Sex Scandal at Pagoda Phat Hue, Germany

Open letter to the Sangha Zaltho (reply); Wisdom Quarterly

The Pagoda is rich and growing, hosting stellar Buddhist teachers like Ajahn Brahm, Pa Auk Sayadaw and his students, but it is also tainted by controversy that are now keeping many away. Is there anything to the whispers? (PhatHue.com)

The accused: Thich Thien Son

PAGODA PHAT HUE, Germany - The rumors are out there, and who will be complicit in ignoring them? A charismatic Vietnamese Buddhist guru (with specially chosen head disciples) leads a German "cult" -- and everybody senses that their "eccentric" behavior could easily cross the line. Who will speak up? Is consensual sex with a monastic guru okay? Not for the monastic, and it cannot be profitable karma for anyone who seduces a monastic. (This should not be confused with the guilt and confusion of asking oneself, "Did I mislead him/her?" This is a question of fully intentional behavior to seduce, and if that conscious intention is not there, one should understand that it is the guru's doing). And what if it is the monastic doing the flirting/seducing? Run. Or maybe speak to Zen Master Brad Warner about "Sex, Sin, and Zen."

• Buddhism Forum - Discussion Forum

Offener Brief an die Zaltho Sangha - Deutsche Buddhistische...

(Dharma.de) Juni 2011 in einer Einrichtung der Frankfurter Pagode Phat Hue eine Veranstaltung leitet.... jedermann wußte, daß der auch so einen Hang zur Nondualität im Umgang mit seiner Sexualität hat. (Sexual Ethics, Zen Scandals, and Cults 8). 

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Dear companions,
You should be able to assume that just has an American Zen teacher of the case Eido Shimano and Zen Studies Society. It was widely discussed in recent months by the American public, closely monitored, and lessons learned from it.

Above all, there is a doctrine that says, when sexual misconduct is committed by someone who claims the authority of a [monastic] "Dharma teacher," there is only one way to solve the problem:
You have to challenge his/her authority by asking him/her to explain clearly and publicly what authority he/she abused.

The German publisher and blogger Guido Keller has recently turned to the Zaltho Foundation in the U.S. "to make sure that he [Claude Thomas Anshin] also knows... [dated 17-19 June 2011 in an institution of the Frankfurt Pagoda Phat Hue].

• The blog post can be read here: http://der-asso-blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/wird-claude-anshin-thomas-den-thich.html.

I quote from the reply he received:

Claude Thomas Anshin is aware of the information that you are presenting in your email regarding the Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Thien Son. Let me respond in short that in the face of deep suffering, it is those who are authorized and certified to teach to visit with those who are deemed unfit or immoral. It is in these critical times that it becomes quite necessary to not isolate this community..."

(Brad Warner/HardcoreZen.info)

The response of the Zaltho Foundation I feel -- and [by] this feeling I'm not apologizing -- as 'weasely,' albeit not as much as what you have heard of "Thich" Thien Son in the last few months can do...

The Buddhist laity can and must expect to see Dharma teachers that they also have an obligation to 'peer control' and that they have this obligation so as to take it seriously and accept it....
 
The cases Eido Shimano, "Thich" Thien Son and many others have shown that it is possible to draw a parallel with sexual misconduct and alcoholism. And as there is alcoholism in the social environment a co-alcoholism [codependent behavior?], there is also notorious repeated sexual misconduct and a supportive and aggravating environment supporting the problem behavior.
 
The announcement to "not isolate this community" is, in my opinion, precisely this kind of 'compliance' -- and the transition from 'compliance' for complicity is fluid. The statements of the Foundation on behalf of Zaltho Anshin Claude Thomas, in my view, is simply shameful. ... More

• Mr. Roger Shoshin Markwart, First Chairman of the Sangha Zaltho Germany, High Fell Street 17, 83233 Bernau and Mrs. Marion GenRai Luke, contact person for Claude Thomas Anshin in Germany, Hermann Nörrenberg-Str. 17, 51379 Leverkusen

Zen and Theravada interview (video)

Australia's Ajahn Brahm, Vietnam's Thich Thien Son on Buddhism (Pagoda Phat Hue)

American Buddhist nun: Vegetarian from Afar

(Phathue) Interview with the Buddhist nun Ven. Thubten Chodron at Pagoda Phat Hue ("Buddha's Wisdom") in Frankfurt, Germany -- "Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha's teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well-known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings."

• Tibetan Vegetarian dishes
• Vegetarian Awakening in the Himalayas
• The First Tibetan Vegetarian and Vegan Society with HH the Dalai Lama as its Patron-In-Chief

"Interdependence, protecting life, and loving kindness are three of the Buddha's most important teachings… Sentient beings and the environment depend upon each other for survival, and thus it's in the interest of human beings to protect the environment."
- Thubten Chodron (Sravasti Abbey, sravasti.org)

(vitalrecipe.com)

Vegetarian from Afar
Venerables Chodron, Tarpa, Semkye, and Jampel attended a monastic conference about the environment and global warming where we learned that the global meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all cars, buses, trucks, and planes combined.

The Abbey has been vegetarian since its inception and we thought it would be good to encourage others to be vegetarian as well. We want to inspire and empower each other to make a noticeable difference in the world by doing something quite simple yet important. Thus we’re beginning “Vegetarian From Afar” to inspire others to reduce their meat eating.

To be a part of it, folks make a commitment not to eat meat (including fish and chicken) one day a week. There are many great reasons to participate and here are just a few:

From the viewpoint of compassion:

As sentient beings, animals want to be happy and to be free of suffering just as much as we human beings do. Thus let’s cherish their lives as we cherish our own.

From the viewpoint of global warming and climate change: If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. alone would save:

• 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost 4 months
• 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year
• 70 million gallons of gas — enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined with plenty to spare
• 3 million acres of land, more than twice the size of Delaware
• 33 tons of antibiotics

"The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide… far more than transportation" (meatlessmonday.com).

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would prevent:

• Greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as produced by all of France
• 3 million tons of soil erosion and $70 million in resulting economic damages
• 4.5 million tons of animal excrement
• Almost 7 tons of ammonia emissions, a major air pollutant

From the viewpoint of health:

Here are the benefits of eating less meat: More>>

• Women more likely to accept climate science
• VIDEO: Teaching, Stages of the Path, Karma
• Sravasti: Dharma programs and outreach

TRAVEL-TEACHING SCHEDULE

• Sept. 25: Walla Walla/Tri-Cities, WA: "Compassion in Action: One Step at a Time," one-day retreat with Ven. Tarpa, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact: Chris Murray, 509-946-7217
• Sept. 25 & 26, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: World Buddhist Conference with Thich Nhat Han, Ven. Chodron, and others
• Oct. 11 - Nov. 22, Spokane, WA: Buddhist Meditation with Vens. Semkye and Jigme, Mondays 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4340 W. Fort George Wright Dr. Contact Sara, 509-533-3222.
• Oct. 15 - 26, Singapore: Teachings with Ven. Chodron. Contact FOSA.
• Oct. 25, Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society, "What Do We Do with Desires?" 7:30 p.m.
• Nov. 14 - 22, Mexico: Dharma talks in Cancun and Xalapa & retreat in Jalcomulco with Ven. Chonyi. Details to come. Contact Patricio.
• Nov. 3, Cheney, WA: Eastern Washington University, "What the Buddha Taught and Why It Matters Today," on campus. Public talk with Ven. Chodron, hosted by Women's & Gender Studies Dept. 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Dec. 28 - January 1: Boulder Creek, CA: Vajrapani Institute. New Year Purification-Vajrasattva Retreat with Ven. Chodron

Pa Auk Sayadaw -- 2009 Retreat (IMS)

The most Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Frankfurt in 2008 (dhammaweb.net)

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BREAKING NEWS!

DhammaWeb.net is reporting that Pa Auk Sayadaw (the enlightened master from Burma) has accepted an invitation to conduct a three-month meditation retreat in 2009!

The Sayadaw (biography) is currently conducting a four-month (July-October 2008) meditation retreat at the Forest Refuge (Insight Meditation Society) in Barre, Massachusetts. Then he is off to Malaysia and Singapore. Most importantly, it is reported that as the Sayadaw was leaving Phat Hue Temple, the venerable Abbot there asked the Sayadaw three times to return to Pagoda Phat Hue for three months in 2009. The Sayadaw accepted this invitation! Now the Temple "hopes the Sayadaw's next visit will be even more of an awakening experience." More

"One who sees the Dharma

sees me.

One who sees me

sees the Dharma."

- The Buddha

• paauk.org
• Talks from current U.S. retreat
• jhanasadvice.com