Case NO. 15/2016: Reiki Jaen Association

JUDGMENT AND ETHICAL CONCLUSION

Dear Prosecutors, Executive Secretaries and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), in respect of the case denounced by the World Association of Buddhism (WBA) against “Reiki Jaen Association” through the present, in the day May 10, 2016, it is confirmed the conclusion of the case 15 of the Committee by the accused to analyze the violation of Buddhist Spirituality carried out by the accused.

After certified evidence as valid by the Prosecutor, and having had the possibility of providing preliminary statement on the part of the accused, it has proceeded with voting of four members of the Jury, who issued the verdict of “Responsible” to “Reiki Jaen Association” for offenses of DEFAMATION AND SLANDER, THREATS AND DISCRIMINATION, VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHT TO EDUCATION, VIOLATION ON THE HUMAN RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, FALSE SPIRITUALITY AND FALSE ZEN, INTOLERANCE AND VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE.

The actions of the “Reiki Jaen Association” have breached the Buddhist ethical precepts but also the professional guidelines for practicing Reiki, which is an alternative therapy linked to spiritual healing, due to the accused party has made insulting and threatening comments which contradict the proper behavior that those who belong to spiritual movements should show. This kind of violent and discriminatory behavior can be found in many practitioners of alternative therapies, who despite not being formally trained in Buddhist Ethics often mistakenly consider they are authorized to talk about Buddhism. Thus, when defaming and slandering an International Buddhist University, the defendant has not only violated Buddhist ethics but also the Reiki practice, contradicting all that to which the accused claims to represent: Healing, Meditation and even “Zen”. This aggressive behavior by the “Jaen Reiki Association” is a cultural discrimination, because it attacked a prestigious International Buddhist University just because the latter is teaching Reiki. Although the accused has been given the opportunity to rectify its behavior, this association has refused to learn from its mistakes, increasing the level of verbal violence. All this shows that the defendant transmits a false spirituality and false zen, which constitutes a threat to the purity of the Buddhist Path.

These public manifestations of “Reiki Jaen Association” are part of a global cultural context of superficialisation and banalization of Spirituality, which is often used by people without adequate training in order to profit financially. This attitude sharply contrasts with the humanitarian projects of universal free education in which the International Buddhist Ethics Committee is involved. Moreover, those who exercise spiritual healing practices must assume ethical precepts of appropriate thought, word and action, reason why they should be supervised by spiritual masters and Buddhist communities (sanghas) in order not to deceive or hurt other beings in the name of Spirituality.

Therefore, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee dictates that Buddhist Spirituality, as a Path of Cure and Healing of suffering, must establish that “Reiki Jaen Association” has violated the Buddhist ethical precepts. In addition, attacking a School just for its teachings is not only discrimination but is one of the worst offenses against human rights and world peace. However, as a humanitarian organization dedicated to teaching, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee offers full scholarships to the accused in order that its members can study Advanced Buddhist Studies at no cost, as long as the association publicly apologizes for its discriminatory statements, committing to live a life based on refraining from doing evil, by doing good and purify the mind. We hope that this teaching helps the accused ones to achieve Evanescence (Nirvana) of the evils and prejudices that inhabit their minds, because without this purification then they will continue to practice a spiritual fraud.

Following the Way of Master Siddhartha Gautama, who was the embodiment of wisdom and compassion in the world, our Committee had been able to verify that the “Reiki Jaen Association” has committed offenses of DEFAMATION AND SLANDER, THREATS AND DISCRIMINATION, VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO EDUCATION, VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, FALSE SPIRITUALITY AND FALSE ZEN, INTOLERANCE AND VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE. Our Ethics Committee has the duty to protect Spirituality and Human Rights, establishing the present Judgment as a form of ethical teaching for the accused.

Always with spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya

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