EXPRESSION He was a religious writer and interested in the Master's views. "How does one discover God?" Said the Master sharply, "Through making the heart...
DISCOVERY "Help us to find God." "No one can help you there." "Why not?" "For the same reason that no one can help the fish to find the ocean." Anthony de...
WITHDRAWAL "How shall I help the world?" "By understanding it," said the Master. "And how shall I understand it?" "By turning away from it." "How then shall I...
RECEPTIVITY "I wish to learn. Will you teach me?" "I do not think that you know how to learn," said the Master. "Can you teach me how to learn?" "Can you...
CONVERSION To a group of his disciples whose hearts were set on a pilgrimage the Master said: "Take this bitter gourd along. Make sure you dip it into all the...
CAUSALITY Everyone was surprised by the Master's updated metaphor: "Life is like a motor car." They waited in silence, knowing that an explanation would not be...
COERCION The Master demanded seriousness of purpose from those who sought discipleship. But he chided his disciples when they strained themselves in spiritual ...
CALCULATION The Master would laugh at those of his disciples who deliberated endlessly before making up their mind. The way he put it was: "People who ...
REVOLUTION There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. "Obedience keeps the rules," he would say. "Love...
IMITATION After the Master attained Enlightenment, he took to living simply -- because he found simple living to his taste. He laughed at his disciples when ...
ALONENESS To a disciple who was always seeking answers from him the Master said, "You have within yourself the answer to every question you propose -- if you...
BLINKERS "If you make me your authority," said the Master to a starry-eyed disciple, "you harm yourself because you refuse to see things for yourself." And,...
HUMILITY To a visitor who described himself as a seeker after Truth the Master said, "If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all...
REPRESSION The Master had been on his deathbed in a coma for weeks. One day he suddenly opened his eyes to find his favorite disciple there. "You never leave...
EXPANSION The Master sat in rapt attention as the renowned economist explained his blueprint for development. "Should growth be the only consideration in an...
ACCEPTANCE "How can I be a great man?like you?" "Why be a great man?" said the Master. "Being a man is a great enough achievement." Anthony de Mello, SJ ...
CHALLENGE An easygoing disciple complained that he had never experienced the Silence that the Master frequently commended. Said the Master, "Silence only comes...
IRRELEVANCE All questions at the public meeting that day were about life beyond the grave. The Master only laughed and did not give a single answer. To his...
VIOLENCE The Master was always teaching that guilt is an evil emotion to be avoided like the very devil -- all guilt. "But are we not to hate our sins?" a...
IDEOLOGY A group of political activists were attempting to show the Master how their ideology would change the world. The Master listened carefully. The...
MORALITY The disciples would frequently be absorbed in questions of right and wrong. Sometimes the answer would be evident enough. Sometimes it was elusive. ...
FANTASY "What is the greatest enemy of Enlightenment?" "Fear." "And where does fear come from?" "Delusion." "And what is delusion?" "To think that the flowers...
REMOTE CONTROL To a shy disciple who wanted to become self-confident the Master said, "You look for certainty in the eyes of others and you think that is...
INVESTMENT "How shall I rid myself of fear?" "How can you rid yourself of what you cling to?" "You mean I actually cling to my fears? I cannot agree to that."...
AWARENESS "Is salvation obtained through action or through meditation?" "Through neither. Salvation comes from seeing." "Seeing what?" "That the gold necklace ...
SLEEPWALKING The Master's expansive mood emboldened his disciples to say, "Tell us what you got from Enlightenment. Did you become divine?" "No." "Did you...
DETACHMENT It intrigued the disciples that the Master who lived so simply would not condemn his wealthy followers. "It is rare but not impossible for someone...
DISTINCTION The Master was strolling with some of his disciples along the bank of a river. He said, "See how the fish keep darting about wherever they please....
CREATION The Master was known to side with the revolutionaries, even at the risk of incurring the displeasure of the government. When someone asked him why he...
PERSPECTIVE The Master was in a mellow mood and the disciples were inquisitive. Did he ever feel depressed? they asked. He did. Wasn't it also true that he was...
