"I just show the way..."

It might seem like a particularly evasive answer on the part of a great teacher, saying, something to the effect, "Hey, I only show the way!," which the Buddha seemed to do as evident in this sutta:

‘Brahmin, in the same manner, when there is enlightenment, the path to enlightenment and when I’m there to advise, my disciples thus advised and instructed by me a certain one realizes highest enlightenment and a certain one does not realize highest enlightenment. What could be done, the Thus Gone One [i.e the Buddha] is only the instructor of the path..’

"What could be done?" you ask, huh? Such a renowned teacher apparently throwing up his arms and almost saying "I just work here"...

But maybe not...on revisiting that frank admission, that seeming shrugging of shoulders, one might see the non-dogmatic, non-coercive, the almost hands-off method of the Buddha's teaching...and the implicit belief that each aspirant is responsible for her path, her endeavors, her life...