Authentic Teachers

Ngak’chang Rinpoche said: “In answer to your question, there are many people teaching Himalayan Vajrayana at this point in time (February 2023) and some are certainly genuine people who have studied thoroughly, practised diligently, and undertaken retreats — who teach in the lineages within which they have taken commitments. They have had excellent relationships with their Lamas — and thus their realistically inspired devotion to their Lamas is palpable. These are the people with whom one should study, take refuge, and enter into Tantric samayas (dam tshig / དམ་ཚིག་)

Then there are others who have every qualification apart from devotion to their Lamas and lineage.

Their lack of devotion and consequent lack of vajra commitment cancels all other qualifications.

To lack devotion for one’s Lama is the certain disqualification of anyone who purports to teach Vajrayana.

There are questions anyone should ask before accepting anyone as a Lama.

Do they speak with obvious love and respect for their Lama?

Do they mention their Lams at all?

Do they merely mention their Lama to glorify themselves?

We shall not allude to individuals, as we have no desire to judge others — but YOU must judge for YOURSELF. Read texts which relate to the vajra master. Read books which relate to the subject — the most accessible are those by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Draw your own conclusions. Those who wish to change Vajrayana, have no respect for Vajrayana or for their Lamas.“