The Ten Teaching Sutra says:
Develop the following ideas with respect to your teachers. I have wandered for a long time through cyclic existence, and they search for me; I have been asleep, having been obscured by delusion for a long time, and they wake me; they pull me out of the depths of the ocean of existence; I have entered a bad path, and they reveal the good path to me; they release me from being bound in the prison of existence; I have been worn out by illness for a long time, and they are my doctors; they are the rain clouds that put out my blazing fire of attachment and the like.
Lamrim Vol 1, pg 83
Yes, my dharma master, Venerable Richang, was my excellent teacher who had pointed to and taught me the perfect path towards enlightenment. He was the one that concorded with Buddha and had guided me to understand the principles and enabled me to put them into practice according to the teachings.
In addition, he had done this not only for this life, but life after life for me! My teacher was the embodiment of the Three Jewels. ????????????????
Namo Gurubhya
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Dharmaya
Namo Sanghaya