[Advaita-l] Question? - Is Guru necessary?

[Srirudra]

Dears
I am of the opinion a guru in flesh and blood is better to have as our doubts however trivial can be got cleared.On line learning is like an IVR and it will be going on telling the recorded ones but you can not interact with it.Not that it is not useful.It is a one way traffic.About having great Maharishis /mutt heads who have left us for their heavenly abode as our gurus does not come under this online listening as their teachings are usually compiled by way of question and answers and their talks recorded which can be listened to .These are authentic than some scholar giving explanations for the queries which may not be in tune with our scriptural instructions.
And inspiration also serves an important ingredient.R.Krishnamoorthy.

Sent from my iPad

> On 30-Jan-2016, at 11:51 AM, kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Sudhakar Kabraji - PraNAms
> 
> Fantastic answers. I agree with everyone of the answers.
> 
> Thanks. I am taking the liberty to post your answers in the other list.
> 
> Hari Om!
> Sadananda
> 
> --------------------------------------------
> On Fri, 1/29/16, Sudhakar Kabra via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Question? - Is Guru necessary?
> To: "kuntimaddi sadananda" <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com>, "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> Date: Friday, January 29, 2016, 12:24 PM
> 
> PraNAms to all
> 
> Shree Subbuji just posted -
> How one can get under the grace of a Guru? 
> Here is a question I want to pose it to all.
> //// Making a small attempt.   //////
> 
> Q. 1: Do we really need a
> guru? 
> Shastras says so - therefore we need
> one. Or Do we really need to have one understand
> Shastras? 
> //// Consider this example (as
> once given to us long time back)
> I want to
> go from Chennai to Mumbai by car. I start but don't know
> the directions. So switch on the GPS system, follow its
> directions, see milestones and signage and proceed on
> journey thinking that I will be able to make it.
> Here the GPS may be considered equivalent to
> the Guru who keeps giving directions. The milestones and
> sign posts are the shastras (pointers) to the
> destination.
> So both are necessary for the
> accomplishment of the journey.    /////
> 
> 
> We do not
> have old gurukula system of education. We have now Missions
> and Missionaries. We have now internet and on-line
> discussion, talks on yu-tube or all other means to
> understand the shaastras. 
> 
> 
> //// As time passes, depending
> on present day circumstances, the system of understanding
> and teaching also changes. /////
> 
> 
> All we need to know is Brahma
> Satyam, Jangan mithyaa and jeevo brahma eva na aparaH. This
> can be learned by listening to many teachings available on
> line. 
> 
> 
> //// I would say listening and understanding
> are two different things.One may listen but the question is
> of understanding and feeling it to core.This is a major
> difference.      //////
> 
> 
> 
> I understand
> that we need to have shraddha - Does Shraddha comes with
> 'Guru or in the very teaching itself (shastra) 
> 
> 
> //// Shraddha
> comes as I proceed to drive further on the journey. How?
> By reading the milestones showing distance
> covered. By some other signals like hoardings changing from
> Tamil to Marathi, by stopping on way and talking / seeing
> other people also taking the same direction to Mumbai,
> boards like stay at this place in Mumbai etc.    
> //////
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Q2. Do we need a live guru or
> on-line guru? I find many claim that Bhagavan Ramana
> Mahasrhi is our guru; but he is not there in Physical form
> to teach. His teachings are available - so are other on-line
> teachers too. 
> 
> 
> //// On-line teachers are mostly one way
> interactions. Face to face has a greater impact. Even if a
> shishya nods as yes understood, the guru has the wisdom to
> see directly whether the shishya has really got it or needs
> further elaborations. He may question immediately or give
> examples to make it further clear.
> So
> physical presence was always emphasized in guru shishya
> parampara. Difficult to beat Arjuna and Krishna in this
> regards.
> Those who claim Ramana Maharshi,
> Ramkrishna Paramhamsa and others as guru are truly getting
> inspired by hearing or learning about their teachings. They
> may be very advanced by following it in their life. This
> inspiration is what they call the guru.        
> //////////
> 
> 
> 
> Claim: We need a teacher who
> himself is self realized? Well, since there are no litmus to
> evaluate a particular teacher is self-realized or not we
> cannot go by that rule as long as we have the faith in the
> shaastras and understand clearly the explanation.
> 
> 
> ///// Present
> day scenario with intellect falling to the lowest level,
> self realized masters are not easily available. Does that
> mean one is doomed? No.Anyone who is a better intellect
> higher than the students level will suffice to proceed
> further.In a school an ordinary level teacher suffices and
> need not be a PhD on the subject.Gautama Buddha did the same
> and had changed many gurus on his way to nirvana.      
>  /////////
> 
> 
> 
> I would like hear from eveyone
> those who are looking for a guru and those who found their
> gurus and those who do not think they do not need one (as JK
> - says - even though his follower want to follow!)
> 
> Q. We have many who do not
> have gurus as we know - starting with Bhagavan Ramana
> Maharshi himself. That he had Guru in the last life is only
> justification for the axiom that one needs a guru, since we
> do not Bhagavan's last janma to make a claim
> The sadhana chatushtaya sampaathi does not
> necessorily for subtle inquiry does not demand a guru - it
> says Shraddha - Is Shraddha in the teachings available in
> may ways now - not sufficient.
> 
> 
> ///// The sadhana chatushtaya
> sampathi is the qualification of the driver driving the car.
> the more skilled he is the faster or easier will be the
> journey to self realization (Mumbai in the example)
> 
> Shraddha as mentioned above is
> the feeling or realization that the goal will be reached
> with my effort. The more we come closer, the more it is
> strengthened.          ///////////
> 
> 
> What do you think? I am
> posting this to both groups to see the responses. 
> 
> A small thought on the
> post. RegardsSudhakar
> 
> Hari
> Om!
> Sada 
> 
>     On Friday, January 29, 2016 9:11 AM,
> kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> PraNAms to all
> 
> Shree
> Subbuji just posted - How one can get under the grace of a
> Guru? 
> 
> Here is a question I
> want to pose it to all.
> 
> Q.
> 1: Do we really need a guru? 
> 
> Shastras says so - therefore we need one. Or Do
> we really need to have one understand Shastras? 
> 
> We do not have old gurukula
> system of education. We have now Missions and Missionaries.
> We have now internet and on-line discussion, talks on
> yu-tube or all other means to understand the shaastras. 
> 
> All we need to know is Brahma
> Satyam, Jangan mithyaa and jeevo brahma eva na aparaH. This
> can be learned by listening to many teachings available on
> line. 
> 
> I understand that we
> need to have shraddha - Does Shraddha comes with 'Guru
> or in the very teaching itself (shastra) 
> 
> Q2. Do we need a live guru or
> on-line guru? I find many claim that Bhagavan Ramana
> Mahasrhi is our guru; but he is not there in Physical form
> to teach. His teachings are available - so are other on-line
> teachers too. 
> 
> Claim: We
> need a teacher who himself is self realized? Well, since
> there are no litmus to evaluate a particular teacher is
> self-realized or not we cannot go by that rule as long as we
> have the faith in the shaastras and understand clearly the
> explanation.
> 
> I would like
> hear from eveyone those who are looking for a guru and those
> who found their gurus and those who do not think they do not
> need one (as JK - says - even though his follower want to
> follow!)
> 
> Q. We have many
> who do not have gurus as we know - starting with Bhagavan
> Ramana Maharshi himself. That he had Guru in the last life
> is only justification for the axiom that one needs a guru,
> since we do not Bhagavan's last janma to make a claim
> 
> The sadhana chatushtaya
> sampaathi does not necessorily for subtle inquiry does not
> demand a guru - it says Shraddha - Is Shraddha in the
> teachings available in may ways now - not sufficient.
> 
> What do you think? I am
> posting this to both groups to see the responses. 
> 
> Hari Om!
> Sada
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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