Amitabha.
Hello everyone.
Today we will
continue with the topic of last time
on how to choose a spiritual teacher.
In last video,
We explained the
ten supreme qualities
of a spiritual master.
Today I'd like to use this opportunity
to provide additional information from sutras and shastras
regarding the meaning of a spiritual friend or spiritual teacher,
as well as the types
and standards
of a spiritual teacher,
etc.
Today we will
discuss more on this topic.
A spiritual friend,
or nowadays the so-called Guru or Master,
or a spiritual teacher,
In ancient Sanskrit
it's called
Kalyāṇa.
In Pali it is Kalyāṇa-mitta
In Sanskrit it's Kalyāṇa.
It means
a person with integrity and virtues,
who can guide others on the right path.
Such a person is generally referred to as
a good spiritual friend,
a good friend,
a good advisor, a guru, or a teacher.
So this is the meaning of a spiritual friend.
Regarding the different types of spiritual friends,
Móhē zhǐguān（Skt.:Great śamatha-vipaśyanā) Volume 4
describes
three types of spiritual friends.
The first performs external caring
of the students through
protecting and nurturing the disciples, so that they can peacefully and stably
walk on the right path of practicing
and learning the Dharma.
The second performs peer-to-peer action, that is, co-operation
and mutual encouragement.
Such a spiritual friend
must inspire the disciples
and provide them feedbacks.
The third kind of spiritual friends
provides teaching and guidance.
The spiritual teacher must be skillful in teaching the Buddhadharma
according to the different dispositions of the disciples
in order to tame the minds of the disciples.
What kind of standards should a spiritual teacher have?
In the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra
this topic is elaborated on.
Why is it called
a Good Knowledge (Good Advisor)?
a Good Advisor
can teach beings
to stay away from the Ten Evil Deeds
and practice Ten Wholesome Deeds.
For this reason, they are called a Good Knowledge (Good Advisor).
Moreover, they act in accordance with the Dharma and align their actions with their words.
They not only refrain from the Ten Evil Deeds themselves,
but also help others doing so. Not only do they practice Bodhi,
but also they help others practicing Bodhi. Such is called Good Knowledge.
They practice generosity, discipline, listening to dharma and have wisdom, as well as helping others doing so.
Furthermore, they are not concerned with their own happiness.
They are constantly concerned about other beings. For this reason they do not complain about others' shortcomings;
instead they always praise others and promote good deeds. Such is called Good Knowledge.
They are akin to a captain of a great boat being masterful at carrying passengers across a river.
The same is true of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
who deliver all the sentient beings from the ocean of Samsara.
Such is called Good Knowledge.
In the Sutra text of Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra,
There is a definition for it.
As a standard for being a Good Knowledge,
they must know how to teach
their disciples and sentient beings to stay away from the Ten Evil Deeds.
What are the Ten Evil Deeds?
These include three acts related to the body, four related to the speech, and three related to the mind.
By body, one can commit killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.
These are three evil deeds (from the body).
The four evils from speech includes: coarse language, slander,
empty chatter and lying. These four evil acts
are out of our mouth, thus belonging to the speech.
Then, the three mind-related acts
are three fundamental poisons -- greed, anger and ignorance.
So, the so-called Good Knowledge (spiritual teacher)
must be able to
keep their disciples away from the Ten Evil Deeds
through body, speech and mind.
Not only will they refrain from conducting the Ten Negative Deeds,
but they actively practice the Ten Meritorious Deeds,
as well as generosity,
discipline, patience, meditation and prajna wisdom -- the six paramitas.
Hence,
not only do they generate Bodhicitta themselves,
but they also teach their disciples
to arose Bodhicitta.
What is Bodhicitta?
It is the aspiration to attain Buddhahood in order to benefit all beings.
Only when we attain enlightenment can we truly benefit all beings, liberating them from
the six realms of Samsara.
Moreover, the spiritual teacher
is concerned about sentient beings
and does not mention the fault of others.
They don't praise themselves and put down others.
Anything that can help beings
and make them happy,
the Spiritual Teacher would want to actively pursue.
They always promote good deeds and talk about meritorial ways.
Moreover,
they are like a great captain of a ship,
a boatman,
a person at the helm.
The spiritual teacher can help all his disciples
and all beings crossing from this shore,
lead them across the ocean of samsara
to reach the other shore,
to what we call
the shore of Enlightenment, of liberation, of becoming a Buddha.
From this shore to that shore.
This is a great captain.
The different qualities listed here
are also stated in the text of Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra,
as
the meritorial qualities of spiritual teachers.
They are able to follow disciplines and listen to wisdom themselves.
They not only uphold precepts themselves,
but also urge and teach
their disciples to observe the precepts.
Listening to wisdom refers to frequently listening to authentic Dharma teachings.
Listen to the Buddha's teachings.
These are also
standards of a good teacher.
These standards
of a good teacher to be relied on
are expounded in
“The Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras",
in its chapter on Following the Spiritual Teacher.
We've mentioned in previous videos
the ten qualities of a good teacher.
These ten qualities are stated in this sastras as follows.
If a spiritual teacher possesses ten qualities,
one should follow them.
What are the ten qualities? The first quality – Disciplined. The second –Peaceful.
The third – Serene (free from confusion).
The fourth – Endowed with superior qualities.
The fifth – Diligent.
The sixth – Rich in scriptural learning.
The seventh – Highly realized concerning the nature of reality.
The eight – Skilled in speaking. The ninth – Embodiment of love.
The tenth – Indefatigable.
We're not going to provide a detailed explanation here.
But I will continue with the content in the scripture.
First, being "disciplined" corresponds to the precepts,
for one's roots (senses) are pliable and tamed. Second, being "peaceful"
corresponds to samadhi, for one's mind is collected and centered.
Third, being "serene" corresponds to faith and wisdom,
for one has severed afflictions.
Fourth, being "endowed with special qualities"
means one is complete with discipline, samadi and wisdom without any deficit.
The fifth quality, "diligent", comes from
tirelessly benefiting others.
Sixth, being "rich in scriptural learning"
is a result of extensive study of Buddhadharma. Seventh, being "highly realized"
comes from one's understanding of the nature of reality.
Eighth, being "skilled in speaking" is a result of freedom from confusions and wrong views.
Ninth, being "embodiment of love" results from a lack of longings.
Tenth, being "indefatigable", one respectfully and tirelessly teaches Dharma at all times.
These are what we mentioned,
based on “Ornament of Mahayana Sutras”,
the so-called ten qualities of the spiritual teacher.
When we look outward
for our Guru/Master,
this is how we should go about -- based on sutras
and sastras, we follow what the scriptures tell us
and conduct thorough observations
and back-and-forth examinations.
That's outwardly
seeking a master.
As for ourselves,
we are disciples.
As a disciple,
what qualities
should we have?
A disciple's conduct
must at all times accord with what the guru
wants.
We can't do anything against the guru's wishes.
No matter how harsh our guru treats us,
be it scolding or coaching,
we won't be upset
or angry,
just like a wild horse being tamed.
So, when we rely on a guru,
what kind of disciple we should be,
there must be a standard.
The disciple must be very gentle.
The disciple's mind is calm and pliable,
unaffected by
the apparent speech or attitude of the guru.
The disciple's confidence in the guru is unshakable.
The disciple's mind is very simple, pure
and sincere. This kind of mind,
single-mindedly seeks Dharma,
while at the same time,
being utterly devoted to the master.
This is a quality
that a student of Buddhism
must possess.
In order to rely on a guru or master,
a qualified disciple
has two ways to go about.
The first is the inner method of reliance.
The second is the outer method of reliance.
The inner method of reliance
also includes two parts: pure faith and devotion, as the foundation;
and gratitude and awe that arises from it.
I've said it in my previous videos.
We have been trying very hard
to find a well-qualified guru.
But because we ourselves
lack merits,
our merits are thin,
We often carry a lot of
ignorance and past obscurations
of all sorts.
As a result, even when we have found
a teacher who is full of virtues and merits,
or a guru,
when they show up in front of us,
due to our individual karmic obstructions,
we see a lot of faults in the teacher.
So why is it so important
for the disciple to have faith in the guru?
In the Buddhist scriptures
it is said: "Faith is the source of the path
and mother of all virtues."
Having faith
and pure devotion
is the foundation of all merits.
Therefore, "Precious Torch Dharani"
also mentions:
Faith is the precursor, like a mother giving birth to a child.
It guards and grows all virtues,
eliminates doubts,
and liberates beings from various turbulent streams.
Faith can show us the City of Wonderful Joy.
Faith
is without pollution, utterly pure.
It can melt our ignorance
and the mountain of self-pride.
This faith is also the best
store of wealth, the foundation that gathers all goodness.
So if one, for the sake of generating such faith,
takes up Dharma practice
or seek a master to rely on,
this is sort of putting the cart before the horse.
First of all we must decide:
why should I find a master?
After we find one,
how should we orient our mind?
We should diligently learn Dharma from the master.
This is a what we need to frequently
examine and introspect about.
Regarding how we should go about
frequently remembering the kindness of our guru,
there is a verse in "Ten Dharma Sutra".
I shall mention it here.
It says, the guru's kindness to the disciples can be likened to such a special person:
In the long dark night,
I gallope between life and death;
he looks for me.
In the long dark night,
I am sound asleep, covered by ignorance;
he wakes me up. I sink in the endless ocean of Samsara;
he delivers me to the safe shore.
I fall into lower realms; he shows me the way out.
I am chained to the prison of Samsara; he frees me.
I am tormented by illness in the long dark night;
he, the king of medicine, arrives at my bed.
I am one fire due to greed and
other kleshes;
he, being clouds and rain,
extinguishes the fire.
This is how we should think of our guru.
So we need to frequently
reflect:
Am I a qualified disciple?
Then we need to always look at the master's merits.
Don't find faults with the teacher
due to minor problems,
as if picking bones in the eggs.
About this issue
we have to introspect.
So, here we have
discussed and shared with everyone
a spiritual teacher's
various virtues
and the meaning of a spiritual teacher
including the guru's qualities
and standards.
We as disciples, what kind of attitude should we have when relying on the guru?
What methods should we use?
We have to have some understanding of this.
Today I'm very happy to use the online format
to give a brief introduction of
all the qualities of a spiritual teacher.
To whatever degree, I hope this video brings some
benefits to everybody.
In the future,
we will have more videos on other topics.
We will continue to meet online.
Thank you all.
And I wish you all the best.
Amitabha.
May it be auspicious at all times.