From: sanders@iitmax.iit.edu (Greg Sanders)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: 10 Questions on Spiritual Guidance
Date: 23 Jul 92 17:45:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: qiclab.1992Jul24.003701.17288
Organization: Illinois Institute of Technology

In article <1992Jul23.075700.13384@qiclab.scn.rain.com> jdavis@netlink.cts.com (James Davis) writes:
>Here are ten multiple choice and true/false questions which may
>be worthy of consideration.  We can, of course, add additional
>options like "All of the above," "None of the above," and
>"Other...".
 
OK.  I'll tumble for this set.

>1.    Widespread guru gullibillity means
>
>      a.  The desire for a teachers is stronger than the desire
>          for enlightenment.
>      b.  People are are superficial. 
>      c.  We are reacting to powerful thought-formations.

Most people have insufficient experience with gurus or spiritual practice
to not be gullible.  The desire for enlightenment is behind people being 
drawn to gurus, though.

>2.    My values are
>
>      a.  born from the soul.
>      b.  laid upon me by my group karma.
>      c.  the standardized formula of the herd.

Values you can state are makyo (delusion).
 
>3.    Repeating a good mantra will lift your consciousness. 
>      True/False

It will alter your consciousness.
 
>4.    Most meditation is selfish and therefore not meditation at
>      all.   True/False
 
The question conflates two propositions.  Let's treat them separately.
I suppose that most meditation is selfish, although I of course cannot know.
Still, selfish meditation is meditation.
 
>5.    Masters issue orders to their followers (or devotees) to do
>      thus and so, to form this or that organization.  True/False

When a train passes, sounds are heard and the rails become clear of
snow.  Is that a primary description of a train?
 
>6.    Disciples of the Masters deal in claim making and the art
>      of attracting attention.   True/False

Depends on whose disciples and which disciples.
 
>7.    A disciple may find it necessary to say, "The Master has
>      chosen me," or "The Master stands behind my effort," or "I
>      am the representative of Hierarchy."   True/False

Well, I do not understand how there can be a master/disciple relationship
where the master does not stand behind the disciple's effort.  I am
puzzled as to what this question about "find it necessary to say" is
about.  It just doesn't seem to connect to anything.
 
>8.    When most people shut out the physical world and stop
>      thinking, what they have left is 
>
>      a.  the spiritual world of reality
>      b.  the emotional-mental world illusions
 
Are a. and b. different?  Is the physical world different?  
Is thinking different?   Who/what are you?--I can't say.
 
>9.    Most spiritual guidance is
>
>      a.  subconscious "wish life."
>      b.  old aspirations from previous lives.
>      c.  communication (good, bad, or indifferent) from ordinary
>          discarnate people.
>      d.  unconscious telepathic "eavesdropping"
>      e.  contact with thought-formulations
>      f.  invasion by emotion-formulations
>      g.  from one's own mind
>      h.  from one's own soul
>      i.  from the Masters
One could add:
       j.  from one's teacher/master
       k.  from one's fellow "seekers" (Sangha)

All spiritual guidance is the way the universe works.
The distinctions or thinghood of a. through k. are pointless here.
 
>10.   All people who have only two eyes and ears are blind and
>      deaf.  True/False

I don't get the question.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
There's a general thread of spiritual guidance in the questions.
Generally, a disciple or student of a master is out to realize
his/her true self and to equal or surpass the realization of the 
master.  If the student's aspiration is pure, he/she tends to
progress even if the master is impure or incompetent (it's how
the universe works).  What is the master and what is not is an
arbitrary distinction.  One just learns/grows (again, it's how
the universe works).  Of course, you need a teacher and the teacher
must be good or getting free will be uncertain indirect and much slower.
Although I could be really mistaken, it seems to me that it is
those who have never seriously worked deeply with a teacher who
think that a teacher is superfluous.

                              -- Greg
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern