== IN THIS FIGHT, BABA IS ON MY SIDE ==
Note: An important audio file that is highly related with this topic has
been uploaded to the AM-GLOBAL Blog:
(Reference the sound file on the left column titled, "Baba is on my side".)
Namaskar,
At present, our Marga is gripped in the throes of groupism - huge clash
has been going on for years.
Both parties are thinking that, "Baba is on my side and that I will be
victorious", and in that way they continue their fight.
Yet in His teaching from Purnea DMC (1971), Baba clearly warns that if
one engages in such crude battles for post and power then it means they
have fallen away from ideology, in which case they will lose Ista also.
That is the very real concern that all in our Marga should consider,
especially those of our brothers and sisters involved in the factional
fighting.
Everyone in AM loves Baba, but in this era of group clash we should all
take a moment to reflect on how far we are truly serving Ista and
adarsha, or giving way to factional interest.
BABA'S EXPLICIT TEACHING
At Purnea DMC in 1971, by His grace, Baba issued a dramatic teaching
that is highly applicable to the state of affairs these days in AMPS.
The original Hindi sound file from that Purnea DMC has been uploaded to
our blog. (Reference the sound file on the left column titled, "Baba is on my side".)
Baba says, "About thirty-five years ago [in 1936], a war was going on
between two countries, the citizens of which have the same religion
(Buddhist). When the soldiers went to war, their mothers used to pray to
Lord Buddha to save the lives of their respective sons. What will Lord
Buddha do? Save this man or that man? Both have the same “Is't'a,” but
both parties have totally forgotten their ideology. If they were
established in the ideology, they would not have gone to war." (SE)
In the above teaching, Baba is clearly stating that both Buddhist groups
lost their ideology. The proof being that the two camps went to war with
each other for their own petty gains - each praying to Buddha to gain
victory over the other. Thus, despite being followers of the same ista,
they began fighting for their own selfish agendas instead of following
the high ideals of Buddha.
Sound familiar?
What Baba has recounted in His above Purnea DMC teaching from 1971is
highly applicable to what is going on in our AMPS these days. All the
various camps in our Marga share the same Ista, but they have gone to
war with one another for their personal gain - thereby losing AM
ideology. That is Baba's explicit teaching. Because instead of adhering
to the neo-humanistic principles of Ananda Marga adarsha, such groups
have been swallowed up by their own groupist tactics - the race for
name, face, post, power & prestige.
Just as those Buddhist parties were praying to Buddha for their own
victory, nowadays in AMPS the various camps also believe "Baba is on my
side and therefore my camp shall be victorious". But when any party
strays from AM ideology, then how can such a party gain Baba's favour.
They cannot. Rather they are doomed to their own destiny.
Toady's fight is 100% about groupism and has nothing to do with
ideology. They are fighting over land, resources, post, power, money,
jagrtis, buildings. Their fight is cent-per-cent selfish. There is no
higher ideal in mind.
Due to their rigid adherence to their groupist battle plan - and not AM
adarsha - they have also forgotten Ista. Because when one's mind is
involved in self, self and self in the form of power and prestige, then
it is impossible to think of serving Ista. That is the stark irony of
today's groupist battles. They justify to themselves and others that,
"Baba is on my side", yet the tragedy is they have left AM ideology and
drifted from Him entirely.
That is the very sad and unfortunate state of affairs going on now in
our AMPS. I have deep love and respect for all in AM. Everyone has come
out of love for Baba. That is why it is so difficult to watch what is
going on now. Today is not the time to blame, but to awaken, realise,
and march side by side holding the flag of ideology.
What Baba warned us about in 1971 with those two Buddhist camps has now
become a living reality in 2009 in our Marga. The current clash in AM
has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with factional
power. Indeed this has been the running theme of our AMPS in this post
1990 era. Let us hope that things change soon by His grace.
WAS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS
We must recall that life in our Marga was not always like this.
Rather, in the past, all our struggles with outside elements were for
the establishment of AM ideology. By Baba's grace we fought and were
victorious over communists, Hindu fundamentalists, capitalists, and so
many other negative parties. But our fight with them was not at all
personal, it was for the spread of Baba's teachings: AM ideology. Thus
each struggle and subsequent victory led to the great establishment of
the Marga - the establishment of universal dharma.
However, there is not a shred of ideology or welfare in today's group
clash. There is not an ounce of dharma involved. Rather, day by day
ideology is on the wane as the flag of groupism reigns. This terrible
state spells the destruction of AM, if we are not careful and allow it
to continue.
THE MANIFESTATION OF CLASH
Today's group clash has been marked by killings, beatings, distortions,
thievery and the fight for resources and land. Avadhutas like
Abhipremannda have been killed - others have been maimed - jagritis have
been destroyed - and Ananda Marga has turned into a war zone. So much
destruction has occurred.
Yet all the while, the various group camps think that "Baba is on my
side and soon we will get victory." This is their contorted outlook. In
their heart they think it is true.
But now, by His grace we know what is true. Just as Baba points out how
the fight between the two Buddhist factions represented the demise of
ideology, we are witnessing the same misfortune nowadays in AM. The
group clash itself means the loss of ideology, and subsequently the loss
of ista as well. In that case the outcome of such groupist fighting is
beyond bleak.
Baba says, "Suppose somebody has no ideology in his life and for a
moment forgets his “Is't'a”, he will degrade. So the wise man will
always remember that he has to follow the ideology and more important,
the “Is't'a”." (SE)
Let us no longer think of such dark outcomes. Now is the day to once
again keep the banner of AM ideology flying high and end all groupist
squabbles.
ALL ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Please understand that this letter is not an attempt to condemn any
person or any party. Ours is a neo-humanistic mission and all are my own
brothers and sisters. I do not want to see either side win or lose - nor
blame anyone. Only the aim is to watch all come back under the banner of
AM ideology and once again become a follower of Ista.
All in our Marga have feeling for Ista and it is a shame that the clouds
of confusion have caused some to drift away. They feel they that they
are doing for Baba, but by the practical expression of their groupist
campaigns, it is plain as day that they have fallen from the path of
neo-humanism. They are thinking of the survival of their group, not
universal welfare.
THIS IS THE MAIN DISEASE
While there are many problems and issues in our Marga, this group clash
is the worst problem. It signifies the loss of ideology. So this is the
biggest issue - the most dangerous disease. For us, this group clash is
cancer. It kills.
In contrast, all those smaller issues and scandals like school
enrollments, press malfunctions, basic money issues etc are
comparatively small things. In comparison to the cancer of group fight
these problems are like cough and cold.
And again it should be repeated: The reason why the present group clash
is cancerous for us is that it represents the loss of ideology. That is
Baba's clear-cut message. In the face of group power struggles, ideology
is totally forgotten - and along with it Ista as well. Verily, without
adarsha and ista, our Marga is doomed, just inviting destruction.
The most pressing task at the moment then is to end this groupist
conflict. Not by creating a peace proposal and merging the various
camps, but rather by bringing AM ideology to the fore. When that is
done, our Marga will surely survive - and not just that but thrive.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, the call of dharma is being heard all around. Instead
of getting befooled by group factions that proclaim, "Baba is on my
side", when in fact their ways are utterly devoid of adarsha and ista,
true Ananda Margiis have set their sight on ideology. By that way, we
will sure to be victorious and build up a bright new Marga, by His grace.
Baba says, " O human beings! be established in the radiance of divinity
and the splendour of valour and chivalry, because yours is the path of
revolution. Your path is not the path of extra caution and scheduled
movement. You are the traveller of a rugged path. You are travellers of
an impregnable path. You have to march ahead proudly with the flag of
Marga upright. You have no time to stagger or to look behind." (SS-1)
Namaskar,
Sudhakar
Note: FURTHER READING
For further reading about the nature and root cause of today's group
clash, please reference these below letters.
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2008/05/belief-baba-is-on-my-side.html
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2007/06/dreamland-i-follow-dharma-part-ii.html
http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/11/kaurava-pandava-dogma.html
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Colourful Future
Baba says, "As life becomes increasingly easy, there will be greater
opportunities for intellectual pursuits. A day will come when there will
be hardly any need for human beings to work. This may sound strange
today and perhaps we might not like to hear such a thing, but that day
will surely come. Physicality will be transformed into more and more
intellectuality, and intellectuality will be transformed into the
culminating point of spirituality." (PNS-17, p.36)
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