A teacher takes responsibility of your growth

A Guru makes you responsible for your growth

 

A teacher gives you things you do not have and require

A Guru takes away things you have and do not require

 

A teacher answers your questions

A Guru questions your answers

 

A teacher helps you get out of the maze

A Guru destroys the maze

 

A teacher requires obedience and discipline from the pupil

A Guru requires trust and humility from the pupil

 

A teacher clothes you and prepares you for the outer journey

A Guru strips you naked and prepares you for the inner journey

 

A teacher is a guide on the path

A Guru is a pointer to the way

 

A teacher sends you on the road to success

A Guru sends you on the road to freedom

 

A teacher explains the world and its nature to you

A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you

 

A teacher makes you understand how to move about in the world

A Guru shows you where you stand in relation to the world

 

A teacher gives you knowledge and boosts your ego

A Guru takes away your knowledge and punctures your ego

 

A teacher instructs you

A Guru constructs you

 

A teacher sharpens your mind

A Guru opens your mind

 

A teacher shows you the way to prosperity

A Guru shows the way to serenity

 

A teacher reaches your mind

A Guru touches your soul

 

A teacher gives you knowledge

A Guru makes you wise

 

A teacher gives you maturity

A Guru returns you to innocence

 

A teacher instructs you on how to solve problems

A Guru shows you how to resolve issues

 

A teacher is a systematic thinker

A Guru is a lateral thinker

 

A teacher will punish you with a stick

A Guru will punish you with compassion

 

A teacher is to pupil what a father is to son

A Guru is to pupil what mother is to her child

 

One can always find a teacher

But a Guru has to find and accept you

 

A teacher leads you by the hand

A Guru leads you by example

 

When a teacher finishes with you, you graduate

When a Guru finishes with you, you celebrate

 

When the course is over you are thankful to the teacher

When the discourse is over you are grateful to the Guru

 

Source : Sri Sri Ravi Shankar