Personally, I can't stand Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh - - 'Christo-Buddhism' imo. I've bitched and/or moaned about the good Venerable before here on Dhamma Wheel. I feel he tries to mind-meld Buddhist principles into Christianity to make it more 'palatable' for westerners. His concept of 'inter-is-ness' sounds to me like a gooshy-we're-all-one love fest.
But that's just me.
I'm also no van of Ven. Pema Chodron - here's some excerpts from an interview where she shares her thoughts on Trungpa Rinpoche - a notorious personage.
Tricycle: Stories of Trungpa Rinpoche's sexual encounters with students still upset a lot of people. Have they ever upset you?
Pema Chodron: No. But he upset me. He upset me a lot. I couldn't con him, and that was uncomfortable. But it was exactly what I needed. Sometimes, in certain situations, I can see how I'm a con artist, and I can see how I'm just trying to make everything pretty and smooth, and all I have to do is think of Rinpoche and I get honest. He has the effect on me of relentlessly—in a dedicated way—keeping me honest. And that's not always comfortable.
Tricycle: How did he respond to your choice of celibacy?
Pema Chodron: He encouraged me to be very strict with my vows.
Tricycle:In recent years women have become more articulate about sexism. And we know more today about the prevalence of child abuse and about how many people come into dharma really hurting. If you knew ten years ago what you know today, would you have been so optimistic about Trungpa Rinpoche and his sexuality? Would you have wanted some of the women you've been working with to study with him, given their histories of sexual abuse?
Pema Chodron: I would have said, You know he loves women, he's very passionate, and has a lot of relationships with women, and that might be part of it if you get involved with him, and you should read all his books, go to all his talks, and actually see if you can get close to him. And you should do that knowing you might get an invitation to sleep with him, so don't be naive about that, and don't think you have to do it, or don't have to do it. But you have to decide for yourself who you think this guy is.
Tricycle:Would you say that the intention behind this unconventional behavior, including his sexual exploits and his drinking, was to help others?
Pema Chodron: As the years went on, I felt everything he did was to help others. But I would also say now that maybe my understanding has gone even deeper, and it feels more to the point to say I don't know. I don't know what he was doing. I know he changed my life. I know I love him. But I don«t know who he was. And maybe he wasn't doing things to help everyone, but he sure helped me. I learned something from him. But who was that masked man?
Someone's who's this daft and dizzy - I don't like and I don't recommend to anyone.
Not a big fan of D. Suzuki either.
We take firm stances here on Mt. Meru!
V.