The redundandability of the guru (was Sri Chitrabanuji - Jain teacher (Hi Harshaji!)

[Guest guest]

Hi Cornelius,

 

At the end of this response, you'll find a very nice post from Robert

(hrtbeat7) about the Tibetan monk Patrul, not sure if he posted it here on

Harsha's as well... but even if he did, it is so delightful it deserves

reading again...

 

You wrote:

>>>I lean in the direction of some sort of Guruship, as a practice of

encouraging the intimacy of interaction.<<<

 

Yes, so true, when a guru is or becomes helpful in rekindling love in the

ones who may have lost track of it, the guru serves his or her purpose

best... providing the guru is able to move into the background again so that

the newly found or rekindled love in the devotee can be "practiced" (hmm?)

lived and extended to and amongst all fellow beings... A guru has to become

redundant one devotee at a time, a guru is to be a catalyst only... a

temporary agent... like a chemical catalyst moving on to the next

interaction or chemical reaction. A guru is a temporary "re-enabler" to get

the devotee back on his or her original track of life and love, light and

truth.

>>>Of course the hierarchical structure can interject problems...<<<

 

True enough and luckily I have seen many contemporary gurus (male as well as

female) deal with that. The hierarchical structure is usually upheld by the

devotees and usually from a manipulative co-dependency angle... Not every

guru is aware of that... But when a guru is made to feel a "sine qua non

forever" by a devotee... the guru feels the entanglement very clearly... The

guru feels the pain of such devotee intensively. An unconditionally loving

guru knows how to gently work with that... (It is best for this to happen

slowly and outside the constraints of the "organized sangha structure". I

have seen quite a few accidents in this respect.)

 

Wim

 

---------

Patrul Rinpoche:

 

Vajrasattva, sole deity, Master, You sit on a full-moon lotus-cushion

of white light In the hundred-petalled full bloom of youth. Think of

me, Vajrasattva, You who remain unmoved within the manifest display

That is Mahamudra, pure bliss-emptiness. Listen up, old bad-karma

Patrul, You dweller-in-distraction. For ages now you've been

Beguiled, entranced, and fooled by appearances. Are you aware of

that? Are you? Right this very instant, when you're Under the spell

of mistaken perception You've got to watch out. Don't let yourself

get carried away by this fake and empty life. Your mind is spinning

around About carrying out a lot of useless projects: It's a waste!

Give it up! Thinking about the hundred plans you want to accomplish,

With never enough time to finish them, Just weighs down your mind.

You're completely distracted By all these projects, which never come

to an end, But keep spreading out more, like ripples in water. Don't

be a fool: for once, just sit tight. Listening to the teachings-

you've already heard hundreds of teachings, But when you haven't

grasped the meaning of even one teaching, What's the point of more

listening? Reflecting on the teachings-even though you've listened,

If the teachings aren't coming to mind when needed, What's the point

of more reflection? None. Meditating according to the teachings- If

your meditation practice still isn't curing The obscuring states of

mind-forget about it! You've added up just how many mantras you've

done- But you aren't accomplishing the kyerim visualization. You may

get the forms of deities nice and clear- But you're not putting an

end to subject and object. You may tame what appear to be evil

spirits and ghosts, But you're not training the stream of your own

mind. Your four fine sessions of sadhana practice, So meticulously

arranged- Forget about them. When you're in a good mood, Your

practice seems to have lots of clarity- But you just can't relax into

it. When you're depressed, Your practice is stable enough But there's

no brilliance to it. As for awareness, You try to force yourself into

a rigpa-like state, As if stabbing a stake into a target! When those

yogic positions and gazes keep your mind stable Only by keeping mind

tethered- Forget about them! Giving high-sounding lectures Doesn't do

your mind-stream any good. The path of analytical reasoning is

precise and acute- But it's just more delusion, good for nothing goat-

shit. The oral instructions are very profound But not if you don't

put them into practice. Reading over and over those dharma texts That

just occupy your mind and make your eyes sore- Forget about it! You

beat your little damaru drum-ting, ting- And your audience thinks

it's charming to hear. You're reciting words about offering up your

body, But you still haven't stopped holding it dear. You're making

your little cymbals go cling, cling- Without keeping the ultimate

purpose in mind. All this dharma-practice equipment That seems so

attractive- Forget about it! Right now, those students are all

studying so very hard, But in the end, they can't keep it up. Today,

they seem to get the idea, But later on, there's not a trace left.

Even if one of them manages to learn a little, He rarely applies

his "learning" to his own conduct. Those elegant dharma disciplines-

Forget about them! This year, he really cares about you, Next year,

it's not like that. At first, he seems modest, Then he grows exalted

and pompous. The more you nurture and cherish him, The more distant

he grows. These dear friends Who show such smiling faces to begin

with- Forget about them! Her smile seems so full of joy- But who

knows if that's really the case? One time, it's pure pleasure, Then

it's nine months of mental pain. It might be fine for a month, But

sooner or later, there's trouble. People teasing; your mind embroiled-

Your lady-friend- Forget about her! These endless rounds of

conversation Are just attachment and aversion- It's just more goat-

shit, good for nothing at all. At the time it seems marvelously

entertaining, But really, you're just spreading around stories about

other people's mistakes. Your audience seems to be listening

politely, But then they grow embarrassed for you. Useless talk that

just make you thirsty- Forget about it! Giving teachings on

meditation texts Without yourself having Gained actual experience

through practice, Is like reciting a dance-manual out loud And

thinking that's the same as actually dancing. People may be listening

to you with devotion, But it just isn't the real thing. Sooner or

later, when your own actions Contradict the teachings, you'll feel

ashamed. Just mouthing the words, Giving dharma explanations that

sound so eloquent- Forget about it! When you don't have a text, you

long for it; Then when you've finally gotten it, you hardly look at

it. The number of pages seems few enough, But it's a bit hard to find

time to copy them all. Even if you copied down all the dharma texts

on earth, You wouldn't be satisfied. Copying down texts is a waste of

time (Unless you get paid)- So forget about it! Today, they're happy

as clams- Tomorrow, they're furious. With all their black moods and

white moods, People are never satisfied. Or even if they're nice

enough, They may not come through when you really need them,

Disappointing you even more. All this politeness, keeping up a

Courteous demeanor- Forget about it! Worldly and religious work Is

the province of gentlemen. Patrul, old boy-that's not for you.

Haven't you noticed what always happens? An old bull, once you've

gone to the trouble of borrowing him for his services, Seems to have

absolutely no desire left in him at all- (Except to go back to

sleep). Be like that-desireless. Just sleep, eat, piss, shit. There's

nothing else in life that has to be done. Don't get involved with

other things: They're not the point. Keep a low profile, Sleep. In

the triple universe When you're lower than your company You should

take the low seat. Should you happen to be the superior one, Don't

get arrogant. There's no absolute need to have close friends; You're

better off just keeping to yourself. When you're without any worldly

or religious obligations, Don't keep on longing to acquire some! If

you let go of everything- Everything, everything- That's the real

point! ------------------------------

----------------- This advice was written by the practitioner Trime

Lodro (Patrul Rinpoche) for his intimate friend Ahu Shri (Patrul

Rinpoche), in order to give advice that is tailored exactly to his

capacities. This advice should be put into practice. Even though you

don't know how to practice, just let go of everything-that's what I

really want to say. Even though you aren't able to succeed in your

dharma practice. don't get angry. May it be virtuous. ----------------

-------------------------------

Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) was the wandering turn-of-the-century

Dzogchen master of Eastern Tibet, beloved by the people. He was

renowned as the enlightened vagabond. --------------------------------

--------------- Translation by

Constance Wilkinson Many questions about the text were clarified

according to the extremely kind explanations of the Chogyal Namkhai

Norbu Rinpoche, during his stay in New York City, and according to

the detailed explanations of Khenpo, Rigdzin Dorje of the Nyingmapa

Shedra, Bansbari, Kathmandu, Nepal. Thanks to Matthieu Ricard of

Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling, and to Anne Burchardi of the Marpa

institute of Translation for their advice toward trying to make this

translation faithful to both the letter and spirit of the original

Tibetan. All errors and misunderstandings are those of the

translator. May this poem, despite all shortcomings of its

translation, serve to benefit beings. Sarva Mangalam.

---

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