Spiritual Teachers

We practice this meditation in order to inspire and uplift ourselves to the state of our spiritual teacher inseparable from Avalokiteshvara, by joining our good qualities with theirs.

The type of relationship between a spiritual student and teacher depends on the level of qualification of each, and is not the same as the relation between a client and a therapist.

Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche: Master Debate Partner and Assistant Tutor of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Unhealthy relationships between disciples and mentors can manifest in many ways, including overdependence on the mentor, not maintaining discriminating awareness or transference and regression as known in psychotherapy.

Spiritual mentors lead others to behave and to think constructively in order for them to attain enlightenment. Disciples are those who are led to enlightenment by such persons through training in constructive behavior and thought.

Dr. Alexander Berzin, founder of the Berzin Archives, talks about his experiences of studying Buddhology in academia and practicing Buddhism in real life.

Clarification of some of the major misunderstandings about the Buddhist teachings.

The Tibetan word “damtsig,” “samaya” in Sanskrit, means “close bond.” It refers to practices that create a close bond between us and a Buddha-figure or our spiritual teacher.

Both the sutras and tantras instruct disciples to regard the qualities and kindness of our mentors as those of a Buddha.

Confusion arose due to vast cultural differences and the new realities of Dharma centers established by Tibetan teachers for the Western, lay students – a phenomenon that had not existed before in the history of Buddhism.