No sutra, tantra, or sastra speaks of any being ever attaining perfect Buddhahood without having followed a spiritual teacher. We can see for ourselves that nobody has ever developed the accomplishments belonging to the stages and paths by means of their own ingenuity and prowess. Indeed, all beings, ourselves included, show particular talent in discovering wrong paths to take – while when it comes to following the path leading to liberation and omniscience we are confused as blind person wandering alone in the middle of a deserted plain.
No—one can bring back jewels from a treasure island without relying on an experienced navigator. Likewise, a spiritual teacher or companion is our true guide to liberation and omniscience, and we must follow him with respect. This is accomplished in three phases: firstly, by examining the teacher, then by following him, and finally by emulating his realization and his actions.
FOLLOWING THE TEACHER
Noble one, you should think of yourself as someone who is sick… So begins the series of similes of the Sutra arranged like a Tree. Sick people put themselves in the care of a skilful doctor. Travelers on dangerous paths entrust themselves to a courageous escort. Faced with dangers from enemies, robbers, wild beasts and the like, people look to a companion for protection. Merchants heading for the lands across the ocean entrust themselves to a captain. Wayfarers taking the ferry to cross a river entrust themselves to the boatmen. In the same way, to be protected from death, rebirth and negative emotions, we must follow a teacher, a spiritual friend.
As the sick man relies on his doctor,
The traveler on his escort,
The frightened man on his companion,
Merchants on their captain,
And passengers on their ferryman—
If birth, death and negative emotions are the enemies, you fear,
Entrust yourself to a teacher.
Orinary people like us are, for the most part, easily influenced by the people and circumstances around us. That is why we should always follow a teacher, a qualified spiritual guide. This is so important because ordinary people’s mind is up and down. It is important to learn to control the state of mind and relax into the natural state of mind. The qualified teacher can show you the natural state of mind.
Rely on your teacher is important otherwise ordinary being is ignorant and blind to one’s own natural state. Many people think barbaric ideas because they do not believe they a need teacher, saying, ‘We can read books and learn ourselves. I know everything. I know how to mediate.’ This is really deceiving oneself and cheating other people’s life. For example: someone never goes to school or learns the alphabet.
They keep saying they can read a book but they are lying. They do not have the understanding. They do not have the ultimate truth of the true nature. This is ego based and a huge obstacle to true nature. This is why people reject Lama, Dharma, and Karma. All are positive methods of virtue. Their life is becoming drama, all negative, up – down, and create negative phenomena.
The Great Master of Oddiyana said:
Great King, in this Secret Mantrayana of mine, the view is most important thing. However, do not let your action slip in the direction of the view. If it does, you will fall into the evil views of demons, prattling on about how goodness is empty, evil is empty. But do not let your view slip in the direction of action, either, or you will be caught in the materialism and ideology, and liberation will never come.
That is why my view is higher than the sky, but my attention to my actions and their effects is finer than flour.
I have met a sublime teacher, but let myself down by my negative behavior.
I have found the best path, but I wander on precipitous byways.
Bless me and all those of bad character like me
That our minds may be tamed by the Dharma.
To see what you have done before, look at what you are now.
To see where you are going to be born next, look at what you do now.
BUDDHIST PHILOSPHOPY CHARACTER BRINGS ALL LIVING BEINGS BENEFIT.
Base you mind on the Dharma,
Base your Dharma on a humble life,
Base your humble life on the thought of death,
Base your death on an empty, barren-hollow.
Buddhist teaching brings benefit and support to all living beings and introduction to true nature of one’s own mind. Own mind nature is self-treasured. Many scholars do not how to open their mind to true nature. Enlightened Buddha knows everything, this self-treasured mind all living beings have but they do not know how to open the door.
This is why an authentic teacher having connection to proper teaching is very important because they hold the key to the door of true happiness to your own inner mind. Good people always have good intentions and support until you reach enlightenment also never reject bad people. Buddhist subdue the bad, skillfully not killing and nurture you to the positive way. Buddhist never supports bad people but nowadays many superficial bad people, superficial lama, support the negative people.
Those kinds of people do not have a future, they have karma, cause and effect, believing it just momentary, the only benefit is themselves not future, they do not accept future as impermanent, and everything is naïve. It is like animal.
I see that samsara is suffering, but crave it still.
I fear the abyss of the lower realms, but continue to do wrong.
Bless me and those who have gone astray like me
That we many sincerely renounce the things of this life.
Impermanence is everywhere, yet I still think things will last.
I have reached the gates of old age, yet I still pretend I am young.
Bless me and misguided beings like me,
That we may truly understand impermanence.
Be skilled in never displeasing the teacher,
And never resent his rebukes, like the perfect horse.
Never be tired of coming and going, like a boat.
Bear whatever comes, good or bad, like a bridge.
Endure heat, cold and whatever else like an anvil.
Obey his every order, like a servant.
Cast off all pride, like a sweeper,
And be free of arrogance, like a bull with broken horns.
This, the pitakas say, is how to follow the teacher.
There are three ways to please the teacher and serve him. The best way is known as the offering of practice, and consists of putting whatever he teaches into practice with determination, disregarding all hardship. The middling way is known as service with the body and speech, and involves serving him and doing whatever he needs you to do whether physically, verbally or mentally. The lowest way is by material offerings, which means to please your teacher by giving him material goods, food, money and so forth.
To offer what wealth you may have to the Fourth Jewel,
To honor and serve him with body and speech,
Not one of these actions will ever be wasted.
But out of the three ways to please him, practice is best.
However incomprehensibly the teacher may behave, always maintain pure perception, and recognize his way of doing things as his skilful methods.
I see that my kind teacher is a real Buddha,
But with my obstinate nature, I disobey his instructions.
I know that all beings of the three worlds have been my parents
But with my bad temper, I still abuse my Dharma-companions.
Bless me and those with evil karma like me,
That we may, in this life and all others,
With humble, steadfast discipline, flexible in mind and deed,
Follow our spiritual teacher.
Words from the text of “The Words of My Perfect Teacher” by Patrul Rinpoche
This teaching everyone will benefit because of sharing. Many precious books are hidden. People do not read because they are naïve. Everyone wishes the world to be better. An individual can become more happy but they choosing wrong action. They do not understand their own negative behavior. They never become better or have a happy life. An authentic Buddhist spiritual teacher is very important for a blind living being to guide. How can you service your own self and have a happy, positive attitude?
