Posted by The Uncreated on 8/1/2008, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: On Gurus.."
209.82.54.163

Is this what Ramana Maharshi teaches? You seem to be echoing what that guy has said on previous postings.. What, about the idea that you can't recognize a guru by his external characteristics and behavior patters? If anyone claims to able to recognize "a guru," all they recognize are what has become of the formless after it has materialized within the field of creation -- within time and space. The problem with this is, people have a lopsided idea in mind of what within that field constitutes the best indication of a realized being. Invariably those characteristics are "good", "virtuous", "compassionate" -- generally all the comfortable adjectives one could muster. No one for a moment would consider adjectives like "selfish", "inconsiderate" or "vengeful" as things descibing a realized being, but the fact remains.. the formless doesn't choose. It becomes all things and any thing when projected through the lens of the egoic "I Am", so there can be no consistent indicators of someone who has realized. Everything in the universe bears the signature of the Absolute, without question. Every quanta of thought, every object, every evil person as well as every good. Absolute everything and everyone is perfect because of this. For all we know, our prisons might be overflowing with actualized human beings. Nobody could ever confirm realization except those who have realized themselves, so all the gurus humanity has ever know are those humanity has taken to be gurus on faith. Nothing more. Man, through conditioning has convinced himself that "gurus" need to be this way or that, all the while, a truly realized being might pass you on the subway platform during your commute to work. Gurus are as real as the ego is. When we've rid ourselves of the "I Am", the guru vanishes and what we're left with is something devoid of all properties and conceptual references. The "I Am" is our lauching pad. In the Void, there are no gurus, no gods, no people, no mind, no thoughts -- nothing. I would have to be shown that such an individual is God internally to believe it. Gods and gurus are only necessary as a stepping stone. Once you've placed your foot on them and taken the step up, they're no longer needed because you've surpassed them. All of them are ego. Destroy ego and you've destroyed your gods and gurus. -