Direct Line with Lama Michel

Peace Times 11

Lama Michel, is a young Brazilian who at an early age was recognised as the reincarnation of a great Tibetan master. Here he answers your questions with a simple but deeply meaningful message. Lama Michel is seventeen years old and has been living and studying in the monastic university of Sera Mey in South India since 1993.

Send your questions addressed to «Tell me why?» Lama Gangchen Peace Publications, via Marco Polo 13, 20124 Milan, Italy.

One of the first things we learn in Tibetan Buddhism is how we should develop unconditional faith in our spiritual guide. However, even after some years of following a Buddhist path and teachings, I do not always find it easy to follow the instructions and advice of my guru. In fact I sometimes feel that my guru deliberately puts me in situations that he knows I find difficult to deal with, but I do not understand why?

Victoria, 33 years old, Manchester, England

There exist many traditional texts written by the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism where the relationship between Guru and disciple is described in great detail: however, this relationship is sometimes difficult for people in the west to understand.

Whenever we experience any difficulties in relation to our Guru or spiritual teacher, we should firstly try to think that he is helping us to purify the negative actions that we have carried out in the past. At the same time we should also take refuge in the dharma or spiritual teachings that he has shared with us.

Moreover, we need to apply effort to look very deep within ourself to try and understand what is the real cause of our suffering. If we check carefully we might understand that it is not the Guru causing our problems but actually our own pride or our own attachment, our anger or ignorance...

Reflecting in this way we can try to transform the most difficult moments we experience in our life into spiritual practice - instead of running away and hiding from the true object of our suffering like most normal people. If we do not deal with the true causes of our sufferings we will carry them around with us - wherever we go in the world and in whatever we experience.

If we experience a difficulty in our relationship with the Guru we should use that very moment to heal ourself. The Guru is, in reality, giving to us an ideal opportunity to look deep within ourself and find the true cause of our suffering.

To use this precious opportunity in the best way we need to be honest and open with ourself. We need to develop a strong motivation to change our negative bad habits, not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of all living beings.

edited by Tiziana Ciasullo