By Swami Harshananda
Śiṣya literally means ‘one who is fit to be trained’.
Religion prescribes special qualifications, both for the guru[1] and for the Śiṣya[2] in every field of knowledge. One of the most general descriptions prescribes the following as the basic and minimum qualification:
- Peaceful nature
- Humility
- Purity of mind
- Faith in the guru
- Capacity to absorb and retain the knowledge taught by him
- Efficiency
- Birth in a good family
- Intelligence
- Good conduct
- Ability to repay the debt to the guru in some form
According to other sources, an intense desire to learn, inquisitive nature and service to the guru are the other qualifications expected in a śiṣya.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore