SEEKING GUIDANCE?
Be sure of who you are surrendering to ?
Ordinary people like us are easily influenced by whatever happens around us. We tend to get lured and so distracted that we end up suffering. But, if the purpose of life is happin...ess, we need to consciously follow the right path.To do this, many follow a spiritual teacher. Few can explore a difficult terrain without the help of an experienced navigator or guide.
Who, then, is the ideal teacher? The Abhidharma has a long list covering pratimoksha or external, bodhisattva or internal and the secret mantrayana vows. It includes deep insights of one’s master as gleaned from his teachings, knowledge of rituals and actualisation of extraordinary achievements by practising the teachings one receives. There is emphasis on generosity, conformity, and on an affable disposition.
The single-most important quality of a teacher would be compassion, which among many other things would mean that a worthy teacher would never, ever think of taking undue or unfair advantage of any of his students.
This singular aspect comes into sharp focus given the turn of events involving a certain ‘godman’ last week and few others before him in the recent past. Just as the responsibility is upon the teacher to examine his student, the responsibility also rests with the student to examine the teacher and know which teacher to avoid — and which one to follow. Not to examine the teacher is like drinking poison; not to examine the disciple is like leaping from a cliff.
Om Namah Shivay
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