English
Having said that. Then is there half? Not enough. Then is it this big? Not enough, when he said that, he thought it was impossible to be that big, so he went to see, and as a result, he saw the ocean, was so surprised that he fainted. If you rely on such a spiritual friend, it will also make your leisure and opportunity wasted, so you should abandon it as mentioned before. The third is like a madman's guide: Furthermore, they only understand a little bit of the meaning of the Dharma's words, they have only heard a little bit, so they hear very little about the merits of the scriptures, and even if they have taken vows and commitments, they do not understand the boundaries of what is allowed and what is forbidden. They do not cherish the training, so the precepts they guard become scattered, not to mention the merits of realization, meditation and wisdom, they do not even have morality, and are controlled by sins. Even if their own abilities are very poor, they do not care, and their behavior of body and speech is frivolous and casual, pretending to imitate the behavior of accomplished people, or giving teachings to many people, etc., following the actions of those with very high views and thoughts, like gods on earth, soaring high like flying in the sky. They do not consider benefiting others at all, but only pursue fame and gain, and the rope of compassion and love for guiding sentient beings, that is, the rope to hold on to, has been broken. Such a spiritual friend is like letting a madman be a guide, who will lead people to cliffs and other places that are not roads. Relying on them will lead you from the cliff disguised as Dharma to the abyss of sin, thereby increasing sin, so do not rely on them. The fourth is like a blind leader: Furthermore, even if the person you rely on does not have many merits of scripture and realization. But what is particularly needed is that the teacher must have more merits than the student himself. If this is not the case, then he has no ability to improve the student's mind. Therefore, from the student being on the path of accumulation, the teacher needs to be on the path of preparation, until the student is on the path of learning, the teacher needs to be a Buddha. In short, what is needed is a supporting condition that can make one's own mind better. The "Friendly Letter" says: Relying on someone inferior to oneself will cause one to regress; relying on someone equal to oneself will remain at the same level; relying on someone superior to oneself will attain excellent achievements. Therefore, one should rely on someone more excellent than oneself. Then, (someone might ask) does that mean one needs to rely on a Buddha?
Chinese
如果有人问，这与什么相悖呢？首先，在寻找善知识的时候，必须要有这样的人。一旦与上师建立了联系，从表达虔诚的角度来看，无论上师是什么样的人，都必须视其为真正的佛陀。如果他没有其他功德，但有菩提心，那么他就是一切功德的宝藏，是无与伦比的信仰之地，是追随他人的主要原因，因此绝对值得依止。如果他没有菩提心，而只是把自己的利益放在首位，那么他就没有任何圣者的品质。仅仅因为他暂时拥有权势、财富、僧众和弟子等，拥有巨大的福报，或者仅仅因为他获得了化身、大喇嘛、侄子等名号的巨大声誉，就认为他是圣者并依止他，就像盲人领队无法引导盲人一样，因为他没有指引解脱之路的智慧之眼，所以在错误中迷失了最终的目标，这是非常错误的。上师不看弟子是否如法行事，只喜欢弟子为自己提供服务和奉承，并装作照顾他们。弟子也帮助上师完成没有任何意义和必要的八法之事，并以侍奉上师为借口来依止和交往。那么，现在这种看似有佛法的培养就会变得毫无意义，今生来世都将迷失在无法看到佛法真谛和取舍之道的黑暗之中。第五，说明必须抛弃的原因：因为这些原因，首先在没有通过佛法建立联系之前，无论距离远近，都要长期通过各种方式仔细考察上师是否具有圣者的品质。如果没有值得依止的品质，就保持中立。如果他具备所有、大部分或少部分值得依止的品质，并且知道他值得依止，那么在通过佛法建立联系之后，就要思考他的功德，无论以后他做什么，都不会产生邪见，这样依止他才是有意义的。如果像狗和肺相遇一样，只要是挂着上师名号的人，未经考察就依止，那么想要修持佛法的信
English
If someone asks, what does this contradict? First, when seeking a spiritual friend, such a person is definitely needed. Once a connection with the guru is established, from the perspective of offering devotion, no matter what kind of person the guru is, they must be regarded as a true Buddha. If they have no other qualities but have the mind of enlightenment (bodhicitta), then they are the treasury of all qualities, the unsurpassed field of faith, and the main cause for following others, so they are definitely worth relying on. However, if they are devoid of bodhicitta and only prioritize their own interests, then they have none of the qualities of a holy person. Merely because they temporarily possess power, wealth, monastic communities, and disciples, etc., and have great fortune, or merely because they have gained great fame with titles such as incarnation, great lama, nephew, etc., if one considers them holy and relies on them, it is like a blind leader unable to guide the blind. Because they lack the eye of wisdom to show the path to liberation, one will lose the ultimate goal in error, which is a great mistake. The guru does not look at whether the disciple acts according to the Dharma, but only likes the disciple to provide service and flattery to themselves, and pretends to take care of them. The disciple also helps the guru accomplish the eight worldly concerns (activities without any meaning or necessity), and relies on and associates with them under the guise of serving the guru. Then, this cultivation that seems to have Dharma now becomes meaningless, and in all future lives, one will wander in the thick darkness where one cannot see the truth of the Dharma and the path of what to adopt and abandon. Fifth, explaining the reasons for abandoning: Because of these reasons, first, before establishing a connection through the Dharma, whether near or far, one should carefully examine for a long time through various means whether the guru has the qualities of a holy person. If there are no qualities worth relying on, remain neutral. If they possess all, most, or some of the qualities worth relying on, and one knows they are worth relying on, then after establishing a connection through the Dharma, one should contemplate their qualities, and no matter what they do later, one will not develop wrong views. Only then will relying on them be meaningful. If, like a dog meeting a lung, one relies on anyone who bears the name of a guru without examination, then the faith of wanting to practice the Dharma...
Chinese
对于一切有情众生来说，先前存在和后来产生的善行积累之道的所有功德都白白浪费了，没有长期获得圆满暇满的人身，而只是在现在这个时候获得，这会变得毫无意义，例如，如果一条毒蛇盘踞在树旁，误以为是树荫而前去休息，就会被蛇毒侵袭而死亡。如果希望依靠慈悲的荫凉获得安乐，却依赖于非圣者，就会被罪恶之毒侵袭，导致解脱的生命终结，没有比这更大的欺骗了。持明藏中说：自己不了解却教导他人，自己没有成熟却希望他人成熟，不认识传承、口诀和邪魔，愚人的话语充满傲慢，贩卖秘密真言、苯教吟诵和甚深佛法，背离正法而行事，积累罪恶，听闻甚少，回答问题时无法应对，不考察上师，是弟子的魔。这样说。第三，忆念圣者的功德有二：通过十二种殊胜的比喻来忆念，以及通过二十种认识来忆念。首先，通过十二种殊胜的比喻来忆念：对于包括经论及其注释在内的意义，获得广博智慧之眼，善于解脱以三学所摄持的特殊证悟的弟子相续，即是说，具足传承和理性一切功德的殊胜上师们，是十方诸佛法身智慧，在远离戏论的境界中，具有无缘大慈的自生任运之体性，从那之中，为了无边无际的所化众生，显现不可思议的化身游戏，随应所化而示现。现在，对于我们导师的珍贵教法末期所生的众生来说，圣者以人的形象出现，因此，具有与诸佛相同的智慧、慈悲和能力三种功德，并且从为末法时期出生的众生指示解脱道的角度来看，甚至超过了佛陀。《无垢虚空经》中说：阿难陀，如来对一切众生显现
English
For all sentient beings, all the merits of the path of accumulating virtue that existed before and will arise later are wasted in vain. Not having obtained the perfect leisure and endowment for a long time, but only obtaining it at this moment, it will become meaningless. For example, if a poisonous snake is coiled near a tree, and one mistakenly thinks it is the shade of the tree and goes there to rest, one will be attacked by the snake's poison and die. If one hopes to obtain happiness by relying on the cool shade of compassion, but relies on non-saints, one will be attacked by the poison of sin, leading to the end of the life of liberation. There is no greater deception than this. In the Vidyadhara Pitaka, it says: 'One who does not know teaches others, one who is not mature desires others to be mature, one who does not recognize lineage, oral instructions, and demons, the words of a fool are full of arrogance, selling secret mantras, Bon chants, and profound Dharma, acting against the Dharma, accumulating sins, hearing little, unable to answer questions, not examining the teacher, is the demon of the disciple.' Thus it is said. Third, remembering the qualities of the holy ones has two aspects: remembering through the twelve excellent examples, and remembering through the twenty cognitions. First, remembering through the twelve excellent examples: For the meaning of the scriptures and their commentaries, having developed the eye of vast wisdom, being skilled in liberating the minds of disciples with special realizations gathered by the three trainings, that is, the holy lamas who possess all the qualities of transmission and reasoning, are the wisdom of the Dharmakaya of all Buddhas in the ten directions. In the state of being free from elaboration, they have the nature of great compassion that is self-arisen and spontaneously accomplished. From that, for the sake of limitless beings to be tamed, they manifest inconceivable emanations, appearing in whatever way is appropriate for those to be tamed. Now, for the beings born in the degenerate age of the precious teachings of our teacher, the holy beings appear in human form. Therefore, they possess the three qualities of wisdom, compassion, and power, which are equal to all Buddhas, and from the perspective of showing the path of liberation to beings born in the degenerate age, they even surpass the Buddhas. In the Sutra of Immaculate Space, it says: 'Ananda, the Tathagatas appear to all sentient beings.'
Chinese
不是的。善知识是由于完全显现而说法，播种解脱的种子。因此，善知识比诸佛更加殊胜。如《持明总集续》中说：“诸佛及其子，于何调伏者，示现与之合，形象。”像这样的大德，是殊胜成就，超越世间的道和果的功德，以及共同成就，世间道的功德之根本，是无上的。因为依靠修持他所开示的教言，并且令他心生欢喜。也正是如此，《总集经》中说：“不依止于师，诸佛永不生，真实生吾未见，若生违背圣教。”他的所有行为，都是为了引导不同的所化众生走向解脱道，而以各种方式示现，因此在形式上与所有世间行为一致。但在究竟的意义上，虽然看似降伏了敌人，却没有嗔恨；同样，虽然看似关爱亲友，却没有贪执；虽然忙于事务，却不会散乱；虽然积累财富，却没有执着；虽然拥有地位和权力，也不会生起傲慢。因为他将一切显现都视为幻象和梦境，他的意念与虚空同等，因此与所有世间人的行为准则相违背。对于那些看似与佛法不符的言语和行为，也不应错误地看待，因为他考虑到某些意图，为了引导众生等等，有许多特殊的必要。因为他的行为不与普通人相同，所以超越了所有世间人。全知大士说：“为度世间故，与世间相合。为超世间故，与世间不合。身语意三门，胜过诸行持。”此外，他还善于运用各种方法，断除所化众生在理解词义、消除修行障碍等方面的所有疑惑，并且对于那些忘恩负义者的责骂和恶行等颠倒行为，也不会感到厌烦，而是以慈悲心对待。
English
No. A virtuous friend teaches the Dharma by fully appearing and plants the seeds of liberation. Therefore, a virtuous friend is even more excellent than the Tathagatas. As it is said in the Rigdzin Düdü: "The Buddhas and their sons, to whomever is to be tamed, show a form that is in accordance with them." Such a supreme being is the unsurpassed root of all the qualities of the supreme accomplishment, the path and fruit that transcend the world, and the common accomplishment, the qualities of the worldly path. For it depends solely on practicing the instructions he has shown and pleasing his mind. Thus it is also said in the General Sutra: "Without relying on teachers, Buddhas will never arise; I have never seen them truly arise; if they did, it would contradict the holy scriptures." All of his actions are shown in various ways for the sole purpose of leading different disciples to the path of liberation, so in form they appear to be in harmony with all worldly actions. But in the definitive sense, although it seems like he has subdued enemies, he has no hatred; similarly, although he seems to care for relatives, he has no attachment; although he is busy with activities, he is not distracted; although he accumulates wealth, he has no clinging; although he has status and power, he does not generate pride. Because he sees all appearances as like illusions and dreams, and his mind is equal to the sky, he contradicts the norms of all worldly people. Even the words and actions that seem to be inconsistent with the Dharma should not be viewed wrongly, because he considers certain intentions, and there are many special necessities, such as guiding beings. Because his behavior is not the same as ordinary people, he is superior to all worldly people. The Great Omniscient One said: "To lead the world, he is in harmony with all. To transcend the world, he is not in harmony with all. The actions of body, speech, and mind are superior to all conduct." Furthermore, he is skilled in methods to cut off all doubts of disciples in understanding the meaning of words, eliminating obstacles to practice, and so on, and he is not discouraged by the ingratitude, rebukes, and evil deeds of others, but regards them with compassion.