Teachable

Yutang Lin

Only those that humble themselves could be taught;
Apprentice begins after having attended the teacher.
Sincere and obedient one gradually masters the role.
Yet the current trend is like ordering courses in cafe.

Comment:

Sincere and simple-minded way to learn begins with staying in close contact and attending to the teacher's needs. Through constant attendance and resulting familiarity one naturally absorbs bits and drips of advice in daily life, and after long years of such accumulation a complete and genuine transmission takes shape. Nowadays people run around to many places, get only superficial contacts, and come and go at their own satisfaction. In some cases people even could not realize their own lack of qualification but thrust themselves forward with claims of tutorship. Cheating others has no way to last, while karmic consequences are rather difficult to repair even through repentance. Sad indeed for such practices!

Written in Chinese on March 11, 2003
Translated on March 14, 2003
El Cerrito, California

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