Case 05/2015: Lama Ole Nydahl

JUDGEMENT AND ETHICAL CONCLUSION

Dear Prosecutor, Executive Secretary and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) & Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding the case reported by the International Association of Maitriyana (IAM) against Lama Ole Nydahl, by means of this paper, on July 30, 2015, I put into record that it is concluded the fifth case of the Ethics Committee in order to analyze the violation of Buddhist Spirituality conducted by the accused.

After the vast amount of evidence presented, and certified as valid by the Prosecutor, and existing a refusal of the accused to make a statement, we have proceeded with the vote of 6 members of the Jury, confirming that all of them sentenced Ole Nydahl as “Responsible” for the serious crime of Discrimination. Because these actions violate the Buddhist ethical precepts, such as refraining from insults, lies and slanders, the messages of discrimination and Islamophobia on the part of the accused, reveal a violation of the Noble Eightfold Path, since there is a lack of righteousness in understanding, thinking, words, attention and concentration. Concordantly, the accused Ole Nydahl has been criticized in the past for his discriminatory comments against Muslims. This precedent reveals stubbornness on the part of the defendant, who transmits a superficial Buddhism that is growing like a plague all over Europe, which constitutes a danger provided there is discrimination and prejudices in his teachings.

In addition of violating the Buddhist vows, these public statements of the accused individual are part of a global cultural climate of hatred and persecution against Islam, as previous cases have demonstrated which opportunely were analyzed by our International Buddhist Ethics Committee and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights. Thus, the teachings of Ole Nydahl do not contribute to Interreligious Dialogue or to the World Peace, but they derive in cultural segregation, discrimination and hatred, which is one of the great three poisons of mind according to the Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism to which he belongs.

Therefore, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee and the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights dictates that Buddhist Spirituality, as Path of Fraternity, must stop considering Ole Nydahl as a lama, simultaneously recommending that the accused urgently performs a contemplative training in order to acquire compassionate wisdom necessary to be able to banish the ideas of hatred and deceit inside his mind.

Following in the footsteps of the Master Siddhartha Gautama, who has been the true light of equanimity and harmony in the world, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights has decided to proceed against Ole Nydahl for violating the Buddhist Spirituality and for being a threat for interreligious dialogue and world peace. Thus, our Committee and Tribunal, composed of members from the main Buddhist traditions, were capable of proving this serious accusation of Discrimination.

Unfortunately, during the investigation of the case against the accused, our Committee and Tribunal received the news that the UNESCO Association for the promotion of intercultural and interreligious dialogue in Malaga has awarded to Ole Nydahl for his alleged “Dialogue, Coexistence and Peace”. Given that the accused has huge financial power for having founded more than 600 centers, however, this is in no way a characteristic or evidence of Buddhist Spirituality. Effectively, the compiled evidences demonstrate that his manifestations are contrary to interreligious dialogue, contrary to coexistence among peoples and contrary to world peace. For this reason, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR) impugns such award as spurious, by noting that in case it is not removed, the Association will incur in negligence and complicity with the acts of Discrimination perpetuated by Ole Nydahl, which have not remained unpunished before our spiritual gaze.

Best Regards, with a spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya

Spiritual Master and President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR)