Dalai Lama did not endorse Raniere; he asked media to investigate him

Contrary to what NXIVM leaders might want the public to believe, the Dalai Lama DID NOT endorse Keith Raniere when he appeared in Albany, May 6, 2009, at the request (and probable expense) of Clare and Sara Bronfman.

There was a lot of controversy about his coming because of the Bronfman sisters’ association with Raniere, who, some think, is the antithesis of what the Dalai Lama is said to stand for “compassion and ethics”. The title of the Dalai Lama’s lecture was “Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times.”

Raniere and his disciple Nancy Salzman and other Nxians were in the audience.

The video of the Dalai Lama’s talk  is available on youtube.

At 44:14 of the video, the Dalai Lama answers a question about his appearance.

The question asked was: There seems to be a lot of  confusion about your visit here. Why did so many news sources and even your own New York office said that your visit was canceled?

The Dalai Lama answered:

Oh. Firstly I received an invitation that, in principle, I accepted. Then I received some request that I should not go there because of this is controversial; some allegations.

Then we carry further investigation. Then finally, including this organization’s teacher, and his, some friend, came to see me in Dharmasala and I discuss, I observe, basically, they are carrying some kind of movement about ethics.

Then, as I mentioned earlier, it is my moral responsibility to support any movement by any person who carry, who are working for ethics. Because in today’s world many problems essentially our own creation. Nobody want more problems, but due to lack of ethics, lack of principle, this unwanted man made problems happen. Whether politician, whether  businessman, whether a religious person, whether anyone, moral principle is very essential, like backbone.

So, therefore, I felt, I feel it is my moral responsibility, but, at the same time, these allegations. 

So when I met them personally in Dharmasala, I told them very friendly, very openly, ‘as far your sort of work for promotion of ethics, I fully support. Is my moral responsibility, but, at the same time, those allegations you must make very clear.  If you have done something wrong, you must accept, you must admit, and change, make correction. If you not done, make clear all these allegations, truthfully, honestly, openly, transparently.’

Then some media, I always telling media people, ‘media people should have long nose, as long as (audience laughs and applauds)  … wait, wait, wait, as long as an elephant nose and smell, in the front and behind. That’s very important. And make clear to the public what’s going on. Whether with the politician or with the mayor or religions people, the bishop or myself, must sort of watch and make clear, and inform public, provided it must be very honest, unbiased, objective, that’s important. Sometimes, say, one company financing a newspaper then newspaper report a little bit  biased. I think not as biased as Chinese propaganda. But sometimes you see a little sort of biased sort of version also is happening. That must be avoided,  must be honest, truthful.

So now I think in front of,  I think the public, I want to to tell the media people, ‘please carry continuously, all these spots where you have some doubt, thorough investigation.’

And those concerned people’s side: ‘Also make clear. All your work must be transparent.’

So that’s my view. So I feel, no problem, come here, meet people, and talk . Because of some criticism remain distance? Not much use., Come face to face and talk, friendly, bluntly. Truth always win. So more talk, more investigation, truth  will become more clear clear, clear, like that. So that’s my answer. (applause).

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Now to repeat the Dalai Lama’s answer to the question with my comments in red.

The question: There seems to be a lot of  confusion about your visit here. Why did so many news sources and even your own New York office said that your visit was canceled?

The Dalai Lama’s answer:

Oh. Firstly I received an invitation that, in principle, I accepted.  [The Dalai Lama did accept the invitation to speak in Albany and after adverse publicity about coupling his good name with the controversial Raniere, he canceled] Then I received some request that I should not go there because of this [NXIVM] is controversial; [There are] some allegations [of wrongdoing, of lack of ethics etc. by Raniere and NXIVM].

Then we carry further investigation. Then finally, including this organization’s teacher, [believed to Nancy Salzman] and his, some friend [believed to be Bronfmans] came to see me in Dharmasala [India, the Dalai Lama’s headquarters] and I discuss, I observe, basically, they are carrying [on] some kind of movement about ethics.

[Not to parse overly, but the use of the words “some kind” and “about” is interesting. Consider how much stronger the Dalai Lama’s comment would have been as an endorsement of NXIVM is the Dalai Lama had said ‘they are carrying on an ethical movement’ instead of  “they are carrying some kind of movement about ethics.”) 

Then, as I mentioned earlier, it is my moral responsibility to support any movement by any person who carry, who are working for ethics. Because in today’s world many problems essentially our own creation. Nobody want more problems, but due to lack of ethics, lack of principle, this unwanted man made problems happen. Whether politician, whether  businessman, whether a religious person, whether anyone, moral principle is very essential, like backbone.

So, therefore, I felt, I feel it is my moral responsibility, but, at the same time, these allegations [about NXIVM exist and may be true. They may be true since the Dalai Lama does not state that they are untrue.] 

So when I met them personally in Dharmasala, I told them very friendly, very openly, ‘as far [as] your sort of work [is actually, really] for [the] promotion of ethics, I fully support [it]. [It] Is my moral responsibility, but, at the same time, those allegations [about NXIVM]  you must make very clear [if these are true or not].  If you have done something wrong, you must accept [responsibility], you must admit [to wrongdoing], and change, make correction. If you not done [anything wrong], make clear all these allegations [are untrue], truthfully, honestly, openly, transparently.’

Then some media, I always telling media people, ‘media people should have long nose, as long as [The audience laughs and applauds, because, I think, they assumed the Dalai Lama was referring to Pinocchio whose nose gets longer whenever he lies, i.e. the media lies, has a long nose, but, that was not what he meant)  … wait, wait, wait, as long as an elephant nose, and smell, in the front and behind. That’s very important. And make clear to the public what’s going on. Whether with the politician or with the mayor or religions people, the bishop or myself, [the media] must sort of watch and make clear, and inform [the] public, provided it must be very honest, unbiased, objective, that’s important. Sometimes, say, one company financing a newspaper then newspaper report a little bit  biased. I think not as biased as Chinese propaganda. But sometimes you see a little sort of biased sort of version also is happening. That must be avoided,  must be honest, truthful.

So now I think in front of,  I think the public, I want to to tell the media people, ‘please carry continuously, all these spots where you have some doubt, thorough investigation.’

[He is saying on stage for the media to investigate thoroughly anyone they have doubts about which obviously includes NXIVM since that caused the controversy and prompted the question.]

And those concerned people’s side [including NXIVM]: ‘Also make clear. All your work must be transparent.’ [I will leave it to the reader to decide if NXIVM has made all of their work transparent and addressed transparently all the allegations made against them].

So that’s my view. So I feel, no problem, come here, meet people, and talk . Because of some criticism remain distance? Not much use., Come face to face and talk, friendly, bluntly. Truth always win. So more talk, more investigation, [of NXIVM] truth  will become more clear clear, clear, like that. So that’s my answer. (applause).

I will leave it to the reader to consider whether NXIVM has made all their work for “ethic” transparent and whether the truth needs to be made more “clear, clear, clear” as the Dalai Lama urged in his one and only public address for NXIVM.

Frank Parlato