The Importance of A Guru (an article by Jampa Geltzen)

Our great root Guru Lama Je Tsongkapa said,

“All of a tree’s leaves, fruits and so on are the outcome of its roots. From the difficulty of gaining the optimum human rebirth to the unification of the No-More-Learner similarly derive exclusively from one’s devotion to a spiritual guru.”

The above line obviously is enough to tell us how important is a Guru to our practice.

Je Tsongkapa had also said when we study, but cannot retain the word, contemplate but do not understand, meditate, nothing develop, because we are oppressed by a thick layer of karmic obscuration. He had asked Manjushri what method he should strive to develop quick realization in his mind stream. Manjushri hold him to concentrate on a combination of petitioning his Guru, regarding his Guru as inseparable from his meditative deity, while working hard at his accumulation of merits and continue to internalize the meditation topics.

We have with us a very highly realized Guru and all we need to do is to learn and practice under his instruction. We do not need to, like some people I have come across, who likes going around shopping for Guru and making comparison of the power of each guru. Such actions are uncalled for and such people will never be able to achieve their aspirations and always living in darkness. We may attend teachings of other gurus to broaden our knowledge but remain devoted to our Guru with whom we take refuge in. it is in him, the one whose feet are firmly set upon the path in which we place our reliance for assistance of which we stand in need.

Bodhisattva Sadaspraradita said,“ we were to meet a Buddha we would think the Buddha is higher that the Guru”But sadaspraradita had met countless Buddha’s yet he searched for a Guru.

Buddha manifested his body for us, but we were not fortunate enough to receive Dharma teachings from him. We therefore need an enlightened body suited to our level of good fortune to teach us Dharma. Thus the victorious ones in the ten directions emanate themselves as Gurus for our sake. When we properly devote ourselves to the guru, the Buddhas know it and are pleased.


The essence of nectar Lamrim stated:

“When you properly rely On your spiritual guide you will soon Be liberated from cyclic existence

Like a mother seeing her child receive help All the victors are pleased To the depth of their hearts.”

Our Guru is a Tathagata, an emanation of the Tathagata Sakyamuni. While listening to his teachings, it is most important that we give the highest respect, listen very carefully, and absorb the essence of the teachings.The great scholar Nagarjuna had said,

“ If a person fell from the peak Of the king of mountains He would still fall even though he thought I shall not fall; 

If you receive beneficial teachings Through the kindness of the guru You will still be liberated Though you think ‘I shall not be’”

Our Guru is the one and only one that can help us to achieve our aspiration and nobody else. Our Guru is the most powerful object of one’s offering even more powerful than the Buddha’s and bodhisattvas. As it is said in the Lamrim

“Offering to a single pore of the Guru Gains merit superior to that from offering To Buddhas of the ten directions.”

When we rely on our Guru we will come closer to Buddhahood and can even reach the stage in one lifetime if his instructions are followed and through his kindness, the state of great bliss, or through his compassion the sphere of great bliss. If you are not properly devoted to the guru, you will not develop even the slightest realization into the stages of the path. No matter what practice you cultivate in.

~by Jampa Geltzen~

(As our continuing effort to create a place of sharing of thoughts and experience, we now published this article written by one of the more senior members of our centre, Jampa Geltzen. He has requested his refuge name be used as a respect to his Guru. This article was written just before the arrival of our Guru Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Yeshe at our centre in PJ, Malaysia, a few years back)

[editor's note: this article has been slightly edited to suit the medium which is being published.]