It’s usually safer to go with a guru who is not interested in fame. There is a chance that some gurus might be madly designing and printing pamphlets and buttons for the sake of all sentient beings. Not all lamas who are zealously promoting themselves and sitting on the highest thrones have an ulterior motive; some might actually be humble. But the greatest teachers of recent times said repeatedly and with complete conviction that they were not enlightened. They claimed to be totally ordinary beings, and they exhibited their humble devotion to their own gurus and teachers again and again. For example, when I asked Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for his treasure teachings, his response was that there are so many great treasure teachings and that his were completely useless. He said I should not be wasting my time pursuing him. Instead, most of the time all he talked about was his devotion to his own teachers.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

from the book The Guru Drinks Bourbon?

Read a random quote or see all quotes by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

Further quotes from the book The Guru Drinks Bourbon?:

• The quest for a guru
• Seeing a student’s potential
• Merging with the guru’s mind
• The whole purpose of the outer guru
• Practicing Dharma requires sacrifice
• Devotion is supreme
• Advice on selecting a guru
• Samsara
• No one can please everyone
• Experience is like a mist in the morning
• Gurus Don’t Fish for Devotion
• Why can’t the Guru be perfect?
• The moment there is devotion
• Your decision is now taking the lead
• Beginning to subdue and outshine appearance and existence
• Controlled by circumstances
• Sooner or later, you will have to check
• Open-minded guru
• Famous unintentionally
• The very essence of the Spiritual journey