The Teacher-Student Relationship by Jamgon Kongtrul

Author:Jamgon Kongtrul
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala

4The Way in Which One Enters Into and Goes Astray—Which Follows from the Characteristics of the Master

To go astray from the characteristics [of the above] is to have the fault [of not being a qualified wisdom teacher]. Abandon [such a teacher]. Also, it is rare for all the qualities to be complete. [Therefore one should] take a lama with more good qualities.

To go astray (ldog) from the characteristics of what was said above, or to have strayed from the Buddha’s doctrine (bstan-pa), is to have the fault of not having the characteristics [of a qualified teacher]. Therefore, however great a lama’s social status, fame, reputation, and so forth may be, those students who possess discernment examine [the wisdom teacher carefully]. Even if one is already connected to the lama, ignore him. If one is not connected from the start, while rejecting him, abandon him.

From the Great Sakya Pandita [Sa-skya pan-chen]: “One who does not act according to the Buddha’s doctrine, even though he is a lama, ignore him.” Furthermore, in the Compendium Tantra (Kalachakra Tantra):

Disciples who are overcome by arrogance (nga-rgyal dang-ldan) and anger (khro-ba), are separated from samaya, long for material things, and are also uneducated—these disciples are eager to be deceived, their minds deteriorate from the state of supreme happiness, and they do not get empowered. The lamas who cling to enjoyments, are careless, use harsh words, and are endowed with desiring the objects of the sense faculties (dbang-po)—those people should be rejected by intelligent disciples, as if rejecting hell as a cause for complete awakening.

Therefore, as there are other illustrations of the manifold ways in which this happens, abandon that kind of lama.

It is very rare for all the excellent characteristics to be complete; therefore, even if you have not found a wisdom teacher like that, because time is short, you should take as a lama one who has few faults and more noble qualities.

As it has been said in The Ultimate Service (Don-dam bsnyen-pa; Para-mārthasevā):78

On account of the kalpa of quarreling (rtsod-ldan)79 the lama’s faults (skyon) and good qualities are mixed together. He is not separate from misdeeds (sdigs-pa) in every respect. Therefore, investigate well for a lama who has more noble qualities [than faults]. Then the disciple should follow him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.