The item quoted by Misstyk is a comment following a blog article titled "Inconvenience of Doubt."
[www.thenakedmonk.com]
The Tibetan advised us to be careful to check the background of any Tibetan
teacher, they are human beings and as subject to temptation as the rest of us.
Here is the problem:
It is difficult for newcomers and beginning students to obtain "warts and all"
information about Vajrayana teachers by asking questions face to face.
1) Disciples of the teacher may be so indoctrinated that the cannot imagine
that the teacher is capable of harming anyone and deny that he or she actually
is harming people.
2) Older disciples hide 'inconvenient truths' about a dishonest or greedy
teacher because they do not want new students and prospective recruits to
be put off from the Dharma. Attracting new people to Vajrayana brings merit
to these older students, so there is an incentive to conceal discouraging
information. These disciples really believe that they themselves accumulate
merit and stand to progress more quickly in their own practice (in this life
and in future lives) by helping new people get involved with the Vajrayana via
their lama and other lamas.
Because all this is for the future good of the convert, older students feel
justified in hiding information about abusive lamas and rinpoches.
This is justified as 'skillful means'.
To others who are unenlightened, all this stinks of family secret dynamic -
the behavior perpetrated in alcoholic or otherwise secret ridden families.
[www.thenakedmonk.com]
The Tibetan advised us to be careful to check the background of any Tibetan
teacher, they are human beings and as subject to temptation as the rest of us.
Here is the problem:
It is difficult for newcomers and beginning students to obtain "warts and all"
information about Vajrayana teachers by asking questions face to face.
1) Disciples of the teacher may be so indoctrinated that the cannot imagine
that the teacher is capable of harming anyone and deny that he or she actually
is harming people.
2) Older disciples hide 'inconvenient truths' about a dishonest or greedy
teacher because they do not want new students and prospective recruits to
be put off from the Dharma. Attracting new people to Vajrayana brings merit
to these older students, so there is an incentive to conceal discouraging
information. These disciples really believe that they themselves accumulate
merit and stand to progress more quickly in their own practice (in this life
and in future lives) by helping new people get involved with the Vajrayana via
their lama and other lamas.
Because all this is for the future good of the convert, older students feel
justified in hiding information about abusive lamas and rinpoches.
This is justified as 'skillful means'.
To others who are unenlightened, all this stinks of family secret dynamic -
the behavior perpetrated in alcoholic or otherwise secret ridden families.