picture source courtesy: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/124130533453971440/?nic_v2=1a6nrmaYc
these are the thoughts *presented* 750 years ago - in themselves much older, going all the way to the first.recorded.thoughts (vedantic) times.
the idea is, you the reader, check each of them, and, where needed, *interpret* (each of them) for consumption in our times.
Swamy Desikan (a teacher extraordinaire example himself) describes the greatest qualities of AchArya (Teacher) in *nyAsa vimsati* slOkA 1,
and the great qualities of the SishyA (Student) in slOkA 3.
AchArya LakshaNam.*
siddham satsampradAyE sthira dhiyamanagham SrOtriyam brahma nishTham
sattvastham satya vAcam samaya niyatayA sAdhu vruttyA samEtam |
Dambha asooyAadi muktam jita vishayi gaNam deergha bandhum dayaaLum
skhAlityE SaasitAram sva para hita param dEsikam bhUshNureepsEt ||
1.Sound philosophical jnAnam obtained (learnt) through the greatest lineage of (his/her) AchAryAs. - pedigree.
2.Having an undisputed clear knowledge on sAsthrAs - high, deep, wide scholarship.
3.Free from any sins and attachments - pure, dispassionate, objective mind.
4.Complete knowledge of Vedas, its subsidiaries and ithihAsAs - erudition in hoary texts.
5.Deep unshakable faith in Brahman (Almighty- unsurpassed unparalleled Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan) - deeply spiritual.
6.possesses sAtvic guNA - goodness, positivity, truth, serenity, balance, peacefulness, and virtuousness that is drawn towards Dharma and Jnana (knowledge) - benign, sanguine, good.
7.Always speaks truth - truthful.
8.lives in accordance with the manner laid down in sAsthrAs - Virtuous.
9.free from jealousy, show etc. - humble.
10. having control over sense organs - self.possessed.
11.friendly and affectionate towards all - kind.
12.Compassionate towards all - compassionate.
13.helps the disciples who err, correct them and make them follow right track as laid down in sAsthrAs - preceptor.
14.wishes for everyone's welfare at all times - transcendental.
who were/are the sterling examples of a great teacher ?
sriman narayana, the vedas tell us was the first recorded guru - who first created, and then taught brahma the four vedas..
lord shiva is revered as the *aadi guru*
then it was his own son, lord subramanya who was to have taught his own father..!! :)
there there were/are the deva and asura gurus - Brihaspati and Sukracharya..
among mortals,
sri veda vyasa was, is celebrated as *the* guru, every year on guru purnima.
and then there are the others, recorded by the ithihasas and the puranas - sri valmiki, sri vashishta, et al in the ramayana, dronacharya and others in the mahabharata.. and so on.
much closer to our own, dr S Radhakrishnan is the revered, model, teacher of our era..
here we notice one distinction. some of them were/are classified as *gurus* and others *acharyas*. we know their distinction - one is a mentor and the other, the coach...
question arises then, as to whether swami Desikan described the *acharya* or the *guru*...?? what do you think ?
while on this, one is reminded of the other kinds of teachers - the Zen Master, for example...
famous for literally *hitting* the disciple quite vigorously and with no notice, and that too sometimes with a very stout stick...!!??
omg !! (LoL!)
turns swami desikan on his head ?!!!!
go figure that... :)
Sishya LakshaNam.
sat bhuddhi: sAdhu sEvee samucita carita: tattva bodha abhilAshee
SuSrushus tyakta mAna: praNipatana para: praSna kAla prateeksha: | Saanta: dAnta: anasooyu: SaraNamupagata: Saastra viSvAsa Saalee Shishya: prApta: pareekshAm krutavidhabhimatam tattvata: SikshaNeeya: ||
1. Sad buddhih - Pure intellect without blemishes - brilliant.
2. Saadu sevee - Servility in respect of Bhagavataas - humble.
3. Samuchita charitah - Implicit observance of swava dharma - disciplined.
4. Tatva bodah abhilaashi - Enthusiasm for learning about Tatva, hita and purusharta - enthusiastic.
5. shushrushuh - Eagerness to serve the preceptor in his daily routine - devoted.
6. Tyakta maanah - Totally free from self-conceit when serving the acharya - selfless.
7.Prani patana parah - Enthusiasm to fall flat as a matter of implicit obedience and reverence to the acharya - reverent.
8. Prasna kala prateekshah - Learning to benefit from acharya’s explanations - comprehensive.
9. shaantah - Successful conquest of the five senses - austere.
10. Daantah - Complete over the mind - rigorous.
11. Anasooyuh - Absence of jealousy - non.envious.
12. Charanam upagatah - To reside close to acharya for acquiring spiritual knowledge - resident.
13. Shaastra visvaasa shaalee - Implicit faith in scriptures and their mandates - faithful.
14. Pareekshaam praaptah - Readiness to be subject to various tests - ever prepared.
15. Kruta vid - Gratitude for the enormous service rendered by the acharya - grateful, indebted.
there are direct disciples and then there are indirect ones - with famous names in both.
are they same or different in some basic ways, as learners?
and, among the two, who is a better learner - the direct or indirect ones?
and, is the above a common-for-both list?
finally, who is better - guru, or shishya..?
* parts of the blog source courtesy: http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/srirangasri/archives/aug06/msg00033.html
respectful acknowledgment to: shri. Madhavakkannan
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