Question: Sir, what is the role of a teacher in the life of a student? Whatever syllabus we are prescribed as of now can be possibly dealt by us to a decent level. Then why a teacher? Isn’t there something more than just teaching?
Answer: There is something called knowledge- gyaan. Knowledge can be had from anywhere- books, experience or a man. The man that provides knowledge is not a teacher. He can be easily substituted by a book. He is just a Knowledge Provider- KP. What we have in schools and colleges are mostly KPs. They must not be called teachers.
Then there is बोध। Bodh is not knowledge or gyaan. Bodh is realization. In knowledge, ego stands secure at its place and actually gets stronger by wearing more knowledge. In Bodh, ego melts and diminishes. The one whose presence invokes bodh in you is the teacher- Guru.
Question: How is the role of a Guru different from that of a book?
Answer: Guru is like a living doctor who can see and understand the patient. Book is like a medicine, a chemical. Medicines can in fact be harmful if not taken under the care of a doctor. But the egoistic patient tries to become his own doctor and you know what happens when people try medicines on their own.
