Question
Have you heard about the investigation into the Dalai Lama by two Austrian
researchers, published under the pseudonyms Victor and Victoria
Trimondi? An English translation already exists, and a French one is
being prepared. It is a rigorous investigation that seems to reveal the
”hidden face” (the book is in fact titled “The Hidden Face of the Dalai
Lama”), the so-called Kalachakra myth, barbaric practices, and an ideology
that seems very far from the compassion usually associated with
Buddhism. There also seem to be links with certain
revisionist and mystical groups (Miguel Serrano, Jean-Marc Rivière,
etc.). The authors also examined the crucial role played by
the discovery of the “esoteric” East in the Nazi mental world and
worldview (very costly expeditions to Tibet, meditation
practices intended to “free” SS “warriors” from fear of death, etc.).
In any case, you will find more detailed information on the
subject (unless, of course, you are already aware of it) on Victor
and Victoria Trimondi’s website. “Secret Aryan Cults: The Occult Roots of
Nazism” by Good-Clarke is also full of surprises, so to
speak… Could there be a “hidden face” of Zen? The
(provisional, of course) findings of this research suggest that a fascist
interpretation of certain Eastern practices may be far from merely
fantasy or a product of the morbid Nazi imagination.
In short, lost in an abyss of painful contradictions, I have taken the liberty
of asking what you think about all this. With
sincere greetings, Luc.
Anonymous
Answer from Master Kosen
I think all churches are corrupt.
Whether Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim, especially when they exercise social power and interfere in people’s lives. This can extend to ideological or political power. Ultimately, they are merely sects that one day gained enough influence to impose themselves on entire populations.
Zen brings forth a religious spirit within us, because we all have this potential, but it does not require belonging to a church, except when it is corrupted. Even receiving ordination means a commitment to oneself, not membership in a church. This is where I disagree with the AZI.
On the contrary, everyone must become responsible for their own life and profoundly free. In this sense, I favor a secular Zen, even if it is deeply religious. Tibetan Buddhists have confessed their past mistakes. The Dalai Lama himself said that the harsh ordeal of exile opened their eyes to certain past mistakes and purified their hearts.
That does not mean I agree with people who try to systematically smear entire communities by digging through the bottom of trash cans and conducting caricatured investigations removed from their historical and cultural contexts.
Kosen