Open letter to a transcendentalist

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Open letter to a transcendentalist

 

I read with attention your e.mail on morality. The subject attracted me.

Morality is not a matter easy to deal with. Therefore I was curious to see

how you would handle it. I must say in parenthesis that the article was in

conformity with the vaisnava perspective, transcendental. But there was more

in the title than the word "morality"; "-and beyond" followed closely. If I

had reflected more carefully on it, the first time I saw it, I would have

guessed that your intention was to deal mainly with the second part, "and

beyond", which is the easiest part for a devotee. Easier because Lord

Caitanya "in His discussion with Raya Ramananda", Srila Prabhupada and many

other personalities had taught us about it. In fact, it is the whole issue

of Bhagavad-gita. Of course, you presented it with your personal touch. To

whom you wrote the article, that I wonder. It is said that realized devotees

don't read such prosaic texts; aspirant ones' find them in Srila

Prabhupada's books and non-devotees don't appreciate them. Those who are

left can read: that Krishna consciousness is "a religion that ultimately

belittles morality" and "takes us beyond the limited scope of moral codes."

Not being sure that this is the best way to educate them, I thought you

might like to hear my feedback. As you can see, English is not my mother

language; therefore words were picked up at random to express my feelings.

So, I hope you will not mind the rough critics of this poor fellow and

accord me your consideration. Especially because I am not going to deal with

the "beyond" but will use your philosophical inclination for the

transcendence to reveal what is on my heart. Again, I ask you to read what

follows with an open heart and compassion.

 

To speak frankly, I would have preferred a confrontation with the moralists.

Instead of that, you simply dismissed their concerns. Doing so, you tied up

all kinds of morality together and threw out the baby with the bath water.

Thus, you wrote in your introduction: "The moral codes of living inculcated

in the varnashrama social system, although acknowledged by Sri Chaitanya,

were also rejected by him." It left me with the impression that varnashrama

and the moral codes are of such a lesser status that devotees, like us,

should not waste time with it. "Yes", you continued, "it is a religion that

takes us beyond the limited scope of moral codes. And no, because it takes

morality for granted, picking up where morality leaves off." A religion,

will say a moralist, is a path for a human group, with their faults and

defects, to work out his way towards God. It implies rules, regulations,

and, not the least, moral codes. To oversee it, is irresponsible and

dangerous. Real opposition to Krsna consciousness does not come from

agnostics, atheists or monists, but from monotheists. They are the ones who

established the morality we find all over the world. It is mainly

constructed on Jesus Christ teachings, their model of a pure devotee: "Love

others like yourself", "Don't do to others what you will not like others to

do to you", etc. O. Paz, a Nobel Prize in literature and secretary for the

Mexican embassy in India, or F. Alberoni, an Italian author of various best

sellers, i.e. La morale, and an eminent psychologist, wrote both of them

against the Bhagavad-gita's morality. Krishna is advising His devotee to

overcome sentiments and compassion for his kinsmen since the body is just a

bag of bile, mucus and air. Duty is the highest achievement, and surrender

to God, an encouragement for an egoistic salvation. The caste system is the

result. These are some of their contentions.

 

Although the non-devotee emphasis on morality can be severely decried, it is

the standard codes implemented almost all over the world. In your

presentation a proposition, which could replace theirs, would have been very

much appreciated. To have an impact on society we must show something. It

cannot be only ideal, or transcendental, but down to earth. "One who

perfectly understands the truth of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna's divine love" is

very rare and is not concerned with morality. Still, for the masses,

devotees should offer a practical example, and then it will be fully

justified to deny the radical moralists. Just like democracy, if we don't

like it, then let's offer to the world a microcosm of our taste. I mean, in

many aspects we are following the morality established by Westerners. They

may be whatever they are, the system functions to the point that we will not

change it for something else. Not for an Indian system, or an ISKCON system,

or the indefinite one you are alluding to.

 

When you conclude: "One who perfectly understands the truth of Sri Sri

Radha-Krishna's divine love […] is the perfect moralist. Moving in absolute

harmony with the will of God, such a person […] is the standard of

goodness", I wonder where are such personalities we are always referring to

and where is our practical standard of goodness we can display to the world?

I found the implications of not defining what morality is, by focusing on

transcendental objective only, potentially as detrimental as the cornerstone

like morality of non-devotees. Just see the Bauls' or the sahajyas' farce.

When questioning the moralists thus: "Yet such an argument presupposes that

some form of moral life is necessarily desirable. But is it actually so?" do

you mean that we can create a vaisnava government without stressing "some

form of moral life?" Recently, one ex-member of ISKCON, who rejected the

authority of Srila Prabhupada, his guru, and took initiation from Lalita

Prasad Thakur, approached me. He wrote a book on Rupa manjari's pastimes by

Rupa Goswami. When he saw my hesitation for such literature, he tried to

correct my vision. He is a pundit who teaches Sanskrit at Mc Gill

University. So, he told me that to be absorbed in such higher pastimes is

the main topic of Caitanya Caritamrita. Logic, philosophy, (and certainly

morality) are of smaller consideration for us, prosaic. If that was true, I

will just have enjoyed his association. Although we are both Krsna devotees,

both chanting Hare Krsna, we live in two different mental worlds. You see,

he has rejected Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and still he comes

to see Prabhupada's disciples to tell them how they should practice their

devotional life. This is just one example of an infinity of such incidents

that a society of devotees may experience. In fact, we are already facing

serious dilemmas due to our immaturity. To help cope with the difficulties,

we need a practical and efficient system that proves it works. That is the

reason for some to see an urgent need of a constitution. No doubt, it is not

the solution, but it will certainly help. This is why morality has such

importance in the eyes of thinkers. We judge a tree by its fruits. Example

is better than precepts. We have the best philosophy, therefore let us point

out to non-devotees, what is more efficient than democracy, morality or the

system they put together for assuring a peaceful world. It is certainly very

edifying to preach to each other that we are the best, but we must wonder

why we don't have a much greater influence on the world. We are proud of

distributing so many books, but let's ask ourselves the reason for the

intelligent class of men and women not referring to them? The vaisnava

philosophy is the king of knowledge; but most people couldn't care less.

Why? In my opinion, it is a question of marketing, a question of strategy. A

preaching psychology is lacking. A more materialistic dialectic, with logic

and morality will help. You wrote: "Furthermore, the Vaishnava's goal is

indeed attainable; […] It is not at all lacking in practicality, however." I

am thirsty for a demonstration. In the BTG (Feb. 99), Srila Prabhupada

speaks out: " So with Krsna acknowledged and a truly Krsna conscious

authority in charge, there will be no more need for revolution, because that

will be the ultimate peaceful condition." I see why "the sharp moralists"

denounce us as utopists. To this they will simply reply that even if such a

government was possible, there will always be an opposition, there will

always be dissatisfied individuals, and demons, and prostitutes; even during

the time of Krishna, they existed." The Syamantaka jewel in Krsna book is an

example. Well, let's put it this way; here Srila Prabhupada is talking about

an ideal kingdom. And when in another BTG's he stresses the stupidity in

making plans, he is teaching us to completely depend on Krsna. But how can

we systematically preach this to the world without nuances? Where is the

devotee who can accomplish anything substantial without making any plans?

Vaisnavas have a transcendental vision, we must nevertheless accommodate it

so that it harmonizes with the paradigm we live in. Don't we say: enter like

a needle and come out like a plough? You wrote: "Ironically, those sharp

moralists who view their morality as an end in itself, often find the

transcendental objective impractical, pessimistic, and useless to society."

This is the real challenge for devotees: to give to the moralists a proof

that we can conciliate the contradiction of this world; that is minimizing

chaos and living a decent life while focusing on transcendental objects. To

turn off from material inclination, a higher taste must be experienced. A

child will abandon his toy for a better one.

 

Sorry if I repeat myself, but chanting Hare Krsna only is not the answer, it

is part of it. You can have a hundred devotees chanting Hare Krsna and still

fight to death with each other because of differences. It is one thing to

talk exclusive transcendence, it is another to engage the world in Krsna

consciousness. Therefore an "uttama adhikari" comes "down to earth"; to a

practical platform. A balance should be offered to the masses between

spiritual and material, the soul and the body, pure and impure, black and

white. Thank you for your patience.

Your's, Akhilesvara dasa.