Though essentially unnecessary, the rank of a lama does serve a purpose. Institutions and titles can provide a measure of safety. Just like it might be safer to go to a popular restaurant because it has been written up in guidebooks, popular lamas come with many personal endorsements.
Then again, the system is not foolproof; reputations can be bought. You can always go to a restaurant and check for yourself, but in the spiritual world, it’s much more difficult to come to a conclusion.
This is all just to say that those who are seeking a guru should not look in only one direction; they should look beyond titles and hats. They should also look beyond their romantic ideal of a guru, whether it be an ascetic or a crazy wise man.
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?:
- Devotion is supreme
- Abundance and variety in the teachings is so important
- Open-minded guru
- Outer display of guru devotion
- The very essence of the Spiritual journey
- Seeing a student’s potential
- Check how the guru handles criticism
- Cultivating trust in simplicity
- Practicing Dharma requires sacrifice
- Gurus Don’t Fish for Devotion
- Advice on selecting a guru
- Humble Gurus
- A proper guru-student communication
- Skillful Guru
- Going beyond Rational and Irrational Devotion
- Why can’t the Guru be perfect?
- The authentic guru lineage is indispensable
- Peeling of our patches of samsara
- Experience is like a mist in the morning
- Modern Buddhadharma