Amnesty for sannyasis

[Guest guest]

> > The idea of these reforms is that to remain in the sannyasa asrama

> > would mean "goodbye" to positions & possessions.

>

> My reply:

> If somebody agrees to take sannyas, he knows that this is the asram of

> renunciation and is theoretically ready to give up possessions.

>

> Now, concerning position, Sannyasis are naturally the leaders of all

> asrams. So it is not because they will not be GBC anymore that they will

> loose their position. The position is linked with the proper renuncement

> behavior. So, if they genuinely take shelter of Krsna, they will always

> receive all honors from everyone and will always be invited to speak and

> give advice.

>

> But, instead of a formal manager post they will have the traditional

> informal position of spiritual authority for all asrams. In this way, they

> will have to always behave nicely if they want to be respected and this is

> the opposite of what is going on nowadays with some actual

> sannyasimanagers. Some do think they can do whatever they want because

> they are GBC until their death!

>

> This is a very dangerous position for our Movement, as the past has so

> sadly revealed, and a most insane thought seeing that they are not yet all

> free from the modes of nature.

>

> Respect has to be wan by integrity, in my humble opinion, and not imposed

> by managerial authority.

>

> What do you think, Prabhu?

 

 

For the last couple of decades of being in practice in ISCKON,

the acceptance of a sannyas order of life has not implied per se

also the acceptance of the life style that is most austere and

renounced in the sense that, yes, theoretically, we all know it is

supposed to be. Indeed, often it meant rather the opposite, the

position that provided the taker the privilege in regard to better

material facilities, both in term of more comfortable and materially

secured life style, and also in term of possibility to directly manage

and control the other classes of the society. The option of living

a simple and austere renounced life style is there, though, but just

as it is there for anybody else in ISCKON -- it's merely a matter of

one's personal preferences.

 

These circumstances has perhaps contributed to a sannyas order

of life becoming attractive also to those type of persons that

otherwise would not go for it. And there could be quite some.

Now, this proposals for the GBC restructure and reform of a

sannays asrama would be bringing about the positive expected

results on one side, but it would also bring some new conflicting

and painful situations. How to prevent (in whatever possible

extent) this later, is something to also think about in advance.

 

 

What I would like to see happening, is the demonstration of

increased honesty among the leading men in this movement. In this

case, honestly sticking to the sannyas asram as it ought to be

according to the sannyas sva-dharma, or honestly disconnecting

oneself from it in the case of its being against one's nature.

Both would be worthy of the utmost respect. I belive many of

ISCKON rank and file devotees aren't anymore that much concerned

about someone's external appearances such as carrying danda or

not, or about any other superficial "highness" anyway, but rather

about the expression of a genuine humility and honesty. That's all

what's left anyway, especially after everything that ISCKON has been

going through.

 

 

 

 

- mnd