Nathaniel Whiteman published an apology on the internet for his negative actions toward the NKT. The first part of his apology is below. It is very kind of Nathaniel to apologize and to acknowledge his mistakes.
Dear Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and members of the New Kadampa Tradition.
I am writing this letter as an apology for my previous harmful actions against the New Kadampa Tradition and certain members of the organisation. My intentions were extremely negative and were as a result of my uncontrollable mind; I have, since leaving the NKT, been seeking psychological treatment for my negative mental state and have been diagnosed with a chronic mental illness.
I have removed my blog kelsanbrat.blogspot.co.za and have started practicing Dharma at my own pace and in my own way without belonging to a particular tradition or organization. I have contacted Kelsang Legden and Kelsang Osel and apologised for all the negative emails that I had sent regarding them.
A team is assembling and heading to Tibet to begin filming a well researched documentary film about Dorje Shugden.
dorjeshugdenmovie.com - “The general idea is to do documented research on the origin and practice of the Buddhist protector deity Dorje Shugden. We will travel to Tibet and surrounding countries, visit historically relevant sites and talk to its followers and masters all over the world.”
This is great news. I’m sure that this documentary will clear up some of the nonsense about Dorje Shugden created by the Dalai Lama. However, they state on the site they will not be going into the recent controversy and this project is not connected to any organization.
Safe travels Dorje Shugden filmmakers. I’m sure you’ll be well protected on your journey!
Part three of the articles on the New Kadampa Truth Blog about the history of the New Kadampa Tradition’s ‘cult’ smear has been up for a couple days now. This article highlights the Dalai Lama’s first publicized attacks on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and Je Phabongkhapa (one of the principal lineage Gurus of all modern day Gelugpas).
Part three also addresses the smears of the New Kadampa Tradition and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso published by Newsweek in 1997 in the article entitled Cult Mystery. The main body of which was based on interviews with the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman.
This combined with the Sera Expulsion Letter cemented in the minds of many Tibetan Buddhists the belief that the NKT was a cult. 1996 and 1997 were bad times for the NKT. Brave as they were to stand up to the Dalai Lama, their actions were misconstrued and the unfair smear of their being a cult began.
- The history of the New Kadampa Tradition’s ‘cult’ smear, Part 3
The New Kadampa Truth blog has rolled out the first in a series of articles about the New Kadampa Tradition being labeled as a cult by supporters of the Dalai Lama. The ‘cult’ smear has probably been the most damaging smear to the reputation of the NKT even though there is no actual basis to support it. It’s wonderful that this series of articles is being published by the New Kadampa Truth team. May the truth prevail!
Being accused of being a cult by someone who dislikes you is similar to being asked if you are still beating your wife every night. No matter what is said or not said in defence, the insinuation remains that you beat your wife. For simply addressing this topic, the NKT may be accused by the same detractors of being defensive (”they wouldn’t need to defend themselves if they weren’t in fact a cult!”); but we will take that risk. From the faultfinders’ point of view, we’re damned if we defend ourselves and damned if we don’t. Why not just ignore them? Because people surfing the Internet sometimes encounter the allegation that the NKT is a cult and then assume that the person who said this somehow knows something that they do not. They may then believe this and either stay away from the NKT or, if they are already in the NKT, anxiously ask themselves, “Oh no, am I in a cult?!”
Before Today, I never would have known that fractals could be useful in illustrating Atisha’s advice on how to gain the attainments of all deities through accomplishing the practice of just one. But the author of Heart Jewel (both the site and the blog) has presented a skillful refutation of the smear that the New Kadampa Tradition is sectarian by using a fractal illustration.
The NKT follows the middle way which avoids the extremes of sectarianism and eclecticism.
Extreme #1: One tradition is better than the other three (“one size fits all”), which leads to sectarianism.
Extreme #2: Four traditions are better than one (“I need all I can get”), which leads to eclecticism.
The Middle Way: (a) One tradition cannot accomplish everything for everybody (“different strokes for different folks”), which counters sectarianism. But, (b) one tradition can accomplish everything for you (“less is more”), which counters eclecticism.
A couple new refutations of smears of the New Kadampa Tradition have been added to the New Kadampa Truth site. I wanted to comment on this one, because this is something I’ve been contemplating recently:
I’m not sure who the source of this smear is, but I think it is good that the topic is being addressed on the New Kadampa Truth site. I’m a student on the Teacher Training Program (TTP), and the issue of who is qualified to teach even sometimes comes up amongst people who are already teaching branches and such. In a recent discussion on TTP, at the Center I study at, this subject came up. Someone pointed out that Geshe-la has said that we don’t need to be Dharma millionaires in order to teach. People in this world are poor in terms of Dharma, so whatever experience of Dharma we can give them will benefit them.
I am poor financially, but I’m better off than a lot of people. So the question doesn’t come up in my mind about whether or not I’m qualified to give to a beggar on the street. Because, I do have some money and some compassion. In the same way, if we have some personal experience of inner peace that comes from practicing Dharma, then we have something very precious to give to those who wish to receive it. We live in degenerate times spiritually. Spiritual poverty is everywhere. Suffering is everywhere. How wonderful, that Venerable Geshe-la has established the New Kadampa Tradition. He says that we are distributors of wisdom. We have the incredible good fortune to spread the wealth of Kadam Dharma throughout the world. I rejoice whenever I hear of a new branch or even a new student in the NKT, because I know how wonderful it was for me the first time I heard Buddha’s teachings. I hope that everyone who wishes to learn Dharma will meet a good-hearted teacher who will guide them, to the best of their ability, with Buddha at their heart.
Below is a video of a Kadampa Teacher giving a teaching on contentment. It’s wonderful to know that wisdom like this is being spread throughout the world. Maybe it’s worth noting, that many teachers (included myself) don’t have the extensive vocabulary and skillful manner of speaking that Peter demonstrates in this teaching. That doesn’t make us unqualified. Does it?
Two important posts about the New Kadampa Tradition have been posted on the New Kadampa Truth Blog in the last couple days. These posts refute the smears that the NKT has broken away from the Gelugpa tradition and the mainstream of Buddhism.
After reading these posts I was surfing the web and came across this quote from Jim Belither about Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and found these words inspiring to contemplate:
Through the kind efforts and pure wishes of our Venerable Teacher, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the sun of Je Tsongkhapa’s Kadam Dharma, having risen from behind the Eastern Snow Mountains, now radiates to many countries throughout the world. Through the pure thoughts and actions of Kadampa Buddhists, now and in the future, may the teachings, example and blessings of the Buddha and Je Tsongkhapa continue to remain and flourish for the greater good and happiness of all beings. – Jim Belither
For the last 10 years or so, it seems like it has mainly been people who are opposed to the NKT writing about their experiences on the internet. Why is this? My opinion is that most people who are involved in the NKT don’t have a whole lot of time for this kind of thing. Most Kadampas do volunteer work for their Center, have part time or full time jobs, study on the NKT study programs and have daily meditations and pujas that they do. Which translates into, not a lot of free time, for blogging and such.
However, I don’t think there is a single Kadampa who isn’t tired of all the lies that get spread about our Spiritual Guide and Tradition on the internet. They say we’re a cult or an NRM (whatever that is). They say we’re murderers, chinese spies, and spirit worshippers. They say our Spiritual Guide isn’t a real Geshe, because he doesn’t have the Dalai Lama’s stamp of approval.
There have also been some people who never really got their practice off the ground. Then left the NKT, and now share their sad interpretation of the NKT in blog posts and such.
The good news is, the future is looking brighter. There are now several Kadampas who are sincere practitioners who are now blogging about their experiences so that outsiders can have a look at how people with positive minds experience the NKT.
A team is assembling and heading to Tibet to begin filming a well researched documentary film about Dorje Shugden.
