Talk:Kalu Rinpoche

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[edit] Added info

Travelled to Japan, met with Shoko Asahara, lectured to his disciples. June Campbell's book published as "Traveller in Space" and later as "Gender, Identity and Tibetan Buddhism". In the context of an academic study, she describes a three year sexual relationship with him which she experienced as abusive.

[edit] Restoring

I found a very empty page describing only the allegations of sexual assault.

Kalu Rimpoche was, along with very few others like HH Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche, one of the last "big" masters from tibet. Kalu was held in the highest regard by all of the more important rimpoches. Even if the sexual allegations are true, the Ven. Kalu Rimpoche has made a giant contribution to the dharma. Therefore, a more detailed bio should be here instead of what i found previously.

[edit] Why is June Campell's account missing now?

Someone writes" "Even if the sexual allegations are true ..." Of course I don't know definitively whether they are true, but consider this dialogue with Lama Surya Das (from http://www.dzogchen.org/teachings/talks/love.html):

"I have a question about consort practice. I read an article recently by June Campbell, who was a translator for Kalu Rinpoche. She wrote that she had a sexual relationship with Kalu Rinpoche at the time he was ostensibly a celibate monk. And she was sworn to secrecy. She was told by attendants not to reveal the relationship. If she did, there would be dire karmic consequences. So my question is, can consort practice be sexual abuse?

If it's abusive, then it's not consort practice; it's just sex. It's not practice and it's not a consort.

Could you comment on this particular case?

What do you care about that, actually? What's your real question?

I have a lot of trouble with the kind of faith and devotion that is required for Guru Yoga. And it seems like incidents like this are not isolated.

Right. There are plenty. Too many. So why do we put people on pedestals and hand ourselves over so easily? That's our responsibility."

If *he* is sure that "there are plenty", its hardly reasonable to speak from a stance of 'well who knows whether they are true', as if June Campbell's testimony was of little account. And surely, from the perspective of plumbing the *riches* of Tibetan Buddhist practice, we are all much better off exploring openly and easily that which we find distressing. *Relaxing*, allowing, ... letting the painfull, challenging, contradictory be present.

I found her Tricycle interview (http://www.anandainfo.com/tantric_robes.html) thoughtful and considered ...

Greg Walkerden, 11 Sept 06.

It is absolutely ridiculous to have an article full of enthronments etc with no mention of June Campbell's account. Who keeps removing this relevant material? How can we have any respect for this man's legacy if his followers feel it is necessary to censor his life story in this way? Who is interested in this sychphantic stuff and what does it tell us about Kalu Rinpoche?