More on the Geshe
I wasn’t planning to write more on Geshe Michael Roach — his situation has, in a way, nothing to do with me, and I mainly wrote because,
a) I found the NYT story on him to be so bizarre, and
b) I was surprised by the lack of response on Buddhist blogs (which makes me think I may be violating some rule and being terribly rude by even mentioning the article).
But in checking in to see whether the Buddho-blogo-sphere had responded further I found that there’s an entire site devoted to criticism of the Geshe.
The parallels with Sangharakshita seem even stronger, since he too has entire websites devoted (anonymously) to engineering his downfall and that of his movement (which is my movement). Those sites are anonymous (the work of cowards, in my opinion), riddled with falsehoods and seem to take the viewpoint that “in war, all things are fair.” Interestingly, the anti-Roach site is not anonymous. It’s run by a Tibetan Buddhist called Gary Friedman.
Hokai, a Croatian Buddhist, also has a blog article about the NYT piece. That’s where I found the link to the anti-Roach site:
Now, the story might have been charming if it wasn’t a bit of a problem for the Tibetan sangha West and East, involving even the office of the Dalai Lama. The woman mentioned in the article is not the only woman involved (link on four dakinis), while Roach insists on still being a Gelugpa monk, and Robert Thurman won’t talk to him.
I just chimed in on this here. Thought you’d like to know.
Great blog.
I like your post on the topic, which coincides with my own thoughts (when they’re at their most considered). It’s not the (sexual?) relationship as such that’s the issue, it’s the fact that Geshe Roach is in robes and contravening the vinaya.
The parallels with Sangharakshita are in some ways uncanny. Here’s a post for example on Roach’s long hair and jewelry. After S. was sacked from the English Sangha Trust and started the FWBO he became surrounded by hippies, grew his hair long, wore jewelry, and continued to wear robes. It was obvious to anyone that met him that he’d become more of a shamanic figure than anything else — in no way did he resemble the Theravadin monk he had once been so I don’t think he could be accused of using the robes to deceive people about his status — but it’s something he’s still being beaten over the head for to this day. Sometimes a clean break is what’s needed.