Shantam came across this ad below. He asks surely this is the end of the affair between eastern gurus and western intelligensia?
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The end of the Affair. Eastern Gurus and Western Intelligensia
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17 Responses to The end of the Affair. Eastern Gurus and Western Intelligensia
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In the course of any self examined life nearly everyone goes through some major crisis, leaving one lost and in distress. So where then to turn?
Perhaps the major marker to look for is someone who has been through what one may be going through oneself, and to rest awhile with such an individual.
Many never seem to find such a person, some do. The availability of the temporary lean-to is important.
What such helpers call themselves, whether guru, teacher or friend, or whatever, does not matter. The point is to test the water oneself with any such one, and only trust one’s own experience, and no-one else. If it feels right, then stay awhile.
The perennial problem for the western intellect has always been lack of some ordinary trust, in practice it does not have to be some ennobled surrender, and just catch the vibe of someone who has passed through the same difficult path as yourself – and come out the other side.
Culturally speaking, that often means being with someone from the same culture and same experience, the perennial argument of Barry Long. And there is something in that. However, such exclusivity also does not have to be a hard and fast rule. The human condition is universal, and the deeper the penetration into that, the less culture plays a part, for the question of why there is a universe at all, and why we are here in it, is common to all cultures.
This age of consumerism has opened its doors to such kind of advertisement , basically I think & feel that anyone who really yearns for truth always has found /shall find it , my observation is shopping needs differ & later when need is fulfilled , sharing capacities differ .
I think the contents above were not an advertisement, but a satirical sketch.
It is a mirror, how facebook and youtube have become a platform of “padded Wisdom”.
Is it not funny, the world enlightenment has become similar to some psychological deviation.
Shantam that was my response to the satirical sketch !
Selling enlightenment is not a particulary new game and its therefore that I see the ‘Become a Guru’ sign as symbolic of man’s psychological state rather than the times we live in. Couple of thousand years back enlightemen was related to by many as a form of magic, whereby misguided individuals strived to have the power to perform that magic which can be an inevitable side effect of enlightenment. Along comes JC performing miracles left right and centre and people want to know how to do them magic tricks, a la, Abracadabra. That will not work, says JC, because these miracles are created by love. Some got the love bug some did not…same old same old. At the time it caused quite a rumble, because those that tuned in could heal someone simply by laying their hands upon them. The enlightenment sellers were of course having a fit about it, especially so because JC was not interested in the way down Jacob’s ladder…. power of money.
I reckon if a person is truly enlightened they will no be very interested in money because they are enjoying a wealth far superior to that which money can deliver. Today, if I see someone touting themselves as enlighteed and money, and therefore commerce, is involved in most cases I instantly smell a holy rat. Not always, though. Enlightened people don’t need to worry about money, like us mere mortals, as they understand that it will be taken care of. Nonetheless, I am aware that some enlightened people play the taking care of business numero just for the fun of it, knowing full well it’s just another form of leela.
Shantypants declares,’ the word enlightenment has become similar to some psychological deviation.’
I know what he is driving at and also see that it is not entirely true. The word enightenment being used depends on who is using the word and the power they endow it with. New age folks might bandy it around too casually but I reckon it is still a good word. Enlightenment. That’s my pet parrot’s name.
I was listening to Osho radio yesterday. Every time I hear Osho even if it is same talk I get some new insights. May be thats my level of intelligentia..:) .but anyway, the point is he talked about false gurus and according to him false gurus exists because there are false disciples. Without them who will take care of false disciples?
One other point that really caught my attention was ” enlightened masters have passed thru everything, every state of mind, every situation that an unenlightened one goes thru. So they can easily see where one is”..
AN, and what is your definition of a false guru?
Lokesh, In brief – Growing up in India, I have seen many of them. they are great orators and impress you with all kinds of Vedanta. But when it comes to existential things like life affirmation, freedom, sexuality ( basic human qualities), they don’t take any stand like Osho.
Now there are bunch of new age gurus, impressively talk about life affirmation, freedom, psychology and also Vedanta but its mostly rhetoric and not experiential.
Actually, you asked me an easy question. Had you asked me What is your definition of false disciple, it could have been bit difficult to answer I guess. I would say false gurus and false disciples go hand in hand.
Osho also wanted to be a false guru in a different sense. Once you realize what is the point in he being a guru? I heard guru literally means one who steals away the darkness from you. One who takes away the unreal and leaves you with the real.
Next question, Anand Newman:
What exactly do you mean by the prime values life affirmation, freedom, sexuality?
For a young (?) Indian, perhaps, these are seen as pre-requisites, entry points into a glorious new life, free from the stifling cant and restrictions of the repressive past. Whereas here in the West we seem to have a lot of such freedoms, more or less as cultural norms, yet there’s not a great deal of evidence of ‘spiritual progress’ (sorry for such a phrase!).
Perhaps there are various layers of “unreal” and “real”, according to where the individual is at in his/her ‘journey’ (apologies again!). And finding what’s ultimately “real” entails far more than (for example) dancing and having sex whenever one wishes?!
As always, I guess it all depends on the individual, where we’re at, what we can realistically aspire to. Some – maybe many? – may have quite enough to get on with sorting out (‘getting rid of the darkness’) the basic levels of “life affirmation, freedom, sexuality”, while others – maybe relatively few? – can move on…into finding the light to dissolve other levels of ‘darkness’…
I take it by “once you realize” you mean ‘spiritual realisation’, after which one can safely leave the guru behind? But you make it sound as if it’s all fairly straightforward, inevitable, whereas the evidence appears to indicate that’s far from the case. And apparently, there are many ‘realisations’ along the way…And once ‘realised’ one has to then live that ‘realisation’ – and be tested…Which brings us back to Parmartha’s recognition of inevitable crisis in each human life.
So perhaps, while ultimately apparently the case, it’s all not quite as easy as you seem to suggest by your talk of finding the light and relinquishing the guru?
A few years back a local band, Deep Dive Corporation, put out an album called Beware of False Gurus. I find that to be an awful title for an album, basically because its based on a misconception. You find the guru you deserve and you can learn something from a guru even if he is ‘false’. Many view Osho as a charlatan. Taking a stand has nothing to do with a guru’s authenticity. Taking a stand for what exactly? What dd Osho stake a stand for?
AN, if Osho is your guru please explain what unreal things he has removed from your life and what exactly he has left you with that is real. Could you honestly say that you are real, when in fact you are probably no more substantial than a passing cloud. ||What do you equate real with? Permanence?
newman- almost every time i go out into the real world i get new insights.. no need to listen to osho every morning, maybe once is enough if you’re awake.
I am not angry about all this anylonger because if people want fake things, they will have them. They want them. It’s also full of people who are so scared that they are ready to believe in anything, just to forget fear. There is everything for all of us, at any level. I heard a tibetan lama saying that nowadays spirituality is a huge market, with many fake zen masters, fake buddhists masters. He is right. No problem ! There are even people believing in their football team. Nobody can force anyone to listen to a real master. Many prefer trusting therapists.
I’ve never met a fake Zen master. Could you please recommend one.
Here is a fake zen master. His name is Ama Samy, he’s a christian priest and he runs the Bodhizendo Centre in Kodaikanal, India. I spent 40 days there and he is the typical priest running his shows: big mouth, big words and nothing else. In Japan i have met a real zen master; he was just pure light. A beautiful human being.
That is a coincidence. I just skyped with a friend in Kodai this morning. I will recommend the fake master to him. Nice olace Kodai. Lived there for a few months in the eighties.
Say the half truth with beautyful words, people will love it. Tell them, one leg before and the other one behind the sun, you get poisened.
yes,and try to tie one leg behind the other one in front of the first one and stare at the sun, you get dizzy.