Theos-Talk Archives (May 1997 Message tl00312)

Good Cyber-Day, All:

This is my first post, and I simply want to add to the guru
thread.

Years ago in New York City, I heard Krishnamurti give a talk very
similar to the one just quoted in today's digest (#1034).  I
remember particularly how his face twisted with ill-suppressed
impatience when he referred to "the little gurus with their
little bands of followers." (Add a special twist for the
"littles.")  I remember too the vast presence the man radiated,
whether he liked it or not.

It seemed to me that 80% of the audience was treating him as a
guru anyway, and I was happy for his sake that he could just go
backstage and ignore them.  Presumably.

Later, due mainly to my interest in theosophy, I became involved
with the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.  This is one of the
"sudden" traditions, where the whole message is given out at
once: i.e., that the Guru is one's own Heart-Mind, vast and
stainless.  I noted the same phenomenon -- people, even the
Tibetans, insisted on banding into little groups to exchange
their "Guru" for what K called "a little guru."

Of course there were too those who didn't fall into this bad
habit and they were fascinating people indeed.  And all the real
gurus, the ones whose students grew, put a stop to the "little
guru syndrome" forthwith.  The prior Karmapa, for instance, when
people lionized and attempted to deify him said once, "What are
you doing?  I'm just an old monk who's soon going to die!"

Be well.

                        Scott Hutton