Hari Om
This third shloka from the Vivekachoodamani makes it very clear that there is a certain privilege to being born as a human critter. After all, think of all the other possibilities! Gaining life at all, when one considers the enormity of the universe, is something of a rare quality, so even a blade of grass has a degree of status in the overall picture of "life".
Then there is the hierarchy with which we are all familiar. Mankind stands the prime predator and most adaptable of species, thus has not only thrived but overtaken the planet.
Spiritually, there is yet further hierarchy. Not all within our species is equal in that regard. There are those who deny any spiritual element to life, others who prevaricate not wishing to commit either way and then those who accept the spiritual element but then divide themselves still further. Some wish to hand everything over in an almost superstitious manner, taking no responsibility for their own fate. Others acknowledge their involvement but look to their priests and teachers for absolution.
Then there are those who know that connection with the divine is entirely in their hands and set out to walk that path. They develop mumukshatvam - the burning desire for liberation (from the bindings of Maya).
Once they have been grasped with this desire, they are likely to find the teachers appear to guide their path; and even among these few, are the even rarer still, the students who find themselves in the presence of a true master.
The masters are actually plentiful. However, they are not demonstrative. They have the ability to hide in plain sight. Only when the student is ready will their paths cross and the full extent of the master's care be felt. That student also must be prepared to unscramble themselves, to unlearn all that came before in order to learn the whole... and the master will challenge, test, tease, cajole, break down and build up that student from the well of True Love.
It is a truly blissful thing.
Aw, I love that picture! Like with some of your posts when they have labels like student/teacher, I find myself wondering where do I fit on this continuum? I feel like it's been many years since I've been looking for that kind of lesson, and since I tried to 'teach' people things. I like to think I'm the jumbled Rubik's cube and the organized one at the same time, if that makes any sense. Is it allowed to be forever both? I want to be forever both student and teacher and teacher and student, maybe. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
DeleteAs long as we are in this life, if we have any wisdom at all, it is to understand that we are eternally students.
On completion of gurukula, my aachaarya instructed me to go forth and 'teach'; but teach in this tradition is not the laying down of set texts and having them regurgitated. It is the living of the life, the setting of example. If one or more comes under one's care, what they learn is incumbent upon themselves. Lessons may be given, but learning is another realm altogether.
If we are fortunate we will meet up with those who have greater learning than ourselves and we can emulate them and call them 'teacher'. We in turn, finding someone in need of guidance, might take that roll.
To be a student, we must always be. If we have chance of being teacher, we are privileged indeed. Yxx