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Guru: The Spiritual Master

In Eastern and Western Traditions — Authority and Charisma by: Antonio Rigopoulos

The book, examines the relevance attached to the institution of the guru with special reference to the religions and philosophies of India and explores the nature and function of the guru figure and the master-disciple interaction in the religious traditions of the world. It throws light on the link between overcoming fear, ritual death and immortality, and the guru figure in Indian traditions. The book will interest scholars of religion and philosophy particularly those studying Hindu and Buddhist religious-spiritual traditions.

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ISBN: 9788124603901
Year Of Publication: 2007
Edition: 1st
Pages : iv, 564
Language : English
Binding : Hardcover
Publisher: D.K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd.
Size: 23 cm.
Weight: 975

Overview

The book, containing papers presented at a conference held in Venice, Italy, examines the relevance attached to the institution of the guru with special reference to the religions and philosophies of India. It explores the nature and function of the guru figure and the master-disciple interaction in religious traditions of the world including those of Hinduism, Buddhism, ancient Greek, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Confucianism and native American traditions. It delves into the dynamics of the guru’s influence and guru-disciple interaction that involves two aspects of power — spiritual power and the very worldly socio-political and economic interests. It deals with characteristics and charisma associated with the figure of the spiritual master, his authority, pupils’ devotion for him, trials for a pupil, motivations of a guru, pandita as guru and recognition of the true master. It scrutinizes the difference in the Eastern and Western traditions vis-a-vis the guru-disciple relationship referring to a variety of sects, thinkers and works: the Mahabharata, Sufism, tantric traditions, Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism, and the guruvada among Bauls of Bengal. The study meticulously unravels certain fundamental questions like sources of legitimation of religious authority within a religious-spiritual tradition. It throws light on the link between overcoming fear, ritual death and immortality, and the guru figure in Indian traditions. The book will interest scholars of religion and philosophy particularly those studying Hindu and Buddhist religious-spiritual traditions.

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements

Socrates and Maieutic Enterprise
— Michele Botta

Apollonius of Tyana or the Spectacle of Wisdom
— Chiara Cremonesi

Kinds of Doctrinal Transmission in Late Ancient Judaism
— Piero Capelli

The Master-Disciple Relationship in Christianity: Some Introductory Observations
— Franco Macchi

The Interior Master in the Understanding of the First Friends
— Pier Cesare Bori

Master and Disciple in the Islamic Sufi Tradition in the Writings of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
— Angelo Scarabel

Encounters with Khidr: Saint-Immortal, Protector from the Waters, and Guide of the Elected Ones Beyond the Confluence of the Two Oceans
— Thomas Dahnhardt

The Guru and Death
— Gian Giuseppe Filippi

The Custodians of Truth
— Giovanni Torcinovich

Authority, Devotion, and Trials: Teachers and Pupils in the Mahabharata
— Cinzia Pieruccini

The Guru-Gita or “Song of the Master” as Incorporated in the Guru-caritra of Sarasvati Gangadhar: Obsevations on its Teaching and the Guru Institute
— Antonio Rigopoulos

The Function of teh Guru in Tantric Traditions
— Monia Marchetto

The Twenty-four guru-s of Dattatreya Avadhuta
— Corrado Puchetti

The Jewel of the Secret Path or the Neglected Guru? Some Remarks on the Guruvada among the Bauls of Bengal
— Fabrizio Ferrari

The Master Architect in the Corporations of India
— Claudia Ramasso

The Figure of the Pandita as Guru
— Gianni Pellegrini

The Subtle Teacher, Typologies of Shamanic Initiation: Trance and Dream among the Lanjia Saoras of Orissa
— Stefano Beggiora

Teaching and Spiritual Counselling in Indian Buddhist Tradition. Some Considerations on the Role of the Kalyanmitra
— Francesco Sferra

The Spiritual Teacher in Theravada Buddhism: Inner Motivations and Foundations of Mindfulness
— Claudio Cicuzza

Tulku, the Guru by Birth
— Fabian Sanders

Dozen zenji, a Buddhist Master in 13th Century Japan
— Aldo Tollini

Zi yue, “The Master Said …”, or Didn’t He?
— Maurizio Scarpari

The Paradoxical Virtue (de) of the Sage in the Laozi
— Attilio Andreini

The Master in Dan Taoism
— Massimo Makarovic

A Wordless Teaching: Native American Spiritual Masters
— Francesco Spagna

The Guru as Mediator of Healing
— Luca Caldironi

Figure and Role of the Master Between East and West
— Giangiogio Pasqualotto

Meet the Author
avatar-author
Dr. Antonio Rigopoulos is a reputed historian of religions and philosophies. Having had a two-year stint as Assistant Professor of Indology at the California University, Santa Barbara, he is now engaged in research work at the University “Ca’ Foscari” of Venice. Currently Secretary General of the Venetian Academy of Indian Studies (V AIS}, Dr . Rigopoulos is the well-known author of several books and articles on Sai Baba of Shirdi and Lord Dattatreya. His preferred field of research in India is Maharashtra and northern Karnataka.
Books of Antonio Rigopoulos