From Sakyong Mipham, leader of Shambhala, one of the largest Buddhist organizations in the West,  to the Karmapa Lama, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage, powerful Buddhist teachers seem not to pay attention to the teachings of the Buddha himself for monastics:  No Sex!   None of these so-called enlightened teachers, even well-known American yogis like Lama Surya Das, seem to be able to practice the wisdom and compassion of non-harmful, appropriate student/teacher boundaries.  As more and more Buddhist and ex-Buddhist women come forward with their stories of sexual abuse, it is obvious that Buddhism, especially the Vajrayana, has a problem.  

In this episode I talk with Carol Merchasin, a lawyer and sexual abuse investigator, who speaks candidly about her experiences in investigating and helping to prosecute prominent teachers of the Buddhist community.   Carol discusses her participation with the Buddhist Sunshine Project, suggests changes that can be made to make practice spaces safer and offers her advice for survivors wanting to heal from guru abuse.

In this episode we sit down with international interfaith artist Kiki McGrath (www.kikimcgrath.com)  to continue our series on defining what Buddhism is for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.  We clarify and define terms specific to Buddhist practice so that we can have a more full conversation about the challenges facing Vajrayana Buddhism in America.   As a practitioner of Catholicism, Kiki's questions emphasize an honest curiosity in faiths outside her own and, at the same time, provide an opportunity for explanation and clarification of Buddhist terminology that is often culturally misunderstood or mistranslated.  The answers, given from the Dzogchen perspective, apply to all Vajrayana practice and create a common framework from which to build future discussions.

Stay tuned for more interesting and exciting interviews, personal stories and informational series that shed light on the challenges facing Vajrayana Buddhism in America today.  Join our discussion as we explore what can be done to best promote safer practice environments and more supportive instructional systems  within tantric Buddhism.  We're working on even more great content so please tune in or go to the BadBuddhistPocast.com webpage for links to resources, podcast episodes, merchandise or, if you'd like to share your story with us, upload a short 2 minute audio for a chance to hear it on the podcast!