Advaita on the topic of gurus

[call-u-twice]

Do most advaita philosophers/gurus stress to have a guru or do some think that one can grasp the ultimate truth without a guru?

[Believer]

Namaste,

Who wants to know? - introduction first
What do you think? - what is your position
How are you going to use this information? - academic research or something else
What is the 'ultimate truth' and what is the 'partial truth'?
How do you define a guru?
Do gurus stress the need to have a guru?

Pranam.

[brahman]

Do most advaita philosophers/gurus stress to have a guru or do some think that one can grasp the ultimate truth without a guru?


Dear call-u-twice,

Our POV:

Every single wisdom teaching consisted of or derived from Indian traditions emphasise the importance of a wisdom-teacher otherwise called a Guru.

When the Teacher and the Student are properly related, Word-wisdom shines with its own un-borrowed light without broken continuity.

The Way and the Word of the Gurus of successive generations have helped to guide humanity in the past and shall do so evermore, as long as humanity here has a future.

According to popularly accepted dicta on the Indian soil, no wisdom which has not received the sanction of a Guru can be valid.

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It is not the spiritual side of the disciple which is first to be surrendered, but rather the gross, materially inert side on which he has actual control through his own will. Steadfastness results only from proper cross-affiliation.- Guru

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Love:)

[Sriram257]

Namaste Call-u-twice,

This is completely dependent on the Adhikara Bheda, for example Dattatreya did not have a Guru to teach him Brahma Vidya, similarly in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Prajapati has agained Brahma Vidya without the instruction of a Guru so with Ramana Maharishi. But mind you that this is only possible for highly mature and evolved personalities and not for people like you and me.

You and I are not Ramana Maharishi, we definitely require a Shastra and a Guru to teach us. If not Brahma Vidya is not possible. Hence I suggest if you really want to know Brahma Vidya you actually get a Guru.

[harih]

Namaste
I concur with the learned scholars who spoke above. I would like to add that͵ Advaita is based on Sruti as a Pramana. The Sruti clearly states that Brahmavidya must be learnt from a Srotriya͵ Avrijina͵ Akamahata Brahmajna Guru.