Guest guest Posted December 29, 1999 Report Share Posted December 29, 1999 > >> I humbly request anyone to kindly explain how this statement "The GBC > >> will not tolerate...preferential treatment given to male devotees in > >> any form" is in accord with the teachings of guru-sadhu-sastra. > > > The learned devotee sees with equal vision the brahmana, the cow, the > >elephant, the dog and the outcaste. (Bhagavad gita 5.18) > > etc, etc., etc., > > Here are some excerpts from the paper entitled Vaisnavism and Social > Responsibility which address this response. It is available for download > and online reading at the Dharmaksetra web site http://www.ghqd.org > > > 3.1.4 Real Equality > > Equality is possible only on the platform of the soul. This equality is > founded upon the qualitative and quantitative sameness of all jivas. > Nevertheless, no one should imagine that they have attained spiritual > perfection and thus discard these gender ethics. (388) While understanding > and realizing the fundamental nature of spiritual equality, no one should > disturb the different material roles and social positions prescribed by > sastra; they must be maintained. That is what Srila Prabhupada wanted. > (389) While living in this material world and acting through the agency of > these material bodies, there is simply no possibility for achieving > material equality nor should such a futile attempt be undertaken. > > So what does it mean that a brahmana sees with equal > vision--sama-darsanah? Would an honorable dinner guest be gratified if > asked to sit next to a dog? Should he be enlightened about the fundamental > reality of spiritual equality when he inevitably protests about his canine > dinner companion? > > "My dear sir, I assumed that you were a sama-darsi! Please don't see this > dog sitting next to you as a dog; see it as a spirit soul. This is the > equal vision of a sama-darsi. I am sorry that you have taken offense to > this seating arrangement but it is due to my seeing you and the dog as > equal. So as a learned man, please do not feel slighted." > > Would he be appeased? Certainly not! He would most justifiably feel > greatly insulted. There is simply no arguing that within the dog and > learned scholar are two equally spiritual souls. This is the sama-darsinah > or equal vision referred to by Lord Krsna. Yet, while the Lord explains > this equal vision-- which on one level eliminate the distinction between > men and women--he nonetheless discriminates against women when he says > strisu dustasu varsneya jayate varna-sankarah: "Polluted femininity > results in unwanted population." > > Those with immature realizations of Vedic truths see contradictions in the > Lord teachings. On the other hand, the mature transcendentalist > understands that spiritual vision-- sama-darsanah--does not preclude > physical discrimination. The sage's vision of a universal spiritual > equality is balanced with his practical conduct in the wake of the very > real and significant material diversities of this relative world. In fact, > in order to make spiritual progress, bodily discrimination must be made. > It is impossible to negate physical differences and any attempt to do so > is not only artificial, but also recklessly foolish. (390) > > Furthermore these artificial claims of equality expose the ever-present > poison of atheistic impersonalism. A knowledgeable man understands that > the world is not false. Although temporary, it is nevertheless a very real > manifestation of the Lord's external energy. The physical bodies of this > world and the unique limitations they impose upon all living entities > through the agency of the modes of nature are not imaginary conditions > foisted upon the living entity by some chauvinistic conspiracy--male or > otherwise. The material bodies are real but temporary; the limitations of > those bodies are real but temporary; and the yoga processes of freeing the > eternal soul from the confines of that corporeal prison are also very > real. And except for pure devotional service, the yoga processes are also > temporary activities. It is the atheistic demoniac mind that imagines this > world as unreal and thus promotes the artificial and degenerate concept of > social equality. > > 388 Srimad Bhagavatam 7.12.10 > 389 Arrival Lecture Philadelphia, July 11, 1975 > 390 Arrival Lecture Philadelphia, July 11, 1975 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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