The Teacher, the Pupil, and Knowledge
The teacher, however great, can never give his knowledge to the pupil;
the pupil must create his-her own knowledge.
Commentary by A Life Lived
The work of a mystical teacher is not to teach, but to tune, to tune the pupil so that s/he may become the Instrument of God. For the mystical teacher is not the player of the instrument; he is the tuner. When he has tuned it, he gives it into the hands of the Player whose instrument it is to play.
The duty of the mystical teacher is his service as a tuner.
The task of the teacher is not to force a belief on a student, but to train him so that he may become Illuminated enough
to receive revelations him-herself.
Truth by its very nature cannot be uttered, cannot be given. One cannot give that which cannot be put into speech. So the teacher gives a method for finding the Truth, for unfolding it, for unlocking that which seems to be in one’s Heart. … It is clearly impossible for anyone to impart his knowledge to another person; he can only show him-her how to unfold his-her own knowledge to him-herself.
Everybody possesses a kingdom, but S/he has to find it.
There is only One Teacher, and that Teacher is God/dess Him-Herself. No man can teach another man. All one can do for another is to give him-her one’s own experience in order to help them to be Successful. For instance if a person happens to know a road, he can tell another wo/man that it is the road which leads to the Place s/he wishes to find. The work of the spiritual teacher is like the work of Cupid.
The work of Cupid is to bring two souls together.
And so is the work of the spiritual teacher: to bring together the soul and God/dess.
But what is taught to the one who seeks after truth? Nothing is taught. S/He is only shown how they should learn from God/dess. For no man can ever teach spirituality. It is God/dess alone who Teaches it. And how is it learned? When these ears which are open outwardly are closed to the outside world and Focused Upon the Heart Within, then instead of hearing all that comes from the outer life one begins to hear (Listen) the Word(s) Within. Thus if one were to define what Meditation is, that also is an attitude: the Right Attitude towards God/dess.
The Attitude should first be to Seek God/dess Within.
And, after Seeking God/dess within, then to see God/dess outside.
~~~ The teacher, however great, can never give his knowledge to the pupil; the pupil must create his-her own knowledge.
