== KEEPING OUR CADRE ==
Namaskar,
In this present era when our organisational leadership is fractured and
many workers are not getting TP's or attending reporting, there is a lot
of freedom amongst our Wt's. Some are using this freedom for dharmic
purposes: Doing pracara and sadhana. And some are using this
freedom in another direction: Indulging in social violations etc.
Here is one point that we should all keep in mind in this present scene,
lest we move more of our respected acaryas.
ONE MAIN QUALIFICATION
According to Baba's teaching, monks are those who only maintain a link with
the universal family. They are not to have any connection with their unit
family whatsoever. Thus if anybody does not wish to leave his unit family
then he should not become a monk.
Although both family life and monk life are important in their own ways,
but one of the qualities of becoming a monk is that they must give up all
relations with their worldly family. Otherwise keeping the relation and
trying to become monk is just like burning wood under the water. Obviously
it is not possible.
What has been expressed above is not new to anyone, rather this is the
common longstanding belief and way of life in AM.
BABA'S RULES FOR AVADHUTAS
Indeed since long Baba has instituted such rules for Wts.
Baba says "One should not talk of one's family affairs." (Rule #28 of 37
Workers Rules)
Thus according to the Baba's conduct rule, avadhutas must not talk about
their worldly family. In the same spirit Baba has given another rule for
wholetimers. In "32 Rules for Avadhuta", Baba has put for the following rule.
Baba says, "No relationship should exist with worldly family." (Rule #9)
Thus for an avadhuta Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji is everything. Father,
mother, brother, sister all relations. However, not all are adhering to
Baba's guidelines and mandates.
In particular one long-time avadhuta has written useless tales of his
previous life-- from before he was avadhuta. Yet he is doing so using his
avadhuta name. So this is entirely wrong and against the principles of
being avadhuta.
AVADHUTA IS A RE-BIRTH
Because as we all know, according to our AM scripture, avadhuta means
new life. That is why a new name has been given. Thus becoming avadhuta is
like being re-born. Everything is new: New name, new uniform, new look, new
identification. Everything is entirely new. And one no longer has any link
with their old life. That is the real spirit of becoming avadhuta.
For example, suppose one beggar was a king in his previous life but now he
is a beggar. In that case being a beggar he cannot go back and tell the
queen that 'I am your husband so please accept me'. Because the history of
one's previous life has no meaning in this practical world.
In the same way, the life of an avadhuta is treated as a re-birth. And in
that case Baba Himself is the father, mother, everything. This is a very
lofty teaching of Baba which has great charm.
Unfortunately one or two have forgotten all these points. And they did just
opposite what the dharma of Avadhuta life is. Please read below how one
avadhuta has written worldly gossip in his own book about his former life
and his relation with his worldly family.
ABOUT DADAJI'S SPLENDID LAOKIKA FAMILY
Our avadhuta wrote:
"I also tried many jobs, each for a few months, including working as a
lawyer's investigator, a postman, a construction worker, a supermarket
clerk, and many varied jobs on a golf course." DADAJI'S BOYHOOD PET DOG
Our avadhuta wrote in his book:
"The most extraordinary member of our family was our dog, Judy, whom I once
calculated knew one hundred and fifteen words, responding to each of them
even when they were spoken in monotone. For example at the faintest mention
of the word 'bath', she would raise her ears and dive behind the sofa. Judy
once indicated to me that the best place for meditation was actually right
there, behind the sofa, where no one could disturb her, though I believe
she was joking." DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAMILY MARGIIS AND AVADHUTAS
Of course if such writing would have been done by a regular family person
then that would have been okay-- or at least it would not have been against
any social codes. Because family persons have a responsibility to maintain
a link with their laokika parents. But here with our Dadaji the case is
different because he is WT and not only that but in his book he is claiming
himself as the first westerner to become avadhuta yet in his book he is
breaking those very rules for being avadhuta. That is the central reason
why his writing is not at all acceptable because Baba does not approve any
relation with previous life by any avadhuta.
Even then his is not the only such case.
YET ANOTHER CASE
Because during a recent holiday season another of our avadhutas was happily
and openly indulging in a lengthy visit with his laokika family. Means this
next avadhuta was exclusively visiting with his laokika mother and his
laokika non-margii siblings like his brother and three sisters and their
spouses. And all together so many worldly and traditional things they were
doing. Like going out on the town and doing some shopping and seeing the
sights of pseudo-culture etc. Plus Dadaji is receiving tasty baked treats
and other goodies from his laokika relations just like students get when
their parents visit them at the college.
And not only that but this Dadaji made plans to celebrate Christmas day
with his mother and brother and exchange gifts under the tree, Santa Claus
style. So this was our Avadhuta's recent dealings with his laokika family.
And they are telling that Dada is enjoying so much the visit with his
worldly relations that he has made a pact that 'Since this time you all
have come see me then next year I will go see you'. So in this way again
Dadaji will visit all his mother and brother etc and exchange gifts and
sample delicious food tasty treats and indulge in all the holiday cheer
alongside his laokik family.
UNFORTUNATE TREND CONTINUES
And not some more recently released books have come where yet another
avadhuta is involved in explicitly talking and describing about his laokika
family. So this negative trend is forging ahead-- unfortunately as it
brings down the standard of our avadhutas and is a blatant violation of
Guru's teachings.
So when any avadhuta is writing about their laokika family relations as if
they were family persons then margiis should know about it. Because for
any avadhuta to do such things is a blunder and sin-- betrayal to Guru.
Because when Guru graciously takes the avadhuta oath from His workers then
where is scope for this type of behaviour by such avadhutas.
BABA'S BLESSING
Let us also remember that above all Baba's grace is with us and Baba's
blessing is always showering upon us.
Baba says, "Victory will be yours.. nothing can be suppressed...This
factuality is as glazy, as graceful, as glamorous and as colourful as the
rising crimson sun in the eastern horizon." (Prout-15)
Namaskar,
Pavitra
Note 1: REBIRTH OF THE AVADHUTA: NO CONNECTION TO PAST
Here again it should be said that Avadhuta means new life or new
existence beause a new birth happens whereby one receives new name,a new
uniform, and a new identity. So when a person becomes an avadhuta then the
old personality is dead, nothing remains. That is the true Avt in real
sense-- otherwise if they are reverting back and engaging in their old life
then they are just fakes. Because talking about old things and using their
new avadhuta name is just hyposcrisy. So best if if no avadhuta should
write about their laokika family as it is unbecoming and against the spirit
of being avadhuta. But if they do engage in such lowly type of things then
at the very least they should use their old died out name.
Note 2: HIS BOOK IS HAS BECOME SUSPECT
With regards to the avadhuta who wrote about his laokika family and
their dog etc, he should announce to different media that this book should
be re-edited. And with the respect of WT conduct rules, he should take out
these above mentioned totally negative writings which goes against Baba's
teaching. Otherwise (a) innocent people in confused state will think that
our avadhutas must have relation with their worldly family; (b) If anybody
will read this very page and if they know about Baba's teaching then surely
they will form a negative opinion about our avadhutas on the whole; (c)
Whenever writing nothing should be written which goes against Baba's
teaching. Otherwise the entire purpose of the book is in question. When
obviously the purpose of writing was to project Baba's teaching but
unfortunately it is doing something else.
**************************************
Real Wealth:
One Should Ponder, Assimilate, and Practice
Parama Purusa BABA says, "Those who seek to attain the permanent cessation
of afflictions in their lives, have no other way than to follow this path
of sadhana. Imagine that a certain person had accumulated vast wealth due
to his life long's diligent labor. It may be that the person, in the days
of his prosperity, was a central figure in the society. But at the end of
his life he may suffered a wretched existence, bemoaning his losses in the
arid desert of his heart. The reason is that the person had an insatiable
thirst for material objects and never tried to identify his individual flow
with the cosmic flow. On the other hand, a person living in a thatched hut
may not forget Parama Purus'a even in the midst of abject poverty and never
deviates from the goal of his life. Such a person's life can never lose its
charm. Every dust particle of this earth will seem to be as sweet as honey
to him. Likewise, his existence will acquire the sweetness of honey."
(APH-4, pg 290)
**************************************
