The Guru Drinks Bourbon?

Fascinating collection of musings on gurus, devotion, tulkus... It feels unguarded, like when he quotes someone joking that Tulku Urgyen's memoir Blazing Splendor is a chronicle of nepotism. And there are shocking quotes like this to pique your interest, though it seems indefensible:"Let's say you see him beating up a fifteen-year-old girl and you come from a culture where this is unacceptable. If that disturbs you, you should say so... If you keep on expressing your doubts and he doesn't change his behavior, and if the doubts keep coming, then maybe you should not follow this guy. But one you have taken him as your Vajrayana guru, you are stuck. You have made your decision, and this is something you have to accept."He says he admires Trungpa for appointing a Westerner as vajra regent but fails to discuss the scandal of the regent knowingly risking spreading AIDS to some of his disciples. An odd omission, considering the subject of the book.DJKR endorses the unquestioning S&M approach to guru/disciple relationship, a la Marpa and Milarepa, a la Trungpa, and even features a picture of some S&M gear. Perhaps he leaves some wiggle room in discussing how we find the inner and secret guru eventually, and he discusses what happens when we say "no" to the guru, but...My first reaction was to pan the book because of its endorsement of blind, cultish, masochistic devotion. I gave it a second read and decided to recommend it highly. Much as I disagree with him, it's worth reading DJKR's thoughts on these things and it may offer some useful insights to those of us who think it would be crazy to jettison our values and our judgment.

Highly recommend. Well written profound book by a very knowledgeable Rinpoche which explains in depth how to discriminate among the assortment of gurus and teachers of Buddhism and of genuine tantra. I also found "The Guru Papers" by Joel Kramer & Diana Alstad extremely useful and informative on how to avoid being taken in by false gurus. We Westerners are not taught, as Buddhists are, to observe the character for 12 years before taking a person as one's guru. Not so doing and jumping right in can lead to some devastating and disillusioning, as well as some enlightening experiences for the naive Westerner.

Best book ever written to date about Vajrayana/Guru disciple relationship. He's brutally honest about what actually goes on "behind the scenes" in that world from the guru's point of view. Having had many decades of personal experience in that arena, I concluded to "love everyone/trust no one"....including most gurus. The abusive Vajrayana gurus are being exposed in the West (as they should be). Gurus are not perfect/they are definitely human with faults. The great irony is that genuine Guru devotion can be the most profound, beautiful, & powerful tool to dissolve the human ego and grant the gift of non-dual samadhis of Mahamudra/Dzochen. The problem is some gurus are limited and incomplete, but they're selling themselves off as enlightened or high end yogis, when they are not. My message to all my spiritual teachers now is: you have to earn my trust-respect 1st...only then are you worthy of my or anyone else's devotion. Guru devotion is a 2 way street! It's NOT just a 1 way street as DJK statesAfter 60 years of Vayrayana transmissions in the West, it's no longer possible to run secret, hidden cultic con games. "Crazy Wisdom" was just a slick smoke screen cover for drug, alcohol, sex, power, & money addiction behavior for many Vajrayana teachers...….license to let their egos run wild under the cover of the "boy's club" of Tulku/Rinpoche marketing techniques. Bottom line: Buddhist Vajrayana is profound, but many of the gurus need to clean up their acts, or many students will continue to leave, give up on Dharma, or switch religions.

This book made the guru-student relationship so much clearer to me. I also so appreciate the fact that Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche does not minimize or make more palatable the challenges inherent in this relationship nor does he care about stating things in a politically correct way. Not one to shy away from controversy, he covers topics such as obedience and surrender to the guru as well as shedding light on the very hot topic of sexuality.I am grateful that he takes western students seriously enough to explain in clear and uncompromising terms a relationship which is so far from what our culture understands or respects. He writes with humor but takes the subject very seriously as should those of us who have stumbled our way into such a relationship.

Essential reading for anyone thinking about getting serious about Vajrayana Buddhism. Lucid, humorous and cuttingly accurate.A friend recommended it. It's the best book I have read all year.

My little Buddhist study group of 4 people have been reading this. All of us are pleased that it is so easy to understand and so informative. The book is written to guide the reader in wisely choosing a teacher/guru and does an excellent job. If you are looking for a teacher, have questions about a teachers qualifications or are considering going on to ngondro and vajrayana practice then this book is extremely helpful. If your just starting on the path then it is also an important book to read.

Outstanding explanation of the central practice of Vajrayana which is frequently misundersood or mischaracterized. The writing is clear, exhibiting Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse's insight; the instruction is stated directly for students and want-to-be Dharma teachers. Not a book for those completely new to Buddhism but essential for those who practice the Vajra vehicle.

I will highly recommend (100%) to all the Buddhist people to read this book before taking refuge in GURU. I feel very much blessed for the opportunity to hold this book.Thank you Rimpoche for inspiring and incredible work for all sentient beings.

This is an important book for anyone confronting the perplexities of the Tantric path and Tibetan Buddhism. It invites discussion and fizzing debate that are long overdue.At times boldly outspoken and controversial yet conveying a genuine quality of the author’s deep love for the Teachings he espouses, it reveals as much about this modern man upholding an ancient lineage as it does the path of following a guru.For the savvy reader, there are warnings aplenty of how to avoid getting caught up in a personality cult. However, for those already enmeshed, there will undoubtedly be members of that sangha who seize on the author’s arguments to augment their unhealthy group dynamic. For this reason it is essential people understand the hair’s breadth of difference between authentic wisdom of non-duality, in which the Vajra world flourishes and nourishes the student and a deluded parody based on inauthentic crazy wisdom which can only result in deep denial of the student and sinking further into delusions of grandeur on the part of the “vajra master”.There is an error on p. 122. Somehow for reasons beyond my comprehension, the Sixth Dalai Lama has performed phowa into the body of Khamtrul Tenpa Nyima Rinpoche, for as such is he named!…...careless copying and pasting?I highly recommend as many people as possible within the Tibetan tradition read this book and then sit down and talk it through with friends, sangha members, lamas and Rinpoches including the author himself. All profits from the sale of the book are being donated to charity. A win win opportunity.

Excellent as usual by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, must read

An indispensable guide for westerners thinking about embarking on the lifelong quest for enlightenment with a Guru in the Tibetan tradition as guide.

Recommended

Amazing book for those who practice tibetan Buddhism. Dzongsar Rinpoche is really inspiring. I recommend all his books. Although this book is not for absolute beginners.