Chapter 2: The Four Kinds of Vajrayana Gurus and How to Relate to Them

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the role of the guru is not only central — it is multifaceted. While in Chapter 1 we explored why devotion to a guru is essential, in this chapter we dive deeper into the types of Vajrayana gurus and how practitioners are meant to relate to each of them. 

1. The External Guru (The Teacher in Human Form)
This is the most familiar type of guru — a living teacher who gives teachings, initiations (empowerments), and personal guidance. 

They are your direct link to the Vajrayana lineage. A qualified external guru embodies compassion, wisdom, and realization, but more importantly, they act as a mirror to reflect your own potential for awakening.

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✅ How to relate: With respect, gratitude, and commitment. One should observe the teacher carefully before forming a bond and entering samaya.

2. The Inner Guru (The Mind of Awareness Itself)
The inner guru is your own primordial awareness — the pure, non-dual nature of mind. Vajrayana teachings encourage us to realize that our true nature is no different from that of the guru’s enlightened mind.

✅ How to relate: Through practices like guru yoga and Dzogchen or Mahamudra meditation. When you merge your mind with the guru’s wisdom, you begin to uncover your own inner guru. 

3. The Secret Guru (The Subtle Energy & Blessing Within Teachings)
Sometimes referred to as the blessing current, this aspect of the guru is more mystical. It refers to the presence of realization that flows through the Vajrayana teachings themselves — whether in sacred texts, symbolic rituals, or mantra recitation.

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✅ How to relate: With faith and openness. When you engage in practice with devotion, these blessings are said to awake utc 7 noen) subtle transformation within you.

4. The Ultimate Guru (The Dharmakaya Nature — Beyond Form)
This is the highest form of guru — the enlightened nature of reality itself. In Dzogchen, it is often called the primordial guru or Samantabhadra — the ever-present, formless truth that is the source of all Buddhas. 

✅ How to relate: Through deep meditation and realization. This requires guidance from the external guru but leads to direct experience of emptiness and clarity — the union of wisdom and compassion.

✨ Why This Matters
Understanding these four types of gurus helps practitioners balance outer devotion with inner realization. In a world full of spiritual teachers — some genuine, others misleading — having a clear framework helps you stay grounded and connected to authentic Dharma.

Ultimately, the guru is not a person to be worshipped blindly, but a gateway to recognizing your own Buddha-nature.

Note
*This article is intended solely for general illustration and educational reading. It does not disclose any secret tantric texts or teachings, and makes no attempt to transmit esoteric instructions that are restricted or require formal empowerment. 

All effort has been made to respect the sacred boundaries of Vajrayana practice and to uphold the integrity of samaya vows and Dharma protectors.*

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. Your support helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheel in the world.

Aspiration for Bodhichitta:

May the precious Bodhichitta, which has not yet arisen, arise and not diminish, but rather increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit:

By this merit, may we swiftly attain omniscience. Having overcome the enemies of wrongdoing, may we liberate all beings from the ocean of existence, with its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on

the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful

distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for ed itorial use only.

Chapter 1: What Is a Guru and Why Is Devotion Important?

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the guru (or lama) holds a unique and profound role that transcends the typical relationship between student and teacher. 

While many spiritual traditions regard a teacher as a source of wisdom, in Vajrayana, the guru is considered the living embodiment of the enlightened state, the very gateway to realization. Without the guru, tantric practice is not just incomplete—it is impossible. 

The word "guru" means "heavy" in Sanskrit, signifying the immense weight of knowledge and responsibility they bear. 

A true Vajrayana guru is someone who has received proper empowerments, has been authorized through lineage transmission, and has realized the teachings through personal experience. 

This makes them not merely a conveyor of knowledge, but a bridge between samsara and enlightenment. 

Devotion to the guru is not blind faith. Instead, it is a cultivated trust that arises from rigorous examination and long-term relationship. 

According to the Vajrayana texts, devotion (Tibetan: mo-gu) acts as the fertile ground from which realization arises. 

It softens the mind, overcomes ego, and makes it receptive to the blessings of the guru, which are believed to accelerate the practitioner's path to awakening. 

In many tantric scriptures, such as the "Tantra of the Great Perfection," it is said that the guru's mind and the student’s mind are inseparable. 

To see the guru as a Buddha is a foundational view in Vajrayana, not as a form of idolatry, but as a skillful means to transcend conceptual barriers and touch the true nature of reality. 

However, choosing a guru is ag sacred responsibility. The student must take time to observe the guru’s conduct, motivation, and teachings before establishing the relationship. 

Once the connection is formed, it becomes a living commitment grounded in ethics, trust, and clarity.

Note

*This article is intended solely for general illustration and educational reading. It does not disclose any secret tantric texts or teachings, and makes no attempt to transmit esoteric instructions that are restricted or require formal empowerment. All effort has been made to respect the sacred boundaries of Vajrayana practice and to uphold the integrity of samaya vows and Dharma protectors.* 

A little support goes a long way! If you’d like to help me keep creating, you can donate via Ko-fi and PayPal at below : 

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. Your support helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheel in the world.

Aspiration for Bodhichitta:

May the precious Bodhichitta, which has not yet arisen, arise and not diminish, but rather increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit:

By this merit, may we swiftly attain omniscience. Having overcome the enemies of wrongdoing, may we liberate all beings from the ocean of existence, with its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright on

the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful

distributors and/or studios

The picture(s) are intended for ed itorial use only.