Eastern style and Western style - Thinley Norbu

Most Easterners have the habit and ego of holding the precious teachings in awe, at a great distance, thinking of their enlightenment as far away. If a great teacher says to us, "Your Buddha is looking at you from far away, He is covered with beautiful clean clothes like a monk," or, "He is covered with jewels and surrounded by a vast retinue," that makes us feel comfortable, while if the teacher says,""Your Buddha is naked and alone in you," it makes us very uncomfortable. We cannot get actual enlightenment, even if we practice, when we are stuck in the habits of systematic style. Creating complications makes enlightenment more distant.

Westerners especially like to have a substance Buddha, not too heavy but convenient, like a light handbag. When the Buddha without substance escapes from the bag, they are confused, lose patience, and withour understanding that the Dharma is within them, they blame the Lama and the Dharma. When Westerners see the Buddha as substance, they want to use his power for themselves to benefit their substance power., Even if they don't like the Buddha, they like his power, and although they dont want to abandon him, they still don't want to have him sit above them or on the same chair either. The Buddha's power must be less conspicuous than their own to serve their worldly benefit so they choose to use a powerful landlord's style and make the Buddha their doorman. When they ring the bell, the Buddha must open the door toward their proud chin. Then they give a nod with a faint artificial smile, as they don't want to bow. They adopt a greedy businessman style, never thinking of samaya or practice, but only thinking of where the the profit lies, of advertisements and new ideas to put on the hook.

Eastern people like to keep their valuable things hidden, protected from other people. Westerners like to show them and use them for boasting, but they do not like to give them away. There are two different styles of greed; one is hidden, the other displayed.

From Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Gypsy Gossip