I don’t want followers!

I have found that those who are skeptical become the most ardent followers. Not followers of me—I don’t want followers!—but followers of truth.

The truth that is spoken, the essence that is studied, will forever remain, for generations to come. That is the whole principle. No worship. No worship, but friendship.

Many profound teachings have been lost. Religion today has been watered down. It is not only the teachings that have been watered down— it is also traditions.  Religion today has become 70 percent tradition and 30 percent religion. We follow things traditionally—when we add 70 percent tradition, then 70 percent religion has to be removed to accommodate tradition.

Losing the sense of individuality does not mean you are losing self-identity. That is what mergence is all about. That is what Christ meant when he said, “I and the Father are one”: the individuality has merged away in the universality of the entire existence. For this purpose, as human beings, we need teachers and guides.

You see how it all progresses, how it all adds up to something very beautiful. In the end you will say, “I have never been alone. That universal force has been with me all the time.” It was there all the time, but we did not realize it.

The duty, the dharma, of the guru is to awaken the inner guru within you; and when that is awakened you will know the outer guru and the inner guru are but the same.