Spiritual/Religious teacher.

[Spirit of Light]

To be a spiritual leader/teacher means you have realised something profound and see life differently then others who has not obtained the wisdom.
But being a teacher in a already known path like lets say Buddhism does not mean you teach Buddhism to others, it means you teach your understanding of buddhism (or other teachings if you are not buddhist)

What do i mean by this?
When you teach someone who are new to the religion/path they will see our knowledge as higher(deeper) but it does not mean that you as a teacher is finish on your own spiritual path, what it means is that you have chosen to share what you know/understand right now.

But to save someone the only teachers who can do that is the enlighten one.
But as a student it is not enouh to just listen, one must also be active seaching answers within the teaching.
Belief in it self is not enough

Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

 

[Vinayaka]

Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

I don't think the teacher really teaches that much, in any traditional way. I think 'catalyst' is a better term. He/she motivates you to learn yourself, provides opportunities. But you have to do all the work,

 

[Sunstone]

It seems to me there's a profound difference between knowing something and being able to teach it. Many people who are world renown for their spiritual teachings strike me as having been mediocre to pathetic teachers in reality.

 

[SalixIncendium]

To me, 'religion' and 'spirituality' are not synonymous. Therefore, a teacher of religion is quite different in my eyes than a teacher of spirituality. As I see it, at teacher of religion shares knowledge of a prescribed set of beliefs and associated dogma, ritual, and practice. Conversely, a teacher of spirituality shares experience and wisdom based on that experience.

 

[Jumi]

A teacher can help others get to where they themselves couldn't. You see great sports coaches who never made it themselves and primary school teachers who inspired those who became top in some field.

There are lots of spiritual teachers though who are more leaders than good teachers. Think in politics.

 

[Jumi]

It seems to me there's a profound difference between knowing something and being able to teach it. Many people who are world renown for their spiritual teachings strike me as having been mediocre to pathetic teachers in reality.

Agreed, and even someone who is a good teacher of what they know might only have something we consider a touch divine at best.

 

[Audie]

I hear that North Korea has a great teacher.

His wisdom is profound, his view is not that of
others.

I have an Uncle who still believes in
Mao!

As for me, "spiritual leaders / teachers"
can stay (the hell) away. I am with Thoreau,
who said he'd run for his life if someone headed
his way to do him "good".

Of course it is human nature to think
or hope someone has the Answers.

Accepting that they dont, and going it
alone is hard!

 

[WalterTrull]

going it alone is hard!

We actually don't. I'm starting to recognize that the system forces us to see that eventually.

 

[Audie]

We actually don't. I'm starting to recognize that the system forces us to see that eventually.

Who is us and what system forces us to see what?

 

[WalterTrull]

Who is us and what system forces us to see what?

We is us and what is be the system.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

To be a spiritual leader/teacher means you have realised something profound and see life differently then others who has not obtained the wisdom.
But being a teacher in a already known path like lets say Buddhism does not mean you teach Buddhism to others, it means you teach your understanding of buddhism (or other teachings if you are not buddhist)

What do i mean by this?
When you teach someone who are new to the religion/path they will see our knowledge as higher(deeper) but it does not mean that you as a teacher is finish on your own spiritual path, what it means is that you have chosen to share what you know/understand right now.

But to save someone the only teachers who can do that is the enlighten one.
But as a student it is not enouh to just listen, one must also be active seaching answers within the teaching.
Belief in it self is not enough

Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

I dont agree that a spiritual teacher would take that role because of his knowledge compared to his student. I used to teach but just because I had more I knowledge on a subject doesn't mean I'm wise.

I don't see life that important to where we need gurus for our spiritual knowledge and just teachers for our material knowledge. I tried to teach by siting level with my peers but they were more comfortable me teaching from the front of the room. That sense of authority or guide seems to be in a lot of cultures.

I feel a teacher can give you some knowledge in practice but not to where you depend on him for spiritual knowledge one can find in himself. A priest can show you the order of Mass but if you have a question about god within that order, it is for the student to find out not the priest.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I dont agree that a spiritual teacher would take that role because of his knowledge compared to his student. I used to teach but just because I had more I knowledge on a subject doesn't mean I'm wise.

I don't see life that important to where we need gurus for our spiritual knowledge and just teachers for our material knowledge. I tried to teach by siting level with my peers but they were more comfortable me teaching from the front of the room. That sense of authority or guide seems to be in a lot of cultures.

I feel a teacher can give you some knowledge in practice but not to where you depend on him for spiritual knowledge one can find in himself. A priest can show you the order of Mass but if you have a question about god within that order, it is for the student to find out not the priest.

My teachers in buddhism who are monks are them self on a journey as they called it and even they had differentlevel understanding then me on the teachings , due to they study all day every day something i could not do. but yes i am the one who need to grasp the teachings and gain wisdom from it. my teachers are more guides the just telling me "this is the truth"
But when they teach they take a sutta "chapter" in the teaching and we discuss it, and sometimes they listen to me and say i understood part of it better then them, and they smile

 

[Unveiled Artist]

My teachers in buddhism who are monks are them self on a journey as they called it and even they had differentlevel understanding then me on the teachings , due to they study all day every day something i could not do. but yes i am the one who need to grasp the teachings and gain wisdom from it. my teachers are more guides the just telling me "this is the truth"
But when they teach they take a sutta "chapter" in the teaching and we discuss it, and sometimes they listen to me and say i understood part of it better then them, and they smile

Knowledge is good. I used to read the suttas and don't mind having a teacher to help me understand the practice. If I have to depend on the teachers that, I'm not comfortable.

I sometimes go to this buddhist site suttacentral you may like. Many are long term practitioners and the monks that built the site are very nice. Not a regular forum..

There was one convo about some new people treating the monastics as if they have the "keys to enlightenment" another mentioned the dependence on suttas (Theravada site) than the practice. Most have gurus themselves but we're discussing the nature of how newbies see gurus compared to those practiced.

I think it's a cultural thing. I miss the boat. A lot of people like a guide. I'm sure there is a balance.

 

[sun rise]

you have chosen to share what you know/understand right now.

Someone can be a teacher in the ordinary sense of the word when they share their current level of understanding.

To me a true teacher does not choose to be a teacher. Choosing this or that is a function of the mind, not the heart. My understanding is that someone's teacher recognizes that a student is ready to be a teacher and, as it were, lays a robe of office at the student's feet. The student recognizes an invitation that they say 'yes' to.

Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

I would not use the word "lead" because a teacher can "open a door" but the student has to walk through it.

 

[Axe Elf]

TAre you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

No; a teacher can only lead a student to learn that which the student is ready/enabled to learn.

Being on RF has hammered that point home for me.

 

[Trackdayguy]

We are all influenced by other people, no one learns in a vacuum, and to think we can only reveals our own pride and hurt.

The world is our teacher, digest what is good and spit out the pips.

 

[Milton Platt]

To be a spiritual leader/teacher means you have realised something profound and see life differently then others who has not obtained the wisdom.
But being a teacher in a already known path like lets say Buddhism does not mean you teach Buddhism to others, it means you teach your understanding of buddhism (or other teachings if you are not buddhist)

What do i mean by this?
When you teach someone who are new to the religion/path they will see our knowledge as higher(deeper) but it does not mean that you as a teacher is finish on your own spiritual path, what it means is that you have chosen to share what you know/understand right now.

But to save someone the only teachers who can do that is the enlighten one.
But as a student it is not enouh to just listen, one must also be active seaching answers within the teaching.
Belief in it self is not enough

Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?

Of course, nobody, whether a teacher or not, can teach you what they do not know.....which is what you essentially took the long way around to say.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Of course, nobody, whether a teacher or not, can teach you what they do not know.....which is what you essentially took the long way around to say.

I think you misunderstood my words.
A teacher explaining the teaching, but it is the student who must grasp the wisdom within the teaching.
When someone start a spiritual life the must first hear the teaching then they must practice the teaching in daily life, and by this the wisdom of why the teaching actually does say what it do will come to you.
The teacher is there to guide yes but also as a moral support and someone who nudge you in the right direction when you struggle. But it is always the student who need to grasp the truth

 

[Milton Platt]

I think you misunderstood my words.
A teacher explaining the teaching, but it is the student who must grasp the wisdom within the teaching.
When someone start a spiritual life the must first hear the teaching then they must practice the teaching in daily life, and by this the wisdom of why the teaching actually does say what it do will come to you.
The teacher is there to guide yes but also as a moral support and someone who nudge you in the right direction when you struggle. But it is always the student who need to grasp the truth

Don't know what a "spiritual life" is. I lead a normal one.

But my response was simply to what you said in your last line:
"Are you agree that a teacher can only lead you up to his or her level of wisdom/understanding of life?"

Essentially you are saying that someone can only teach you what they know, and cannot teach you what they do not know. It is simply a tautology.

 

[SalixIncendium]

No; a teacher can only lead a student to learn that which the student is ready/enabled to learn.

Being on RF has hammered that point home for me.

Glad we were able to teach you something during your time here.