== WHO IS DADA & DIDI ==
Note: This entire letter concerns the current status of certain overseas
so-called family acaryas and tattvikas who are suffering from the
psychic disease of superiority complex. Those of us living in overseas
sectors see that this problem is mounting.
Namaskar,
Throughout the ages one or another class or caste has tried to
establish their greatness and superiority by making others feel lower or
lowly in order to exploit them. And still today this is continuing. That
is why Baba openly condemns this crooked policy: In order to make
everyone alert and to build up one neo-humanistic society.
Even then this contagious disease of superiority complex has spread
throughout our vast margii family, and many suffering from this syndrome
are our overseas so-called family acaryas.
First of all, although unworthy of getting a family acaryaship in the
true sense of the term, such overseas opportunists got their fake title
by bootlicking groupist factional heads. And now they are bragging about
their status wherever they go. We can see this happening all around.
Had they been true acaryas they would not have fallen into this
predicament nor suffered from this complex. It is just like when beggars
get a couple rupees they parade around and want to show off that they
are rich; whereas extremely rich persons do not prance about and brag
about their wealth.
And of course the ultimate example is that Parama Purusa never brags
about His greatness rather He remains invisible and lets other crazy
persons brag about themselves.
So these so-called family acaryas in our overseas sectors fall into this
latter category and are following this crude tactic: To lift oneself
upwards by trying to impose an inferiority complex upon others in order
to exploit them. They want to show that they are great and others are
lowly. In reality, this is the root cause of nearly every social
disparity. And this fact Baba has revealed in numerous discourses. And
it is a shame that it has entered our "family-acarya" ranks.
ALL ARE EQUAL IN OUR AM SOCIETY-- AND OUTSIDE AS WELL
Of course, everyone in AM is well aware that Baba has descended onto
this earth to smash all the barriers and complexes and form one human
society-- where everyone is deserving of equal love and respect.
Baba says, "All the beings of this universe are the kith and kin of one
another...All are equally respectable and entitled to equal love and
affection..." (A. Va'nii #58)
So in our universal human family no one is high and no one is low-- all
are brother and sister under Baba's divine shelter.
In any family irrespective of their merits or qualities everyone is
family member. And they never brag about their greatness inside the house.
In her professional life a mother may be the Governor-General of the
state province and the children may be just little infant. But the
mother never brags and exploits her children on the point of her high
post or great position in the society. Rather she loves the whole family
and all are equal.
Similarly in AM irrespective of one's social status, all relations are
that of brother and sister. Retreats and seminars are the coming
together of our vast AM family. And these retreats/seminars should not
turn into military base operations or police barracks where the
atmosphere is dominated by commanders, juniors, and seniors and any and
all semblance of family feeling is totally absent-- gone.
Nor should our AM family become like one obscene royal palace where
there are a few who are decorated members of the royal family and
everyone else is a lowly servant. In that imbalanced situation all live
together but the relation is that of master and slave-- king and pawn.
These types of outdated and exploitative mentalities should not be
encouraged in our AM.
TRYING TO BOLSTER THEIR POSITION
Oddly enough, however, right now there is one segment of the population
within AMPS that is trying to get the upper hand on some of the others.
That is, certain overseas so-called family acaryas are pushing hard and
jockeying for position in order to place themselves permanently above
the common margii public. Because they know that on the basis of their
character and behavior they are not qualified that is why they are more
concerned to get prestige.
It is just like crude dogmatic Hindu priests who eat meat and drink
liquor: Their dealing is awful. But on the point of caste supremacy they
shamelessly extend their feet to the public and inspire others to revere
them by touching their feet to get their blessing. Because those priests
know that they are worthless and that nobody respects them. That is why
they create the situation of garnering respect through external
pressure. Similar is the case of these so called family acaryas.
First they know that they are not fit and that is why they are terribly
concerned and worried about getting recognised and having their
reputation. So they decorate themselves in foolish ways in order to show
off their new-found status. But you might not have heard that at public
gatherings Ac Candranathji wears some fancy tag on his chest that boldly
says "Dada Acarya Candranath". Rather by his conduct and simplicity all
are aware that he is a family acarya.
But in overseas sectors these fake family acaryas are putting tags and
name badges on their chest at every AM gathering and labeling themselves
as "Dada So and So" or "Didi such and such" etc. Because they want to
show off themselves and present themselves as being a notch above.
This is the unsightly phenomenon taking place these days: One can see it
at retreats, on the email, and just in regular affairs. Everywhere this
is apparent.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
In a nutshell, when these persons who purchased their fake family
acaryaships peep their face back in their home sector from "Training
Center", then immediately they want to distinguish themselves as being a
notch above the lay margiis. And one way they are imposing this social
disparity is that they are infusing the notion that all should address
them as 'Dada' or 'Didi'.
Because up till now, in the overseas sectors, the term 'Dada' and 'Didi'
is strictly related with WTs. In the 8 sectors outside India it is the
common presumption that 'Dada' and 'Didi' is a special title of respect
reserved for Wts. This is the general misunderstanding.
So now-- to encash on that-- the new arrival of so-called family acaryas
also wants in on the action. That is they are setting up the scene in
their home sectors that they should also get the special title of 'Dada'
or 'Didi'. That is half the equation. And the other half is that general
margiis are below the line, in the eyes of the so-called family acaryas.
By their distorted view, these so-called family acaryas silently insist
that common margiis cannot be called Dada or Didi. That is the unspoken
rule. And that is the inferiority complex being thrust in the face of
the general margii public.
REAL ANSWER: ALL ARE DADA AND DIDI
But the reality of the situation is that all in AM are Dada and Didi.
Because Dada and Didi simply means elder brother or revered sister etc.
It is a way to address each and every person.
That is why when moving about in India, then everyone is Dada and Didi.
Be they family margiis, family acaryas, single brothers, or wholetimers.
Everyone is commonly referred to as Dada or Didi, whichever the case may
be.
This is the spirit of those terms and that is the dharma of AM-- where
all are deserving of equal love and respect.
But now in the overseas sectors these so-called new family acaryas are
abducting and hijacking the term 'Dada' and 'Didi' and pinning it to
their own chest-- simultaneously making sure that no "undeserving
candidate" does the same. This is the imbalanced game and exploitative
maneuver that is commonly seen at overseas retreats.
But again this is nothing but the imposition of one dogma. Because in
reality and in spirit all in AM are Dada and Didi and no one need pin
this title on their chest. Rather in our neo-humanistic AM family where
everyone is brother and sister then all have this sublimely written on
their heart.
DO NOT LET THE DOGMA GET DEEPLY ROOTED
But the so-called overseas family acaryas are overtly trying to keep
this fact hidden. Because they want to boost up their own rear end. And
they want that they only should be called 'Dada' or 'Didi'-- and not any
regular margii.
It is just like someone whose grandfather was President of the country.
Then they want to refer to that fact to get respect and show themselves
as being better. Because based on their own merit or quality they are
unfit. So they go around telling everyone that their grandfather was
President of the country. Likewise now these so-called family acaryas
are doing the same thing. Trying to bolster their position by appointing
themselves as 'Dada' and 'Didi' and not letting anyone else have that
respect. That is the dogmatic ploy which overseas family acaryas are
concocting.
So it is important that this dogma be rooted out as quickly as possible
just like any dogma should be rooted out at the very beginning--
otherwise it will cause chaos and destruction over the long haul.
Baba says, "There should not be the least sprinkling of dogmas, because
this sort of philosophically-oriented dogma cumulatively increases the
distortions in the psychic world. These dogmas enter the human mind like
fine needles and come out like iron ploughs. If one tries to cast them
out, then the whole psychic structure is demolished. If a tender banyan
plant grows at one corner of a fine mansion, and if its growth is
unchecked for long, then that small plant develops into a gigantic tree,
and when one tries to tear it down, the entire mansion crumbles to the
earth." (NSS, Disc 14)
OVERCOMING THE SITUATION
To remedy the situation there are a few things which we can do:
(1) In overseas sectors let family margiis also be called Dada or Didi.
Over time let this become part of our natural expression where all are
Dada or Didi just like all are brother and sister. That is one remedy.
(2) We should always remember that our main goal is to form one human
society-all must come together with this feeling regardless of their
social status such as who is avadhuta or margii or family acarya etc.
Inside our AM family no one should brag about their social position. If
anyone tries to impose this crude notion they are superior then they are
going against the fundamental feeling of A'nanda Ma'rga where all are
part of the same universal family.
(3) Others should write in with their thoughts as well.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace and with our heart-felt compassion we will bring the entire humanity into one neo-humanistic flow where all feel cared for,
respected, and loved.
Baba says, "Marching ahead is jiivan dharma (the characteristic wont of
life). To march ahead, carrying all, viewing the world humanity as an
integral entity, is the principal aspect of jiivan dharma. Resolve
courageously to observe this jiivan dharma..." (A'nanda Va'nii, #43)
Namaskar,
Ishvara
Note 1: THE MEANING BEHIND SO-CALLED FAMILY ACARYAS
Throughout this letter we use the term 'so-called family acaryas'
because such overseas opportunists purchased their family acaryaships
either outrightly with their wealth or by bootlicking group leaders.
Tragically these overseas so-called family acaryas could not earn their
acaryaships in the proper manner; because in their personal life they
are not properly following AM teachings. So by their conduct they cannot
teaching anything. That is why they are not up to the standard of
acarya. Hence we refer to them as fake or so-called family acaryas.
Note 2: A WONDERFUL SYSTEM
As we all know Baba's family acarya system is an ideal component of AM
life. One of the great specialities of family acaryas is that they live
in a certain locale and can help the society grow and develop in their
specific area. They know the local language, understand well the
problems of the people, and are connected to that region. Thus family
acaryas are be a dynamic force for strengthening and broadening our AM
society. By this way we will see tremendous positive changes. So as
quickly as possible-- in the true sense of the term-- we should build up
the cadre of family acaryas.
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Three Afflictions
Baba says, "The jiiva experiences three types of suffering --
a'dhibhaotika, a'dhidaevika, and a'dhya'tmika. A'dhibhaotika suffering
is mundane, that is, it derives from shortages of food, clothing,
medicine, education, shelter, etc. If we change the structure of society
this misery will be ended. So we must do this, we should do this.
Regarding a'dhidaevika suffering -- if we prepare our minds through
sa'dhana', all the mental cares and worries that result from a defective
mental structure will come to an end. The feeling of separation [from
Parama Purusa] is a'dhya'tmika suffering. This can be eliminated by
spiritual sa'dhana', that is, by dhya'na, dha'ran'a', pra'n'a'ya'ma,
pratya'ha'ra, etc. (DKG, p. 25)
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