As an alternative to established religions, some people in Europe and the USA who were not of East Indian extraction have looked up to spiritual guides and gurus from India, seeking them to provide them answers to the meaning of life, and to achieve a more direct experience free from intellectualism and philosophy. Gurus from many denominations traveled to Western Europe and the USA and established followings. One of the first to do so was Swami Vivekananda who addressed the World Parli ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Guru in a Western culture context

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Types of gurus

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 ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Succession and lineage parampara

A guru (गुरू Sanskrit) is a teacher in Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism. Based on a long line of philosophical understanding as to the importance of knowledge, the guru is seen in these religions as a sacred conduit, or a way to self-realization. In India and among people of Hindu, Buddhist, or Sikh belief, the title retains a hallowed meaning. Guru also refers in Sanskrit to Brihaspati, a Hindu figure analogous to the Roman planet/god Jupiter. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter/Guru/Brihaspati is believed to ...

Including:

• Guru - Etymology
• Guru - Guru in Hinduism
• Guru - Guru in Buddhism
• Guru - Guru in Sikhism
• Guru - Types of gurus
• Guru - Succession and lineage parampara
• Guru - Guru in a Western culture context
• Guru - Gurus in the West
• Guru - Assessment and criticism
• Guru - Notable scandals and controversies
• Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia - Guru

The manner in which Prem Rawat has gone about teaching the techniques of Knowledge has significantly changed from 1970 to the present. Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The preparation and the Knowledge session. When Prem Rawat first came to the West, people were only able to hear about Knowledge from him or from Indian instructors (called “mahatmas”) who would teach the techniques of Knowledge. As more westerners received Knowledge, the students of Rawat held nightly gatherings for the purpose of spreadi ...

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Past teachings of Prem Rawat, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The message, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Early days: less emphasis on the message and more emphasis on Knowledge, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The possibility of inner peace as offered by Prem Rawat, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - World peace versus inner peace, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The teachings, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Conditions for the practice of Knowledge to bear fruit, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - What was and is now understood by “the practice of Knowledge”, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The Knowledge process and the teaching of the techniques, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The preparation and the Knowledge session, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Criteria for being taught the techniques, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Technology used for teaching the techniques, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Indian customs around Prem Rawat, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - “Lord of the Universe” and other terms used in the ‘70, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Arti and other Indian songs, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Darshan, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Allegations of Divinity and their cultural context, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Devotion for the Guru, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - “Guru is Greater than God cultural context, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Holy breath, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The five commandments, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Ashram life, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Mind and heart, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Indian aspects in the presentation of the teachings, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Indian staff, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - People speaking in his name, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Communication through ashrams replaced by internet and satellite, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Distance from Hinduism, Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Compatibility with other religions

Read more here: » Past teachings of Prem Rawat: Encyclopedia II - Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The Knowledge process and the teaching of the techniques

The importance of finding a guru who can impart transcendental knowledge (vidya) is one of the tenets of Hinduism. One of the main Hindu texts, the Bhagavad Gita, is a dialogue between God in the form of Krishna and Arjuna a nobleman. Not only does their dialogue outlines many of the ideals of Hinduism, but the discussion and relationship between the two considered to be an expression of the ideal Guru/disciple relationship. In the Gita itself, Krishna speaks of the importance of finding a guru to Arjuna: Acquire the t ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Guru in Hinduism

The guru's blessing is the last of the four foundations in Vajrayana Buddhism. In this foundation, the disciple can continue in their experiential path on the way to the true nature of reality. The disciple regards the guru as the embodiment of Buddha, or a Bodhisattva, and he or she shows devotion and great appreciation toward the guru as such. 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, ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Guru in Buddhism

The title Guru is extremely fundamental to the religion of the Sikhs. Indeed, the Sikhs have carried the meaning of the word to an even greater level of abstraction, while retaining the original usage, and apply it to an understanding of imparted knowledge through any medium. 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 i ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Guru in Sikhism

The word guru means teacher in Sanskrit, as well as in other languages derived from Sanskrit, such as Hindi, Bengali and Gujarati. The word originated in a Hindu context and holds a special place in Hinduism, signifying both the sacred place of knowledge (jnana) and the imparter of knowledge. The word comes from the Sanskrit root "gru", an adjective literally meaning "heavy, weighty" as in "heavy with knowledge" [1], "heavy with ...

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Guru, Guru - Etymology, Guru - Guru in Hinduism, Guru - Guru in Buddhism, Guru - Guru in Sikhism, Guru - Types of gurus, Guru - Succession and lineage parampara, Guru - Guru in a Western culture context, Guru - Gurus in the West, Guru - Assessment and criticism, Guru - Notable scandals and controversies, Guru - Bibliography

Read more here: » Guru: Encyclopedia II - Guru - Etymology