Issues with deficient teaching masked by the illogic of Zen

[Frank]

To bring this topic back to the original question:

Frank, in general, if you think a teacher has given you what you think is a bullsh*t answer, call him or her on it, and see how it goes. If you don't like the way it goes, find another teacher.

As beginners, we compare our teachers to impossible hagiographical models, and it may be that some teachers you will meet are locked into those very same models. Other teachers may not be locked into those models, but respond along the same lines, in an attempt to probe the bounds of our ability to memorize so-called spontaneous words and deeds. Yet other teachers will do other things.

It really comes down to finding someone you can work with at this stage of your practice, which is often more of a matter of personality than anything else.

Hope this helps,

certainly sound advice, thanks

[Huifeng]

...Yes, my current Ch'an teacher, albeit he has never literally said ''I am a Zen master.'' to me but everyone recognizes him as such and that's his official title which he certainly knows and accepts. ...

Hi Frank,

Just curious as to who your teacher (don't know if he is your Shifu or not) is?
Since I'm asking, my Shifu is Ven. Master Hsing Yun, and I include a number
of his elder disciples - actually my Dharma brothers - among my teachers.

~~ Huifeng