Date: 13 Sun Feb 2011 05:38:29 -0000
From: "Manoj"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: DMS News #7: Birth of One New Dogma
Baba
== DMS NEWS #7: BIRTH OF ONE NEW DOGMA ==
Namaskar,
This following first-hand account details one new dogma that took birth at last month's January 2011 DMS in Ananda Nagar.
* * * *
When I went to the meditation hall in Baba's Quarter on 1st January 2011, I thought I saw some coins thrown by some sadhakas just below the cot on which Baba's photo was placed.
From a distance, I doubted what I saw so I stepped closer and went to the front side. Then I confirmed that it was indeed a coin. Upon further investigation I found that some margiis were throwing coins and rupees just in front of Baba's photo. Those coins were landing at the same spot where the flowers, pots with coconuts and candles (pradiipa) were placed as decoration. All these coins were tossed just below the cot upon which Baba's photo was placed.
Upon further investigation, it become clear that people were doing this in hopes of getting their selfish desires and requests fulfilled. They were essentially bribing Parama Purusa. In exchange of their monetary offering, they were seeking a daughter's marriage, victory in their court case, getting their enemies destroyed, or a job promotion etc. These were some of the selfish requests they wanted fulfilled by dropping money in front of Baba's photo.
Of course all those in-charges knew this was dogmatic, but because this offering was generating income, such Dadas were not telling them to stop.
I even asked one Dada about this and he said, "Yes, some might have done this." But he did not say anything further.
However, many of us felt that an announcement should have been made this act of dropping coins by Baba's photo was not good. Then margiis - new or old etc - would have gotten the message not to toss coins by Baba's photo.
Instead those in-charges put this coin tossing dogma on open display by letting it continue. By that way more and more began to partake in this dogmatic manner. That was the lesson put forth: Others are doing and you can too.
And again, why was it allowed to be continued? Because ultimately there was an economic benefit involved. The more who participated increased the amount of money those Dadas will get. What else can be the reason why such Dadas did not openly denounce this dogmatic offering from the very beginning.
Of course every rational margiis knows that this type of (crude) offering - i.e. arcana - is an exact copy of the Hindu dogma - about which Baba has instructed us not to follow. Yet that is what I personally saw going on at last month's DMS program at Ananda Nagar.
* * * *
BABA'S TEACHINGS ON ARCANA
Here are a few of Baba's teachings on this topic.
(1) In this first below guideline, Baba clearly tells us that offering money at His photo has nothing to do with devotion.
Baba says, 'Bhakti cannot be identified with árcaná either, which means to worship the deity with flowers, leaves, [holy] water or other articles [like money]." (Ananda Vacanamrtam, Part 33)
(2) Then in Ananda Sutram Baba warns us that those who ask for their selfish interests to be fulfilled by giving money to Parama Purusa are merely indulging in useless prayers.
3-11: Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam.
[Prayer and ritualistic worship become a source of confusion.]
Purport: It is useless to pray to God for something, for He is sure to give what is necessary. Solicitation or importunity in the name of worship is nothing but toadyism and flattery." (Ananda Sutram, 3-11)
Baba's teaching is that Parama Purusa will do what is required for the proper development of each and every person, so to ask for something - when He already knows what is best for you - is just one defective manner and undermines one's relation with Parama Purusa.
(3) Next Baba differentiates between selfish and selfless puja. Clearly that type of puja where money is offered is nothing but arcana, i.e. that puja done with "selfish motive and external paraphernalia".
Baba says, "Now, what is pu´ja´ or pu´jana? When a person, with or without any selfish motive, offers his or her deep reverence to an entity with undivided concentration, with or without external paraphernalia such as flowers, bel leaves, sandalwood paste, Ganges water, basil, bananas, rice, etc., that is called pu´ja´ or pu´jana. And the type of worship which is performed with selfish motive and external paraphernalia is called arca´ or arcana´. The type of worship which is performed with or without selfish motive, but certainly without any specific external paraphernalia, is called pra´rthana´. And the special type of pu´ja´ which is performed without any selfish motive or external paraphernalia is called Brahmasadbha´va [ideation of Brahma]." Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
(4) Here below Baba points out that those who pray to God to give them a job promotion or a husband for their daughter actually send the message to Parama Purusa that He is not fulfilling His duties properly and has forgotten what a person needs. That is what is implied by asking something of Parama Purusa - one is blaming God for failing to do the needful.
Baba says, "Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences." (Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy)
REFLECTION
Tragically the scene of giving money at DMS was nothing but a dogmatic case of arcana, i.e. praying and bribing Parama Purusa with external objects (i.e. money) in order to get His favour and one's selfish desires met. This type of offering is just dogma and has nothing to do with devotion. It is shameful that out of greed certain Dadas allowed this act to go on at our very own DMS gatherings. That is the new dogma that took birth.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
Here Baba clearly tells us what we should offer to Parama Purusa. We are to offer our own selves - i.e. our minds, not external objects like money.
Baba says, "“Tava dravyaḿ Jagatguro Tubhyameva samarpaye.” “Everything of mine, along with my mind, is offered at Your altar. Please oblige and accept it.” (Ananda Vacanamrtam, part 3)
Namaskar,
Manoj
From: "Manoj"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: DMS News #7: Birth of One New Dogma
Baba
== DMS NEWS #7: BIRTH OF ONE NEW DOGMA ==
Namaskar,
This following first-hand account details one new dogma that took birth at last month's January 2011 DMS in Ananda Nagar.
* * * *
When I went to the meditation hall in Baba's Quarter on 1st January 2011, I thought I saw some coins thrown by some sadhakas just below the cot on which Baba's photo was placed.
From a distance, I doubted what I saw so I stepped closer and went to the front side. Then I confirmed that it was indeed a coin. Upon further investigation I found that some margiis were throwing coins and rupees just in front of Baba's photo. Those coins were landing at the same spot where the flowers, pots with coconuts and candles (pradiipa) were placed as decoration. All these coins were tossed just below the cot upon which Baba's photo was placed.
Upon further investigation, it become clear that people were doing this in hopes of getting their selfish desires and requests fulfilled. They were essentially bribing Parama Purusa. In exchange of their monetary offering, they were seeking a daughter's marriage, victory in their court case, getting their enemies destroyed, or a job promotion etc. These were some of the selfish requests they wanted fulfilled by dropping money in front of Baba's photo.
Of course all those in-charges knew this was dogmatic, but because this offering was generating income, such Dadas were not telling them to stop.
I even asked one Dada about this and he said, "Yes, some might have done this." But he did not say anything further.
However, many of us felt that an announcement should have been made this act of dropping coins by Baba's photo was not good. Then margiis - new or old etc - would have gotten the message not to toss coins by Baba's photo.
Instead those in-charges put this coin tossing dogma on open display by letting it continue. By that way more and more began to partake in this dogmatic manner. That was the lesson put forth: Others are doing and you can too.
And again, why was it allowed to be continued? Because ultimately there was an economic benefit involved. The more who participated increased the amount of money those Dadas will get. What else can be the reason why such Dadas did not openly denounce this dogmatic offering from the very beginning.
Of course every rational margiis knows that this type of (crude) offering - i.e. arcana - is an exact copy of the Hindu dogma - about which Baba has instructed us not to follow. Yet that is what I personally saw going on at last month's DMS program at Ananda Nagar.
* * * *
BABA'S TEACHINGS ON ARCANA
Here are a few of Baba's teachings on this topic.
(1) In this first below guideline, Baba clearly tells us that offering money at His photo has nothing to do with devotion.
Baba says, 'Bhakti cannot be identified with árcaná either, which means to worship the deity with flowers, leaves, [holy] water or other articles [like money]." (Ananda Vacanamrtam, Part 33)
(2) Then in Ananda Sutram Baba warns us that those who ask for their selfish interests to be fulfilled by giving money to Parama Purusa are merely indulging in useless prayers.
3-11: Prárthanárcaná mátraeva bhramamúlam.
[Prayer and ritualistic worship become a source of confusion.]
Purport: It is useless to pray to God for something, for He is sure to give what is necessary. Solicitation or importunity in the name of worship is nothing but toadyism and flattery." (Ananda Sutram, 3-11)
Baba's teaching is that Parama Purusa will do what is required for the proper development of each and every person, so to ask for something - when He already knows what is best for you - is just one defective manner and undermines one's relation with Parama Purusa.
(3) Next Baba differentiates between selfish and selfless puja. Clearly that type of puja where money is offered is nothing but arcana, i.e. that puja done with "selfish motive and external paraphernalia".
Baba says, "Now, what is pu´ja´ or pu´jana? When a person, with or without any selfish motive, offers his or her deep reverence to an entity with undivided concentration, with or without external paraphernalia such as flowers, bel leaves, sandalwood paste, Ganges water, basil, bananas, rice, etc., that is called pu´ja´ or pu´jana. And the type of worship which is performed with selfish motive and external paraphernalia is called arca´ or arcana´. The type of worship which is performed with or without selfish motive, but certainly without any specific external paraphernalia, is called pra´rthana´. And the special type of pu´ja´ which is performed without any selfish motive or external paraphernalia is called Brahmasadbha´va [ideation of Brahma]." Shiva's Teachings – 2 (continued) (Discourse 14)
(4) Here below Baba points out that those who pray to God to give them a job promotion or a husband for their daughter actually send the message to Parama Purusa that He is not fulfilling His duties properly and has forgotten what a person needs. That is what is implied by asking something of Parama Purusa - one is blaming God for failing to do the needful.
Baba says, "Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences." (Ananda Marga Elementary Philosophy)
REFLECTION
Tragically the scene of giving money at DMS was nothing but a dogmatic case of arcana, i.e. praying and bribing Parama Purusa with external objects (i.e. money) in order to get His favour and one's selfish desires met. This type of offering is just dogma and has nothing to do with devotion. It is shameful that out of greed certain Dadas allowed this act to go on at our very own DMS gatherings. That is the new dogma that took birth.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
Here Baba clearly tells us what we should offer to Parama Purusa. We are to offer our own selves - i.e. our minds, not external objects like money.
Baba says, "“Tava dravyaḿ Jagatguro Tubhyameva samarpaye.” “Everything of mine, along with my mind, is offered at Your altar. Please oblige and accept it.” (Ananda Vacanamrtam, part 3)
Namaskar,
Manoj
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