Taking Teachings from the Lama

Taking Teachings from the Lama

Date Posted:
July 2013

Rinpoche gave the following advice to a center director.

Dear Sarah,
___ Rinpoche would be very good to teach or to do discussion with Tibetan people in public. Then ___ Rinpoche is also very good to have discussion with Tibetans and to teach them.

The younger geshes and incarnate lamas who speak English and live in the West—who know the Western way of life, the way of thinking and the culture—their way of explaining might be more beneficial and perhaps they will understand each other better, generally speaking.

I am sending the texts you left here. The orange one is a very important Medicine Buddha text.

With prayers...

I have written with my hand as secretary, so maybe the only advantage is that you will become more familiar with reading my writing when I send letters in future. Ha ha ha.

I have mentioned these lamas, but it doesn’t mean you need to take them as guru. That decision is up to the individual. If students like these lamas very much; if it is very beneficial for their mind, then they can take the lamas as guru, but of course, they should take time to examine them.

Sometimes it takes a long time because you don’t see them often; it is very rare. Then if nothing happens, life becomes completely empty. Of course, death can happen suddenly or you can get very sick. Many times it is like that. At that time it is already too late; there is nothing you can do. You cannot practice Dharma.

___ Rinpoche is a great lama in the great monasteries, Sera, Ganden and Drepung, and among the Tibetan public, especially the Gelug lay people. These lamas can just talk about certain subjects of Buddhism and have discussion. They don’t have to be taken as guru by everybody, but you should offer respect as they are ordained Sangha, and you can create very powerful merit by respecting and serving them.