Part 2b - The characteristics of students that are to be accepted and rejected

1) Students to be rejected

1.a) Those who are bad vessels:

As for those who have characteristics other than those of such gurus

Ill-starred disciples other than that are the gro und of all evils.
They are quite without shame, and they are quite without faith.
Having no decency, they have very little compassion.
Both by nature and nurture, their behavior is ill-starred.

Their attitudes, actions and kleshas are coarsened by the five poisons.
Reversing the precepts of Dharma, adharma, good, and evil.
Not keeping their vows and samayas, they have no antidote.
Utterly stupid, with small understanding and nearly insatiable,
Their angry words and hostility are forever increasing.

They relate to gurus with five perverted perceptions,
Seeing gurus as musk-deer, and the Dharma as musk.
They see themselves as hunters. Their efforts are shot like arrows.
As for the fruition of having accomplished Dharma,
They think it is profit from selling their prize to someone else.
But without samaya, instead, they will suffer here and hereafter.

Students of bad fortune are vessels of many defilements. They have little shame or faith. They have little compassion or even common decency. Their family and nature are bad. Their conduct and fortune are bad. Their minds and kleshas are coarse. They reverse virtue and vice and turn the instructions upside down. They do not keep their vows and samayas. Not shutting the doors to the kleshas, they obscure the antidotes. With little prajña, they are hard to please. Their anger, harsh speech, and selfish attitudes always increase. They compete in adharmic actions. They shame the Buddha. They disgrace the Dharma. Their secret mutilation of the Sangha undermines the very life of the guru. Completely unpacified, they endanger everyone.

In particular, in their murderousness, they are like hunters. They receive precepts from the master with this approach alone. If there are other people present, they think, “With this and that faults, they are like animals.” Saying, “That Dharma is one I have heard over and over,” they think they are better than anyone else, and regard it as like musk. They delight in shaming others who are not perfect in the learning of that Dharma, and especially in killing them. Because they have few resources, they sell and barter. Thus this life is not auspicious for them, and later they wander in the lower realms. On this topic the commentary to the Tantra Presenting the three Samayas (dam tshig gsum bkod pa’i rgyud ‘grel) says:

They disparage the vajra master of the secret mantra.
They want to sell the Dharma for power, food, and wealth.
By their family nature, they do not keep samaya.
For them this life will be short, as they damage glory and fortune.
By the dakinis’ retribution they will suffer.
Later they will fall into the lower realms.

1.b) What occurs if there is no examining

Also if students are ill-starred:

Some enter students at random, without examination.
At first there is praise of virtues; but afterwards they disparage.
With black motivation in mixtures of public and private actions,
They deviously slander the retinue of the guru.
In fruition they will go to the Uninterrupted Hell.

A teacher may accept such students without first examining the continuum of student and guru. When they are newly associated, they speak reverently and respectfully. Then, angered by some little slight, they cast blame and speak harshly, and, when they are alone, they indulge in frivolous faults. They disparage everyone in the guru’s retinue. Some publicly make a false display of praise and respect, but mentally nurse their lack of faith and respect. As they revile the guru with their hidden agendas and deceitful wiles, there is immeasurable harm. The Fifty Verses on the Guru (bla ma lnga bcu pa) says:

In the Avici Hell and similar fearful places
Those who are beings inhabiting such Hells
Are those who have denigrated and cursed the guru.
That they stay there long is well and truly taught.

2) The characteristics of good students

Continuing with the explanation of those who are special vessels:

Students of good fortune live in faith and prajña.
Diligent and careful, always conscious of evil,
Not going beyond the command, guarding their vows and samayas,
The three gates, body, speech, and mind, are tamed.
They are compassionate and want very much to be helpful,
Spacious, forbearing, and generous; great in sacred outlook.

As these students are steadfast and very devoted, the benefits of their having pleased the guru are measureless. The Sutra of the Ornament of the Wisdom of Maitreya (‘jam dpal ye shes rgyan gyi mdo) says:

If sons or daughters of noble family with excellent faith have reverence for the guru, they have an immeasurable heap of merit. It is even more limitless than that of those who have made offerings to all the buddhas for as many kalpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River.

The Holy Wisdom Tantra (ye shes dam pa’i rgyud) says:

Compared to offering to the buddhas for kalpas,
If part of a single body-hair of the guru
Is anointed with a single drop of oil,
The heap of merit is much higher than that.

This is because the guru is a special object. The Embodiment of the Intention (dgongs ’dus) says:

More than the buddhas of a thousand kalpas
The guru should be known to be a friend.
Why? Because all of the buddhas of those kalpas
Arise in dependence on the guru’s virtues.
Previously, before there was a guru,
Even the name of “Buddha” did not exist.

2.b) Thinking of the guru’s virtues, confessing, and vowing to refrain

As for these good students:

They are always mindful of the virtues of the teacher.
They never think of the teacher as having any faults.
Even if they see some, they think of them as virtues.
They think from their hearts that surely these are their own projections,
Confession and vows to refrain serve as their antidote.

If they have the slightest non-faith, they think of it as a projection with the nature of a dream. They think that certainly the guru does not really have these faults. If, even in a dream, they do not have faith in the conduct of the guru, as soon as they awaken from sleep they confess it. The Play of the Water Wheel of Samsara (’khor lo chu bab rol pa) says:

If even in a dream, faults are seen in the guru,
As soon as we awake, if we do not confess,
This will increase as the cause of the Avici Hell.

If such thoughts arise during the day, instantly, or within a minute, or within a day, we should confess. Then for every fault in our minds we should think of a hundred virtues and, likewise, express them all.

2.c) Abandoning what does not please the guru and asking what is to be done

What does not please the guru and anything like it should be abandoned. We should try to do what will be pleasing:

They reject every aspect of what does not please the guru
And try to please the teacher in any way they can.
Neither do they ever break the teacher’s command.
They always treat the teacher’s retinue like the teacher.
They do so even when they are persons of lower rank.
They do not take these or the teacher’s servants as their students.
Instead they request empowerments and explanations of Dharma.

They abandon what does not please the teacher and accomplish what does. What is taught by these words must be done. The former text says:

Even if we have faults, if we act in accord with these words
There is real benefit. Why mention that this should be done?
In the retinue, even those who might called below us
Are treated like the guru. They are not gathered as students.
Instead they are asked for Dharma-teachings and abhishekas,
Requesting ordinations, fire-offerings, and such.

Another text says:

The lesser ones of the guru are treated like the guru.

It is as is said here and elsewhere.

2.d) Their behavior

As for the students’ discipline of bodily behavior in the guru’s presence,

Their body, speech, and mind are controlled before the teacher.
They sit respectfully and never turn their backs.
They smile and do not show any black and angry looks.

The Three Stages (rim gsum) says:

In the guru’s presence, proper bodily action
Is sitting cross-legged, as well as never turning the back.
Faces should be smiling, never angry or sinister.
In brief we should be mindful of our every action.

2.e) Students control all faults of speech Moreover, as for frivolous speech and so forth:

They do not speak frivolously, nor utter lies and slander.
They do not tell others’ faults with harsh and unpleasant speech,
Nor speak any words that are not considered or to the point.

They have nothing to do with joking, humorous banter, idle chatter, repeating rumors, divisive false words, running down other people and so forth. Even if what is said is true, the speakers will attain great unhappiness. Why so? The guru will rebuke them, and there will be quarrels. By quarrelling with the guru, even momentarily, great damage will be produced. The same text says:

Anything connected with careless words
Should not ever be said before the guru.
If ordinary persons should be angered,
They fall by that into the Occasional Hells.

Whoever contradicts the mind of the guru
Will be boiled in deep black utter darkness
For a hundred thousand times ten million kalpas.

2.f) Controlling wrong conceptions of mind in their motivation. #391.5 In mind:

They are not covetous about the teacher’s things.
They sheathe the claws of any kind of harmful thoughts.
The various miracles of the guru’s actions and conduct
Are not to be conceived as a hypocritical sham.

They reject wrong views of the slightest faults and defects
That would be in contradiction with such a view,
Thinking, “This is not right, but the teacher still is doing it.”

They do not greedily think, “If only this which is the guru’s were mine! They do not say anything harmful about the guru’s retinue, students, patrons, and so forth, since if this came to attention of the guru, it would arouse displeasure. They are not hypocritical about actions done for the guru’s purposes, whether peaceful or harsh, or whether or not they are in accord with worldly convention. They do not think, “This is wrong,” or “That is not the right way,” or that the guru’s earlier and later words and actions have even the slightest contradiction. The Root Tantra of Establishing Wisdom (ye shes grub pa’i rtsa rgyud) says:

For the guru’s things, his retinue and close retinue
Abandon covetousness and do not criticise.
The guru’s various actions for the sake of sentient beings,
As beneficial upaya are great miracles.
For that limitless ocean of intentions and actions
Put aside wrong views, since they will result in harm.

2.g) Examining our own faults and devotedly meditating

Meditating on it as subsequently arising reflections of their own unremembered faults that they have committed:

Whenever they have shown any anger toward the teacher,
Certain that they have faults, they therefore examine themselves.
Having confessed their faults, they vow to refrain from them,
With heads bowed in meditation, they supplicate intensely.
Pleasing the teacher thus, they quickly become accomplished.

Being openly angry with true spiritual friends is not good.

Since when we do evil deeds, the spiritual friend is not pleased, thinking, “How did we go wrong,” we examine ourselves. We confess and strongly vow to refrain.

Generally, anger at anyone certainly half depends on ourselves. If we did not exist, it would not arise, like the anger of the people of our continent Jambuling and the northern continent Kurava. When these people see and hear each other and so forth, they are like a drum and a stick. Anger is not right for us. We become the eye-condition of others’ evil deeds. Moreover, by our own anger and hatred always arising, the seed of Hell is produced.

Therefore, if we are angry with people, we should meditate on them above the head. In a few days anger and obscuration will certainly be purified. In particular when there have been improper feelings toward the guru, meditate on the guru on the top of the head. Having done prostrations and offerings, with complete repentance, shed tears and join the palms saying:

Kye, kye precious guru:
For me there is no other hope but you.
Please regard me with your eye of compassion.

I am oppressed by confusions of ignorance.
All of my transgressions of the three gates
With complete remorse and repentance I confess them.

My three vows have been violated and broken.
My mind is covered with defiling faults.
May you now by means of your compassion
Purify them all within an instant.

As for me, by unknowing stupidity,
Though I did not seek to, I did wrong.
Previously too I wandered in samsara.

Now, O guru who has such compassion,
As for all my hindering obscurations,
May you clear them away immediately.

For such an unknowing fool as I am now,
If, when you have seen my abundant faults,
I do not enter your kind consideration,
What other intention might you have for me?

A child’s faults, whatever they may be,
Are removed and purified by its mother;
So for us sentient beings of the six realms,
Who are to be tamed by your buddha activity,
Such benefits as those have been intended.

Former victorious ones beyond all counting
Abandoned me and went to liberation.
Now the victorious ones of the ten directions
Having urged you, for my benefit,

When you have emanated as the guru,
If you reject me now and abandon me,
Who live as if seduced to a fearful place,
Would you then deceive me so today?

Or like a precious wish-fulfilling gem
If I make my supplication to you,
Will you grant whatever is desired?
You are very kind and skilled in means.

Why will you not look on me with kindness?
Offerings are made even to flesh-eating demons.
As soon as the true words have been expressed,
If former wrathful anger is put aside,

As for you, compassionate father of beings,
With devoted homage, overwhelmed with longing,
If I confess my faults, will you not consider me?

Not all my evil deeds are purified.
If I should go on to other lives,
I shall only burn in the fires of Hell.
If you do not purify these deeds,
Compassionate master, how will it be done?

Kye ma Kye ‘ud, my faults and evil deeds!
I supplicate you, purify them all.
Consider me with compassion this very instant.

Let me receive empowerment and blessing.
Bestow the supreme and ordinary siddhis.
Clear away all spirits of obstruction,
Agents of perversion and obstacles.

Establish all my wishes in this life,
Free from suffering at the moment of death,²⁰⁵
Let me be free from the terrors of the bardo.
Let me be led to the realm of Akanishta

So supplicate in the four sessions of the day and night seven times each. By that, after all violations have been purified, the supreme and ordinary siddhis will quickly be attained

2.h) Adopting pure and respectful conduct #395.6 Further, regarding conduct:

When they see the teacher they arise and prostrate.
When the teacher sits they offer a seat, or whatever is needed.
Joining their palms they praise the teacher with pleasant speech.
Everyone rises, as the teacher is departing,
To face the teacher, as a way of showing respect.

They spread out the guru’s seat and give praise, joining their palms. When the teacher enters and departs they rise. They go to welcome and see off the guru. This is said in the Vinaya of Holy Dharma (dam chos ’dul ba):

As soon as the preceptor^[1] is seen, they should rise from their seats. If they do not rise, they will be born as serpents or creeping things for five hundred generations. This is said in hundreds of places. If they rise and serve the guru even moderately well, they will attain the major and minor marks.

The commentary to the Abhisamayalankara says: #396.3

By going to meet the guru, seeing the guru off, and so forth, they will possess marks such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet being marked with wheels.

2.i) Practicing mindfulness and careful attention #396.4 When they are with the guru:

Always mindful, very careful, fully aware,
With apprehensive awe they stay devotedly,
As shy before the teacher as a new bride with her husband.
Uplifted and not disturbed by an agitated mind,
Not biased and partial, not looking for profit or fame.
They are not deceitful, nor are they dishonest.
By the same token, they are not hypocritical.
They do not act differently in private and public.
They are not pleasant to those who are close, disparaging others.

When they are in the guru’s presence, they are completely mindful. They control infractions of body, speech, and mind with their different aspects. Having done this conscientiously, their minds watch their minds, keeping careful control so that they do not become lost in the power of the kleshas. Tamed and peaceful like a new bride or a new monk, their wishes will be established. The Bodhicharyavatara says:

As for the drunken elephant of mind,
To the great pillar of contemplating Dharma
Tie it so that it does not escape.
With such an effort examine everything.

Keep mind one-pointed any way you can^[2]
Not losing it for even the space of an instant,
Analyze just what the mind is like;
Thus the mind will be discriminated.

And also:

As for those who wish to guard the mind,
As for being mindful and aware,
May I guard it even if I die.^[3]
Thus I join my palms in supplication.

Even alone in our own houses, we should not behave carelessly. We should keep mindful and aware. The buddhas have the divine eye and see us even when we are hidden. The same text says:

The buddhas and their sons the bodhisattvas
Have unobstructed vision of everything.
In the five eyes^[4] of these I shall remain.

Thinking that, I feel shame, and reverence,
As well as fear, and these remain with me.

Even at other times and occasions the mind should not move from virtue. The same text says:

As for frivolous talk, there are various kinds.
There are many kinds of wondrous shows.²¹⁰
If we enter into every one,
Desire^[5] for that will surely be abandoned.

Uselessly digging the ground will cut the roots.²¹²
If questions and so forth furrow up the earth,
Having remembered the precepts of the Sugata,
We will surely let them go from fear.^[6]

When we want to fidget and move around,
Also. if we have a desire to talk,
Having first examined our own minds,
We should be stable in the proper way.^[7]

When the mind has any kind of wishes,
Or it wants to be angry, at that time,
We should not act and should not speak at all.
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

When we have wildness and discursiveness^[8]
If we have pride and self-infatuation,
And secret negative thoughts are cultivated,
Or if there is deceptiveness^[9] and cunning,

When we become preoccupied with self-praise,
Or there is disparagement of others,
When we become regretful^[10] of such abuse,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

If we desire possessions, rank, and fame,
If we aspire to servants and retinue,
Or when the mind desires to be served,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

From wishing decrease or rejection of others’ good
And cultivation of our benefit,
When a thought of speaking out arises,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

When there is fear of impatience or laziness
Similarly of shamelessness, or nonsense,
Or mind attached to partialities,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

Having examined thoroughly the mind
Of bitter kleshas and useless futile struggle,
Then heroically by the antidote,
We should hold the mind completely steady.^[11]

Completely certain and completely faithful,
Trustworthy,^[12] devoted, and respectful,
Having shame and modesty and fear,^[13]
Try to be peaceful, bringing joy to others.

Not saddened at the mutual discord
Of the desires of children and of fools,
Think, “Produced by kleshas these arise.”
Then we will feel kindness for such people.

Having in our mouths no senseless thing,
Able to handle ourselves and sentient beings,
We should always firmly keep the mind.^[14]
As if it were a selfless emanation.^[15]

“After so long this is the highest freedom,”
Thinking again and again of that attainment,
Such a mind, remaining like Mount Meru,
Should hold to that completely motionless.

Adharma, what pertains to this life, should not move us from doing this even for an instant. Since we are devoted to the practice of Dharma because of the guru, our companions are the preceptor’s instructions, fear of the lower realms, and the misery of samsara. By our effort, mindfulness, awareness, conscientiousness and many virtues will arise. The same text says:

Through association with the guru,
And all that we are taught by the preceptor
And devotion coming from the good fortune of fear,
Mindfulness will easily arise.

Having produced virtue and veneration for the guru, and eliminated partiality, desire for wealth and fame, hypocrisy, deceitfulness, and saying different things when people are near and far away, we will always be the same to everyone. Therefore we will perfect the accumulations and purify the obscurations without distinction.

2.j) Showing reverence by the three pleasings Moreover,

If they are wealthy, they make offerings to the guru;
Otherwise serving with body and speech, respect and reverence.
They abandon this life’s values and please the teacher with practice.

The best is to serve with practice. The intermediate with body and speech, and the lesser with material things. Do any of these that are appropriate with genuiness.

2.k) Reversing the strayings of others though skillful means:

In regard to the guru:

If others insult the guru, they refute their words.
If they cannot, they think of his virtues again and again.
They cover their ears, but still try to benefit with compassion.
They will not gladly speak any words that are not supportive.

If anyone says something bad about the guru, they reverse it through skillful means. If they do not have the power to do so, they think of the guru’s virtues, and, covering their ears with their fingers, they will not attend, listen, or ask about it. The Tantra of the Arising of Amrita (bdud rtsi ‘byung ba’i rgyud) says: #401.2

If people should insult the vajra master,
By peaceful or wrathful action they reverse it.
If they do not have the power to do so,
They will cover their ears with mindfulness.

They do not talk to such people or pay attention.
If they ask any questions about these things,
They will be boiled within the lower realms.

2.l) As for telling the benefits of doing this These are the benefits:

Thus they accomplish benefits in all their lives.
They meet with holy persons and hear the highest Dharma.
As they are perfectly filled with the wealth of various qualities
Of the paths and bhumis, dharanis, and samadhis,
Their service brings a feast of happiness and peace.

The Gandavyuha Sutra says: #401.5

Kye, son of noble family, because we depend on the spiritual friend, we always feel reverence, and therefore there is mindfulness. For the multitude of sentient beings benefit and happiness are produced. Spiritual friends are encountered. The holy bhumis, paths, and samadhis are accomplished.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mhkhan po, upadhyaya. Learned one, teacher, preceptor. This is the way the teacher is thought of in hinayana, as opposed to the guru of vajrayana

[2]:

Hee there are slight variants: Bodhicaryavatara: ci nas ting ‘dzin brtson pa ni As for trying to keep samadhi in every way. This commentary:

ci nas rtse cig sems kyis ni
============================
bdag gi yod ‘di gar /spyod/dpyod ces.//

think “where is mind

[3]:

This commentary: srog la bab kyang srung shig ces. Bodhicaryavatara: thams cad ‘bad pas...with every effort.

[4]:

This commentary: spyan lnga. Bodhicaryavatara: spyan sna before their eyes.

[5]:

This commentary: chags pa. Bodhicaryavatara: chags par.

[6]:

Bodhicaryavatara: dor. This commentary: btang. Can be synonymous, but might not.

[7]:

Bodhicaryavatara: brtan pas com par. No difference in meaning.

[8]:

Bodhicaryavatara: ‘am, or. This commentary: dang, and.

[9]:

This commentary: slu sems, Bodhicaryavatara: bslu sems. No difference in pronunciation or meaning.

[10]:

This commentary: ‘gyod, Bodhicaryavatara: ‘gyed: No difference in meaning.

[11]:

This commentary: yid ni brtan por.  Bodhicaryavatara: de ni brtan par, referring back to another “yid.” Same meaning.

[12]:

Bodhicaryavatara: brtan stable, trustworthy. this commentary: brten: supporting, trustworthy.

[13]:

Bodhicaryavatara: bcas dang. This comentary: dang bcas. No difference in meaning.

[14]:

Bodhicaryavatara: yid ‘di this mind. this commentary: yid ni, as for mind. No real difference in meaning.

[15]:

This commentary: sprul zhing nga rgyal med pa ni: Without emanation and pride: Presumably an error. Bodhicaryavatara: sprul pa bzhin du nga med par.