[Buddha-l] Victim? - was Victimized vegans?

[Christopher Fynn]

> Hi Joy
> That never came up, but Norbu was a familyman. For rape you should ask 
> the Kargyudpa tradition especially the late Kalu Rche has made himself a 
> reputation. 

Eric - I think you are referring to the allegations made by Ms. June Campbell in 
her book - "Traveler in Space: Gender, Identity and Tibetan Buddhism".

June was one of Kalu Rinpoche's translators in the early 1970's. I don't think 
she (or anyone else) ever claimed she was "raped" by Kalu Rinpoche - though she 
does claim that she took advantage of his position as her teacher in order to 
persuade her to become his "tantric consort". In other words she is claiming an 
  abuse of power not "rape".

Personally I have serious doubts about these claims. I knew both June Campbell 
and Kalu Rinpoche very well during that whole time period and saw both of them 
almost every day. June first made these claims years after the events allegedly 
took place and, when she initially told the story to personal friends, the Lama 
she claimed this occurred with was another, younger Tulku at the same monastery 
with whom she also had a close connection.

When her book came out and the lama concerned in the story had changed to Kalu 
Rinpoche those to whom she had earlier related the story were quite surprised.

But then the other, much less well known Lama was still alive when she published 
her book - and Kalu Rinpoche was not there to dispute her claims.

> I must say that I was rather embarrassed when an elderly and 
> important rinpoche of this tradition kissed me on the mouth and asked me 
> to visit him early in the morning in his chambers (I cannot remember his 
> name now).

Homosexual relations are fairly common within many Tibetan monasteries of all 
traditions. The scandal is that these 'relationships' are often abuse by mature 
or elderly monks of young boy novices and that these goings on are more or less 
ignored by many western students who cannot be unaware of the situation.

Personally I think this warrants far more attention than dubious and 
unsubstantiated claims by an educated and grown up woman that she was persuaded 
by an elderly & frail Tibetan lama to become his 'tantric consort'.

- Chris