Lynne/Fw:Re:Bond to the Teacher

[Guest guest]

Dear Lynne,

 

I put your question out on a Buddhist list, wonderful resource that it is, and

lo, you received this in return. Thankfully, there are people who know a great

deal more than me, and are willing to share it. ~~Gloria`

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In Vajrayana tradition, the depth of the bond to the teacher is totally

dependant our intention.

 

One can go for a karmic bond whereby any vajra teachers he/she met, they

will take refuge under

these teachers in order to built a karmic bond with them for the benefits

of their next life.

This is very common.

 

The second kind of bond which one which decides to pursue their dharma

career in vajrayana practise

is by having a (1)samaya bond with their teacher. This kind of bond will

continue till we graduate.

 

Therefore we need to understand the outer refuge in order to establish

a bond between

the guru-disciple relationship.

 

 

A) The purpose of Vajrayana Refuge

 

The abbreviated form of the Outer Refuge for Vajrayana consist a total of 6

refuge ( 3 Roots, 3 Jewels) in it.

 

1) I go for refuge to the Guru - La ma La Chab Su Chi

2) I go for refuge to the Buddha. - Sung Gye La Chab Su chi

3) I go for refuge to the Dharma. - Choi La Chab Su Chi

4) I go for refuge to the Sangha. - Gee Dhen La Chab Su Chi

 

The first line, "I go for refuge to the guru," expresses one's conviction

that the guru or lama

is the embodiment of the Three Roots,

(i) His actual form, his body, is the guru;

(ii) His speech is the activity of the dakinis and Dharma protectors;

(iii) His mind is the nature of the yidams.

 

Following that, one goes for refuge externally to the Buddha, the Dharma,

and Sangha.

So total of 6 refuges, 3 root refuge and 3 Jewel(Triplegem) Refuge.

 

Therefore upon having a bond after taking refuge with the vajra teachers,

we now must understand what is this bond all about.

 

 

B) The Samaya bond between guru-disciple relationship

 

In each of the 3 yanas, the teacher has a different role,

In Theravada, he is the wise man or elder (Skt. sthavira).

In Mahayana, he is the good spiritual friend (Skt. Kalyanamitra).

In Vajrayana, he is the master, almost a dictator who tells us what to do.

Therefore the bond must be

very strong, definite and direct.

 

Of great importance in the guru-disciple relationship is the samaya bond,

the commitment establish

between you and your guru once you have undertaken the Vajrayana

discipline. Although we may

not yet have received any empowerments from him, once we have taken him on

as our Vajra teacher

the commitment has already been made and the bond established absolutely.

There is no such

thing as a mediocre samaya bond.

 

Such commitment to our guru and his teachings is very important; it give

you guidelines for your life.

Without such commitment, we might begin to make up our own version of the

dharma, our own

edition of the teachings, and sooner or later what we will get back is just

our own ego version

of the teachings. So the whole idea of commitment here is total

surrendering, complete surrendering.

We don't edit our own version of dharma anymore.

 

There commitment allows us to receive pure teachings undiluted by the

influence of ego.

Maybe the teacher is pure, maybe the teaching is pure, but if we don't

commit ourself properly,

then we end up putting a part of ourself into the teachings, and we don't

received pure thing.

It is like drinking from out of a dirty cup.

 

So until we get enlightenment, our entire dharma career depends on the

guru. The fact that

all the great Bodhisattva have their own guru seated on the crown on their

heads. For example

Amitabha on Avalokiteshvara head and so on, this shows that even

Bodhisattvas still rely on

their gurus.

 

Therefore the bond to the guru embodies our scared commitment to keep

enlightenment

foremost in our mind until we have actually achieve it.

 

1. Samaya : The "scared pledges, precepts or commitements" of Vajrayana

practise. Samayas

consist of,

a) Outwardly - maintaining harmonious relationship with

the vajra master

and one's Dharma friends.

b) Inwardly - Not straying from the continuity of

the practise .

 

 

Source :

"The Torch of Certainty", H.E Jamgon Kongtrul

"Taking Refuge" - http://www.kagyu.org/buddhism/bec/bec04.html

 

Cheers,

Dan

[Guest guest]

Gloria, if I may ask, which list did you send it to?

Lynne

 

Gloria Lee wrote:

> Dear Lynne,

> I put your question out on a Buddhist list, wonderful resource that it is,