How to Relate to a Spiritual Mentor with Our Thoughts and Actions

The Way to Relate in a Healthy Manner with Our Thoughts

It is important to realize that the entire discussion of how to relate to a spiritual mentor in a healthy manner concerns our attitude after we have accepted someone as our teacher, not before. It is extremely crucial, therefore, to examine such a person carefully beforehand to be sure that he or she has all the proper qualifications and to examine ourselves if we too have the proper qualifications to become a disciple. 

We must determine whether we wish to entrust our spiritual development to this person and whether we can commit ourselves fully to following his or her guidance without any hesitation or doubts. We should never give the rope through the ring at the end of our nose to just anyone!

How do we know which teacher to cultivate a committed relation with? Not being omniscient ourselves, we cannot validly cognize his good qualities. We should certainly not follow just anyone who happens to be articulate and puts on a good show. Many people say or write false things in elegant or entertaining words. For us to believe them uncritically, let alone spread what they say to others, is a big mistake. We must examine well before we commit ourselves.

As Sakya Pandita has said in A Precious Treasury of Elegant Sayings (Legs-bshad rin-po-che’i gter), IV.16:

The wise know by discerning themselves, while the foolish follow after popular trends. When an old dog barks with a clamor, the others come running for no reason at all.

We should not be like a starved street dog, madly devouring the first scrap of gristle thrown to us, nor like a donkey, shaking our head whether gold dust or sawdust is poured in our ear. We must be critical in choosing a teacher, but once we have mutually accepted each other, this is no longer the occasion to be skeptical or to test him. That would be like the person with a powerful thirst who gulped down some water and then asked whether or not it was clean.

What do we look for when we examine a teacher? We can see for ourselves his or her general qualities. Since the finer ones can only be guessed at with presumption (yid-dpyod, Skt. manaḥpratīkṣa), we check such points as whether or not this person has a close and compatible bond with our other teachers and the great, high masters. As appearances and our own impressions may not be reliable, we consult with those who are considered valid and unbiased sources of information (skyes-bu tshad-ma, Skt. pramāṇabhūta), as Atisha did before studying with Serlingpa. 

The main point is whether he or she knows how to guide us out of samsara. Whether or not he can see distant things does not matter. If it did, we could cultivate a vulture as our teacher! Nor does it matter if our spiritual mentor knows the names of all the insects in the world. This has nothing to do with our liberation. We must pay attention to what is relevant.

The way we can recognize if someone has high attainments is by how he teaches. We can see by the examples he uses in his conversation and when he gives formal discourse. However, we never ask someone if he or she is a realized being. Buddhas always act humble and unpretentious to the point of non-recognition. Like His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, they always say they know nothing and have not studied enough.

For someone to be our spiritual teacher, we must wish him to be so, and he must likewise wish to be our guiding mentor and friend. It must be a proper relationship before we wholeheartedly commit ourselves. An exception to this guideline is made for the person who taught us the alphabet. Even if he or she is not one of our formal spiritual mentors, we must respect this person with full commitment since he or she has helped us so much. If such a kind person had not taught us to read, where would we be now and how could we have acquired so much of our learning?

Once Drubkhang Geleg Gyatso (sGrub-khang dGe-legs rgya-mtsho) received from his teacher instructions for a retreat and went off to a cave for several months of intensive practice. He did not have even a good dream! He reported to his guiding master, who asked him if he had remembered in his preparatory practices all his spiritual mentors. Drubkhang confessed that no, he had left out the one who had taught him the alphabet. It had been a nun who had later disrobed. “I can’t have faith in her,” he complained. However, his master told him to take this kind woman as the main object for developing healthy relationships with his spiritual mentors. He did as he was told and developed great realizations.

Relating to our spiritual mentors in a healthy manner involves both thought and action, and the former concerns the attitudes with which we regard both ourselves and our teacher. In the Sutra Spread Out like a Tree Trunk (sDong-po bkod-pa’i mdo, Skt. Gaṇḍavyūha Sutra), nine attitudes have been explained that we should hold in regard to ourselves within the context of a formal disciple-mentor relationship. We develop:

• An attitude like that of a mindful and obedient child, never acting on important issues without consulting our teacher and always doing what he tells us. This becomes reasonable in terms of our previously having examined this person before committing ourselves to becoming his disciple. 
• With an attitude like a diamond-strong, indestructible scepter, we feel that nothing or no one can cause a break between us and our spiritual mentor. 
• With an earth-like attitude, we feel that just as the ground can support anything, so too can we support and do anything our spiritual mentor says. 
• With an attitude like that of an encircling range of mountains, we feel strong and stable, and that no difficult circumstance can affect us. 
• Having an attitude like that of a servant to the world, we willingly do whatever can be of good service. 
• With an attitude like an outcast sweeper, we are never arrogant nor think we are better than our teacher. Rather, we remain ever humble. 
• Having an attitude like a vehicle, we feel we can take any load. 
• With an attitude like a dog that even when scolded by his master does not bark but comes closer trying to please him, we never become angry or resentful if scolded.
• Finally, we develop an attitude like a ferry boat and are never reluctant to go back and forth a hundred times a day in the service of our teacher.

With such attitudes about ourselves, we now consider the proper thoughts to hold concerning our spiritual mentor.

Developing Faith in Our Spiritual Teacher: Believing the Fact to Be True Based on Reason That He Is a Buddha

Belief in a fact (dad-pa, Skt. śraddhā, faith) is defined as a constructive attitude toward someone or something constructive and worthy of respect. It acts as a direct opponent against regarding such a person or object with a negative and cynical attitude of disrespect.

Disrespect (mi-dad-pa, Skt. aśraddhā) is a dislike for anything positive. It derives from a lack of understanding and laziness. People commonly ridicule and dismiss as unworthy of consideration those persons or things of value that are at variance with their own opinions and that are difficult to comprehend. Such a negative attitude cuts us off from all possibility of gaining true insight into and through these objects of value.

The constructive attitude of believing a fact to be true overcomes this defensiveness and narrow-mindedness. As it has been said in the Sutra on a Lamp to the Rare Supreme Gems (dKon-mchog ta-la-la’i mdo, Skt. Ratnolkā Sūtra):

Believing a fact to be true comes first, like a mother giving birth (to spiritual development); it safeguards and frees you from the torrents (of disturbing emotions and attitudes). Believing a fact to be true points the way to the City of Bliss and Goodness (bDe-legs grong-khyer). Believing a fact to be true makes (your wits) no longer murky and your mind clear. It rids you of pride and is the root of high regard. 

There are three ways of believing a fact to be true: that which is clearheaded and those based on aspiration and reason.

• Clearheaded belief in a fact (dang-ba’i dad-pa, Skt. bhakti, devotion) derives from firm conviction and deep admiration for someone or something beneficial.
• Belief in a fact with an aspiration toward it (mngon-dad-kyi dad-pa, Skt. abhiprasanna) is based on the sincere wish to emulate or develop that which is positive.
• Belief in a fact based on reason (yid-ches-pa, Skt. pratyayita) develops when we have logical conviction in the validity and propriety of something constructive. This type of belief is the strongest. 

Here we must develop this third way of believing the fact to be true that our spiritual mentor is a Buddha. This is called the root type of respectful belief (rtsa-ba’i dad-pa).

Such belief is very important. Without faith in a spiritual teacher and his or her ability to guide us, we will be plagued with doubts. We will only give ourselves half-heartedly to following his advice and engaging in the practices he tells us to do. How can we succeed with such an attitude?

Once a Tibetan asked Atisha for some guideline instruction. The master did not reply. The man repeated his request, and still Atisha kept silent. Thinking to himself, “This Indian must be hard of hearing,” he shouted his request a third time. Atisha said, “Hey, hey. I’m not deaf. The root of any guideline is believing a fact to be true and faith. Where is your faith?”

The dzogchen master Dza Patrul has likewise said, “If you prepare lung soup, all the lung will rise to the top, and nothing will be on the bottom of the pot. Our belief in fact and our faith are like this – only on the surface.”

If, on the other hand, we are not skeptical, then even though our knowledge may be limited, our faith and confidence will bring us great attainments. The Buddha in the form of Vajradhara (rDo-rje ’chang) has said in connection with the anuttarayoga tantra practice of Vajrabhairava (rDo-rje ’jigs-byed), also known as Yamantaka (gShin-rje gshed):

It is easy for dull-witted people to receive inspiration and blessings from their simple-minded faith. The same is true for intelligent persons whose belief in a fact to be true comes from logical analysis. However, for those in between it is difficult to gain faith and from faith, actual attainments.

A Tibetan who had great faith in the wisdom of Indian masters, but little knowledge of their languages, traveled to India for deep instruction. Eventually, he came to a house where a famous spiritual teacher lived and reverently entered. The master was very busy and had no time for this stranger. Yelling out to him in his Indian language, “Marileja!” (“Go away!”), he dismissed him with a sweeping gesture. The Tibetan was overjoyed. Thinking that what this teacher had shouted was a special mantra and that the motion of dismissal was a special mudra, he bowed to him and went immediately into a serviceability retreat (las-rung) with these “practices.”

With great perseverance he recited his mantra while making the mudra. His mind became very flexible, and soon he reached a high level of attainment. When he went back to this teacher to report what had happened and thank him, the master replied, “That was no mantra or a mudra. All I did was tell you to go and motion to the door. It was solely because your belief in fact and your faith were so unwaveringly strong that you were able to gain the realizations you did from the unconventional practice you performed.”

Similarly, many years ago, during a time of great famine, an Indian monk was observing the traditional rainy-season retreat. Fearing that his mother was suffering greatly from the scarcity of food, he broke his retreat and returned home. When he arrived, he was surprised to find his mother looking well-fed and happy. He asked her, “How did you manage to obtain food?” She replied, “I was taught a special mantra of the great divine lady Chunda (lHa-mo Tsunda, Skt. Mahādevī Cundā), with which I can boil rocks and turn them into food, ‘Om bale bule bunde svaha.’”

Her learned son looked askance and corrected her saying, “Mother, all this time you have been repeating the mantra completely incorrectly. It’s ‘Om chale chule chunde svaha.’” His mother tried to use this formula, but all her efforts failed. Giving up, she returned to her wrongly pronounced mantra and once again was happily boiling rocks into food.

If single-minded, pure-hearted faith can bring such powerful results, how much more so can faith that is deeply rooted in believing a fact based on reason. Therefore, as we are all very intelligent, we should try to base our beliefs on such a sound foundation. If developed through a rational approach, our faith in our spiritual mentor’s being a Buddha will be firm. Such confident faith will act as the root for all spiritual progress since through it we gain the total confidence to entrust ourselves fully to him. To develop this type of belief in a fact based on reason, we consider the following points.

The Reason It Is Necessary to See That Our Spiritual Mentor Is a Buddha

If we wish to gain the omniscient state of a Buddha so that we and others will not be drowned in our suffering, we must rely on a spiritual teacher who, having already attained this state, can teach us the steps involved, based on his own experience. If we question his ability and think he is not already clear-minded and fully evolved, but still subject to uncontrollably recurring disturbing emotions and karma, how can he guide us all the way to our goal? If we regard him as being limited, we will question his judgment and advice. Filled with doubt and hesitation, we will get nowhere.

Inspiration and strength come from how we regard things. As Geshe Potowa has said [as cited by Dolpa in The Blue Pamphlet (Be’u-bum sngon-po)]:

Inspiration from a spiritual master is not something actually (generated from his side in degrees of) great or small. It all depends on us. 

[Dolpa was a master from the Kadam tradition and a disciple of Potowa.]

Once there was a mother whose son traded back and forth between Tibet and India. Twice she asked him to bring her a relic of the Buddha, but each time he forgot. His mother asked yet again and said, “If you forget this time, I’ll kill myself!” Sure enough, when he returned, he had forgotten, but just before reaching home, he remembered his mother’s threat. Looking around, he picked up a dog’s tooth from a carcass on the ground, wrapped it in brocade and presented it as “the precious relic.” His mother was ecstatic. She placed it on her altar and revered it greatly. As a result, many small relic pills emerged from the tooth and gave good fortune to the devoted mother.

We need the greatest inspiration possible for gaining results from our study with a spiritual master. If we regard him as an ordinary person, we will receive only minimal inspiration at best. If we regard him as a Buddha, but feel deep inside that we have to pretend this is so in order to work ourselves up to being inspired, then we are playing games with ourselves. Our commitment will not be wholehearted. We must see that our spiritual mentor actually is a Buddha and that this is not a pretense of convenience, but a fact that can be corroborated by logic and reasoning. Inspired by this fact and confident of his ability to guide us the entire way to realizing our fullest potential, we will make the most progress in this direction.

When Dromtonpa asked Atisha why, although there were many meditators in Tibet, none had any special good qualities, Atisha replied, “Whether great or small, the development of any good quality of the Mahayana comes from relying on a spiritual master. As you Tibetans regard high lamas as nothing but ordinary, how can you develop anything?”

The Reasons It Is Possible to See This

We can see that our spiritual mentor is a Buddha because of his many good qualities. Moreover, his excellent qualities far outweigh any of his actions that at first we might consider unenlightened. To disparage anything our teacher says or does reflects our own lack of understanding. Those very actions that strike us initially as being deluded may be, in fact, an indication of his use of skillful and effective methods. By acting purposely in this way, he is allowing us the possibility to recognize, relate to and accept his genius and knowledgeable authority, and also to gain insight into ourselves. Marpa was able to tame the mind and clear away the disturbing emotions and attitudes of his illustrious disciple Milarepa by seemingly treating him with great cruelty, although Marpa was in fact completely free of any such taint.

Furthermore, we have ample evidence that it is possible to see only good qualities in our spiritual mentor. Consider how if we hate someone, we ignore all his or her attractive aspects and focus only on the ugly. If, however, we love someone else, we ignore and do not even see any of his or her disgusting qualities. We ourselves are the best example. We feel we are the most perfect person in the world. We can never see any of our faults, but only see deficiencies in others. If we are capable of viewing ourselves and others in such black-and-white terms when this is not based on any reality, then we are capable of seeing that our spiritual mentor has only good qualities as a Buddha, especially since such perception conforms to fact.

The Methods for Seeing That This Is So

We have considered the propriety and need for seeing that our teacher is a Buddha, and also how it is possible for us to see this. Now we must gain confidence in the validity of such a perception. To do this, we examine with logic the following points.

The Buddha Himself, in the Form of Vajradhara Has Asserted That High Spiritual Teachers Are Buddhas

In The Hevajra Root Tantra, Called “The Two Examinations” (rGyud brtag-gnyis, Skt. Hevajratantrarāja), the Buddha has said:

In later times, I shall (manifest) a Rupakaya (Corpus of Forms) as spiritual masters.

In the explanatory exposition on this same practice, called The Diamond-Strong Tent (mKha’-’gro-ma rdo-rje gur shes-bya-ba’i rgyud-kyi rgyal-po chen-po’i brtag-pa, Skt. Ḍākinī-vajra-pañjara­mahātantra-rājā-kalpa-nāma), the Buddha has made this statement more explicit:

During the later 500-year periods, I shall take the enlightening form of spiritual masters. At that time, be aware that they are me; at that time, show them the (same) respect (as you show me now). 

Buddha Shakyamuni has predicted that his teachings would endure for ten ever-further deteriorating 500-year periods, starting after he would pass away.

In The Lotus Sutra (Padma dkar-po’i mdo, Skt. Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra), II.124, the Buddha has similarly said:

When I appear among limited beings in the midst of the cruel, disturbed time of the five degenerations, I shall indeed exert an enlightening influence (’phrin-las, Skt. samudācāra) on them (by giving teachings) in the guise of wise-speaking guiding lights (mgon-po, Skt. nātha, protectors) for worldly beings. 

Since the Buddha is a valid and reliable source, and since his sole purpose is to benefit others, it is illogical for him to have deceived us concerning his future appearance in the guise of teachers. 

The logical demonstration that the Buddha is a valid person and reliable source of information is given in Dharmakirti’s Commentary to (Dignaga’s Compendium of) Validly Cognizing Minds (II), in discussion of the introductory verse of Dignaga’s (Phyogs-kyi glangs-pa) Compendium of Validly Cognizing Minds (Tshad-ma kun-btus, Skt. Pramāṇa-samuccaya).

Furthermore, the time of the five degenerations (snyigs-ma lnga, Skt. pañca-kaṣāyāḥ) the Buddha was speaking about is occurring now. These are:

• Degenerate life span, when people’s lives are passing ever faster and no one lives hundreds and thousands of years as people did in past golden ages.
• Degenerate disturbing emotions and attitudes, when even among those who have renounced family life and have become monastics the three poisonous attitudes (dug-gsum, Skt. triviṣa, three poisons) of attachment, hostility and naivety flourish.
• Degenerate view, when especially among householders there is little belief in the Three Rare and Supreme Gems, liberation, rebirth or the laws of behavioral cause and effect, and little respect for parents, elders, teachers or holy persons.
• Degenerate beings, when people and animals become smaller than in ancient times, ever weaker and less able to care for themselves.
• Degenerate times, when natural resources become exhausted and wars, epidemics, famines, floods, droughts and other calamities are ever-present. Therefore, in these times it is appropriate that the Buddha appears as our spiritual teachers.

High Spiritual Teachers Are the Media for Conveying the Enlightening Influence of All the Buddhas

In general, the enlightening influence of a Buddha is explained as the spontaneous, effortless reflection of the qualities of such a being’s enlightening body, enlightening speech and omniscient deep awareness. It is always untainted (zag-med, Skt. anāsrava, unassociated with any confusion). 

Similar to charisma, the enlightening influence of a Buddha functions as a source of positive energy around him or her. Whatever a Buddha thinks, says or does automatically acts as a positive influence on others. No conscious effort is involved, and the influence is so pure and beneficial that it never arises from nor creates any confusion.

Two types of enlightening influence can be differentiated in terms of whether it is associated with the mental continuum of a Buddha (sangs-rgyas-kyi rgyud-la yod-pa’i ’phrin-las, Skt. buddha-santāna-samudācāra) or of a disciple (gdul-bya’i rgyud-la yod-pa’i ’phrin-las, Skt. vaineya-santāna-samudācāra). The former acts upon the latter in the same way the force field of a magnet affects a nail, both inducing in it a similar field and attracting it toward itself. Likewise, because of the enlightening influence of the Buddha Dharma, a receptive disciple can receive that influence and thus be drawn to emulate its source by practicing the Dharma. In the process, he himself will become a positive influence on others.

In order for the Buddha’s enlightening influence to reach a disciple most effectively, a spiritual teacher is necessary as the acting cause (byed-rgyu, Skt. kāraṇa-hetu) to transmit and spark it. 

As Sakya Pandita has said in The Divisions of the Three Sets of Vows (sDom-gsum rab-dbye):

Although the rays of the sun may be hot, without a magnifying glass (something on earth) will not catch fire. Likewise, although there are waves of inspiration from the Buddha, without a lama (a disciple) will not enter (under their enlightening influence).

This necessity for a teacher does not indicate a lack of ability on the side of the Buddha, but rather a shortcoming on the side of the disciple. Furthermore, if our spiritual mentor were not enlightened himself, then the Buddha would be entrusting an incompetent, ordinary being with the task of helping further his enlightening deeds (mdzad-pa, Skt. kārya). How could that be? Therefore, as an agent of the Buddha, our spiritual mentor is an incarnate representative of those who have attained enlightenment and presents us with an immediately accessible, living example. His way of being serves as the medium through which we gain access to the lofty example of the Buddha himself. Likewise, it serves in the other direction as the medium through which the Buddha’s enlightening influence can reach us.

A disciple, however, must be open-minded and receptive to receive such an influence. A magnet can affect iron, but not wood. As Gampopa has said:

When the obscuring clouds clear away, the rays of the parasol sun can be directed onto tinder wood through reliance on a pure magnifying glass. Likewise, when vulgar misconceptions clear away, the enlightening influence of all the Triumphant Ones of the ten directions can be directed onto the mental continuums of disciples through the kindness of well-qualified spiritual masters.

The enlightening influence of a Buddha, whether it be of Buddha Shakyamuni himself or of our spiritual mentor, is also known as inspiration. In general, inspiration is a means for establishing congenial and receptive states of mind in limited beings. It works by transforming antagonistic attitudes into ones conducive for spiritual growth. The enlightening influence of the Buddha and of our spiritual mentors is an inspiration to us because it transforms and elevates our previously adverse states of mind so that we emulate their example and become in turn a positive influence on others.

There are four types of inspiration (byin-gyis brlabs-pa bzhi) we may receive: 

• Inspiration from reciting prayers and words of truth (bden-pa’i byin-rlabs, Skt. satya-adhiṣṭhāna, inspiration of the truth), such as the Buddha’s enlightening words, the four noble truths and the preventive measures to take in relation to the laws of behavioral cause and effect 
• Inspiration of generosity (gtong-ba’i byin-gyis rlabs-pa, Skt. tyāga-adhiṣṭhāna), such as when a bodhisattva has previously directed the karmic force of his or her constructive actions to ripen specifically on our mental continuums
• Inspiration of pacifications (nye-bar-zhi-ba’i byin-gyis rlabs-pa, Skt. upaśama-adhiṣṭhāna), such as when our disturbing emotions and attitudes, learning blocks, hindrances and so on are calmed by the presence, teachings, hand-blessing (phyag-dbang) or specially consecrated pills (byin-rlabs) of a high spiritual master
• Inspiration of discriminating awareness (shes-rab-gyi byin-gyis rlabs-pa, Skt. prajñā-adhiṣṭhāna), such as what we receive by reciting prayers and requests to Manjushri.

Inspiration from the Buddha or from a spiritual master acting on his behalf can influence and enable us to practice the Dharma. However, if in the past we have committed the destructive actions that would cause future obstacles to our spiritual progress, inspiration can only affect these obstacles if the negative karmic force for their arising has not yet matured. Once it has ripened, nothing can be done until that karmic force has been exhausted. Thus, inspiration can prevent obstacles but not eliminate them. Moreover, inspiration alone cannot bring us enlightenment. It can only open the way for us to achieve this state through our own efforts.

Therefore, it has been said in the Connections Sutra (mDo mtshams-sbyor):

The Able Ones (thub-pa, Skt. muni) cannot wash away with water (others’) negative karmic forces, nor can they extract by hand the suffering of wandering beings. Neither can they transfer to others their ultimate realizations. They can only liberate (limited beings) by teaching them reality (through the four noble truths).

In short, when trying to see that our spiritual mentor is a Buddha, we consider how he acts as an enlightening influence to inspire us to develop the pathways of mind. We further consider how his role in doing this is like a medium, making the enlightening influence of all the Buddhas readily accessible by his living example.

At This Present Age as well, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Are Still Working for the Benefit of Limited Beings

When all the Buddhas of the past and their spiritual children (bodhisattvas) formally dedicated their heart to others and to a purified state, they vowed to work to benefit all limited beings until everyone was freed from the uncontrollably recurring problems of samsara. Such lofty promises could not have been just empty words. We should consider how these bodhisattvas still work for our sake, but now do so through the actions of our spiritual teachers.

As the Gelug master Ketsang (Ke’u-tshang Blo-bzang ’Jam-dbyangs smon-lam) from Sera Monastery has said in The Graded Stages of the Path as Expounded by Ketsang (Byang-chub lam-gyi rim-pa chung-ngu’i zin-bris blo-gsal rgya-mtsho’i ’jug-ngogs):

(The vow of) all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, who have come in the past to work for the sake of (liberating all) wandering beings (including those) of this present time, if not considered merely an empty promise, is fulfilled in the work of the high Mahayana teachers.

There Is No Certainty about How Things Appear to Us

If we feel it is impossible for our spiritual mentor to be a Buddha because we can see he has disturbing emotions and attitudes, we should remember that our opinions are not reliable. The seemingly disturbing emotions and attitudes we see may be an act that our spiritual teacher is compassionately staging in order to teach us a lesson or help remove obstacles to our spiritual progress. This is one way in which Buddhas employ skillful and effective methods to tame us disciples. As limited beings with a mind obscured by disturbances, we could not possibly see, relate to or learn from them if Buddhas appeared to us in their perfect forms with their enlightening bodies, enlightening speech and their omniscient deep awareness. Therefore, the Buddhas as spiritual masters often take on ordinary appearances that reflect the state of our, their disciples’ minds. Yet even then, we disciples are so mentally disturbed we are incapable of realizing who is before our very eyes and what this Buddha is actually doing. We either misinterpret our teacher’s use of skillful methods or sometimes are so blinded by our self-preoccupation we cannot even see our mentor in an ordinary form.

As it has been said in the Sutra of the Meeting of a Father and His Son (Yab-sras mjal-ba’i mdo, Skt. Pitā-putra-samāgama Sūtra):

(To teach the divine beings of the various realms and liberate them from samsara, the Able Ones assume) the appearance of an Indra, of a Brahma and sometimes even of a Mara, a demonic one, working in this way for the sake of all who are limited. Yet still, these worldly beings are unable to realize (who these forms are. To teach women, Triumphant Ones assume) a female appearance and act accordingly. They even come to the realm of creeping creatures (assuming the appearance of a lowly beast. In the human realm,) they show attachment, even though they are without longing desire; they show terror, even though they are without fear; they show bewilderment, even though they are without naivety. They act insane, even though they are not demented; they act blind, even though they are not without sight. Through these various miraculous emanations, (Buddhas) tame all limited beings.

Chennga Lodro Gyeltsen (sPyan-snga Blo-gros rgyal-mtshan), a disciple of Tsongkhapa’s disciple Khedrub Je (mKhas-grub rJe dGe-legs dpal-bzang), has said:

Considering how great a measure of previous negative karmic impulses (has obscured) your mind, you should be happy to see your spiritual teacher in a human form. After all, it is only the result of a great positive karmic force that you do not see him in the form of a dog or a donkey. O spiritual children of the (Head of the) Shakya Clan, have firm conviction and appreciation (mos-gus, devotion) (for your teachers) from your hearts.

The reference in the last quotation is to the following incident. When Asanga was studying the Prajnaparamita Sutras, he had great difficulty understanding and became very confused. He resolved to undertake an intensive retreat in a cave for Maitreya to reveal himself in his true form and explain these teachings. After repeating the mantra and visualizations for three years with no result, Asanga became disgusted and, abandoning his cave, returned to town. On the way he met an old man, who was in fact a miraculous emanation of Maitreya, dusting with a feather a huge rock that was blocking the sun from his house. When Asanga asked him what he was doing, the old man replied he was removing the rock with the feather and that with joyful perseverance anything can be done. Heartened by this example, Asanga returned to his cave.

After three more years with still no result, Asanga again gave up in despair. This time Maitreya assumed the form of an old man polishing a long iron bar with a silk scarf in order to make a needle, and again he taught Asanga perseverance. “If this old man can work so hard for such a silly purpose,” Asanga thought, “then surely I can work even harder to find my teacher who can explain far-reaching discriminating awareness so that I can help all limited beings.” And so he returned to his cave.

Three more years passed, and still he received no pure visions. Again, he left his cave, and this time Maitreya took the form of an old man shifting a hill from one side of a valley to the other with small bags of soil. Once more Asanga was inspired by the old man’s joyous effort, and again he returned to his cave.

Another three fruitless years passed, making a total of twelve that Asanga had spent in the cave without ever seeing Maitreya. Completely exhausted and disgusted, he gave up and returned to the town. On the way he saw an old, ragged bitch, infested with maggots and yet still barking fiercely. Asanga was moved with great compassion for this dog and the maggots. If he plucked the grubs from her open sores, however, he might hurt them; and if he threw them on the ground, they might starve. So, he cut off some flesh from his own thigh, closed his eves and reached for the insects with his tongue to transfer them gently to the piece of his flesh. As he bent down, he looked again and, having had the curtain of disturbing emotions and attitudes obscuring his sight be torn off by the power of strong compassion, he saw Maitreya in his true form right before his eyes where the maggot-ridden bitch had just been lying.

Asanga was so taken aback that he asked Maitreya why he had not shown himself before. Maitreya replied that he had been in the cave next to him for all those years, but Asanga had been too blinded by his disturbing emotions and attitudes to see him. As proof, Maitreya said, “Remember during those twelve years you had caught cold often and had spat and sneezed many times? Well, here is all your spittle on my robe, where it landed.” 

Asanga was overjoyed and wanted to carry Maitreya on his shoulders and parade him around the town to show everyone. Maitreya said it would be of no use, but, overwhelmed by his joyous enthusiasm, Asanga did so anyway. None of the townspeople saw anything when Asanga passed shouting, “Look everyone, here is Maitreya!” and said he was a crazy man, except for one old woman whose defilements were few. She saw only a maggot-ridden bitch on Asanga’s shoulders as he paraded triumphantly through town.

Another reason why our own opinions are unreliable, particularly when we see flaws in our spiritual mentor, is that it is the common tendency for ordinary beings to be blind to their own faults, but to project and see them in others. Flaws in others would not stand out so prominently and be so annoying if we ourselves did not possess them. We should try to understand that the stronger we feel about someone else’s faults, the stronger we are affected by these same shortcomings ourselves and that they are distorting the appearance of everyone around us. Consider, for instance, the case of the ambitious and scheming minister becoming paranoically upset whenever anyone else has a private word with the king. Seeing flaws in our teacher, then, is like a man with jaundice seeing yellow discolor the whites of others’ eyes. 

Limited beings, while still under the influence of the three poisonous attitudes of attachment, hostility and naivety, are unable to make valid judgments of others. Because Devadatta was filled with pride, jealousy and anger, he continually found fault with his cousin Buddha Shakyamuni. 

As Milarepa has said in one of his Hundreds of Thousands of Songs [as cited by Tsangnyon Heruka in Hundreds of Thousands of Songs of Jetsun (Milarepa)]:

Those who are completely negative, such as demonic people and so on, see the Omniscient Indicator for the Universe (ston-pa, Skt. śāstṛ, Teacher), the Buddha, who is not stained at all with the filth of faults, as a repository of flaws. 

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has made this point succinctly:

With our disturbed minds and unbalanced bodies, even if we were to live in the midst of all the Buddhas, we would still only see all our own faults projected onto them. 

Yeshe Tsondru (Kong-po Bla-ma Ye-shes brtson-’grus, Kongpo Lama), a Gelug master from Sera Monastery, has similarly said in his Essence of Nectar (Lam-rim bdud-rtsi snying-po), 14b:

We are slaves to the obscurations (that come) from our destructive karmic impulses (las-sgrib, Skt. karmāvaraṇa, karmic obstacles). Until we are freed, then even should all the Buddhas, without exception, graciously come before us, our currently projected fantasies, and these but alone, would deprive us of our chance to behold the Rare Supreme Gem (of Thusly Gone Ones) adorned with the excellent signs (mtshan-bzang, major marks) and exemplary features (dpe-byad, minor marks).

When Naropa left his position as abbot of the monastic university of Nalanda, his first image of his future teacher Tilopa, a mahasiddha, was as a naked, filthy fisherman. Upon meeting him cooking and eating live fish, Naropa was so repulsed he thought, “This could not possibly be the great Tilopa.” Tilopa, reading the scholar’s mind, just shook his head and grumbled, “Naa.” Then he laid the fish bones out on the ground and snapped his fingers. Instantly they became live fish and jumped in the river. At this remarkable feat, Naropa realized who was before him. Tilopa just nodded his head and muttered, “Uh-huh.”

Buddhajnana had been searching far and wide for a long time to find a master who could teach him the Guhyasamaja Tantra, but without any success. One day he was traveling through a lonely area at sunset when he first saw his future teacher, Manjushrimitra (’Jam-dpal bshes-gnyen), plowing a field while sporting on his head the yellow Dharma robe (chos-gos, Skt. cīvara) that monastics may wear only during the bimonthly purification of transgressions (gso-sbyong, Skt. poṣadha, sojong). Thinking this was very strange and improper, he came closer and saw the farmer’s wife following behind the plow, collecting in a stew pot all the worms that were being turned up. There being no other dwelling in the vicinity, Buddhajnana was forced to spend the night in the farmer’s house. When, at the dinner table, he was offered a bowl of fresh worm stew, Buddhajnana, thinking the farmer, his wife and their customs totally revolting and contrary to the Dharma, refused to eat and went to bed disgusted.

That night, after the farmer and his wife had retired, Buddhajnana saw a brilliant light coming from his host’s room. He went to the door and, looking in, saw before him the true form of the central deity couple from The Guhyasamaja Tantra. Totally amazed, he went to sleep. The next morning, when he asked to be taught this king of anuttarayoga tantra practices, Manjushrimitra refused, saying, “Yesterday, you criticized what I was wearing, and because of your strong likes and dislikes you would not eat the food I offered. With such a prejudiced mind, how could you possibly accept the measures I would teach?”

Repenting his hasty judgment and false opinion, Buddhajnana was finally accepted as a disciple by Manjushrimitra. In this way, one of the lineages of The Guhyasamaja Tantra came to be transmitted to him.

As another example, Chandrakirti appeared to everyone at the monastic university of Nalanda as someone with only three concerns: eating, sleeping and going to the toilet. They thought he was setting a bad example and wanted to expel him. However, his abbot, Chandranatha (Zla-ba mgon-po), stood by him and said, “Give the monk a chance to prove himself.” They made him an assistant storekeeper in charge of the monastery’s herds. Still, Chandrakirti gave the appearance of a lazy good-for-nothing.

Once, at a special lunchtime feast, it was the storekeeper’s duty to serve milk to all the monks. Chandrakirti, however, had let all the cows wander off, and they had not returned in time to be milked. Everyone scolded him and thought at last they had grounds for his expulsion. Chandrakirti, however, calmly drew a picture of a cow on the wall and, milking that, received an ample supply for everyone. In this way he demonstrated to all the monks that appearances are not as solid as they seem [as cited by Chandrakirti in “Engaging in the Middle Way” (dBu-ma-la ’jug-pa, Skt. Madhyamākavatāra), colophon].

Shantideva also had the reputation at Nalanda of being someone with only three concerns. He kept all his practices completely private and hidden. The monks longed for his expulsion as well and thought to humiliate him by having him give a formal lecture before the entire university. They arranged a high throne without any stairs, but the seat descended for Shantideva to mount. He then delivered a discourse others later compiled into Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior (sPyod-’jug, Skt. Bodhicaryāvatāra). When he reached a certain verse in the middle of the ninth chapter concerning the correct view of reality, Shantideva began to levitate. Everyone could still hear his voice as gradually he disappeared from sight.

As the Buddha has said:

Only myself or those like me can take the measure of a person.

Therefore, we should never judge the appearance of others, especially not someone whom we have already accepted as our spiritual mentor. Although beforehand we must examine him carefully, we should stop being judgmental once we have decided to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to him. We must see that he is a Buddha for all the reasons mentioned above, and when appearances seem contradictory to this, remember that our opinions are not reliable.

Enhancing Our Appreciation by Continually Being Mindful of His Kindness

If we think of all the kindness our spiritual mentor has shown us, our appreciation and wholehearted commitment will naturally grow. Not only does our teacher show us the way to a higher rebirth, liberation and the realization of our fullest potential so that we can truly help others, he also benefits us on an everyday, mundane level. He or she teaches us how to behave well so that we never offend others and always do what is pleasing. He instills in us sound judgement, teaches us proper manners and so on. 

As Zhamar from Amdo has put it in A Sun to Shine Rays of Light of Positive Goodness (Byang-chub bde-lam-gyi khrid-dmigs skyong-tshul shin-tu gsal-bar bkod-pa dge-legs ’od-snang ’gyed-pa’i nyin-byed, Zhwa-dmar lam-rim), 27a.4:

My spiritual mentors are the ones who have made a donkey (like me) fit to be included in the ranks of humans.

Our Spiritual Mentor’s Kindness Which Exceeds That of the Other Buddhas

Although there is no difference in the level of attainment of the former Buddhas and our spiritual mentors, there is a great difference in the level of their kindness (bka’-drin, bkrin) toward us. There have been many Buddhas in the past, but we have never had the fortune to have met or studied with them. Now, however, we are directly helped by our spiritual mentor. It is in this respect that his kindness toward us exceeds in general that of all the Buddhas.

Furthermore, although the Fourth Buddha, Shakyamuni, manifested himself during a difficult time, our spiritual mentor has come when everything is even more degenerate. We did not build up a sufficient network of positive force to have studied directly with the Buddha himself. This was our doing, not his. We have, however, built up the karmic force to be born at present during this degenerate time. The fact that our master is visibly here and helps us now indicates that his kindness toward us exceeds specifically even that of Buddha Shakyamuni.

The First Panchen Lama has made these points in Lama Chopa (Guru Puja), 46–47:

To us beings of this degenerate age, unfit to be tamed by the countless Buddhas of the past and difficult to curb, you show, as it is, the excellent path of the Blissfully Gone Buddhas. Compassionate guardians for safe direction, we make you requests.

The daylight hours of the Sage’s sun have set and now you enact the Triumphant Ones’ deeds for us wandering masses bereft of guardians or a safe direction. Compassionate guardians for safe direction, we make you requests.

His Kindness to Impart to Us the Teachings

Our spiritual mentor is very kind to do this without making us undergo as many difficulties and hardships as the Buddha himself and the past translators and transmitters of the Dharma had to suffer to receive their instruction. We can appreciate this from the examples found in the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish (mDo mdzangs-blun, Skt. Damamūko-nāma Sūtra), I. For instance, in a previous life, when the Buddha was born as King Jilingarlita (rGyal-po Byi-ling gar-li-ta), for one verse on the Dharma he had to drive a thousand iron spikes into his body. When he was King Ganashapali (rGyal-po Ga-na-sha pa-li), he was forced to give away his beloved queen and children to be eaten by fierce yakshas (gnod-sbyin, cannibal spirits). When he was Uttali (Ut-ta-li), teacher of sages, he had to copy verses on the Dharma by using his own skin for paper, his bones for a pen and his blood for ink. He suffered great hardships to this extent. 

In the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, these examples were related to the Buddha by Brahma on the occasion of his requesting the Buddha to set flow rounds of Dharma transmission.

Atisha undertook a thirteen-month sea journey in order to receive the lineages of how to develop bodhichitta from Serlingpa. King Yeshe Ö, in turn, sacrificed his life so that Atisha could bring these teachings to Tibet. 

Furthermore, many Tibetan translators, such as Marpa, endured great suffering during their arduous travels by foot and pack animal to India in quest of the Dharma. Yet they undertook these fearsome journeys despite their lack of both sufficient funds and fluent knowledge of Indian languages.

As Marpa has recalled in one of his Songs of Meditational Experience (Mar-pa’i gsung-mgur):

There was never a time when we had emerged from the thick forest and jungle. There was never a time when we had walked to the end of the long road. There was never a time when we were free of wild animals, rough trails and huge rivers. The fallen trees across our path were like stiff corpses. When I reminisce about the fearsome things along those roads, even now my heart quickens and my lungs gasp.

As modern disciples, we owe our spiritual mentor a great deal of gratitude for giving us the teachings without making us endure hardships to that extent. As Yeshe Tsondru has said in his Essence of Nectar (15b):

If it is said that to make offerings to (the master) who has taught you one verse (on the Dharma, and to do so) for the same number of eons as syllables in that verse is not enough to reciprocate his kindness, how can we balance the kindness of the one who has carefully shown us the excellent and complete pathways of mind (leading to the realization of our fullest potential)?

Furthermore, when we are overwhelmed with disturbing emotions, prejudices, preconceptions (rnam-rtog, Skt. vikalpa) and other such obscurations, the Buddhas, bodhisattvas and Buddha-figures will not show themselves to us in their true forms. This is because they realize we are too blinded and deafened to be able to see or hear them. At that time, when we are most in need of help, only our spiritual mentor is kind enough to teach us. When, through his guidance, we have become freed from our obscurations and have had stable realizations, we may indeed receive pure visions of deities. By then, however, we are already well on the path and not in such dire need of them.

Mogchog (rMog-lcog Rin-chen brtson-’grus, Skt. Ratnavīrya), for instance, had studied diligently and for a long time with his master, the yogi Khedrub Khyungpo Naljor (mKhas-grub Khyung-po rnal-’byor), the Master from Shang, from whom descends the Shangpa Kagyu Tradition, and never once saw any Buddhas or Buddha-figures. Years later, when he actually received a pure vision of Avalokiteshvara, Vajrayogini and Hevajra, he said:

Great Compassionate One, your color white is indeed very white; Ever-Vigilant Celestial Maiden, your red is indeed very red, and Hevajra, your blue is indeed very blue. However, no matter where I am, I have never experienced being deprived of the vision of my spiritual mentor, and in my very lifetime it is about to lead me all the way to enlightenment.

On another occasion, Mogchog has also said:

With rigorous meditation (alone, there is still) doubt that we will become freed (from our suffering). However, with firm conviction and appreciation (for our spiritual mentor), there can be no doubt about our liberation. 

His Kindness to Bestow Waves of Inspiration on Our Mental Continuums

Our spiritual mentor can inspire us to become free from our obscurations. He can do this by merely his presence and certainly most effectively by his teachings on the Dharma. However, he can also make our minds more receptive for meditative experiences and stable realizations by giving us specially consecrated substances to eat or drink. Purchog Ngawang Jampa (Phur-cog Ngag-dbang byams-pa rgya-mtsho) once hauled a huge load of dried dung fuel for his teacher, Drubkhang Geleg Gyatso. He was completely exhausted in body and mind, so his master gave him a portion of his inner offering to drink from a ritual skull-cup. Purchog was so inspired that he immediately received a very deep experience of renunciation, a true determination to be free from his problems.

Thus, the mahasiddha Tilopa has said in his Treasure House of Songs (Do-ha mdzod, Skt. Dohākośa):

If you wish to obtain in this very lifetime the powerful state of a Vajradhara (rdo-rje ’chang-dbang), then the ultimate object of firm conviction and appreciation is your spiritual mentor, the ultimate waves of inspiration are those conferred by your spiritual mentor, and the ultimate fruit is that (of enlightenment) bestowed by your spiritual guide. For these reasons, become adept in relating to your mentor in a healthy manner. 

Elsewhere, he has similarly said to Naropa:

What will enhance your practice the best, my yogi, is (relating to) your spiritual mentor (in a healthy manner).

His Kindness to Include Us in His Circle Through Material Generosity

Finally, we should enhance our commitment by recalling our mentor’s far-reaching attitude of generosity. Tsongkhapa has indicated this generous manner of a true master in his aspirational prayer Constructive Actions in the Beginning, Middle and End (Thog-ma-dang bar-dang tha-mar dge-ba’i smon-lam, Thog-mtha’-ma), 17:

Having banished forever tight miserly feelings, not being attached to material wealth, may I gather around me a core of disciples by offering first the possessions I have; then by giving them further the teachings of Buddha, may I satisfy fully their wishes and needs.

We should never make light of anything our spiritual mentor gives us, but accept it humbly and respectfully with both hands outstretched. Its value is something far greater than meets the eye. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has said:

It is far more beneficial to receive a piece of fruit from your spiritual mentor than a large sum of wealth from an ordinary friend. The money may be of some help during this life, but even the smallest gift from your teacher establishes a close bond that for all your lifetimes will link you to him and, through him, to the highest purified state.

Once a master sent his attendant up to a cave high on a mountain to offer a huge pack of butter to Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub (Dvags-po Blo-bzang ’Jam-dpal lhun-grub) who was staying there in retreat. The attendant became very tired and, as he climbed, he grumbled and cursed this meditator for living so far up like a mountain goat. When he finally arrived, Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub gave him some tea and food; he was very kind and hospitable. This changed the tired man’s opinion so that now he thought, “This teacher is actually very nice, and especially his tea is really delicious.” In this way, the attendant calmed down and became open to this sublime master. 

The Way to Relate in a Healthy Manner with Our Actions

We relate to our mentor in a healthy manner not only with our thoughts and feelings, seeing that he is a Buddha and being ever mindful of his kindness, but also with our actions. To learn all the proper ways to behave, we study Ashvaghosha’s Fifty Stanzas on the Guru (Bla-ma lnga-bcu-pa, Skt. Gurupañcāśikā).  

Maitreya has summarized these methods in A Filigree for the Mahayana Sutras (mDo-sde rgyan, Skt. Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra), XVII.11a:

You should relate to your spiritual mentor in a healthy manner by paying respect, offering material possessions, being of service and obediently practicing (whatever he tells you to do).

Offering Material Aid from Our Own Possessions

It is important that both sides involved have the proper attitude. Whenever we present something material to our teacher, we should feel it is ultimately for our own and others’ benefit and not for his or her sake. We are not trying to curry his or her favor. When we sow seeds in a field, our purpose is not to benefit the soil, but to harvest the crop. Likewise, when we make offerings to our spiritual teacher, our bountiful field for spiritual growth, we do so with the aim of building up a vast network of positive force that will ripen in our attainment of the highest purified state for everyone’s sake.

A true spiritual master, in turn, will receive these tokens of our commitment with complete equanimity. Geshe Sharawa (dGe-bshes Sha-ra-ba) has said:

Anyone who is pleased with the material offerings of his disciples will not be able to teach well. He should regard these as a tiger would look at grass.

Therefore, we always try to make offerings to the best of our ability and with a correct understanding of their purpose and value. Ashvaghosha has said in Fifty Stanzas on the Guru (17, 21):

It has been taught that for the spiritual master with whom you have a close bond, you should be willing to sacrifice your wife, children and even your life, although these are not (easy) to give away. Is there need then to mention your fleeting wealth?

Giving (to your spiritual mentor) is the same as making perpetual offerings to all the Buddhas. From such offering a vast positive karmic force is built up. From such a network (of positive force) comes the supreme actual attainment (of enlightenment).

Thus, Geshe Lagsorwa (dGe-bshes Lag-sor-ba) has said:

If we offer (our guiding light) something of inferior quality while we possess something more excellent, our close bond with him will degenerate. In other words, if we (offer) to our high spiritual teacher whatever we ourselves find the most pleasing, or at least not something we find useless (and wish to be rid of), there will be no fault.

Paying Respect and Being of Service

The former refers to such actions as circumambulation of where our spiritual mentor lives, prostration, making offerings and so on, while the latter to doing anything that is helpful for our teacher’s personal needs, such as performing various tasks or running errands for him. 

As the Kadampa geshes always said:

Your study with a spiritual master should not be like collecting musk from a deer, where you kill the animal and throw away the carcass just to obtain its precious treasure.

Likewise, we do not just use our mentor to satisfy our greed for the teachings and then, once we have received them, heartlessly ignore him as if he did not matter at all. We should gratefully and happily do for him anything we can as part of our wholehearted commitment to him.

Sakya Pandita has said:

The network (of positive force built up from practicing) in the manner of the far-reaching attitudes for thousands of eons and (like the Able One) giving away your head, feet, hands and wealth would (likewise) be gathered in one moment through this path of (serving) your spiritual mentor. Therefore, joyfully make it your habit to be of service, you hear?

When Dromtonpa met Atisha, he told him how he had previously served his teacher Setsun (Grum-gyi mKhan-bu Chen-po Se-btsun). He had done all the menial housework and taken care of his children during the day. With his hands he had spun wool and with his feet softened leather hides for him, and at night, refusing sleep, he had watched his herds. He promised to serve Atisha with the same zeal. Even though Dromtonpa was not a monk, but merely an upasaka, a layman keeping five vows, yet because of his wholehearted commitment to his spiritual mentor, he became one of the most revered figures in the Kadam tradition.

Once he asked Atisha, “Have my actions of the past built up any measures to prevent (my lower rebirth)?” Atisha replied, “When you served as your teacher Setsun’s attendant, that alone built up a positive path of your mind. Nothing else did.”

Years later, when Atisha was teaching in Nyetang, he lived with Dromtonpa, who translated and wrote all his letters, the cook Jangchub Rinchen from Amey and the meditator Gonpawa. This latter always stayed in retreat, and Atisha would go to his room to instruct him. Once the cook became very upset because he felt that Gonpawa was receiving all the teachings, while all he was receiving were orders to do the menial household tasks. Both Atisha and Dromtonpa noticed this jealous dissatisfaction, and so the former told the latter to speak with him about it. 

Being clever, Dromtonpa went to the cook and complained that the meditator was receiving all the teachings, while he had to translate and write letters for Atisha all day long and was hardly receiving any private teachings at all. The cook, hearing this, admitted that he too felt the same way and that it was not fair. Then Dromtonpa revealed that he had only been joking and had said what he did solely to make him confess his bad feelings. He went on to say that through relating to a spiritual mentor in a healthy manner one can achieve the highest attainments, and that he had therefore vowed always to serve his mentor with pleasure. After that the cook took a similar vow and was always happy to serve Atisha obediently.

One day Atisha called all three together and examined what meditative experiences and stable realizations they each had gained. Dromtonpa had the highest, second was the cook, and the meditator had the least! This was a reflection of the amount of positive karmic force each had built up through his commitment and service to his spiritual mentor.

Practicing Exactly as He Says

This is the best way to relate to our spiritual mentor with our actions. Maitreya has said in A Filigree for the Mahayana Sutras (XVII.14a):

The best way to relate to your mentor is not by giving him material aid. Rather, you should relate to your mentor in a healthy manner by practicing (the Dharma according to his instructions).

Aryashura has similarly said in A Rosary of Previous Life Accounts (sKyes-rabs ’phreng-ba, Skt. Jātakamālā):

In response to (your spiritual teacher’s) help, what you should offer is your practice of obedience, doing exactly as he instructs.

Milarepa has said as well in his Hundreds of Thousands of Songs:

I have no wealth to present as material aid, but, as an offering to my fatherly spiritual mentor, I shall balance (his kindness) with my practice... The type of humble service that pleases your fatherly spiritual mentor is practicing (exactly what he tells you) with bone-like (courage) from the depth of your heart to accept any hardship (involved). 

Although in general we should practice what our teacher says, this is only if it is in accordance with the Dharma. We must use our judgment, for he may be trying to teach us to grow. In A Rosary of Previous Life Accounts (XII), Aryashura has described the previous life when Buddha Shakyamuni had studied with a teacher from the brahmin priest caste. Once this master wished to test his followers. He told them, “According to our tradition, a disciple should do anything to please his spiritual mentor. I am very poor, so go out and steal for me.” All the others obediently did as they were told, but the previous incarnation of the Buddha just sat in the next room. “Do you wish not to please me?” his teacher asked heatedly. “If it harms others, there is no way it can benefit you,” was the calm reply. The master was delighted to have at least one disciple who understood. 

The point of committing ourselves wholeheartedly to a spiritual master is not to become mindless, but to develop discrimination ourselves. When Tilopa told Naropa to jump off the roof, and he did so, this was something completely different. This disciple had already attained extremely advanced stages of realization. We should not apply his example to our own ordinary level or to the present-day situation. As the translator Marpa told Milarepa, “Never treat your disciples like I treated you or the way the incomparable Naropa treated me. Such practice should not be continued in the future.”

If our mentor asks us to do something impossible, we can politely excuse ourselves, making certain never to be disrespectful. As Ashvaghosha has said in Fifty Stanzas on the Guru (24):

(A disciple) having great sense should obey the words of his teacher joyfully and with enthusiasm. If you lack the knowledge or ability (to do what he says), explain in (polite) words why you cannot (comply).

It is extremely delicate to balance seeing that our master is a Buddha on the one hand with responding thoughtfully to his or her human needs on the other. This is likewise true with respect to obeying whatever he or she says while at the same time developing our own sense of discrimination. These are some of the reasons why it is very difficult to relate to a spiritual mentor in a healthy manner. Pabongka has said it took him nine years to gain stable realizations about this subject, but once he had, everything else followed quickly. Therefore, we need to make a great effort in pondering all the above points and, once we have understood, then build up a sincere habit of wholehearted commitment during our meditation session.

We should visualize all our spiritual teachers in one basic bodily form, that of the Buddha. Normally we feel our various teachers are as different as a pillar and a vase, and we constantly compare them. However, they only appear differently on the surface, like an actor wearing assorted masks. A truly wise person views them all as the embodiment of the Buddhas’ Dharmakaya (chos-sku, Corpus Encompassing Everything), appearing in different enlightening forms. It is the same as how we should see our various Buddha-figures: none are mutually exclusive.

Ra Lotsawa had only two spiritual mentors, and Dromtonpa only five, whereas Geshe Sangpupa (dGe-bshes gSang-phu-pa) would listen to teachings on the Dharma from anyone who gave them. On his way from Kham to central Tibet, he stopped once to attend a discourse given by an ordinary upasaka, a layman. He was asked, “Why did you, such a great master and scholar, bother to listen to him?” Sangpupa replied, “Why, I learned three new things that were very helpful!”

Once the three brothers of the Kadam tradition, Potowa, Chengawa and Phuchungwa, asked which is better, to cultivate a committed relation with many teachers or only a few. They were told that for ordinary persons the fewer the better, since such people cannot commit themselves properly to high masters. We, however, do not even know how many teachers we have studied with! As Pabongka has said:

When we are asked how many teachers we have, we must take out our mala rosary and count them up. However, when asked how much money we have in the bank, we can answer in an instant. This is a clear indication that we have not taken seriously the fact that relating to our spiritual mentors in a healthy manner is the root for developing all pathway minds leading to the purified states of liberation and enlightenment.