We are all responsible
Doing nothing is akin to condoning unethical behaviour
Mr Ramlal Bomjon, who appeared first in the news as a young boy without much education from Nepal, who left to go meditate in the jungle, has gradually taken on the role and authority that everyone gave him. His meditative skills were masking what he was growing into.
As the Dalai Lama (1999) expressed his own opinion, regarding the value of investigative journalism, welcoming it unlike the treatment given by the aides of Mr Ramlal Bomjon to the journalist in 2012, coming to report on the detention two women:
“I respect and appreciate the media’s interference…. It is appropriate … to have journalists … snooping around and ex-posing wrongdoing where they find it. We need to know when this or that renowned individual hides a very different aspect behind a pleasant exterior.”
In the same line of wisdom Albert Einstein tells us:
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
The dream of a Buddha in our life time, and as soon as the nickname “Buddha Boy” hit the headlines of the press, we wanted so much to believe this was it, that the nickname was forged into factual reality by the power of our own desires.
Before showing any merit as a teacher or a guide, his followers made him a personality above all others, treating him like a god, imparting impunity to any of his actions, diverting the guilt towards the victims. For so many want to believe saints and sages have the best interest of everyone in their heart, in their speech, in their mind and through their actions.
We also want to believe that the ‘enlightened beings’ would never twist truth to suit their own desires or goals, and abuse their power to take advantage, be it sexually or otherwise, of their followers.
Of course, disclosures will create a good amount of exasperation among the obedient followers, for whom the “perfection” and infallibility of their leader is not open to questioning. However if truth ever matters, then we need to welcome that the lies and abusive behaviours of the people in position of spiritual authority be laid bare to the rest of the world.
In this circumstance exposing them to the public scrutiny is the only way to get them to stop with the damaging practices.
Conclusion
Those who willingly put aside their own autonomy, their own moral judgement, to obey even a Christ, a Buddha, or a Krishna, do so at risk of losing a great deal more than they can hope to gain.
“Nothing was true of all that she had believed, but the falsest thing of all was what she had mistaken for revealed truth.”
— François Mauriac, Maltaverne
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