"The teacher embodies the essence of all Buddhas throughout the three times.

He is the union of the Three Jewels: his body is the Sangha, his speech the Dharma, his mind the Buddha.

He is the union of the Three Roots: his body is the teacher, his speech the yidam, his mind the dakini.

He is the union of the three kayas: his body is the nirmamakaya, his speech the sambhogakaya, his mind the dharmakaya.

He is the embodiment of all the Buddhas of the past, source of all the Buddhas of the future and the representative of all the Buddhas of the present.

Since he takes as his disciples degenerate beings like us, whom none of the thousand Buddhas of the Good Kalpa could help, his compassion and bounty exceed that of all Buddhas."

Patrul Rinpoche