Can we progress to discuss concerns?

[Guest guest]

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his

followers in ISKCON.

 

This is my own humble and *personal* opinion.

 

After reading the recent Update about BBT-Hansaduta Court Case, I think that

if we can possibly work towards resolving the controversies surrounding the

women issue in the same Vaishnava way (Win/Win) discussing about the

concerns of both the 'camp's' (as one devotee put it, the 'fundamentalists'

and the 'liberals') rather than keep mud-slinging at each other, I believe

it would be very pleasing to Prabhupada and free from offenses.

 

I wouldn't call it a 'debate' since that conjures up images of one against

the other, but rather it could be an honest discussion of real concerns of

both sides to come up with some practical solutions.

 

Mistakes have been made on both sides (I am not an exception to this) but

rather than go on pointing fingers at each another (or demonize each other)

till the end of this kalpa, maybe we can start afresh and consider

conducting a respectful discussion. I am not so sure if e-mail is so

productive in this respect, though for research and in-camp discussions,

etc., it would be good.

 

I think we need a neutral mediator (madhyastha) who can facilitate such a

discussion of concerns, perhaps just to make sure that both 'camps' from

slinging atom bombs at each other :-) Or perhaps, similar to what some

senior devotees have asked for, the GBC Body should appoint some committee

which can function as a mediator/facilitator.

 

We also need to have norms for both 'camp'-representatives to follow in the

course of such a discussion (such as the set of norms you get when you

attend the VTE seminars).

 

Most of the issues cannot be resolved immediately in one go and perhaps we

need to be very patient in an attempt to come to practical solutions. I do

believe that Win/Win solutions will emerge if we factually want to follow

the teachings of Prabhupada and if we want to *benefit* everyone in

Prabhupada's movement. There are many concerns on both sides and a lot of

practical work has to be done to solve many of these problems. Through this

endeavor, we may even discover concerns which are shared by *both* 'camps'.

 

So perhaps, we can work on this? Of course, an attempt to do like this is

bound to be quite austere, but can we begin? If anyone agrees that we should

have such a discussion, the next question is "How"?

 

As I said earlier, this is merely my own personal opinion, but devotees can

discuss on this and come up with some ideas on how to come up with working,

united solutions to this movement.

 

YHS,

VGD

 

PS: If you haven't yet read the Update about BBT-Hansaduta Court Case

published in the recent issue of the online BBT newsletter, here it is:

 

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> 2. BBT-Hansaduta Court Case Update

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> The following joint announcement has just been released by Jayadvaita

> Swami and Gupta Dasa:

>

> BBT LEGAL CASE ENDS.

> Devotees settle their differences and pledge cooperation.

>

> "Now all my disciples must work combinedly and with cooperation to spread

> this Sankirtan Movement. If you cannot work together then my work is

> stopped up. Our Society is like one big family and our relationships

> should be based on love and trust. We must give up the fighting spirit

> and use our intelligence to push ahead."

> (Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Upendra Prabhu, dated 6 August 1970)

>

> Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All Glories to Lord

> Nityananda and Lord Caitanya.

>

> The BBTI-Hansadutta court case is over. By the grace of Krishna, the

> devotees involved were able to settle the matter without need of a trial.

> On November 13, the devotees appeared before the judge and placed their

> settlement on record, thus putting their legal dispute to an end.

>

> In dispute had been several issues: Is the original American BBT trust,

> founded by Srila Prabhupada in 1972, still valid? Is it the true owner of

> the copyrights to Srila Prabhupada's literary works? And was Hansadutta

> Dasa still rightfully entitled to serve as a trustee?

>

> After some eighteen months of researching, analyzing and litigating the

> matter as adversaries, the devotees began to see clearly that to reach a

> final and lasting resolution, we had to shift from adversarial positioning

> to spiritual cooperation. Accordingly, after several weeks of intense

> negotiations, we reached an agreement meant to satisfy our various

> concerns. It was this agreement that was then officially accepted by the

> court.

>

> The agreement reaffirms the validity of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

> formed by Srila Prabhupada on May 29, 1972. This was a legal California

> trust into which Srila Prabhupada conveyed the copyrights to his books.

> All sides agree that this trust is still legal and alive, and that it is

> the true owner of Srila Prabhupada's copyrights, as Srila Prabhupada

> desired.

>

> This was an outcome upon which all the devotees, in a spirit of

> cooperation, submitted their willingness to agree. Now all sides are

> pleased to see Srila Prabhupada's copyrights secure within this original

> trust.

>

> Hansadutta Dasa, Veda Guhya Dasa, Bhagavan Dasa, and Dasa Dasanudasa Dasa

> Dasi have voluntarily stepped down from any role they might have had as

> trustees of the 1972 trust. And all concerned have agreed that now the

> trustees will be four trustees from the BBT International: Brahma Muhurta

> Dasa, Naresvara Dasa, Svavasa Dasa, and Jayadvaita Swami.

>

> All parties agree that the rightful beneficiary of the trust is the

> International Society for Krishna Consciousness, founded by Srila

> Prabhupada in 1966 and further defined by the GBC. (The "beneficiary" is

> the person or organization that a trust is supposed to benefit. So, for

> example, when the BBT allots funds for constructing temples, they are to

> be used for the benefit of ISKCON.)

>

> With the validity of the California trust now reaffirmed, what about the

> BBTI? Is it redundant? Is it useful? Is it needed at all? It's too soon to

> say. For now, the 1972 BBT trust will serve mainly as the safe shelter for

> Srila Prabhupada's copyrights. And on its behalf the BBT International

> will continue handling the active side of BBT operations.

>

> Meanwhile, devotee attorneys who opposed one another in the case will work

> together to study how best to take advantage of the two legal units--the

> BBT and the BBTI--to serve Srila Prabhupada's desires. Gupta Dasa (who

> served as the attorney on Hansadutta's side of the case) will work on this

> with Amarendra Dasa (who served on the ISKCON side).

>

> Another part of the settlement is a liberal licensing arrangement that

> allows for cooperative publishing. Under this arrangement, Hansadutta

> Prabhu and the devotees working with him will form a company that can

> publish Srila Prabhupada's books in the editions published before 1978.

> These will be available for sale in markets where they won't directly

> compete with distribution by the BBT and by ISKCON temples.

>

> The theme is "cooperation, not competition." The new company may also buy

> books from the BBT, or vice versa. Or the two may work together on joint

> projects.

>

> Finally, in recognition of the strong legal claims and defenses presented

> by Hansadutta's side in the case (both in America and in Singapore, where

> the matter first started), the BBTI will reimburse Hansadutta, and the

> devotees who supported him, for their attorney's fees and costs.

>

> Clearly, the devotees involved in this case were able to settle their

> differences only by treating one another respectfully, as spirit souls,

> servants of Srila Prabhupada. They had to focus together on strengthening

> and expanding--rather than weakening and limiting--the Krishna

> consciousness movement.

>

> The resolution of this lawsuit, a case full of emotionally and spiritually

> charged issues, called for a great deal of personal, emotional and

> spiritual healing between the devotees involved. We hope that the spirit

> and example of this unique resolution can now become a model for resolving

> other controversies affecting the Hare Krsna movement and its devotees.

>

> We're all servants of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, and we're all meant to

> work cooperatively in their service. Case closed, with pleasure. Hare

> Krishna.

> Jayadvaita Swami and Gupta Dasa

>

> With the agreement of all the devotees directly involved:

> Akruranatha Dasa, Amarendra Dasa, Bhagavan Dasa, Bhima Dasa (from

> Singapore), Brahma Muhurta Dasa, Dasa Dasanudasa Dasa Dasi, Gopal Krishna

> Goswami, Gupta Dasa, Hansadutta Dasa, Madhusevita Dasa, Naresvara Dasa,

> Svavasa Dasa, Veda Guhya Dasa.