It is the Lama who gives us access to countless powerful methods of realisation. Lamas are teachers in a larger sense. Lamas are not conditioned in any way by the style they adopt. They may utilise many different styles according to the personality, capacity, and circumstances of those whom they teach. Whatever method is implemented by the Lama, it transcends the function of the method as it is usually employed. The Lama is in a completely different category. So if we are to approach such a person; we need, at least, to be open to the unexpected. We need to be prepared to question our range of perceptions and responses. We need to be open to having our rationale actively challenged.
The Lama’s function is to mirror our intrinsic enlightenment. The Lama shows us the nature of what we actually are.
p145, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4