Why we should treat our teachers like Buddhas - and talk about "beginners should not treat their teachers like Buddhas"

There are three refuges, that is, refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddhism, Dharma, and Sangha, while Tantra has four refuges, with refuge in the guru being the first.

Qingsong: Yes, guru is indeed very important.

Xia Yan: I heard that Tantric Buddhism emphasizes that the guru is the Buddha and that the guru is indistinguishable from the Buddha. Is this true? Is the guru really a Buddha?

Qingsong: If from the ultimate truth (that is, the true meaning), the guru is a Buddha, not only the guru is a Buddha, but all living beings are also Buddhas in nature; if from the conventional truth (that is, the true meaning), the guru is a Buddha. ), a guru may be a Buddha, but he may not be a Buddha. In other words, some guru have reached the same status and realm as the Buddha, while some guru have not.

Xia Yan: Then why did I hear that in our world, there will only be one Buddha during this period, that is Sakyamuni Buddha, and there cannot be a second Buddha?

Qingsong: Oh, that refers to the Buddha who has attained enlightenment with the eight characteristics and is the teacher of the three realms. There will only be one Buddha at the same time, because if there are more than two teachers of the three realms, he will bring enlightenment to all living beings. I am confused in my thinking and don’t know which Buddha to listen to. Therefore, for the sake of all sentient beings, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will only show up as a teacher of the three realms at the same time, and the others will show up as assistants to the teacher to teach and transform sentient beings. However, , this is in terms of manifested status, no master will manifest as a teacher of the three realms, but from the perspective of internal realization, it is still possible for the masters to achieve the same state of enlightenment as the Buddha of.

Xia Yan: Oh, I understand. In addition, there is a saying of "Living Buddha" in Tibet. Is "Living Buddha" a living Buddha? Is it true that those who are certified as "living Buddhas" are those who have achieved enlightenment and are equal to Buddhas?

Qingsong: Oh, this is not the case. "Living Buddha" is a Chinese translation. There is no word "Living Buddha" in Tibetan. The corresponding Tibetan word is "Zhubigu" or "Tulku" (pronunciation). Its literal translation is "the practice of reincarnation". There is no meaning of "Buddha" in it, but the ancients translated it into Chinese and called it "Living Buddha". Later, this title was adopted and the Han people have always called "reincarnated practitioners" "Living Buddha". ” This has also led many people to mistakenly believe that a “living Buddha” is a living Buddha. Not really.

Xia Yan: Oh, that’s right, then what kind of person can be certified as a “living Buddha” (reincarnated practitioner)?

Qingsong: If a person was a practitioner above the advanced path in his previous life, then he is qualified to be certified as a "reincarnated practitioner", that is, as a "living Buddha". In other words, the level of practice in the previous life must reach the path of preliminaries and above before you can be called a "living Buddha".

Xia Yan: What is the Path of Advancement?

Qingsong: Oh, the levels or stages of Buddhist practice can be roughly divided into five, the path of merit, the path of advancement, the path of seeing, the path of cultivation, and the path of no learning, which are the five paths of the "Five Paths and Ten Grounds" , the path of preliminary practice is between the path of qualifications and the path of seeing. The so-called "path of seeing" means "clear mind and seeing one's nature", which is enlightenment and a bodhisattva. , so it is not easy to enter the path of qualifications. In fact, most of us Buddhist practitioners are not even on the path of qualifications. It can be seen that the practitioners of the additional path are at a very remarkable level of practice, that is to say, Those who are truly recognized as "living Buddhas" have great achievements in their previous lives. However, if you want to become a Buddha, it is not necessarily true, because a "living Buddha" may be a person who practices, sees, or practices. It is possible without any knowledge.

Does Tantric Buddhism not need to abide by the rules of the three great asamkhya kalpas?

Qingsong: Oh, the three great asamkhya kalpas are not a fixed number, it is just a general rule. Not all practitioners need three great asamkhy kalpas to become a Buddha.

Xia Yan: Oh, why do you say this is a general rule?

Qingsong: Not only Tantric Buddhism does not need to abide by this rule, but even Sutra Buddhism does not necessarily need to abide by this rule. For example, the Pure Land Sect chants the Buddha's name and is reborn in the Pure Land, which is called "crossing the three realms". The Three Realms are compared to a bamboo, and we ordinary beings are compared to a worm inside the bamboo. If this worm wants to get out of the bamboo, there are two ways. One is to climb up the bamboo vertically, and then it has to bite. Just open the bamboo joints one by one. The other method is to bite the bamboo skin horizontally and come out. Similar to this metaphor, other methods are to erect the three realms. It takes three Asamkhya Kalpas to become a Buddha, and the Pure Land The method transcends the three realms. If you practice chanting Buddha's name diligently throughout your life, you can be reborn in the Pure Land and become a Buddha. It doesn't take that long. Moreover, there is also a koan in the Lotus Sutra about the dragon girl becoming a Buddha immediately. It can be seen that even Sutra can become a Buddha instantly, so why can't Tantric Buddhism immediately become a Buddha? More capable.

Xia Yan: So, have most of the masters and living Buddhas become Buddhas and are no different from Buddhas?

Qingsong: Well, that’s not the case. In fact, it is quite difficult to become a Buddha immediately. Even if Tantra has many extraordinary skillful methods and practice tips, it is impossible to achieve the same level as the Buddha while alive. The state of being indifferent is also extremely difficult. Therefore, there are very few people who can achieve the ultimate status of Buddha while they are still alive. Most practitioners fail to achieve equality with Buddha.

Xia Yan: I heard that there are many great virtues in Tibet who are the incarnations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Have they become equal to Buddhas?

Qingsong: That’s not necessarily the case. Even the incarnations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have to show the process of gradual perfection in practice. It is impossible to achieve Buddhahood as soon as you are born. Look at Sakyamuni Buddha. In fact, he He had already become a Buddha. According to the Lotus Sutra, he had come to the Saha world eight thousand times to become a Buddha as the Teacher of the Three Realms. However, when he was Prince Siddhartha, he did not appear to be equal to the Buddha. Instead, he appeared as an ordinary person, and then after a series of practices, he achieved great enlightenment and became a Buddha. The great virtues incarnated by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas must have been great practitioners in their previous lives. However, in order to restore the level of practice in previous lives in this life, according to Karmapa Karmapa, it is possible to undergo the most rigorous ten years of retreat. It can be seen that the great virtues incarnated by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are great. Virtue does not necessarily lead to the state of being indistinguishable from Buddha. It can be said that most masters currently do not necessarily reach the state of being indistinguishable from Buddha.

Xia Yan: Since the guru is not necessarily a Buddha, why do we say "the guru is a Buddha"?

Qingsong: It doesn’t mean “the guru is a Buddha”, but “treat the guru as a Buddha”. In other words, regardless of whether the guru is actually a Buddha or not, the guru must be treated as a Buddha. , this is called "viewing the teacher like a Buddha", or "viewing the teacher like a Buddha".

Xia Yan: Since the guru is not necessarily a Buddha, why should we treat the guru as a Buddha?

Qingsong: Because the guru is so important to our practice, it is definitely worthy of treating the guru like a Buddha.

Xia Yan: Why?

Qingsong: Because the guru is the bridge between the Buddha and us practitioners. Only through this bridge can we truly obtain the "other power" of the Buddha. This bridge has three main functions: first, it is a bridge of blessing, second, it is a bridge of guidance and teaching, and third, it is a bridge of "entering into the knowledge of Buddha". Let’s first talk about the bridging role of blessing.

Xia Yan: Okay.

Qingsong: You see, Tibetan Buddhism attaches great importance to inheritance. One of its important meanings is to pass on the blessings from Sakyamuni Buddha from generation to generation without interruption. This is inheritance. The blessing power of each generation of lineage ancestors has 100% confidence in their guru, so they receive all the blessing power. When it is passed to our guru, he has the same blessing as Sakyamuni Buddha. Even if the guru has not cultivated to the point of being indistinguishable from the Buddha, the blessing passed down by him must be indistinguishable from the Buddha. Therefore, the guru is the bridge of blessing. Khenpo Chicheng Luozhu once made an analogy: the Buddha is like a reservoir, the lineage ancestors are like pipes, and our guru is like a faucet (water is like blessing power). It is through this lineage that the guru guides the Buddha’s blessing power. Come to us.

Xia Yan: So, since the guru’s blessing is equal to that of the Buddha, why can’t we receive blessings directly from the Buddha? Why do we have to go through the bridge of guru? Wouldn’t it be more direct to receive the Buddha’s blessings with faith?

Qingsong: Well, it’s still different. There’s a big difference. For example, if you have faith in Sakyamuni Buddha and want to seek His blessings, then let me ask you, where is Sakyamuni Buddha?

Xia Yan: Where? In Elysium, right? Oh, it doesn’t seem right, well, I don’t know where it is.

Qingsong: Yes, you don’t know where the Buddha is, how can you seek blessings? In fact, Shakyamuni Buddha is everywhere, but we can’t see it. If we want to pray for the Buddha’s blessings, we have to use statues, paintings, etc. of the Buddha.

Xia Yan: Hey, I seem to have heard that some people can see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Qingsong: Yes, some people can see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, but it is more troublesome to see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Why? Because how can you be sure that this Buddha and Bodhisattva is real and reliable? Demons can also appear in front of you in the form of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. How can you distinguish between true and false? If it is a living person, then you can judge whether he is a real practitioner and a reliable teacher by observing his words and deeds, understanding his resume, etc. However, how do you deal with the appearances of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas you see? What about observation and judgment? There is no way to judge for sure, so even if you can see Buddha and Bodhisattva, it cannot be used as an object of refuge. We also have to rely on statues and pictures of Buddha.

Xia Yan: Well, that’s true.

Qingsong: So, do you feel the same when facing a Buddha statue as when you face a living guru? For example, when we are tired from practicing in a Buddhist hall, we may relax a little, sit crookedly or lean against the wall. But if you are in front of a guru, would you dare to do this? It can be seen that the two are different in your mind. Master Yin Guang said: "If you have a little respect, you will get a point of benefit. If you have a lot of respect, you will get a lot of benefits." Your respect for the master must be higher than your respect for the Buddha statue. , your confidence in the guru must be higher than the confidence in the Buddha statue. Therefore, if we want to get the blessing of the Buddha, it is best to use the guru as a bridge, so this is the guru's first bridge role-a bridge of blessing.

Xia Yan: Yeah, I understand.

Qingsong: I would like to insert a sentence here. I have a deep understanding of Master Yin Guang’s famous saying. It is true that the amount of benefit is directly proportional to the degree of respect, and is not necessarily directly related to the level of the teacher.

Xia Yan: Well, why do you say that?

Qingsong: When I was in high school, we were taught by a very good young English teacher in the first year of high school. His English was super good and his teaching was first-rate. However, in the second year of high school, we changed to an older teacher. Not only is she older, but she also taught Russian, and her English pronunciation has a Russian flavor. Compared with her original teacher, it is a world of difference. For example, the English word for "politics" is "political", and she actually pronounces it. He became the "dog of Paris", so he got the nickname "the dog of Paris".

Xia Yan: Oh, then the pronunciation is really a problem, but then you can’t give the teacher a nickname.

Qingsong: Well, yes, it’s wrong to give him a nickname, but it also shows how much I dislike this teacher. I really didn’t like listening to her lectures. I would read other books in class and study by myself after class. After a semester of this, when the final exam results came out, I was dumbfounded. I seriously overestimated my self-study ability and my English score. I went from being first in the class to being near the bottom of the class. I think this can’t go on. It’s time for the college entrance examination. If you get poor grades in the college entrance examination, who can you explain to others, “It’s because my English teacher is bad?” I can hear it.

Xia Yan: Well, yes, if you don’t do well in the college entrance examination, you can’t rely on others.

Qingsong: So I calmed down and thought about this problem for two days. I thought, her English pronunciation is not good, but her grammar is not necessarily bad. After all, she is a teacher, and her knowledge is as good as The study of English is unmatched by our students. The main test of English in the college entrance examination is grammar. How could I give up the whole study of English because of its poor pronunciation? So I decided to make a change and listen carefully in class. Soon after this change, I discovered that this teacher was actually pretty good at teaching grammar (although not as good as the previous teacher). From this, I regained my love for learning English. , and gradually I started to like this teacher’s lectures. By the end of the next semester, my English scores were among the top in the class. From this incident, I realized that if you can be respectful to the teacher, you can learn a lot, otherwise you will learn nothing. This has no direct relationship with the teacher's level.

Xia Yan: Well, that’s right.

Qingsong: One more point, not only is the degree of respect we have for the guru different from the respect we have for the Buddha statues, but there is also a big difference in visualization. When you visualize the Buddha statue, it is difficult to visualize it three-dimensionally and clearly, but if you visualize the guru, it is not difficult to visualize it three-dimensionally and clearly, and the degree of clarity of visualization will be a blessing to you. The amount of your life will also have an impact, which is one of the reasons why the guru is the bridge of blessing.

Xia Yan: Yeah, I understand.

Qingsong: The second role of a guru is to serve as a bridge for guidance and teaching. Although the Buddha preached profound and profound principles to everyone and left countless classics, “No one can speak the Dharma, even though he is wise. There is nothing more we can do.” Without the guidance of a guru, no matter how smart a person is, he or she cannot fully understand the secret meaning of the Buddha on his own. In addition, although the Buddha taught various methods, the Buddhist scriptures do not say which method is suitable for you or how to deal with specific problems that arise during practice. You have to rely on your guru to provide appropriate guidance and teachings according to your specific situation, so the above The teacher is the bridge that integrates the Buddha's teachings into our own minds, and this role cannot be replaced by the Buddha statue.

Xia Yan: Well, yes.

Qingsong: If Sakyamuni Buddha came to the world now, how would he save us? It is impossible for him to directly make us become Buddhas through his supernatural power. He can only rely on sermons and sermons to tell us how to practice, and then we practice according to this method, so that we can achieve liberation. So who is doing the business of Buddha preaching now? It is the guru, so the guru is doing the business of Buddhahood.

Xia Yan: Yes, I understand.

Qingsong: Let’s talk about the third bridge to “entering the knowledge of Buddha”. The Lotus Sutra says that the Buddha was born for only one major event, which is to enable all living beings to "enlighten, reveal, understand, and enter the Buddha's knowledge and views." What is "the Buddha's knowledge and views"? This is what Shakyamuni Buddha said after his great enlightenment: "It's amazing, it's amazing that all sentient beings have the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata, but they can't achieve it only by being attached to delusional thoughts. If we get rid of delusional attachments, all wisdom and natural Wisdom is achieved naturally.

” In other words, all sentient beings are originally Buddhas, but they just don’t recognize them.

Xia Yan: Oh, that’s right, then how can we recognize them?

Qingsong: That’s it We must rely on the guru to "enter into the knowledge of Buddha", because because we have been confused and clinging for too long, it is difficult to understand and accept the concept of "originally a Buddha", so we have to take our time and do it step by step. , first accept that "the guru is a Buddha" and "contemplating the guru is like a Buddha", this is easier to accept, then by practicing guru yoga, visualize the guru and oneself becoming one, and oneself and the guru are no different. In other words, you are the Buddha at this time, and you can slowly change your understanding and realize that you are "originally a Buddha". In this way, you can "enter into the knowledge of the Buddha." Therefore, the guru has "entered into the knowledge of the Buddha." "The bridge of seeing".

Xia Yan: Yes, I understand.

Qingsong: So you see, the guru has the above three bridge functions, which has the meaning and role for our practice. How big it is. And you may think it’s nothing at first. The further you practice, the more you will realize the important role and significance of the guru, because Tantra has too many practice tips and extraordinary methods that can enable practitioners to achieve rapid results. In other words, tantric practitioners can quickly appear in various realms. It is difficult to distinguish between the true and false realms, and it is difficult to deal with them completely by oneself. They must rely on the guidance of people who have experienced it. Without the guidance and blessing of a guru, they must rely entirely on their own efforts to practice blindly. If you practice blindly, problems will definitely arise. It is precisely because of this characteristic of Tantra practice that Tantra places special emphasis on relying on the guru. This is something that is generally difficult for Sutra masters to understand. Therefore, it is generally difficult for Sutra masters to understand why Tantra is so important. Emphasis on relying on the guru.

Xia Yan: Oh, that’s right.

Qingsong: It’s easy to understand with an analogy. For example, taking a driving test is very easy. Anyone can spend money to buy a driver's license, but if you want to take the civil aviation driver's license test, it is even more stringent. Not only do you have to study at a regular aviation school for a long time, but the exam is also extremely strict. Even a greedy examiner will not be able to do it. I dare not sell you an airplane driver’s license, why? Because civil aviation is not a joke. Although it flies quickly, it also means great risks. It requires a formal aviation school, experienced instructors, and strict flight training. , only through strict examination can we train qualified pilots.

Xia Yan: Ah, yes, I understand. Do you have to follow the guru every day?

Qingsong: That’s not necessarily true. The key to relying on the guru is confidence in the guru. If you have full confidence in the guru, then the guru’s blessing and guidance will be everywhere and at all times. For example. For a period of time, the Venerable Milarepa practiced Kundalini Fire Concentration in a snow-capped mountain cave, but no signs of warmth appeared for a long time. Then one night, his master Marpa appeared in a dream and told him The posture for practice was wrong, and the correct posture was shown to him. After Milarepa woke up, he followed the posture taught by the guru. As a result, warmth quickly arose. It can be seen that the key to relying on the guru is confidence. If you have the confidence to regard your teacher as a Buddha, then you can receive the Buddha-like blessings from your teacher even when you are not around him.

Xia Yan: Yeah, I understand.

Qingsong: Therefore, the further you practice, the more you will realize the importance of relying on the guru. There is a guru yoga practice in "Dzogchen Forward". Khenpo often emphasizes that this guru Guru Yoga is both preliminaries and positive practices. Many practitioners became enlightened while practicing guru yoga. Therefore, relying on the guru and corresponding with the guru (yoga means corresponding) runs through the practice of tantra. From the beginning, it can also be said that the entire practice of tantra is to correspond to the guru. If you are 100% consistent with the guru, you will become a Buddha. Therefore, relying on the guru and treating the guru as a Buddha cannot be overemphasized in tantric practice. The further you practice, the more you will appreciate your guru's blessings and kindness. Therefore, many great sages can't help crying when they talk about their guru. It's really a heartfelt and uncontrollable feeling of gratitude.

Xia Yan: Ah, so important. Then I must follow the teachings carefully and regard my teacher as a Buddha.

Qingsong: However, "regarding the teacher as a Buddha" also depends on the situation and stage. Khenpo once said that beginners should not "regard the teacher as a Buddha" from the beginning.

Xia Yan: Then why?

Qingsong: There are two reasons for this. The first reason is that it is very easy for beginners to blindly "see the teacher like a Buddha". What does "blindly look at the teacher like a Buddha" mean? Some people, when they hear the tantric saying that "the guru is a Buddha", do not understand the truth and begin to blindly "regard the guru as a Buddha", thinking that as long as they have the title of "guru" or "living Buddha", they must be Buddha, when you meet a guru or a living Buddha, if you rely on him without making any observations, it will easily lead to problems. Therefore, Khenpo said that when you first rely on a guru, you should not rush to regard the guru as a "Buddha". It is best to First consider the guru as a "person". In the process of seeing the teacher as a "person", it is logical that you can observe him.

Xia Yan: Well, that makes sense.

Qingsong: The second reason is that "regarding the teacher as a Buddha" is a state that has gradually formed. Treating the guru as a Buddha is not something that is taught in ordinary scriptures, but only in supreme yoga. This kind of guru yoga practice is relatively deep, and generally requires gradual practice to achieve true success.

That is to say, in the initial stage of practice, in the Sutra Dharma practice part, there are not many realms, the risks are not too great, and the requirements for relying on the guru are not too high. At this time, the guru is temporarily regarded as For ordinary teachers, the problem is not too big, as long as they do not have wrong views and do not slander. Therefore, beginners do not need to "regard the teacher as a Buddha". After they practice deeply, they will naturally gradually form the "regard the teacher as a Buddha". "Buddha" state.

Xia Yan: Yeah, I understand.