The Tempted Guru

(continued)

By Don Crawford

Thoughts of relenting grieved him and evoked painful self-doubts of his authenticity as a guru. Was he presenting an artifice to his students, before whom he espoused perfect self-control and self-abnegation? "All worldly concerns are to be ripped from the mind, and the physical, emotional and mental bodies to be quieted into a total blankness of non-being: a state beyond all consciousness of self," he told them repeatedly. "Only then can inner wisdom present itself for the enlightenment of the learner."

He decided that to prove his value as a true guru, he would emulate Gandhi. He would entice one or two young women to his rooms with the goal of providing deeper insights into the Buddha teachings. He'd noticed the smirks and the gleam in the eyes of some sensuous students, eyeing him in a peculiar way as they exposed themselves. He felt they were deliberately challenging him to prove he was truly free of all earthly desires.

At one o'clock in the morning, fog off the coast shrouded the Institute in a blanket of profound darkness. Roused from sleep, he rose on one elbow and stared out the moonless window into a sea of obscurity. Suddenly, an image of a grey-haired avatar of wisdom, surrounded by a halo of golden light, glided through the window on a shaft of silver rays.

"Mosula, you are in danger, my chela, of risking more earthly rounds by such regressive ideas. Think deeply of what you are planning with these students. Where is the force of your convictions? Has your will to Purpose become so tenuous? Do not forfeit your spiritual gains. Steel yourself against these trivial urges and assure your soul of immortal bliss before it is too late." Before he could answer, the image dissipated before his eyes in a misty steam.

The next day, he sat placidly on his large cushion and crossed his legs. His dark eyes reflected a renewed determination. Today, he would remind his students of why they were there. "You must delve deep inside and find your higher Being if you are to achieve the spiritual wisdom needed to gain everlasting life and eventually attain nirvana." When a young beauty crossed her legs, he stared deeply into her blue eyes and smiled compassionately. "Be not led into temptation," he echoed to the class. After that, most of the young women began wearing jeans. Never again was he tempted by such distracting ideas.