The belief that a fully illumined master or religious prophet can be succeeded generation after generation by a chain of equally illumined leaders following the same tradition, is delusive. He cannot bequeath the fullness of his attainment to anyone, he can only give others an impetus toward it. He himself is irreplaceable. If churches and ashrams would only admit that they are led by faulty fallible men, liable to weakness and error, they would render better spiritual service than by continuing to maintain the partial imposture that they are not so led. If there were such public acknowledgment that their authority and inspiration were very limited, religious and mystical institutions would be more preoccupied with helping others than with themselves.
-- Notebooks Category 1: Overview of the Quest > Chapter 4 : Organized Groups > # 115
