Sunday, April 16, 2006

The Teacher

There is a point of view that questions the value of the teacher that is less than pious. This rather theistic point of view presumes the teacher is something that he or she is not.

A teacher is just that, a teacher. A teacher is not a god or a magician that will somehow enlighten us. A teacher may show us that we are enlightened and have nothing to grasp or attain. He may show us how to relate with who we already are.

The notion that the teacher should behave this way or that way is no different than saying a television repairman or a chef should act a certain way.

The value of a teacher is that a teacher knows what to do to recognize enlightenment and what to do to realize it. If you care about a television repairman's fondness for cannabis or his personality, the television doesn't care and the repairman won't either.

1 comment:

Bernard (ben) Tremblay said...

"The notion that the teacher should behave this way or that way is no different than saying a television repairman or a chef should act a certain way."
You're a good man Archie ...

I can't say I'm happy with how things have gone as a student. Rinpoche is intelligent enough to know the game of social politics, and his key students recognize me for who I am. Of course they feel threatened, get defensive, and marginalize me. And, likewise of course, my typical ineptitude manifests for all to see ... myself and Rinpoche obviously included. It isn't fun or pleasant, but it's up to me to find the wholesome aspect in it and train on that. And Rinpoche has been constant, if not always nirmanakaya present.

HeyHo!