to teach in 1993. The Foundation has brought many Tibetan lamas to teach and reside in the United States and continues to do so. Appearances Surya Das travels, teaches, and leads meditation retreats throughout the world. He is often called upon as a Buddhist spokesman by the media and has appeared on TV and radio. One episode of the sitcom Dharma and Greg, "Leonard's Return", was loosely based on his life and return to America. He has appeared as a special guest on the Comedy Central television show The Colbert Report. Sexual misconduct allegations In 2020, Surya Das told a reporter that he had slept with "probably one or two" of his students. Later, in a statement released by a spokesperson, he said that he had had intimate relationships with "a few" of his former students before 2010. New ethical guidelines were established as a result. These admissions came after five women, working through a lawyer, brought allegations of sexual misconduct by Surya Das to Dzogchen Foundation's board of directors in 2019. Three of them said Surya Das suggested that meditating while naked in his lap (based on the yab-yum image) would help their spiritual practice. Two others recounted sexual encounters with Surya Das, including one who said that he told her sleeping with him would complete her Buddhist training. Officials, teachers, and board members of the Dzogchen Center resigned following the allegations. Surya Das has disputed some details of these allegations. Bibliography Books Articles Audio/Visual Notes References Further reading External links Ask The Lama blog 1950 births Living people 20th-century lamas 21st-century lamas American lamas American spiritual writers Converts to Buddhism Religious leaders from New York City Rimé lamas Tibetan Buddhism writers Tibetan Buddhists from the United States Writers from New York City