Question
Master,
A disciple, a monk following a master’s teaching, must become
their own master.
That is why I wonder, and ask you, why masters’ disciples
often remain dependent for ten, twenty, or thirty years, in
a position of submission to their master: lowering their eyes, always saying
yes, making no decisions in life without
first asking the master, no longer thinking or reflecting for themselves,
and letting the master think, reflect, and decide for them. And with
other disciples, always saying, “The master said, the master said, the
master said,” like parrots.
This seems to mirror today’s society, where people are born,
grow up, and die dependent. Yet I see this phenomenon in dojos and at
sesshins, and it terrifies and worries me greatly. Help! Thank you.
Bob
Anonymous
Answer from Master Kosen
It seems to me you have a somewhat childish view of the master-disciple relationship.
Very often, it is the disciple who teaches the master.
Kosen