The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part II Correcting Our Views
Follow Your Teacher
As you grow in Dharma, you should have a teacher to instruct and advise you. The matter of concentrating the mind, of samadhi, is much misunderstood; phenomena occur in meditation that otherwise do not normally arise. When this happens, a teacher's guidance is crucial, expecially in those areas in which you have wrong understanding. Often where he corrects you will be just where you thought you were right. In the complexity of your thinking, one view may obsure the other and you get fooled. Respect your teacher and follow the rules or system of practice. If the teacher says to do something, do it. If he says to desist, desist. This allow you to make an honest effort and leads to making knowledge and vision manifest in your mind. If you do as I am saying, you will see and know.
True teachers speak only of the difficult practice of giving up or getting rid of the self. Whatever may happen, do not abandon the teacher. Lim him guide you, because it is easy to forget the Path.
Alas, few who study Buddhism really want to practice, I certainly urge them to practice, but some people can only study in a logical way. Few are willing to die and be born again free. I feel sorry for the rest.
