The following teaching was given by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on June 6, 1996, at the ordination of several of his students as lamas, and was subsequently expanded upon by Rinpoche.
This ordination is being conducted to recognize certain students' capabilities. Such ceremonies have taken place in the past, and I fully expect to recognize other students in the future. Ordination is a process not so much of elevating someone above others as of giving someone much more responsibility. Someone may now be called a "lama" or "teacher," but to have that title is not to be someone special; rather it means being committed to the humbling ideal of serving others. This can come only out of a pure heart, not from self-cherishing.
The kinds of qualities I am acknowledging in these students are love and compassion, the capacity to be of service to others, and the ability to fulfill the bodhisattva commitment. Bodhisattvas, followers of the Mahayana path, vow to help all beings until the ocean of samsara has been emptied. Those of you who have been ordained have the responsibility not to lead others in any wrong direction. Be honest with yourselves and with others. Only someone who has attained liberation and profound wisdom will have all the answers, and no one is claiming that of you. Of course, as much as you do understand, based upon your practice and study of the dharma, share it with others. Be aware of your capabilities and limitations and answer honestly in accordance with them.
Honesty is one thing; patience is another. There are basically two modes in the teacher-student relationship. The nurturing mode involves taking someone under one's care. A more radical mode, literally termed "annihilation," involves intervening directly in a student's life in order to benefit that student. This works only when the teacher has the flawless insight to know when such intervention will be of benefit. Until you have that kind of insight, use the nurturing mode; take others under your care, help and lead them and set a good example.
People will look to you now as lamas, as teachers, to see how you act, how you speak, how you think. Be careful not to misguide them, not to destroy their faith in the dharma. If you act or speak or think in ways that are not in accord with the dharma, you will either mislead or disillusion them. They will say, "What is the point of practicing if that's what it leads to?" So be careful. You have the responsibility to nurture others' practice.As much as you help others and practice the dharma purely, my hopes will be fulfilled, my wishes realized.
Remember to admit your own flaws and shortcomings. This is no time to think, "At last, after all these years of effort, I'm a lama." Rather, reflect on your own flaws and limitations, what you need to work on. As well, recognize the positive qualities of others. In these times of spiritual degeneration, people, particularly in the West, tend to ignore their own flaws. Their own minds can be filled with so much garbage that the stench is unbearable and yet they won't notice it. But as soon as they detect a minor flaw in somebody else, it becomes a big deal to be broadcast everywhere. The way of dharma is to look at and work on your own mind, not to judge others. If you hold to this approach, my aspirations will be realized.
Those of you who serve as lamas within communities, whether you establish centers, practice groups, or study groups, the point is not merely to expand, by buying land, developing more and more property, or owning big houses. Although there is nothing wrong with that, our purpose is deepening our practice and sharing the knowledge and value of practice with others. You who have this capacity are being recognized.
If as lamas you work for personal fame or fortune, you will negate the purpose of your ordination. If instead you recognize this as an opportunity to help others live in a virtuous, spiritual way, my wishes will be fulfilled. For even one person to start thinking about a path of harmlessness and helpfulness, to develop some belief in the process of karma, is of greater value than all the wealth in the universe. A teacher's ability to bring that to someone's life carries its own reward. In the dharma we speak a great deal about generosity. The greatest form of generosity is sharing the dharma with others,because we benefit others in both the short and the long term.
It might be argued that I am being hasty in appointing Western students as teachers. But it seems to me that some people in the West are claiming to be teachers without any authentic background. I'm not speaking here of Westerners who have been ordained as teachers of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or other established spiritual traditions, but of people who decide they've got something to say, set themselves up as teachers, and make something up, presenting it as a spiritual path. They waste their own lives and the lives of those who take them to be spiritual teachers. We should be assured that teachers in this culture can influence others positively, that all who come into contact with them will find the door to liberation. That's what I am wishing for when I appoint Western students as lamas.
Please don't go the way I have heard some others are–don't think that teaching dharma in America requires something different from the traditional lineage transmission that American teachers received from their teachers. When the dharma came to Tibet from India, the Indian masters and the transmission they brought with them were highly respected and honored. If Western teachers modify what they have received from their Tibetan teachers, there will be no lineage left to transmit.
I have had some recollection of a previous life during which I spent most of my time in prison and died there. I was highly motivated to benefit others, to spread the teachings, but I wasn't able to do so. Still, I never stopped praying intensely that in that or future lifetimes I would be able to bring the dharma into a world that needed it. I think that that kind of aspiration has brought me to my present situation. I don't claim that I've accomplished anything enormous, but I have had some small opportunity to bring the dharma to a new country where it was needed. This is the power of aspiration that we have to develop.
Lama Padma Drimed Norbu is the resident lama here at Rigdzin Ling, and my son, Tulku Jigme Tromge, is at Ati Ling, Lama Sonam at Dechhen Ling, Lama Gyatso at T'hondup Ling, Lamas Inge and Yontan at Padma Ling, Lama Richard Baldwin at Amrita, Lamas Tsering and Padma Norbu at Odsal Ling, and my wife, Khadro Jane Tromge, at Khadro Ling. It is my sincere hope that they will guide and nurture others. Everyone working together will bring about a pure,clear, and harmonious practice of the dharma. Then I can leave this life a happy man, and I know that you will benefit in the future.
It might seem that this ordination ceremony is not as upbeat as it could be. I'm not talking about all of the wonderful qualities of these people; I'm pointing out potential pitfalls and warning them. If they have good qualities, they are there anyway, they don't need to be spelled out, whereas potential problems or challenges do need to be addressed.
My way of doing things is to watch my students' development very carefully. In choosing someone as a lama or teacher the first thing I consider is the purity of the person's samaya. The reason the blessings of the lineage remain strong is that there has always been an emphasis on pure samaya;and it must continue to be emphasized in order for the lineage to be maintained. The second thing I look for in a student is a good heart.
In choosing a lama, I also look on a deeper level: I pray. I pray that I not make a mistake, that my judgment be accurate. So I rely upon both my own ideas and impressions of someone and what comes to me in my prayers and meditation. I'm not claiming that these people are perfect or enlightened, but that they are people upon whom others can rely. That is the significance of the ordination certificates they have been given.
It is important for a practitioner studying with them or with any other lama to focus not on their flaws, but on their good qualities and to benefit from those qualities. On the other hand, a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher's request or instruction, whether it pertains to dharma practice and activity or the teacher's personal needs, is not obliged to comply with it. Such a student may accept only what he or she feels capable of and will not be breaking samaya.
It is said in the Vajrayana tradition that if you don't feel ready or able to do something the teacher requests or don't have the capability to do so, you can ask the teacher to be excused from it. Samaya is not a matter of being forced to do whatever the teacher tells you. But if you are able to follow your lama's instructions, it is you who will benefit from doing so.
Samaya is not a form of control, something teachers use to ensnare students into some kind of indentured servitude, where they belong to the lama and lose their personal freedom. As teachers, please explain this to your students and advise them as I do. When people come to my center and ask to be my students, I say to them, "If there is benefit in your coming here to learn and to work on your own flaws, fine. As long as you do not come with a sense of pride but rather with a sense of needing what this center can offer you, fine. But if you feel that this isn't the situation for you or this isn't the teacher for you, you are free to go your own way. It makes sense to stay only if you recognize the benefit that is possible and are reaping that benefit. I never think, "So and so is my student and nobody else's. Because they have samaya with me, they can't go anywhere else." My thought is rather, "Is this person benefiting from being my student?" If not, I have no need to hold anyone. But I do have a responsibility to teach people if it will benefit them.
For example, if a sick person finds that a particular doctor's diagnosis and treatment are helpful and her health is improving, it makes sense to continue following the doctor's instructions. But if she is not being healed, it makes no sense for her to remain with the doctor. Rather, she should seek treatment elsewhere. Over time, the patient may develop such trustin the doctor that she will follow the doctor's regime faithfully without questioning it. Until students have developed unflagging faith in and devotion for a teacher, they should ask questions in order to remove their doubts and increase their understanding of the teachings. They should continually check their mind to make sure that the methods the teacher has given them are working and that they will benefit by continuing to study with that teacher.
In more traditional ordination ceremonies, a crown is presented. I don't have any crowns today. If I have the opportunity to findsome fine silk in China and some felt lining in Tibet, I will make up traditional crowns for you. Until then, remember what I have said about patience.
The following teaching was given by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on June 6, 1996, at the ordination of several of his students as lamas, and was subsequently expanded upon by Rinpoche.
This ordination is being conducted to recognize certain students' capabilities. Such ceremonies have taken place in the past, and I fully expect to recognize other students in the future. Ordination is a process not so much of elevating someone above others as of giving someone much more responsibility. Someone may now be called a "lama" or "teacher," but to have that title is not to be someone special; rather it means being committed to the humbling ideal of serving others. This can come only out of a pure heart, not from self-cherishing.
The kinds of qualities I am acknowledging in these students are love and compassion, the capacity to be of service to others, and the ability to fulfill the bodhisattva commitment. Bodhisattvas, followers of the Mahayana path, vow to help all beings until the ocean of samsara has been emptied. Those of you who have been ordained have the responsibility not to lead others in any wrong direction. Be honest with yourselves and with others. Only someone who has attained liberation and profound wisdom will have all the answers, and no one is claiming that of you. Of course, as much as you do understand, based upon your practice and study of the dharma, share it with others. Be aware of your capabilities and limitations and answer honestly in accordance with them.
Honesty is one thing; patience is another. There are basically two modes in the teacher-student relationship. The nurturing mode involves taking someone under one's care. A more radical mode, literally termed "annihilation," involves intervening directly in a student's life in order to benefit that student. This works only when the teacher has the flawless insight to know when such intervention will be of benefit. Until you have that kind of insight, use the nurturing mode; take others under your care, help and lead them and set a good example.
People will look to you now as lamas, as teachers, to see how you act, how you speak, how you think. Be careful not to misguide them, not to destroy their faith in the dharma. If you act or speak or think in ways that are not in accord with the dharma, you will either mislead or disillusion them. They will say, "What is the point of practicing if that's what it leads to?" So be careful. You have the responsibility to nurture others' practice.As much as you help others and practice the dharma purely, my hopes will be fulfilled, my wishes realized.
Remember to admit your own flaws and shortcomings. This is no time to think, "At last, after all these years of effort, I'm a lama." Rather, reflect on your own flaws and limitations, what you need to work on. As well, recognize the positive qualities of others. In these times of spiritual degeneration, people, particularly in the West, tend to ignore their own flaws. Their own minds can be filled with so much garbage that the stench is unbearable and yet they won't notice it. But as soon as they detect a minor flaw in somebody else, it becomes a big deal to be broadcast everywhere. The way of dharma is to look at and work on your own mind, not to judge others. If you hold to this approach, my aspirations will be realized.
Those of you who serve as lamas within communities, whether you establish centers, practice groups, or study groups, the point is not merely to expand, by buying land, developing more and more property, or owning big houses. Although there is nothing wrong with that, our purpose is deepening our practice and sharing the knowledge and value of practice with others. You who have this capacity are being recognized.
If as lamas you work for personal fame or fortune, you will negate the purpose of your ordination. If instead you recognize this as an opportunity to help others live in a virtuous, spiritual way, my wishes will be fulfilled. For even one person to start thinking about a path of harmlessness and helpfulness, to develop some belief in the process of karma, is of greater value than all the wealth in the universe. A teacher's ability to bring that to someone's life carries its own reward. In the dharma we speak a great deal about generosity. The greatest form of generosity is sharing the dharma with others,because we benefit others in both the short and the long term.
It might be argued that I am being hasty in appointing Western students as teachers. But it seems to me that some people in the West are claiming to be teachers without any authentic background. I'm not speaking here of Westerners who have been ordained as teachers of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or other established spiritual traditions, but of people who decide they've got something to say, set themselves up as teachers, and make something up, presenting it as a spiritual path. They waste their own lives and the lives of those who take them to be spiritual teachers. We should be assured that teachers in this culture can influence others positively, that all who come into contact with them will find the door to liberation. That's what I am wishing for when I appoint Western students as lamas.
Please don't go the way I have heard some others are–don't think that teaching dharma in America requires something different from the traditional lineage transmission that American teachers received from their teachers. When the dharma came to Tibet from India, the Indian masters and the transmission they brought with them were highly respected and honored. If Western teachers modify what they have received from their Tibetan teachers, there will be no lineage left to transmit.
I have had some recollection of a previous life during which I spent most of my time in prison and died there. I was highly motivated to benefit others, to spread the teachings, but I wasn't able to do so. Still, I never stopped praying intensely that in that or future lifetimes I would be able to bring the dharma into a world that needed it. I think that that kind of aspiration has brought me to my present situation. I don't claim that I've accomplished anything enormous, but I have had some small opportunity to bring the dharma to a new country where it was needed. This is the power of aspiration that we have to develop.
Lama Padma Drimed Norbu is the resident lama here at Rigdzin Ling, and my son, Tulku Jigme Tromge, is at Ati Ling, Lama Sonam at Dechhen Ling, Lama Gyatso at T'hondup Ling, Lamas Inge and Yontan at Padma Ling, Lama Richard Baldwin at Amrita, Lamas Tsering and Padma Norbu at Odsal Ling, and my wife, Khadro Jane Tromge, at Khadro Ling. It is my sincere hope that they will guide and nurture others. Everyone working together will bring about a pure,clear, and harmonious practice of the dharma. Then I can leave this life a happy man, and I know that you will benefit in the future.
It might seem that this ordination ceremony is not as upbeat as it could be. I'm not talking about all of the wonderful qualities of these people; I'm pointing out potential pitfalls and warning them. If they have good qualities, they are there anyway, they don't need to be spelled out, whereas potential problems or challenges do need to be addressed.
My way of doing things is to watch my students' development very carefully. In choosing someone as a lama or teacher the first thing I consider is the purity of the person's samaya. The reason the blessings of the lineage remain strong is that there has always been an emphasis on pure samaya;and it must continue to be emphasized in order for the lineage to be maintained. The second thing I look for in a student is a good heart.
In choosing a lama, I also look on a deeper level: I pray. I pray that I not make a mistake, that my judgment be accurate. So I rely upon both my own ideas and impressions of someone and what comes to me in my prayers and meditation. I'm not claiming that these people are perfect or enlightened, but that they are people upon whom others can rely. That is the significance of the ordination certificates they have been given.
It is important for a practitioner studying with them or with any other lama to focus not on their flaws, but on their good qualities and to benefit from those qualities. On the other hand, a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher's request or instruction, whether it pertains to dharma practice and activity or the teacher's personal needs, is not obliged to comply with it. Such a student may accept only what he or she feels capable of and will not be breaking samaya.
It is said in the Vajrayana tradition that if you don't feel ready or able to do something the teacher requests or don't have the capability to do so, you can ask the teacher to be excused from it. Samaya is not a matter of being forced to do whatever the teacher tells you. But if you are able to follow your lama's instructions, it is you who will benefit from doing so.
Samaya is not a form of control, something teachers use to ensnare students into some kind of indentured servitude, where they belong to the lama and lose their personal freedom. As teachers, please explain this to your students and advise them as I do. When people come to my center and ask to be my students, I say to them, "If there is benefit in your coming here to learn and to work on your own flaws, fine. As long as you do not come with a sense of pride but rather with a sense of needing what this center can offer you, fine. But if you feel that this isn't the situation for you or this isn't the teacher for you, you are free to go your own way. It makes sense to stay only if you recognize the benefit that is possible and are reaping that benefit. I never think, "So and so is my student and nobody else's. Because they have samaya with me, they can't go anywhere else." My thought is rather, "Is this person benefiting from being my student?" If not, I have no need to hold anyone. But I do have a responsibility to teach people if it will benefit them.
For example, if a sick person finds that a particular doctor's diagnosis and treatment are helpful and her health is improving, it makes sense to continue following the doctor's instructions. But if she is not being healed, it makes no sense for her to remain with the doctor. Rather, she should seek treatment elsewhere. Over time, the patient may develop such trustin the doctor that she will follow the doctor's regime faithfully without questioning it. Until students have developed unflagging faith in and devotion for a teacher, they should ask questions in order to remove their doubts and increase their understanding of the teachings. They should continually check their mind to make sure that the methods the teacher has given them are working and that they will benefit by continuing to study with that teacher.
In more traditional ordination ceremonies, a crown is presented. I don't have any crowns today. If I have the opportunity to findsome fine silk in China and some felt lining in Tibet, I will make up traditional crowns for you. Until then, remember what I have said about patience.
The following teaching was given by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on June 6, 1996, at the ordination of several of his students as lamas, and was subsequently expanded upon by Rinpoche.
This ordination is being conducted to recognize certain students' capabilities. Such ceremonies have taken place in the past, and I fully expect to recognize other students in the future. Ordination is a process not so much of elevating someone above others as of giving someone much more responsibility. Someone may now be called a "lama" or "teacher," but to have that title is not to be someone special; rather it means being committed to the humbling ideal of serving others. This can come only out of a pure heart, not from self-cherishing.
The kinds of qualities I am acknowledging in these students are love and compassion, the capacity to be of service to others, and the ability to fulfill the bodhisattva commitment. Bodhisattvas, followers of the Mahayana path, vow to help all beings until the ocean of samsara has been emptied. Those of you who have been ordained have the responsibility not to lead others in any wrong direction. Be honest with yourselves and with others. Only someone who has attained liberation and profound wisdom will have all the answers, and no one is claiming that of you. Of course, as much as you do understand, based upon your practice and study of the dharma, share it with others. Be aware of your capabilities and limitations and answer honestly in accordance with them.
Honesty is one thing; patience is another. There are basically two modes in the teacher-student relationship. The nurturing mode involves taking someone under one's care. A more radical mode, literally termed "annihilation," involves intervening directly in a student's life in order to benefit that student. This works only when the teacher has the flawless insight to know when such intervention will be of benefit. Until you have that kind of insight, use the nurturing mode; take others under your care, help and lead them and set a good example.
People will look to you now as lamas, as teachers, to see how you act, how you speak, how you think. Be careful not to misguide them, not to destroy their faith in the dharma. If you act or speak or think in ways that are not in accord with the dharma, you will either mislead or disillusion them. They will say, "What is the point of practicing if that's what it leads to?" So be careful. You have the responsibility to nurture others' practice.As much as you help others and practice the dharma purely, my hopes will be fulfilled, my wishes realized.
Remember to admit your own flaws and shortcomings. This is no time to think, "At last, after all these years of effort, I'm a lama." Rather, reflect on your own flaws and limitations, what you need to work on. As well, recognize the positive qualities of others. In these times of spiritual degeneration, people, particularly in the West, tend to ignore their own flaws. Their own minds can be filled with so much garbage that the stench is unbearable and yet they won't notice it. But as soon as they detect a minor flaw in somebody else, it becomes a big deal to be broadcast everywhere. The way of dharma is to look at and work on your own mind, not to judge others. If you hold to this approach, my aspirations will be realized.
Those of you who serve as lamas within communities, whether you establish centers, practice groups, or study groups, the point is not merely to expand, by buying land, developing more and more property, or owning big houses. Although there is nothing wrong with that, our purpose is deepening our practice and sharing the knowledge and value of practice with others. You who have this capacity are being recognized.
If as lamas you work for personal fame or fortune, you will negate the purpose of your ordination. If instead you recognize this as an opportunity to help others live in a virtuous, spiritual way, my wishes will be fulfilled. For even one person to start thinking about a path of harmlessness and helpfulness, to develop some belief in the process of karma, is of greater value than all the wealth in the universe. A teacher's ability to bring that to someone's life carries its own reward. In the dharma we speak a great deal about generosity. The greatest form of generosity is sharing the dharma with others,because we benefit others in both the short and the long term.
It might be argued that I am being hasty in appointing Western students as teachers. But it seems to me that some people in the West are claiming to be teachers without any authentic background. I'm not speaking here of Westerners who have been ordained as teachers of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or other established spiritual traditions, but of people who decide they've got something to say, set themselves up as teachers, and make something up, presenting it as a spiritual path. They waste their own lives and the lives of those who take them to be spiritual teachers. We should be assured that teachers in this culture can influence others positively, that all who come into contact with them will find the door to liberation. That's what I am wishing for when I appoint Western students as lamas.
Please don't go the way I have heard some others are–don't think that teaching dharma in America requires something different from the traditional lineage transmission that American teachers received from their teachers. When the dharma came to Tibet from India, the Indian masters and the transmission they brought with them were highly respected and honored. If Western teachers modify what they have received from their Tibetan teachers, there will be no lineage left to transmit.
I have had some recollection of a previous life during which I spent most of my time in prison and died there. I was highly motivated to benefit others, to spread the teachings, but I wasn't able to do so. Still, I never stopped praying intensely that in that or future lifetimes I would be able to bring the dharma into a world that needed it. I think that that kind of aspiration has brought me to my present situation. I don't claim that I've accomplished anything enormous, but I have had some small opportunity to bring the dharma to a new country where it was needed. This is the power of aspiration that we have to develop.
Lama Padma Drimed Norbu is the resident lama here at Rigdzin Ling, and my son, Tulku Jigme Tromge, is at Ati Ling, Lama Sonam at Dechhen Ling, Lama Gyatso at T'hondup Ling, Lamas Inge and Yontan at Padma Ling, Lama Richard Baldwin at Amrita, Lamas Tsering and Padma Norbu at Odsal Ling, and my wife, Khadro Jane Tromge, at Khadro Ling. It is my sincere hope that they will guide and nurture others. Everyone working together will bring about a pure,clear, and harmonious practice of the dharma. Then I can leave this life a happy man, and I know that you will benefit in the future.
It might seem that this ordination ceremony is not as upbeat as it could be. I'm not talking about all of the wonderful qualities of these people; I'm pointing out potential pitfalls and warning them. If they have good qualities, they are there anyway, they don't need to be spelled out, whereas potential problems or challenges do need to be addressed.
My way of doing things is to watch my students' development very carefully. In choosing someone as a lama or teacher the first thing I consider is the purity of the person's samaya. The reason the blessings of the lineage remain strong is that there has always been an emphasis on pure samaya;and it must continue to be emphasized in order for the lineage to be maintained. The second thing I look for in a student is a good heart.
In choosing a lama, I also look on a deeper level: I pray. I pray that I not make a mistake, that my judgment be accurate. So I rely upon both my own ideas and impressions of someone and what comes to me in my prayers and meditation. I'm not claiming that these people are perfect or enlightened, but that they are people upon whom others can rely. That is the significance of the ordination certificates they have been given.
It is important for a practitioner studying with them or with any other lama to focus not on their flaws, but on their good qualities and to benefit from those qualities. On the other hand, a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher's request or instruction, whether it pertains to dharma practice and activity or the teacher's personal needs, is not obliged to comply with it. Such a student may accept only what he or she feels capable of and will not be breaking samaya.
It is said in the Vajrayana tradition that if you don't feel ready or able to do something the teacher requests or don't have the capability to do so, you can ask the teacher to be excused from it. Samaya is not a matter of being forced to do whatever the teacher tells you. But if you are able to follow your lama's instructions, it is you who will benefit from doing so.
Samaya is not a form of control, something teachers use to ensnare students into some kind of indentured servitude, where they belong to the lama and lose their personal freedom. As teachers, please explain this to your students and advise them as I do. When people come to my center and ask to be my students, I say to them, "If there is benefit in your coming here to learn and to work on your own flaws, fine. As long as you do not come with a sense of pride but rather with a sense of needing what this center can offer you, fine. But if you feel that this isn't the situation for you or this isn't the teacher for you, you are free to go your own way. It makes sense to stay only if you recognize the benefit that is possible and are reaping that benefit. I never think, "So and so is my student and nobody else's. Because they have samaya with me, they can't go anywhere else." My thought is rather, "Is this person benefiting from being my student?" If not, I have no need to hold anyone. But I do have a responsibility to teach people if it will benefit them.
For example, if a sick person finds that a particular doctor's diagnosis and treatment are helpful and her health is improving, it makes sense to continue following the doctor's instructions. But if she is not being healed, it makes no sense for her to remain with the doctor. Rather, she should seek treatment elsewhere. Over time, the patient may develop such trustin the doctor that she will follow the doctor's regime faithfully without questioning it. Until students have developed unflagging faith in and devotion for a teacher, they should ask questions in order to remove their doubts and increase their understanding of the teachings. They should continually check their mind to make sure that the methods the teacher has given them are working and that they will benefit by continuing to study with that teacher.
In more traditional ordination ceremonies, a crown is presented. I don't have any crowns today. If I have the opportunity to findsome fine silk in China and some felt lining in Tibet, I will make up traditional crowns for you. Until then, remember what I have said about patience.
The following teaching was given by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on June 6, 1996, at the ordination of several of his students as lamas, and was subsequently expanded upon by Rinpoche.
This ordination is being conducted to recognize certain students' capabilities. Such ceremonies have taken place in the past, and I fully expect to recognize other students in the future. Ordination is a process not so much of elevating someone above others as of giving someone much more responsibility. Someone may now be called a "lama" or "teacher," but to have that title is not to be someone special; rather it means being committed to the humbling ideal of serving others. This can come only out of a pure heart, not from self-cherishing.
The kinds of qualities I am acknowledging in these students are love and compassion, the capacity to be of service to others, and the ability to fulfill the bodhisattva commitment. Bodhisattvas, followers of the Mahayana path, vow to help all beings until the ocean of samsara has been emptied. Those of you who have been ordained have the responsibility not to lead others in any wrong direction. Be honest with yourselves and with others. Only someone who has attained liberation and profound wisdom will have all the answers, and no one is claiming that of you. Of course, as much as you do understand, based upon your practice and study of the dharma, share it with others. Be aware of your capabilities and limitations and answer honestly in accordance with them.
Honesty is one thing; patience is another. There are basically two modes in the teacher-student relationship. The nurturing mode involves taking someone under one's care. A more radical mode, literally termed "annihilation," involves intervening directly in a student's life in order to benefit that student. This works only when the teacher has the flawless insight to know when such intervention will be of benefit. Until you have that kind of insight, use the nurturing mode; take others under your care, help and lead them and set a good example.
People will look to you now as lamas, as teachers, to see how you act, how you speak, how you think. Be careful not to misguide them, not to destroy their faith in the dharma. If you act or speak or think in ways that are not in accord with the dharma, you will either mislead or disillusion them. They will say, "What is the point of practicing if that's what it leads to?" So be careful. You have the responsibility to nurture others' practice.As much as you help others and practice the dharma purely, my hopes will be fulfilled, my wishes realized.
Remember to admit your own flaws and shortcomings. This is no time to think, "At last, after all these years of effort, I'm a lama." Rather, reflect on your own flaws and limitations, what you need to work on. As well, recognize the positive qualities of others. In these times of spiritual degeneration, people, particularly in the West, tend to ignore their own flaws. Their own minds can be filled with so much garbage that the stench is unbearable and yet they won't notice it. But as soon as they detect a minor flaw in somebody else, it becomes a big deal to be broadcast everywhere. The way of dharma is to look at and work on your own mind, not to judge others. If you hold to this approach, my aspirations will be realized.
Those of you who serve as lamas within communities, whether you establish centers, practice groups, or study groups, the point is not merely to expand, by buying land, developing more and more property, or owning big houses. Although there is nothing wrong with that, our purpose is deepening our practice and sharing the knowledge and value of practice with others. You who have this capacity are being recognized.
If as lamas you work for personal fame or fortune, you will negate the purpose of your ordination. If instead you recognize this as an opportunity to help others live in a virtuous, spiritual way, my wishes will be fulfilled. For even one person to start thinking about a path of harmlessness and helpfulness, to develop some belief in the process of karma, is of greater value than all the wealth in the universe. A teacher's ability to bring that to someone's life carries its own reward. In the dharma we speak a great deal about generosity. The greatest form of generosity is sharing the dharma with others,because we benefit others in both the short and the long term.
It might be argued that I am being hasty in appointing Western students as teachers. But it seems to me that some people in the West are claiming to be teachers without any authentic background. I'm not speaking here of Westerners who have been ordained as teachers of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or other established spiritual traditions, but of people who decide they've got something to say, set themselves up as teachers, and make something up, presenting it as a spiritual path. They waste their own lives and the lives of those who take them to be spiritual teachers. We should be assured that teachers in this culture can influence others positively, that all who come into contact with them will find the door to liberation. That's what I am wishing for when I appoint Western students as lamas.
Please don't go the way I have heard some others are–don't think that teaching dharma in America requires something different from the traditional lineage transmission that American teachers received from their teachers. When the dharma came to Tibet from India, the Indian masters and the transmission they brought with them were highly respected and honored. If Western teachers modify what they have received from their Tibetan teachers, there will be no lineage left to transmit.
I have had some recollection of a previous life during which I spent most of my time in prison and died there. I was highly motivated to benefit others, to spread the teachings, but I wasn't able to do so. Still, I never stopped praying intensely that in that or future lifetimes I would be able to bring the dharma into a world that needed it. I think that that kind of aspiration has brought me to my present situation. I don't claim that I've accomplished anything enormous, but I have had some small opportunity to bring the dharma to a new country where it was needed. This is the power of aspiration that we have to develop.
Lama Padma Drimed Norbu is the resident lama here at Rigdzin Ling, and my son, Tulku Jigme Tromge, is at Ati Ling, Lama Sonam at Dechhen Ling, Lama Gyatso at T'hondup Ling, Lamas Inge and Yontan at Padma Ling, Lama Richard Baldwin at Amrita, Lamas Tsering and Padma Norbu at Odsal Ling, and my wife, Khadro Jane Tromge, at Khadro Ling. It is my sincere hope that they will guide and nurture others. Everyone working together will bring about a pure,clear, and harmonious practice of the dharma. Then I can leave this life a happy man, and I know that you will benefit in the future.
It might seem that this ordination ceremony is not as upbeat as it could be. I'm not talking about all of the wonderful qualities of these people; I'm pointing out potential pitfalls and warning them. If they have good qualities, they are there anyway, they don't need to be spelled out, whereas potential problems or challenges do need to be addressed.
My way of doing things is to watch my students' development very carefully. In choosing someone as a lama or teacher the first thing I consider is the purity of the person's samaya. The reason the blessings of the lineage remain strong is that there has always been an emphasis on pure samaya;and it must continue to be emphasized in order for the lineage to be maintained. The second thing I look for in a student is a good heart.
In choosing a lama, I also look on a deeper level: I pray. I pray that I not make a mistake, that my judgment be accurate. So I rely upon both my own ideas and impressions of someone and what comes to me in my prayers and meditation. I'm not claiming that these people are perfect or enlightened, but that they are people upon whom others can rely. That is the significance of the ordination certificates they have been given.
It is important for a practitioner studying with them or with any other lama to focus not on their flaws, but on their good qualities and to benefit from those qualities. On the other hand, a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher's request or instruction, whether it pertains to dharma practice and activity or the teacher's personal needs, is not obliged to comply with it. Such a student may accept only what he or she feels capable of and will not be breaking samaya.
It is said in the Vajrayana tradition that if you don't feel ready or able to do something the teacher requests or don't have the capability to do so, you can ask the teacher to be excused from it. Samaya is not a matter of being forced to do whatever the teacher tells you. But if you are able to follow your lama's instructions, it is you who will benefit from doing so.
Samaya is not a form of control, something teachers use to ensnare students into some kind of indentured servitude, where they belong to the lama and lose their personal freedom. As teachers, please explain this to your students and advise them as I do. When people come to my center and ask to be my students, I say to them, "If there is benefit in your coming here to learn and to work on your own flaws, fine. As long as you do not come with a sense of pride but rather with a sense of needing what this center can offer you, fine. But if you feel that this isn't the situation for you or this isn't the teacher for you, you are free to go your own way. It makes sense to stay only if you recognize the benefit that is possible and are reaping that benefit. I never think, "So and so is my student and nobody else's. Because they have samaya with me, they can't go anywhere else." My thought is rather, "Is this person benefiting from being my student?" If not, I have no need to hold anyone. But I do have a responsibility to teach people if it will benefit them.
For example, if a sick person finds that a particular doctor's diagnosis and treatment are helpful and her health is improving, it makes sense to continue following the doctor's instructions. But if she is not being healed, it makes no sense for her to remain with the doctor. Rather, she should seek treatment elsewhere. Over time, the patient may develop such trustin the doctor that she will follow the doctor's regime faithfully without questioning it. Until students have developed unflagging faith in and devotion for a teacher, they should ask questions in order to remove their doubts and increase their understanding of the teachings. They should continually check their mind to make sure that the methods the teacher has given them are working and that they will benefit by continuing to study with that teacher.
In more traditional ordination ceremonies, a crown is presented. I don't have any crowns today. If I have the opportunity to findsome fine silk in China and some felt lining in Tibet, I will make up traditional crowns for you. Until then, remember what I have said about patience.
The following teaching was given by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on June 6, 1996, at the ordination of several of his students as lamas, and was subsequently expanded upon by Rinpoche.
This ordination is being conducted to recognize certain students' capabilities. Such ceremonies have taken place in the past, and I fully expect to recognize other students in the future. Ordination is a process not so much of elevating someone above others as of giving someone much more responsibility. Someone may now be called a "lama" or "teacher," but to have that title is not to be someone special; rather it means being committed to the humbling ideal of serving others. This can come only out of a pure heart, not from self-cherishing.
The kinds of qualities I am acknowledging in these students are love and compassion, the capacity to be of service to others, and the ability to fulfill the bodhisattva commitment. Bodhisattvas, followers of the Mahayana path, vow to help all beings until the ocean of samsara has been emptied. Those of you who have been ordained have the responsibility not to lead others in any wrong direction. Be honest with yourselves and with others. Only someone who has attained liberation and profound wisdom will have all the answers, and no one is claiming that of you. Of course, as much as you do understand, based upon your practice and study of the dharma, share it with others. Be aware of your capabilities and limitations and answer honestly in accordance with them.
Honesty is one thing; patience is another. There are basically two modes in the teacher-student relationship. The nurturing mode involves taking someone under one's care. A more radical mode, literally termed "annihilation," involves intervening directly in a student's life in order to benefit that student. This works only when the teacher has the flawless insight to know when such intervention will be of benefit. Until you have that kind of insight, use the nurturing mode; take others under your care, help and lead them and set a good example.
People will look to you now as lamas, as teachers, to see how you act, how you speak, how you think. Be careful not to misguide them, not to destroy their faith in the dharma. If you act or speak or think in ways that are not in accord with the dharma, you will either mislead or disillusion them. They will say, "What is the point of practicing if that's what it leads to?" So be careful. You have the responsibility to nurture others' practice.As much as you help others and practice the dharma purely, my hopes will be fulfilled, my wishes realized.
Remember to admit your own flaws and shortcomings. This is no time to think, "At last, after all these years of effort, I'm a lama." Rather, reflect on your own flaws and limitations, what you need to work on. As well, recognize the positive qualities of others. In these times of spiritual degeneration, people, particularly in the West, tend to ignore their own flaws. Their own minds can be filled with so much garbage that the stench is unbearable and yet they won't notice it. But as soon as they detect a minor flaw in somebody else, it becomes a big deal to be broadcast everywhere. The way of dharma is to look at and work on your own mind, not to judge others. If you hold to this approach, my aspirations will be realized.
Those of you who serve as lamas within communities, whether you establish centers, practice groups, or study groups, the point is not merely to expand, by buying land, developing more and more property, or owning big houses. Although there is nothing wrong with that, our purpose is deepening our practice and sharing the knowledge and value of practice with others. You who have this capacity are being recognized.
If as lamas you work for personal fame or fortune, you will negate the purpose of your ordination. If instead you recognize this as an opportunity to help others live in a virtuous, spiritual way, my wishes will be fulfilled. For even one person to start thinking about a path of harmlessness and helpfulness, to develop some belief in the process of karma, is of greater value than all the wealth in the universe. A teacher's ability to bring that to someone's life carries its own reward. In the dharma we speak a great deal about generosity. The greatest form of generosity is sharing the dharma with others,because we benefit others in both the short and the long term.
It might be argued that I am being hasty in appointing Western students as teachers. But it seems to me that some people in the West are claiming to be teachers without any authentic background. I'm not speaking here of Westerners who have been ordained as teachers of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or other established spiritual traditions, but of people who decide they've got something to say, set themselves up as teachers, and make something up, presenting it as a spiritual path. They waste their own lives and the lives of those who take them to be spiritual teachers. We should be assured that teachers in this culture can influence others positively, that all who come into contact with them will find the door to liberation. That's what I am wishing for when I appoint Western students as lamas.
Please don't go the way I have heard some others are–don't think that teaching dharma in America requires something different from the traditional lineage transmission that American teachers received from their teachers. When the dharma came to Tibet from India, the Indian masters and the transmission they brought with them were highly respected and honored. If Western teachers modify what they have received from their Tibetan teachers, there will be no lineage left to transmit.
I have had some recollection of a previous life during which I spent most of my time in prison and died there. I was highly motivated to benefit others, to spread the teachings, but I wasn't able to do so. Still, I never stopped praying intensely that in that or future lifetimes I would be able to bring the dharma into a world that needed it. I think that that kind of aspiration has brought me to my present situation. I don't claim that I've accomplished anything enormous, but I have had some small opportunity to bring the dharma to a new country where it was needed. This is the power of aspiration that we have to develop.
Lama Padma Drimed Norbu is the resident lama here at Rigdzin Ling, and my son, Tulku Jigme Tromge, is at Ati Ling, Lama Sonam at Dechhen Ling, Lama Gyatso at T'hondup Ling, Lamas Inge and Yontan at Padma Ling, Lama Richard Baldwin at Amrita, Lamas Tsering and Padma Norbu at Odsal Ling, and my wife, Khadro Jane Tromge, at Khadro Ling. It is my sincere hope that they will guide and nurture others. Everyone working together will bring about a pure,clear, and harmonious practice of the dharma. Then I can leave this life a happy man, and I know that you will benefit in the future.
It might seem that this ordination ceremony is not as upbeat as it could be. I'm not talking about all of the wonderful qualities of these people; I'm pointing out potential pitfalls and warning them. If they have good qualities, they are there anyway, they don't need to be spelled out, whereas potential problems or challenges do need to be addressed.
My way of doing things is to watch my students' development very carefully. In choosing someone as a lama or teacher the first thing I consider is the purity of the person's samaya. The reason the blessings of the lineage remain strong is that there has always been an emphasis on pure samaya;and it must continue to be emphasized in order for the lineage to be maintained. The second thing I look for in a student is a good heart.
In choosing a lama, I also look on a deeper level: I pray. I pray that I not make a mistake, that my judgment be accurate. So I rely upon both my own ideas and impressions of someone and what comes to me in my prayers and meditation. I'm not claiming that these people are perfect or enlightened, but that they are people upon whom others can rely. That is the significance of the ordination certificates they have been given.
It is important for a practitioner studying with them or with any other lama to focus not on their flaws, but on their good qualities and to benefit from those qualities. On the other hand, a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher's request or instruction, whether it pertains to dharma practice and activity or the teacher's personal needs, is not obliged to comply with it. Such a student may accept only what he or she feels capable of and will not be breaking samaya.
It is said in the Vajrayana tradition that if you don't feel ready or able to do something the teacher requests or don't have the capability to do so, you can ask the teacher to be excused from it. Samaya is not a matter of being forced to do whatever the teacher tells you. But if you are able to follow your lama's instructions, it is you who will benefit from doing so.
Samaya is not a form of control, something teachers use to ensnare students into some kind of indentured servitude, where they belong to the lama and lose their personal freedom. As teachers, please explain this to your students and advise them as I do. When people come to my center and ask to be my students, I say to them, "If there is benefit in your coming here to learn and to work on your own flaws, fine. As long as you do not come with a sense of pride but rather with a sense of needing what this center can offer you, fine. But if you feel that this isn't the situation for you or this isn't the teacher for you, you are free to go your own way. It makes sense to stay only if you recognize the benefit that is possible and are reaping that benefit. I never think, "So and so is my student and nobody else's. Because they have samaya with me, they can't go anywhere else." My thought is rather, "Is this person benefiting from being my student?" If not, I have no need to hold anyone. But I do have a responsibility to teach people if it will benefit them.
For example, if a sick person finds that a particular doctor's diagnosis and treatment are helpful and her health is improving, it makes sense to continue following the doctor's instructions. But if she is not being healed, it makes no sense for her to remain with the doctor. Rather, she should seek treatment elsewhere. Over time, the patient may develop such trustin the doctor that she will follow the doctor's regime faithfully without questioning it. Until students have developed unflagging faith in and devotion for a teacher, they should ask questions in order to remove their doubts and increase their understanding of the teachings. They should continually check their mind to make sure that the methods the teacher has given them are working and that they will benefit by continuing to study with that teacher.
In more traditional ordination ceremonies, a crown is presented. I don't have any crowns today. If I have the opportunity to findsome fine silk in China and some felt lining in Tibet, I will make up traditional crowns for you. Until then, remember what I have said about patience.
