Guru–shishya tradition

The guru-shishya tradition is an old Indian practice where a teacher (known as guru) passes on their knowledge to their student (known as shishya).

Imagine you want to learn how to bake a cake and your mom is an expert cake baker. Your mom (the guru) will teach you (the shishya) how to bake a cake by showing you what ingredients to use, how to mix them, how long to bake the cake, and everything else you need to know to make a delicious cake.

In the guru-shishya tradition, the relationship between the guru and shishya is considered very special and sacred. It's like a family bond where the guru is like a parent who guides and teaches the shishya like a child.

Traditionally, the shishya would live with the guru and learn every aspect of their craft. For example, if the guru was a musician, the shishya would learn how to sing, play instruments, and master the art of music from their guru. The shishya would also learn other important values and teachings from the guru, including how to live life with discipline, respect, humility, and kindness.

In this way, the guru-shishya tradition emphasizes the importance of learning from someone who has expert knowledge, passing down that knowledge through a strong relationship, and maintaining a deep respect and connection between the teacher and student.