Buddhism Basic Lecture No.1

Karma Gelek Yuthok, December 18, 1998

I am pleased to open with this short talk a special column on the Buddha Dharma in our quarterly newsletter. I sincerely hope that the column will help understand our interested readers the true meaning and value of the sacred doctrine of Shakyamuni Buddha. I will try to present some of the basic features of the Buddhist of my own tradition, that is, the Tibetan Buddhism.

When a person truly becomes interested in the Dharma, the first and foremost the person should look for is a qualified master from whom he or she can learn about the Dharma. It is believed that finding a proper master in the beginning is one of the most important things. The reason is quite understandable. Ever in our general life, an unqualified or improper teacher can completely spoil the life of a student. While a schoolteacher can ruin one lifetime, it is believed that an improper Dharma teacher can easily ruin hundreds of our lifetimes. Getting into the Dharma is something very different from getting into common subjects like history and psychology.

For these reasons the role and function of the Dharma master (Skt.Guru; Tib. Lama) are regarded crucial and strongly emphasized in the Buddhist tradition. Especially in higher Buddhist teachings, the importance govern to the Dharma master stands second to none. While giving the very instruction, the famous Indian Buddhist saint, Marpa Lstsawa, “Before the master existed, there never existed anything called the Buddha even in name.”

Most of the Tibetan Buddhist treatises and prayers begin with a stanza of homage to the master. Even in the most basic and common Buddhist practice of taking refuge the three preciousness ones (buddha, dharma, sangha), the Tibetan version contains a fourth precious one “lama” added before the three. Thus, in all practical terms, the Dharma master called “lama” in Tibetan is respected even more than the Buddha. Seeing these obvious practices but badly missing the technical background, the early modern writers on Tibet facially called the Tibetan form of Buddhism as “Lamaism”. Quite strangely, this 50-yiars-old nickname is still being used as a precise scientific mane for the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in some countries including Japan. The term is strongly disliked by all Tibetan masters. The cause of his or her dislike is none other than the serious misimpression it has created about a profound tradition.

One, the Tibetan Buddhism in content and practice is purely and fully the original Buddhism. Two, the great emphasis on the importance of the Dharma Master is something clearly indicated in almost all higher forms of the Buddhist teachings, and not something the Tibetan masters (lamas ) invented later for their own benefit. Three, the emphasis of strong faith in the Dharma Master does not in any way indicate that the faith in the three precious ones is secondary. In fact, the very reason of emphasis on faith and respect in the Dharma Master is because of his or her being the direct representative the three precious ones to the disciple. Four, worshipping the Dharma Master in addition to and in precedence over the three precious objects is done not because of its being a separate of fourth precious objects is done not because of its being a separate or fourth precious objects, but because of its being the three-in ?one living representative to the disciple. Five, the high respect offered to the master is more for the important spiritual role and image he assumed, than for his personal self. Six, instructions to see the Dharma master as a perfect being and not to find fault with him have very little to with the objective realities and are primarily intended as strong means to purify the subjective self of the disciple. Seven, because of the seriousness of the master and disciple relationship, the warnings for proper requisites against those who wish to become Dharma masters are extremely strong. Eight, the misuse of important positions being a common fault of the human society at all levels, the Tibetan institution of Lama is also not free from faults. More and more unqualified and fake Lamas are on the loose since lately doing all sort of things in the name of Dharma to earn their living.

It has been strongly advised to be cautious and careful while forming relationship with a person as one’s Dharma master. Not being hasty, taking necessary time, and remaining vigilant over the nature and behaviors of the master-designate are some basic recommendations. Hearing from reliable persons about the candidate; listening to his speech or Dharma talks before forming the relationship; closely examining his natural behaviors and daily lifestyle are the ways through which one can know about one’s would ?be Dharma master. In some cases, the master can be too well known as a highly qualified master to need such basic examinations. In such cases, the only test one must carry out is about one’s past spiritual link with the master. It’s often possible that the master is unquestionably great, but he is not suitable for a specific person as master. This does not mean that the master is unqualified. Unnecessary examination or over-examination with a master has been instructed as something to be avoided. It’s like adding an irritant substance into or over-boiling a meal otherwise delicious. Similarly, having someone as one’s spiritual master without any examination would be like consuming an unknown substance or eating something raw.

The qualifications laid down for a Dharma master in Buddhism are rather demanding. It’s not possible, nor is their need, to give here the details of such requisites. A simplest summarization is given as below.

A qualified Dharma master must be:

1. A learned and experienced Dharma person.
2. A humble, pacified and honest person.
3. A person who realized the supreme truth and lives by it.
4. A person whose heart overflows with compassion for all living beings.
5. A person who is never tired by his work as a spiritual master.

Another way of summarization can be as below.

1. Having sufficient knowledge and experience in the Dharma.
2. Having no attachment to the interests of this world.
3. Holding the wellbeing of others more important than one is own.
4. Being completely sincere and compassionate on all occasions.
5. Being completely patient and hard working in the Dharma work.

Yet, another way of summing the Dharma master’s requisites is:

1. Holding the purity of moral laws,
2. Holding the purity of discriminative wisdom, and
3. Holding the purity of altruistic intention.

　
A master who is rich in the above qualities, no matter how poor he or she may be in the name and wealth of this world, can be rare spiritual master.

This is the English version of the article titled,"Bukkyou-kiso-kouza-Shirizu" by Ven.Karma G.Yuthok which was prinnted in "Chibetto Tsuushin" of 1999.
We started a Tibetan culture activity by offering two Tibetan language classes and one Tibetan Buddhist Introduction Course from December 1998 till March 1999. The 20th,March will be the last class of the first session. We hope to as soon as Ven.Yuthok will be able to set up his time. - Staffs of Tibet House (Liason Office of H.H.DALAI LAMA),Japan

COPYRIGHT NOTE: This page is the reproduction with a special permission of "Liason Office of H.H.DALAI LAMA(Tibet House),Japan".
Tashi tenrup, Mar. 21, 1999