A Vision Of Wisdom

In the history of Hinduism, wise men embarked upon the quest for knowledge of life, death, birth, enlightenment, and cosmic existence through rational observations. When they found no answers, they turned inward, to meditation, to achieve a direct experience of truth. These gurus, fully realized spiritual masters, abandoned the material world and brought aspirants to the path of truth through analogies and their own experiences. Aspirants sought Darsana, or communion with a guru. More than a meeting, Darsana, which in Sanskrit means 'vision,' was a precious and unforgettable experience. The tradition continued for thousands of years and the guru continues to be not only a teacher, but the sacred conduit that channels self-realization.

Embracing Darsana means one is coming face to face with that which is real, be it philosophy or the understanding of the transcendental. The Darsana of the guru is considered to be the final step. A seeker with passion, sincerity, and an earnest desire to achieve wisdom and enlightenment can only go so far on his or her own because of the limitations of the single mind. The guidance of a master or guru who embodies truth and bestows the teachings is necessary to move ahead. When Buddha was asked to quantify the efforts of master and disciple, he replied that the master's guidance is everything. The seeker, when first confronted with the guru in Darsana, cannot entirely fathom the wisdom of the teacher but must possess faith, zeal, humility, obedience, and determination. He or she must also be willing to question rather than blindly accept the teachings of the guru.

In Darsana, the disciple's mind is transformed as it is immersed in the powerful light and tranquility of the guru and the experience becomes the basis of discipline. Until, as Naagaarjuna wrote in the second century, "the fully enlightened teachers do not appear and the disciples have disappeared, the wisdom of the self-enlightened ones will arise completely without a teacher," experiencing Darsana with the aide of the wisdom and truth of a guru will remain a vital part of the search for enlightenment.