Q: Can we practice genuine Dharma or Vajrayana if we are not linked to Tsawe-Lama [Root-Guru]?
A: The thing about the Tsawe-Lama, or the guru, is that, you know, you need to keep your open-mindedness to different teachers, to different traditions as much as possible in the beginning. And then as you become a genuine practitioner over the time, anyway you are genuine already, sincere to yourself anyway. You know, like eventually you, when you have developed some form of practice over the time and then you will find the guru at that time.
Don’t push yourself to find a guru. Okay? It’s not a marriage. You know, people when they come, they become Buddhist they’re like “Ah! I need to find a guru!!” You know, like, “Where’s the Guru!?” You know, “How to find him!?” You know, “How to find him!? How does he look like!? Does he have to be a man and woman?! Does it have to be many reincarnations!?” You know, like “Does it have to be like big titles?” You know, we have so much agendas and ideas, how the guru should look like and how the guru should sound like, how the guru should behave and all of that. But if you look back in the history, none of it matters.
The Guru’s job is to reflect the truth. That’s it. End of the line. No drama in between. Okay? Sense of respect to you, obviously! Not disrespectful to you, but with a sense of respect. But the guru’s job is to reflect the truth to you.
So it doesn’t have to be a human figure at the whole time. It can be a beautiful weather, that reflects the meaning of impermanence into your mind. That is also a guru. You know? The one who introduce to the Dharma, with a sincerity. That’s also guru. The one who give us place to stay, eat, practice, that’s also guru. The one who recognizes, you know, one who gives us the introduction about the nature of the mind, that’s also guru.
So it doesn’t have to be like “one! And only one!” you know?
Kalu Rinpoche
FB Livestream – 23 October 2022 (56′ 18”)
To be continued …
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