廬山蓮宗寶鑑 1.61

1.61

The ancients said: "Those who gave birth to me are my parents; those who brought me to completion are my teachers and friends." Thus we know that a teacher is a luminous guide on a straying path, a lamp of wisdom in a dark room, a vessel upon the sea of suffering, and eyes for gods and humans. Their kindness surpasses that of parents, and their virtue weighs heavier than heaven and earth; for this reason, disciples dare not serve their teachers with neglect or disrespect. Have you not seen the one who cast away his whole body to seek half a verse, or severed one arm to inquire after the True Vehicle; who made his body a seat to serve his teacher, or bound a stone to his waist to pestle rice and succeed the patriarch; who sold his heart and liver to study prajñā, or threw himself into a mass of fire to realize bodhi? Compared with the ancients, we are exceedingly fortunate; in serving a teacher and studying the Way, how could one not exert oneself? One must know that in renouncing the world and taking a teacher, one must seek right view; in travelling to seek instruction, do not attach yourself to heterodox schools. One must clarify the causes of sin and blessing, and carefully discern the advantages and hazards of right and wrong: the right leads to buddhahood, while the wrong leads to māras. If from the very beginning one does not encounter an adept master, then into old age one turns out to be nothing but worthless bric-a-brac. For this reason, the Tathāgata, knowing his teachers were flawed, abandoned them; and the Master [Confucius] chose those who were good and followed them. Seeing that the ancient sages were like this, why should people of today be otherwise? Moreover, in this final age there are many false teachers; whoever wishes to practice must never approach them. Merely maintain right mindfulness, and in the end you will meet an enlightened teacher. To resolve this great matter, take care not to treat it lightly. Therefore, when a disciple serves a teacher, it is identical to serving the Buddha. It may indeed be said: 'Offering the four necessities, dare one begrudge the toil? Even ten thousand ounces of gold would be fully deserved.'