That leaves books as our next best option. But it is difficult to recognize a true teacher by his written words because the false prophet sounds exactly the same in speaking and in writing.
Long ago, Christ gave the ultimate litmus test so that we could tell the difference between the charlatan and the enlightened individual: A wise man would never advocate hatred and violence.
By this test, Hitler was not a wise man despite his many followers and a book to his credit.
Nor is wisdom gender-specific. A woman can be as wise or foolish as a man.
No one wants to be lead by a fool. Again, since both the fool and the sage speak the same language, we need another test to tell the two apart.
The second test that we can apply in determining whether we should accept a spiritual teacher as our guide is also straightforward: A wise man or woman always leads you back to yourself. This is because a fool thinks he knows while a wise man knows that he does not know. He also knows that the truth is within each of us.
Once you have found your teacher, study to know the reality that flows between his words.
The volatile
truth of our words should continually betray the inadequacy of the
residual statement. Their truth is instantly translated; its
literal monument alone remains. The words which express our faith
and piety are not definite; yet they are significant and fragrant
like frankincense to superior natures.--Henry David Thoreau
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