Discerning The Guru's Teaching

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

A devotee sent me this some time ago. I thought it might be of interest to the

satsangh.

 

Regards to all,

 

Alan

 

 

Q.How do wrong oppinions of the Guru's Teachings arise?

 

A. Usually they arise by a questioner asking some other question that was NOT

the question 'how to end the ego-notion?'

 

People than imagine that the answer that the Guru gives to such questions was a

part of his or her teaching. Sri Muruganar gave some warning of this in his

Garland of Guru's Sayings

 

1106. The Sage's pure mind which beholds as a mere witness the whole world,is

like a mirror

which reflects the foolish thoughts of those who come before him

and these thoughts are mistaken to be his. "

 

Q.How to distinguish beteen a reflection of the foolish thoughts of the

questioner and the Jivan Mukta's teaching?

 

A. Analyse the questioner's words and question very carefully.

 

Is the questioner asking how to end the ego illusion?

 

Is the questioner asking what is the most direct method of practice?

 

What is the means to liberation?

 

If these are the questions and the questioner does not mention or suggest any

method of practice, or any other problem they are having or any other topic,

then the answer will usually be the Direct teaching.

 

If the questioner is mentioning or suggesting some other method, or some other

problem, or some other topic, instead of leaving an open ended question for the

Guru to answer, then the answer will usually be a reflection of " the foolish

thought of those who come before him or her " ,

and should not be " mistaken to be his or hers " , in other words should not be

mistaken to be the Guru's Direct Teaching.

 

Misunderstanding the Guru's teachings is not a random accident. It is a

deliberate strategy by the ego to preserve its imaginary false self.