User:Silencewitnessed

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H.H.Tulku Buddha Maitreya Rinpoche is an American guru and founder of his own New Age church, called 'The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha'.

Early Years
H.H.Tulku Buddha Maitreya Rinpoche was born Ronald Lloyd Spenser in Oregon state. Prior to becoming involved in spirituality and susequently changing his name he worked as a truck driver(ref)According to his own website he studied medicine(ref)

Hawaii
In 1983~4 Spenser was resident in Honolulu at the time of the foundation of the Maitreya Institute and the visitation by His Eminence The 12th Tai Situpa Pema Tönyö Nyinje. At that time he was involved in selling new age pyramid pendant necklaces.

The lectures of H.E. Pema Tönyö Nyinje sparked Spenser's interest in Tibetan buddhism and he would later declare himself to be an emanation of the Buddha Maitreya which is traditionally believed to be true of the lineage of the Tai Situpa Tulkus themselves.

Philanthropy and Entitlement
According to his own website from 1984 he donated large amounts of money to several Tibetan monasteries.

''Based on that, from 1984 onwards he assisted the injured in Tibet and restored various monasteries within Tibet that had been destroyed by The Chinese. He gave not inconsiderable aid to many Tibetans, both inside and outside Tibet, being patron of monastic and students, and so forth. Then a high lama of the Khams region recognized him as the precious (rin-po-che) rebirth of the (Tulku) Buddha Maitreya and gave him many extensive installation ceremonies.''