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Some assistance please...
...I have been reading quite a bit about the "false" teacher Michael Roach. I am becoming more and more familiar with the issues people have with him, and they seem quite spot on. I am looking for your input, and your knowledge on this guy. Thanks !
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All I can tell you is my experience of him. Back in the '90s he was a wonderful teacher. He was the first American to receive the Geshe degree in the Gelugpa school. He's very bright, multilingual, really rigorous in his logic. He was invited to come to our temple in Maryland once to teach on the Vinaya, and it was wonderful. He also wrote some excellent books.
Then he founded his retreat center down in central Arizona and went on a 3 year retreat. After the retreat he was like a changed man. I ran into him at the Dalai Lama's teachings in Tucson in September, 2005. I almost didn't recognize him. It was like no one was home anymore. Sort of like Ronald Reagan (except he was always like that!). It was actually a little scary to talk to him. He had this weird look in his eye that was totally, utterly demented. I don't even know how to describe it. I think what happened was he got cooked on his retreat, which does happen sometimes. Retreats bring out one's poisons, and it seems like his got the best of him. Now he is off teaching all kinds of crazy stuff, has a female "consort" (even though he's ordained), and seems to have gone off the deep end in a big way. This is something that my own teachers have also confirmed. It's a very painful thing to watch for those like me who knew him when he was very different. I can only pray that whatever demons have possessed him can be exorcised and that he can return to the way he once was, but the problem is he thinks he's become enlightened or something, so he doesn't see it as a problem. Many of his long-time students, however, do see it as a major problem.
Palzang
We all need someone whom we trust to tell us when we go off the rails and whom we respect enough to obey. This no truer than among the powerful, secular or religious.
How terrible to wake one morning and realise what a mess one has made of such a good start.
More terrible is to NOT realise this....
Palzang