Good students appreciate
being corrected of their mistakes
as they are good students.Good teachers appreciate
being corrected of their mistakes
as they are also good students.– Shilashanti
If a fresh banana leaf is wrapped around a piece of old fish, the leaf will acquire that fishy smell. Likewise, if you follow a nonvirtuous friend, you will acquire nonvirtuous tendencies. Negative habits are contagious. Here are some warning signs to watch out for. A guru who…
[01] lacks knowledge [of the Dharma]
[02] has no devotion to the Dharma [in learning and practice], his or her own guru, or the Sangha
[03] does not have a living [Dharma] tradition [while concocting a false, extinct or new one]
[04] takes you away from virtuous surroundings [or discourages going to them; such as Pure Lands]
[05] has an untamed body, speech and mind [unless before benefactors]
[06] is proud and hypocritical, [thus positioning oneself to be supreme or near supreme]
[07] is quite nasty and vicious to others [who are non-benefactors or ‘competitors’]
[08] has no pure perception [e.g. of others’ Buddha-nature’s potential]
[09] is judgmental [without enough information]
[10] is fussy about food, drinks, possessions and hotel rooms [e.g. is purposely not Maha-Vegan]
[11] does not abide by the Buddha’s rules of Vinaya [for monastics], Bodhisattvayana and Vajrayana
[12] praises oneself in speech though using words of ‘humility’
[13] subtly denigrates others [unfoundedly]
[14] does not fear wrongdoing [due to lack of faith in the law of karma, thus breaking precepts]
[15] has [weak or] no power of forgiveness
[16] has a very weak sense of shame [thus being very morally shameless in secret]
[17] gives teachings that provide no antidote [for the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion]
[18] has a self-cherishing [i.e. self-centred or selfish] agenda
[19] is annoyed by your disciplined Dharma practice [which is better]
[20] [does not answer important questions on his or her questionable conduct and teachings]
The Guru Drinks Bourbon?
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
[with additional bracketed notes]
