Post by niscala on Aug 24, 2013 3:13:01 GMT -5
After reading and becoming excited to share Uttama's book with the whole world, and give devotees an opportunity, as I was given, to take advantage of this wonderful knowledge and dispel so many misconceptions, I tried to post my review on various websites, and have met with a brick wall, by webmasters who want only their viewpoints made public. Are we the KGBCON or ISKCON? Who needs the GBC when the rank and file believe thoughts need policing? In frustration, I wrote the following article, and I am posting it here, because...I can!
VAISNAVA DISCUSSIONS- THE WHAT, WHERE, WHY AND HOW
WHAT
In the Gita, Krishna says that His devotees are always enlightening one another. But in order to enlighten someone, something is first required: light. And another thing is also required: the desire for it. In order to see, it is not enough that I am in sunshine, or artificial light. I must open my eyes- desiring to see. It is not enough, also, that I open my eyes- there must also be light.
Light, in the metaphorical sense of “enlightening”, means seeing the truth of something. Our acaryas enlighten us when they explain the truth of something in a way that is very convincing. We are also meant to do this in our preaching- either to the public or each other.
How do we enlighten other devotees when they already know the philosophy? And isn’t it kind of arrogant to think that we can? After all, the other devotees are our masters, our “prabhus”. Yet Krishna says His devotees are always enlightening one another, implying that if we aren’t doing that, or at least attempting to...maybe we are not His devotees?
Therefore, we have to make an attempt- but how to do so, without being arrogant or putting ourselves in a higher position than the other devotees? The clue is in another Gita verse “From Me comes knowledge...” and another “I am the ability in Man”. All knowledge, all realization and all ability to express it, comes from Krishna. When we simply desire to do good to others, Krishna gives the ability. We are helpless, all we can do is desire, and the ability to fulfill that desire comes from Krishna. We must use what we get from Him, for the highest good, to please Him. The highest good, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, is to “distinguish reality from illusion for the benefit of all”.
Since reality, truth and light, are all synonyms, we are thus obliged to help each other on the basis of truth.
WHERE
In Vedic times, such discussion between devotees would take place in an ashrama, but this is less possible these days. We generally live outside the temple, sometimes far away, for work. For many of us, the internet is our only daily source of sadhu sanga. And this is where the problem comes in. There are no forums where devotees can express their realizations and have them open for discussion. All forums have a moderator, and all articles submitted to his forum must concur with his opinion, or simply not be posted.
The plethora of such sites, and the dearth of sites that allow open discussion, with only offensive material refused, points to an underlying problem in our society. We are not at all interested in aligning ourselves with Krishna’s description of what His devotees do. We are not interested in enlightening one another, because we are not interested in light, or truth. We may have sunshine all around us, but we won’t open our eyes to it.
If we were interested in light, or truth, and enlightening each other, then we would post everything, bar personally offensive material, and either benefit from it, or if it is full of shadows, reflections, mirages and other substitutes for true perception, subject it to the onslaught of light, via the sources of light open to us- the sastra and the parampara wisdom- or just plain common sense and logical analysis.
In doing so, we should welcome others to similarly see the fault in our own analyses. Faults in seeing, are like shadows, mirages or reflections of light. When they take the form of ignorance of some sastric conclusion, such faulty vision is like seeing a shadow. When they take the form of misconception, they appear as a mirage. When they are truth, but distorted in some way, they appear as reflections.
WHY
Kind-hearted devotees never like to see their fellow devotees not advancing with clear perception of the goal or the path to it. It pains them to see anyone stumble, or set themselves up for stumbling, by gazing at shadows, believing in mirages or relying on reflections.
When we see a vision-impaired person, it is extremely indecent, even sociopathic, to call him names for his defective vision. Yet if we see him stumbling, we should always help- “There is a post to your right. There is a boulder to your left...” That is being a gentleman, and Srila Prabhupada advised “First become a gentleman, then a devotee!” We should always try to sharpen each other’s perceptions, but never turn such attempts into a personal attack. Our only motive should be trying to help, and in a humble way.
Servants help their masters. That’s just what servants do. Because masters rely on their servants help, does not make the servant superior. The devotees are all our masters. They are above us. But if we get some knowledge, realization or ability from Krishna that can somehow help our masters, we must do it, or be a neglectful servant, which is not a servant at all!
HOW
Of course, by the Lord’s mercy, the lame can walk, the blind can see... We are blind, by His potency alone we can see. He is our eyes and our source of light, both.
Note that I am using pluralities- “we” “our”. Every person that we meet, on the street, internet or elsewhere, is a possible source of light, and more so when devotees are concerned. Krishna is VERY eager to give them light, and the ability to enlighten.
That being the case, to have sites which shut out their realizations and only allow a certain angle of light to be expressed, is to set oneself, and the rest of the vaisnava community, up for certain distortion. When light comes from one angle only, it necessarily casts a dark shadow. Light coming from all angles does not. When Srila Prabhupada desired the devotees to speak on the Bhagavatam, he instructed us how to do it: “discuss it from all angles of vision”. When Krishna describes that devotees enlighten one another, how could that be possible, unless there are some shadows, and the vista needs some light from another angle? By this, it is meant from another angle of- what is actually light- the vaisnava sastra. It does not mean the darkness of voidism or mayavada- though that may also be discussed among people who are mistaking that shadow for reality.
In doing so, we should applaud those who cast out our shadows and other distortions. We should be mad after light that brings us closer to Krishna vision. We should not feel that we have a monopoly on truth or light. Truth, like light, cannot be held in the palm of one’s hand as one’s possession. We are not proprietors or owners of truth, but its servants. And Krishna, being Absolute Truth, is just like that, but infinitely more so...
To the extent we are not yet in prema, to that extent, we are in illusion, and subject to the torment of falsity and misconception. Without other kind vaisnavas to help us clarify our thoughts, what hope do we have? But what happens when we post our thoughts on the internet? Nothing. Nothing appears. No one is interested in helping us see our mistakes. No one is interested in being helped by us. There is a cold, dark wall of silence, a brick wall to exchanges of love and light. Bricks are cold, dense and opaque. We need windows, not brick walls.
Try writing to a guru. Silence. Try writing to a GBC. Silence. Dandavats, which is a GBC “expense”, silence. Sampradaya Sun. The same. Chakra, once the shining light, now is gone. All is dark. Sites that demonize devotees for falldowns, misconceptions, or weaknesses, still abound. Try to correct them. Silence.
We have turned the web into a thing of manipulation and gagging, of thought-policing, we have Orwell’s Big Brothers everywhere. They are called “webmasters”. They watch what you think, and decide if anyone else can see it. If it is not mirroring their own viewpoint, send it down a dark shaft.
And when they see opposing viewpoints on other websites, demonize them. Call them “against Prabhupada” or “disloyal” or some other pejorative, but don’t have the patience and decency to step-by-step quote, deconstruct and politely appeal to them for their thoughts and objections. That would be too window-like.
A guru is transparent via medium to Krsna, from Whom all light comes, and Who is Absolute Truth personified. We can’t be mad after Him, without being mad after truth. This madness must completely overcome all sense of ego, sense of “This opinion is mine, so I must defend it!” or “If I let this article be posted, it will make me look bad, as it defeats my position” or “I must win, so let me remove all the contestants from the race!”
Such thoughts are bricks- opaque, dense and devoid of love and light.
Let’s turn such thoughts into windows for the soul. Let’s use every opportunity to spread light by making every website open to every viewpoint, and post every article, bar those bearing offensive material or personal attacks. Then, let each devotee be kind to the contributor, by saying “You said this...but that’s not quite right, because sastra says this...” In this way, back and forth, we can “discuss, as scientists discuss their realizations”.
Discuss as scientists do. One scientist realizes something from the data he is given. Another scientist has a different idea. The important thing here, is the topic is centered around Krishna and devotional service, and helping each other understand better, and be a better devotee.
In this way, our devotional service becomes full of light, discovery, challenge and motivation to find out more. Krishna is by far the most fascinating subject matter. Newspapers around the world are now discussing, from all angles of vision, the terribly boring topic of the birth of boring baby Prince George. Why can’t we do that, about the ever-fresh charming Prince of Vraja, what His dear nitya siddha devotees want of us, in His service, and how to do it? With all due respect, it is possible...
VAISNAVA DISCUSSIONS- THE WHAT, WHERE, WHY AND HOW
WHAT
In the Gita, Krishna says that His devotees are always enlightening one another. But in order to enlighten someone, something is first required: light. And another thing is also required: the desire for it. In order to see, it is not enough that I am in sunshine, or artificial light. I must open my eyes- desiring to see. It is not enough, also, that I open my eyes- there must also be light.
Light, in the metaphorical sense of “enlightening”, means seeing the truth of something. Our acaryas enlighten us when they explain the truth of something in a way that is very convincing. We are also meant to do this in our preaching- either to the public or each other.
How do we enlighten other devotees when they already know the philosophy? And isn’t it kind of arrogant to think that we can? After all, the other devotees are our masters, our “prabhus”. Yet Krishna says His devotees are always enlightening one another, implying that if we aren’t doing that, or at least attempting to...maybe we are not His devotees?
Therefore, we have to make an attempt- but how to do so, without being arrogant or putting ourselves in a higher position than the other devotees? The clue is in another Gita verse “From Me comes knowledge...” and another “I am the ability in Man”. All knowledge, all realization and all ability to express it, comes from Krishna. When we simply desire to do good to others, Krishna gives the ability. We are helpless, all we can do is desire, and the ability to fulfill that desire comes from Krishna. We must use what we get from Him, for the highest good, to please Him. The highest good, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, is to “distinguish reality from illusion for the benefit of all”.
Since reality, truth and light, are all synonyms, we are thus obliged to help each other on the basis of truth.
WHERE
In Vedic times, such discussion between devotees would take place in an ashrama, but this is less possible these days. We generally live outside the temple, sometimes far away, for work. For many of us, the internet is our only daily source of sadhu sanga. And this is where the problem comes in. There are no forums where devotees can express their realizations and have them open for discussion. All forums have a moderator, and all articles submitted to his forum must concur with his opinion, or simply not be posted.
The plethora of such sites, and the dearth of sites that allow open discussion, with only offensive material refused, points to an underlying problem in our society. We are not at all interested in aligning ourselves with Krishna’s description of what His devotees do. We are not interested in enlightening one another, because we are not interested in light, or truth. We may have sunshine all around us, but we won’t open our eyes to it.
If we were interested in light, or truth, and enlightening each other, then we would post everything, bar personally offensive material, and either benefit from it, or if it is full of shadows, reflections, mirages and other substitutes for true perception, subject it to the onslaught of light, via the sources of light open to us- the sastra and the parampara wisdom- or just plain common sense and logical analysis.
In doing so, we should welcome others to similarly see the fault in our own analyses. Faults in seeing, are like shadows, mirages or reflections of light. When they take the form of ignorance of some sastric conclusion, such faulty vision is like seeing a shadow. When they take the form of misconception, they appear as a mirage. When they are truth, but distorted in some way, they appear as reflections.
WHY
Kind-hearted devotees never like to see their fellow devotees not advancing with clear perception of the goal or the path to it. It pains them to see anyone stumble, or set themselves up for stumbling, by gazing at shadows, believing in mirages or relying on reflections.
When we see a vision-impaired person, it is extremely indecent, even sociopathic, to call him names for his defective vision. Yet if we see him stumbling, we should always help- “There is a post to your right. There is a boulder to your left...” That is being a gentleman, and Srila Prabhupada advised “First become a gentleman, then a devotee!” We should always try to sharpen each other’s perceptions, but never turn such attempts into a personal attack. Our only motive should be trying to help, and in a humble way.
Servants help their masters. That’s just what servants do. Because masters rely on their servants help, does not make the servant superior. The devotees are all our masters. They are above us. But if we get some knowledge, realization or ability from Krishna that can somehow help our masters, we must do it, or be a neglectful servant, which is not a servant at all!
HOW
Of course, by the Lord’s mercy, the lame can walk, the blind can see... We are blind, by His potency alone we can see. He is our eyes and our source of light, both.
Note that I am using pluralities- “we” “our”. Every person that we meet, on the street, internet or elsewhere, is a possible source of light, and more so when devotees are concerned. Krishna is VERY eager to give them light, and the ability to enlighten.
That being the case, to have sites which shut out their realizations and only allow a certain angle of light to be expressed, is to set oneself, and the rest of the vaisnava community, up for certain distortion. When light comes from one angle only, it necessarily casts a dark shadow. Light coming from all angles does not. When Srila Prabhupada desired the devotees to speak on the Bhagavatam, he instructed us how to do it: “discuss it from all angles of vision”. When Krishna describes that devotees enlighten one another, how could that be possible, unless there are some shadows, and the vista needs some light from another angle? By this, it is meant from another angle of- what is actually light- the vaisnava sastra. It does not mean the darkness of voidism or mayavada- though that may also be discussed among people who are mistaking that shadow for reality.
In doing so, we should applaud those who cast out our shadows and other distortions. We should be mad after light that brings us closer to Krishna vision. We should not feel that we have a monopoly on truth or light. Truth, like light, cannot be held in the palm of one’s hand as one’s possession. We are not proprietors or owners of truth, but its servants. And Krishna, being Absolute Truth, is just like that, but infinitely more so...
To the extent we are not yet in prema, to that extent, we are in illusion, and subject to the torment of falsity and misconception. Without other kind vaisnavas to help us clarify our thoughts, what hope do we have? But what happens when we post our thoughts on the internet? Nothing. Nothing appears. No one is interested in helping us see our mistakes. No one is interested in being helped by us. There is a cold, dark wall of silence, a brick wall to exchanges of love and light. Bricks are cold, dense and opaque. We need windows, not brick walls.
Try writing to a guru. Silence. Try writing to a GBC. Silence. Dandavats, which is a GBC “expense”, silence. Sampradaya Sun. The same. Chakra, once the shining light, now is gone. All is dark. Sites that demonize devotees for falldowns, misconceptions, or weaknesses, still abound. Try to correct them. Silence.
We have turned the web into a thing of manipulation and gagging, of thought-policing, we have Orwell’s Big Brothers everywhere. They are called “webmasters”. They watch what you think, and decide if anyone else can see it. If it is not mirroring their own viewpoint, send it down a dark shaft.
And when they see opposing viewpoints on other websites, demonize them. Call them “against Prabhupada” or “disloyal” or some other pejorative, but don’t have the patience and decency to step-by-step quote, deconstruct and politely appeal to them for their thoughts and objections. That would be too window-like.
A guru is transparent via medium to Krsna, from Whom all light comes, and Who is Absolute Truth personified. We can’t be mad after Him, without being mad after truth. This madness must completely overcome all sense of ego, sense of “This opinion is mine, so I must defend it!” or “If I let this article be posted, it will make me look bad, as it defeats my position” or “I must win, so let me remove all the contestants from the race!”
Such thoughts are bricks- opaque, dense and devoid of love and light.
Let’s turn such thoughts into windows for the soul. Let’s use every opportunity to spread light by making every website open to every viewpoint, and post every article, bar those bearing offensive material or personal attacks. Then, let each devotee be kind to the contributor, by saying “You said this...but that’s not quite right, because sastra says this...” In this way, back and forth, we can “discuss, as scientists discuss their realizations”.
Discuss as scientists do. One scientist realizes something from the data he is given. Another scientist has a different idea. The important thing here, is the topic is centered around Krishna and devotional service, and helping each other understand better, and be a better devotee.
In this way, our devotional service becomes full of light, discovery, challenge and motivation to find out more. Krishna is by far the most fascinating subject matter. Newspapers around the world are now discussing, from all angles of vision, the terribly boring topic of the birth of boring baby Prince George. Why can’t we do that, about the ever-fresh charming Prince of Vraja, what His dear nitya siddha devotees want of us, in His service, and how to do it? With all due respect, it is possible...