Can someone please tell me if True Buddha School is a cult or a legitimate Buddhist organization?

Question

My close friend joined this buddhist sect from Seattle WA sometime ago and ever since she joined she's been acting really weird. She would chant her master (Grand Master Sheng-Yen Lu)'s mantra WHENEVER there's any problems. The problem is IT NEVER WORKS! For example she's really into the stock market and just a couple days ago she had a stock that was dropping like mad and she just sits there chanting her master's mantra hoping it would come back up! I was so fed up with her weirdness I decided to do some research on my own about True Buddha School. What I found out was truly mindboggling. It turns out her master was accused of rape by his disciples. Please see this link and make your own judgements: http://www.shcstory.com/mystory.html Apparently Sheng-Yen Lu is from Taiwan and a self-proclaimed reincarnated LIVING BUDDHA! However no Rinpoche from any of the REAL tibetan tantric buddhist sects acknowledges him. Someone please help me talk some sense to my friend.

Answer 1

You need to show the information to your friend. This happens in every religion. It's such a shame. This is not what Buddhism is about.

Answer 2

I have scoured the internet, and there does not seem to be a clear answer. Some buddhist organizations seem to recognize him, some do not (Tibetan Buddhism is not the only sect with Tantric Focusses or Practice). There could be a variety of reasons for both. Don't worry so much about the chanting problem. The way your friend is practicing the chanting is not how True Buddha School teaches, which in brief is: "iv. In order to feel the effect of the Mantra, one must chant whole-heartedly". Chanting a sacred mantra whole-heartedly is usually impossible while focussed on material gain.

Whole heartedly practicing mantra is not done for material gain, but rather for spiritual enlightenment. I've checked out their main site, and though their are some quirky things - it seems to reflect a genuine tradition.


Has your friend been practicing Buddhism regularly before seeing this guy? It doesn't sound like it. My recomendation would be for your friend to read some of the original words of the Buddha (Guatama - the first one). For the sake of having a contrast to possibly questionable practices, I would strongly recomend she inquire to original sources of this man's teachings. If he recomends mantra, research mantra and compare. If he recomends tantra, research tantra and compare. Accusations are not enough to de-bunk the truth.

The weirdness you speak of is normal. Often when someone has spiritual experiences, they can no longer act in ways that people around them expect. Why? Because they have loosened those very expectations within themselves and are less reliant upon them. There is nothing wrong in this. However, it sounds like your friend might not be penetrating the true meaning of True Buddha School. Regardless of whether or not he's a buddha, his website has some qenuine historic mantra practice information, that he has re-written as his own with slight differences. And genuine mantra practice, though it can start with a material world kind of focus, certainly does not 'end' in the stock market.

Answer 3

Be aware of all superstitious and deviant paths under the disguise of Buddhism.
Be aware of people with the so called “son of the gods’ complex”, permeated by self-aggrandizement and infatuation with themselves and their vast spiritual achievements. Their excessive ego leads them to deluded boasting and spiritual downfalls such as sexual misconduct. Expressions of self-importance and self-centeredness like I, my, the best, the most, the highest form the very bedrock of delusion and are the opposite of realization.
Miracles are not an evidence for enlightenment - on the contrary they are a source for clinging and boasting and a risk for becoming conceited, poisoning the precious dharma and actually hinder us from advancing on the path to Buddhahood.
Writing many books doesn’t proof Buddhahood or that one has understanding or realization. There are now more and more approved books from all four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism professionally translated into English and it shouldn’t be too difficult finding out what’s authentic.
Boasting to have many followers is actually a sign that something is wrong. Authentic masters are extremely humble and never show of. Even if they are advanced meditators with high realizations they keep it only to themselves. They are very difficult to be located and only few fortunate have the good karma to become disciples.
Beside the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddhists usually don’t worship ordinary persons who declare themselves to be a Buddha without any proof or recognition from other authentic masters. Dreams and visions about being Buddha may be caused by negative karmic spirits or by ones’ own infatuated ego. Only advanced and authentic masters can guide one through these experiences.
In the Buddhist teachings it is said, that the most severe karma someone can create is, when one is claiming to be enlightened, but is not. Pretending to be a Buddha and deceiving followers creates far more severe karma then even killing. According to the Surangama Sutra, destroying the seeds of Buddhahood, they cut off their good roots forever. Disciples following a fake Guru are therefore extremely unfortunate.
This is just general accepted knowledge and not a criticism, defamation or slander against any specific person. You may draw your own conclusion.

Answer 4

Its a cult. I know because my father is a Master in this cult. I am not kidding. All those who join this cult pretty much go mental and donate alot of money keeping this cult going. My mum gave away our only property to this cult.

Answer 5

It is a legitimate Buddhist organization.

Answer 6

that whole religion is a cult They dont believe in the trinity...

Answer 7

all religions are cults, so your question doesn't make a lot of sense...

Answer 8

its a false religion... so its a cult