Your view point is valid for a beginner on this definitive teaching due to the requirement for direct introduction. But the definitive teaching of mahayana is based on the meaning of the third noble truth, which is the state of the cessation of suffering. This mean the teaching assume the audience already attain the knowledge (vidya) that is required for the arriving of the meaning of the third truth.Mantrik wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:48 pmYou seem to regard Sakyamuni as the only Buddha and only source of reliable teachings.
You did not personally hear him teach, nor did you hear him explain his teachings.
You are totally reliant on teachers who have transmitted the scriptures.
Without those teachers you have nothing.
You misunderstand Vajrayana and Dzogchen to the point where you are trying desperately to assert an understanding of the sky using someone else's description of how Shakyamuni described the rocks. Because you are locked into that limitation, people can't explain anything to you.
Therefore, my standpoint is the same as the definitive teaching of mahayana, that is, I am not here to learn the meaning (from someone or teacher), and I didn't assume anyone here need to learn the meaning either. So this is the view that everyone is equalled as buddhas, this is a needed view because in the definitive teaching, there is no 'sentient beings' and no 'sufferings', as these are only the words of the provisional dharma, their real meaning is 'buddhas' and 'bliss' respectively.
In this prespective, in the standpoint of buddha, we have no other choice than the four reliances, 'a person' (or teacher) also is one of the element of uncertainty, every person has their own agenda and opinions, so can never be recommended as a source to be relied, in this case, only the dharma itself is the only reliable source, because the definitive dharma belongs to the side of the base which is changless and permanent. And as a 'buddha', our own view or understanding of the meaning of the scriptures that we relied is itself precious and has an authority on its own, it should not be judge/verify by the authority of person (or teacher) alone but by the meaning/truth of the dharma itself. This is the reason, we need the four reliances, and the reason why the Buddha want us to uphold them as his injunctions.