Teacher's qualification

[Guest guest]

--- On Wed, 2/25/09, pranipatachaitanya <pranipatachaitanya wrote:

But the strange thing in the ongoing discussion is some interpret

other with jnAni and argue only jnAni should teach and if taught by

anybody else(interpreting other as person other than jnAni or any

other Knolwedge as known from any other source(a non-jnAni) it won't

be fruitful.

 

-

 

PraNAms

 

Just my understanding for whatever it is worth:

 

There are three types of teachers possible.

 

1. One who knows shaastras and also firmly established in the knowledge - which

scriptures call as - shrotriyaH and Brahma nishTa

 

2. One who does not know Shaastras but firmly established in the Knowledge -

only Brahma nishTaa

 

3. One who knows Shaastras but not firmly established in BrahmniShTaa.

 

Of these the first one is the best and Scriptures advises one to approach such a

teacher.

 

Second is the problem since He may be BrahmaniShTaa but he is not a teacher -

Shankara (not sure exactly where) says that one should avoid this teacher. He

may inspire one to inquire but he cannot guide others.

 

The third one is the second best since at least one can learn from that teacher.

 

-------

Now the problem is Brahma niShTaa alone will know that He is BrahmannishTa - no

one else can know. One can only guess by studying ones behavior for a prolonged

length of time - that he does not get excited etc as Krishna describes.

 

That means student can never know if his teacher is Brahma niShTaa or not but

student can find out if his teacher has studied the scriptures or not.

 

Since one needs shraddhaa or faith in the words of the teacher - it is

imperative for the student to assume that his teacher is realized (irrespective

of whether the teacher is realized or not). With that faith if he learns, the

student can realize since he has the faith in the teaching.

 

Ultimately a teacher is one who directs the disciple to the scriptures and not

to himself as the authority - since scriptures ultimately form the means of

knowledge.

 

Now the question is why do we need a teacher or guide? Why cannot just a book or

tape recorder or CD player be a teacher?

 

First this is subjective science involving non-objectifiable truths. The

preconceived notions of the seeker form impediments for knowledge. If we cannot

do Ph.D. without a guide as per any university rules, it is more imperative to

have a guide for more subtle inquiry. Anyone who has Ph.D cannot guide another

student. The one who has Ph.D and who himself involved in continuing inquiry or

research alone can guide a student. Some researchers who are well established in

research but do not have a Ph.D can also guide a student. The same thing applies

to more subtle inquiry.

 

Hence the Vedic instruction is always approach a teacher for the knowledge.

 

Ultimately it is due to merits of many lives that one can find a proper teacher

who can guide for salvation.

 

Hence VevekachuuDaamaNi says

manushyatvam mumukshutvam mahaapurushasamsrayam - dulabham - daiva anugraham

only - being born as human being with discriminative faculty, and even after

human birth a desire to become free from bondage and finally the acquaintance of

a great soul - all these three are rare indeed - that is only due to grace of

God it can happen. A student has to discover his teacher and no teacher will

come and say I am your teacher. A student will discover his teacher when he has

full faith in the teaching. Without that full faith, no teaching can takes

place. Shraddhaavan labhate jnaanam says Krishna.

 

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

[Guest guest]

Hari Om! Pranaams!

 

With respect to brahma/Atma-jnAna(tattva), shAstra is the pramANa and

guru is nimitta.

 

tattva-vicAra and pramANa-vicAra should be done by every sAdhAka and

not the third.

 

yaM bhAvaM darshayet yasya taM bhAvaM saH tu pashyati.

taM ca avati saH bhUtvA asau tad-grahaH samupaiti tam. (MK 1.29)

 

Anyone to whom a teacher may show a particular object(as the reality)

sees that alone. And that thing, too, protects him by becoming

identified with him. That absorbtion leads to his self-identity (with

the object of attention).

 

yam eShaH eva vrNute tena labhyaH. tasya eShaH AtmA vivrNute tanuM

svAm. Katha 1.ii.23)

 

It can be known through the Self alone that the aspirant prays to;

this Self of that seeker reveals Its true nature.

 

Revealing itself is in its ownself.

 

This is said with full respect to the Guru. But the search of the

sAdhaka should be only Atman/Brahman and not a Atmavid/brahmavid.

 

In Shri Guru Smriti

Br. Pranipata Chaitanya