A Canadian Ex- Buddhist Nun claims that she was in a ‘marriage-like” relationship with the Karmapa Lama and became pregnant when he sexually assaulted her in 2017. The Canadian is suing the second-highest-ranking Buddhist monk for spousal support.
The British Columbian (BC) Supreme Court in Vancouver on Tuesday admitted a petition filed by Vikki Hui Xin Han, who is a former Tibetan Buddhist nun, of Richmond city against the Karmapa Lama.
Ogyen Trinley Dorje, known as Karmapa Lama fled to India from Tibet in 1999 and now ranks second in the spiritual hierarchy among Tibetan Buddhists.
Karmapa Lama has denied romantic links with the woman. However, Lama acknowledged having provided her “emotional and financial support for the benefit of the child who the woman says is his daughter.
According to the woman, she met Karmapa Lama 4 times twice very briefly in a public and when she met him for the third time she says Karmapa Lama sexually assaulted her. She met him for the fourth and final time when she informed the monk that she was pregnant with his child.
Both of them met at a large puja in 2014. The experience of the puja convinced the Canadian woman to become a Buddhist nun and she met the Karmapa Lama after the ceremony to seek his approval.
In October 2016, the woman said that she began a 3-year, 3-month meditation retreat at a New York State monastery where the Karmapa Lama visited twice during her stay.
She alleges that on October 14, 2017, the Karmapa Lama sexually assaulted her in her monastery room.
When she came to know that she is pregnant, she says she met Karmapa Lama in the presence of his bodyguards and informed him that she was pregnant with his child.
Karmapa Initially denied responsibility, but gave her his email address and a mobile number and also promising to “prepare some money” for her.
The woman gave up her plan to become a nun when she returned to Canada,.
Before the birth of her daughter on 19th June 2018, the Karmapa Lama sent her $420,000 and C$350,000 to buy a house and wedding ring, etc.
Before both of them stopped communicating in January 2019, Karmapa wrote to her on 17th September 2018, saying that “taking care of her and you are my duty for life”
This information is as per court documents.
The case will go to trial in April 2022.
