Geshe Michael Roach was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated with honors from Princeton University, and is a recipient of the Presidential Scholar medallion from the President of the United States at the White House. He has also received the McConnell Scholarship Prize from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, as well as an honorary doctorate in the Congress of Mexico from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
Michael is the first foreigner in the 600-year history of Tibet’s Sera Mey Monastery to receive the title of Geshe (Master of Buddhism), after 25 years of study. After graduation, he founded the Asian Classics Institute (ACI), translating over 20,000 pages of the geshe course and designing 36 courses of studies in English, for modern people of all walks of life. At his teacher’s directive, Michael—in order to confirm that the principles of the ancient texts could be used in modern life—helped in 1981 to found the Andin International Corporation, which became one of the largest diamond jewelry companies in the world, and was purchased by super-investor Warren Buffett in 2009. Michael used the majority of his income from the business to found and run the Asian Classics Input Project (now called ALL, or Asian Legacy Library), starting in 1987. This is the largest free, online searchable database of ancient Asian literature in the world.
Michael also helped found the Three Jewels Outreach Center of New York; DCI Global; the Sedona College of International Management; the Yoga Studies Institute; Green Stretch Pen; Diamond Mountain Retreat Center; The Knowledge Base; Diamond Cutter Press; and the Diamond Cutter Classics translation center. Each of these institutions helps preserve and make available the precious wisdom of ancient Asia, in the modern world.
Michael is the author of some 100 books and major translations. His most popular works include The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Managing Your Business & Your Life; and How Yoga Works. He lives in the small town of Rimrock, Arizona, with his wife Veronica, whom he first met some 50 years ago. Together they enjoy gardening, charitable work, yoga & gym trips, and running their small Peach Tree Café, for local cowboys & cowgirls.
