Does it matter how you come to the teachings, does it have to be authentic teaching based on lineage?
Well, the word “authentic” is tricky. My humble opinion is as long as the teaching (no matter from which lineage) not deviated from Buddha’s core teaching, e.g. the Four Noble Truths (the Cause & Effect), the Noble Eightfold Paths (the Right Practice), the Seal of the Dharma (The Three Seals / The Nature of Trueness), then it could be so-called “authentic”. However, the achievements, either profound or superficial, will highly related to how thorough one contemplate and how broad one apply to her/his daily living (to beings and to environment).
