Upadeśa (Sanskrit: उपदेश), "teaching," "instruction",
[spokensanskrit.de, ''Upadeza''](_blank)
/ref> is the spiritual guidance provided by a guru
Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
or spiritual teacher.
Etymology
The term ''upadeśa'' has various, related meanings:
* "information," "clarification," "specification"
* "preaching," "prescription"
* "instruction," "guidance," "pointing out to"
* "initiation," "communication of the initiatory mantra
A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
or formula"
Spiritual guidance
In Indian religions
Indian religions, sometimes also termed Dharmic religions or Indic religions, are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent. These religions, which include Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism,Adams, C. J."Classification o ...
, both Hinduism and Buddhism, ''upadeśa'' is the spiritual instruction and example provided by the guru
Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
:
The term can also be used for the Buddhist Abhidhamma
The Theravada Abhidhamma tradition, also known as the Abhidhamma Method, refers to a scholastic systematization of the Theravāda school's understanding of the highest Buddhist teachings ( Abhidhamma). These teachings are traditionally believed ...
and other religious commentaries.Encyclopedia britannica, ''Upadeśa''
/ref>
See also
* Upadesasahasri - A thousand teachings, a text by Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...
* Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi (; ; 30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950) was an Indian Hindu Sage (philosophy), sage and ''jivanmukta'' (liberated being). He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is mostly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.
He was b ...
References
{{reflist
Hindu education
Buddhist education