Testing Time (Guru/Disciple)

[bija]

Found this in a preface to a compilation of the Dalai Lama's writings.

Before you just cast it aside and say, "oh no Buddhist", just consider.

If we are qualified, nectar can be extracted from many places, even a stock of poison.

 

It may shed some light on what some devotees on this forum are saying on a recent thread, about the responsibility of a disciple in approaching Guru.

 

 

"The Dalai Lama urges that surrender to any teacher, including himself, must follow intense scrutiny of the master and careful consideration by the student. The aspirant can not and must not abdicate responsibility. The teacher does not necessarily embody perfection. He is in human form. The teaching must meet the dictates of logic, reason and common sense before it is accepted and practised. It is only in the highest stages of practice, initiation and transmission, after the teacher and the aspirant have truly tested and evaluated each other, often over lifetimes, that real surrender and a deep bonding between the two takes place........the teacher and student, are then intertwined and become a sacred relationship."

And this is said about humility:

"Because he himself (Dalai Lama) is open about acknowledging his own mundane emotions and experiences he is able to empathize and relate to us better, we who are deep in the illusions of samsara."

You know, I would much prefer to seek this quality in my search for Guru, than be misled by a Guru who is placed in an infallible high position, when in reality his internal position is much lower.

At least we must be cautious as beginners on the spiritual path, when an institution is teaching that it's leaders are situated in such a high standing. I would much rather offer myself to leadership, that was fully self honest about it's position and qualification.