Yangsi Rinpoche, the longtime president and professor of Buddhist studies at Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon, has been placed on leave following allegations of sexual misconduct made by a former student and staff member.
Maitripa College, founded in 2005, is a Buddhist institution authorized by the State of Oregon to grant graduate degrees, including a Master of Arts in Applied Buddhism and a Master of Divinity. The college is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a global Tibetan Buddhist organization with 132 centers and affiliates worldwide.
The allegations were made by Sunitha Bhaskaran, a former student and employee of Maitripa College. Bhaskaran alleged that she had a five-year sexual relationship with Yangsi Rinpoche from 2015–21, during which she experienced the sexual encounters as unwanted but difficult to refuse because of Yangsi Rinpoche’s position of authority as a spiritual teacher and institutional leader.
According to Willamette Week, the allegations were described in a draft civil complaint sent by Bhaskaran’s attorney to Maitripa College and Yangsi Rinpoche in April 2025. The complaint was not filed in court, and the parties reportedly reached a confidential settlement in October 2025. Maitripa College and Yangsi Rinpoche have denied the allegations.
“We strongly deny the allegations of violence and abuse,” Maitripa College said in a statement, adding that the college had “great concern for the complainant.” (Willamette Week)
Yangsi Rinpoche, whose legal name is Kesang Tuladhar, was recognized at the age of six as the reincarnation of Geshe Ngawang Gendun, a Tibetan Buddhist scholar. He later moved to the United States, taught in Wisconsin, and co-founded Maitripa College in 2005 after disrobing in 2004.
Former students quoted in the report described Maitripa College as a close-knit and devotional community in which many students regarded Yangsi Rinpoche as their guru. The report noted that students and devotees often served him personally, including cooking, cleaning, driving, and helping with family responsibilities. Some former students described a culture in which service to the teacher was understood as a source of merit.
Bhaskaran alleged that Yangsi Rinpoche had framed the sexual relationship in religious terms and that she felt unable to refuse him because of his spiritual and institutional authority. She also said that she initially feared that speaking publicly would harm Buddhism or damage the faith of other practitioners, but later came to believe that bringing allegations of misconduct to light could help protect the Dharma rather than defame it.
Maitripa College reportedly conducted an investigation in 2021 into whether Yangsi Rinpoche had violated the college’s consensual relationship policy. According to an executive summary cited by the Willamette Week newspaper, the investigation concluded that there had been an “undisclosed intimate, sexual relationship,” which violated Maitripa’s policy, although Yangsi Rinpoche “categorically denied that a sexual relationship had taken place.” (Willamette Week)
In March 2026, FPMT suspended Yangsi Rinpoche from teaching at all affiliated centers after Bhaskaran and another former student filed a formal complaint with the organization. Maitripa College informed students and staff in April that Yangsi Rinpoche was on leave pending an FPMT investigation.
Other Buddhist centers formerly associated with Yangsi Rinpoche have also announced changes. Ganden Shedrup Ling Buddhist Center in Puerto Rico reportedly said in April that he would cease to exercise his functions there, while Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle announced in May that he had resigned as spiritual director.
The allegations come amid wider conversations within Buddhist communities about teacher misconduct, institutional accountability, guru devotion, and the vulnerability of students in hierarchical religious settings. While Maitripa College continues to deny the allegations, the case has raised questions about how Buddhist institutions investigate complaints, protect students, and balance devotion to teachers with ethical responsibility. In addition to the present case against Yangsi Rinpoche, the Willamette Week has compiled a thorough accounting of past accusations against numerous leaders within the FPMT, including Lama Dagri Rinpoche.*
Bhaskaran said that she now believed public accountability could serve Buddhism rather than damage it: “I worried about defaming Buddhism. But I have come to believe that bringing it to light helps Buddhism. It doesn’t defame.” (Willamette Week)
* Tibetan Lama Dagri Rinpoche Permanently Removed as FPMT Teacher after Misconduct Probe (BDG)
See more
A Buddhist Leader in Portland Is on Leave After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct (Willamette Week)
Allegations of Sexual Misconduct Have Roiled Buddhist Organization Headquartered in Portland for Years(Willamette Week)
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Great summary, dear Justin. Thank you for it.
As a student of Yangsi Rinpoche for 20 years I want to send a deep bow of gratitude to survivors who have the courage to speak up and to say that I believe you and you have benefitted me and millions of others with your courage. As was stated in the article, “Bhaskaran said that she now believed public accountability could serve Buddhism rather than damage it: “I worried about defaming Buddhism. But I have come to believe that bringing it to light helps Buddhism. It doesn’t defame.”