SEEKING A TEACHER IN THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST TRADITION?

There are many – how to select the Right One for You? Very important!

First of all, to be safe, we advise you to identify a teacher and a centre which fully respect and follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Then, carefully check the lineage, history and background before making any commitment. This might take some time but it is necessary and worth it because once you fully accept a teacher as your guru and commit yourself, as might be required, it might be very difficult to go back. When asked how long one should study from a teacher before fully accepting him/her as one’s personal ‘guru’, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has gone on record to say “12 years”. In Buddhism, the student is entirely responsible to choose the right teacher for him/herself. It’s just like buying a used car, or a house to live in.

In other words, it is a case of “Caveat Emptor” - Let the Buyer Beware ...

If you wish to stay within the Buddhist mainstream, think twice before joining a group in regard to which the answer to any of the following questions might be “yes”:

Do they claim to provide “the only true Buddhist teachings” or anything similarly exclusive or extravagant?
Do they claim to possess “unique” or “special lineages” at a “higher level” than all others?
Do they have an escalating tariff of financial donations to be made in order to receive teachings or initiations?
Do they expect one to renounce or forsake one’s family or one’s friends, at any point?
Do they preach blind belief in guru devotion without any objective, rational or critical analysis?
Are members forbidden or even discouraged from studying with any teachers or within any traditions other than their own?
Do they have dominant figures, icons or sources of inspiration other than Buddha Shakyamuni himself, which are central to their studies and practices?

In general, we would advise that the more one studies mainstream Buddhist teachings and the more different teachers one studies with, the better. In addition, His Holiness has commented on controversial protector practices and repeatedly advised: “our best protector is Buddha Shakyamuni himself”.

If in doubt, please contact us with your requirements. We can access information about most centres in the world and will be happy to advise and recommend suitable centres in your area.

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