Buddhism in Germany has its abuse debate. Is some evidence, to build their own mixed religion.
The Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche (R) to employees regularly photo: Reuters
reads at first glance like a shrill Sensationalism: The Tibetan masters have preached non-violence, loved in Private, but movies like “The godfather”. He was also prone to outbreaks of violence and humiliation of its employees. His Beloved, he found a practical way among his followers.
in The case of Sogyal Lakar, better known as Sogyal Rinpoche, one of the most famous Buddhist teacher in the West, and the founder of the Rigpa network shows, what we know from similar cases: Authoritarian master-pupil-structures lead to anything Good. The admired Gurus, Lamas, and Rinpoches are not overwhelmed in the West with the worship of their students, it is rare to tyrannischem or abusive behavior.
The report on the allegations against Lakar, a British law firm investigated at the request of critical Rigpa members, as of Recently also available in English. He is part of a series of Reports on Buddhist teachers in Germany, where it is accused of emotional or sexual abuse. Or Islamophobia and a right wing political setting: Ole Nydahl, head of the great Buddhist Organisation, diamond way, by appropriate Statements on several occasions unpleasant.
The crisis of Buddhism in the West shows The time, the romanticizing of Eastern religions by the Western bourgeoisie is over. Because even if the idea that all Buddhists are peaceful, has at least done with the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and also if in the West, hardly anyone still believes in personal enlightenment – concepts and meditation techniques from Buddhism remain in place but that are helpful also for an aging, Western affluent society, the biggest problems with your own Offense is clear.
Sogyal Lakar is for this adaptation, even a very good example of this. He, meanwhile, resigned from all Offices in Rigpa has acquired considerable merit on the subject of dying and illness processing. His Bestseller “The Tibetan book of living and Dying” was 25 years ago, a novelty in the hospice. Some of the most important teachers in the hospice movement have learned in Lakar.
This has to do with the esoteric and Sektentum. An important concept in Buddhism, the employment of one’s own transience, and the radical acceptance of life. This acceptance of crises, Failure, loss, experiences a comforting society that promises continuous self-optimization work in an ageing Western power, while the Individual in the course of life but the opposite.
combination religions are not superficial but a sign of responsibility and ability to integrate
It requires social skills, age, disability, dementia, serious illnesses, deaths of Close to or even with the girlfriend deal, which has received the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness. The question is: Where do you get the skills for this? The gap cannot be closed by the Christian churches, mostly because many people associate them with bad childhood memories of guilt and atonement. Import religions, not to Wake those bad childhood memories.
so There are good reasons to argue for a self-made spirituality, in meditation techniques or in living elements from other religions, but not any of the pure Faith or a superior master is required. Combi religions are not superficial, and convenient, but a sign of self-responsibility and capacity for integration.
The Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari meditate intensively for many years, as he in his best-selling book “21 lessons for the 21st century. Century“ describes. Harari referred to, but by no means religious, but points out that religions create today, in many Parts of the world more problems than they solve. The world religions are used for the destruction of the Alien, denial of the body, oppression of women, as well as in the movie “Female Pleasure” are impressively documented.
Harari advocates a secular morality based on human rights. Such a morality is not focused on the intermediation of any belief systems, but rather on the reduction of concrete human suffering, the self and the other. To belong to a secular morality, the equality of the sexes, non-discrimination, freedom of expression and freedom of belief, inviolability of the body. Any combination of religion should be these values.
In the case of all Totalitarian, however, caution is advised. In the case of words like “sacrifice, eternity, purity, salvation,” should shrill alarm bells, advises Harari. In the Rigpa network of 130 centres in 30 countries, you have to get along now without Sogyal Rinpoche. There is a new appeal body for members, and there are new guidelines, according to which, for example, sexual relationships between teachers and students during Rigpa courses are prohibited exists. Also the umbrella Association of the German Buddhist Union, there are points of contact for members with the behavior of teachers and the dynamics in certain groups of problems.
The most interesting Phase is now: How do these Western groups now, even without a Guru-like authority? The step away from the champagne suspicions were finally done, when the adaptation of other religious elements also works with democratic structures.
