The whole purpose of the outer guru ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Idolizing and supplicating the outer guru should not be done at the expense of losing touch with the inner guru. We are not supplicating an almighty, independent creator.

The whole purpose of the outer guru is to fish out the inner guru, to teach us how to tap into the space between past thoughts and future thoughts and, if possible, remain there. That moment is the inner and secret gurus. Even if we manage once in a blue moon to encounter this state, managing to remain there for more than a moment is rare. We don’t even have the habit of wanting to do that.

Devotion to the guru helps us develop the habit of wanting. But we cannot expect the guru to do the job for us. We may be awestruck by the charisma, the power, the hats, the height of throne, the titles, and all the props. We are comforted by the idea that he will lead us and take care of us. But if we don’t use the outer guru to develop our inner and secret gurus, we will always remain at square one. We will be bombarded by emotion whether we win the lottery or hear that our boyfriend is flirting with another man.


Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

from the book The Guru Drinks Bourbon?

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