Perfect Master

The term Perfect Master has different meanings and connotations in various religions and movements, mainly denoting high spiritual mastery.

Divine Light Mission

In the Divine Light Mission, Hans Ji Maharaj was known as the Perfect Master. [Melton, Gordon J. Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America, (1986), pp.141-2 Garland Publishing, ISBN 0-8240-9036-5] After his death, the title passed to his youngest son Guru Maharaj Ji (Prem Rawat).cite book |author=Aldridge, Alan |title=Religion in the Contemporary World |publisher=Polity |location=Cambridge, UK |year=2007 |pages= p.58] Following a split between the Indian and Western branches of the movement, the title was also used by the eldest son, Bal Bhagwan Ji (Satpal Rawat). [Price, Maeve (1979): "The Divine Light Mission as a social organization". "Sociological Review", 27, Page 279-296]

Ismailis

The Ismailis call their perfect spiritual master "Murshid-i-Kamil" (in Persian). [Daftary, Farhad. "The Isma'Ilis: Their History and Doctrines", Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-42974-9]

Meher Baba

Meher Baba used the term "perfect master" starting in 1926 ["Infinite Intelligence", Meher Baba, Sheriar Press, 2005, p. 117] to denote what he syncretized in his system with sadguru (Vedanta) and qutub (Sufism). A Perfect Master, according to Baba, is a God-realized person (one whose limited individualized consciousness has merged with God) who can use his Divine attributes of "Infinite Power, Knowledge and Bliss" for the spiritual upliftment of others. ["Meher Baba, The Awakener," Charles Haynes, Ph.D., The Avatar Foundation, Inc., 1989, p. 21] In describing Baba's use of the term C. B. Purdom writes "The title ‘Perfect Master’ [...] means one who has himself reached the goal to which he directs others: one who, pointing to God, has himself realized God." ["The God-Man: The Life, Journeys & Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of His Silence & Spiritual Teaching", C. B. Purdom, George Allen & Unwin, London, 1964, p. 9]

According to Meher Baba there are three types of God-realized people:
* A "Perfect One" or "Kamil" who has become conscious of himself as God and enjoys His divine attributes of Infinite Power, Knowledge and Bliss, but remains completely unconscious of Creation.
* A "Most Perfect One" or "Akmal" who becomes conscious of himself as God and retains consciousness of Creation but does not use His divine attributes in it.
* A "Perfect Master" or "Mukammil" who becomes conscious of himself as God and uses His divine attributes for the spiritual advancement of others. ["God Speaks, The Theme of Creation and Its Purpose," Meher Baba, Dodd, Mead and Company, 1973, Sec. Ed. p. 148]

One of the aspects that Baba says demarcates the Perfect Master from the "Kamil" or "Akmal" is that the Perfect Master has disciples and is responsible for their liberation, while the "Kamil" and "Akmal" do not. Also Baba says that a Perfect Master can make like himself any number of souls or even the whole of creation, while the "Kamil" can only make one soul like himself and an "Akmal" many. However, Baba emphasizes that the consciousness of these souls is absolutely One and the same. To explain this apparent contradiction he likens the difference between these two classifications of God-realized souls to a difference in the 'office' of the God-realized person. ["God Speaks, The Theme of Creation and Its Purpose," Meher Baba, Dodd, Mead and Company, 1973, Sec. Ed. pp. 148-149]

Scottish Rite

In the Masonic fraternity the Scottish Rite, a Perfect Master (French: "Maître Parfait") is the title of the 5th rank of the 33rd degrees. [Pike, Albert, "Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry" (1874), pp.114-118, Masonic Publishing Company] Its symbolic color is green, to remind the Master that "being dead in vice, he must hope to revive in virtue", and his symbol is a compass extended in sixty degrees to remind him that he should act within measure and justice. ["An Encyclopædia of Freemasonry and Its Kindred Sciences" (1912) p.554, The Masonic historycompany]

Sikhism

In Sikhism, the Perfect Master is called "pūran Parmesar". The Adi Granth refers to the Perfect Master, as the transcendent Lord ("pārbrahm"). [Guru Arjan Dev, Ādi Granth 209, M]

Sufism

In Sufism, a Perfect Master or "Qutub" (Arabic قطب) (literally, pole, tower, lighthouse) is the "shaykh" who provides a focus for spiritual teachings, and a word used to denote the highest form of master. [Ahmed, Nazeer. "Islam in Global History: From the Death of Prophet Muhammed to the First World War", Xlibris Corporation, ISBN 0-7388-5966-4] Other terms include "Pir" and "Sarkar".

Surat Shad Yoga, Sant Mat, Advait Mat

In Surat Shabd Yoga, Sant Mat and Advait Mat the living Perfect Master is considered the path to God-realization. [Lewis, James R. "Seeking the Light", p.62. Mandeville Press, ISBN 0-914829-42-4]

Tibetan Buddhism

In Tibetan Buddhism, the Perfect Master is the one that achieved Buddhahood and who is "thoroughly conversant with the noble truth of self-realisation". [Goddard, D. "A Buddhist Bible", Beacon Press; Reprint edition (April 1, 1994), ISBN 0-8070-5911-0]

Vedanta

In Vedanta, the Perfect Master is called a "Satguru" or "Sadguru", which means "true guru". (Sanskrit सदगुरू sat=true), literally: true teacher. The term satguru distinguishes itself from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on. The satguru is a title given specifically only to an enlightened rishi whose life's purpose is to guide initiated sishya along the spiritual path, the summation of which is the realization of the Self.

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