When people talk about bad gurus, they often focus on moral and ethical failings involving sexual abuse and alcohol. Alcohol is harmful in many ways, especially if the alcoholic is a guru. Not only does it harm the guru, but because this person is supposed to set an example and be a model for the community, drunken behavior might end up encouraging other alcoholics. And it goes without question that sexual abuse is destructive. But sexual and substance abuse are usually easy to spot, whereas there are much more insidious and pervasive abuses taking place in the spiritual world. These abuses are more subtle and therefore more dangerous. Three intoxicating habits compete for the Worst Forms of Abuse Award: money, power, and fame.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
from the book The Guru Drinks Bourbon?
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Further quotes from the book The Guru Drinks Bourbon?:
- Beginning to subdue and outshine appearance and existence
- The quest for a guru
- Spiritual wealth
- Your decision is now taking the lead
- Good gurus are on the verge of extinction
- 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