La figura del maestro tra hindūismo e buddhismo: alcune riflessioni tra India e Tibet

This article examines the figure of the spiritual teacher across Brahmanical Hinduism, Indian Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism. It traces the transformation of teacher-disciple models from the Vedic ācārya–brahmacārin relationship and the Upaniṣadic guru–śiṣya paradigm to Buddhist notions of the kalyāṇa-mitra, ācārya, and guru, with particular attention to the Tibetan bla ma. The comparison highlights continuities and differences in authority, devotion, instruction, critical inquiry, initiation, and soteriological function, showing how Tibetan Buddhism inherited and reinterpreted Indian models within its own doctrinal and cultural context.