question about teachers

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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DanaRichards
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question about teachers

Post by DanaRichards »

I was just wondering how you found your teacher. Also what mode of communication you use to communicate with your teacher.
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ClearblueSky
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Re: question about teachers

Post by ClearblueSky »

I met him at an event in my town, where he was doing a sand mandala. I already had an interest in Buddhism at the time. I either communicate in person or by phone, as he's in town about 50% of the time.
muni
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Re: question about teachers

Post by muni »

DanaRichards wrote:I was just wondering how you found your teacher. Also what mode of communication you use to communicate with your teacher.
Teacher-Master-Guru-Lama...: *Devotion*.
If not, (for me), I sell cleverness :smile: , by that....... there is actually no meeting or communication.

(** Not to mistake with clinging deluded phantasies please, from which we always can throw few examples on the table)

:namaste:
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lobster
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Re: question about teachers

Post by lobster »

DanaRichards wrote:I was just wondering how you found your teacher. Also what mode of communication you use to communicate with your teacher.
Once I learned to discern what a teacher is, it was easy.
Communication - presence, speech, letter, phone. :smile:
Simon E.
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Re: question about teachers

Post by Simon E. »

Who IS your teacher 'lobster ' just out of interest ?
I'll go first if you like, mine is Chogyal Namkhai Norbu.
And I found him by reading one of his books.
My first teacher gave a talk at our University Buddhist Group.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
KonchokZoepa
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Re: question about teachers

Post by KonchokZoepa »

my first teacher is Rabsang Tulku Rinpoche, ive met him only once and dont write him emails even if i could. he teaches me compassion, bodhicitta and the activity and enlightened presence of Chenrezig.

then all the teachers and masters from the books that i have read have taught me about everything necessary.

my newest teacher is Chogyal Namkhai Norbu from whom i just received direct introduction, and will continue to work with this teacher through the webcast actively.

i have also met some other lamas who inspire me on the path and are set as a good examples.

also my teacher is the Guru who is ever present everywhere and in everything, through the wisdom mind of all buddhas and masters that is received through blessings of the lineages and teachings and through effort and practice.
If the thought of demons
Never rises in your mind,
You need not fear the demon hosts around you.
It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned,
there are neither buddhas or demons.
He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue,
will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion.
Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

-Milarepa

OMMANIPADMEHUNG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6P9tOYmdo
DGA
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Re: question about teachers

Post by DGA »

DanaRichards wrote:I was just wondering how you found your teacher. Also what mode of communication you use to communicate with your teacher.
I was introduced to my teacher (Monshin Paul Naamon of Tendai Buddhist Institute) by one of his students. I participated in a weekend retreat, which gave me the opportunity to investigate the community a bit, ask some questions, and size the situation up. I chose to stick around because it was obvious to me that this was a community I could learn a great deal from, and a teacher I could communicate with (he "got me" right away). How do we communicate? Often by email, sometimes by telephone, in person at least twice annually.
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Seishin
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Re: question about teachers

Post by Seishin »

I moved house to a completely different area and wanted to find a local sangha, and ended up finding "home" (what I call our sangha and teacher) :twothumbsup: Besides our weekly meetings and the odd weekends, we also email and phone each other.

Gassho,
Seishin
DanaRichards
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Re: question about teachers

Post by DanaRichards »

Thank you all for taking time to answer my question.
Schrödinger’s Yidam
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Re: question about teachers

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

Currently my teacher is Lama Norlha in New York. I met him because someone suggested his place was a good place to do serious practice. I needed to get away and wanted to go somewhere to practice where nobody knew me. So I went to his place, not because of him, but because of the facility, which really is a good place for serious practice. Turned out once i got there I got more than I bargained for!

The only way I communicate with him is when I actually fly across the country to go there. He travels a lot too, so I've got to time it right. Usually my "interviews" take only a few minutes. My other teachers have already sorted out the normal crippling western insanity for him. He's got it easy!
1.The problem isn’t ‘ignorance’. The problem is the mind you have right now. (H.H. Karmapa XVII @NYC 2/4/18)
2. I support Mingyur R and HHDL in their positions against lama abuse.
3. Student: Lama, I thought I might die but then I realized that the 3 Jewels would protect me.
Lama: Even If you had died the 3 Jewels would still have protected you. (DW post by Fortyeightvows)
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: question about teachers

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

I found my teacher(s) just by by looking for local places online, after years of being a solitary Buddhist. Spent some time in a kind of breakaway Soto tradition. I wasn't interested in Vajrayana initially, (even sutra level) previously, and truth be told i'd say I had a bit of a prejudice against it. This place seemed so inviting though, and I felt more comfortable than usual there. In addition, I got a vibe of WAY less posturing than other sangha I've checked out, partially I think due to being an older group. Something clicked with the practices and the teachers that I never quite got at the Zen place I spent some time at, for whatever reason. Both the teachers the place I am at now really give off a genuine kind of vibe, I feel a bit of..relief or lightness maybe, I don't know what it is talking to them. I really enjoyed my Zen practice as well and think very highly of the teacher there as well.

I vastly prefer in person interaction for these things, not that I wouldn't or don't take advantage of other forms, but there are things that there is no way I would have "gotten" through any form than in person contact. For me so far, in-person interaction with people who on whatever level "get it" better than me is actually part of what i'm learning, it's part of the teaching i'm looking for..I think.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
Simon E.
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Re: question about teachers

Post by Simon E. »

Simon E. wrote:Who IS your teacher 'lobster ' just out of interest ?
I'll go first if you like, mine is Chogyal Namkhai Norbu.
And I found him by reading one of his books.
My first teacher gave a talk at our University Buddhist Group.
Bump.

Obviously you missed this ' lobster '. :smile:
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
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