Buddhism without a teacher

[CoreyNiles92]

Am I wrong in my decision to meditate without needing, or seeking an end goal as my reward?
When I began meditating it was simply to be there in that moment, to sit, for no other reason but to sit and focus on my breath, not considering whether or not it will make me happier.

I try not to turn meditation or loving kindness into a job where I recieve compensation, But I am unsure if my goals are wrong or negative. I also do not have a teacher, nor can I find one until I can leave the current town I am living in which I am to be living in for at least half of a year. Will I go nowhere without a teacher? I did not seek Buddhism out, and did not find it, it came to me one day in a blessing, I began to meditate and clean my life up in every single way, without having read a thing about Buddhism which I previously found to be a sham as I did not know a thing about it beyond how silly it seemed. I taught myself nearly everything I know about it, accepting only what I found to be true or real, for months I did this until I read my first book on Buddhism, which seemed to agree with all of the changes I had made on my own in my life.

Am I wrong? Was the book wrong? I have read everywhere that one absolutely 100% requires a teacher or they have no right to call themselves a Buddhist, and are not actually practicing the Dharma until they do so. But what of those who do not have Buddhist teachers anywhere near them, those who will never muster two pennies to rub together, do they simply have to live without Buddhism or the Dharma, because they were not taught by a certified teacher? Or can one learn through Buddha's teachings on their own? I personally take every idea I hear from Buddhist literature, and ponder on it endlessly, as often as I can I try to exercise mindfulness, and when there is a gap of unmindfulness I meditate on that gap. Very often I will in my own head speak philosophically, and attempt to deeply understand everything, something as simple as a leaf can bring about hours of questions, and insight.

I very much want to know as the only discouragement I have ever felt in Buddhism, is hearing "find a teacher and you will know".

[underthetree]

"find a teacher and you will know".

This is true. But teachers come in many, many forms. I practiced for a few years without a teacher and now I've found one. I don't think my teacherless years were spent in the wilderness at all. Every experience was valuable. The books I read informed me. The mistakes I made informed me. Some of the wrong turns I took led me to genuine discoveries. I found friends. I learned discrimination. My blunderings actually brought some real insights. Just learning how to meditate properly is a vast treasure.

It's a discipline in itself, this guru-less path. But the very fact that you're on the path means that there's a teacher somewhere. Courage, mate! And good luck!

[CoreyNiles92]

"But the very fact that you're on the path means that there's a teacher somewhere"

I don't think there was a better combination of words to reinvigorate me.

[viniketa]

I have read everywhere that one absolutely 100% requires a teacher or they have no right to call themselves a Buddhist, and are not actually practicing the Dharma until they do so.

Perhaps those who say such things are your teachers.

[CoreyNiles92]

"Perhaps those who say such things are your teachers."

I'm learning more from this forum and it's contributers than I have learned in my entire life from any teacher, I love education and thrive on it, but this spiritual education is immeasurably more important and profound to me.

[Thaijeppe]

Just continue your practice, when the time is right the teacher will be there for you.

jeppe

[deepbluehum]

A teacher is really indispensable. I cannot emphasize this enough.

[lobster]

You are a rhino.
http://www.hermitary.com/solitude/rhinoceros.html

If and when, teachers manifest you will find them in all things.
My greatest teaching came from a street lamp.

I have met people surrounded and in contact with great teachers.
They learned nothing because they did not apply the teachings . . .

Everything is as it should be. You are on the path.
Those with teachers may not be . . .

Those who are teachers (the Buddha taught before his enlightenment - what a fraud)
may be of no concern or need for the fearless rhino . . .

Integrity and practice. May all be auspicious

OM YA HA HUM

[deepbluehum]

You will read the numerous wrong views from devils who can spout some dharma words but have no teacher, no lineage and no realization. Trust and believe that the spiritual friend is the entire path.

[underthetree]

You will read the numerous wrong views from devils who can spout some dharma words but have no teacher, no lineage and no realization. Trust and believe that the spiritual friend is the entire path.

Hum, isn't it also true - equally as true - that the teacher is not the first person to come along. If we are searching for a human teacher we must already be connected to the Dharma or else we wouldn't be searching. One shouldn't feel inadequate or less of a practitioner because one hasn't found the spiritual friend yet.

[gregkavarnos]

But what of those who do not have Buddhist teachers anywhere near them, those who will never muster two pennies to rub together, do they simply have to live without Buddhism or the Dharma, because they were not taught by a certified teacher? Or can one learn through Buddha's teachings on their own?

As long as one focuses on Sutta and Sutra techniques a teacher is not 100% necessary. At some point in time though, even with sutta/sutra techniques, your practice will start to present experiences that without the guidance of, at least, a spiritual "equal" you will not be able to explain. So you will turn to books. Thing is will you find the right book? If you go to a "certified" teacher though, you will be sure that they have the "answers" because, even if they have not experienced the specific problems themselves, they have been taught about them and their antidotes.

There are all sorts of pitfalls that one can fall into in Buddhism practice: identifying the practice as "me" or "mine" and thus using practices to further worldly ambitions, getting trapped in notions of emptiness, having an expereince and believing that the experience means you are enlightened, ad nauseum... A teachers job is to pull you out of the traps and set you back on the path again. A task that is difficult and, in some cases, even impossible for you to do for yourself.

So are teachers 100% necessary for you to be considered a Buddhist practitioner? NO! Are they 100% necessary to ensure a stable and safe journey along the path? YES!

PS A teacher will not necessarily ask you for money, especially if you do not have money. You can offer to work, etc... Thing is, it is quite amazing how the people that complain about not having money for teachings have money to go to the pub, cinema, etc... Set up a piggy bank and every time you have a few dollars spare throw it in and you will be amazed how quickly you will amass the money you need!

[Anistar]

Dear OP,

Like you, I have been guided to Buddhism. A great many Buddhists say they didn't choose Buddhism but that it choose them. Indeed, I believe that in my past lives I asked to never be seperated from the Dharma, so now no matter which life I am living, the Dharma will find me.

Like you I live in a small village and can not go to temple as much as I like, nor do I have a physical ordained spiritual teacher. However, when I feel like I am lost, I recall that as only NOW exists, I am already realised and being realised in this moment, I would have sent help to myself in this troubled period.

So always remember to look for the help and realise that you are being cradled as you walk the path. Sometimes you are scared that you are alone (like when I change my children's t-shirts and it is dark while the fabric covers their heads). It seems dark to them, but it isn't really.

If you feel tight, let go and expand out into your true nature.
You are doing great. Don't worry about reading the wrong teachings or books, remember that you will come across the correct teachings and cannot make a misstep.

Have compassion for yourself and realise that your ultimate buddha nature is already realised so therefore the path you walk at the moment is the one you walked to attain enlightenment .

Trust.

Jay

[gregkavarnos]

Dear Anistar,

I also live in a small village but once or twice a year I make an effort to travel and come into contact with teachers in order to ask them questions and receive practices. This annual contact also allows me to develop personal relationships with teachers so that if I am experiencing problems in my practice I can phone them or write to them for advice.

Trusting ones true nature is very good, but how do you know it is your enlightened nature that you are tapping into and not just another one of 100,000,000 traps the ego (Mara) is setting for us?

You cannot. That is the importance of a teacher and sangha, to not delude ourselves. To have a point of reference for our practice.

[Anistar]

You are absolutly correct Greg .

Love and light

Jay

[lobster]

From where you are, it is Permissible and possible to contact and interact with a variety of guides. Some you will ignore, some will ignore you (we can learn from that), some will be unavailable. Some died a Buddha age ago. I would trust you as a future Buddha to know what mind, Companionship and teaching, if any, you require.

Everything depends on your capacity as an adult.
The 3 jewels are very much present in a variety of ways and forms open to you.

[Quiet Heart]

CoreyNiles92

Just my personal opinion .... but maybe you are one of those who can find a path without a formal "Teacher".
I am one. It's NOT an easy path .... but in my particular case it seemed to be the only path I would accept.
Yes, a lot of errors were made, but then realizations too.
If you do have the right attitude then every day that you start is your teacher for that day.
I used to worry about not having a Teacher also.....until I realized I DID have a Teacher that day.

The story that made me understand was this:

There was a foolish man who one day while looking at his face in a mirror, accidentaly dropped the mirror, and the mirror shattered into many pieces.
Being a fooolish man he believed that like the mirror his head had also been broken into many pieces.
He spent many days running around trying to find another whole mirror so he could use it to put his head back together.
Finally he happened to pass a pool of water. Glancing down into the pool he saw his head reflected in the pool on his body.
He was greatly relevied to see that his head had been there on his shoulders all along, and therefore there was no need for him to search any longer.

In Zen, there is a saying that some people searching wildly about for understanding are like a hungery man with a pot of rice in his hand who carries around a lit candle trying to find a fire to cook his rice.
If he understood the true nature of that candle in his hand, he would not need that thing called "Fire".

[Astus]

No need to worry about having or not having a teacher. You can learn the Dharma from the right books (there are many wrong books too) and online from the right sources (and not bad sources). How to tell the difference between right and wrong? Through studying and understanding the sutras and shastras. You can also ask many questions on this forum. There are teachers you can send e-mail to, if you you want. Even without personally meeting anyone the information you can get is enormous. And if you reach a point where you find that you could really use someone experienced to talk to you will be able to find the ways to travel.