Ekabuddhi Prabhu's post

[Guest guest]

Hyprocrisy Disclaimer: I have not actually realized the ideas that follow,

as proven by my perpetual egotism, but Ekabuddhi Prabhu's post was inspiring,

so I wrote some things...

 

Ekabuddhi Prabhu's most recent message communicates very nicely the

essential, fundamental standard that anyone claiming to be "spiritual" or

"learned"

must fully embrace: have and show respect for others.

 

My husband likes to quote H.H. Radhanatha Maharaja saying, "We have become so

transcendental, we have transcended common decency."

 

There is something precarious about a person's position when, although

blessed with a particular opportunity or situation, that person has actually no

 

concept of the individual effort and sequence of steps necessary to attain that

 

position by himself. Common people become complacent, puffed-up, or fanatical.

 

(The rare soul actually realizes the mercy and is forever humble and steady.)

 

It seems to me that ISKCON has experienced this phenomenon. Although we have

been "given everything" from the parampara and our special relationship with

Srila Prabhupada, our personal or collective gains have not really come from

our own endeavor. The sastras say any advancement is simply Krishna's mercy.

It is not inevitable, an effect or a result. It is not do to us. It is

causeless. Krishna's mercy is causeless.

 

"Preaching" is just the word we all use and Srila Prabhupada used it. But

30-40 years later our world is different, our language is different, devotees

and non-devotees are different. Our words should reflect that change, and they

 

can evolve along with our mentalities.

 

What is our mentality? Is it "we are right, they are wrong", "we are good,

they are bad", "we are advanced, rare souls; they are demonic animals"...?

If I think I am right, good, advanced and rare - and that everyone else is

wrong, bad, demonic - how could I possible have a positive impact on anyone?

How

could I be truly happy in Krishna Consciousness?

 

What if we let our minds (and our words that follow it) embrace such concepts

as Helping, Sharing, Serving. Being useful! Utility is the principle.

(This is the least quoted of that set of axioms - is it because it's the least

understood, or it's perceived as the least relavant?) If we cultivate this

mentality of utility, we will allow ourselves permission to look at ourselves

with

a clear vision to see the faults, weakness, voids and vacuums in our indiviual

consciousness. This is the *only* way the community/institution of ISKCON

will be of benefit to ourselves or others. One self-help writer named Melody

Beattie implores us to take a *Fearless Moral Inventory" of ourselves. How can

 

we have integrity or influence when we don't even know ourselves? We have to

seek, sort out and discard our own subtle baggage before we can be of any good

use to others.

 

It's up to Krishna. But it's also up to us. We won't be ready to save the

world "when and if", if we are not willing to save ourselves from ourselves

first.