THE FOUR HUNDRED SAYS: Impartial, intelligent, and having interest—Such listeners are said to be suitable vessels. In other words, they have straightforward minds, with no tendency to partiality—they do not feel an attachment to those in their own group or aversion for people in other groups. They are intelligent, able to distinguish between words of truth (to be adopted) and those that are wrong (and to be rejected). They are deeply interested in the sublime Dharma and greatly respect and trust those who teach the Dharma. These are the basic qualities, to which the Self-Arisen Awareness adds the following particular ones: They have the strength of faith, great diligence, Great intelligence, and no clinging or attachment. They have great respect and practice the secret mantras. Their minds free of discursive thoughts, they are undistracted. They keep the commitments, are diligent in the practice, And act in accordance with the teacher’s words. Good disciples have vivid faith—that is, great joy and keen interest with regard to the teacher and instructions; eager faith—a yearning for the result of the practice; confident faith that entertains no doubts; and consummate faith unaffected by petty circumstances. They are thus completely ready to receive blessings. They are firmly committed in their determination to accomplish unsurpassable enlightenment, and constant in their practice, never postponing it. As they have the intelligence and clarity to investigate the profound meaning of the way things truly are, experiences and realization come to them easily. They have little attachment and clinging to worldly happiness or possessions such as food and clothes. Since they have great respect for the teacher and the yidam, they are an open door by which blessings may enter. They have cleared all their doubts and hesitations regarding the path of the secret mantras and are therefore able to undertake the profound practices. Since their minds are not prey to ordinary thoughts to do with attachment, aversion, and bewilderment, they are not distracted. They keep their promises and do not transgress the root and branch commitments that they have accepted. They do not tire of practicing the profound path and never go against the teacher’s instructions. As the Great Omniscient One says, Disciples with good fortune have great faith and wisdom, They are diligent, careful, mindful, and vigilant. They do not go against the teachings and keep their vows and commitments. Their body, speech, and mind well controlled, they are very compassionate and altruistic. Open-minded, cheerful, and generous, they have very pure perception, Are stable, and have great devotion. It is disciples with just such qualifications as these that one should accept to teach. Their opposites are bad disciples, whom we shall now consider.
~ To be continued on next week’s weekly blog Friday, November 1st.

Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche
A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom: Complete Instructions on the Preliminary Practice of the Profound and Secret Heart Essence of the Dakini
Padmakara Translation Group