The Six Worlds of Samsara, Cont.

In old, established monasteries, the Master or Abbot usually can rely upon an excellent support system. All authoritative positions in his monastery from chief cook to head gardener will have been filled by spiritually accomplished men and women who constitute an assisting staff of fully enlightened masters. Regardless of where a novice is assigned to work, he is always under the watchful eye of a master. His spiritual supervision is therefore constant.

In newer institutions, however, there can be serious problems with 'unripened' staff members. A newcomer - whether novice or layman - must be circumspect in his selection of spiritual advisor. He should not seek guidance from the young and inexperienced. (Ripe priests usually do not occur in nature under the age of thirty-five or forty.) He must also give careful consideration to any advice he is given or to any requests made of him.

Although an unripened, six worlds' priest is spiritually useless, he is not necessarily spiritually harmless. Some members of the clergy, despite their robes and pious poses, manage to be fools, knaves or a mystifying combination of both.

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