Non-Sectarian Vaisnava-Dharma

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Non-Sectarian Vaisnava-Dharma

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

 

"Those who are unwilling to show any duplicity, wish to be frank and

straightforward, or in other words to exercise unambigiously the function of

the soul, such really sincere persons are called sectarian and orthodox by

those who practice duplicity. We will cultivate the society only of those

who are straightforward. We will not keep company with any person who is not

so. We must by all means avoid bad company. We are advised to keep at a

distance of a hundred cubits from animals of the horned species. We should

observe the same caution in regard to all insincere persons."

 

Non-Sectarian Vaisnava-Dharma

By Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the nature of sectarianism from the

introduction to the Sri Krsna Samhita:

 

The people of India and other countries may be divided into two categories-

the asslike and the swanlike. Of these two, the asslike are in the majority.

The swanlike are in the minority. Swanlike people abstract the purport of

the scriptures for their own advancement and thus benefit themselves...

 

Everyone has the right to discuss spiritual topics. Yet people are divided

into three categories according to their qualifications. Those who do not

posses independent power of discrimination are in the first category and are

called neophytes, or those with soft faith. They have no alternative to

faith. If they do not accept whatever the compilers of the scriptures write

as the order of the Lord, then they fall down. They are qualified only for

understanding the gross meanings of the science of Krsna; they have no

qualification for understanding the subtle meanings. Until they gradually

advance by good association and instruction, they should try to advance

under the shelter of faith. Those who have not yet succeeded in connecting

faith with argument are second grade persons, or madhyama-adhikaris. And

those who are expert in connecting these two are perfect in all respects.

They are able to attain perfection by utilizing material resources in their

independent endeavors. They are called topmost persons, or

uttama-adhikaris...

 

Sectarianism is a natural byproduct of the Absolute Truth. When acaryas

first ascertain and instruct the Truth, it is not polluted with

sectarianism. But the rules and regulations received through disciplic

succession regarding the goal and the method of achieving it are changed in

due course of time according to the mentality and locale of the people. A

rule that is followed by one society is not necessarily accepted in another

society. That is why one community is different from another. As a community

gradually develops more respect for its own standards, it develops hatred

towards other communities and considers their standards inferior. These

sectarian symptoms are seen in all countries since time immemorial. This is

prominent amongst neophytes and found to some extent amongst

madhyama-adhikaris. Amongst uttama-adhikaris, however, there is no trace of

sectarianism. Adherence to a particular standart is the prominent symptom of

a society. There are three types of standards-alocakagata, alocanagata, and

alocyagata. Alocakagata is when sectarianists accept some external signs.

Examples of alocakagata are tilaka, neck beads, saffron robes, and the

baptism that is practiced abroad.

 

The different activities practiced in the process of worship are called

alocanagata. Examples of alocanagata are sacrifices, austerities, fire

sacrifices, vows, studying scriptures, deity worship, constructing temples,

respecting the purity of various trees and rivers, dressing like sannyasis,

acting like acaryas, dressing like brahmacaris or grhasthas, closing one s

eyes, respecting particular types of books, rules and regulations in eating,

and respecting the purity of particular times and places. The examples of

alocyagata are attributing personalism or impersonalism on the Supreme Lord,

installing deities, exhibiting the mood of an incarnation of the Lord,

speculating on heaven and hell, and describing the future destination of the

soul. The different forms of these spiritual activities create divisions of

sectarianism.

 

Differences that arise from places, times, languages, behaviors, foods,

dresses, and natures of various communities are incorporated within people s

spiritual practices and gradually make one community so completely different

from another community that even the consideration that everyone is a human

being may cease to exist. Due to these differences there is disagreement,

cessation of social intercourse, and fighting, even up to the point of

killing one another. When an asslike mentality becomes prominent within the

kanistha-adhikaris, they certainly indulge in these things. But if they

develop a swanlike mentality, then they do not take part in quarrels;

rather, they endeavor to attain a higher level. Madhyama-adhikaris do not

quarrel so much about external standards, but they are always attacked by

philosophical disagreements. Sometimes they condemn the standards of

neophytes and establish their own standards as superior. They condemn the

neophytes deity worship in order to establish the worshipable Lord as

formless. In such cases, they are also considered asslike people. Otherwise,

if they had a swanlike mentality and a desire to attain a higher level, they

would respect others practices and inquire about higher topics.

Contradictions actually arise only due to asslike mentality. Swanlike

persons consider the necessity for different practices according to one‘s

qualification, so they are naturally detached from sectarian quarrels. In

this regard, it should be understood that both asslike and swanlike people

are found amongst the kanistha-adhikaris and madhyama-adhikaris. I do not

expect that asslike people will accept this book with respect. If neophytes

and madhyama-adhikaris become completely indifferent in regard to the

contradictions found in various practices and try to advance further, then

they become swanlike persons. Then they are our respectable and dear

friends. Although swanlike personalities may accept a particular practice

from birth or childhood according to instructions they have received, they

nevertheless remain indifferent and nonsectarian.

 

The religious principles that will be explained and established in this book

are very difficult to name. If these principles are given a particular

sectarian name, then other sects will oppose them. Srimad Bhagavatam has

therefore extablished sanatana-dharma as satvata-dharma, or religious

principles related with the Absolute Truth. Another name for these religious

principles is Vaisnava-dharma. Asslike Vaisnavas fall into the categories of

Saktas (followers of Durga), Sauras (followers of the sun-god), Ganapatyas

(followers of Ganesa), Saivites (followers of Siva), and Vaisnavas

(followers of Visnu). But swanlike Vaisnavas are nonsectarian and,

therefore, rare. These five types of above-mentioned spiritualists, as found

in India, are named according to their respective qualifications. Human

beings have two types of tendencies-arthic, or material, and paramarthic, or

spiritual. Material tendencies include maintaining the body, constructing a

house, marrying, begetting children, studying, earning wealth, material

science, factory work, acquiring and maintaining assets, and accumulating

piety. Although there are some similarities between the activities of human

and animals, the material endeavors of humans are nevertheless superior to

the natural tendencies of animals. If after executing their material

activities human beings do not take shelter of their constitutional

activities, then they are called two-legged animals.

 

The constitutional activities of a pure soul are called sva-dharma, or one s

prescribed activities. The sva-dharma of a living entity is prominently

manifested in his pure state of existence. In one s pure state of existence

this sva-dharma is present in the form of spiritual activities. All the

above-mentioned material tendencies become succesful when dovetailed with

spiritulal activities, otherwise they cannot independently help one attain

the highest goal. From engagement in material activities up to the awakening

of spiritual activities is called the preliminary stage of God

consciousness. From this preliminary stage up to the uttama-adhikari stage

there are innumerable levels. Inquiring about truth of the material world is

called Sakta-dharma, because the predominating deity of the material world

is goddess Durga.

 

All behavior and practice instructed in Sakta-dharma is helpful only in the

preliminary stage. Such behavior and practice is meant to bring one closer

to spiritual life, and materialistic people may be attracted by this only

until they begin to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth. Sakta-dharma

is the living entities initial spiritual endeavor, and it is extremely

essential for people of that level. When the preliminary stage is further

strengthened, one attains the next level. One then considers the energy of

work and the superiority of heat over dull matter, and one therefore accepts

the sun-god, who is the source of heat, as one s worshipable deity. At that

time, Saura-dharma is awakened. Later, when one considers even heat as dull

matter and animal consciousness as superior, one attains the third stage,

Ganapatya-dharma. In the fourth gross stage, Lord Siva is worshiped as the

pure consciousness of the living entities, and Saiva-dharma manifests. In

the fifth stage, the consciousness of the living entity worships the supreme

consciousness, and thus Vaisnava-dharma is manifest. By nature, there are

five types of paramarthic dharmas, or spiritual duties, which have been

known throughout the world by different names at different times. If one

considers all the different dharmas that are current in India and abroad,

one can see that they certainly fall within these five categories.

 

The religious principles taught by Mohammed and Jesus Christ are similar to

the religious principles thaught by Vaisnava sects. Buddhism and Jainism are

similar to Saiva-dharma. This is scientific consideration of truths

regarding religious principles. Those who consider their own religious

principles as real dharma and others religious principles as irreligion or

subreligion are unable to ascertain the truth due to being influenced by

prejudice. Actually religious principles followed by people in general are

different only due to the different qualifications of the practitioners, but

the constitutional religious principles of all living entities are one. It

is not proper for swanlike persons to reject the religious principles that

people in general follow according to their situation. Therefore, with due

respect to the religious principles followed by people in general, we will

now discuss the living entities constitutional religious principles.

 

Satvata-dharma, or nonsectarian Vaisnava-dharma, is the living entities

constitutional, or eternal, religious principles. The Vaisnava principles

that are found in the Mayavada-sampradaya are only indirect imitations of

those principles. When such sectarian Vaisnava principles become

transcendental, that is, when they are freed from impersonalism, then they

become Satvata-dharma, or religious principles related with the Supreme

Truth. The different sampradayas, namely dvaita (dualism) dvaitadvaita

(simultaneous oneness and difference), suddhadvaita ( purified oneness), and

visistadvaita (specific monism) that are found in satvata-dharma are nothing

but wonderful varieties of sentiments within the Vaisnava science. Actually

the various sampradayas are not the result of differences in the basic

truth. Impersonalism is diametrically opposite to the science of bhakti.

Those Vaisnavas who have accepted impersonalism are not pure Vaisnavas.