ACT ON Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa

Case 05/2015: LAMA OLE NYDAHL

ACT ON Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa

On May 30, 2017, it is issued an Act of International Repudiation against the spiritual endorsements that Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa made to Mr. Ole Nydahl. This repudiation is due to the fact that the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has sentenced Mr. Ole Nydahl for being Responsible for the charges of Discrimination, False Buddhism and False Spirituality, Violation of Buddhist Ethical Precepts, Political Persecution and Attack on the Human Right to Freedom of Expression. Therefore, every ethical and spiritual support given to Mr. Nydahl is an act of complicity that must be repudiated at the international level. In addition, it should be noted the fact that while some charges show that Mr. Ole Nydahl violates Buddhist Law and Ethics, at the same time other charges constitute violations of International Human Rights Law. These grave denunciations and objections against Mr. Nydahl are certainly not new, since Master Chögyam Trungpa had already warned in 1984 about Nydahl's teaching as being contrary to all that is genuine in Buddhism, also stating that Mr. Nydahl transmits a perversion of the Buddhadharma. Even someone as controversial and with many ethical flaws as Chögyam Trungpa could recognize the lack of spiritual veracity in Mr. Ole Nydahl, coming at the same conclusions that the International Buddhist Ethics Committee.

In the face of all this, it is unfortunate that Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa has not corrected Mr. Nydahl, but rather complicity has been kept facing his violations of Buddhist Ethics and Human Rights. There is a fundamental explanation for this endorsement: Mr. Nydahl has remained within the Buddhist lineage because of the multimillion-dollar income he gets with his thousands of followers. The other option is that Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa shares absolutely everything what Mr. Nydahl says, which would obviously disqualify him as a genuine Buddhist Master. Mr Ole Nydahl deforms Buddhist teachings, conveying a self-help and superficial Buddhism, while at the same time he unacceptably conveys discriminatory ideas, especially Islamophobia. All of this contradicts the pacifist legacy of Siddharta Gautama, who was the greatest exponent of liberty, equality and fraternity among the nations of the world. The endorsement of Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa to Nydahl is shameful and is an affront against Buddhist Spirituality.

Moreover, it is recorded that Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa has received a spiritual award from the Jeewak Welfare Society, which is also an organization that has awarded to Ronald Lloyd Spencer. Regarding Mr. Spencer, he is an international fraudster who has been sentenced by the International Buddhist Ethics Committee for the charges of Spiritual Fraud and False Buddhism. It should be noted that for years Mr. Spencer has used as a source of spiritual legitimacy the fact of having been awarded by an organization that also gave an award to Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa.

With respect to other possible Buddhist ethical objections that may be made against Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, such as the fact that he is not a genuine reincarnation or the fact that he left the life of a mendicant to decide becoming a married man, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has nothing to say about it. This is because the Buddhist masters' spiritual veracity does not come from the contradictory belief in reincarnation, but comes from their thoughts, words and acts. Nor is it disputed the fact that Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa has decided to marry, recommending that his lineage carry out a transformation of his internal laws and that he accepts that Buddhist mendicants may marry companions of the Buddhist Path. Whenever there is Compassionate Love without attachment, this would not be contradictory to Buddhist Ethics.

In conclusion, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee requests Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa the following two points:

1.      It is requested he publicly takes action against Mr. Nydahl for his grave violations of Buddhist Ethics and Human Rights.

2.      It is requested he publicly requires the Jeewak Welfare Society to cancel the prize awarded to Mr. Spencer.

In case of not fulfilling these requirements there would be Complicity of Thaye Dorje 17th Gyalwa Karmapa with respect to violations toward Buddhist Ethics.

Always with reconciliation (maitri),

H.E. Master Maitreya Samyaksambuddha

President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee