Our practice is based on the Prajñapāramita teachings. The Vijñaptimātrin is striving for Buddhahood. He wants to become a Buddha. Prajñapāramitā is the mother of all Buddhas. So if there is Buddha, there must be Prajñapāramitā. Prajñapāramitā is perfect wisdom, where there is perfect wisdom there is compassion. We learn compassion and love by experiencing them.
Prajñapāramitā manifests in the form of mother, grandmother, sister, daughter etc. so we can experience love, we can experience compassion. The Vijñaptimātrin looks upon his mother, grandmother as Mother Prajñapāramita. As his practice deepens he begins to see all women as manifestations of Mother Prajñapāramitā.
When the Vijñaptimātrin suffers and desires to be rid of suffering, he calls out to all Buddhas in the ten directions seeking their help. Buddhas have great compassion for all sentient beings. There is no one who does not receive help from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So hearing the call of her devotee, Buddha manifests as a teacher, a Guru. It is actually Guru-buddha. Guru is short for Guhya Rupa in Sanskrit. Guhya Rupa means "disguised appearance" or "secret appearance".
Finding the Guru is a three step process. Like you first meet a wonderful woman, you fall in love and then get married. In much the same manner you first come into contact with dharma teachings. You are impressed. You read books and decide to proceed further. Then you think that maybe Thich Nhat Hanh or Dalai Lama or Kalu Rinpoche or some other teacher's teachings are specially appealing. Then you reach a stage where a particular teacher's teachings have a great impact on you. His words produce a healing effect. This is compassion. His words help arise the Bodhichitta within you. This is wisdom. You know, then, that you have met Buddha.
At each of these three stages our knowledge and perception of dharma is different. At the first stage it is like learning any subject like Physics, we want to know what are the major "concepts". At the second stage we want to master all the great texts and at this stage we like to debate and show off our newly acquired knowledge. At the third stage, when we experience the healing effect of the teachings, we are humbled. We realize how fortunate we are that the Buddha herself appears to teach us. We have no hesitation now in calling our teacher, Buddha. Only a Buddha can teach the dharma perfectly, flawlessly. Can your college professor teach Einstein's theories better than Einstein? So the Mahāyānist seeks the Buddha and the Buddha appears as a Guru. When we come into contact with Buddha, we want to be like her. We want everyone to be free from suffering. Bodhichitta arises. When we reach the third stage we begin to look within. We try to analyze and understand things.
Now, armed with this information you may go to your mother and tell her, "My dear mother, I have realized that you are the great Mother Prajñapāramita. Why didn't you tell me? Why did you hide this from me?" Your mother may say, "No, my dear, I am just your mother. A poor woman, who can only can only cry with you when you suffer. I am no Goddess, no Prajñapāramita." What then? Is your dream of becoming a Buddha shattered? Is your confidence on Mahāyāna teachings lost?
This aspect has been dealt with in great detail by many great masters like Nagārjuna, Atisha, Chandrakirti etc. Based on Chandrakirti's arguments, Alexander Berzin explains this with an example of a watch. A grown up person knows how to make out the time using a watch. An infant does not see it as a watch but uses it as a toy. The utility of the watch does not reduce because someone sees it as a toy.
Mother Prajñapāramita, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are empty of inherent existence. Just like everything else, they too are Vijñaptimātra (manifestation only). She being Prajñapāramita is contingent upon you becoming a Buddha. The object and subject arise simultaneously. The Buddhas who manifest in the form of Gurus also are delighted to meet us. Like a sculptor can see the finished statue in a stone, the Guru can see the Bodhisattva and Buddha in us.
The Mahāyāna Guru and the student (shishya) are both endowed with skillful means. They both know how to prevent each other's downfall. It is a remarkable relationship. The Buddha is Buddha subject to he possessing the qualities of a Buddha and other beings perceiving him as a Buddha. So the Vijñaptimātrin shishya tells his Guru, "Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, I see you as a Buddha but please remember that this is only as long as you exhibit the Buddha qualities. If you stop exhibiting these qualities, I will stop seeing you as Buddha."
Because we are empty we can influence each other. So the student too can influence the teacher. So it is very important that both the teacher and the student share the common reverence for Bodhichitta and Buddhahood, otherwise they will create hurdles for each other. Somebody who is confident that he can be a Buddha is more likely to progress faster on the Mahāyāna path than someone who does not believe that anyone other than the historical Buddha can be a Buddha.
Great is the joy to have met Buddha and to have him as our teacher but what if we haven't found our Guru-Buddha yet? When we suffer, we can call out to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and they will begin to manifest. Have no doubt about this. I used to ask this question to Venerable Rabten Gyalten of Sera Je Monastery and he used to tell me that we need to practice the six pāramitās to expedite the process. My Guru-Buddha Thich Nhat Hanh had already found me, though. The first book that I had bought, on Buddhism, was "The Heart of Buddha's Teaching" by Thich Nhat Hanh. It was I who was very slow in recognizing the Buddha. The teacher far exceeded expectations and scored an A+ in his role but the student fared far below expectations and scored an F. But I will make up for it. I am a quick learner.
On this path there is peace, there is joy, there is no suffering of separation, no suffering of not having what we want or of having what we don't want. We will learn to recognize each other in different manifestations and learn to ride the waves of manifestations with joy. We will hold the hand of the Buddha and practice walking meditation. The wind will blow, the flowers will bloom.
If you wish, either because you suffer or you see others suffer, you may ask Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to teach you to eliminate suffering. Since my Guru Buddha is Thich Nhat Hanh, I will end this post requesting him to teach. In the Mahāyāna format for requesting teachings:
"Most venerable, Guru-Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh,
Please abide in my heart,
And guide me to enlightenment.
So I may help liberate all sentient beings.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings practiced reverence for life!
I wish to help them practice reverence for life.
Please, Guru-Buddha, teach me to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings practiced true happiness!
I wish to help them practice true happiness.
Please, Guru-Buddha, teach me to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings practiced true love!
I wish to help them practice true love.
Please, Guru-Buddha, teach me to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings practiced mindful communication!
I wish to help them practice mindful communication.
Please, Guru-Buddha, teach me to be able to do this.
How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings practiced mindful consumption!
I wish to help them practice mindful consumption.
Please, Guru-Buddha, teach me to be able to do this."
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