Traits of a Mahamudra Lama

A mahamudra lama needs certain attributes and these are taught at length in the texts. To put it very simply though, they must have the way of thinking that we find explained in the mahamudra teachings.

This means that they have little concern for this life, they are uncomplicated, and remain unswayed by circumstances.

The first of these, having little concern for this life, is the way of thinking of the preliminary practices. This would mean that the lama does not pursue, nor encourage their students to pursue, the goals of this life. They are orientated towards the longer term objectives of future lives.

This fosters the next trait, simplicity. A lama who understands the nature of mind and has a decent level of practice will be uncomplicated. Many advanced practitioners become slightly child-like in nature. People often think that those with decent meditation stop experiencing things, that they gradually become like inanimate rocks. Who would pursue meditation if that was the end result? Good meditators continue to hear sounds and see sights but they do not grasp to them so tightly. This is the way of small children too, isn’t it. They may cry when they are sick or when something hurts but as soon as it eases they forget about it and run around happily again, without a care in the world. This is not the way of us adults though is it. Once we have recovered from the immediate symptoms of an illness there is a period where we mope around for a while and if people ask if we are feeling any better we whimper, ‘A little bit better.’

The last trait is when that simplicity remains undisturbed, which comes with realisation. When most of us encounter something pleasant, for instance, we lose ourselves to it – we lose our equanimity, maybe even our self-control. But someone with realisation has full mastery of their body, speech and mind, and thus retains they equanimity, regardless. They are unmoved by circumstances.
These are the traits we should look for in a mahamudra lama.