Smorgasbord
BY: BHAKTA ERIC JOHANSON
Feb 03, MOAB,UTAH, USA (SUN) — Third of a Three-Part Series.
To reiterate and expand upon the final point from Part Two, because no one is accepted (by the smorgasbord) as presenting the philosophy of Srila Prabhupada in a superior way, every writer "outside the walls" has his or her own unique interpretation of it. Although most of their presentations appear to, in one way or another, come from Srila Prabhupada, an astute reader will generally find the influence of one institutional faction or other lurking behind the article. For instance, there is a great deal of disagreement over the origin of the jiva. Those previously influenced by the neo-Gaudiya Matha continue to insist that "not even a leaf falls from Vaikuntha." Those coming straight from Srila Prabhupada"s teachings maintain that everyone here has fallen from the spiritual world (or forgotten his svarupa) due to misuse of free will—but some of these writers will praise corporate ISKCON leaders in the very same explanation.
The really articulate writers are the post-modern equivalent of munis, and these authors all explain points that set them aside from the others. Someone will claim that the most important order of Srila Prabhupada is to establish varnashrama dharma. Someone else will say book distribution, another Harinam. Yet another will strongly argue that anyone who wants to be taken seriously should chant sixty-four rounds. Some will, quite unnecessarily, insist that the Sampradaya Acarya must be an eternally liberated nitya siddha devotee (what about Srila Narada?). The less experienced readers then pick and choose from all of these many conclusions in much the same way that one makes up a plate at a smorgasbord.
Hodge-Podge Buffet
This hodge-podge build-your-own approach is little more than a 21st Century model of mano-ratena--"by the chariot of the mind." Those who fail to direct the less experienced and less intelligent devotees through the maze of this smorgasbord can hardly be said to be providing any eternal benefit or service to their readers. Most importantly, this was absolutely not Srila Prabhupada"s methodology:
""This philosophy, that philosophy." In this way they satisfy the mind. But that is also not happiness. Mental happiness. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahih. If you become satisfied by mental happiness, then you'll have to come down again. Asato. Asato ma sad-gamah. Real life is: ‘Don't stay in this temporary world but go to the real world, paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah.""
(Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974)
The distrust and even cynicism that has taken over most of those who have left corporate ISKCON, especially in the undertow of the zonal acarya capsize, manifests in a palpable envy of anyone who speaks with authority in order to shine light on (and possibly even correct) the chaos. Virtually everyone is convinced that such a devotee is just another wannabe zonal acarya, one who will inevitably mislead and disappoint everyone. Similarly, all of the more prominent smorgasbord writers take great pains to avoid sounding too authoritative. Criticism of the institutional factions" contradictions is always done forcefully, but not in such a way that readers might even slightly infer that the author poses a threat to "take over." There are also those in the Rtvik camp who have made an occupation out of ad-hominem attacks on anyone who they conceive poses as even a slight threat to becoming spiritual master.
"Unfortunately, when the acarya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles. . . The acarya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but WHEN HE DISAPPEARS, THINGS ONCE AGAIN BECOME DISORDERED."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.48, purport (emphasis added)
Horizontalism
"If everyone becomes ruler or acarya, then how it can be managed? No. There must be some head. That is the principle in our practical life. We follow our political leaders. We cannot say that, ‘I belong to this party," unless I follow a leader. That is natural."
(Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974)
With almost everyone afraid and envious of someone becoming a leader, there is very little chance of a genuine solution to our immense spiritual problems. Of course, the smorgasbord bleeds over into the realm of those who want to reform corporate ISKCON, either from within or without. In this regard, what has been talked about recently is the creation of a "horizontal," broader-based authority structure. This is pretty much ignored by the GBC, however; they are clearly not interested in sharing control with those who criticize them. They already have power in their own circle of influence, and that is the coin of their realm. They consistently fail to recognize any different presentations, regardless of who makes them.
However, the struggle—or, rather, the hope against hope--that corporate ISKCON will, somehow or other, adapt to a process that addresses and ameliorates everyone"s grievances lives on. This appears to be the driving force behind the smorgasbord. Its mentality is much like that of the peace movement in the U.S.: Righteous indignation from a morally superior position. Most feel justified that they have rendered significant contributions and sacrifice to the institution in the past, and they are indignant about the abuses they suffered at the hands of its "authorized" leaders.
The parallel with Western society runs deeper than this, however, because so many devotees were previously indoctrinated into the myths of the West. Although clothed in the veneer of something seemingly brahminical, the goal of such a horizontal authority structure is little more than democratization. This is because the currency of the smorgasbord is distrust and envy of anyone who purports to be authority, something that is intrinsic to Western democracy. Of course, since the zonal acarya scandals, corporate ISKCON has taken pains to soften the image of its brand, and a number of superficial democratic elements have been introduced in the organization. This has encouraged the hopes of those who advocate the horizontal solution.
Another Western influence here is post-modern philosophy, now in-vogue, wherein absolutes are eschewed and considered primitive. Although this is anathema to real Krishna consciousness, its prevalence in present-day "intellectual" circles seeps into the thinking of most Westerners, which very much includes these less serious devotees. Anyone even slightly reminiscent of the style of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada is subject to immediate and intense suspicion.
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada certainly described some procedures (amongst genuine brahmanas) wherein they might choose to call a vote on some measure. However, these were posited on such devotees actually first being on the dvija platform and, therefore, capable of recognizing who amongst them had superior philosophical position and realizations. Without this, horizontal arrangements become little more than Westernized "Krishna consciousness," or, in other words, just another type of the dreaded vox populi.
"That is the defect of Western civilization. Vox populi, taking opinion of the public. But what is the value of this public? . . . What Krishna said, that is standard. That's all. Krishna is the Supreme, and His version is final; no opinion, no democracy."
(Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne)
The authority of any advanced devotee does not come from him; it comes from his ability to transparently present the sastra:
"One should accept a thing as genuine by studying the words of saintly people, the spiritual master and sastra. The actual center is sastra, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual master does not speak according to revealed scripture, he is not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not speak according to the sastra, he is not a saintly person. Sastrais the center for all." Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 20.352, purport (emphases added)
One of the fundamental pillars of Srila Prabhupada‘s movement was that of recognizing and hearing from the more advanced members of his Society. There were sanyasis, brahmanas, and temple presidents--devotees who were to be respected and available to give class and guidance to others. If this principlebecomes minimized due to the envy produced by a collective bad experience, it can hardly be said that we are still acting under his guidance. We may have thrown out the zonal acarya bath water, but something more important appears to be missing within the smorgasbord.
The GBC and former zonal acaryas like to remind everyone that they are the "ultimate managing authority" of the movement. The zonal acarya "solution," however, could hardly be said to have been at all bona fide. It only apparently solved the problem of "what to do with the new people," but created far worse long-term difficulties. Since it disregarded both the parampara injunctions and Srila Prabhupada"s stated desires regarding disciplic succession, it became clear that the "ultimate managing authority" was not capable to implement genuine solutions. On the other hand, the GBC have always paid a great deal of attention to their "material legal formula" which enabled (and still enables) them to maintain material control of the institution (see quote at beginning of this article, Part One).
This tendency of the zonal acaryas has been passed on to those who advocate horizontalism, although the bija is subtle. Both the GBC and those fixated on its reform are under the delusion that management solutions will eventually fix all of the problems. On the other hand, the solution of OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE would mandate that we attempt to discover who amongst us best represents the sastra, especially in its application to the events that have unfolded since November, 1978.
The horizontal concept is also encouraged by a misunderstanding of the concept of cooperation. Although this was something generally encouraged by His Divine Grace, it never included any kind of compromise regarding the philosophy. It assumed that all parties fully accepted his presentation of the Absolute Truth. Nowadays, however, there are devotees who advocate that any kind of reform or alternative must erect a tent that encompasses and includes all divergent groups, regardless of conflicting interpretations. The idea is that rittviks and splinter groups like Prominent Link will have their vote or input, along with those who reject such concocted dispensations. Inclusion of the rittviks into any such alternative construct, however, virtually guarantees that envy of a genuine leader will be the standard underlying the whole escapade.
"So, if this confidential knowledge, one who preaches without any compromise, he is the confidential servant of Krsna. There is no compromise. This is real religion."
(Class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976)
Its Own Solution
"Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are, for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straightforward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth."
(Bhagavad-Gita 10.4-5, Purport (emphasis added)
Every institutional religion has its smorgasbord. For example, here in Utah, we have what are called Jack Mormons. These are people who have left the organization because they have personal differences with one of its leaders or some church policy. The many Protestant sects were once the smorgasbord for the Catholics. Unlike these mundane religions, however, real Krishna consciousness is not constrained by an institutional structure. Institutions are only helpful if they are directed by persons teaching and behaving in sync with the disciplic succession.
In one sense, even the desire for rectification of corporate ISKCON entails an over-endeavor. No one can question the fact that such an objective has been shown to be extremely difficult. Krishna consciousness, on the other hand, is a very simple process. Obsession with reforming an institution of this world means to be always absorbed in its external affairs. When that refers to reforming corporate ISKCON, it is politics with but a spiritual veneer.
"Atyaharah prayasas ca. Prayasah means things which are done with great endeavor. No. We shall accept things which are very easily done. Not to waste our energy unnecessarily." Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974
The main problem with being obsessed with its reform is that one has to constantly associate with ISKCON leaders, either directly or subtly. The mind is regularly diverted from Krishna to whatever some leader is saying or doing or to some objectionable policy pushed by the corporation. In this way, one is associating with sahajiyas and illusions, and that is condemned.
After the breakup of some mundane love affair, the mind remains absorbed in the partner for some time, and this pretty much sums up the mindset of the smorgasbord. When they followed its institutional leadership, they were convinced that thinking favorably of corporate ISKCON leaders was conducive to spiritual advancement. Although this was not a proper use of discrimination, it could be called the positive side of the relationship (if such a thing could ever be said to exist).
However, when the individual leaders of these devotees became disgraced, resentment replaced the dedication. Unfortunately, both of these mentalities are just flip sides of the same sahajiya coin. The bad leader"s effects remain. The self-serving interpretations of the sastra and Vaishnava aparadha that he engrained in his (former?) follower was also passed along. The effect of helping that rogue dismantle and render impotent the original Krishna consciousness movement is even heavier baggage on the devotee merged in thoughts of reform. In these ways, the smorgasbord still remains psychically attached to corporate ISKCON sahajiyism.
Anyone who has taken the post-manifest-Prabhupada leadership of corporate ISKCON seriously cannot have had a very firm grip on the philosophy, despite any so-called recognition he may receive. No devotee with good discrimination can willingly submit to a self-serving ecclesiastical hierarchy like the GBC. What has dominated his mind in having done so is little more than sentiment. The widespread acceptance of the "authority" of the GBC and its appointed gurus encompasses an ocean of sentimentality.
Drowning there are thousands of bewildered devotees who do not understand who their ultimate authority is, and they vacillate between the GBC or one of its designated "gurus." Also choking in this water is anyone convinced they he or she has been genuinely initiated into Krishna consciousness after Srila Prabhupada"s departure. Extending far beyond the institution, this also includes those who think the post-1977 fire sacrifices were actually rittvik initiations. We should not forget that a similar sentiment is essential to the prevailing religious paradigm here in the West. The corporate ISKCON institutional leaders have very effectively morphed Prabhupada"s movement into a Frankenstein of Western Hinduism.
"The Krsna consciousness movement means to understand Krsna very scientifically. It is not sentiment. One must be very philosophically advanced with scientific knowledge. Jnanam-vijnanam. This is vijnana. It is not sentiment."
(Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975)
If we want to live our lives according to the spiritual master, we should make a determined effort to get free from the influence of such badly placed sentiment. Bhagavad-gita is the account of Sri Arjuna"s struggle to overcome the debilitating influence of his family ties and sentiments. We should apply that cutting edge to our attachment to corporate ISKCON. In this way, the proper application of Krishna conscious philosophy will be its own solution, both individually and collectively.
Trying to reform corporate ISKCON is similar to reforming the government of the United States: It is an extremely difficult proposal. The most common dismissal targeting critics of corporate ISKCON has always been, "What are you doing for Prabhupada?" Corporate ISKCON is only likely to change when a large group of devotees unite around a strict application of the real philosophy and process, along with an accurate understanding of its history.
Fate of the Smorgasbord
There certainly is some material pleasure when one removes himself or herself from the artificial limitations of corporate ISKCON. Since it only has, at best, a very superficial connection with the sampradaya, there is no real pleasure to be found there. Undoubtedly, someof its members undertake austerities and thereby experience higher material pleasures, but genuine ananda is not to be found in sahajiya societies. On the whole, institutional religions traffic in repression based upon guilt and fear. The true believer mindset of virtually everyone in them entails the replacement of better judgment with that of fervor for the triumphalist leadership. In the group, this kind of so-called renunciation is wrongly equated with surrender. Abandoning one"s intelligence in this manner has no connection with any genuine yoga process:
"Fortunate means everyone has got his discretion. So one who has the fortune to discriminate, then he can understand Krishna very easily."
(Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.1.15--London, July 30, 1971)
"We should not give up our reason and discriminatory power just to be gentle. One must have good discriminatory power to judge a thing on its merit. We should not follow the mild nature of a woman and thereby accept that which is not genuine."
(Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.7.42)
Brahmanas also engage in doubt, but those doubt are in the mode of goodness; it means that he easily discerns falsity and contradiction. Srila Prabhupada would often provide an example of this on morning walks, especially when devotees would raise materialistic philosophies:
Karandhara: Yes, they say ultimately everything is meaningless.
Prabhupada: Then you are a rascal. You are working for meaningless things. Then you are a rascal. That's all. And that is my version, that you are a rascal number one.
(Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles)
When someone leaves groups like corporate ISKCON, he suffers less, and this is gives some pleasure--But that is ultimately not enough. Unless the good devotee then becomes engaged in genuine Krishna conscious service, his pleasure will again devolve into misery. Hence, we see a bio-rhythmic cycle of those who periodically leave and re-join the institution.
In any type of socio-political arrangement, there are those who set agendas and dominate; this certainly includes horizontal or pseudo-egalitarian structures, such as the smorgasbord. In such groups, it is important to appear egalitarian and non-threatening. As long as one can maintain this requisite profile, that ambitious personality will probably elicit some kind of following. This does not mean, however, that there will not be competition with those who have similar abilities.
Inevitably, some kind of power struggle ensues in due course, with all of its intrigue and treachery--and somebody loses. As was the case with the Reformation over five hundred years ago, it is possible in the near future that we could see the evolution of a less authoritarian sect of what only appears to be Krishna consciousness. Regardless of whether such a group evolves or not, there will be those in today"s smorgasbord who finally understand that they need a physically manifest spiritual master—and there are a number of so-called gurus in the neo-Gaudiya Matha who will gladly pick them up.
"Now, by the laws of nature, the time is coming when dictatorship will put the citizens into more and more difficulty."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.1.7, purport)
Some kind of smorgasbord will always exist around corporate ISKCON. Inextricably tied to it, the changes within the smorgasbord will inevitably reflect upon those of the institution. As a result, should a dictator seize the day there, the smorgasbord, at that time, could very well assume a more prominent role. As far as Lord Krishna"s plan goes, there is currently a place for even the rittviks, despite the fact that some of them make an occupation out of being patently offensive. This does not mean that He approves of their activity, but it indicates that the abuses of corporate ISKCON have been far greater than those of the rittviks, and some of those offenses have indeed produced this reactionary movement.
Real Krishna consciousness, however, is quite different. It entails a great deal of introspection and a thorough inventory of what one may have followed and done in its name. The really honest person will make every effort to free himself of all misconceptions and material bijas taken in while being misled. This can be done by approaching a person who is free from these anarthas and who can point out the differences between real Krishna consciousness and what we have experienced. How can any sane person allow himself or herself to be misled more than once?
"Unfortunately, in present day society, in the name of suddha-bhakti, various types of mixed devotion--such as karma-misra, jnana-misra, and yoga-misra, as well as various polluted and imaginary conceptions--are spreading like germs of plague. People in general consider these polluted and mixed conceptions to be bhakti. They respect them as such and thus are deprived of suddha-bhakti. These polluted and mixed conceptions are our greatest enemies. Some people say that there is no value in bhakti: that God is only imaginary sentiment, that man has merely created the image of God through imagination, and that bhakti is a diseased state, unable to benefit us in any way.
These types of opponents cannot harm us much, because we easily recognize them and avoid them. However, those who propagate bhagavad-bhakti as the highest dharma--yet behave against the principles of suddha-bhakti--can be especially harmful to us. In the name of bhakti, they instruct us against the actual principles of bhakti. This ultimately lead us to a path that is diametrically opposed to bhagavad-bhakti. Therefore, with great endeavor, our previous acaryas have defined the svarupa or intrinsic nature of bhakti, repeatedly cautioning us to keep away from polluted and mixed concepts."
(Bhakti Viveka Tattva by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinode Takura Prabhupada (emphases added)
OM TAT SAT
Epilogue: About the Author
Contrary to a wing of the grapevine, I actually write these articles. A previous acquaintance, who runs an infamous "anti-defamation" website, makes repeated claims that these articles are actually written by Kailasa Candra dasa. It apparently serves his twisted purposes to portray anyone associated with Kailasa Candra dasa as being incapable of real thought. He has also written repeatedly that I am initiated by Kailasa Candra dasa, and that previously I was associated with his anti-defamation group.
I wrote to correct him of these misconceptions years ago. There is absolutely no proof or witnesses for said initiation, because it never occurred. Yet, despite my letter to him almost twenty years ago, he continues to broadcast lies as if they are known facts. This is all part of his on-going campaign to elevate hearsay and pure guesses to the level of established truth so that he can further his ad-hominem attacks on perceived enemies. Such an emblem of elevated devotional sentiments!
As far as his claim that I was previously a "Prabhupadanuga," there was no such term even in existence during the brief time I knew him. His current rittvik cause did not come into existence until over four years later. He never preached anything like this to me at that time. I had to badger him repeatedly to get Sulocana prabhu"s The Guru Business paper, because he thought I was too loyal to the local zonal acarya (at the time) and giving me the position paper might wind up physically harming him after I read it. What he writes of my previously being a "Prabhupadanuga" is a self-serving hallucination.
In another of his nectarean mellows, this anti-defaming friend strongly implies that Kailasa Candra dasa and myself let the cows from the Mt. Kailasa farm (the name came from Hansadutta dasa) be sold for slaughter. Again, he has no knowledge of the actual events. I personally drove all the cows to Oregon where we gave Paramesvari dasa thousands of dollars to buy them from us and care for them. I also drove the violent bull Bhima to an animal sanctuary in eastern Texas, after we spent a great deal of money to properly take care of him in Petaluma.
If I have any qualification, it is that I have been hearing from Srila Prabhupada since 1977 and Kailasa Candra prabhu since 1986. Previous to 1986, I was the disciple of Hansadutta dasa and even became one of his so-called sanyasis. I later renounced the charade, after realizing that it was impossible to have absolute faith in him; this became especially solidified after having read The Guru Business. In 1988, he (Hansadutta) gave me direct and personal permission to be released from any vows I had made to or through him, especially my "initiations." I also have the unique distinction of being the former president of the Mt. Kailasa farm, which launched the first lawsuit of one group of Srila Prabhupada"s followers against another. I did this due to the urgings of our maverick GBC, Atreya Rsi dasa. It targeted both Kirtanananda and Hansadutta, who had sent a party of his disciples in order to surrender the farm to Kirtanananda.
After reading The Guru Business, I became convinced that I had been misled by the GBC and had not been genuinely initiated by Hansadutta. Shortly thereafter, I met Kailasa Candra dasa and realized he had the knowledge and conviction that would prevent me from being misled again. I have been helping him make this knowledge available to others ever since. Thank you for reading this epilogue. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Smorgasbord Part 1
Smorgasbord Part 2
Other writings by the Vaishnava Foundation
