Tag: EBU

European Buddhist Union condemns abuse by Buddhist teachers

Prompted by recent allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Tibetan teacher Dagri Rinpoche, the European Buddhist Union has published this statement on misconduct by Buddhist teachers.

Triratna has been a very active member of the EBU for many years, sending a series of Liaison officers to its meetings, of which I am the latest. As part of EBU discussions of misconduct in several Buddhist organisations I have talked very openly about the controversial aspects of Triratna’s past. I...

European Buddhist gatherings 2019

The end of September saw, as usual, the annual gatherings of the European Buddhist Union, and Buddhist Teachers in Europe.

This year the venue was Sangha Activa, a Spanish group in the Sakya lineage of the Vajrayana Tibetan tradition in the countryside an hour north of Barcelona. I attended both meetings as Triratna’s Liaison officer and Vajratara (who lives and works at Tiratanaloka) joined me for the Buddhist Teachers in Europe.

Sangha Activa several years ago took...

European Buddhists gather at Adhisthana

The last weekend in September saw the annual gathering of the European Buddhist Union (EBU), this year hosted by Triratna at Adhisthana, followed as always by the annual meeting of the Buddhist Teachers in Europe (BTE).

For the EBU meeting, around 30 people from national Buddhist unions and individual Buddhist traditions across Europe, and including some young Buddhist guests, spent three days together, concentrating on two topics: 1) Young Buddhists and 2) preventing abuse in...

European Buddhist Union calls for compassion for refugees

Last weekend I represented Triratna at the 40th Annual General Meeting of the European Buddhist Union. at the Rigpa Centre in Berlin.

At the particular request of Hungarian and Austrian Buddhists, a subgroup including me drafted a statement to be published in the name of the EBU: ‘A compassionate response to the European refugee crisis’.

“[We] call upon the governments and peoples of all European countries to show compassion and generosity to those displaced through war and seeking a refuge in Europe, safe from violence. 

“As...