Ep114: 'Lineage - Who May Teach The Authentic Dharma?' - Dhammarato & Daniel Ingram
In this episode I host a dialogue between Dhammarato and Daniel Ingram on the question ‘Lineage: Who May Teach The Authentic Dharma?’.
Dhammarato is a lineage teacher in the Thai Buddhist tradition, a student of the meditation master Bikkhu Buddhadasa, and is known for his unique, 1-1 teaching style conducted over Skype.
Daniel Ingram is an independent Buddhist author and co-founder of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC), a multidisciplinary, multinational alliance of researchers, clinicians, and patrons who share a vision of bringing scientific methods and clinical sensibilities to the study of emergent phenomena.
In this episode Dhammarato and Daniel offer various definitions of the word ‘lineage’ and debate the value of lineage authorisation as a qualification to teach the Buddhist religion.
Dhammarato recalls his own monastic training in what he calls the ‘noble lineage’ under teachers such as a Ajahn Po and Bikkhu Buddhadasa and critiques the lack of authentic lineage in the West, while Daniel reflects on the pros and cons of the concept of lineage purity and institutional persecution of the outsider.
Dhammarato and Daniel also consider generational preferences in lineage styles, the roles of religious institutions, and predict the evolution of Buddhism in America.
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Topics Include:
00:00 – Intro
01:59 – Lineage – who may teach the authentic dharma
03:36 – Dhammarato’s opening address
18:51 -Daniel’s opening address
33:31 – What is lineage?
38:55 – Lack of lineage in the West
41:57 – Christopher Titmuss on what makes a dharma teacher
44:31 – Aesthetics vs dhamma
47:59 – Dhammarato’s noble training under Ajahn Po
54:10 – Goenka approach is the end a lineage
55:42 – Lineage as family and pure blood perspective
59:04 – Noble vs ordinary lineage
01:06:48 – Lineage as outsourced social proof
01:13:08 – Spending time with role models
01:20:37 – The roles of institutions
01:24:20 – With whom should you share your attainments?
01:31:11 – The maverick and the institution
01:33:02 – Generational preferences
01:37:22 – The evolutional of Western Buddhism
01:43:23 – Evaluating competency and judging others
01:44:07 – Daniel’s closing address
01:49:00 – Dhammarato’s closing address
Dhammarato Episode Playlist
Daniel Ingram Episode Playlist
To find out more about Dhammarato, visit:
To find out more about Daniel, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James