[Advaita-l] Guru Purnima #2 - Tesla = Dhyāna? Objections and Responses

[Sundar Rajan]

Namaskāraḥ,

For those not familiar: Tesla is an electric car known for two distinctive
features. First, many of its vehicles come with *lifetime charging* at
designated stations. Second, some models offer *Full Self-Driving (FSD)*—a
system where the car, once given a destination, can navigate and drive on
its own. It is these features—not the company or its owner—that form the
basis of the metaphor.

In my last post, I ventured into an unusual comparison: likening the
self-driving Tesla (with lifetime charging + FSD) to the spiritual path of
a Dhyāna Yogin. Think of it as *AI meets Yoga*, somewhat like *Zen and the
Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,* where philosophy weaves into technology.

Naturally, this stirred some thoughtful objections. Three stood out:

*Objection 1: Isn’t this blasphemy?*
How can one even mention an erratic, unstable man like Elon Musk in the
same breath as a guru?

*Response:*
A fair concern. But my comparison is not with Musk at all—it is with the
*vehicle*. The car is a metaphor; the owner is irrelevant. Just as one can
use a simple clay pot as a metaphor for Brahman without invoking the
character of the potter, so here the focus is on the Tesla’s features, not
its CEO.

*Objection 2: Why Tesla?*
Tesla is all about *speed*—0 to 60 in seconds—while meditation is about
stillness. Why not a Ford, Range Rover, or even walking?

*Response:*
The choice of Tesla isn’t arbitrary. Tesla’s *lifetime charging* resonates
with *guru-kṛpā*—grace that fuels the sādhaka’s journey. Its *Full
Self-Driving (FSD)* captures the inner pull of dhyāna toward the Self. It’s
not about “speed” but about a unique vehicle that can steer itself
inward—much like the mind guided by śāstra and guru.

*Objection 3: Why FSD?*
Why equate FSD with meditation? Isn’t *walking meditation* or *mindfulness
apps* closer to the real thing?

*Response:*
Not all meditations are equal. Mindfulness of breathing exercises aid
calmness and health. But Dhyāna, as taught in the *Bhagavad Gītā* and
Upaniṣads, is transformative—it channels the mind single-pointedly toward
the goal. Just as FSD carries the car beyond ordinary steering, dhyāna
carries the sādhaka beyond ordinary awareness.

This concludes Guru Pūrṇimā Post #2 — Objections and Responses.

Here is a link to the blog post:
https://quantumviewpoint.blogspot.com/2025/08/objections.html

Here is a link to the video: https://youtu.be/WScNu6E5ZSE

or a playlist:
https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLPA2J3pvHbj5niUOhYuMLnIwvpoG4umNB/videos

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