Four kinds of teacher
Four kinds of teacher or lama (Tib. lama nampa shyi; Wyl. bla ma rnam pa bzhi) —
- gangzak gyüpé lama (Wyl. gang zag brgyud pa'i bla ma) - the individual teacher who is the holder of the lineage
- gyalwa ka yi lama (Wyl. rgyal ba bka' yi bla ma) - the teacher which is the word of the buddhas
- nangwa da yi lama (Wyl. snang ba brda yi bla ma) - the symbolic teacher of all appearances
- rigpa dön gyi lama (Wyl. rig pa don gyi bla ma) - the absolute teacher, which is rigpa, the true nature of mind
Further Reading
- Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Indisputable Truth, Rangjung Yeshe, 1996, pages 16-17 & 79-80.