teacher

TheJourney

What is meant by having a buddhist teacher? Because i've went to the websites for the buddhist centers somewhat near me, and they all just talk about classes and stuff. Is that what's meant? Going to classes? Because that would be nice, but it certainly doesn't sound necessary as they usually just consist of a meditation and a teaching for the class, both of which I can do on my own. So, once I find a buddhist center(still haven't), if finding a teacher means more than attending classes how do I get one?

federica

"When the student is ready, the Teacher appears".
Teachers may come in many guises, and one is encouraged to look upon every incident or situation, as teaching Potential.
Some people find a guru they adhere to for the most part, others never find a fixed, solid, consistent teacher, ever.
I haven't.
I hear much talk in Mahayana about finding a Guiding Teacher.
I am not familiar with such an urgency in Theravada, although many Theravada Bikkhus have a distinctly large following....
The Buddha exhorted us to "Be a lamp unto yourselves".
Among his final words, he said:

"It may be, Ananda, that some of you will say, 'without the Buddha, the Sublime Teacher, there is no teacher for us'. No, Ananda, you should not think in this way. Whatever doctrine and discipline taught and made known by me will be your teacher when I am gone."

Read, ingest, examine, scrutinise and question everything for yourself.
But don't worry too much about having someone's knee to sit by.

Remember, When the finger is pointing at the moon, you should be looking at the Moon. Not the finger.