Lesson 11 from A Comprehensive Commentary on the Words of My Perfect Teacher opens the section on conduct to be adopted while listening to teachings, beginning with the four metaphors drawn from the Avatamsaka Sutra: think of yourself as a sick person, the Dharma as medicine, the qualified teacher as a skilled doctor, and diligent practice as the treatment.
The lesson explores each metaphor in depth. Every being in the three realms carries the 84,000 afflictions as a chronic illness — and just as a bedridden patient cannot recover from one injection, afflictions rooted since beginningless time cannot be dissolved by a single empowerment or a few weeks of practice. The teacher's sole true compassion lies in transmitting Dharma faithfully according to the Buddha's intent; everything else — phone calls, shared meals, pilgrimages — is secondary. Disciples must follow the teacher's instructions precisely, not substitute their own preferences, just as a patient who ignores a prescription cannot recover.
The lesson closes with a strong warning against drifting between many teachers without ever settling into practice, and with the Buddha's own words: the methods for liberation have been shown, but liberation itself depends entirely on oneself.
