"rinpoche" in India asking people for money

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SilenceMonkey
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Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:54 am

"rinpoche" in India asking people for money

Post by SilenceMonkey »

[Mod note: For anyone responding, just stick to what facts you know. No gossip/opinions.]

Is anyone familiar with someone who goes by "Tenzin Rinpoche" (sometimes tenzin jigme or tenzin sangbo) and asks a lot of people for money? I've heard he caused quite a stir in Sikkim. There was a famous facebook post about him in Sikkim, I'm wondering if anyone has a copy?
MahaKarunikaya
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Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 2:45 pm

Re: "rinpoche" in India asking people for money

Post by MahaKarunikaya »

Unfortunately yes.

He's now in Bodhgaya at the teachings of HHDL. Some friends lend him some money and they had to involve other high lamas that knew him to recover the money.

In very short: Do not give money to any monk that you don't have a good and lasting trust relationship (e.g. he is part of a monastery you are familiar with).

The approach of this person (by the way, he is not a monk, but does wear monk robes) is to take people to see other high lamas (Ling Rinpoche as the example with my friends) and spend some time visiting other monasteries. After a couple of days he will say that something happen and that he needs to borrow some money (usually on the hundreds of USD) to do some offerings or another Dharma activity.

When the day comes to return the money he becomes unreachable or comes up with excuses.

He supposedly lives in Dharamsala. I'll post a picture of him if I find one, as I feel other people should be warned against this :(.

I find it strange that the lamas he takes people to visit don't do something more strong as this really hurts the teachings.
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