Guru Dakshina – donation for knowledge

“Good deeds should be done for free” – we hear it today on every step. “Real teachers do not take money for knowledge” – one more belief of majority. But at the same time we do not doubt that car, computer, stylish dress, antique statue worth our energy. But spirituality should be shared to right and left “for beautiful eyes.” Everything that after some time will be in garbage, earned by “blood and sweat”, possibility to grow – one and only that has real value – why it should fall to hands as manna from heaven. People who think like that always understand falsely. They will be in their own spiritual greed and trying to find answers to questions, will meet only surface.

Such people will say: “Highly spiritual person – always altruist.” And they will be right. But it doesn’t mean that Teacher, the same altruist and who make goodness, don’t need to take payment fro Knowledge. If he will not do that, he will harm his students.

Why? Answer simple and also not always obvious: the fact is, that human – such creature that does not value that comes free. It happens not because that everybody – loves what’s free. We just feel inside, like we hold in hands “cheap.” Our material life is the best example. We buy, as a rule, things that cost more expensive, because all what is cheap causes doubt for us in it’s quality (also, there are manufacturers who tries to earn more money and do it by specially but it’s another story). Another aspect of this behavior – small mechanism of “calculation” is inside of us. This mechanism knows that if somewhere became more, it means that somewhere should be less, because our world works on law of this universe – balance. By getting knowledge on “sale” we easily separate with it. Better to leave something that easily came, than something of your own. And remember how often we remember in our usual life: “Easy to get, easy to give”. By losing it there are part of regret, but no feeling that we got it with hard work.

When we understand importance and need for knowledge, we’re ready to pay for it exact price, so you will also work with it much differently. And we will not throw away it freely.

Teachers also know this and know about law of karma, by which you need to pay for everything and better to do it consciously and voluntarily. Not Teacher needs that. In this meaning he is really altruist. He just gives possibility to students “to give away” that would not create karmic debt. From here comes – donation for guru. It’s not fanatic act, but act of consciousness and good will of those people who show common sense.

G. I Gurjiev quite strongly but right said about this. He said: People who are weak in life, they are weak in work (in work of spiritual work). If human life is so badly organized that 100 rubles becomes hard for him, so for him better not to take this work. And I have too small amount of free time that I would be able to sacrifice it to other not being sure that they will benefit from it.”

System of “donation” for knowledge (Gurudakshina) – it is cycle of energy in nature and protection of real Knowledge from human ego. In ancient Vedic texts (Shastras) there are methods how to get knowledge:

1. Student can serve teacher and get knowledge.
2. Student can pay money and get knowledge.
3. Two sages can exchange knowledge.

So don’t judge teachers that they take money for knowledge. In the beginning understand what level of knowledge you would like to get, think about potential “price” of this knowledge. Can you do for your teacher something, that would be equal to those knowledge that he gives to you? Or maybe you can teach him something? If answers to both of those questions – “no”, so there are only last of three options. There are no possible ways to get knowledge.

Right those people who understand, that spirituality should not become to business. But it does not exclude material side that at least need teacher and mostly need – student.

Author: N. Shishkanova