Going the Distance in Spiritual Life – Part 3
The Three Great Boons, continued
#2 – An Adept Preceptor
The importance of the human teacher cannot be overestimated. The Katha Upanisad declares:
Om uttisthata jagrata
prapya varannibhodata
kshurasya dhara nishita duratyaya
durgam pathasthat kavaya vadanti
Arise! Awake! Stop not until the Goal is reached.
Approach the wise teachers and learn from them.
Like the sharp edge of a razor is the spiritual path, and
difficult to tread. So declare the wise ones. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
“Like the sharp edge of a razor….” The numbers of people in today’s westernized society who have undergone a rigorous tutelage are few and getting fewer. And these appear mostly to be found in sports, classical music, and the upper levels of graduate studies in some subjects. One’s student years in school are arguably a form of mass production education in most cases, with increasing reliance on technology to fill that gap that should be reserved for a deep relationship between the teacher and the student. This situation being prevalent in one’s student years of education, it is not too surprising to see it again in the context of early or superficial pursuits of religion, spirituality, and philosophy. Combined with the Western trait of individualism and independence (unmatured), it results in the idea that, “The teacher is unnecessary; I can find my own way via books, internet, and social media. Besides, God is within me. I can just meditate and find the Truth.” Well, as my teacher, Babaji, often says, “How’s that working for you?”
This is, then, the cultural obstacle we have to address first. If our samskaras for spirituality are good and strong, we will pierce through this hazy thinking and realize that a teacher is necessary. What does an authentic spiritual teacher do for the student?
– Clarifies doubts, confusions, and errors about the teachings
– Is able to read one’s karmas and samskaras
– Applies the appropriate teachings for the student’s particular needs and qualifications.
– Stands as the initial witness of the student’s gunic cycles until he or she recognizes them and becomes equanimous
– Exemplifies a dharmic life of peace and ongoing spiritual attainment in contrast to conventional life with limited ends dominated by waves of happiness and sorrow.
– Transmits, through regular personal association, discrimination between the Real and unreal, and renunciation of the unreal.
– Confers mantra diksha (initiation with mantra), and instructions for sadhana.
– Continues to guide the student through the subtleties of purification of the mind due to sadhana.
When all this is waiting for the spiritual seeker, the knowing one should rush to an authentic teacher and take refuge!
Om tad viddhi pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva darshinah
Om shantih shantih shantih
Sincere students approach illumined preceptors
Via prostration, questioning, and selfless service.
Then the wise ones, the knowers of Truth,
Initiate them into the highest wisdom. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
Bhagavad Gita (Ch 4:34)
“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” Sometimes the seeker finds the teacher first and the path is given, and other times, one finds the path and the teacher presents him or herself. Either way, much depends on the quality of one’s consciousness and degree of sincerity as to what kind of teacher appears. The “quality of one’s consciousness” in this regard refers to which guna predominates, what kind of karmas and samskaras are present as obstacles or benefits, and what one’s true intent is. This last pertains to one’s sincerity. Is one looking for a respite from sorrow and suffering primarily? Is one seeking God first and foremost or only seeking God as a means to some earthly end?
Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita lists four kinds of devotees: the one seeking relief from suffering, the one seeking wealth, the one seeking knowledge, and finally, the one imbued with wisdom. The first three are also devotees as they are seeking God first and it is understood that whether or not they get what they are seeking in this lifetime, they are still surrendered to God. They are not bartering their worship, reverence, and love to God for finite earthly attainments. Their desires are all based first in dharma. This teaching is offered to aid one in discriminating about one’s sincerity. For, the danger of not having an attitude of surrender to God and some detachment from the world is that one may easily fall prey to inferior teachers, attracted by sensationalism – promises of wealth, health, or powers.
Though so much more can be said about the glories of the spiritual Teacher, we will close with the Qualifications of the Guru as described by Shankara. This is universally applicable across religious traditions, using each tradition’s own scriptures and highest Ideals.
1 – Akamahata – the teacher must be devoid of selfish desires. He or she should want only that you attain Self-Realization.
2 – Shrotriya – the teacher should know the essence of the scriptures and be able to transmit them
3 – Avrijina – the teacher should lead a pure and simple life
4 – Brahmavid – he or she should be a knower of Brahman
For more about these four qualifications, please see my blog from 2012, The Need of a Guru. http://advaita-academy.org/blogs/the-need-of-a-guru/
Some quotes to end with:
“You may go and knock your head against the four corners of the world, seek in the Himalayas, the Alps, the Caucasus, the desert of Gobi or Sahara, or the bottom of the sea, but perfection will not come until you find a teacher.” –Swami Vivekananda
“If higher knowledge is not already in the soul, then rebirth continues and there will be no other recourse than to suffer cause and effect. Even striving for light will not bestow any real benefit, for to seek enlightenment without the mantra, the teachings, and the guru, is like trying to grow crops only at night.” –Lord Vasishtha
Study of scriptures without a Guru, for mere intellectual knowledge alone, will only lead to ajnana – ignorance.” –Lord Vasishtha
