Is it the guru’s fault?
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear friends,
I tweet daily and about different subjects. I don’t particularly enjoy social media, but it is a necessity to bring about more teachings and knowledge to reach people.
This morning I got up and tweeted all these which I include below. It is a teaching on our views, our relationship with our teacher, practice and dharma learning. It is also on the relationship between what we tend to protect within ourselves because it’s too much to deal with. But we have to deal with it. It will not serve us to not deal with it.
Tsem Rinpoche
Criticising my guru then teaching others dharma I learned from him does not make sense does it? – Tsem Rinpoche
Why would you insult and criticize our guru? It hurts the sentiments of other students. – Tsem Rinpoche
What practice of dharma are we doing when we always have doubts that our guru is wrong, method is wrong and we refuse to follow? – Tsem Rinpoche
If we always say our guru’s methods are good, but we cannot follow. It is tantamount to saying our guru is not skilful. – Tsem Rinpoche
Everything we see negative in our mind we attribute to our guru’s fault is clear we are in denial of ourselves. – Tsem Rinpoche
People come and go, but look at the ‘quality’ of the minds of those who left. Look carefully and think carefully about how they were. – Tsem Rinpoche
More negative thoughts we have of our guru, the more negative karma we collect to see only negativities. Cause resemble results. – Tsem Rinpoche
Criticising our guru in order to protect our attachments is like killing a skilled doctor when we are in the midst of a great illness. – Tsem Rinpoche
Once we criticise our guru, anger, doubt, hatred and uncontrolled mind will increase and we become uncontrollable (50 Verses). – Tsem Rinpoche
If our guru is wrong, his place of worship will not grow and increase. – Tsem Rinpoche
When we plant doubts about our guru in other’s minds, it shows we are out to not clear doubts but increase doubts. – Tsem Rinpoche
If we reject our guru’s care or love, don’t create doubts in others to block them receiving the guru’s love also. – Tsem Rinpoche
What is your goal in criticising your guru? You want to disperse his students and have his centre closed? What does that serve? – Tsem Rinpoche
Despising the guru for pointing out your faults is like killing the methods for one’s own true happiness. – Tsem Rinpoche
Your argument is not with your guru as a person but the dharma he teaches that you refuse to adopt and transform. What do you expect? – Tsem Rinpoche
Seeing only faults in your guru is YOUR fault. So remain silent, practice, purify and transform. Persevere. – Tsem Rinpoche
Do we really deserve a kind, compassionate and loving guru? Or do we deserve to perish with the weight of our deeds and negativities? – Tsem Rinpoche
If we want the love or teachings of a guru, then we just have to pay in letting go of our negative qualities which is why we joined Dharma. – Tsem Rinpoche
We joined Dharma so our guru can teach us the way to eliminate our negative habits and wrong projections. Why fight the reason we joined? – Tsem Rinpoche
We joined Dharma to transform and if we feel hurt regarding our negativities, then our guru did his job. Why reject it? – Tsem Rinpoche
The Dharma you know is solely from the kindness of your guru, not practicing is your fault and not your guru’s. Stop blaming. – Tsem Rinpoche
Your wrong views about your guru is correct and everyone else right views are wrong. You are the only one who is correct? – Tsem Rinpoche
Your Dharma wisdom is greater than your guru’s and it ‘allows’ you to criticise your guru. Is that what you think is correct? – Tsem Rinpoche
You profess don’t be judgemental, but you spend your days and nights judging your guru and criticising to those around you. – Tsem Rinpoche
Criticising your gurus is your way to cover your negativities that you wish to hide from others. – Tsem Rinpoche
You are without fault and all the fault is your guru’s? If you think like that, then you have learned no dharma for years. – Tsem Rinpoche
Dharma means to search into yourself and change. – Tsem Rinpoche
When you criticize your guru, you erode the respect of those who matter around you. Observe. – Tsem Rinpoche
Being a guru in this day and age is like asking for trouble, criticism and anger. People prefer to blame then to see the problems within. – Tsem Rinpoche
When you always think your guru is wrong, then what dharma are you teaching others? They will think you are wrong. – Tsem Rinpoche
If I always say Zong Rinpoche is wrong and makes many mistakes and handles things wrong, then why would you listen to teachings from me? – Tsem Rinpoche
If my guru is wrong, what he taught is wrong so why would you repeat the dharma to others you heard from a wrong person? – Tsem Rinpoche
Is it possible all other students that follow your guru is wrong and you are right? You are the smartest and you surpass all of them? – Tsem Rinpoche
When you criticize your guru but say you like the dharma, you learned the dharma from your guru? That gift is greatest of all. – Tsem Rinpoche
You should be respectful and loyal to your guru who taught you dharma over someone who increases your attachments. – Tsem Rinpoche
When you always speak ill of your guru, you hurt the feelings of those who follow your guru and indirectly you put them down. – Tsem Rinpoche
Even the abbots, master, geshes, teachers who chose your guru and say he should teach is belittled by u because u criticise your guru. – Tsem Rinpoche
You know more than the master, abbots and teachers who chose your guru to teach. Because they say he is good and you say the opposite. – Tsem Rinpoche
When you criticise your guru, what do you want from him? To close the centre and ask all students to leave? What is your goal? – Tsem Rinpoche
If your ego is bruised or u refuse to let go of your negative habituations, don’t target the guru for teaching you what is wrong and right. – Tsem Rinpoche
Are you happier if your teacher teaches you to further indulge in your attachments? What do you want to hear? – Tsem Rinpoche
If our guru’s methods are wrong, then his organisation will not grow. Observe if it does grow, because then you are wrong. – Tsem Rinpoche
Targeting your guru means you are in denial. Let go. Listen to the teachings and apologize to your guru. Not late. – Tsem Rinpoche
You check your guru before you accept them as your guru, not afterwards and then look for ‘faults’ to escape. – Tsem Rinpoche
Do you have more wrongs or your guru? You think. What have u accomplished compared to your guru? Will you grow? Or your guru’s work? Observe. – Tsem Rinpoche
Influencing other students against your gurus is a clear sign you don’t care about anyone but yourself. You want justification. – Tsem Rinpoche
Our egos are our biggest enemy that even pushes us to spoil our sacred bonds and words of honour with our guru. Is our egos worth so much damage? – Tsem Rinpoche
Our egos are our biggest enemy even pushes us to spoil our sacred bonds and words of honour with our guru. Change before it’s too late. – Tsem Rinpoche
Don’t be angry and target your guru, target your bad habits that pushed you to have so much negativities against your guru. He will forgive. – Tsem Rinpoche
Don’t be angry and target your guru, target your bad habits that pushed you to have so much negativities against your guru which is the right source. – Tsem Rinpoche
You want your teacher to be happy and go along with your wrong actions? If he agrees it’s wrong, if he doesn’t you get angry. How? – Tsem Rinpoche
The person you are most unfair with is usually your guru because he is the easiest target to justify our lack of change. – Tsem Rinpoche
Your guru is always wrong and you are right. Happy now? Convince everyone? Does that change you? Make you satisfied? Ego happy? LOL – Tsem Rinpoche
Better to have friendship, good relations and repair samaya with our guru. When our mind is better, it will serve us more for later. – Tsem Rinpoche
If everyone viewed their guru wrongly, then it would be the end of Buddhism as we know it. So who wins then? – Tsem Rinpoche
The best way to destroy dharma is destroy the gurus. The best way to destroy our inner dharma is to disparage our guru. – Tsem Rinpoche
Better to hide our negativities and not deal with them by telling the whole world our guru is wrong, wrong, wrong! LOL. – Tsem Rinpoche
Not wanting to change and step back to samsara does not justify criticizing the guru to pave our road to cover our wrong direction. – Tsem Rinpoche
Guru is good. Dharma is good. Ego is not. Denial is not. – Tsem Rinpoche
If your mind degenerates, don’t blame your guru and justify by influencing others onto your negative thoughts. – Tsem Rinpoche
If your guru is a monk, then not only do you criticise your guru but a sangha also. If you don’t care about consequences, then care about others. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you don’t care about the consequences of your actions against your guru that is your choice. But leave others their choice. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you don’t care about the consequences of your actions against your guru that is your choice. But leave others their choice by not spewing your negative schismatic talk and spoil their relations with the guru, and to justify by more numbers of your views. Care about their mind. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you don’t care about the consequences being against your teacher, then care for the feelings of others and remain silent. – Tsem Rinpoche
There are always consequences and we claim we are brave enough to take it, let’s see what happens when it ripens upon us. – Tsem Rinpoche
We claim our guru is right and correct, yet we show ‘evidence’ he is not. Contradictions is within our own mind. – Tsem Rinpoche
If students only find fault with the teacher, then the teacher just finds new students. – Tsem Rinpoche
Teachers have to face all types of students with hundreds of personalities, don’t let their criticisms bother you, just teach with compassion. – Tsem Rinpoche
A guru has to be dissected by thousands for years on end, just forgive them and teach with compassion. It is Kaliyuga. – Tsem Rinpoche
The worse type of student is the one who never mention or recognize the true kindness of the guru but only find fault. – Tsem Rinpoche
Finding fault with the guru is already bad, but voicing it to influence others is horrible because now you’re just being vicious. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you teach, give, help, support, love a student, and they still are critical of you, it’s time to move on. Forgive and find new students. – Tsem Rinpoche
A guru teaches for you to transform due to care, if you don’t transform don’t blame the methods. Be honest and blame the ego. – Tsem Rinpoche
If a teacher is kind and has good motivation, the growth of his dharma centre will be testimony to this for all to see. – Tsem Rinpoche
If a student is right over the teacher, then a student must be much more successful and have greater results than the teacher. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you choose your ego and your desires over the guru, then why join dharma in the first place. Dharma is not a social club. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you don’t want to transform then don’t follow a guru, just read dharma books, don’t change and feign ignorance. – Tsem Rinpoche
Why influence others against your guru unless you are vindictive? Just remain silent totally. – Tsem Rinpoche
You can take teachings, love, help, money, care from your guru, if you give back criticism, then you check who you are. – Tsem Rinpoche
If u want to hear what you want to hear, then don’t criticize your guru for teaching you unbiased dharma. U wouldn’t even accept Manjushri’s counsel! – Tsem Rinpoche
If your views differ than your guru, that is fine, just take time to meditate. Remember, is your dharma, skilful means and wisdom equal or surpasses the teacher? – Tsem Rinpoche
I have heard others mention the faults of my guru Zong Rinpoche many times. So what? Do I join the bandwagon, or change ‘friends’? – Tsem Rinpoche
If I only find fault with my guru Zong Rinpoche, why teach dharma to anyone? The dharma is faulty from him. So remain quiet. – Tsem Rinpoche
Why always find fault with the teacher year after year? Is the teacher is really that bad or you are just overboard with your views? – Tsem Rinpoche
Finding fault with your teacher is one thing, influencing others with your poisonous talk under any guise is unacceptable. – Tsem Rinpoche
Your guru will grow and expand no matter what you say, just keep quiet, as time goes on let see who expands and becomes huge. – Tsem Rinpoche
Don’t cover your desire for your destructive attachments by saying your guru is bad hence you’re confused. Just own up to your faults. – Tsem Rinpoche
Just because you refuse to transform and you wish to chase after your harmful desires, don’t use your guru’s ‘faults’ as an excuse to do so. – Tsem Rinpoche
I can use Zong Rinpoche’s ‘faults’ and talk about them incessantly (others have) to justify my confusion, disrobe and give up. But why? – Tsem Rinpoche
You can criticize your guru as much as you want, your voice will be drowned out after a short while by the compassion and growth of his work. – Tsem Rinpoche
All the supporters of your guru are deaf and dumb and only a handful of you see the guru’s true character and faults? – Tsem Rinpoche
Your guru will continue teaching long after your criticisms and benefit others because he is a Bodhisttva. While you find new people to fault. – Tsem Rinpoche
Don’t be ungrateful, appologize to your teacher, ask for time to change, but don’t blame him for your faults. He is compassionate. – Tsem Rinpoche
Your life experiences can never compare to a teacher who has the wisdom of dharma knowledge, means to help and endowed with compassion. – Tsem Rinpoche
In 25 years since meeting Kyabje Zong Rinpoche I’ve NEVER criticised Him because I discipline my mind or speech. Others have, I don’t. – Tsem Rinpoche
I’ve heard many criticisms against me, some I accept. What would you like me to do? Give up, quit, stop teaching and let your ego win? – Tsem Rinpoche
There will always be angry students who blame others and it’s never their fault. Even Lord Buddha experienced this. Just move on. – Tsem Rinpoche
All teachers have their Devadattas and Judas, forgive them, continue to grow and reach those who want to change. LOL – Tsem Rinpoche
Some gurus are insulted or criticised by those who never even met them. Amazing. LOL. – Tsem Rinpoche
Some criticise their guru after years of love, care, teachings following the negative examples of some other ‘students’. Wake up. – Tsem Rinpoche
Some treat their lovers who are full of wrong views, ego, laziness better than their gurus and take their side against their guru!! – Tsem Rinpoche
By choosing your lover over your teacher is a mistake, because eventually u will separate from your lover and you lost your teacher too. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you self loath so much, you will manifest that as your teachers’ fault. Don’t hate yourself and don’t criticise your teacher. – Tsem Rinpoche
When you criticise your teacher, you are criticising all those who follow him and all those who ‘enthroned’ him also. – Tsem Rinpoche
Why always challenge your guru? Turn the fight inwards and challenge the desires, attachments and ego. Your real enemies. – Tsem Rinpoche
You are hurt because your guru challenged your attachments and that is all. It’s the reason you are suppose to be in dharma!! – Tsem Rinpoche
Imagine I run around criticising my Zong Rinpoche like some others and then self indulge and then blame Him for my anger and faults? – Tsem Rinpoche
Criticise your guru all you want, lets ‘compare’ where you are in a few years and where your guru is. Results count! The end. – Tsem Rinpoche
If you cannot align with your holy, compassionate and giving guru, then you can downgrade to aligning with your attachments? – Tsem Rinpoche
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happy international dorje shugden day everyone. just from the first line of the post from tsem rinpoche above i can say for sure or at least i hope i have not done that which is criticize my gurus teachings and then teach what another teacher has taught that contradicts its. that i hope from any of my posts on this blog I have not done as that was not ever my intention. I am so very thankful to dorje shugden and setrap and tsem rinpoche for showing me a better way and take absolute responsibility for my mistake with the medication even though at that time in the hospital i thought that was the only thing i could do i look back on it now and i do think i probably would have just kept taking my medication instead of refusing it which is what im doing now and still getting injections however the positive though was that i was able to meet dorje shugden and receive his practice and give it to others for the rest of my life. Right now they are trying to find a place for me to stay i would appreciate it if you were to pray for them so that they can be successful in locating a new group home for me if you can as this seems to be what they are trying to accomplish yet currently their are no available openings. Even outside of the area of the team that I am working with. yet i am willing to consider any options at this point. i have been homeless now for almost a year and a half. after destroying my temple i built for living buddha lien shen because he told me to and i was asked to build it yet he does not need temples built for him it is only extra added expenses. It would be good to know even with living buddha lien shen that he is a student of the previous karmapas who prophecied that dorje shugdens time would come and you would need him to practice. you can look it up on the blog if you are wondering. So i am listening to the guru puja right now through gangchen rinpoches ngalso sangha. Because it is international dorje shugden day. I am very happy to be able to be in the hospital right now receiving my treatment even though i have no place to go. i pray too that they can find me a place to stay. I may still refuse my medications. I am not being court ordered to take them right now what the state is saying is that in the group home i will have more support though. my previous guardian retired just recently. when i came into the hospital i lost my place in the group home they had just approved me for because they were behind on the paperwork…which is the same thing that happened with another apartment they tried to place me in that was next door to the church i was staying in for a year or so through the brothers of chrisitian instruction which dorje shugden approved of me working with them. i met one of the brothers there and went to church and we would do the rosary every morning and talk. I was living in the forest surrounded by very difficult people which was where i should have been according to tsem rinpoche. while working in the hospital to become a doctor. long nights. i am also trying to get straightened out the three million dollars that was stolen from my tda account which apparently now the fbi is saying is a scam but we shall see. They are supposed to contact me i don’t know when that will happen. I did give my life for seven billion people yesterday morning though. So i was true to my word. I do hope that by feeding me and taking care of me like they would lama zopa rinpoche they could also create some merit equal to yours. and by administering the medication which they have no other choice to do than to do it here by keeping me here.
Tsem Rinpoche had been working tirelessly teaching Dharma in his whole life, giving many opportunities for us to learn , practice Dharma teachings. Whatever goes wrong we should admit it as our own fault and not our guru. Rinpoche ‘s love to spread Dharma teachings and nothing else. He had followed his advice of his guru to come all the way from India to teach in Malaysia. Reading all those meaningful quotes and sayings in this article tells us a thousand words of truth which we should not take it lightly. We could in fact learn from it and stop blaming others.
Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teachings.
Tsem Rinpoche has many Gurus and his root Guru is Khyabje Zong Rinpoche, whose root Guru is Khaybe Trijang Rinpoche, who is the main tutor of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama is the emanation of Avalokiteshvara. In order to be the tutor of such high emanation, H.H. Khyabje Trijang Rinpoche must be a highly attained being as well. Because a Guru has to be advance to teach and guide the students. Trijang Rinpoche is the emanation of Lord Atisha, who has also came back as Lama Tsongkhapa. Lama Tsongkhapa is the combination of Lord Manjushri, Avalokithesvara and Vajrapani. So, he is definitely a full qualified teacher of HH The 14th Dalai Lama.
Zong Rinpoche, an emanation of Heruka himself, is the heart student of Trijang Rinpoche. So, following this logical thread, Tsem Rinpoche must be an emanation of a Budhha as well in order for him to be the heart student of Zong Rinpoche. Tsem Rinpoche is an emanation of one of the 8 main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa and you can pretty much work the answer out that he is no ordinary being. Following this, we go back to the Take Refuge part in Tibetan Buddhism tradition that why we emphasize on Guru Devotion and why we take refuge in Guru who is one with the Buddha himself.
On a mundane level, a refuge can be a shelter of protection from rain, also a place, a person, an action or a thing that offers one relief, help and protection. On a supramundane level, it is refers to a method that can offer ultimate relief and protection. To a Buddhist, it is the dharma that has been preached by Shakyamuni Buddha some 2500+ ago. The dharma that he expounded was already in existent prior. Therefore he is said to have realised the truth (dharma), but not created something new that was not in existence before. It is illogical to say that there were no Buddha (enlightened being) before him or after him, because according to buddhist cosmology, there is countless number of worlds and beings apart of planet earth. Even within planet earth itself, the amount of beings are already hard to be counted.
So, it is obviously true that the lineage lama of the Gelug school, including Tsem Rinpoche are emanations of highly attained being. There is no question asked! So, knowing that the Gurus are enlightened, when we take refuge, we take refuge in them who is definitely one with Buddha Shakyamuni. No need to argue that. The issue most of us have is that we need to see the actual thing in order to believe it. The question now is that, what if our level is not there to perceive it. It is like the Gurus are University graduates and we are just entering kindergarten, when the Guru talks about an idea, concept, we will find it hard to understand, not to mention to see where he/she is coming from.
So, from that point, it is obvious that when we do not have trust in the Guru, his teachings and methods, it is not the Guru’s fault, he is never at fault. Instead of saying bad things about the Guru, it is very important for us to understand that it is the same as putting a Buddha down. Let’s just not talk about big words likes merit, de-merit, karma etc, just on a logical level when we say negative things about the Guru and go to people and injected them with the ideas, we are pulling people away from their chance to be enlightened. We are pulling them away from a chance to think out of the box, to see a bigger picture. That in return make us forever stuck in the same spot with no chance to be out, just like the frog in the well.
For us to not understand his/hers method, the things that he/she said, what they do with their time etc, it is time for us to read more and contemplate why we remain in the state of not understanding. You know we can never say we are hungry because we refuse to eat, can we? The biggest enemy that is blocking us from seeing what our Guru really is definitely is the enemies we have inside. The insider that has caused us to not move on, to not do anything to change the situation, to not want to change our view about our Guru really. If I’m asked what’s my biggest fear, I can tell know firmly me! Yes, I’m afraid of myself, afraid of all the dirty things that I have inside. Gosh, that is very very scary!
A Guru has to take care of so many people, their mind and mind games. If you want to show how right you are, get more attainments and spread more dharma than the Guru prove it with actions of how right you are. Don’t destroy other people’s faith in the guru with your false words, if you do can you take care of these people all the way to enlightenment, can you give initiations, give them the practices to get them ready for the rest of their lives?
People come and go, but look at the ‘quality’ of the minds of those who left. Look carefully and think carefully about how they were. – Tsem Rinpoche
When the people talk bad about certain Dharma center and claiming they are fake, cult, etc. Well, whether the Dharma center is real or not, but when i look at the people who spread negative news about a Buddhist organization, They do not just talk bad about the dharma center, they also like to gossip about other people.. so when I look at them, I would think twice whether to believe what they said or not..
Whatever a spiritual teacher say or do, there will be comment or criticize. But what we should examine is instead of their word, we should see that person and what they do all the time. It really make no sense of using the spiritual teacher’s teaching while disparaging him.
Rinpoche has been tirelessly teaching Dharma in his whole life, Rinpoche never like to do social media, having Dharma center and teaching, but because his passion of spreading Dharma, he did it, he sacrifices everything else he wanted to do and do what he never like to do, and this is what he get in return?
all the quotes here is very meaningful and there is much to digest, if we fully understand all these quotes and practice it, our lives will never be the same like now.
It is said that Lama Tsongkhapa has explained two techniques for using the ‘faults’ we see in the Guru to develop our devotion – one, is to think that the faults we see in the Guru are simply the view of our own impure mind – secondly, is to think that this aspect has been purposely manifested for our benefit to guide us to enlightenment. It has been mentioned in “The essence of Nectar”, that at our present mundane level until our mind is seperated from impure Karma and obscurations, even if every Buddha without exception, appears directly in front of us, we would’nt see them as Buddhas. We would still only have our present ordinary view of our impure mind! There are so many things that our mind cannot see or apprehend in a way that is opposite to reality. It is further said that the only way the Buddhas can guide us to enlightenment is by manifesting in ordinary forms, which means, “ones” that have faults, experience the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death, and “make mistakes” in their actions. Our mind is said to be so deluded or obscured, that we don’t have the Karma to see an aspect without faults. They have to manifest as something that we can see that accords precisely with our level of mind. Our Guru, therefore is unbelievably kind and precious to manifest in the abovementioned ordinary forms, having ‘faults’ which accord exactly with the level of our impure mind. BUT, we must keep on developing the devotion that sees the Guru as a Buddha, by looking at Him as a Buddha, with the due respect that comes through from the heart, remembering all the kindnesses which he has accorded to us! We must have the appreciation that even when we think of our Guru’s human aspect, though with faults, He is the only one who can liberate us from every single defilement, gross and subtle, and then lead us to full enlightenment to benefit countless other sentient beings. Om mani Padme Hum!
I could never really have comprehend how some one could possibly disparage, criticise or target a Guru. A Guru’s intent was to never have hurt you but to help you, point your faults and help you transform into a better person. Failing to agree with what was pointed out wrong with you by your Guru only strengthens your ego. But even to the extent of not agreeing with the teachings of one Guru and leaving to look for another and gossip bad things of your previous Guru is truly Shameful and unnecessary. It is just a vicious attempt to put a Guru down because they have failed to realise a mistake or a fault that they have and cover it up with their ego to find justification for their reasons, why study the dharma if you would still behave like this.
The quote that really struck out the most to me was, “If your guru is a monk, then not only do you criticise your guru but a sangha also. If you don’t care about consequences, then care about others.” It is really true even if one does not agree with a Guru and leaves, criticising your previous Guru only puts down the Sangha and Dharma. If things don’t work out the way you want it, you can’t blame a Guru. “More negative thoughts we have of our guru, the more negative karma we collect to see only negativities. Cause resemble results.”
Thank you for sharing your quotes all onto one page Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.Some of us do not have the merit to meet a true Guru who preach and practice the essence of the Dharma. Most of our mind is clouded by wrong view due to ignorance,ego and selfishness .
To blame someone is always the easiest way out of a situation.Most of the time the problem arise within one self .But we are always too proud to admit fault ,just to save face.
Guru devotion is very important in dharma practice.If you have doubts ,you must seriously look back in to one self with regards to one’s true motivation and actions.
The Guru is very generous and compassionate .As a result,he is willing to share with us his precious dharma knowledge and wisdom.
But due to his effective means to transform our mind through a swift path.For those with less merits could not benefit from this and in turn try to prevent others from attaining it.That would be the worst act of selfishness.
I think that criticizing the teacher is a very wrong thing to do. We can’t just blame everything we couldn’t do on our Guru, the Guru is here to teach us the Dharma, not to be blamed. Also, we can’t blame our Guru when things don’t work out the way it should be. If it wasn’t our Guru, we won’t be here today. Think before act.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Thank you for sharing all these wonderful quotes. I think that criticizing the guru is horrible. Just because a student fails, it does not mean the teacher has failed too. It means the student, themselves, have not been placing the proper amount of effort.
The guru has nothing to gain from being our spiritual guide, we only benefit from his compassion, so why should we feel anything against him.
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Thank you!
Isn’t it quite something, that the Guru has to go out of his way to provide suitable conditions, materials, infrastructure and then very delicately and skillfully impart knowledge, kindness, wisdom, insights and teachings, all the time knowing how lost we are and how fragile our egos are…just so that we have a chance of ending our seemingly endless cycles of suffering? I think when someone criticizes the Guru, not only are they in the deepest state of denial but they are also showing the worst ingratitude.
It has occurred to me that those who criticize the Guru either do so while they are still enjoying some benefits from the Guru directly or indirectly, or left the Guru after some years of studying and gaining knowledge from the Guru. It is strange that the same Guru that a person praised for so many years suddenly became a target of condemnation and this usually happens after the student hits a wall with the Dharma for refusing to fight a deep seated issue. So instead of fighting the issue (their own poison), they unleash venom on the Guru.
That a person can criticize his/her own teacher is really a good indication how unhealthy the person’s state of mind is. Why criticize what you failed to understand?
People today are naturally sceptical of Gurus especially since people are brought up to worship materialism. When we pursue spirituality with a Guru, we have to be prepared to do more and improve over time as we learn more Dharma otherwise why have a Guru. How the Guru manifests depends on how much we are prepared to change and do more for our own spiritual practice.
However, Dharma is not just an intellectual pursuit. It is meant to be applied to our character and lives. If we can see its benefits, we can do more with it. Our embrace of the Dharma should be characterise by how well we accept negativity, criticism and obstacles. Dharma encourages us to have grace under pressure and to do what’s right so we have no regrets. In other words, we have to transcend our petty excuses and not place the blame on others when we refuse to apply the Dharma.
When our Dharma practice fails and we refuse to accept the blame, the easiest scapegoat is the one who points out our faults, the only one who cares enough to do that. That’s our spiritual guide, our teacher.
When a Guru gives everything he or she has for the students without receiving any equivalent return or no return at all, yet the students criticize their own Guru because of their ego, self denial and never want to lose their face, is the biggest failure of their entire life. There is no reason for the students to pint point or criticize on their Guru’s teaching method as the students do not know the reason behind of every teaching given by the Guru. We should seek to understand and then to be understood.
Dearest Rinpoche,
I truly cannot understand how or why would any student criticise their Guru. We are nowhere close to our Guru’s level and we certainly have NO right to criticise our Guru. I always believe that in order to criticise someone, you need to be so much better than the person you are criticising. For a student to criticise a Guru does not make any sense for if you criticise the Guru, you think you are much better than the Guru. If you think you are so much better than the Guru, how come you are still a student and not a Guru sitting on the throne giving teachings?
Instead of criticising, I think we should internalise and ask ourselves, why our Guru does this or says as such. If we are unable to understand or even accept our Guru’s actions or advice, perhaps we do not have the merits or our Dharma knowledge is insufficient. This should lead us to strive harder to boost our Dharma knowledge and practice. Criticising should not be an option as it is an easier option as many have this mindset of blaming others for their sufferings.
My latest motto in life paraphrasing 2 wonderful taglines “In Guru we trust – Just Do It!”.
With much love and respect,
Sharon
For those who left and criticize the Guru, you previously shared with others how kind the Guru, how you respect him, how compassionate he is, that everyone should have 1 Guru and 1 Centre. Now you are telling others that the Guru is no good? What credibility do you have? What message are you sending to others?
I feel extremely sad for those who have left and is criticizing the Guru. Reflect back and realize that we were the ones seeking Dharma and the Guru has been so kind to point our faults and prescribe changes to us. Contemplate on the Guru’s love, kindness and compassions over the years in nurturing us to transform. Those who are criticizing the Guru should stop immediately and not create further negativity for yourself. It’s always a choice to acknowledge our faults, then change and not blame others. Apologize if you are wrong and transform. We should inspire others by realizing our mistakes and changing for the better. Do not try to justify and hide our faults by blaming the Guru or others. Nothing is worst than disparaging one’s Guru.
There are always consequences and we claim we are brave enough to take it, let’s see what happens when it ripens upon us. – Tsem Rinpoche
This is so true. We should not be afraid of the truth. The worst fears someone should have is their own KARMA. If one truly believes in karma, they will stop blaming, criticising, creating schism and doubts in people’s minds. Instead, they will gratefully accept any faults that the guru points out because no one else will and in the long run, we our lives can change for the better if we put the teachings that was freely given to us into practice. The reason why we have a guru in the first place is because we want to end our suffering. I guess some people have not suffered enough before. Life seems better on the other side.
上师，是我们在修行道路上的GPS, 他透过许多的修行验而到达证悟的境界。所以，他是最有资格给予他的学生有关修行的方法，他所做的一切都只会是为了让我们能更快速的达到觉悟，除此之外，别无其他。当然，不同的时代，有不同的教育方式，佛陀当时为了让更多的人能共沾法喜，也得运用了八万四千不同的法门来普度众生，更何况在这末法时代，仁波切更应该运用现代人能接受的方式，来传法，我个人认为合情又合理，何错只有，只要出发点是正确的，那结果就一定是正面的。。
Criticizing the Guru is the WORST attitude ! We learn all the dharma practices from our Guru, without him, we learn nothing at all ! Our Guru shows us his care, love and kindness, no matter how many mistakes we made !! We should be thankful to all his efforts !! We should love him as he love ours!!
I am always amazed at my good fortune/merits to have Rinpoche as my Guru. Another is that my strength of my faith/trust in my Guru that helps me see through my negativities. It is this faith that makes me view my Guru as perfect with good reasons behind his every actions to help us and thus what ever problems arising would have to be coming from our own wrong thoughts/perceptions. From this, then am I able to check and correct myself. I know that the Guru is a doctor but faith/trust plays very important role in Guru/student relationship. As we are still in samsara, some would continue seeking other doctors eventhough they had been seeing the best. Its the very fact that we r in samsara that our deluded minds tell us that there maybe some better solution out there. Like those alternating between western medicine n tcm treatment. We r constantly influenced by other patients/people’s recommendation. That is why when we develope strong faith/trust, then we will not be in the position to be easily swayed n will examine the “facts” correctly. In our heart, we do know what is good for us n its only our deluded mind blinding us to this. With folded hands, may I never let my deluded mind take me away from my precious Guru n his priceless teachings.
Ego always make us point others when we do wrong or cant fulfill our task…
Thanks Rinpoche being so compassion to always keep remind us our weak points…
May we gain more Merits through practice, lesser our ignorance through practice and lesser our obstacle through practice hence to serve Dharma continuously…
We should always remember ” you are the creator, you experience what you create”.nobody is responsible for our mistakes, angry, unhappiness , sadness…all this is create by ourself. We shoud be grateful to our Guru who willing accepts our refuge and guide us all the way towards enlightement , no salary, no holiday,no complaints, always ready for help…how can we criticise our Guru ? Who are we? How can we let ego to become the obstacle to stop us to learn from Guru? Seek Guru forgiveness…face our ego bravely and stop it.
Rinpoche, you are my BEST Guru…
Instead of finding fault with the Guru,who is ever compassionate recall the qualities of our Guru and pray for our own body,speech and mind to become one with the Guru’s holy body,holy speech and holy mind to receive blessings to receive all the qualities the Guru has.The Guru that teaches us the holy Dharma which is precious above all.
“Even if you can recite the whole Tripitaka by heart,even if you know the entire Dharma,if you don’t have the Guru’s advice,there will be a gap between you and the Dharma when you practice.”
Such are the words by Atisha from collection of advice from Here and There.Never doubt the Guru as he accept us for who we are,feel fortunate to have a Guru like this.Do not criticise the Guru for our own shortcomings.
I once got into a situation where the decision whether or not to criticize the guru was not an easy one:
That guru called himself a Buddhist teacher, yet he was never part of the sangha, he was not recognized by any of the other Buddhist traditions, all books and other material in the group were only from him. Also, in their concept the only way to enlightenment is relying on the guru to transmit purifying energy which will basically eradicate one’s negative karma gradually. According to them, it only really works properly in their centres and if you paid for the according courses.
It might be due to my ignorance, but to me he seemed to be one of the many fake, self-exclaimed gurus that apparently are around in this day and age.
I reminded myself of Rinpoche’s advice better not to criticize other centres or gurus in front of their followers, but the urge is still great to question them, just because I think they have good intention but are most likely on the wrong way and would most likely waste a great part of their lives waiting for their “master” transmitting enough energy to them, instead relying on themselves and their practice under the gurus guidance.
I am still amazed how some students who have benefitted so much the Guru, can turn around and criticise the Guru. Even with learning the Dharma and having been taught about Guru devotion, they can still do and feel they can get away with it. These persons must be very “ill” in the Dharmic sense. Yes, a doctors’ advice maybe difficult to follow, but the patient should not blame the doctor for that.
If the Guru has given us teachings, shown us the way to do it, love us like his children, be kind to us like a parent who will scold us to point us to the true way, support our practice, give us money, being patient with our “monkey” behaviors and give us time to change waiting patiently – then we, like naughty children, turned our back against him, hurts him with malicious actions, words and blames him for doing his best for us for our OWN GOOD begging us to change for the better for ourself so we don’t need to suffer later.
Is that the repayment we give to anyone at all? Think again.
Shelly tai on 11 Aug 2013 at 630pm
I fully agree with all these quote , because of our negative karma we always see fault on our guru I think the best way to over come this negative karma is by learning the dharma and put that into practice . When we practice more our deluded mind will be more clear and it cut away the ignorant. Thank you Rinpche for sharing this teaching with us.
Reflect, I bet my last dollar that those who criticise their Guru are the same people who cannot get along with their Parents, siblings and have true friends.
They will float through this precious human life with the desires, anger and ignorance like any other animals.
The thought that now comes to my mind is this, if one can criticise a Guru must have been a Dharma student and when that happens, check in and with any little knowledge you may have of the Dharma, you will realise that it is your negative karma ripening, do something about purifying that negative Karma and trust and believe in the Guru for redemption. If nothing else then you may lived a ”smart life” instead of destroying your spiritually by talking badly of the Teacher of the Dharma.
Criticising our Guru that we once praise abundantly & reverently makes us a total hypocrite. If you felt your Guru is wrong for whatever reason you cooked up in ones own mind , we should instead question ourself and investigate why such negative mindset arises. Opening salvo at our Guru that had been kind to us before is a total act of failure and it shows our own character. It’s only ones own fault for not able to learn & benefits from all the teaching our Guru imparted to us.
For a true students to be able to benefits from having a Guru or claiming he/she had a Guru the only way to show that is to practice everything the Gury has taught us. As for myself my Guru is INCOMPARABLE.
Criticizing the Guru is the greatest of downfalls. It is beyond any justifications. Criticizing the sangha, ordained or lay among to criticizing the Guru as well and it is very dangerous as many cannot see this connection. Better keep silent, contemplate and transform one-selves. Turn adversity to advantage.
When a school teacher teaches some 35 students and all but one passed the exams would that be the teacher’s fault? That student who failed might go around blaming the teacher but as time passed people stop believing when they spoke to the other 34 students.
Thank You Rinpoche for the marvelous and extensive teachings. I always treat you as my model and guideline of my life. You always sacrify yourself to lighten us up but sadly say that there are a lot of us still do not appreciate it due to our ignorance.
I listened to your youtube in last Intesive Dharma class about Power of Vows you have given when you visited Bangkok. It touched me, I felt that it is powerful talk. Vows is the Promise we have given to our teacher/Guru. No matter what we should keep it and try our very best to achieve it. It will push us to another level such as feeling like our past has died and new us have reborn.
I will keep my vows to grow the Dharma group in Penang despite of all difficulties. Hope the path will be smoother in future.
I will change all my major bad habits: I would like to appologize to my Guru and ask for more time for the change.
I hope I will take refuge vows under Rinpoche by this year to be Rinpoche’s student.
We were what we were – qualities and faults, the full package – with or without a guru, whom we have identified as THE guru and accepted as OUR guru. So, if we have accepted someone as our spiritual guide, why blame the guide for pointing out our faults?
The guru has nothing to gain by doing so, all benefits from facing the truth are ours and ours alone. Why can’t we accept the fact that we have made mistakes and our guru can help us find a better way towards a more fulfilling life and, ultimately, Enlightenment?
Because we are afraid of the truth and what it tells us about ourselves. Because it’s easier and more comfortable to hide behind lies. Is that the guru’s fault? No, that’s entirely our responsibility.
Bear this in mind: just as we can choose and accept a guru, a guru has the choice to accept us as students. But the difference is a guru will never walk away from his student.
If you have the good fortune to find a guru and be accepted as a student, don’t waste it by going back to who you’ve always been. Seize the opportunity to be something better and bigger than yourself.
Trust your guru.
Sean Pang
You are right Sean… when you blame the Guru is like I’m sick, I got cancer, I go see a doctor but when the doctor advice to do chemo, I do not want then I get more sick and then it’s all the good doctor’s fault! Which is obviously ridiculous!!!
Don’t be ungrateful, appologize to your teacher, ask for time to change, but don’t blame him for your faults. He is compassionate. ~ Tsem Rinpoche
If we read carefully, this entire quote post from Rinpoche is literally showing us the path to practising with the right attitude and mind. On top of that… Rinpoche even presents the way to redeem oneself and the how kind and forgiving Rinpoche is… as the quote above said, just ask for forgiveness and the Guru who is compassionate will forgive. It is not at all lost yet, but it is on the part of the student if he/she does not see this and reciprocate the love and care from their Guru.
Can you believe it, up until now… Rinpoche is still ever forgiving!!! What’s most scary is the consequences those who disparage the Guru and 3 jewels (yes this include people who are in the Dharma community – though lay, they serve Rinpoche and the centre, so they are considered lay sangha… still sangha)… what they will face and all for what??? To cover and protect their attachments, justifying that they are good and to think everything is “permanent”. Foolish indeed… sad indeed… for they will not know peace or happiness… because it’s everyone’s fault!