Guru (Spiritual Teacher)

Representation of Guru Nanak, the guru of the Sikhs

A guru ( Devanagari : ) is a term Sanskrit meaning "teacher", "spiritual guide", "master" we gives "serious" meant literally "weighing, which has weight" or "important, Venerable."

The guru teaches spirituality, dance, music or any other field of knowledge. In the spiritual realm, the guru is the initiator or leader of a school of thought or self-proclaimed traditional part of an Ashram or Gurukula. The relationship between guru and disciple (chela) are those between a patriarch and a young child, the latter to free his master the daily tasks (laundry, cooking, cleaning) in exchange for the education he receives This contract is regarded in India as part of learning ^{, , , ,} . The term is also used by the Sikhs who called and their spiritual and political leaders, the last of them was not a man but a book, the Adi Granth , as decided by the last of the gurus of Sikhism.

The guru is the basis of the tradition of spiritual transmission in India . According to Vedanta Sara: "A true guru is a man to whom the practice of all virtues is familiar, who with the sword of wisdom has trimmed all the branches and uprooted all the root causes that led (...) with dignity and independence. Who sees gold and gems with as much indifference as scrap metal and shards, which puts aside all his attention to the darkness of ignorance in which the rest of mankind is plunged "

The guru may be the one to initiate a young Brahmin , a Kshatriya or a Vaishya at the time of initiation (upanayana). It may also be one that will give religious instruction and proceed with the study of sacred texts to children belonging to the first three varna in the first four stages of life ( Ashram ), the Brahmacharya. It may also be a "guru", a mentor, a highly respected spiritual guide for those who will become what is called a chela or Sisi, student or disciple.

There is no authority to grant this, Hinduism, centralizing authority without orderly, having neither church nor clergy , nor training school for future Gurus . However, it would be inconceivable that someone self-proclaimed guru . This is the public recognition of the level of inner fulfillment which suggests that such and such was the stature of a master. Recognition of the status of guru does is usually by means of another guru who registers himself in a long line of transmission (guru parampara shishya) and will be deemed able to recognize and control capabilities of any individual to teach in turn.

Gurus uninitiated by another guru exist, but are very rare. In this case, the rumor is playing its role, we just listen and if some people would say the disciples, the case is heard . This practice is based on mutual trust and moral rigor. The Indians have long been aware that there are many false gurus and fake sadhus. This truth is amusingly depicted the descent of the Ganges at Mahabalipuram , a bas-relief of the ^eighth century when a cat in the bottom right of the central fissure, is in position for meditation while mice, deceived, approach in trust, which will cost them life (see illustration here ).

In some cases, real initiatory lineages were established, particularly in the field of Vedanta, or in the marga-tantra and yoga . It should be noted however that the vast majority of followers back to their worldly pursuits after retirement from a master for a longer or shorter . Only those who persevere feel called .

The teachings of Guru implies the presence of followers . These are grouped around the master happy to enjoy his words and form a community, the Ashram, which organized a life reduced to the minimum necessary ; (normally the Ashram is never built since the establishment of such a community is random circumstances , most often a wandering ascetic - sadhu - is known by the wisdom of the advice he gives during his travels . Some people attach to his feet and eventually persuaded him to stop in a clearing, a cave, etc. , at least away from villages, as is an unwritten rule of Hinduism lived ).

In principle, the guru is not concerned with the functioning of the Ashram which is still an informal and precarious : voluntarily, it prohibits any form of regular organization, as it is understood that the Ashram is that since the master has something to teach (and agrees to do so) and where there are people who want to receive such education .

On the death of the guru (or when he decides to retire, telling his pupil: "I taught you everything I know, now you gotta go away" ), the community is dissolved itself .

The standard is that the number of followers is very small, even if only because the direct student-teacher is preferred . Moreover, many gurus who have only two or three disciples and traveled with them in India, making it impossible to install a stable community . There are exceptions: for example, the Jainism , the Buddhism and Sikhism have become full-fledged religions - their guru has founded a group which has survived them and broke away from the Hinduism. But these are exceptions that prove the rule: Thousands of teachers today continue to provide spiritual teaching to small informal communities that bear the name of Ashram .

But in no case shall be compensated (he made donations: food vegetarian and frugal mainly) on pain of losing the sight of the view (only judge in the matter) the status of Hindu spiritual master .

renowned Gurus in India

Ramana Maharshi , Ananda Mayi Ma , Sivananda , Swami Ramdas

References

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