Spiritual Instruction - ch. I - Instruction [Upadesa]

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Spiritual Instruction

ch. I - Instruction [upadesa]

 

What are the marks of a real teacher (sadguru)?

 

Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye,

unshakeable courage at all times, in all places and circumstances,

etc.

 

What are the marks of an earnest disciple (sadsisya)?

 

An intense longing for the removal of sorrow and attainment of joy

and an intense aversion for all kinds of mundane pleasure.

 

What are the characteristics of instruction (upadesa)?

 

The word 'upadesa' means : 'near the place or seat'

(upa - near, desa - place or seat). The Guru who is

the embodiment of that which is indicated by the

terms sat, chit, and ananda (existence, consciousness

and bliss), prevents the disciple who, on account of his

acceptance of the forms of the objects of the senses,

has swerved from his true state and is consequently

distressed and buffeted by joys and sorrows, from

continuing so and establishes him in his own real

nature without differentiation.

 

Upadesa also means showing a distant object quite near.

It is brought home to the disciple that the Brahman which

he believes to be distant and different from himself is near

and not different from himself.

 

If it be true that the Guru is one's own Self (atman),

what is the principle underlying the doctrine which

says that, however learned a disciple may be or

whatever occult powers he may possess, he cannot

attain self-realization (atma-siddhi) without the grace

of the Guru?

 

Although in absolute truth the state of the Guru is that of oneself

it is very hard for the Self which has become the individual soul (jiva)

through ignorance to realize its true state or nature without the grace

of the Guru.

 

All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence

of the real Guru. If he were to say to one who arrogantly claims that he

has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning or one who claims

arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well-nigh impossible,

"Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you learnt (to know)

yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are

almost impossible, have you seen yourself?", they will bow their heads

(in shame) and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the grace

of the Guru and by no other accomplishment is it possible to know

oneself.

 

What are the marks of the Guru's grace?

 

 

It is beyond words or thoughts.

 

 

If that is so, how is it that it is said that the disciple

realizes his true state by the Guru's grace?

 

 

It is like the elephant which wakes up on seeing a lion

in its dream. Even as the elephant wakes up at the mere

sight of the lion, so too is it certain that the disciple

wakes up from the sleep of ignorance into the wakefulness

of true knowledge through the Guru's benevolent look of grace.

 

 

What is the significance of the saying that the nature of the real Guru

is that of the Supreme Lord (Sarvesvara)?

 

 

In the case of the individual soul which desires to attain the state

of true knowledge or the state of Godhood (Isvara) and with that

object always practises devotion, when the individual's devotion

has reached a mature stage, the Lord who is the witness of that

individual soul and identical with it, comes forth in human form

with the help of sat-chit-ananda, His three natural features, and

form and name which he also graciously assumes, and in the

guise of blessing the disciple, absorbs him in Himself. According

to this doctrine the Guru can truly be called the Lord.

 

How then did some great persons attain knowledge without a Guru?

 

 

To a few mature persons the Lord shines as the light of knowledge

and imparts awareness of the truth.

 

 

 

What is the end of devotion (bhakti) and the path

of Siddhanta (i.e., Saiva Siddhanta)?

 

 

It is to learn the truth that all one's actions performed

with unselfish devotion, with the aid of the three purified

instruments (body, speech and mind), in the capacity of

the servant of the Lord, become the Lord's actions, and

to stand forth free from the sense of 'I' and 'mine'.

This is also the truth of what the Saiva-Siddhantins call

para-bhakti (supreme devotion) or living in the service

of God (irai-pani-nittral).

 

 

What is the end of the path of knowledge (jnana) or Vedanta?

 

 

It is to know the truth that the 'I' is not different from the Lord

(Isvara) and to be free from the feeling of being the doer

(kartrtva, ahamkara).

 

How can it be said that the end of both these paths is the same?

 

 

Whatever the means, the destruction of the sense 'I' and 'mine'

is the goal, and as these are interdependent, the destruction of

either of them causes the destruction of the other; therefore in

order to achieve that state of Silence which is beyond thought

and word, either the path of knowledge which removes the

sense of 'I' or the path of devotion which removes the sense

of 'mine', will suffice. So there is no doubt that the end of the

paths of devotion and knowledge is one and the same.

 

What is the mark of the ego?

 

The individual soul of the form of 'I' is the ego The Self which

is of the nature of intelligence (chit) has no sense of 'I'. Nor

does the insentient body possess a sense of 'I'. The mysterious

appearance of a delusive ego between the intelligent and

the insentient, being the root cause of all these troubles,

upon its destruction by whatever means, that which really

exists will be seen as it is. This is called Liberation (moksha).

 

___ Sri Ramana Maharshi