How to learn from a Teacher of the Dharma <?>

[Wesley1982]

Anyone have any other thoughts on this?

About the Dharma I'm just sticking with the introductory basics in order not to get ahead of myself. (For now)

[Spirituality]

The 'subtle delusion' I borrowed in this context is actually from the Christian Philokalia which is called 'Prelest" or spiritual delusion.

Its actually a specified condition that faith-based christian believers can suffer.

Well, you'll need a good teacher to help you bridge from Christian terminology to Buddhist terminology. Or just stick to being a Christian with an enriched meditation practice. I think the Dalai Lama might recommend the latter.

The reason I say that is that in the Gelugpa school, as elsewhere in Tibetan Buddhism, subtle delusion is not conquered till one is already a full blown bodhisattva. That is: already have a direct realization of the philosophy of emptiness (or interconnectedness) as well as Bodhicitta.

The best most of us can hope for is chip away at gross illusions: the learned sense of self, for instance.

But I'm afraid I'm way over your head here. I'd personally recommend any book by Pema Chodron as explaining aspects of the Mahayana path in a way that's compatible with Christianity. Might help make the transition. So might Karen Armstrong 'the Buddha '.

[Wesley1982]

Hopefully - I can meet a Lama,Guru,or RInpoche in this short lifetime.

[Wesley1982]

Q) In this book it mentions the root of samsara ~ what helps the student first recognize the root of samsara?..