Cleary writes a section in this wonderful book entitled “Evaluating Teachers.” Being a teacher for most of my life I was excited to read what he had to say about us. I was not surprised at the wisdom that he shared from Ta-sui who lived between 834-919. He is quoted as saying:
When I was journeying, I didn’t choose communities on the basis of whether or not they had material provisions; I was only concerned with seeing whether their perception indicated some capacity. If so, then I might stay for a summer or a winter; but if they were low-minded, I’d leave in two or three days. Although I called on more than sixty prominent teachers, barely one or two had great perception. The rest hardly had real true knowledge—they just want your donations (page 28).[1]
Thus to find the right teacher for you is not easy. There are so many people sharing their spiritual adventures, knowledge, thoughts, ideas, and feelings today on line everywhere. There are people who offer classes and write books and profess spiritual awakening or knowledge and charge huge amounts of money to attend their classes or webinars or lectures. I am not suggesting that they are all charlatan’s, but my mom always reminded me “buyer beware.”
I remember when my nieces were teenagers and the Moonie’s were everywhere trying to recruit members to their cult a neighbor tried to warn my sister about them. She simply laughed and responded, “Are you kidding there is no way my two daughters would stand on the street corner for free and handout flyers!”
As a Buddhist we don’t proselytize and stand on corners or in airports handing out flyers. We spread our wonderful teaching by living it. By providing an environment of peace, love, and compassion in our words and deeds. Then someone might say, “Wow you have such a peaceful energy about you. How are you able to do that when there is so much negative energy in the world today?
Then and only then do I bring up my studies in Buddhism and meditation. Their question can open a conversation at which time I offer my card for the person to check out my blog, or join us at the Zendo for a meeting, or share one of my workbooks with them. No pressure, no proselytizing, nothing but information, compassion, and love which is the greatest teacher of all. And it’s Free! Yes, I do donate money to my zendo to keep the lights on and the doors open but it is a gift, not a requirement and thus I give freely.
Live your truth and you’ll shine like the morning star for all to see. You’ll be the light of peace wherever you go and unknowingly make a positive difference in someone’s life. It’s a quietly simple yet powerful way to make a difference in the world in which we live. Be the peace you want in your life…simply be it—that is the greatest teacher of all.
[1] Cleary, T. (1998) Teachings of Zen. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc
[2]Picture Gateless Gate-Page 6- Seon Buddhism http://www.buddhism.org
Don’t seek a buddha, don’t seek a teaching, don’t seek a community. Don’t seek virtue, knowledge, intellectual understanding, and so on. When feelings of defilement and purity are ended, still don’t hold to this non-seeking and consider it right. Don’t dwell at the point of ending, and don’t long for heavens or fear hells. When you are unhindered by bondage or freedom, then this is called liberation of mind and body in all places. (page 17). 
Cleary titles a section in the book “The Great Task.” “We are swept away by memorizing sayings and living inside conceptual consciousness. Has it not been said, ‘Concepts act as robbers, consciousness becomes waves’? If you have not mastered the great task, nothing compares to stopping, in the sense of quiet cessation, the purifying and quieting of the body and mind. At all times avoid dwelling obsessively on things, and it will be easy to unveil this (page 42).” [1]
In the introduction chapter of the book Cleary talks about the influence that conventional religions had on Buddhism. “On a deeper level, Zen masters sought to restore and express the living meaning of religion and philosophy; the Zen teaching was to ‘study the living word, not the dead word.’ Not only did Zen reawaken Buddhism in this way, but it also revitalized Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and Shamanism bringing out their higher spiritual dimensions (page xiv).”
This last chapter will totally debunk the 9 chapters before it! What a fabulous way to end my story…
Students! Do not practice buddha-dharma [teachings] for your own sake. Do not practice buddha-dharma for name and gain. Do not practice buddha-dharma to attain blissful reward. Do not practice buddha-dharma to attain miraculous effects. Practice buddha-dharma solely for the sake of buddha-dharma. This is the way (page 13). [1]
