[Advaita-l] the qualification to be an advaita guru

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

PraNAms to all
 
Qualified guru is recognized by a student when he gets qualified as a disciple. For such a student, Lord himself will lead the student to a qualified guru. Until then all gurus are required for the evaluation of the student until he develops the sensitivity enough to recognize his adhyaatma guru. 
manushyatvam mumukshutvam mahapurusha samsrayam durlabham - daivaanugraha hetukam. 
 
Shankara says there are three types of gurus.
 
1. Who is shrotriyaH and brahma nishTaH
 
2. He is shrotiyaH but not Brahma nishTa
 
3. He is Brahman nishTa and he does not know how to teach.
 
The first is the best, the second is the next and third one, we can respect but we cannot learn. 
There is a story from Zen system:
One student has noted down all the qualification that he thought are needed for a perfect guru. He went around in search of a perfect guru and could not find one that fulfills all the categories in his list. At last he found one who is fit to be the perfect guru for him and he approached him saying that he is the only one who fit all the qualifications for being a guru and he would like to be his student. The teacher took him to a well and showed him a bucket and asked him to fill up the tank nearby by using the bucket. When the student looked at the bucket, there was no bottom for the bucket. He protested to the teacher - how can one get the water out using the bottomless bucket. The teacher laughed and said - don't I know that? Obviously you are looking for a perfect teacher but before you do that you have to become perfect disciple. First go and become a perfect disciple then you will discover an appropriate teacher. 
 
Let us be concerned about the qualifications of an advaita student. 

 
Hari Om!
Sadananda