Ole Nydahl

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Ole Nydahl, London, 2005
Ole Nydahl, London, 2005

Ole Nydahl (b. 19 March 1941 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is a Buddhist teacher of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Contents

[edit] Teachers

The first teacher of Ole Nydahl and his late wife, Hannah Nydahl was the Drukpa Kagyu master Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. In December 1969[1] Ole and Hannah Nydahl met the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, a renowned yogi and the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. They were among the first Western students of the 16th Karmapa and also close students of the 14th Shamarpa. From the 16th Karmapa, Hannah and Ole received the teachings of the Diamond Way (Skt. Vajrayana) and teachings on the nature of mind (Skt. Mahamudra). From the 14th Shamarpa they received the Bodhisattva Promise and teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation.

"In 1973 the 16th Karmapa ordered Ole and Hannah to teach and predicted that they would be very successful in spreading the Buddha’s teachings in the West. The 16th Karmapa taught them their main practices, the Guru Yogas on the 8th and 16th Karmapas. They kept their samaya without any doubt, following and fulfilling Karmapa’s wish. Ole is carrying out the activity of the 16th Karmapa."

– 14th Shamarpa, Oral teaching, Kassel (Germany) August 5, 2006

[edit] Activity

As a result of the Karmapa’s profound influence on their lives, and his request for them to help bring Buddhism to the West, Hannah and Ole Nydahl began to teach Buddhism and organize meditation centers, first in their native Denmark and then in Germany and other countries. The centres have the title "Diamond Way Buddhism", they belong to the Karma Kagyu Lineage, and operate under Ole Nydahl's practical guidance. As of January 2008, there are 568 Diamond Way centers throughout the world, mainly in Europe, Russia and the United States. Ole Nydahl travels between them during the year giving lectures and meditation courses. His courses cover topics such as 'Mahamudra' (The Great Seal) and ‘Phowa’ (the ‘Practice of conscious dying’, or ‘Transference of consciousness at the time of death’). He has travelled almost constantly for the last 35 years, teaching in a new city nearly every day. His busy teaching schedule is accessible through the Diamond Way Buddhism website.

Together with his close students, Nydahl has succeeded in creating an accessible teaching style and centers which function free from hierarchy and unnecessary cultural baggage. The activity of the Diamond Way centers is based on friendship and the voluntary and idealistic work of all who want to be a part of it. This has enabled thousands of people from different backgrounds to access Buddhism and transform their lives.

In the Diamond Way Centers the meditations and names of the various buddha forms have been translated into the different western languages, emulating the work of Marpa in bringing the Buddhist teachings from India to Tibet. Ole Nydahl believes that the fact that people can understand and read the meditations in their own language is essential because only by doing this will Buddhism become truly rooted in the West.

Nydahl is an enthusiastic skydiver and often uses parachuting metaphors in his teaching. In July 2003 on his eighty-eighth jump, he was seriously injured while free-falling in lotus position. He has since made a full recovery. He is the author of nine books in English, including "The Way Things Are", "Entering the Diamond Way" and "The Great Seal".

[edit] Controversies

Along with the 14th Shamarpa, Ole Nydahl is one of the supporters of Karmapa Thaye Dorje in the controversy over the identity of the 17th Karmapa, who assert the Dalai Lama is not entitled to recognize (and has never before recognized) the head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.[2] [3] The 14th Dalai Lama confirmed the recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa after he had been requested to by Tai Situ Rimpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche.[4]

According to Oliver Freiberger, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin,[5] there is an "ongoing controversy"[6] about Ole Nydahl. Freiberger reports that the German Buddhist Union's periodical Lotusblatter claims that Nydahl's statements and activities offend a number of German Buddhists who claim that his conduct is not appropriate for a Buddhist teacher.[6] "Nydahl has been accused not only of speaking in a conceited and militaristic way, but also of being right wing, racist, sexist, and hostile to foreigners. His unusual activities (e.g., bungee jumping, fast motor cycles and parachuting) also annoy Buddhists who are not his followers—be they other adherents of the Karma Kagyü school or not."[6][7][8]

Martin Baumann, Professor at the University of Bern (Swiss), remarked in an interview (2005) that critics accuse Ole Nydahl of teaching a kind of "Buddhism light" or "Instant Buddhism" and that he agrees with them when he hears his "alarmingly superficial phrases".[9]

In 2007 he replied in an interview to the question "What is your biggest fear today?":

"I have two fears for the world: overpopulation and Islam. Those two things could destroy the world, which could otherwise be a beautiful place. Overpopulation means that a lot of people are born under conditions that are not human. We should pay the poor countries, the poor people, to have less children. If we give them a couple dollars a day, they can have one or two children and educate them instead of having 10 that sit around begging and cannot do anything."[10]

[edit] Racist and discrimination statements

"In Germany, in Denmark there is such lack of children, that they are taken from Africa and from other places, but they never can be entered in a society"[11]
"Though the human realm provides a wide range of karmic possibilities, from the sufferings of Moslem women and people in Africa, to people in free and luxurious lifestyles in Western suburbs ..."[12]
"... He should also not simply avoid confrontational subjects but point out the causes of future trouble like overpopulation in ghettos and poor countries, and the growth of Islam.[13]
"I have two fears for the world: overpopulation and Islam. [...] We can help them first by diminishing the number of children. Then we can try to civilize them. I mean, the Islam world ..."[14]
"Also in Africa very bad karma. Everywhere. A quarter or twenty three percent of all black men between 20 - 30 years now in prison."[15](This statement is racism and as the information on quantity of the concluded africans, in the age of between 20 and 30 years, has no acknowledgement, it is a deceit.)

[edit] Responses to the controversies

When asked if it is the task of a Buddhist teacher to address social and political issues Ole Nydahl responded:

"... If the people who can see further don't speak, they are shirking their responsibility. I always say, ‘I don't have to be popular, but I must be right.’" [16]
"... The teacher must act as he speaks. He should also not simply avoid confrontational subjects but point out the causes of future trouble like overpopulation in ghettos and poor countries, and the growth of Islam. If a teacher always tells sweet nothings he is not protecting his students. He must be willing to offend some. This is his responsibility." [17]

In response to criticism that his teachings are superficial, Ole Nydahl states: "Learned people make simple things complicated and yogis make complicated things simple" (Oral teaching, Hamburg (Germany) December 29, 2007). Mipham Chokyi Lodro has referred to Ole Nydahl as a "Buddhist Master" who "transmits the blessing and teaching of the Kagyu Lineage" (1983)[18] and made clear that it is "absolutely appropriate" for him "to hold the title of Lama" (2006)[19]

[edit] Bibliography

Ole Nydahl has written several books in either English or German which have been translated into several European languages.

Most popular English titles:

  • Ngondro: The Four Foundational Practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Blue Dolphin Publishing (1990). ISBN 978-0931892233
  • Riding the Tiger: Twenty Years on the Road - Risks and Joys of Bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Blue Dolphin Publishing (1992). ISBN 978-0-931892-67-7
  • Entering the Diamond Way: Tibetan Buddhism meets the West. Blue Dolphin Publishing (1999). ISBN 978-0-931892-03-5
  • The Great Seal: Limitless Space and Joy - The Mahamudra View of Diamond Way Buddhism. Fire Wheel Publishing (2004). ISBN 0975295403
  • The Way Things Are: A Living Approach to Buddhism. John Hunt Publishing (2007). ISBN 978-1-84694-042-2

[edit] References

  1. ^ A Letter from Shamar Rinpoche, [1]
  2. ^ Affidavit of Professor Geoffrey Brian Samuel, Lama vs. Hope and Ors, CIV-2004-404-001363, High Court of New Zealand Auckland Registry, November 11, 2004, submitted as part of a court case concerning a contest for a property run as a Karma Kagyu Buddhist center (negating the claim that there is a historical precedent for the Dalai Lama to recognise the Karmapa) [2]
  3. ^ Court decision, Lama vs. Hope and Ors, CIV-2004-404-001363, High Court of New Zealand Auckland Registry, March 10, 2005. The case was judged in favour of the Plaintiff, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, on the basis of Geoffrey Samuel’s affidavit (above)[3]
  4. ^ Ken Jolmes, "Karmapa", page 56, ISBN 3-89568-027-3
  5. ^ EUREKA | Faculty | Oliver Freiberger
  6. ^ a b c Oliver Freiberger, Department for the Study of Religion University of Bayreuth, Germany, in Inter-Buddhist and Inter-Religious Relations in the West see [4]
  7. ^ German Buddhist Union (DBU) Magazine Lotusblätter 13, no. 4, [1999], 64f.
  8. ^ Lotusblätter 14, no. 1, [2000], 56-61
  9. ^ Baumann, Martin 2005: Interview Neue Luzerner Zeitung, 04/11/2005, "Eine Art Buddhismus Light?"
  10. ^ Duhárová, Bibiána. Ace of Diamonds: A conversation with Lama Ole Nydahl in The Prague Post, July 11, 2007.
  11. ^ Interview with Ole Nydahl[5]
  12. ^ The Bardo of Death and Rebirth [6]
  13. ^ Learning in a Total Way Teacher - Student Relationship [7]
  14. ^ A conversation with Lama Ole Nydahl[8]
  15. ^ Ole Nydahl. Questions and answers on Phove on July, 7-8th 1992[9]
  16. ^ Interview with Nydahl at [10]
  17. ^ Learning in a Total Way: Teacher - Student Relationship [11]
  18. ^ see document 2 on Ole Nydahl's website [12]
  19. ^ see document 3 on Ole Nydahl's website [13]

[edit] External links

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