July 25, 2026
The Guru, if He is ahimsa*, has the most vital role to play in the life of the disciple.
Being the light (Guru), the light itself being ahimsa, the Guru can spotlight those dark corners of the disciple’s being where himsa may be lurking. The Guru cannot see for the disciple, the Guru cannot force the disciple to see, nor even persuade him to see, for all this is violence. If the Guru is capable of such violence, obviously he cannot train the disciple in ahimsa. Therefore the Guru does not spotlight the vision of the disciple but only the himsa, which lies hidden in the disciple's being. If the disciple does not discover it for himself, it is not real, it is not valid.
The truth is worth repeating again and again, but the disciple can in no way be made to see. The Guru's eagerness to demonstrate His ahimsa might completely mislead the disciple. Any imposition, persuasion, however gentle and subtle, will only bring out himsa in the disciple, manifesting as immediate revolt, and possible long-term violent behavior. The Guru’s role in ahimsa training is precisely like the role the sun plays in the life of a human being on earth, to be and to illumine, without even intending to do so.
Webmaster's Notes: * Himsa is classically translated as violence, and Ahimsa as noninjury. The non-injury mentioned above is not of a physical nature. Physical wounds often heal with time. Mental anguish is capable of fostering torment, what some called "self-perpetuating." Such himsa will be absent from a true guru/disciple relationship.