I want to do my moral duty and report this cult known as the Triratna Buddhist Community. It was named the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order), prior to a name change made in order to try and shake off its questionable past.
Many people have had the courage to stand up and tell the truth about sexual abuse at the hands of the leader. This is a very serious allegation, but one that Sangharakshita (also known as Dennis Lingwood or Bhante) has formally admitted, confessed and apologized for.
Here is the evidence for the cult activites and links to press articles and TV documentaries where people speak up about what happened. In total there are 100+ whistleblowing websites made, but here are the ones to substantiate the truth of this report
I wanted to speak out in 2008 but I was threatened with a gagging order. I now want to speak out to help others to find closure as well as to get my apology. I was discriminated against for being heterosexual by the movement, and was subjected to ridicule and detriment because I wanted to explore heterosexual relationships.
The movement bad mouthed me for years, never apologized and instead labelled me an attention seeker prone to having 'episodes', and insulted me behind my back (I find out by seeing what they said in an ICANN file).
Though the movement has apologized, it must go one step further and personally apologize to the individuals affected, some of whom were brave enough to speak on BBC television.
Those in the movement should be careful because despite the apology, the movement is 40+ years old, and cult behaviour can become systemic and deeply established, and of course, that will take years to properly address and heal.
In my opinion as a Spiritual Master, this is not real Buddhism but a pseudo Buddhism that abuses power and does not respect the free will of individuals. When they try and exercise free will, abuse happens.
I swear under oath and by the presence of God that there was abuse in the movement, I listened to accounts of it, and that I was abused in order to try and keep me quiet about serious ethical concerns. Now I know better and want to do the right thing and disclose.
Triratna Buddhist Community Reviews
I want to do my moral duty and report this cult known as the Triratna Buddhist Community. It was named the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order), prior to a name change made in order to try and shake off its questionable past.
Many people have had the courage to stand up and tell the truth about sexual abuse at the hands of the leader. This is a very serious allegation, but one that Sangharakshita (also known as Dennis Lingwood or Bhante) has formally admitted, confessed and apologized for.
Here is the evidence for the cult activites and links to press articles and TV documentaries where people speak up about what happened. In total there are 100+ whistleblowing websites made, but here are the ones to substantiate the truth of this report
com/world/2017/feb/19/buddhist-sexual-abuse-triratna-dennis-lingwood
Here is the confession
thebuddhistcentre.com/news/statement-urgyen-sangharakshita
and a public letter from the Preceptors College admitting sexual wrongdoing
thebuddhistcentre.com/news/letter-triratnas-college-preceptors
The matter is very well reported
buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2016/09/27/fwbo-triratna-sangharakshita-cases-of-sexual-abuse/
I wanted to speak out in 2008 but I was threatened with a gagging order. I now want to speak out to help others to find closure as well as to get my apology. I was discriminated against for being heterosexual by the movement, and was subjected to ridicule and detriment because I wanted to explore heterosexual relationships.
The movement bad mouthed me for years, never apologized and instead labelled me an attention seeker prone to having 'episodes', and insulted me behind my back (I find out by seeing what they said in an ICANN file).
Though the movement has apologized, it must go one step further and personally apologize to the individuals affected, some of whom were brave enough to speak on BBC television.
Those in the movement should be careful because despite the apology, the movement is 40+ years old, and cult behaviour can become systemic and deeply established, and of course, that will take years to properly address and heal.
In my opinion as a Spiritual Master, this is not real Buddhism but a pseudo Buddhism that abuses power and does not respect the free will of individuals. When they try and exercise free will, abuse happens.
This is what happened to me.
ipswichbuddhistcentre.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/ipswich-buddhist-centre-experience/
I swear under oath and by the presence of God that there was abuse in the movement, I listened to accounts of it, and that I was abused in order to try and keep me quiet about serious ethical concerns. Now I know better and want to do the right thing and disclose.
ipswichbuddhistcentre.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/legal-disclaimers-reporting-abuse-at-the-ipswich-buddhist-centre/