My dearly beloved and respected RRji, Sharmaji and all,
I find this post extremely stimulating as it is an experience I can relate to. Allow me to add to this wonderful post to another aspect. I hope this can lead to even more sharing.
I have had the wonderful privilege of being at the feet of Masters in the various industries of my wide interests and involvements, whether at a personal or professional level. Today, I regard the single most important thing in life as the conscious pursuit of knowledge, its conversion to wisdom, its service and distribution for collective evolution.
I enjoy the part in the post where his (I think it was Sharmaji's?) early perspective of teachers grew into a more noble view of their role and the kind of values they had to practice in order to sustain those noble functions.
I grew up seeing my father opining his deepest spiritual thoughts only to 'deserving' disciples. I thought that was limiting and probably even foolish on his part. I sometimes even arrogantly wondered if it was because those present in turn showered him with frequent gifts and privileges for the understanding and illumination he offered them.
I thought it did not matter the selection, for gnana is to be given for free. And when the teacher gives, he does not give to a student, he transacts with the universe, and therefore gives 'back' to the universe by offering his understanding to all and sundry. As for the student, I argued to myself that if it is his, then he will be able to partake of the gems being thrown at him. If it is not his, then he will not partake of them, at least not at that time. Maybe others will partake of it if they are the ones more deserving. But that was not the prerogative of the teacher, so I thought. The teacher's right, was simply to offer his knowledge and understanding. This opinion led me to think that the teacher really never wastes his time in dispensing his knowledge to his audience; the deserving and the un-deserving (or unprepared for that moment in their evolutions) will sort themselves out perfectly, by karmic inclination and capacity.
But another consideration enters. Those who are ready, have a certain display about them. The signs are there. They are humble in their approach; their respect to the teacher, his sensitivities, his person, his comforts at all levels, serving these, becomes live offerings of the student in respect to what the teacher represents. They even act as switches to open higher doors for the student, albeit unconsciously. The teacher gives his best to the most deserving, because it is felt by the teacher in the manner that he is revered for what he represents. The teacher performs better, and in his delight he gives even more. Sometimes, he might not even know why that student is picked out of the many. Spirit after all, is beyond intellect and reason, and the Guru normally transacts at that level.
The teacher is always ready to give, but it is the student that must prove himself to be deserving. He proves that not to his master, but to his own self, that he is deserving. He proves it by respecting the living symbol before him. His teacher is a living symbol and source of his pursuit. He needs to press the right switches.
This awareness on the part of the student is a vital component in the guru-disciple transaction. Surrounded by more than 50 new students every month, with senior students still with me for more than 20 years, this understanding is no more an idea, but real.
My own approach to my other peers on gnana have improved. Stalwart I may be in the successful provings of my small experiences, there is still a crucial need for respectful conferencing and anticipation of group results.
I have taught my senior students to measure their progress by the increasing ability to provide instant answers to their students, with more answers than the number of questions asked, complete with suggestions for experimentation and observation. While I ask of my students to question me, telling them not to receive anything without clarification and understanding, it is not easy to tolerate rude questions, nor appropriate questions in inappropriate manner. Yet for those who ask meaningfully, politely and humbly, simply incite an even more enriched answer. It's as if the teacher has little conscious control in his response to such benign and welcome approach.
May we all at this noble forum share in this betterment in every respect.
May Your Stars Shine Bright Always
| rohiniranjan wrote: |
Sharma ji,
Points well made and noted! One clarification though! When I said "Question the teachers", I did not mean 'disrespect' the teacher! The two are poles apart in my mind, one a sign of maturity while the other is a sign of insecurity!
RR
| RajeevSharma wrote: |
Respected RR ji
agreed nobody is perfect and we have right to question our teachers.. but the point i was trying to raise that whether one should feel hurt and take it as personal assault on one's ego if some one elder (in age or in knowledge) tries to correct him/her or not... i don't know about others but for me the answer is a definite no no...
I was born and brought up in independent india (i mention this as i feel when u r born in a country ruled by others u r mentality some how becomes a bit slavish)... i ve had my share of independent thoughts and at one time i regarded all my teachers as dumb slobs... who became teachers just to let their pent up frustrations out on poor kids... i was wrong... when i grew up mentally a bit and didnt find any peace in this world .. i did a lot of introspection and concluded that the best way to live is to go back to the old school of values.. where people were respected because of their knowledge... and the guru shishya prampara was a beautiful concept... it is the values only that its only in the vedic astrology forum (not all the forums of MB).. we put "ji" behind a persons name... (parveen ji even call ashna...ashna bete...beautiful).. where else on the net u find such a thing..
i agree that teachers must be questioned as they are not infallible... but u should quuestion them only when u r 100% aware of the facts.. when u urself are a novice ... it seems ridiculous to me to question the knowledge of an expert in a field..
may be u r right when u said we just don't know how closely related we all are... i dont know bout others but urself, rahul ji, vivek ji, parveen ji, ashna.. all seem like family members to me... so much so that in the first post to learn vedic astrology forum where vivek ji and rahul ji asked about the students enrolled for that course about their reasons and ambitions.. i shared my deepest secrets with u all... something i ve never been able to tell anybody... not even to my wife... whom i regard my closest friend...
Best Regards... |
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