Thanks to everyone for their interest and input into the whole expulsion from Sitting Frog situation. The comments seem to have run their course and gotten far afield from the original issue though, and for that reason I will be closing the comments on that particular entry soon. It looks like a couple people still have an unfinished conversation going on and I don't want to cut anyone off so I'll leave the entry open to comments for at least another day or two.

While I appreciated everyone's input on things like the ass pic and jerkoff tanka, they really don't concern me and have become distractions from the issue at hand. All I have stated so far is that I was kicked out of the Sitting Frog Sangha for asking the self proclaimed "abbot" to make documentation of his ordination and Dharma transmission available for examination. In a single email he stated that he would be removing all reference to myself and my artwork from his various web pages for asking, and at the same time promised to forward the address of his place of training in Japan for verification of his claims. The removal of all reference to me from his blog happened within the hour, yet I'm still waiting for the address, or any proof of ordination or Dharma transmission for that matter.

People have asked why I care and that is a fair question that I will now address. Myself and others associated with the Hoodie Monks have donated money and materials to Barry for use in the creation of an inner city training center to be called Daihizan Jigen-ji. It appears that there may have been misrepresentation on Graham's part involved in obtaining support for this project. Nothing was ever done to bring it to fruition, it has been suspended, and I'm left answering to people about where their money went. I simply asked Mr. Graham to back up his claim of Dharma transmission to alleviate the doubts that had been beginning to grow in my mind about his behavior and manner of teaching, so that I could continue in good conscience my association with SFZS, assure backers that I sent his way that all was well, and consider his request to study the Shingon teachings with me as his teacher.

His reaction was to not only cut off all contact with me, but to start rumors that I am no longer a monk and that I am a convicted felon, while at the same time leveling outrageously false charges against Ven. Kobutsu, who has been remarkably generous and kind to Mr. Graham. These claims are simply not true. I am very much still a monk in good standing with my teacher, ryuha, and the Shingon school here in Japan. I have never been charged with or convicted of a crime here in Japan or any other country. His claims against Ven. Kobutsu have been thoroughly discredited at http://www.engaged-zen.org/Kobio2.html.

I let these false accusations go without comment when he posted them the first time, apparently clever enough not to name me directly in charges that he knew to be untrue. Now that these charges have been repeated on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barry_Graham_(author)&oldid=275057461), naming Ven. Kobutsu and myself directly, either by Mr. Graham hiding behind the anonymous internet, or by someone influenced by his intentionally false post, I feel the need to respond, as well as answer the question of why I asked to see his transmission papers in the first place.

So there it is. I became suspicious of a person that I had provided financial and material backing to, and asked him to show the credentials that he claimed to have. His response was to cut off all contact with me while attempting to smear my name, and that of the teacher that had rejected him, in the process. Considering Mr. Graham's unfulfilled promise to provide proof of Dharma transmission, or even the most basic monk's ordination, coupled with his personal and untrue attacks on myself and Ven. Kobutusu as a result of my asking, I am lead to only one conclusion...Barry Graham obtained our support through false claims and it is highly unlikely that he is even an ordained member of the Buddhist Sangha.