October
6, 2003
I appreciate people’s responses
from my last letter. They were positive, and I am encouraged.
I’d like to say some more about directly studying
under me at Lion’s Roar Dharma Center. Membership at Lion’s
Roar Dharma Center means that a dharma student takes me as their
personal teacher. Personal teacher means that they view me
as the Lama who is willing to give them spiritual direction
and oversee their practice. Within the lineage that is called
being a Root Lama. The metaphor of a root is important. It
means that which gives sustenance, grounding and is the foundation
for one’s practice. In most cases, your Root Lama is
one that would give you Refuge and Bodhisattva vows, and
eventually, Tantric vows.
Frequently, Americans and Westerners misunderstand the role
of the Root Teacher. They either reject the idea outright
or think that they can pick and choose teachers putting together
a Root Teacher like a collage. In other cases, people go
through monogamous serial relationships with teachers much
like they do in their personal life. Sometimes we imagine
that we may have a Root Teacher, but we don’t accept
any personal direction from that teacher or have any personal
relationship. This kind of teacher would be merely a figurehead.
The Dalai Lama has spoken and written extensively about
how to find a teacher, how to evaluate a teacher, and how
to study with a teacher. A number of Westerners have also
written useful books and articles about the student/teacher
relationship. I try to make it a point to put people in contact
with these resources.
If a student has a solid relationship with their Root Lama,
study with other teachers will be allowed and even encouraged.
Again, many Americans have misunderstandings about this.
It doesn’t mean our teacher is sending us away because
we are not good students. It doesn’t mean the Lama
has run out of things to teach or is over his head and is
sending us to someone else to make up for his deficiencies.
Rather, the Lama is encouraging us to broaden our path through
taking in other perspectives. When we study with other teachers,
we integrate the new teachings with the teachings from our
Root Lama. Then we report back to our Root Lama. We also
bring new energy back to the Sangha.
If someone goes off to study with another teacher and doesn’t
reconnect with the Root Lama, the relationship becomes damaged.
It becomes even worse when we play the new teacher off against
the Root Teacher. This happens frequently with Americans.
We decide that each new teacher is more enlightened than
the last and play some game like spiritual one-up-manship.
One eventuality is that we consider ourselves more enlightened
than all of those teachers.
When I bring guest Lamas on a regular basis to Lion’s
Roar, it means that I have a good working relationship with
them, and I hope that people will benefit from their teachings.
In this way we broaden our view of dharma and increase our
devotion. It doesn’t mean that we are running some
kind of speaker’s bureau. The guest teachers infuse
our sangha with joy, light, and a new perspective. Visiting
Lamas come because they have confidence in my realization
and my lineage, and I have confidence in theirs. Please help
support them.
May all be auspicious.
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