what if one does not find a guru this lifetime...

[Guest guest]

does that mean one will have to reincarnate?

 

Katie

[Guest guest]

Acharya Sri Sankara has done a great work called

the " Vivekachudamani " where he spells out pearls of wisdom. In the

opening 4-5 verses itself he address this point directly.

 

He says, that getting a birth itself is very rare, being born as a

human being rarer, rarer still developing an interest for

emancipation and God, and the rarest in all the millions of worlds,

and in an 100 life-times of Brahma, (which runs into billions of

years), is coming in direct-contact with a Jivan-Mukhta or one who

has attained the absolute-state.

 

That is achieved only as a cumulative effect of good-deeds in

thousands (or millions) of births. He says, that when one gets to

meet such a Guru, then one need not do anything after that in life.

That is the highest wealth that one can ever posess. He says that by

just listening to the Guru and following his instructions, one can

cross this ocean of samsaara.

 

According to Sankara, the very purpose of a birth, is to enquire into

one's nature and where one came from, and what is the meaning of

life.

 

He says, one need not think of something else as " suicide " than

wasting away time in not engaging in this quest. To him, wastage of

time in any other activity is equivalent to letting go of an unique

opportunity granted by God in so many countless years and so many

countless births.

 

To finally answer the question by KAtie, yes it is indeed very rare

to meet a Guru of the order of Ramakrishna. Only the Guru can open

the doors to God's realm, no one else. God also likes only that.

 

-- Pradeep

 

Ramakrishna, " Katie " <squeakpal@a...> wrote:

> does that mean one will have to reincarnate?

>

> Katie

[Guest guest]

does this only apply to guru's who are still in the flesh?

 

 

 

 

> He says, one need not think of something else as " suicide " than

> wasting away time in not engaging in this quest. To him, wastage of

> time in any other activity is equivalent to letting go of an unique

> opportunity granted by God in so many countless years and so many

> countless births.

>

> To finally answer the question by KAtie, yes it is indeed very rare

> to meet a Guru of the order of Ramakrishna. Only the Guru can open

> the doors to God's realm, no one else. God also likes only that.

>

> -- Pradeep

>

> Ramakrishna, " Katie " <squeakpal@a...> wrote:

> > does that mean one will have to reincarnate?

> >

> > Katie

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Ellyn,

 

At the initial stage, you need a Guru "in the flesh" who would be kind enough to initiate you, is it not ? There may be exceptions, I agree (but let me not digress). After initiation, it is better to have one's own Guru "in the flesh" for a prolonged time for obvious reasons. After the Guru shuffles of his mortal coil in course of time, it is the Order (if any) which will continue to guide the aspirants whenever they need the same. Ramakrishna Order is no exception. Sri Ramakrishna is regarded as the real Guru and Ista (chosen form of God) in the Order. The President Maharaj and some other senior Monks of the Order are normally empowered for giving initiation to the aspirants. When the individual Guru enters into Mahasamdhi (ceases to exist), the Order and its senior Monks are always there to help you. They occupy the place of your "virtual" Guru (in today's parlance) because all of them teach the same thing. This is how, Ramakrishna Order has ensured constant spiritual guidance to all the aspirants in different parts of the globe. This is due to the wonderful vision of Swami Vivekananda.

 

Dear Ellyn, would you mind if I ask you whether you are fortunate enough to get initiation from your Guru? Is so, you may put this question to him and get a reply from him/her which befits you in particular. Otherwise, when you will have initiation, at that time you may ask him/her the same. This Guru-Shishya parampara (Teacher-student relationship) is a unique and strange one. It is very difficult (if not impossible) to make others understand anything about it. For example, will you accept if I say that Guru "in the flesh" or "out of the flesh" would hardly make any difference to the Shishya (student) because he/she is always under the loving care of all-compassionate Guru? The relationship is really eternal. But, one has to realize it in one's heart.

 

Wish you speedy progress in your spiritual strivings.

 

TP Bagchi

 

-

Ellyn Nikkia Gray

Ramakrishna

Sunday, October 27, 2002 1:36 AM

Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Re: what if one does not find a guru this lifetime...

does this only apply to guru's who are still in the flesh?

He says, one need not think of something else as "suicide" thanwasting away time in not engaging in this quest. To him, wastage oftime in any other activity is equivalent to letting go of an uniqueopportunity granted by God in so many countless years and so manycountless births.To finally answer the question by KAtie, yes it is indeed very rareto meet a Guru of the order of Ramakrishna. Only the Guru can openthe doors to God's realm, no one else. God also likes only that.-- PradeepRamakrishna, "Katie" <squeakpal@a...> wrote:> does that mean one will have to reincarnate?>> Katie

[Guest guest]

dear Ellyn

 

To answer the question, it is important that the quest is " true " .

There are many who find a Guru, to suit their tastes and likes, and

proclaim that they have found their ideal Guru etc.

 

But the true Guru is really rare, because otherwise, there was no

need to write about it in such a great work (Vivekachudamani).

 

Now, the Vedas, the Sastras, the Upanishads, the Bhagavatam, all say

that if one continues to dispense his/her duties by offering them to

the Lord, and seeks true liberation, then God WILL GUIDE THEM TO A

GURU eventually. There need be no doubt about that.

 

Therefore, Ramakrishna being such a great Guru, is not about being in

flesh, he was the God himself, and even when he was alive, people

worshipped him as the " antaryami " (the god within).

 

If we pray to Ramakrishna sincerely and seek liberation, then he will

guide us to a living Jivanmuktha. There need be no doubt in this

regard. But it is not as if this jivanmuktha (living saint) is

different from Ramakrishna. But our goal should be clear and our

desire for this should be very intense. Only the crying child gets

milk.

 

When God decides to take us, he catches hold of us in the form of a

Guru. There is a famous parable from the Upanishads, that states that

" The goat that has got stuck in the claws of a tiger, and the

disciple that has come to a true Guru, can never escape " .

 

The meeting of a Guru with the disciple is an unique event, and that

is the real beginning of meaningful life.

 

-- Pradeep