*reads thread*
*sees random followers gaslighting*
Yeah, that's gonna be a no from me dawg...
If your direct teachings turn people into cultists, they're not good teachings.
Conversation
I wouldn't hold the Buddha responsible for the state of Buddhism today, nor Jesus for Christanity, etc.
But if your very own students are this full of shit, *you're* full of shit.
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Some people know important things, but are bad teachers. In this case, it's unethical to teach. This is not complicated.
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Follow-up:
My own teacher may very well not be more accomplished than me, but his models of what practices are good for which predicaments, and his ability to see through my BS, are superior to mine
Conveyed with some measure of sensitivity, this means I learn better from him.
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Replying to
Would you ever consider seeking out another teacher who you think is more accomplished than you? I've heard teachers talk about this before.
Or do you think the level of seniority is less important than a teacher's ability to read you, your situation, and respond accordingly?
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Seniority is immensely important.
My teacher may not be more accomplished than me *on average* in the domain we're studying, but he both knows more things about other areas and has specific in-domain accomplishments I don't.
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I do go other places sometimes for specialized training, and it would probably be an advantage if he just got his head out of his ass and got enlightened already (eh, ?), but my bigger point was that the true qualification for teaching is not skill superior to the student.
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Instead, teachers who are not shit rely on everything from superior mental models, through experience, through their own failings, to help the student better understand what they're doing.
If the student is more talented, the norm is they exceed the master. If not, it depends.
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If a teacher has many students, but none are more accomplished, they are either a genius or an absolutely terrible teacher - sometimes both.
But then the problem is in them deciding to teach in spite of this. Bad teachers can really damage people.
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Nothing wrong with geniuses teaching, by the way - if they're good teachers, they can pass on a lot. Even if they're bad, you can often learn by analysis and osmosis.
But most teachers who lack superior students either have few students, are new, or are bad teachers. Simple as.
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So essentially, I don't think your question is either/or.
In Ian's case, I'm not accomplished enough to need a more senior teacher.
And if I ever am, there's a good chance I'll have also surpassed the need for a teacher, and will either take students or step out of the game.