________________
Bon Dzogchen
religion, a Jew can learn from a Catholic. Bon can learn from Buddhists. An interchange of learning and education is always fine. As far as following something very seriously goes, I think it is very important to follow one path. It is not a question of one is better, and one is less good. It is just because of the commitment level—and time. It is like a family. If you have a relationship, you cannot say that I am being with you now, but also, I am across town. With another family; you cannot have two kinds of relationships like that. A relationship between a man and woman is similar.
L.M.: It is like a spiritual marriage.
T.W.: Yes, in some sense it is a spiritual marriage.
L.M.: Do some people who come initially and only want to make a partial commitment-do they gradually come to make a full commitment?
T.W.: Or, they leave.
L.M.: Or they go. Well that is ...
T.W.: Nature.
L.M.: One of those things.
T.W.: Divorce rate is very high in this country.
L.M.: A teacher will still have good wishes for the student who leaves.
T.W.: Sure, of course.
L.M.: You aren't personally disappointed; you are detached, knowing that the person is still ruled by their mind.
T.W.: It depends on what kind of relation the teacher has with that person. There are so many hundreds that come and go. If you feel bad about it with everybody, you will be sick and dead. But sometimes, if you have certain expectations from a student; and you feel that the student has understood
70
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org