Why Does a Guru need a Shishya/Shishye?
Some time ago there was an extremely interesting discussion on why a guru would seek out students. Why, if he was already enlightened (if he was that is) care about others or students on the Heathen in his Blindness Yahoo discussion group. For those of you who don't know, this is the title of a book by S N Balangandhara and the Yahoo group discusses it. There were tons of interesting speculations, all of which I have been able to catch up with now, thanks to my efficient internet connection here in Lyon, France. I have been reading Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi and here are a few things I have culled out as a follow-up to the discussions on the Yahoo group. In our discussion we had asked, is the guru necessarily an enlightened person and what and how does he teach? Ramana in his Talks suggests that enlightenment can be known intellectually . Perhaps the guru is indeed someone who knows enlightenment intellectually . Ramana in his talks advises a devotee to know the 'Self&#