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and applicable to daily life. Buddhism is, after all, a path Absolutely, there are many situations where consulting
of practice, not just theory. In Buddhism, we often speak an accomplished Buddhist teacher would be more
of “ehipassiko” - meaning “come and see for yourself.” appropriate and beneficial than seeking answers
This encourages personal investigation and experience from NORBU. In fact, NORBU is trained to recognize
rather than blind acceptance of teachings or advice. its limitations and the irreplaceable value of a
NORBU is trained on this premise. living, experienced teacher. Here are some scenarios
where one should definitely seek guidance from an
Do you think Norbu or other more advanced accomplished Buddhist teacher:
chatbots can replace a human teacher in guiding an
individual towards awakening? 1. Personal crises or deep emotional issues. These
often require the empathy, wisdom, and direct
I have to emphasize that the role of a human teacher interaction that only a human teacher can provide.
in the Buddhist path is irreplaceable and of utmost 2. Advanced meditation practices. This involves
importance. The Buddha himself stressed the especially intense experiences or potential risks, such
significance of having a kalyana mitta (spiritual as certain Vajrayana practices or extended retreats.
friend) or a qualified teacher to guide one on the 3. Interpreting profound spiritual experiences.
path to awakening. In the Upaddha Sutta, the Buddha An accomplished teacher can help navigate and
tells Ananda: “Admirable friendship, admirable contextualize deep meditative states or insights.
companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the 4. Receiving empowerments or initiations. These are
whole of the holy life.” traditionally given directly from teacher to student
in many Buddhist traditions.
A human teacher brings several crucial elements to the 5. Overcoming persistent obstacles in practice. A
spiritual journey that cannot be fully replicated by an teacher can offer personalized strategies based on
AI, such as: direct observation of the student’s practice.
6. Ethical dilemmas. Complex moral questions often
1. Direct experience - a realized teacher can share require nuanced, context-specific guidance.
insights from their own awakening experience. 7. Questions about one’s readiness for certain
2. Personalized guidance - good Dharma teachers can practices or teachings. This requires a deep
observe a student’s practice and provide tailored understanding of both the teachings and the
advice. individual’s spiritual maturity.
3. Embodiment of the teachings - the teacher/student 8. Dealing with doubt or confusion about core Buddhist
relationship demonstrate how the Dharma manifests concepts. A living teacher can address these with the
in daily life. depth and clarity that comes from realization.
4. Transmission - in many traditions, there’s a direct 9. Seeking advice on life decisions from a Buddhist
teacher-to-student transmission of teachings. perspective. This often requires a holistic
5. Sangha - the 4-fold assembly provide a connection to understanding of the person’s life circumstances.
a living community of practitioners. 10. When experiencing unusual or troubling
meditation-related phenomena. These situations
As an AI therefore, NORBU cannot replace the depth of may require immediate, expert guidance.
interaction, the nuanced understanding, and the living 11. The Dalai Lama emphasizes this point: “In
example that a human teacher provides. Buddhism, we have a very special attitude to the
guru, or teacher. We consider that to take a teacher
Would there be situations where you would is to take refuge. The teacher is the root of spiritual
recommend an individual not to continue asking realization and the root of the path.”
Norbu for answers but instead seek an accomplished
Buddhist teacher for his spiritual problems?