Buddhist temple apologizes for sexual abuse

This video from the USA says about itself:

Zen Buddhist Leader Groped Female Followers

12 February 2013

“Since arriving in Los Angeles from Japan in 1962, the Buddhist teacher Joshu Sasaki, who is 105 years old, has taught thousands of Americans at his two Zen centers in the area and one in New Mexico. He has influenced thousands more enlightenment seekers through a chain of some 30 affiliated Zen centers from the Puget Sound to Princeton to Berlin. And he is known as a Buddhist teacher of Leonard Cohen, the poet and songwriter.”*

A 105 Zen Buddhist leader is under fire for groping many female followers over the years under the guise of helping them religiously and otherwise manipulating people. Did he abuse his power? Is this a reason to not trust religious leaders? Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss.

*Read more from the New York Times: here.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Apology by temple in Waalwijk for abuse by monk

Today, 12:54

The Buddharama Temple in Waalwijk has apologized to victims of its former head monk Mettavihari in a statement.

The Thai Buddhist monk from 1974 to at least 1992 abused between twenty and thirty students, in Waalwijk and elsewhere. Also a victim who used to live near the temple has reported that at the age of 12 was he was abused by the monk.

President Toine van Beek of the current temple administration says he was shocked by the news which the NOS published last week. “My first feelings while processing the news was anger and compassion,” writes Van Beek. “Anger at Mettavihari and sympathy with the victims. The board of Buddharama realizes that now this still has an impact, day after day.”

Confidant

Van Beek had last week his first contact with a victim to hear how the temple administration can help best. Victims can now go to counselor Frank Uyttebroeck, who also has assisted other victims of abuse in Buddhist circles and has no connection with the temple.

Uyttebroeck will inter alia organize a meeting of victims. That meeting will not be in the temple itself, as NOS News reported earlier, but on neutral ground.

Van Beek has also contacted other temples and Buddhist centers to talk on measures to prevent sexual abuse by monks and teachers.

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