There are plenty of spiritual masters specially in the east. Spirituality is a lucrative business, people follow most popular masters going by "herd instinc" without questioning much about the master's authenticity / teachings. Taking advantage of ignorance of masses, these masters ruin the spirit of spirituality.
How do you choose a spiritual master? Who is a true master who is not?
2007-03-14 01:58:37 · 15 answers · asked by abcd1234 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The criteria in choosing a spiritual master is no doubt
difficult but if you sincerely pray you will be definitely
guided to the right living master, I repeat living master.
Frankly it is very difficult to judge a living master but following
points will help.
1. He doesn't charge a penny for his course/initiation.
2. He doesn't criticise other Masters or other Religions.
3. He only talks about how to realise your own Godhood
and escape from the sorrows of this planet.
Meantime your preparedness also counts, i.e. how much
burning desire in you goes a long way in finding a true
living master. I don't want to disclose my living master lest
you grumble that I am trying to propagate my own master. And please
remember all this search will not go in vain but pray sincerely
and it will definitely help. Good luck in your search for a
true living master.
2007-03-14 02:35:04 · answer #1 · answered by Sudhakar B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Today almost all the spirutual leaders were very poor before. Their life was also not a high standard till they attain the prominent position. When they become a spiritual leader, their wealth will grow to great level. Their houses will become palaces and so on. Even many spirutual leaders get booked by police and law after few years. Many end up in prisons. We have to be careful in selecting this master. Today Prophet Mohammed(peace be upon him ) is the No.1 spirutual leader who has more followers than any other person. We have his complete life history preserved with clear explanations.A leader should be a leader in all aspects of life. Nothing should be left out by the leader.
2007-03-14 02:58:11 · answer #2 · answered by meena 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spiritual masters of today are those who give direction and momentum to our society and the world we live in. The best master of today would be Bill Gates, noble prize winners, oscar winning actors etc. etc. Choose the line, and pick the master, and hopefully they accept to teach u.
Achieving scientific or artistic perfection can also make a person a guru, a kind of spiritual masters of today, who give guidance and direction to today's society.
2007-03-14 02:55:08 · answer #3 · answered by wizard of the East 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A true spiritual master loves his disciple as his own son. He is not enamoured by your wealth, position etc., He is interested in your progress in spirituality. He himself practises what he preaches. His life is his message. He is not after praise or blame. He is equal minded. Whether somebody comes or somebody goes he is not concerned. He sees that the impurities which obstruct your spiritual progress is removed. He correctly assess each of his disciple and instruct them according to each ones mental maturity. No common medicine for all. On the contrary the pseudo masters are those who is after fame and fortune. They count quantity and not quality. They read the scriptures and lectures on each topic with great skill but they do not have even an iota of practise. They are after earthly things. They can not assure you the results of your spiritual sadhana. The time, energy and the money spent to earn knowledge from them is utter waste. Hence you have to choose only the former as your guru. Fortunately I have come across a gem of a guru and he guides me step by step. nagarajan.
2007-03-14 19:30:02 · answer #4 · answered by nagarajan s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lord Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad gita 4.2, evam parampara-praptam, i.e., the spiritual knowledge is received through the chain of disciplic succession. So the first requirement of the spiritual master is that he himself should be a disciple of his guru who comes in the chain of disciplic succession. If someone claims himself to be guru without reference to the above is simply a cheater and as you said, ruins the spirit of spirituality.
Padma Purana says that there are four different paramparas(disciplic sucession) giving out the knowledge of God.
1. Sri Sampradaya -Sri Ramanuja,
2. Brahma Sampradaya - Sri Madhavacarya
3. Kumara Sampradaya - Sri Nimbarkacarya, and
4. Rudra Sampradaya- Sri Visnuswami
One should accept only their teachings and accept a guru in one of those lines. One should not accept a self-manufactured guru. In fact, Padma Purana says, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions, his mantra or initiation is useless. In the present day there are many apasampradayas, or sampradayas which are not bona fide, which have no link to authorities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the Kumaras or Laksmi. People are misguided by such sampradayas. The sastras say that being initiated in such a sampradaya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand the real religious principles.
2007-03-14 04:50:59 · answer #5 · answered by Gaura 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spirituality is found within...
Why would any thinking person in todays society choose only one master to follow. There are many with value to their teachings but all must be heard with the discernment of our own truth.
Going within we find our own master = soul connected to the source of all that is.
http://360.yahoo.com/the_higher_octave
2007-03-14 02:12:15 · answer #6 · answered by the_higher_octave 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your thought process will be in sync with the master.
You will agree to whatever he says naturally.
When you realize this and if you come across such a person he is your master.
The thought process is not at mundane level but at a transcendental level.
2007-03-14 02:12:10 · answer #7 · answered by Prabhakar A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dear ,
I agree with you 100% Books are the first stage masters. A true master is one who cares your spiritual growth and not your money. If you are a Hindu I can suggest DHAKSHINA MOORTHY.
2007-03-14 02:10:55 · answer #8 · answered by RANJANI 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just stay in what Jesus said and he said call no man master for your master is in heaven.He also said learn of me for I am lowly in spirit and my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Men in this world it seems like no matter who it is wants to burden us and that is not the Lords doings.
2007-03-14 02:04:11 · answer #9 · answered by jackiedj8952 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
why do u need a spiritual master in the pressnt day context...?
2007-03-14 02:03:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋