"During our beginningless lifetimes until now, all the virtuous teachers we have met—those who gave us ordinations, initiations and teachings— are one being, the absolute guru, who has manifested in various aspects, with different names and forms. When the sun or moon rises, billions of reflections spontaneously arise in all the bodies of water on the earth—in oceans, rivers, ponds and even dew drops. Like this, effortlessly, spontaneously, buddhas work for sentient beings, by revealing the various means that suit them. All our virtuous teachers are the dharmakaya, the absolute guru, from where all the buddhas, Dharma and Sangha.

If the buddhas manifested in purer forms than we now see, we wouldn’t have the karma to see them and receive teachings from them. Because our mind is obscured by impure karma, we can’t see a buddha’s holy body or hear a buddha’s holy speech. Therefore, in order to guide us, the buddhas have manifested in the ordinary forms of our virtuous friends, which exactly suit the level of our mind and our karma. In other words, our gurus are the ones who do the activities of all the buddhas, just as ambassadors act on behalf of their country."

Lama Zopa Rinpoche