A Clear and Present Danger to A Buddhist Free Press

Note: This guest post from Buddhist blogger Bill Schwartz (@ryderjaphy on Twitter) has been published here in a demonstration of solidarity with the cause of a Buddhist Free Press -- a cause that the toxic cult of New Age "guru" Alyce Zeoli tries so hard to suppress. Bill's words follow here:

Three months ago I decided I wanted to write a blog for my publisher, Elephant Journal, on the subject of Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Tibetan Buddhist franchise founded by a controversial Palyul lineage tulku.  I’m a 2010 Blogisattva Honorable Mention for Political and Opinion blogging by a Buddhist. As a journalist I thought it would make it an interesting column.

Unfortunately, before I was able to even finish my blog I was notified by Waylon Lewis, publisher of Elephant Journal, that he had received threatening phone calls from Kunzang Palyul Choling. Even a law suit without merit could put his magazine out of business. This was no idle threat. So advised, I was in the process of finishing my blog when Waylon notified me that he had received a cease and desist letter from KPC’s lawyer.

This is not a squabble between Buddhists. It is a threat against our fundamental right to a free press. Fortunately for Kunzang Palyul Choling, Buddhists don’t care about free speech. KPC can threaten to put a publisher out of business to block the publication of a blog about them with impunity. I wouldn’t have believed this to be so, but this has been the response from Buddhists to date.

The Palyul lineage (of which KPC is a nominal affiliate because its founder was recognized by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche as a tulku and enthroned as such) can do nothing even if it were so inclined. As a Buddhist franchise, KPC does not accept the authority of the present head of the Palyul lineage, His Holiness Karma Kuchen. The founder of KPC does not answer to HHKK.

When Travis May published a blog on Buddhadharma about the KPC SLAPP Scandal the editor removed it. Was KPC threatened? No, it wasn’t threatened. Worse, it simply doesn’t care. Why? It doesn’t care because Buddhists don’t care. None of the glossy Buddhist magazines is willing to cover this story. Buddhists don’t believe in a free press.

But surely Buddhist bloggers care? Nope. One Buddhist blogger informed me he wasn’t interested. It would be too much work. It’s much easier to write about wisdom and compassion instead. His audience will just eat that up and ask for more. There is no upside to a Buddhist blogger in harshing the mellow of his audience over something of such little or no interest to Buddhists as a free press seems to be.

The response of individual Buddhists has been even worse—unsolicited dharma advice on Tonglen, sending and receiving. We are to exchange our attachment to our right to free speech for the peace of mind that comes with caring only about ourselves. I kid you not. That’s what Shantideva taught. This is the path of the bodhisattva. The Buddhist response has been that it’s perfectly acceptable what KPC has done.

We are two weeks into this scandal. I thank John Pappas for providing me the opportunity to share with you this breaking story. This is but the beginning. Until the Palyul lineage issues a public statement in support of press freedom, until Buddhist bloggers step up and make their voices heard on this subject, and until Buddhists consider the slippery moral slope we now find ourselves upon, I have only yet begun to fight.

"Jetsunma's" Broken Samaya

"Just be harmonious with each other and do your very best and follow the pure tradition, not “my way.” Don’t follow the highway of “my way,” that’s very shameful. That will cover up the pure Buddhist doctrine. And don’t mix the tradition with other things, with your own ideas and your own cultures. Don’t follow cultures for that matter. You don’t need to follow any culture, just the pure Buddhadharma, and nothing ever needs to be changed. It’s so sad when people think they need to adjust Buddha’s speech, like pouring blood into pure milk."

The above was spoken by Gyaltrul Rinpoche, who New Age cult leader "Jetsunma" Ahkon Lhamo (Alyce Zeoli) frequently refers to as her root guru. Yet, yesterday, the following comment appeared on her website, as prelude to yet another convoluted tirade that demonstrates nothing more than her ignorance of the dharma and profoundly broken samaya: 

"An excerpt from a teaching called Dharma and the Western Mind by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo: 'Adapting Dharma for Westerners is not difficult if you understand what our needs are.'"

Alyce Zeoli dares to "teach" contrary to her root guru's specific instructions, and she even does it while he is still alive. Can you imagine how destructive she will become when he passes away?

The Chicago Sting

Elephant Journal's popular contributor Bill Schwartz recently let it be known that he was publishing a story about the Jetsunma Cult's decaying franchise. This did not sit well with the P.R. obsessed "sangha," or its founder, New Age "channeler" Alyce Zeoli. They had a lawyer draft up a letter threatening EJ publisher Waylon Lewis before the article was even published! That's called "SLAPP," or strategic litigation against public participation, and is a despised censorship technique. Now, KPC's attempt at spin control has backfired, as online journalists like Buddhadharma have taken up the fallen banner.

Playing Politics

Alyce Zeoli's political activity under scrutiny

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes. 

We do know that several complaints have been filed in Maryland against Alyce Zeoli's "New Palyul Lineage," also known as "KPC," and that a formal investigation is now underway. This investigation includes screen captures of literally hundreds of political "tweets" by Zeoli, her followers, and officers of the KPC organization.

Peeling the Onion

The trail begins and ends in Hong Kong, where all good money launderers always go in an attempt to hide their ill-gotten gains.

The trail then proceeds to Maryland, to a corporation (not in good standing) registered to an ex-husband (also not in good standing).

Just to confuse matters, there is also a highly similar corporation (not in good standing) involving the same creative thinking.

Nevertheless, the trail then moves to Arizona, to another  similarly-named corporation (not in good standing). Matter of fact, that corporation has been DISSOLVED by the Secretary of State for non-compliance with reporting procedures. That is a familiar theme in this little tale of woe.

Here is an interesting cast of characters -- better known these days by their Twitter names @kpcmonk and @anidawa?

But wait just a funky Chicago second..... what about that little fundraising situation back in April of 2010? That one where cult leader Alyce Zeoli and her well known cast of cyber-bullies were so desperate for your dollars to "save the temple?" 

Seems to me that money supposedly went to pay off a note against property held by a corporation that basically doesn't exist.

That's what the public records say, and that's what the seasoned fraud investigators say. That's also what it says on the documents that Alyce Zeoli and cohorts submitted to the lenders.

Now wait just another second.... wasn't that whole episode overshadowed by a magical donation of $117,000 wire-transfered from Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies in the United Kingdom? 

Except, there is no Companies House listing for Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies.

The only "Pathgate" known to Companies House is this one:

Hmm... this onion is starting to stink.... lets peel some more, shall we?

Why, its a reference to somebody named "Lama Dondrup Dorje." Now, that wouldn't happen to be a certain Hong Kong martial arts personality running around the British Isles using various Tibetan names, now would it?

The same person who is one of the Directors of.....

Penor Rinpoche Charity Foundation Limited?

Oh, we already be knowin', honey... we already be knowin' all about your crystals and what more they might represent.....

This story continues to develop, as we find more and more interesting evidence. We'll be sure to keep you informed, so stay tuned.

Working On It

When you have a great team, anything is possible, and we have the greatest team it is possible to find anywhere in the world. Each one, a master of his craft.

And very highly motivated.

A "Living Buddha" Breaks Vows In Public

Dudjom Rinpoche's commentary to Ngari Panchen's Ascertaining the Three Vows points out that it is a serious breach of one's vows to mentally forsake any sentient being. Indeed, "Aspirational training according to the tradition of Asanga is to never mentally forsake any sentient being... ."

The Madwoman of Poolesville reveals herself yet again.