No definition is possible of a disciple, but a few hints can be given,.....
A disciple is a rare phenomenon. A disciple is a totally different phenomenon.
A disciple is not a student; he is not interested in knowing about God, love, truth --
A disciple.... in becoming truth, in becoming love.
Remember the difference.
Knowing about is one thing, becoming is totally different. The student is taking no risk; the disciple is going into the uncharted sea. The student is miserly,
he is a hoarder; only then he can gather knowledge. He is greedy; he accumulates knowledge as the greedy person accumulates wealth -- knowledge is his wealth.
The disciple is receptive, vulnerable, unguarded; he drops all armor. He drops all defense measures. He is ready to die. If the master says, "Die!" he will not wait for a single moment. The master is his soul, his very being; his devotion is unconditional and absolute. And to know absolute devotion is to know God. To know absolute surrender is to know the secret-most mystery of life.
The relationship between a student and a teacher is that of the head,
and a relationship between a disciple and a master is that of the heart -- it is a love relationship, mad in the eyes of the world, utterly mad. In fact, no love is so total as the love that happens between the master and the disciple. The love that happened between John and Jesus, the love that happened between Sariputta and Buddha, Gautama and Mahavira, Arjuna and Krishna, Chuang Tzu and Lao Tzu -- these are the real love stories, the highest pinnacles of love.
The disciple is ready. In fact to say that he is ready to die is something less than the truth. The disciple has already died into the master; it is not going to happen in the future, it has already happened. It has happened the day the disciple accepted the master as his master: since then he has been no more, only the master lives in him.
The disciple is not interested in hoarding; he wants to experience, he wants to taste, and for that he is ready to risk all.
A disciple is one who trusts himself.
Out of his trust he comes to learn from somebody who has gone a little further than himself.
He is not a follower,
he is not an imitator and he is not seeking security —
he is seeking understanding.
Even if that understanding brings more insecurity, he is ready for it.
A follower is never ready for insecurity;
he comes to a guru, to a master, to seek protection, shelter, to hide behind him.
He is seeking a father figure.
A disciple is seeking a master, not a father figure.
He wants to learn what life is.
Even if life is insecurity, he is ready to learn.
Even if life implies death, he is ready to learn.
The follower just wants a map.
The disciple wants to go on an adventure.
He is not worried about the map, he simply wants a challenge. ‘Challenge me!’ says the disciple. ‘Pull me out of my stupor,’ says the disciple. ‘Send me on a venture,’ says the disciple.
The follower says, ‘Protect me, never leave me alone. Without you I am lost. Don’t send me away! Just let me hide behind you.’
Remember,
the disciple is a seeker,
the follower is simply sick with fear.
Osho
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