ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on the extensive participation in the activities offered by the Paris Rigpa centre, on formal and the informal interviews with current and the former members. Rigpa is an international Buddhist organization which was founded by the Sogyal Rinpoche in 1978. The teachings by Sogyal Rinpoche during weekends at Rigpa urban centres are called as retreats', although the participants are not residents but simply attend the event during daytime. The closer, intimate relationships that reportedly happened behind the stage between the Sogyal Rinpoche and some of his female disciples are surrounded with the secrecy and have given rise to the numerous interpretations and rumours. A new term thus appears at the margins of Rigpa, which was never before part of the language taught and used by the group: fraud', with synonyms common to this context mental manipulation', cultish behaviour', personality cult', guru attitude'.
