[Buddha-l] H.H. The Dalai Lama vs Geshe Michael Roach

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Barnaby Thieme schreef:

> So the Office of the Dalai Lama wants Geshe Michael Roach to manifest 
> miraculous powers to certify his alleged claims that he is an 
> eigth-ground bodhisattva. Is this the scandal? That is so preposterous 
> on so many levels, it's hard for me to take a side.
>
> Is there more to the story than this website? The specific accusations 
> of the website are pretty darned weak, in my opinion. The purveyors of 
> the site are far more concerned with traditional matters of propriety 
> than I am, and it seems like they have an ax to grind.
>
> The only thing that smacks of a scandal with any weight to me is the 
> consort practice issue, but in that matter, what can one say other 
> then, let the buyer beware?
>
> I would note that it is the Office of the Dalai Lama that seems to 
> have a beef with the Geshe, and not necessarily His Holiness himself.
>
> Barnaby~
>
Weel, you can also see it as a kind of powerplay. Geshe Roach tries to fuck up the system and the system has to defend itself. The rules for initiations are a very important part of the game. If those were to lose their absolute validity, the whole semiotic system of tantric initiations would collapse. So I think this is quite important and interesting. What kind of strategy will the system use to defend itself? Ignore the deviant, ban him, humiliate him? 
Another thing that would interest me is the psychological dynamics which lead Roach to challenge the system. Why not go along, it's much easier, isn't it?
And besides it reminds us of the strong Vedic roots of many Buddhist rituals. 

Erik


www.xs4all.nl/~jehms
weblog http://www.volkskrantblog.nl/pub/blogs/blog.php?uid=2950