Meditate on and cultivate devotion for your Guru is all important because it is the only source of authentic realization. The role of the guru in the path cannot really be exaggerated or overemphasized. Traditionally it is said, “Before the Guru there weren’t Buddhas.” What does this mean? In practical terms it means that we cannot achieve awakening by trying to “figure it out” by thinking. No matter how clever we are we cannot think our way to enlightenment. Nor can we achieve it through struggle. No matter how hard working and diligent we may be, we cannot struggle our way to awakening — neither of these will lead us to awakening. The only way we can achieve it is through praying to our guru, which causes our own innate wisdom to reveal itself.
[From a teaching on Songs of Barway Dorje, Part 9, by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. Translated by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso.]