Co-operating on the ISKCON ship

[Guest guest]

> On Mon, 12 Jul 99 13:21 +0100, COM: Ajamila (das) ACBSP

> (Goloka Books - GB) wrote:

>

> > >

> > > If NM is a truly great paramahamsa and has so much love

> > > for Srila Prabhupada, as you claim, then why does he not

> > > prove his love by co-operating with Srila Prabhupada's

> > > GBC? Does he not have sufficient humility? The GBC would

> > > openly welcome NM if he were to agree to follow Srila

> > > Prabhupada's rule of co-operating with the GBC.

> > >

>

> Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila

> Prabhupada.

>

> Your post has again raised the point of "cooperation." The

> dictionary gives two very different meanings of the word.

>

> 1. To work or act together toward a common end or purpose.

> 2. To acquiesce willingly; be compliant.

>

> If we're not using the same definition of a word, there will

> be (and has been, for many years now) disagreement. It

> appears to my limited and faulty perception that the GBC has

> expected the second definition from their Godbrothers, while

> most Godbrothers assume the first. Which did Srila Prabhupada

> have in mind when he asked his disciples to cooperate with the

> GBC? Is cooperation not a two-way street? It depends on what

> your definition of "cooperation" is.

>

> "My way or the highway" is a lonely road.

>

> A small, but, in my humble opinion, important point.

>

> your servant,

>

> Mamata devi dasi

 

We all know that Srila Prabhupada instructed us never to leave

his ISKCON to go to maya or to his godbrothers. But staying in

ISKCON inevitably means experiencing likes and dislikes about

the way things are managed.

 

Being in ISKCON is like being on a huge boat destined to carry

passengers to the spiritual world. The boat is being driven by

Srila Prabhupada's instructions which keep the boat afloat.

Without those instructions the boat will sink. So the GBC who

are responsible for keeping the boat alfoat with Srila

Prabhupada's instructions have to followed.

 

In spite of traversing through many stormy seas in the past the

ISKCON boat can still take any sincere person to the spiritual

world. Those who jumped off the boat in the past during the

storms have drowned (jumping into another "better" boat is a

different "gambling" issue).

 

So on the ISKCON boat one may not like the way it is being

driven but nevertheless one's spiritual destination is assured.

One can disagree but one must also co-operate for the sake of

staying on the boat and reaching the destination, even though

the ride may be uncomfortable and even frightening at times.

 

But if someone disagrees and then tries to change Srila

Prabhupada's instructions as do the ritviks and others, being

like a gang on a boat seizing the wheel and causing the whole

boat to rock, then they can't be allowed to stay on the ship.

 

So co-operating practically in ISKCON means staying in ISKCON

and doing a little service, and not rocking the boat or smashing

the boat if one disagrees with something.

 

If I board a boat from England to France I have to abide by the

rules. I can't start telling the ship crew what to do because

I'm worried about a storm, especially if I've never driven a

ship before. In spite of apparent deficiencies the ISKCON ship

can deliver one to the spiritual world. So it is better to stay

on the boat and co-operate. And by not co-operating one

automatically throws oneself off the boat.

 

I believe this understanding in the ISKCON context includes both

1. & 2. of your posted dictionary meanings but with more

emphasis on 2 because meaning 1. alone would imply the absurdity

that everyone can drive the ship at the same time.

 

ys

 

ada