role of ancient guruthe qualities of ancient guru we like to adopt?
Answers
Resorting to a Preceptor
The Spiritual Preceptor — Āchārya — has an essential place in all the great Wisdom Traditions of the world.
Taking refuge in an abstract and seemingly distant Divine Being is somewhat troublesome, but taking refuge in a learned, compassionate, caring and wise person is much easier, as such a person is present and approachable.
In this age of consumerism and “shopping” how does one know if a “guru” is genuine or not?!
There are many people who go from one spiritual teacher to another — shopping around for one who will tell them what they want to hear.
There is also no lack of “Spiritual Teachers” who are quite willing to tell their disciples whatever they think they want to hear in order to enjoy some economic benefits and thrill of power and exploitation.
The concept of the Guru is important to Indian civilization and culture. A guru is the essential necessity for the study of all sciences — art, sculpture, architecture, medicine, music, politics, law etc. and of course - for spirituality.
The guru is not merely a teacher but also a guide, mentor, a surrogate parent, a role model and a friend.
The term guru means “the remover of ignorance”, it also means “heavy” — i.e. heavy with knowledge and experience.
In ancient India teaching was one-on-one through the guru-kula system in which students would live with the guru and serve him in payment for the teaching.
The purpose of education was not only the transmission of knowledge but also the modelling and reshaping of the individual into an “Aryan” which means a “noble” person - possessed of right thinking and practice, high mindedness, honour, fairness and compassion — a transformation of the whole person – spiritually, intellectually and morally.
Our primary gurus are our parents. The scriptures say that there are four tangible forms of Divinity in the world: mother, father, teacher and a needy stranger.
All these need to be treated with the same veneration that one would show to the gods themselves were they to appear!
According to the orthodox Vedic tradition the credentials of the guru or Āchārya are established from the Lineage or Sampradāya to which he/she belongs.
No knowledge is considered as valid unless it comes from a Preceptor who belongs to an authorised lineage and actually practices the teaching and lives a spiritual life.
The greatest of all spiritual masters in the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya was Rāmānuja(11 century):
There is nothing that can be added to or subtracted from his teachings. Therefore all contemporary Āchāryas must confine themselves to re-interpreting the teachings of Rāmānuja to suit changing social circumstances — not inventing new doctrines.
Taking refuge in a bona fide Āchārya is an integral part of the path of taking refuge:
One cannot learn about the Ultimate Truth from the Scriptures through personal reading and self-interpretation — the teaching must come from an Authority.
In matters of health one does not consult a doctor who is self-taught, one goes to a specialist who has studied in a recognised school of medicine. In the same manner in order to understand the Ultimate Truth as it really is, one goes to a properly qualifiedĀchārya.