Killing the teacher.

[Tony]

Killing the teacher.

We need to understand what a teacher is.
It is only someone or something that has gathered information and has practised this information, and then passes it on.

Throughout life, we meet such people or things everyday.
Even when buying a turnip...the person across the counter may pass on their special knowledge on how to cook it.

A teacher is only someone or something that has knowledge and, if we are lucky, some wisdom.
We are not glued or married to the teacher, or the information.
If it does not satisfy, we move on.

Q How do you test this information?
A You test it.

I have had many teachers in my life, and each one has added to my understanding
of the true teacher.
If I had stayed with my own feelings and thoughts, I would not be here.
I would probably still be playing in the gutter with my marbles...

This is the age of the Kaliyuga = Ironage = the Age of Strife.

It was said in the Mahabarata that, in this age:
Men would lose their sense of direction
Woman would go astray
Children will kill their teachers

I do not know how literal this is...!

Of course many will set themselves up as teachers, and this does make it more difficult to
decide what information is correct. I came to the conclusion that we have to rely on OUR own intention.

If we stick with the intention of wanting to know the truth (without getting too sticky!)
then what is beneficial will be attracted to us and what is not will drop away.

Ultimately you are the teacher, as long as you remain a student...without sticky fingers!
(sticky means clinging to ideas). It is the experience that counts, not the words.

Killing the teacher may mean blocking the teacher.
When you do that you block yourself.

If unmodified, the mind is the teacher.
It gathers information, which can turn into knowledge when a situation arises.
If this knowledge is used for the benefit of others, the knowledge turns into wisdom.

Being of benefit to others is...love in action.

Uncover the teacher.

[Anchor]

Another fine thread Sir.

---
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"

Matthew 25.35-40

---

All is one! We teach ourselves, everything and everyone teaches us. We teach/learn and we learn/teach.

[ViralSpiral]

We need to understand what a teacher is. It is only someone or something that has gathered information and has practiced this information, and then passes it on.





Or not.
Could be the stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home (from Joan Osbornes: One of Us)



The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.


~ Rumi ~

[The One]

Killing the teacher.

We need to understand what a teacher is. It is only someone or something that has gathered information and has practiced this information, and then passes it on

Teachers, through their compassion, created the many methods and techniques in order to help their students to concentrate and focus their minds, to be one-pointed. No one technique is better than another; they equally give our monkey minds something to do other than drive us bananas. Many of the practices known as meditation are actually concentration; they bring the mental energy together so the mind is less fragmented. But this is not meditation. Meditation invites us to stop, just stop, breathe and be. Just as with a musician playing or an artist painting, when we stop trying to make it happen something occurs, like the radiant sun that suddenly emerges in a cloudy sky. But because we try so hard, we identify more with the technique instead of allowing the meditation to reveal itself.

[Tony]

Making a wise decision.

lzVdo-fANC8

[Tony]

Being a teacher, to reveal the teacher can have its problems...


QcFmp1Xo7r4

[Tony]

Evaluating a teacher.


aH8TjPDUhKg

[mahalall]

playing cards in the company of a chan masters,

the jack of clubs

ctJ4U8GDruE

[Tony]

We learn by connecting, 'firing and wiring' and joining up the dots.

So why do we sometimes not connect with what is being said? - I know a lot about this!

This must depend on the 'nature' we are born with - and nurture, our environment.
My guess is that this is why our brains are wired up in a certain way.

Some of us are quite thick – not much wiring going on...
If someone tries to teach me anything, nothing goes in. I just go blank.
I have to go away and digest and digest it.
It is the same for me when trying to learn a language - the sounds just do not make any sense.

So. when hearing something from a new point of view, it can take time to see it clearly.
This is why repetition is necessary.
It's called 'firing and wiring'.

To test this 'firing and wiring', imagine a town that you know.
In your mind you can only go down the roads you have actually physically been down already.
The rest is a blank.
Perhaps it is different for those who say they astral travel...!

Being a bit thick can have some advantages, as the brain hasn't been 'prewired' through education.
One has constantly to go back to the beginning, and find out if something makes sense.

So this brings us to our nature.
If we take reincarnation as a reality, then we are born with tendencies - a predisposed wiring system, which will be maintained by our karma if nothing changes.
(Here I have to say that I know many Buddhists who do not believe in reincarnation).

So we come to how we join up the dots, or rather how we join up the dots so differently.
Even though we may be in a similar environment, we may see things totally differently to others...even those in the same family!

Well, the universe is a big place - even the number of species on this planet is vast - so we cannot be sure where we all came from!
So... this could be the reason why some of us will never see eye to eye, and that's OK.
Even in my chosen tradition, I do not connect with anyone - only with the teaching itself.

Though we have this Pure Consciousness, surrounding it is...what can we call it?... a 'subtle flavour'!
A uniqueness!

On a human level, there are those with whom we will never connect.
At a more advanced level, we will connect and be at one, but we'll respect our subtle differences.

Perhaps we are not 'all one', and we should not expect it to be so.

[laughs-last]

thanks again Mr.T helpful post.

ONE LOVE, BIG HUGZ and FOREVER STUDENTS :jester: