There are three types of people that enter the spiritual path.
The first is called the seeker,
the second is called the disciple,
and the third is called the devotee.
The seekers are the worst ones because they never stop seeking. While they are at satsang they think about who they will see tomorrow. They never stop. They run from pillar to post; they go to India to seek a teacher, then to Hawaii or St. Louis when they hear about another teacher. They are seekers, and this is good to an extent, because they are better off than the people who do nothing and think they are human. Unfortunately you can be a seeker for a thousand lifetimes without ending it.
If you are a sincere seeker, with a heart that truly wishes to awaken, the time will come when you become a disciple.
The first is called the seeker,
the second is called the disciple,
and the third is called the devotee.
The seekers are the worst ones because they never stop seeking. While they are at satsang they think about who they will see tomorrow. They never stop. They run from pillar to post; they go to India to seek a teacher, then to Hawaii or St. Louis when they hear about another teacher. They are seekers, and this is good to an extent, because they are better off than the people who do nothing and think they are human. Unfortunately you can be a seeker for a thousand lifetimes without ending it.
If you are a sincere seeker, with a heart that truly wishes to awaken, the time will come when you become a disciple.
The disciple finds a teacher and learns all they can from that teacher. Yet they still are not sure; they still have
doubts. They still are interested in me, me, me, me, asking, “What am I getting out of this?” Also they still go to other teachers from time to time, even while staying around one particular teacher. They may be a disciple but they are not that close.
If the disciple is sincere in their heart, with love and compassion, thinking kind feelings towards all, they will eventually become a devotee.
The devotee becomes the consciousness of the teacher. A devotee forgets all about him or herself. They could be in satsang where everyone is going wild, but the devotee sees nothing but the teacher. The devotee is oblivious to anything going on in satsang, but only has love and good feelings towards all. The devotee is interested in the teacher's welfare and ultimately becomes enlightened. It is the devotees that awaken before anyone else.
In which category are you? Ask yourself.
Robert Adams
doubts. They still are interested in me, me, me, me, asking, “What am I getting out of this?” Also they still go to other teachers from time to time, even while staying around one particular teacher. They may be a disciple but they are not that close.
If the disciple is sincere in their heart, with love and compassion, thinking kind feelings towards all, they will eventually become a devotee.
The devotee becomes the consciousness of the teacher. A devotee forgets all about him or herself. They could be in satsang where everyone is going wild, but the devotee sees nothing but the teacher. The devotee is oblivious to anything going on in satsang, but only has love and good feelings towards all. The devotee is interested in the teacher's welfare and ultimately becomes enlightened. It is the devotees that awaken before anyone else.
In which category are you? Ask yourself.
Robert Adams
Wow, this is probably one of the coolest tutorials I’ve seen. Need to get into this ASAP!
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This is unfortunately incorrect.
ReplyDeleteIn the spiritual path, the first stage is that of the seeker, then a devotee. If the devotee matures enough and has surrendered to the Guru, then the devotee eventually becomes a disciple. A devotee develops emotional connection with the Guru and is dear to him. However, the true disciple is a different animal. If the Guru says - "Jump" he will jump. Period. And this "jump" could literally mean "jump from a cliff" where you know you're going to die the next moment. Yet the disciple will do it because his faith in the Guru is absolute. Such a devotee has become the real disciple. Inside the disciple, lives the "Guru". A devotee always comes second.
That is why in Sanatana Dharma, we have this tradition of the "Guru-shishya" parampara (or Guru-disciple tradition).
All the best,
Rahul
PS To find true disciples in this age is rare (not impossible), some are there but not many. Every enlightened master knows that in his lifetime his number of disciples can be counted by hand. Not everyone can become a disciple. Example - Jesus had so many followers but only a handful of disciples. This was the same case for the Buddha (and so on).
Exactly! Totally agree with Rahul Manandhar here.
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