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THE 4 RELIENCES
A Traditional Buddhist Teaching
1. First, Rely on the teachings, not the
personality of the teacher.
Rely on the
truth of the teachings, which supports and upholds the truth of the lessons.
The teacher may be to your liking but if the lessons hold no merit, then your
trust and time are wasted.
2. Rely on the spirit and meanings of
the teachings, not on the words.
Look deeply
into the meaning of the words being presented to you. If you listen and
understand shallowly, your growth will be less than if you truly understand the
underlying meanings of the teachings. Look as deeply as you can for the true
message, each time you do this, your understanding will deepen. Be careful of
misunderstanding what the teacher is trying to say for that can lead you in all
sorts of wrong directions, ask questions until you are satisfied that your
understanding is what it needs to be. “When the finger points to the moon,
The(childish) will
look at the finger itself. And fools attached to mere language, may think
they’ve understood, but they will find it difficult.” {Mipham Rinpoche}
3. Rely on real wisdom, not a
superficial interpenetration.
Do not rely
on the temporariness of the lesson, look for the one that touches all levels of
your life and teaches what you require. Do not be swayed by flashy words and high-sounding
concepts, listen, look for what is real and lasting. Find the specifics of the
lesson and see how they apply to where you are on your path at the moment and
also where you can go with this information.
4. Rely on the essence of your pure
wisdom mind, not on judgmental perceptions.
Judgment
will stop your understanding, growth and learning. Your preconceived notions
will keep you from hearing and absorbing new information. As you allow new
information without judgment, you will find truth in wonderful and unexpected
places.
(the
explanations are my interpretations of the relances, Chessie Roberts)
Ju Mipham
Rinpoche (1846-1912)
—Author of the original Reliances was a great Nyingma master
Tibetan scholar and writer of the last century, student of Jamgön
Kongtrul, Jamyang
Khyentsé Wangpo and Patrul
Rinpoche. Blessed by Manjushri,
he became one of the greatest scholars of his time. His collected works fill
more than thirty volumes. His chief disciple was Shechen
Gyaltsab Pema Namgyal.
