A personal account, a chronology, and the documents that help explain why this record is being made public.
This page at mangalamresearch.online presents Kirk Grissom’s personal account of his experiences involving Tarthang Tulku and the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center (TNMC). It brings together his September 1, 2022 complaint statement, related correspondence, a 2019 recording, and other materials documenting his account of alleged abuse, sexual harassment, psychological assault, and retaliation, and the consequences of speaking out. Readers can examine the original sources and consider the record for themselves.
I spent many years working and living within the community and supporting its publishing and commercial printing company. My written statement describes that history, the experiences that led me to speak publicly, and why I believe this material should remain available.
In my complaint statement, I wrote that, due to the abuse I survived, I strongly believe those who do not come forward to speak out against abuse, sexual harassment, and psychological assault are just as responsible. This is my stated belief about the responsibility to speak up; readers can read the complaint itself in the primary documents below.
This page distinguishes between accounts and documents. My allegations and conclusions are identified as my account. Statements made by the Nyingma Community, its representatives, attorneys, or other people are presented as their statements. The purpose is not to ask a reader to accept every conclusion without examination, but to make the underlying record accessible.
A recorded communication addressed to Kirk acknowledges his long service to Dharma Publishing and its commercial printing work, describes him as sincere, acknowledges that he had been hurt, and includes an apology on behalf of the community. The original recording is preserved below.
This is Kirk Grissom's complete notarized complaint statement dated September 1, 2022, shown in its original four pages: the three-page statement followed by the notarial acknowledgment.
A letter signed by Judy Rasmussen, Jack Petranker, and Ann Bergfors, writing on behalf of the Nyingma Community, acknowledges Kirk's years of service and then characterizes his recent communications as false and damaging and asks him to stop.
Cynthia A. Castillo of Farella Braun + Martel sent formal correspondence on behalf of the Head Lama of TNMC. The letter disputes Kirk's communications and makes specific allegations concerning his statements, communications, websites, social-media activity, and alleged interference with TNMC activities.
The documents below are included so that the history does not depend solely on anyone's summary of it.
The letter acknowledges decades of service and contribution, then says that recent communications contain what the authors characterize as false and damaging claims. It concludes with a direct request to stop.
The three-page correspondence from Cynthia A. Castillo is reproduced below in full-page orientation so the reader can examine the actual document, including its complete text and signatures.
The 2019 recording captures a communication concerning an earlier dispute. The opening image shows the document being held and read; the recording itself is the primary source.
Dated July 6, 2019
Dear Kirk,
I am sorry that you are upset and when you are ready I will talk with you. It seems that people have misunderstood your kind intentions to clean, protect, and serve the mandala. I appreciate what you have done over many years for Dharma publishing and for the prayer wheels and I know that you are very sincere. You have served for such a long time and I believe that you have a good heart. I don't want you to be upset any longer. Now I am telling Jack and Ann that anyone who works for the Dharma that we should remain harmonious and not cause conflict or upset to anyone. I have told them that it will not be healthy for anyone.
The most important thing for you to focus on now is to make yourself happy. You need to make yourself healthy. Do not take anyone else's expressions or judgments. Be positive towards your mind and feelings and if someone has done something wrong to you or hurt you, try to forgive them with an open heart. Read Gesture of Balance, pray mantras, and for short periods of time meditate. If you have any religious or spiritual questions you may ask them to me. Meanwhile, I pray that you begin to feel better.
It seems that some people in the community have misunderstood you and your sincerity. If they have made mistakes in understanding you, try and forgive them. I heard from Tsering that you had written a long letter and although I didn't read it, I understand your feelings. On behalf of the community that has caused you hurt, I want to say sorry. Unfortunately, Arnaud will be leaving Dharma Publishing soon. Jack and Ann may not have understood your intention to keep the downtown areas clean. They may have wanted to be kind to the homeless by showing that they don't discriminate towards them. Between these two motivations, a gap of understanding occurred which has caused hurt and I am sorry for the consequences that have come to you. I hope that you may find it in your heart to forgive them and become healthy and whole yourself. Right now, I am a little busy but when I am more free and you are feeling more healthy, we can talk. Until then, you have my blessings.
Rinpoche
Note: $200 included along with the letter.
After devoting so many years of my life to this community, it was painful to receive a letter that acknowledged my contributions but characterized my efforts to speak about my experience as false and damaging. I felt dismissed and discredited, especially when the response turned toward my need for healing rather than the concerns I had been trying to raise. The letter left me feeling that my years of service were recognized, and my severe physical or mental suffering was not.
The September 2022 statement includes responses from people and organizations who received or reviewed Kirk's account. These responses are presented as responses to his testimony—not as independent findings establishing the underlying allegations.
The following comments are reproduced from the supplied collection and grouped by the headings in that document.
I am making the record available so that people who search these names can understand why I speak about my experience and can examine the underlying material for themselves.
There are disagreements about what happened and about how the events should be understood. I recognize that. My purpose here is to preserve my account, preserve the responses to it, and make the principal documents available in one place.
Read the documents. Watch the recording. Consider the chronology. Then make up your own mind.
