Smaller Buddhist sects

[hindupridemn]

Do we have any information on these Buddhist religions:

Vipassana
True Buddha School
Share International
New Kadampa Tradition
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
Diamond Way

 

[Twilight Hue]

Do we have any information on these Buddhist religions:

Vipassana
True Buddha School
Share International
New Kadampa Tradition
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
Diamond Way

Vipassana is a meditation.

True Buddha School, Share international, NKT, and the FWBO* are more or less contested movements**, and are not formerly recognised as traditional Buddhist schools.

The Diamond way is recognised as a lay organization within the Karma Kagyu school in Tibetian Buddhism.

*Friends of the Western Buddhist Order is a defunct name. It's been since renamed as the Tiratina Buddhist Community.
**Contested is putting it mildly mind you, depending upon who you ask.

 

[DreadFish]

Do we have any information on these Buddhist religions:

Vipassana
True Buddha School
Share International
New Kadampa Tradition
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
Diamond Way

The New Kadampa Tradition is a Vajrayana school that stems from the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The founder is Geshe Kalsang Gyatso.

It has recieved mixed views by others. One of the main criticisms is that they initiate people into practices that used to be much more secret. Also, one of the more well known controversies is that they still pratice the Dorje Shugden which was banned by the Dalai Lama.


I had to look up a few of those things to remember, but you can look here, which is where I looked to remember the details: New Kadampa Tradition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[wisdombeing]

The headquarters for the New Kadampa Tradition is in the UK, but they have a humungous number of centres around the world, so i wouldn't call them a 'small sect' . I guess if you look at how many Buddhist centres have developed, it must be resonating with people. Yes they do have their share of controversies and Dorje Shugden is their Dharma Protector. Because of the Dorje Shugden issue, NKT has also broken away from the Gelugpa tradition although they are essentially still Gelugpa in their teachings. HH Trijang Rinpoche was Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s teacher so you can see how strong the link to Dorje Shugden is. For more info about Dorje Shugden and also NKT, you can read the articles at dorjeshugden.com.

 

[Secret Chief]

The FWBO has renamed itself Triratna. It has been troubled by controversy in the past, centering on the founder, Sangharak****a.

 

[apophenia]

Vipassana, the organisation now headed by S.N.Goenka, has a lineage going back to the teachers Uti and Sona (spelling ?), who arrived in Burma from India shortly after the formalising of the tripitaka.

The school offers teaching in the same format as taught by Uti and Sona, during retreats (ten days for beginners). The retreats follow as far as practically possible the vinaya, so that students also receive the teaching in a monastic environment. Noble Silence is practiced (including body language - gestures of any kind etc), and students sit for 11 hours each day.

 

[zenzero]

Friend apophenia,

That is correct and their are few centres in India where regular *Vipassana* retreats are held. It is another way of doing *zazen*.

Love & rgds

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Since Vipassana, New Kadampa, and Diamond Way have been discussed, I'll tell you what I know of True Buddha School, Share, and FWBO.

True Buddha School was founded by Lu Sheng Yen, who was known as his disciples as the Living Buddha. It is rooted in the Vajrayana, or Diamond Vehicle, of Buddhism, who's most well known school is Tibetan. Like New Kadampa, and some other smaller sects, it is more akin to a NRM (new religious movement), that incorporates other religious teachings, such as Taoism, into it's belief and practice. To the best of my knowledge, it is a controversial movement, and has been given, what can basically be described as, cult status.

Share International is a movement founded by Benjamin Creme, who declared that the various messiahs and such has come, in a man he calls Maitreya, after the next Buddha in this current cycle. According to Creme, this person is also the second coming of Christ, al-Madhi, Kalki, the Jewish messiah, and other such personages. It has also been given cult status.

FWBO, now known as Tiratana, was a movement aimed at modernizing and westernizing Buddhism, to make it more appealing and acceptable to a western audience. Like these others, it is not considered an "orthodox" form of Buddhism.

 

[DreadFish]

It has come to my attention that Kadapma centers (at least the local one around here) charge for their weekly meditation classes and other related classes.

Again, im not sure how legit they are :/

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

It has come to my attention that Kadapma centers (at least the local one around here) charge for their weekly meditation classes and other related classes.

Again, im not sure how legit they are :/

That would make me suspicious.

 

[OneoftheLost]

I actually have a Kadampa center near where I live, and it was a place I frequented for several months while I was studying several Buddhist books and teachings. I can confirm that they charge for every class, and meditation area. I remember asking about the reason behind this, as I remembered what the Buddha said on one occasion in regards to teaching for food, etc. (Sorry for the paraphrase, its been a while since I have studied.) Unfortunately I can't remember what I was told.

For anyone who is curious, they do charge. Also, the teachings are almost verbatim from Geshe Kalsang Gyatso's writings/books.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I actually have a Kadampa center near where I live, and it was a place I frequented for several months while I was studying several Buddhist books and teachings. I can confirm that they charge for every class, and meditation area. I remember asking about the reason behind this, as I remembered what the Buddha said on one occasion in regards to teaching for food, etc. (Sorry for the paraphrase, its been a while since I have studied.) Unfortunately I can't remember what I was told.

For anyone who is curious, they do charge. Also, the teachings are almost verbatim from Geshe Kalsang Gyatso's writings/books.

Yes, and he and his movement are highly controversial within Buddhism. I'd rather just stick with one of the traditional schools.

 

[DreadFish]

Also, if the teachings are almost verbatim from Geshe Kalsang's books, id say it's a bit of a dupe to charge regularly for teachings that you could just pay for once by buying a book.

Nonetheless, the point is, Dharma teachings should be free, donations are always welcome but should never be solicited. If there is a case where one is charged for a retreat or something of that effect, there are reasonable reasons for that. Such things could be helping to pay for the various expenses that it takes to conduct a retreat like food, utilities, etc., and to help pay for the trip for the Dharma teacher should it be the case that one has to travel from elsewhere to teach.

 

[Engyo]

At my temple we don't charge for normal services. When we do a retreat that includes meals, special materials, possibly facility rental and the teacher's time, then we charge enough to cover expenses.

 

[DreadFish]

At my temple we don't charge for normal services. When we do a retreat that includes meals, special materials, possibly facility rental and the teacher's time, then we charge enough to cover expenses.

Yeah, I think those kinds of things are reasonable because everyone is putting their money in to make the whole thing possible and hold their own weight. And sometimes those organizing such events have ways to pay your way if you genuinely cannot pay so that you can still attend.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
The path of dharma enlightens and it also enlightens that we are all part of this existence and non can carry anything, those who try to carry deviate from dharma and finally face death leaving behind all that he had accummulated.
So, in general those on the path of dharma should have no thoughts and profit should be the last thought. Existence is always there of which we are aprt and so at best we share everything.

Love & rgds

 

[apophenia]

The Vipassana organisation accepts donations if you complete a retreat. They will not accept donations even if you quit on day 9 of a 10 day retreat. Participants are well fed and provided comfortable quarters.

When Mr Goenka announced that this was to be implemented even in India, other members of the organisation thought it would never work. They expected that starving and homeless Indians would send the organisation broke if they could receive food and accomodation without payment. Goenka stuck with the principle, and everything worked out fine.

It is considered polite to enquire as to what is a reasonable donation and attempt to provide that minimum, but there is no amount specified or required.