the church will jump into very personal, private family matters. There are many stories on this board about families being destroyed because a church leader stepped into the middle of a marriage, discounted and belittled the doubting spouse and directing the believing spouse to seek divorce.”



-------------------------------------------

Document on scientology & how people there gave up responsibility to the leader because it was comfortable to not be in charge of their own lives http://www.scientology-cult.com/enslaving-a-mind-chapter-seven.html



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Comment from an ex Christian “I don't think your ethics are conducive to traditional religion; they are conducive to ideal religion. Traditionally, religion is an authoritative hierarchical bureaucracy.”



Comment from an anti ‘guru’ proponent: “I don't really have much to say about your proposed ethics, other than to make a couple of observations. First, if a group of people observes them, they would not, in my opinion be a religious group at all - and that is a good thing. A group which functioned by those rules would look very much like the schools of the time of Socrates and Plato, I think.”



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A list of extreme reactions to totally abandoning a philosophical/spiritual outlook suddenly that could arise when people abandon Buddhism. This is an example of some of the info on which I based a case for supporting mentally ill & healthy people who decide Buddhism isn’t for them. Supporting & helping such people is talked about in ethic 4.

The links below talk of high demand groups. I believe it is more a case of how heavily you immerse yourself into a belief system before you decide it’s not for you. I.e. the demands you make of yourself are high.

http://exitsupportnetwork.com/recovery/emotdiff.htm

http://exitsupportnetwork.com/recovery/spirdiff.htm



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This is the opinion of a member of the hindu yoga group brahma kumaris whom I told I followed Tibetan Buddhism:

“I do not know much about your groups specific issues but politics to the point of medieval skullduggery are NOT new to Tibetanism. Indeed, it is fair to say that as late as WWII they were engaged in all the same stuff as Medieval Rome was; e.g. tribalism, wars of succession, material acquisition, territorialism, political intrigue, murderous assassinations and the general suppression of the Tibetan people in awful poverty.
There was not, was never unity amongst all the different school. Some of this conflict was real and material, some of it "spiritual". The Yellow hats, Dalai Lama's lot, were no enlightening angels. Even within the superficial fronts, there is division between those that want to preserve the traditions of 'business-religions' in aspic and those that realise that they do not always work and the tools need to be improved and adopted to suit different environments. There are followers caught up in the romance of the ancient, and those attempting to modernize within the spirit of it. We see the same things too.”



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This is a popular published list of the 21 things a Jehovahs witness will never tell you created by former witnesses. Documents like these I used to form the list of 7 ethics. By studying such documents I aimed to cover everything that could possibly go wrong in a religious organisation or lead to bad feeling. Feel free to see if the 7 ethics counter these 21.

1. Joining us is a one-way street. We will pretend to intensely love you while you walk in. We will openly despise you if and when you choose to walk out.
2. We love to say only we are from God. We love to point out that everyone and everything else is from Satan.
3. Flattery is one of the tools we use to win you over. We like to make you feel special, so that you continue to ‘feel good’ about studying the Bible with us.
4. We also frighten. We don’t want you to realize this, but we subtly and effectively use Fear as an ingredient in many of our teachings. You see, nothing else controls as Fear does!
5. Eventually, we will only accept you if you ‘disown yourself’ and submit entirely to what we call ‘Jehovah’s Organization’.
6. You will only be allowed to have friends who are Jehovah’s friends. The Governing Body decides who Jehovah’s friends are. This practice also ensures that if you ever consider leaving the Watchtower, you will have to deal with a terrible social vacuum in your life, because all your Witness friends will have nothing to do with you.
7. We love to have mock humility. We have immense pride in saying we are the most humble lot. We want you to be proud and have this humility too.
8. While we theoretically believe that acts of kindness should not be publicized, you will notice that we actually crave the adulation and praise that result from publicizing our own self-proclaimed acts of godly devotion.
9. As an extension of the previous point, while we say JWs are not men pleasers, you know better!
10. We take great pleasure in contemplating the destruction of billions of people who have not responded positively to the message we preach. We routinely portray (in pictures) the painful deaths of unbelievers at Armageddon in our publications, and we find such artwork tasteful.
11. To a sane mind, the previous point may fall into the same genre of hate and destruction found in certain other groups that foster world terrorism, but of course, we don’t want you to realize that.
12. Our own congregations, outside the symbol of love and harmony, are as full of gossip, slander, distinctions, prejudice and even hate, as any other part of Babylon the Great, the false religions we condemn.
13. We would have you believe that the brothers love each other. In actuality, rivalry is widespread amongst congregation members, as each tries to out-do and outshine the other. After all, there are 'privileges' on offer, and these will only be yours if you tow the Watchtower line.
14. The more hours you put into field service, the more 'spiritual' you will be called. Of course, on the face of it we appear to say that even service that is comparable to the widow's mite is precious to Jehovah, but know us for a long enough time and you will know that is not true.
15. You may not realize it is disparaging, but it is not uncommon of us to categorize believers as Bethelites, Special Pioneer, Auxiliary Pioneer, Elder, Ministerial Servant, Spiritually Weak or a Marked Person.
16. Naturally, the circuit overseers, elders and other prominent members of the congregation are attracted to those members who are materially well-off. We will never expressly state this, but observe us closely, and you will find that's true.
17. Please say good-bye to a good education, rewarding career etc. You are in the Watchtower now.
18. Look closer, and you will discover that we are an MLM organization. The rewards and privileges that you yourself enjoy in the organization is proportional to the ‘value’ you bring into it, in terms of new converts, hours spent etc. And your money is important to us.
19. You can bequeath any such wealth that you own to us, be that gold, financial securities, property, real estate. We welcome it all.
20. Our love for you, the esteem and value that we hold for you, all actually comes with at a heavy price, with many strings attached. But we hope you never realize that.
21. We have many organizational secrets which we don’t want you to know. Those who have ‘left us’ often know these secrets. That’s why we forbid you from ever speaking with them. Similarly, we will try and do everything possible to convince you that the internet is a Satanic trap, so you never read online the things we don’t want you to read and know.



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Feedback on pressure to be perfect problem in Mormon Church from an ex Mormon. I used feedback like this to help in composition of ethic 5, to not treat old timers different from new people/visitors e.g. you wouldn’t place impossible demands on a newcomer & interrogate them asking very personal questions to check they are meeting them:

“A lot of times, the elderly are ignored and those who really need some love and attention don't get it. For a lot of us, the feeling that we are not good enough comes from our failure to meet the impossible demands that the church places on us. We were required to be perfect. Men are expected to have high paying jobs that provide the luxuries of a model Mormon life style and support their stay at home wives and however many children the Lord sends him. They also are expected to magnify a church calling, do home teaching, attend meetings (not just on Sunday), be a worthy priesthood holder, never even think about looking about porn or masturbating. The list goes on and on.

For women it’s just as bad. Women are expected to be happy mothers and homemakers even if they don't have the personality for it, because God said all women should be stay at home moms with as many children as they can handle without flipping out. Women have the responsibility to set the spiritual thermostat in their homes. Women should be perfect house keepers, mothers, and hold a church calling and attend meetings, and be perfect cooks. The list goes on and on here too.

There were many things that we were told we should be doing in the church. It was actually impossible to do all of them, there simply wasn't enough time. Whenever things went wrong in our lives, many of us would think something like, "Oh, this wouldn't have happened if I had just been more righteous and written in my journal every day like I was supposed to!"

We could never measure up and be "good enough" to feel really accepted by our peers at church and by ourselves. At least that was my experience.”



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This is the feedback of a member of the rational response squad i.e. anti religion squad. I researched these people to find out why society is largely anti religion & also put solutions to their grievances in the 7 ethics to the best of my ability:

“To me, the distinction between religion and cult is almost entirely artificial. A cult is a small religion. A religion is a big cult. You could argue the Christianity is a Jesus cult, obviously. What would be left of any religion that honestly and genuinely allowed for critical inquiry? Faith and dogma are antithetical to questioning and critical inquiry. It seems to me that you've eliminated the possibility of religion from your list of suggestions with the inclusion of suggestion #2 (feedback). Even the so-called moderate and liberal religious groups don't like you asking pointed questions and challenging people's beliefs. They call such free-thinkers 'arrogant', 'militant', 'aggressive', etc. This is their defence mechanism against critical inquiry. This is their dogma: No one has a right to challenge what you believe when it comes to 'religious' beliefs.

If you break that dogma, and honestly and genuinely apply questioning and critical thinking, what you end up with is called 'reason' and 'science'.

So, to answer your original question, no, religion cannot withstand your document(the 7 ethics). Something that could withstand it (i.e. kept the ethics) would no longer really be a religion.