Master Vs Student

Could it be that the student is actually the master, and the master a student?

I came across such a thought today after a meeting with a trainee. I’ve been coaching him for a couple of months now, and now I’m starting to see that he’s a greater man than me.

I have actually ended up learning by trying to “teach” him, but the only difference is, that I’m experienced with some so called ‘spiritual knowledge’, and he’s not at all, still he shows amazing personality traits such as humility, good-heartedness, care for humanity, compassion, he knows how to enjoy life and has great hobbies, good at being a friend.

From the start I was very cautious with the nature of our work, stating that I’m not a teacher, and that we are working equally towards the same goal. But now I actually see that. Amazing!

Who teaches who?

So it was the master’s trick all along – to get you to believe you were the master, and to come to you as “student”, asking for advice, if you are willing to believe that you are in fact the Master, you have unknowingly become a student.

Then, by trying to explain the unexplainable, the master realises what a foolish task he took upon himself, how insignificant he is to this process, and that he can’t teach anything to anyone, since god took care of everything long ago, it’s all good as it is, it’s all going in the right direction, that experience brings further humility. It must be so, because that’s the persistent nature of the ego.

Knowledge is the only thing a teacher can teach, but it’s best to always be a student, and never a teacher to avoid delusion and pride. One can claim to know many things simply because he memorised them, but to claim wisdom is foolish, you would miss many lessons that way. Deep un-knowing is the key to true wisdom.