riding the waves of consciousness on the surfboard of wisdom and compassion

Friday, April 27, 2007

Why having a guru is so important


Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession.

The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders.

The Bhagavatam says: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam--the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life.

One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige.

Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective.

One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only listen submissively to the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries.

A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.

this post is from "The Hindu Universe" at Hindunet.com

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About Me, the Vajra Surfer वज्र

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Los Angeles, California, United States
Hi! ✌ I am a flower-picking ❀ redwood-tree-hugging, ♻ green-party-progressive, 21¼-century reincarnation of John ☮ Lennon from the ♆ spiritual vortex of Santa Cruz, California! I'm a Egytpo-Grecian☥, Neo-Platonic⊿, Gnostic☿, Buddhist⎈-Hinduૐ-Daoist䷀䷁ mystic⁂ and ϕhilosopher-king. 兡 Beyond my preternatural affability there is some acid and some steel.™ I've sober for ⨦20 years. 兡 I like to sing 吉 in my car like I am ☆ live onstage. I chant, which is kind of like singing, except more introverted. I pray for peace 平 and for the enlightenment of all beings. 曰月

Vajrapani, Holder of the Vajra

Vajrapani, Holder of the Vajra
om vajrapani hung phet