I am questioning the whole process of following, not the substitution of one authority for another, or of one guru for another – those are all childish activities. But if we can inquire into the question, into the problem of why we follow, then perhaps we shall understand the problem of authority. When you are asked why you follow, you do not know the reason why. The reason is fairly obvious – you follow for satisfaction, for a motive, for gain, for an end in view. But the whole instinctual response to follow somebody, to follow an ideal, to follow an experience which you had ten years ago and which you want now, and therefore follow and strive after in order to get that richness – this total process of following is the problem. The moment you follow or have a guru, you create the authority. But if there is cessation of following, there is no authority, there is no guru; then you are a light to yourself.

From Collected Works, Vol. 8

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