Student & Teacher

The Zen teacher-student relationship

At the heart of the Zen way is the relationship between teacher and student - a relationship unlike any other although the relationship of master and apprentice come closest. It is a long-standing intimate and respectful process of study and dialogue that encourages and challenges the student to experience and grow into who they really are.

Accord in this matter deepens until student and teacher can freely share one clear mind.  At such a point, transmission of the Dharma is acknowledged to have become a direct and open matter.

A teacher cannot give you what is yours already - your own essential nature – but can help you stumble and fall into it completely. You cannot take hold of it and you can never lose it. Realizing and actualizing your fundamental nature is a lifelong practice.  It never stops opening, and teacher and student are the same in this respect.

But teacher and student differ initially in their relationship to this fact. The long and subtly changing relationship with a teacher is dedicated to gradually realizing complete equality of awareness by any skilful means available to the teacher.

Dana

The relationship with the teacher sits right at the core of Zen practice and is tended with care, respect and gratitude. Zen teachers, in accordance with Buddhist tradition, provide their teachings as a gift (dana) and rely on your return of that gift in the form of financial support to continue to be able to offer their teaching.  Dana (donation of money, time, and work practice) is the traditional way of supporting the work, freely offered, that supports your practice.