Buddhist teaching

When teaching and presenting seminars in Buddhist countries, I am aware of the perspective of teaching and learning from some of my students:

"A pupil should always rise when his teacher enters, should wait upon him, attend to his instructions, not neglect an offering for him, listen respectfully to his teaching. At the same time, a teacher should act rightly before a pupil, and set him a good example; he should pass on the teaching which he has learned, correctly, he should use good methods and try to prepare the pupil for honors, and he should not forget to protect from evil in every possible way. If a teacher and pupil observe this rule, their association will progress smoothly."
(The Teaching of Buddha, Chapter 2, Practical guide to true living)

I find it difficult being in the position of a revered teacher. Western methods of working with students encourage students to critique information, and research degrees aim for students to develop new knowledge not just to learn previously learned teaching.

I do like this thought though: "To live a single day and hear a good teaching is better than to live a hundred years without knowing such teaching" (The Teaching of Buddha)