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Dhyana-kunda devi dasi
Krpamoya dasa
Virabhadra dasa
A 'Monk in the Gathering'
Dhyana-kunda devi dasi
First of all, let me express my thanks for your deep, touching
and simultaneously thought-provoking article. Such a rare opportunity
it is, and a valuable one, to hear someone 'from the outside' (I
beg your forgiveness for this exclusive term), yet deeply religious,
giving a frank, philosophical and friendly account of a meeting
with us. Moreover, you expressed so much hope for our future growth
and cooperation within Krsna's all-inclusive plan. This is indeed
an offering of honey. I do hope you will want to associate with
us more and let us hear more of your reflections.
It is so difficult sometimes for me (I believe I am not alone)
to imagine how other people see us. So easy is the move from the
position of a curious onlooker ('What a crazy folk, singing and
dancing in the street!') to the opposite one ('What a crazy folk,
running in the streets all day long, not wanting to join us in our
chanting and dancing!'). Yet from the outside many things can be
seen which would surprise us. Things we should want to know. Observations
that tell something not only about our approach to people and how
to improve it, but about our own spiritual life as well.
Of all your interesting points, the one that went most deep into
my memory was the one about chanting. True, as we practice chanting
day after day, year after year, we may lose the freshness of experience,
along with the joy and gratitude for this most wonderful gift-Krsna's
name. How is it, actually, that we tend to look so tense, hard-working,
not enjoying, even though our famous slogan is 'Chant and be happy'?
Chanting is hard work. One is confronted with one's obstinate and
impetuous (friendly) enemy-the mind, loaded full with material memories,
desires and plans. By the external appearance I may look like a
devotee, but my chanting hours know how hard I have to struggle
to become one. Yet, moments of joy are also there. Let me relish
them and realize this is what the chanting is supposed to be-the
source of spiritual energy, an uplifting activity. It doesn't have
to remain hard work.
Does chanting close the devotees off from human contact? This was
precisely my impression at my first encounter with the Hare Krsna
members, ten years ago. I felt very uneasy. But soon I understood
that the devotees were friendly. Chanting is meditation. Kirtan
is meant to be performed together, japa is individual. In devotional
practice there is time for everything, also for closing off from
all the external influences and trying to only cry out to Krsna
and hear His name. At the moment of death I will be alone with Krsna,
just like I am now when I chant. While chanting, I do see devotees
passing by and I appreciate their not stopping to talk with me,
not trying even to have an eye contact. This I take as an act of
their friendship and help.
I am also one of the 'monks in the gathering,' and as you said,
I find it difficult to offer realistic advice to the householders
living outside and having difficulties with fulfilling their daily
quota of chanting. All I know is that this is our most important
activity. At the time of initiation we vow to follow four regulative
principles, but this is just to help raise us to a civilised state.
The only other thing we vow is to chant at least sixteen rounds
of the maha-mantra daily. This is the center of our spiritual lifes.
Our founder-acarya, Shrila Prabhupada, said that if one only
does that throughout his lifetime, he will go back to Godhead.
You call for a re-interpretation of the daily duty of chanting.
I am not sure if I understand what this means. In a sense, the chanting
was already re-interpreted 500 years ago by Lord Caitanya, who brought
it from the Vedic scriptures out to the public light (previously
only the brahmanas had access to it) and propagated it amongst all
people regardless their caste, creed and habits as the most easy
and joyous way to achieve love of Godhead in this fallen age. Then
it was re-interpreted once again by Srila Prabhupada, who, seeing
that his Western disciples were unable to chant 64 rounds a day
(as the Gaudiya Math devotees were obliged to do) lowered the quota
down to 32, and when they were still unable to chant that much,
he established the sixteen rounds as the absolute minimum.
The experience of many devotees shows that decreasing this number,
even though it may seem to save time, does not help anything, rather
the contrary. If I ever happen to be in the circumstances of life
which will make my prescribed chanting impossible, I pray now for
the ability to pray then, with the feeling of a helpless child,
for Krsna to save me by removing obstacles to my chanting. It is
true that the Lord's grace is boundless and we should not fear He
will ever abandon us. And certainly we should never despise anyone,
even if he or she is not 'up to the standard.' Rather, we should
do anything we can to encourage and help. But the instructions of
the spiritual master are not the 'rulings' that should be abandoned
for surrender to Krsna. They are our path to surrender.
I hope you don't mind my frank response to your article as it really
touched me. Please do continue with your frank appraisal of our
society and I would very much like to read more of your reflections
in the future.
Your servant,
Dhyana-kunda devi dasi
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Poland.
Back to Top
Seeing Ourselves as Others
See Us
Krpamoya dasa
In `ISKCON' at the Cross-roads' Dr. Julius Lipner makes a number
of important observations about ISKCON. As a religious scholar,
and not merely a scholar of religions, he wrote of his experiences
at an ISKCON Communications Seminar.
In ISKCON he sees a religious groups towards which he experiences
considerable empathy. He is amongst a small, but growing number
of scholars who appreciate our efforts and the contribution we can
make to society. As a friendly observer, we may learn from him 'to
see ourselves as others see us', and as an academic with knowledge
of religious history, we can learn how to circumvent the classical
problems of other religious institutions. Some ISKCON leaders, I
know, will disagree, claiming that Vaishnava theology is sufficient
in itself to exempt its adherents from the philosophical wrangling
and schisms that have so plagued the Church. But a glimpse at ISKCON's
twenty five year history would sadly prove otherwise. Divinely revealed
theology is one thing and human nature something else entirely.
A religious institution is a fusion of the two and inasmuch as we
have philosophical parallels with religious bodies which have gone
before us, we can, to a greater or lesser extent, expect to confront
the same challenges.
Take Dr. Lipner's first observation for example, of the classic
tension between monastic and missionary life. ISKCON as a group
is experiencing exactly the same dilemma that has confronted all
religions which have both pure practise and preaching at their hearts.
A recent study in America revealed that the 'spiritually informed'
public considered ISKCON to have 'the deepest, most consistent and
intellectually satisfying philosophy' of all the new religious movements,
but paradoxically the devotees of Krishna were perceived as being
'the least friendly of all the groups'. This was personally confirmed
to me by Walter Schwartz, religious correspondent of 'The Guardian'
newspaper who told me: 'I've always felt the devotees' activity
of chanting in the streets to be somewhat anti-social because they
are performing a religious activity in a public place with no explanation
of what they're doing'. Vaishnavas have worship which is private,
and outreach activities which are wholly public, but it is often
seen that the two do get mixed, particularly by the new convert
or by those who seem to think that personal purity is increased
in the face of public bewilderment or disapproval.
Whilst the inevitable creation of barriers by such attitudes tends
to produce feelings of security and exclusivity within the neophyte
follower, it is certainly counter productive for missionary outreach
and ultimately, therefore, for the integrity of the religious body
as a whole. So often in history the monastic and the missionary
have tended to go their separate ways-to the detriment of both.
The two lifestyles do not often work together. In ISKCON so far
there has been a considerable achievement in that the two have been
reconciled to a position of `unity in diversity', but the mechanics
behind this balance should be properly understood for this harmony
to be maintained.
The original phase of Vaishnavism's growth in the west was through
young, white, Judaeo-Christian converts. After the first two decades
of expansion predominantly based on literature sales and entrepreneurial
ability, the 'new Brahmins' found themselves without a supportive
culture of pious (generous) congregates and as a result the ISKCON
movement entered a period of grave social and financial instability.
As one religious consultant in England remarked: '18 million pieces
of literature over 20 years and you only have under 10,000 members-what
have you been doing?'
Survival dictated that ISKCON improve its attention to nurturing,
guiding, and supporting the spiritual lives of those who had already
heard the message but who had not `converted' in the same way by
joining religious communities and thereby giving total commitment
to a missionary organisation.
It is said that if constant recitation of the Holy Names does not
result in genuine compassion for others, something is wrong in one's
practise. Perhaps it may also be said that if compassionate outreach
does not result in a change of heart in others and a sustained growth
in the numbers of new members and, more importantly preservation
of the spiritual life of existing members, all may not be well with
the collective compassion. Dr. Lipner advises that we, 'shape the
future in the light of the past' and we would do well to heed him,
for isn't it written that 'those who do not know history are condemned
to repeat it'?
I liked Dr. Lipner's use of the term 'fortress ISKCON' and 'the
theology of the drawbridge' and I'd like to think I understand what
he means. I personally believe 'our' Vaishnava philosophy to be
changeless, it's merely that the way in which we administer it within
a rapidly changing world calls for almost constant yet subtle changes
of approach. If that is what he means by 'forging a theology of
hope' then I believe it to be wholly consistent with Srila Prabhupada's
mood of preaching according to 'time, place and circumstance'.
Much can be discussed, and is being discussed of Dr. Lipner's comments
on women in ISKCON. The experiment of celibates and female religious
co-operating together in a monastic/missionary institution has produced
many surprising successes as well as abuses. Many are the women,
who in their early years of ISKCON have been encouraged to become
preachers, interacting with dozens of men as a daily activity, thus
culturing within themselves (at the advice of their male leaders)
independence, assertiveness and the gentle art of firm persuasion,
only to then find after marriage, that the very opposite qualities
are prized by husbands desiring a model 'Vedic wife' (whatever that
may be). The particular difficulty is that it has no cultural antecedent
in India or Europe and perhaps in future years we will come to regard
it as an expedient measure, adopted within a particular social climate
rather than a blueprint for the future.
ISKCON is a missionary organisation, slowly coming to terms with
its future identity as a fully integrated branch of human society.
Children of the early members do not yet have the benefit of a fully
developed and supportive social culture with concomitant educational
opportunities, employment possibilities, and a range of experienced
adults of all ages, occupations and degrees of religious commitment
to whom they may turn. Although ISKCON stands in opposition to the
popular Hindu practise of hereditary Brahminism, we implicitly practise
it with our own offspring, expecting that they too, like us, will
identify in their later years with a 'Vedic', yet still largely
missionary, religious culture. Yet children do not as a rule grow
to be what their parents expect them to be. Provision, and at least
expectation, for their future independence must therefore be made.
The expectations of a highly exclusive religious group of their
next generation are also classical. Like the case of the rabbi's
son in Chaim Potok's 'The Chosen', parental pressure often produces
the reverse effect. True, we have a right as parents to expect that
our children will inherit the same religious values as we ourselves
hold dear, but for 'devotees' we should not read 'missionary workers
in ISKCON' and our education and training should reflect that. If,
due to over idealistic expectations we drive our young away, or
indeed, if, due to fear of this happening we neglect to give them
adequate training in our own morals and spirituality, then on both
counts we will be guilty.
In conclusion, ISKCON's immediate challenge is that we must understand
what the essentials of Krishna consciousness are, how best to communicate
them, and especially how they are developed and preserved, both
by our children and new members ,amid an often un-supportive and
rapidly changing society.
Krpamoya dasa
Facilitator for Congragational Development, England
Back to Top
Dealing with Constructive Feedback
Virabhadra dasa
It is a pleasant feeling to go back in time and recall my
first encounter with Dr. Lipner, whom I first met at the ISKCON
Communications seminar at Radhadesh, Belgium in 1992. He struck
me as an honest and sensitive person whose qualities enable him
to perceive the subtlest characteristics of the people he happens
to meet, even for a short time; and this article, is somewhat showing
this fact.
When the seminar was over and I was back in Italy, I had the chance
to exchange a couple of letters with him in order to get some bibliographical
advice, which I promptly received, and which was remarkably professional.
But now let's come to the themes that he has brought up in his article.
I have been an active member of ISKCON since 1984, still I must
say that I fully share many of his observations. In fact I don't
want to comment on Dr. Lipner points as much as offering some reflections
as far as the attitude one should have when dealing with this kind
of observations, which are more and more frequently brought to the
attention of the devotees by those who look at them from outside
of the movement.
The real theme of this article is 'what to do with these observations'?
Dr. Lipner mentions that in 1992 our movement was facing a turning
point and that most likely we are still there; I would say this
is a fact. I think that there is a lot of updating and re-defining
to do, at least as far as the institution is concerned.
Our engagement in doing this is not to disqualify our present institutional
arrangements but rather it indicates the healthy condition of a
movement which is observing itself and wants to improve. The absence
of stagnancy and a constant search for a transformation can undoubtedly
be a cause of growth and improvement.
There are a few fundamental characteristics that a healthy social
body must have. One is a basic stability, which, in our case, rests
on the principle of guru [teacher] and sastra [scripture],
and another is a kind of more 'epidermal' restlessness which enables
the search for improvement to take place. This non-acceptance of
one's own present (the movement's present) can produce two different
kinds of results, just like everything else that exists in the world
of duality: on one hand it can lead to pessimism which turns into
discouragement and eventually defeat, and on the other hand it can
generate and feed healthy reform new perspectives and ultimately
a revitalised institution. This is a logical sequence because something
that is totally accepted, internally and externally, will never
undergo any amelioration, simply because one doesn't see the need
for it!
Therefore, when facing some objective problems, like the one concerning
ISKCON's teenagers, or the other problems which were nicely presented
in Dr. Lipner's article, I think it would be useful and intelligent
for us to observe the whole thing using a 360° angle of vision,
and not with a unidirectional and tendentious outlook, which usually
turns into attributing the responsibility of what's going on to
the very subject in question.
In jurisprudence it is advised that before one expresses a judgement,
one should 'wear' the dress of the representative of justice, but
one should also 'wear' the dress of the accused. This is the best
attitude one can have in order to approach a judgement with an open
perspective, avoiding in this way to become a victim of any possible
pre-judgement.
I personally think it is very important for us to openly receive
the observations and opinions that come from outside of our movement,
especially when given by people with such a positive and benevolent
attitude as the one shown by Dr. Lipner. He obviously just wants
to offer a contribution to the movement by helping its social growth
and integration in the contemporary context of these troubled days.
Still somebody might want to raise an objection: But isn't this
a questionable outlook, since we have the truth!?! But if this was
really the case, then we wouldn't have all the unsolved problems
we have and everything would 'already be solved'! Since it is not
so, we have to work to reach that stage of perfection, and on the
way let's try to take advantage of all the advice we can get almost
indiscriminately (taking them all into consideration at least hypothetically),
because Sri Krishna might use anyone to show us the way.
Many great masters in our tradition such as Srila Rupa Goswami
(Anasaktasya visayan...nirbhanda Krishna sambhande...), Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta (Hari sevaya yaha haya anukula ...), Srila
Prabhupada (take the example of the swan, which can extract milk
from the water) and others like Canakya Pandita (one should accept
gold without discriminating where it comes from) have advised us
to develop the ability of catching positive direction from practically
everywhere, by seeing everything in relation to its source, Sri
Krishna.
Certainly the way of dualistic judgement (black or white) appears
simpler and more easily applicable, but the integration of a holistic
judgement, which is complete and many faceted, is undoubtedly more
noble and sattvic [in goodness] and it brings honour to Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement.
Virabhadra dasa
ISKCON Communications Director, Italy.
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