Meeting the Guru

Many people who meet Buddhist teachers or Lamas are often unaware of proper ways to show respect. They wonder ‘What do I do?’ or 'How do I act?!

- Kathryn Whittaker Huff

When a lama is referred to as a Rinpoche (Tibetan for "precious one"), he or she has achieved a high degree of spiritual awareness and attainment. This occurs only after years of study and practice. In the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, there are also Rinpoches that are Tulku (Tibetan: "nirmanakya’). A Tulku is an incarnation of a highly evolved individual or bodhisattva that has practiced compassion and selflessness for many lifetimes. He has done this to the point where he has deliberately stalled his complete liberation in order to continually return to the realm of suffering and help free others. Rinpoches devote their lives to bringing out the highest spiritual potential in everyone that they contacts, as well as in themselves. Their compassion extends to all beings. They selflessly strive to be purified vessels of enlightened attitude and will give themselves to others without hesitation. A Rinpoche is a truly holy person, and for this reason, deserves not only respect but also great consideration.