GBC Endorses Ritvik By Mistake

[Guest guest]

GBC Endorses Ritvik By Mistake

by Madhu Pandit Das & Adridharan Das

 

Tucked away in this year's GBC resolutions are all the ingredients needed

for their inevitable future endorsement of the ritvik system. Obviously the

spiritually surcharged atmosphere of Sri Mayapur Dham had its effect, even

against the collective conscious will of ISKCON's highest ecclesiastical

body. These are the resolutions they passed:

 

" A siksa guru who gives the student formal initiation is called a diksa

guru. […] This pure transcendental knowledge, delivered without alteration,

uplifts the conditioned souls to the platform of devotional service and

cleanses sinful desires from their hearts. Such uplifting knowledge is

called divya jnana, and its transmission is called siksa. This divya jnana

is the principle active ingredient of diksa."

404 [ Vision and Goal] Definitions of Guru and Divya Jnana (1999 GBC

Resolutions)

 

" ISKCON's founder-acarya, Srila Prabhupada, is the preeminent and

compulsory siksa-guru for all vaisnavas (gurus and disciples) in the

Society, who may directly receive empowerment from him through allegiance to

his teachings. […]

… and those vaisnavas who elevate one to transcendence by their teachings

are also siksa guru.

[…] Because the transcendental knowledge which originates from Sri Krsna

comes to a devotee through his siksa gurus, he deeply reveres them as

confidential servants of Krsna (and worships them according to their

station)."

409. [Vision and Goal] Principles concerning various kinds of gurus (1999,

GBC Resolutions)

 

Prior to the above the GBC had already agreed that:

"b. Srila Prabhupada's instructions are the essential teachings for every

ISKCON devotee."

(Resolution 35, Founder-Acarya Statement, 1994)

 

>From the above statements we see the GBC fully accept, and have openly

admitted the following:

 

That Srila Prabhupada is everyone's pre-eminent compulsory siksa guru. (a)

That the siksa he gives is the essential siksa for every ISKCON devotee. (b)

That everyone in ISKCON gets empowered by receiving such siksa from Srila

Prabhupada Directly ©

That a siksa guru may give transcendental knowledge that elevates one to

transcendence (d)

That transcendental knowledge which uplifts the conditioned souls is called

Divya-Jnana (e)

That this divya-jnana is transmitted via siksa. (f)

That this Divya-Jnana is the principle active ingredient of diksa. (g)

That if the siksa guru gives 'formal' initiation, then he is the diksa guru.

(h)

 

This raises the following questions:

 

(1) Is Srila Prabhupada giving divya jnana to everyone in ISKCON?

(2) Is someone who transmits 'divya-jnana' transmitting diksa?

(3) Is the person who transmits 'divya-jnana' the diksa guru?

(4) Can Srila Prabhupada give us 'formal initiation'?

 

At this point any neutral person reading this can note the following:

 

If we can answer 'YES' to these question, then Srila Prabhupada is still

factually ISKCON's diksa Guru.

 

Further, if we can answer these questions using statements from the GBC,

then the case for Srila Prabhupada being our Diksa Guru, must be accepted by

the GBC.

 

Let's see how we do.

 

Question 1 -'Is Srila Prabhupada giving divya-jnana to everyone in ISKCON?'

 

By GBC statements (a), (d) and (f), we know that the above is at least

possible- since divya jnana is transmitted via siksa (statement f), and

Srila Prabhupada is everyone's compulsory siksa guru (statement a), and the

siksa guru may give elevatory transcendental knowledge (statement d), which

is the definition of divya-jnana (statement e).

 

Having seen that the above is at least possible in theory, we now need to

examine the siksa given by Srila Prabhupada. If it is of an 'elevatory

transcendental' quality, we know there is a match with the siksa required to

transmit divya-jnana. By statement (b) it would seem that this is indeed the

siksa given by Srila Prabhupada, since the siksa he gives is 'essential',

and is also the same 'essential' siksa being received by all members of

ISKCON, including all those who are his diksa disciples. The only way this

would not be so is if the 'essential siksa' given by Srila Prabhupada does

not constitute 'transcendental knowledge that uplifts conditioned souls'.

This however would be absurd, because how then can the siksa be 'essential',

and also how are the diksa disciples of Srila Prabhupada being 'uplifted'

and undergoing the process of diksa, since they are receiving only the same

essential siksa from Srila Prabhupada? (As well as being absurd, such an

objection would play into the hands of the certain Gaudiya Vaisnavas outside

ISKCON, who preach that even the Srila Prabhupada disciples must go outside

ISKCON to make real transcendental progress and receive 'higher knowledge'.)

 

The only other objection would be that the 'essential siksa' from Srila

Prabhupada, though given by Srila Prabhupada to every ISKCON devotee, has an

inbuilt mechanism, that allows it to lose its potency to be 'uplifting

transcendental knowledge', unless the recipients underwent a formal

initiation ceremony before November 14th,1977. In effect Srila Prabhupada's

books, tapes etc., would all be embedded with a magic switch, that would

mystically detect the initiation status and the time when the initiation

ceremony took place, of those receiving this siksa, and automatically

'switch off' its transcendental potency to those not formally initiated

before November 14th, 1977. For ease we can refer to this as the 'Diksa

Access Discrimination System' (D.A.D.S.). However since the GBC have NOT to

date stated (as far as we are aware) that such a D.A.D.S. mechanism is in

place when the siksa just happens to be from Srila Prabhupada, or indeed for

any siksa received, this objection can be rejected.

 

Further the lack of D.A.D.S. mechanism in the GBC's siddhanta should only be

expected, since by statement © they have already in any case admitted that

the transcendental siksa from Srila Prabhupada is received and empowers

every devotee in ISKCON Directly.

 

Thus by the GBC statements alone we can answer yes, to the above question -

Srila Prabhupada is giving divya-jnana to everyone in ISKCON.

 

Question 2 - 'Is transmission of Divya-Jnana transmitting Diksa?'

 

By GBC statement (g), divya-Jnana is the 'principle active ingredient' of

diksa. By simple definition it is hard to see how one could be receiving the

'principle active ingredient' of diksa but not be receiving diksa. To get

around this the GBC would in effect have to insert another clause like the

D.A.D.S. clause mentioned above, which re-defined Diksa so that the

'principle active ingredient of diksa' would NOT be enough to constitute

diksa, unless say something else, like 'formal initiation', had also been

received from Srila Prabhupada. This would be a -'Divya-jnana isn't Diksa

System' clause (D.I.D.S.). This D.I.D.S. clause would be different to the

D.A.D.S. clause in that the D.A.D.S. clause actually stops those who have

not received a formal initiation pre-77 from receiving divya-jnana. Here

what is being said is that without the 'formal initiation', the divya-jnana

is still received, but is not enough to constitute diksa - i.e. we have

'diksa-less divya-jnana'. We have already noted how such a proposition just

by definition would be absurd, since the 'principle active ingredient' of

diksa would be what constituted Diksa. However we will now go a step further

and show that even from Srila Prabhupada's teachings, there is no support

for the idea of 'diksa-less divya-jnana' - but rather Srila Prabhupada

teaches that Diksa IS defined primarily in terms of the transcendental

knowledge received.

 

"In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to

his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Visnu. This is the

purpose of diksa, or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure

knowledge of spiritual consciousness." (C.c. Madhya, 9.61, purport)

 

"Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by

which he becomes freed from all material contamination."

(C.c. Madhya, 4.111, purport)

 

"Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge

and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the

study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa."

(C.c. Madhya, 15.108, purport)

 

Thus again by the GBC statements alone we can answer yes, to the above

question - the transmission of divya-jnana would constitute the transmission

of diksa

 

3. Is the person responsible for the transmission of Divya-Jnana the

Diksa-Guru?

 

Due to the lack of either a D.A.D.S. or D.I.D.S. clause, we are left with

the fact that the person who is responsible for transmitting the 'principle

active ingredient of diksa' is transmitting diksa. And the person who is

responsible for giving us diksa, must be the diksa guru. And that person is

Srila Prabhupada., Indeed it would be hard to conjure up a situation whereby

someone is responsible for delivering diksa to us, and is not the diksa

guru.

 

It may be argued that Srila Prabhupada is not the only one who gives us

transcendental knowledge. That many others also participate in this process.

But since it is admitted by the GBC that the 'essential, pre-eminent' siksa

comes from Srila Prabhupada (statement b), and that only one Diksa Guru is

permitted (C:C Adi 1:35), then obviously out of all these personalities,

that person who is most responsible for transmitting the 'principle active

ingredient' of diksa', must be the Diksa Guru. It would not make sense to

exclude the person who is most (pre-eminent) responsible, in favour of one

who only plays a more minor part.

 

Thus again by GBC statements, we can answer yes to the above question, and

he who transmits the divya-jnana for everyone in ISKCON for as long as

ISKCON exists, is the diksa guru, and that that person can only be Srila

Prabhupada.

 

Question 4 - Can Srila Prabhupada Give us 'Formal Initiation'?

 

The GBC thought that they would have covered themselves from the above

possibilities arising by stating clearly that the diksa guru is he who

'gives formal initiation'. However as we have seen, that does not help them

unless they also insert a D.A.D.S. or D.I.D.S. clause so that they can make

sure that those who are were not formally initiated pre-77, are NOT

receiving the 'principle active ingredient of diksa', and hence diksa.

 

In any case even if a D.A.D.S. or D.I.D.S. clause was invented by the GBC it

would not matter, since the 'formal initiation' is not even essential for

Diksa:

 

"So anyway, from 1922 to 1933 practically I was not initiated, but I got the

impression of preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult. That I was thinking. And

that was the initiation by my Guru Maharaja."

(SP Lecture, 10/12/76, Hyderabad)

 

"Initiation is a formality. If you are serious, that is real initiation. My

touch is simply a formality. It is your determination, that is initiation."

(BTG, Search for the Divine)

 

"...disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated

officially. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion."

(SP Letter to Dinesh, 31/10/69)

 

"The chanting of Hare Krsna is our main business, that is real initiation.

And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator

is already there." (SP Letter to Tamal Krsna, 19/8/68)

 

"Well, initiation or no initiation, first thing is knowledge... knowledge.

Initiation is formality. Just like you go to a school for knowledge, and

admission is formality. That is not very important thing."

(SP Interview, 16/10/76, Chandigarh)

 

And even if the 'formal initiation' from Srila Prabhupada was necessary in

order to receive divya-jnana and hence diksa from Srila Prabhupada's, could

Srila Prabhupada give it?

 

The physical components of a formal initiation ceremony, do not require

Srila Prabhupada's physical involvement - as demonstrated by the July 9th

directive. Thus at least in theory there is no physical bar to Srila

Prabhupada giving 'formal initiation', and thus there is no reason why he

still can not do so even now, especially since he had already empowered

others to perform aspects of 'formal initiation' - including the acceptance

of disciples. Thus the GBC are trapped, in that having admitted that the

principle active ingredient of diksa is transmitted by Srila Prabhupada,

they have eliminated one of the main arguments usually given for needing a

'physical guru' - the need for knowledge via 'personal' enquiry etc. That

only leaves them with the least 'physically intensive' aspects - ceremonial

rituals and acceptance - neither of which require the physical presence of

the Guru, and indeed Srila Prabhupada ceased his involvement with these when

he set up a system requiring from him absolutely no physical ceremonial

input.

 

Thus to use 'formal initiation' as the obstacle to Srila Prabhupada giving

diksa would be the worst possible reason the GBC could choose, since:

 

a) The 'principle active ingredient' of diksa is already taken care of.

b) The 'formal initiation' is not in any case necessary for diksa.

c) The 'formal initation' does not require Srila Prabhupada's physical

presence, and indeed was the one thing for which he set up a formal process

to allow it to continue without his involvement.

 

Conclusion

 

It should be noted that even if the GBC were able to wangle out of their own

resolutions above so as to still deny Srila Prabhupada's diksa guru status

for ISKCON, still the content of the resolutions alone, are definitely not a

million miles away from the IRG position - compare for instance the GBC

resolutions above with the GBC Guru Tattva of 1978, when they established

the 11 zonal acharyas. This then presents us with the following dilemma:

 

Why is that the closer the GBC come to accepting IRG position, the more

they demonise and attack the IRG?

 

A clear example of this paradoxical madness of coming close to or accepting

our position but at the same time increasing the rhetoric against the IRG,

is exhibited by His Grace Ajamila Dasa Adhikari, one of the GBC's most

fervent supporters and also the most vocal angry and aggressive

'anti-ritvik'. He stated the following recently:

 

"True, Srila Prabhupada's books will impart divya jnana for the next 10,000

years and in that way Srila Prabhupada will be the predominent siskha guru

for all ISKCON Vaisnvasas."

(Ajamila Das, Com text 2293998, 6th May)

 

"From the absolute perspective physical contact is not required, we need

only to "follow the process" to get back to Godhead.

Diksa initiation formalises our connection with the parampara. But that

formality alone will not get us back to Godhead. Only by following the

process of chanting Hare Krishna offenselessly will one get back to

Godhead."

(His Grace Ajamila Dasa Adhikari, 22/5/99, Text COM:2336806)

 

Please note here how he states that 'physicality' is not necessary for going

back to godhead, and the Diksa initiation ceremony is only a 'formality'.

Please compare these statements with the quotes given above about diksa and

initiation, quoted from 'The Final Order', and again you will see how His

Grace Ajamila prabhu is not a million miles from the IRG position. Very

close infact. And yet Ajamila prabhu is the person who has been selected to

represent the GBC on the upcoming CHAKRA debate 'against' the 'ritviks' (and

is also a co-author of 'Prabhupada's Order', touted as the 'definitive

anti-ritvik' GBC paper), and also has said that "the personality of kali has

personally occupied the body of Adridharan Dasa, and is speaking through

him!"

 

Such confusion and madness, of almost agreeing with someone and at the same

time demonising them as much as possible, is only to be expected from having

continually disobeyed the order of Srila Prabhupada, even if by their own

words it would seem that they should have been following Srila Prabhupada's

order.

 

Thus in summary:

 

Srila Prabhupada is everyone's diksa guru in ISKCON for as long as ISKCON

exists - by order of the GBC!

 

We never thought we would end a paper by stating this, but it is a fact -

'game, set and match' to the GBC. Alas at least until next year, when the

GBC may change their siddhanta yet again, we are left with the fact that

according to the GBC, Srila Prabhupada is the Diksa Guru for everyone in

ISKCON.

 

Will they now expel themselves for preaching such 'deviant philosophy'?!!

 

If the GBC would now accept there own resolutions, just passed, we have a

perfect means to end the IRG court case, and then we can all work

co-operatively together to push on Srila Prabhupada's mission.

 

GBC ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

 

[ Please note that the above is the conclusion of accepting the GBC's own

resolutions, and what follows from accepting their resolution. The paper

above is not an exposition of the IRG position - but simply pointing out

that the conclusion of what the GBC are saying here would lead to the same

conclusion as the IRG - that Srila Prabhupada is the diksa guru for everyone

in ISKCON, for the duration of ISKCON.]

 

==================================

 

Please refer to the attached file for more clarity.