--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To a visitor who asked to become his…" description: "\"To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master said, \"You may live with me, but don't become my follower.\" \"Whom, then, shall I follow?\" \"No ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/anthony-de-mello-1331_cease_to-a-visitor-who-asked-to-become-his-dis_1066080.png" --- # To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master… ![“To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master said, "You may live with me, but don't become my follower." "Whom, then, shall I follow?" "No one. The day you follow someone you cease to follow Truth .” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/anthony-de-mello-1331_cease_to-a-visitor-who-asked-to-become-his-dis_1066080.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/anthony-de-mello-1331_cease_to-a-visitor-who-asked-to-become-his-dis_1066080.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/anthony-de-mello-1331_cease_to-a-visitor-who-asked-to-become-his-dis_1066080.png) > “To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master said, "You may live with me, but don't become my follower." "Whom, then, shall I follow?" "No one. The day you follow someone you cease to follow Truth .” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True freedom comes from not attaching to any teacher; following truth means following none, only the inner reality. **In simple terms:** Follow truth, not a person. Key Takeaway Seek inner truth, avoid blind allegiance. Themes freedom truth individualism spiritual autonomy Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal mentorship - religious instruction - self‑help workshops Key Concepts non‑attachment inner guidance self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to follow truth without a teacher? - How can one discern truth independently? A Different Perspective Some may interpret as discouraging mentorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-disciple-762190/) [Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) [Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple/) [Disciple Master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple-master-495621/) [Follow Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-truth/) [Follower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follower/) [Follower Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follower-shall-2630578/) [Followers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/followers/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Visitors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visitors/) ## Related quotes > [“One late autumn night, the disciple awoke crying. So the master asked the disciple, "Did you have a nightmare?" "No." "Did you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-woo/one-late-autumn-night-the-disciple-awoke-crying-so-the-master-asked/) [Sun-Woo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-woo/) > [The Lord Buddha was once asked by a disciple to sum up the whole of His teaching in one verse. He replied: Cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-e-powell/the-lord-buddha-was-once-asked-by-a-disciple-to-sum-up-the-whole-of/) [Arthur E. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-e-powell/) > [“Jesus never concealed the fact that his religion included a demand as well as an offer. Indeed, the demand was as total as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/jesus-never-concealed-the-fact-that-his-religion-included-a-demand-as/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [What is the work of a Master?" said a solemn-faced visitor. "To teach people to laugh ," said the Master gravely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/what-is-the-work-of-a-master-said-a-solemn-faced-visitor-to-teach/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [My life is like shattered glass." said the visitor. "My soul is tainted with evil. Is there any hope for me? "Yes," said the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/my-life-is-like-shattered-glass-said-the-visitor-my-soul-is-tainted/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“Smartass Disciple: Master, why God let human did sins in the beginning? Master of Stupidity: If the saviour must come, why should He prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-master-why-god-let-human-did-sins-in-the-beginning/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Smartass Disciple: Master, I’m going to change the whole world. Master of Stupidity: It changes within you. It changes without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-master-i-m-going-to-change-the-whole-world-master/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Smartass Disciple: My master, please show me how to be a wise man! Master of Stupidity: I can't. But I can show you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-my-master-please-show-me-how-to-be-a-wise-man/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Smartass Disciple: Master, where will you go after your soul leaves your body? Master of Stupidity: What makes you think a soul will go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-master-where-will-you-go-after-your-soul-leaves/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Smartass Disciple: Master, what is the secret recipe of your happiness? 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Master of Stupidity: If I don’t, then how should I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-master-we-should-not-spend-our-time-to-low-life/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Smartass Disciple: Master, why do some people so stubborn and unruly ? Master of Stupidity: Only when you want them do according to your wish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/smartass-disciple-master-why-do-some-people-so-stubborn-and-unruly/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I have been my own disciple and my own master. And I have been a good disciple but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/i-have-been-my-own-disciple-and-my-own-master-and-i-have-been-a-good/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. 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"Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Cease quotes > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the name of Jerusalem. If I forget the extermination of the Jews, may my right hand wither, may my tongue stick to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/in-the-name-of-jerusalem-if-i-forget-the-extermination-of-the-jews/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. 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