70 The Guru and the Disciple
even used to charge a consultation fee for their expert advice. That is why all this knowledge will drown away. Our people had the custom of giving. They would give generously. They would give the knowledge of Ayurveda. They gave the knowledge of Astrology. They also gave spiritual knowledge. They gave everything freely.
This Gnan has not been kept a secret. Here, in the worldly life, the gurus hold a little back. They say,‘ The disciple is crooked so what will I do when he turns on me and opposes me?’ This is because the guru wants worldly happiness. Food, water, he wants everything else. When his legs hurt, the disciple will massage them. If his disciple was to become just like him and then the guru’ s legs were hurting, and if the disciple did not massage them for him, what would happen? Therefore, the gurus would hold back certain knowledge.
That is why the gurus believe that they should keep ten percent for themselves and give out the rest. They have acquired seventy percent of knowledge, out of which they keep ten percent, while I give away the whole ninety-five percent that I have attained. If it agrees with you, i. e., if you are able to accept it, then so be it. Otherwise, you will get diarrhea( you will not be able to digest it) but at least you will gain some benefit from it.
Nowadays some gurus hold back what they know and give out little at a time to the disciples. And the disciples in return think‘ We are not getting anything yet, but we will receive it eventually.’ The guru will give them the knowledge gradually but why not give it all away so that the disciples can benefit? But no one gives, do they? Are greedy people likely to give? Anyone that has any greed for worldly things will never completely and openly be able to give out the total knowledge that he has. Out of greed, he will keep it for himself.
Questioner: But the disciple he finds is also greedy. He wants to grab everything, does he not?