Buddhist group grappling with sexual misconduct claims announces transition plan
HALIFAX — One of the largest Buddhist organizations in the western world has announced a leadership transition plan, three weeks after its spiritual leader stepped aside amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the leader of the Shambhala International community, stepped back from his duties this month pending the outcome of a third-party investigation.
Members of the Kalapa Council, the governing body of the Halifax-based Buddhist organization and its more than 200 meditation centres worldwide, announced they would be resigning en masse through a “phased departure.”
In a letter to the Shambhala community on Monday, the council announced that a transition team will select and appoint an interim board of directors, an effort to separate the current leadership from the appointment of the next board.