"Guru: remover of darkness, bestower of light'"

^* the term is a combination of the two words gu(darkness) and ru (light), so together they mean divine light that dispells all darkness"

"guru is the light that disperses the darkness of ignorance"

1. the spiritual advisor for higher caste Hindus who also performs traditional rituals and who is not connected to a temple (thus not a priest);
2. the enlightened master who derives his authority from his experience, such as achieving enlightenment. This type appears in bhakti movements and in tantra and asks for unquestioning obedience , and can have Western followers. Westerners can even become one, as have , for example Andrew Cohen, and Isaac Shapiro.
3. the avatar, a guru who considers himself to be an incarnation of God, God-like, or an instrument of God, or who is considered as such by others, for example Sathya Sai Baba and gurus from the Sant Mat lineage;
4. A "guru" in the form of a book i.e. the Guru Granth Sahib in the Sikh religion.

Attributes of Guru

In the Upanishads, five signs of satguru (true guru) are mentioned.

In the presence of the satguru; Knowledge flourishes (Gyana raksha); Sorrow diminishes (Dukha kshaya); Joy wells up without any reason (Sukha aavirbhava); Abundance dawns (Samriddhi); All talents manifest (Sarva samvardhan).

According to the Indologist Georg Feuerstein, the preceptors were traditionally treated with great reverence , in correlation with the perceived identification of the enlightened master with the transcendental Reality . Also , that traditionally, gurus were granted excessive authority and strongly tended to be deified. He writes , probably to counterbalance this, that some Hindu schools began to emphasize that the real teacher is the transcendental Self. Feuerstein, Georg Dr. Encyclopedic dictionary of yoga Published by Paragon House 1st ed edition (1990) ISBN 155778244X

The Shiva Samhita, a late medieval text on Hatha yoga, enshrines the importance of the guru for liberation and asserts that the disciple is supposed to give all of his or her property and livestock to the guru upon diksha (initiation).

The Vishnu Smriti and Manu Smriti regard the Acharya (teacher/guru), along with the mother and the father, as most venerable individuals. The mother and father are the first "guru". The spiritual guru is the second.

The Advaya Taraka Upanishad states that the true teacher is well-versed in the Veda, a devotee of Vishnu, free from envy, knows yoga and is intent upon it, and always has the nature of yoga. The text continues by stating that he , or she , who is equipped with devotion to the teacher, has knowledge of the Self and who possesses the above mentioned characteristics, may be designated as a guru.

The Mundak Upanishad says that, in order to realize the supreme godhead, one should surrender one's self before the guru, who knows the secrets of the Vedas.

On the role of the guru, Swami Sivananda asks: "Do you realize now the sacred significance and the supreme importance of the Guru's role in the evolution of man? It was not without reason that the India of the past carefully tended and kept alive the lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not without reason that India, year after year, age after age, commemorates anew this ancient concept of the Guru, adores it and pays homage to it again and again, and thereby re-affirms its belief and allegiance to it. For, the true Indian knows that the Guru is the only guarantee for the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and experience the Consciousness of the Reality."

Some scriptures and gurus have warned against false teachers, have recommended the spiritual seeker to test the guru before accepting him, and have outlined criteria on how to distinguish false from genuine ones:

• The Maitrayaniya Upanishad warns against false teachers who may deceive the naive.
• The Kula-Arnava-Tantra states that there are many gurus who may rob the disciple's wealth and few who can remove the disciple's afflictions.
• Swami Vivekananda said that there are many incompetent gurus and that a true guru should understand the spirit of the scriptures, have a pure character and be free from sin, and should be selfless without desire for money and fame. Swami Vivekananda Karma-yoga and Bhakti-yoga (1937)
• Mirinalini Mata, a direct disciple of Yogananda, said that a true guru should be humble (Self-Realization Fellowship 1978, Cassette No 2402)
• Sathya Sai Baba said in a discourse (Sathya Sai Speaks, vol I, p. 197) that the hunt for rich disciples who can be fleeced has become a tragicomedy, and said in the booklet Sandeha Nivarini that the seeker should test the guru by assessing whether his words are full of wisdom, and whether he puts into practice what he preaches. Sathya Sai Baba Sandeha Nivarini: Clearance of Spiritual Doubts available online published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust (undated) ISBN 81-7208-010-7

Rituals

Guru Puja (literally "worship of the guru") the practice of worshiping the guru through the making of offerings and requesting inspiration from the guru. Vows and commitments made by the disciple or chela, which might have lost their strength, are renewed.

Guru Bhakti (literally "devotion to the guru") is considered important in many schools and sects.

In modern Hinduism

The German Indologist Axel Michaels in his 1998 book about Hinduism, called "guruism" a form of modern Hinduism (since 1850) that is Western-oriented and especially active proselytizing form of Hinduism that has recently emerged, founded by charismatic persons with a corpus of esoteric writings of gurus predominantly in English. Michaels, Alex "Hinduism past and Present" (2004) Princeton University Press, ISBN 0691089523, translated from German "Der Hinduismus" (1998) page 46According to Michaels the best know representatives include Krishnamurti, Maharishi (Transcendental Meditation), Sai Baba, Bhaktivedanta, Swami Prabhupada, Balyogeshwar (Divine Light Mission), and Rajneesh (Sannyasis). Michae, Alex Michaels] "Hinduism past and Present" (2004) Princeton University Press, ISBN 0691089523, translated from German "Der Hinduismus" (1998) p.22 and p.46. Alex Micahels bio

Guru in Buddhism

In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the teacher is a valued and honoured mentor worthy of great respect and is a source of inspiration on the path to Enlightenment. In the Tibetan tradition, however, the teacher is viewed as the very root of spiritual realization and the basis of the entire path. Without the teacher, it is asserted, there can be no experience or insight. The guru is to be seen as the Buddha. In Tibetan texts, great emphasis is placed upon praising the virtues of the guru. Tantric teachings include generating visualizations of the guru and making offerings praising the guru. The guru becomes known as the vajra (literally "diamond") guru, the one who is the source of initiation into the tantric deity. The disciple is asked to enter into a series of vows and commitments which ensure the maintenance of the spiritual link, being told that to break this link is a serious downfall.

In tantric Buddhism, a guru is essential for initiation, practice and guidance along the path. The importance of a guru-disciple relationship is demonstrated by ritual empowerments or initiations where the student obtains permission to practice a particular tantra.

The Dalai Lama, speaking of the importance of the guru, said: "Rely on the teachings to evaluate a guru: Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism."

According to the Dalai Lama, the term 'living Buddha' is a translation of the Chinese word 'ho fu'. In Tibetan, the operative word is 'lama' which means 'guru'. A guru is someone who is not necessarily a Buddha but is heavy with knowledge. The term vajra is also used, meaning 'master'.

The guru plays a very special role in Vajrayana (tantric Buddhism) as the way itself. The guru is perceived as the "state of enlightenment". The guru is not an individual who initiates a person, but the person's own Buddha-nature reflected in the personality of the guru. In return, the disciple is expected to shows great devotion to his or her guru, who he or she regards as one who possesses the qualities of a Bodhisattva.

See also

• Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)
• Geluk
• Tilopa

Guru in Sikhism

Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which means a strong and able Guru disciple. The core beliefs of Sikhism are of belief in one God and in the teachings of the Ten Gurus, enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.

Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhism, was opposed to the caste system prevalent in his time in India and he accepted Hindus, Muslims and people from other religions as disciples. His followers referred to him as the Guru (teacher). Before his death he designated a new Guru to be his successor and to lead the Sikh community. This procedure was continued, and the tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind (AD 1666–1708) initiated the Sikh ceremony in AD 1699.

For Sikhs, the Gurus were not in the Christian sense “Sons of God”. Sikhism says we are all the children of God and by deduction, God is our mother/father.

Guru Nanak in speaking about God, says:

There is but One God, His name is Truth, He is the Creator, He fears none, he is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self illuminated, He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning, He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True, He is also True now.

On the importance of guru, Nanak says: Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.

The Gurus of Sikhism

In addition to the Ten Gurus of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib was made the eleventh perpetual guru of Sikhs. Together they make up the Eleven Gurus of Sikhism

Types of gurus

• rishi
• acharyam
• upadhya
• kulapati
• mantravetta

Vaishnava traditions usually categorize gurus as:

• vartma-pradarshaka guru (any person who first shows one the path)
• shiksha guru
• diksha guru
• sannyasa guru (who initiates one into sannyasa order)
• caittya guru (God in the heart as Paramatman)

Succession and lineage (parampara)

The word parampara (Sanskrit परमपरा) denotes a long succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture. The Hinduism dictionary defines parampara is "the line of spiritual gurus in authentic succession of initiation; the chain of mystical power and authorized continuity, passed from guru to guru." In Sanskrit, the word literally means: Uninterrupted series of succession.

Parampara is also known as Guru (teacher) Shishya (disciple) parampara or guru parampara, where the knowledge (in any field) is passed down (undiluted) through the succeeding generations. It is the traditional method of the residential form of education wherein the Shishya remains with his Guru as a family member and gets the education as a true learner. The domains may include spiritual, artistic (kala कला such as music or dance) or educational. The teachings of the Vedas received through guru parampara are known as amnaya.

David C. Lane, a professor of sociology, and as of 2005 an ex-member and critic of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, argued in 1997 that based on his research of the Radha Soami movement that only few gurus have a flawless well-documented lineage and that there is quite often conflict between different disciples claiming to be the only legitimate successor of their guru.^*

See also Guru-shishya tradition, Gurukula.

Gurus in Europe and North America and views of "Guru" from a Western culture perspective

In particular during the 1960s and 1970s many gurus acquired groups of young followers in Western Europe and the USA. According to the American sociologist David G. Bromley this was partially due to the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act (United States) in 1965 which permitted Asian gurus entrance to the USA. Bromley, David G., Ph.D. & Anson Shupe, Ph.D., Public Reaction against New Religious Movements article that appeared in Cults and new religious movements: a report of the Committee on Psychiatry and Religion of the American Psychiatric Association, edited by Marc Galanter, M.D., (1989) ISBN 0-89042-212-5 According to the Dutch Indologist Albertina Nugteren, the repeal was only one of several factors and a minor one compared with the two most important causes for the surge of all things 'Eastern': the post-war cross-cultural mobility and the general dissatisfaction with established Western values. Nugteren, Albertina (Tineke) Dr. (Associate professor in the phenomenology and history of Indian religions at the faculty of theology at the university of Tilburg)Tantric Influences in Western Esotericism, article that appeared at a 1997 CESNUR conference and that was published in the book New Religions in a Postmodern World edited by Mikael Rothstein and Reender Kranenborg RENNER Studies in New religions Aarhus University press, (2003) ISBN 8772887486*According to the professor in sociology Stephen A. Kent at the University of Alberta and Kranenborg (1974), one of the reasons why in 1970s young people including hippies turned to gurus was because they found that drugs had opened for them the existence of the transcendental or because they wanted to get high without drugs. Kranenborg, Reender (Dutch language) Zelfverwerkelijking: oosterse religies binnen een westerse subkultuur (En: Self-realization: eastern religions in a Western Sub-culture, published by Kampen Kok (1974) Kent, Stephen A. Dr. From slogans to mantras: social protest and religious conversion in the late Vietnam war era'' Syracuse University press ISBN 0-8156-2923-0 (2001) According to Kent, another reason why this happened so often in the USA then, was because some anti-Vietnam war protesters and political activist became worn out or disillusioned of the possibilities to change society through political means ,and as an alternative turned to religious means. In contrast to the situation in India, these foreign gurus were unusual, new and alien for European and American societies and led sometimes to opposition against groups. One example of a group that faced opposition was the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON) founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966, many of whose followers voluntarily accepted the demandingly ascetic lifestyle of bhakti yoga on a full-time basis, in stark contrast to much of the popular culture of the time. Barrett, D. V. The New Believers - A survey of sects, cults and alternative religions 2001 UK, Cassell & Co. ISBN 0304355925 entry ISKCON page 287,288
”Devotees don’t have such an easy time. They who choose to live in the temples – now a very small minority -chant the Hare Krishna mantra 1,728 time a day. Those living in an ashram – far fewer than in the 1970s – have to get up at 4am for worship. All members have to give up meat, fish and eggs; alcohol, tobacco, drugs, tea and coffee; gambling, sports, games and novels; and sex except for procreation with marriage [… It’s a demanding lifestyle. Outsiders may wonder why people join."

See also conversion to NRMs and cults, conversion to Indic religions, theories about joining cults

Gurus in the West

• Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche a lama (Tibetan Buddhist religious teacher)
• Dalai Lama
• Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj, the founder of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, which preaches Raganuga Bhakti, a form of selfless devotion and loving service to Krishna and Radha Rani
• Jiddu Krishnamurti groomed to be a world spiritual teacher by the Theosophical Society Adyar but publicly renounced this role in 1929
• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi now lives in the Netherlands
• Meher Baba who travelled to the west numerous times in the 1930's and 1950's and had many western followers
• Muktananda
• Paramahansa Yogananda settled in the USA and wrote the book Autobiography of a Yogi
• A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (the 'Hare Krishnas') in New York in 1965, an organization following the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism.
• Tirtha Maharaj, the president of World Vaishnava Association.
• Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, Acarya of Pure Bhakti, an organization based on the Gaudiya Vaishnavism sect of Hinduism
• Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Goswami Maharaj; physician of ayurveda and Indian freedom fighter who became a devoted disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and founder-acharya of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mission.
  • Prem Rawat, known as Guru Maharaj Ji until the 1980s. Note: Maharaji dropped the title "guru" from his name in 1980.
  • Bhagwan/Osho/Rajneesh settled temporarily in the USA
  • Sathya Sai Baba never went to Europe or the USA but acquired a substantial number of followers there
  • Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev founder of Isha Foundation and the Isha Yoga Centre has a strong volunteer force in India, US and Lebanon
  • Sri Aurobindo
  • Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda has a temporary ashram in Los Angeles, California and many followers outside of India as well.
  • Ruchira Adi Da Samraj Born in the US founded the new Tradition of Adidam, based on Guru Devotee Relationship
  • Muhammad Raheem Bawa Muhaiyaddeen was a revered Sufi saint from the island of Sri Lanka who shared his knowledge and experience with people of every race and religion and from all parts of the world.
  • Shri Mataji Nirmala devi founder of Sahaja Yoga meditation.
  According to Kranenborg (1984), Jesus fits the Hindu definition and characteristics of a guru. Kranenborg, Reender (Dutch language) Een nieuw licht op de kerk? Bijdragen van nieuwe religieuze bewegingen voor de kerk van vandaag (En: A new perspective on the church? Contributions of new religious movements for today's church), the Hague Boekencentrum (1984) ISBN 9023908090
  • Rudrabhayananda founder of Soul Searchers and the Atma Sadhana Kendra

  Assessment and criticism

  The assessment and criticism of gurus and the Guru-shishya tradition are espoused in the discourse about cults and new religious movements by Western secular scholars, theologians, anti-cultists and by skeptics.
  • Dr. David C. Lane proposes a checklist consisting of seven points to assess gurus in his book, Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical. Lane, David C., Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical (1984) One of his points is that spiritual teachers should have high standards of moral conduct and that followers of gurus should interpret the behavior of a spiritual teacher by following Ockham's razor and by using common sense, and, should not naively use mystical explanations unnecessarily to explain immoral behavior. Another point Lane makes is that the bigger the claim a guru makes, such as the claim to be God, the bigger the chance is that the guru is unreliable. Dr. Lane's fifth point is that self-proclaimed gurus are likely to be more unreliable than gurus with a legitimate lineage.
  • Highlighting what he sees as the difficulty in understanding the guru from Eastern tradition in Western society, Dr. Georg Feuerstein, a well-known German-American Indologist, writes in the article Understanding the Guru from his book The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory and practice:"The traditional role of the guru, or spiritual teacher, is not widely understood in the West, even by those professing to practice Yoga or some other Eastern tradition entailing discipleship. ^* Spiritual teachers, by their very nature, swim against the stream of conventional values and pursuits. They are not interested in acquiring and accumulating material wealth or in competing in the marketplace, or in pleasing egos. They are not even about morality. Typically, their message is of a radical nature, asking that we live consciously, inspect our motives, transcend our egoic passions, overcome our intellectual blindness, live peacefully with our fellow humans, and, finally, realize the deepest core of human nature, the Spirit. For those wishing to devote their time and energy to the pursuit of conventional life, this kind of message is revolutionary, subversive, and profoundly disturbing." Feuerstein, Georg Dr. The Deeper Dimension of Yoga: Theory and Practice, Shambhala Publications, released on (2003) ISBN 1570629285. In his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga (1990), Dr. Feuerstein writes that the importation of yoga to the West has raised questions as to the appropriateness of spiritual discipleship and the legitimacy of spiritual authority.
  • A British professor of psychiatry, Anthony Storr, states in his book, Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus, that he confines the word guru (translated by him as "revered teacher") to persons who have "special knowledge" who tell, referring to their special knowledge, how other people should lead their lives. He argues that gurus share common character traits (e.g. being loners) and that some suffer from a mild form of schizophrenia. He argues that gurus who are authoritarian, paranoid, eloquent, or who interfere in the private lives of their followers are the ones who are more likely to be unreliable and dangerous. Storr also refers to Eileen Barker's checklist to recognize false gurus. He contends that some so-called gurus claim special spiritual insights based on personal revelation, offering new ways of spiritual development and paths to salvation. Storr's criticism of gurus includes the possible risk that a guru may exploit his or her followers due to the authority that he or she may have over them, though Storr does acknowledge the existence of morally superior teachers who refrain from doing so. He holds the view that the idiosyncratic belief systems that some gurus promote were developed during a period of psychosis to make sense of their own minds and perceptions, and that these belief systems persist after the psychosis has gone. Storr applies the term "guru" to figures as diverse as Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Gurdjieff, Rudolf Steiner, Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Jim Jones and David Koresh. Storr, Anthony Dr. Feet of clay: a study of gurus 1996 ISBN 0684834952 The Belgian Indologist Koenraad Elst criticized Storr's book for its avoidance of the term prophet instead of guru for several people. Elst asserts that this is possibly due to Storr's pro-Western, pro-Christian cultural bias.
  • Rob Preece, a psychotherapist and a practicing Buddhist, writes in The Noble Imperfection that while the teacher/disciple relationship can be an invaluable and fruitful experience, the process of relating to spiritual teachers also has its hazards. He writes that these potential hazards are the result of naiveté amongst Westerners as to the nature of the guru/devotee relationship, as well as a consequence of a lack of understanding on the part of Eastern teachers as to the nature of Western psychology. Preece introduces the notion of transference to explain the manner in which the guru/disciple relationship develops from a more Western psychological perspective. He writes: "In its simplest sense transference occurs when unconsciously a person endows another with an attribute that actually is projected from within themselves." In developing this concept, Preece writes that, when we transfer an inner quality onto another person, we may be giving that person a power over us as a consequence of the projection, carrying the potential for great insight and inspiration, but also the potential for great danger: "In giving this power over to someone else they have a certain hold and influence over us it is hard to resist, while we become enthralled or spellbound by the power of the archetype".Preece, Rob, "The teacher-student relationship" in The Noble Imperfection: The challenge of individuation in Buddhist life, Mudras Publications
  • Some gurus have been perceived by the media and by critical ex-followers to be abusing their status and to be either charlatans, self-deceived, businessmen pretending to be saints, cult leaders, or a combination of these. See also: allegations by critical ex-followers. According to a professor of religious studies at Dawson College in Quebec, Susan J. Palmer, the word guru has acquired very negative connotations in France. Palmer, Susan, article in the book NRMs in the 21st Century: legal, political, and social challenges in global perspective edited by Phillip Charles Lucas and Thomas Robbins, (2004) ISBN 0145965772
  • The psychiatrist Alexander Deutsch performed a long-term observation of a small cult, called The Family (not to be confused with The Family/Children of God), founded by an American guru called Baba or Jeff in New York in 1972 ,who showed increasingly schizophrenic behavior. Deutsch observed that this man's mostly Jewish followers interpreted the guru's pathological mood swings as expressions of different Hindu deities and interpreted his behavior as holy madness, and his cruel deeds as punishments that they had earned. After the guru dissolved the cult in 1976, his mental condition was confirmed by Jeff's retrospective accounts to an author. Deutsch, Alexander M.D. Observations on a sidewalk ashram Archive Gen. Psychiatry 32 (1975) 2, 166-175 Deutsch, Alexander M.D. Tenacity of Attachment to a cult leader: a psychiatric perspective American Journal of Psychiatry 137 (1980) 12, 1569-1573.
  • Jan van der Lans (1933-2002), a professor of the psychology of religion at the Catholic University of Nijmegen, wrote, in a book commissioned by the Netherlands based Catholic Study Center for Mental Health, about followers of gurus and the potential dangers that exist when personal contact between the guru and the disciple is absent, such as an increased chance of idealization of the guru by the student (myth making and deification), and an increase of the chance of false mysticism. He further argues that the deification of a guru is a traditional element of Eastern spirituality, but, when detached from the Eastern cultural element and copied by Westerners, the distinction between the person who is the guru and that which he symbolizes can be lost, resulting in the relationship between the guru and disciple degenerating into a boundless, uncritical personality cult.Lans, Jan van der Dr. (Dutch language) Volgelingen van de goeroe: Hedendaagse religieuze bewegingen in Nederland, written upon request for the KSGV published by Ambo, Baarn, 1981 ISBN 9026305214
  • In their 1993 book, The Guru Papers, authors Diana Alstadt and Joel Kramer reject the guru-disciple tradition because of what they see as its structural defects. These defects include the authoritarian control of the guru over the disciple, which is in their view increased by the guru's encouragement of surrender to him. Alstadt and Kramer assert that gurus are likely to be hypocrites because, in order to attract and maintain followers, gurus must present themselves as purer than and superior to ordinary people and other gurus. Kramer, Joel, and Diana Alstad The guru papers: masks of authoritarian power (1993) ISBN 1-883319-00-5
  • According to the journalist Sacha Kester, in a 2003 article in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, finding a guru is a precarious matter, pointing to the many holy men in India and the case of Sathya Sai Baba whom Kester considers a swindler. In this article he also quotes the book Karma Cola describing that in this book a German economist tells author Gita Mehta, “It is my opinion that quality control has to be introduced for gurus. Many of my friends have become crazy in India.” She describes a comment by Suranya Chakraverti who said that: “Either you ridicule a real guru and say that it is all hogwash or you do believe in spirituality and then choose for a swindler”Kester, Sacha “Ticket naar Nirvana”/”Ticket to Nirvana”, article in the Dutch Newspaper De Volkskrant 7 January 2003

  Notable scandals and controversies

  Some notable scandals and controversies regarding gurus or the groups that they founded are:
  • The lifestyle of Osho/Bhagwan/Rajneesh with his 93 Rolls Royces at his disposal (though as a gift from his followers), a bioterrorist attack at The Dalles, Oregon by some of his followers, and his unusual teachings that contradicted both traditional morality and Hindu norms, the group therapy sessions with little restraints, and the liberal sexual freedom that he promoted.
  • The Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway by Aum Shinrikyo founded by the guru Shoko Asahara in Japan
  • Accusations of sexual abuse and false miracles performed by Sathya Sai Baba that resulted in a front page article in the magazine India Today, questions in the British parliament and European parliament, critical TV documentaries produced by the BBC and Danish Radio that were aired in the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark and Australia.

  See also

  ---

  • Satguru
  • Contemporary Hindu Movements
  • Eklavya
  • Gurbani
  • Guru-shishya tradition
  • Gurukul
  • Charismatic authority
  • List of Hindu gurus
  • List of people considered to be avatars

  References and notes

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  Further reading

  ---

  • Arjun Dev, Guru, Guru Granth Sahib, Amritsar-1604 AD., Rag Bhairo
  • Aurobindo, Sri, The Foundation of Indian Culture, Pondicherry, 1959
  • Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist Bloomsbury publishing, 1998 ISBN 1-58234-034-X
  • Garden, Mary The Serpent Rising: a journey of spiritual seduction - 2003 ISBN 1-8770590-50-1
  • Gupta, Dr. Hari Ram. A Life-Sketch of Guru Nanak in Guru Nanak, His Life, Time and Teachings, Edited by Gurmukh Nihal Singh, New Delhi, 1981
  • Gurdev Singh, Justice, Perspectives on the Sikh Tradition. Patiala-1986
  • Holtje, D. (1995). From Light to Sound: The Spiritual Progression. Temecula, CA: MasterPath, Inc. ISBN 1885949006
  • Isliwari Prasad, Dr. The Mughal Empire, Allahabad-1974
  • Jain, Nirmal Kumar, Sikh Religion and Philosophy. New Delhi- 1979
  • Kapur Singh, Parasarprasna or The Baisakhi of Guru Gobind Singh (An Exposition of Sikhism), Jalandhar-1959
  • Kovoor, Abraham Dr. Begone Godmen published by Shri Aswin J. Shah Jaico Publishing House, Bombay - 1976
  • Majumdar, Dr R.C., The History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol. VI, Bombay-1960
  • Mangalwadi, Vishal World of Gurus by India's Vikas Publishing ISBN 094089503X (1977) excerpts
  • Mcleod W.H. (ed.). The B40 Janam Sakhi, Guru Nank Dev University, Amritsar, 1980
  • Mehta, Gita Karma Cola: Marketing the Mystic East Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, first published in 1979 ISBN 0679754334
  • Sister Nivedita, The Master as I Saw Him, Kolkata: Udbodhan Office, 1993.
  • Olsen, G. (1999). MasterPath: The Divine Science of Light and Sound, (Vol. 1). Temecula, CA: MasterPath, Inc. ISBN 1885949014
  • Padoux, André The Tantric Guru, in: Tantra in Practice, Ed by David Gordon White, MLBD, New Delhi
  • Singh, K. (1999). Naam or Word. Blaine, WA: Ruhani Satsang Books. ISBN 0942735943
  • Singh, Jaideva, (Ed.), Ïiva Sútras, The Yoga of Supreme Identity, MLBD, Delhi, 1979
  • Swami Tejasananda, A Short Life of Vivekananda, Kolkata: Advaita Ashram Publication, 1999.

  Video

  • Understanding Hindu Traditions Educational Video Network, Inc. (2004)
  • Origins of India- Hindu Civilization Educational Video Network, Inc. (2004)
  • Meditation & the Thinking Machine Krishnamurti (2004)
  • Short Cut To Nirvana (2004) directed by Maurizio Benazzo. Featuring encounters with some of India's most respected holy men and exclusive footage of the Dalai Lama.
  • Dalai Lama on Life and Enlightenment (2004)]
  • Guru Busters documentary directed and produced by Robert Eagle (1995)
  • Mysterious Miracles, Aliens from Spaceship Earth, A Spiritual Odyssey, directed by Don Como (1977)

  External links

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  Buddhism

  • Enlightenment: Buddhism Vis-à-Vis Hinduism
  • Interview with the Dalai Lama
  • A short History of Buddhism

  Hinduism

  • Gurus and Saints in Hinduism
  • Who is a Guru?
  • The Ten Great Mystic Masters of India
  • Sringeri Sharada Peetham
  • Homepage of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
  • Shri Krishna Bhajanamrta
  • Om-guru.com Biographies of Saints, Seekers, and Teachers in the Indian Tradition
  • Guru Sri Sai Baba
  • Kamakoti peetham
  • Hinduism
  • Shri Rudrabhayananda

  Surat Shabda Yoga

  • Science Of Spirituality
  • Unity Of Man
  • Radha Soami Satsang Beas
  • The Radhasoami tradition: A Critical History of Guru Successorship by David Christopher Lane, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, MSAC
  • Sant Mat Meditation Net
  • MasterPath
  • A Study of Surat Shabd Yoga by Kirpal Singh

  Sikhism

  • The Sikh Gurus
  • Guru Nanak
  • Sri Guru Granth Sahib
  • Guru Nanak: His Life and Teachings - This article was written by Kirpal Singh at the request of the Indian Government on the five hundredth anniversary of Guru Nanak’s birth.

  Other sites

  • Encyclopedia of Religion: Guru
  • The History Channel: Guru
  • Sai Baba - Guru of this era
  • Kriya Yoga: Definitions of guru
  • Understanding the Guru by Dr. Georg Feuerstein, author of The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice. (2000)
  • Guruism - a Hindu countermission by Johannes Aagaard of the Denmark based Dialog Center, an organization belonging to the Christian countercult movement
  • "Ego Death Is Not A Game", an excerpt from Andrew Cohen's book In Defense of the Guru Principle.
  • Why The Cynicism About Indian Gurus? from Rediff on the net India, March 30 2001 (VNN) — article by Francois Gautier
  • Exposing cults: when the skeptical mind confronts the mystical Excerpts on assessing the authenticity of a guru from a book by Dr. David C. Lane, Garland Publishing, Inc. (1994)
  • The Anti-Gurus and The Myth of the Totally Enlightened Guru two articles on the website of John Horgan
  • Prabir Ghosh Gurubusters head of the Science and Rationalists’ Association of India
  • Geoffrey D Falk, self-published book Stripping the Gurus: Sex, Violence, Abuse and Enlightenment
  • Gurumania Transcript of a radio interview on 27 June 2004 by Rachel Kohn for the Radio National (affiliated with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) with guests the British journalist Mick Brown (author of the book the "Spiritual Tourist") and Mary garden (author of the book "The Serpent Rising") who discussed their experiences with and opinions of Sathya Sai Baba, Tibetan Buddhism teachers, Benjamin Creme (not usually called a guru), Swami Balyogi Premvarni, Osho/Bhagwan/Rajneesh, and their respective movements.

  Buddhism | Giftedness | Religion in India | Sanskrit terms | Shabd paths | Sikhism | Titles | Titles and occupations in Hinduism | Gurus

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