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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 23

prostration in such condition. She replied, “When I In anything or any products there are fake and real ones.
think that Guru Rinpoche actually visited this place Let me relate one example (of experience with real and
and that the ground I am doing prostrations on is the fake). I translated one of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s
very place his precious feet touched, I feel as if he just teachings into Chinese and it was produced as a book.
walked by and that the earth is still warm with his I was very proud of it but when I walked into a book
footprints. I don’t feel or notice anything else.” store, it was placed next to a fake guru’s book.

Rabjam Rinpoche said that was an example of pure vision. I felt very discouraged. How can my guru’s book,
which is like a real Buddha’s book be next to a fake
Malaysia has been blessed with many gurus and guru’s book? But later, I received a lot of response
dharma masters from all Buddhist traditions who from devotees in China who read the book and were
visit our country from time to time, and some stayed inspired by Khyentse Rinpoche’s teaching. They were
on to start centers and continue teaching. While it even spurred by this inspiration to go to Bhutan (to visit
is always auspicious to meet authentic gurus, many places related with Khyentse Rinpoche) even though
Buddhists tend to go guru shopping, hoping that they couldn’t speak a word of English.
they will find the right guru. Obviously this is not
the best way to study or practice the Dharma. What So it has to be karma to choose this or that (in their
is your advice as a guru for such Buddhists? case, choice of book). It has to be karmic connection (in

which one is drawn to either real or fake).
Google ‘guru’. (hahaha)
As a guru? I always try to emphasize for practitioners You wrote a book called The Great Medicine,
not to see me personally as their guru. I’m like a bridge, A Remedy That Conquers Clinging to Reality
a connection to my guru because my guru is authentic. (Shambhala, 2007) which was very well received
That, I know. internationally. Can you tell us the essence of the
book, and why you wrote it?
So what I try to do (for the connection with authentic
gurus) is always mention the name of guru a few times, I didn’t really write the book. It is based on talks I gave on
so that practitioners can hear and connect with my inspiring teachings by Shechen Gyaltsap Pema Namgyal,
guru. From my point of view, my guru is no different the first root teacher of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
from the Buddha or Guru Rinpoche. So I feel that I’m [Editor’s Note: Ven Matthieu Ricard wrote in the
just making the connection. Foreword of the book that volumes of Shechen Gyaltsap’s
writings were found and brought out of Tibet. Among
Unfortunately, there are also fake gurus. How do we these was a collection of pieces of spiritual advice that
know if a guru is authentic or fake? included The Great Medicine that Conquers Clinging to

Reality, a profound and elegant elucidation of the relative