Triratna Perspectives

This article explores the various strategies and defences that Triratna has continuously employed to protect “Bhante” Sangharakshita and the group's reputation, and to suppress the truth about the darker or more problematic aspects of both. This article drags each ‘dark art’ one-by-one into the light for closer examination.

College members, appointed to their positions for life by their peers, lack the accountability that was lacking in the case of the charismatic founder. Since any procedures or mechanisms aimed at ensuring accountability are devised by the College and are overseen by College members, it is impossible to ensure any kind of impartial review of their conduct. There is little inclination for those benefiting from the charisma of office to introduce lego-rational measures that might hold them accountable to insiders (much less outsiders) or to entertain any shrinkage of their role -- a role that, due to the mythmaking that surrounds them, only they are thought capable of fulfilling. 

The responses over the years from Sangharakshita and Triratna regarding allegations of sexual abuse are summarised, in which a pattern of evasiveness and rationalisation is seen.

Since Sangharakshita has not felt obliged to faithfully communicate what the Buddha taught, there has been plenty of room for Sangharakshita’s teaching to be influenced by his tastes and desires, to the point where it often takes leave of the Buddhist tradition altogether and cannot make any claim to be an expression of the Dharma.

There needn’t be a contradiction to hold in the first place if you see Triratna as a New Religious Movement, and a personality cult based on Sangharakshita’s ‘particular presentation’ rather than the actual Dharma.

Buddhism is about “awakening”: shortly after the Buddha experienced this for himself, that was how he described it: “I am awakened”.  By this, any organisation which considers itself to be “Buddhist” must offer teachings and practices that lead to this goal. What has become clear is that Triratna cannot support true awakening, or “insight”, because true awakening is entirely different than the self-improvement scheme that Sangharakshita taught.