©1997-2004 VNN
|
EDITORIAL   Jiva-tattva Within Iskcon BY ANANDA DAS EDITORIAL, Sep 17 (VNN) — A personal choice? Most devotees in ISKCON may have heard about some controversy still going on for some people about the understanding of jiva- tattva in ISKCON. This few words do not intend to give an extensive study on this topic, but only intend to present a viewpoint of an individual having been taught about this controversial issue in the modern gaudiya vaishnava world from different teachers in different ways. I want to state right in the beginning that there is not at all any political motivation in writing this few words on my side. Much more I would like to inspire the respected reader to explore the whole issue (maybe again) for himself on the basis on a multitude of available information from different sides. As a short introduction to the topic: Tattva is a thing that can not be established by voting for it. As we all know any tattva is established through the words of a genuine guru who is himself is referring to his own genuine guru and the revealed scriptures. Anyhow we know that about this specific topic (jiva- tattva) a controversy arose in the post-Prabhupada ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada stated in his books many times that no one falls from the eternal abode of the lord: "[...]It is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuntha.[...]"(Bhag. 7.1.35, purp. by Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) " [...]The nitya-siddha devotees never fall down to the region of the material atmosphere even though they sometimes come into the material plane to execute the mission of the Lord. [...]" (Bhag. 3.3.26, purp.) "[...] a devotee in the transcendental abode of the Lord never falls.[...]" (Bhag. 3.15.48, purp.) " [...]After finishing their mock fighting, both the devotee and the Lord are again associated in the spiritual planets. That is very explicitly explained here. The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual world or Vaikuntha planet, for it is the eternal abode. [...]"(Bhag. 3.16.26, purp.) This teaching on jiva- tattva is completly coherent with other modern gaudiya acaryas like Srila Sridhara Goswami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja and others who give the explanation that in the spiritual world the material energy (maya-devi) can have no influence. Interestingly Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja also made statements in letters and conversations like: "[...]Devotee: If one is fortunate enough to revive his natural position in the spiritual sky, how can he keep from falling down again? ... Prabhupada: Anyone, even in this world or spiritual world, he has got the potency of coming down by misusing his little independence. It is nothing like that, that if you become president, you are secure. [...]" (Lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975) It may appear here that Srila Swami Maharaja contradicts his own teachings as presented in his books, anyhow this can be easily reconciled, if we understand that our acaryas have sometimes seemingly contradicted or simplified the actual siddhanta for preaching purposes. For example: " [...]Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana prayers) Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great movement. This movement is not started by me. This was started long, long years ago by Krsna Himself. Firstly, He spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god . . . We have come from the spiritual world in this material world. We have forgotten our father. So we have to revive this relationship with our father, or God, or Krsna. That is the main business of human life . . . We have come from God; we again go back to God if we simply understand Krsna, or God. This is the whole instruction of the Bhagavad-gita. [...]" Srila Prabhupada is obviously preaching many times to people who have hardly any understanding of the genuine vaishnava siddhanta, for them he is often presenting topics in a simplified manner. We can read elswere in a presentation made by gaudiya vaishnavas: (blue) ***"In a 1971 conversation with Revatinandana, Srila Prabhupada said:* [...] these questions are not to be discussed in public. They require a much higher understanding. For the public it should be, 'This is matter, this is spirit.' That's all.[...] *This is an example of a preaching technique by Srila Prabhupada. A well known example of preaching something other than siddhanta is that of Jiva Goswami's advocation of svakiya-rasa over parakiya-rasa for the spiritual benefit of his disciples, while simultaneously always following Rupa Goswami internally. * * Srila Prabhupada writes:* [...]He could understand that sahajiyas would otherwise exploit the parakiya-rasa, as they are actually doing at the present.[...] [Cc. Adi-lila,10.85, purport] * Srila Jiva Goswami wrote his commentaries so as to pacify his contemporaries and also present the siddhanta indirectly. In the Locana Rocini Tika on Ujjvala Nilamani 1.18, he writes: * [...]Some things I have written here by my own will, and some due to the will of others. The part which is coherent is by my will, and the rest is due to others. [...]" So far the above words should serve as an introduction to the actual topic. (an elaborate view of the topic is found here, including a explanation of the topic by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swamis own highly respected siksa-guru (instructing guru) Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja:) (end of introduction) if we are dealing with any tattva it is obvious that it cannot be explained in depth only in one or two sentences. Therefore these few words of mine may not touch the explanation of jiva -tattva in the slightest way since that was not my intention. The intention to encourage that the respected readers not to accept anything blindly. The in depth understanding may come when one is hearing and associating with vaishnavas who have actually realised these truths and therefore can explain them to others, this is known in all vaishnava sampradayas as the principle of the nesccesity of a physically present fully self-realised Guru who can instruct us in the absolute truth. The logical conclusion can only be: If you live within the ISKCON authority structure it is up to you whom you follow and what you think about the nature of the conditioned soul. I have heard myself a few years ago from the mouth of a former GBC chairman with my own ears, that concerning the nature of the jiva, he stated when he was asked about that controversy in ISKCON, since there are seemingly evidence that support both viewpoints, that we can believe whatever is convenient to us. An other spiritual authority I have met stated even, that the question asking if the jiva has come from vaikuntha or not was introduced by maya in order to bring quarrel into the devotee society. He stated like this on several occasions. srila rupa goswamipad has stated: siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa iha haite krsna lage sudrdha manasa "A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one's mind becomes attached to Sri Krsna." That quotation shows that the topic can shurely be aproached in a different way. That there are different Gurus in ISKCON presenting different points of view is a matter of fact (the soul can fall/can not fall from vaikuntha), although they may do so openly or less openly. In conclusion the main point I want to state for the respectetd readers is: It is your choice whom you follow. But again your guru himself should know the actual siddhanta in order to understand Srila Prabupada teachings fully and resolve all apparent contradictions. Therfore our guru must himself be fully self-realized, only then he can know the siddhanta in full. That is the general understanding of guru-tattva within the gaudiya vaishnava tradition we find throughout history. tad viddhi prani patena, pari prasnena sevaya, upadeksyanti te jnanam, jnaninas tattva darsinah. "Know that through Prostation, enquiry and service, those who have direct perception of the truth will instruct you in trancendental matters." In this way a disciple of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja is stating(Jagadish Pandit das): " [...]Actually, Srila Gour Govinda Swami has told many times that letters are not necessarily siddhanta. In the jiva issue, for example, certain devotees were using Srila Prabhupada's letters as evidence, and Srila Gour Govinda Swami boldly said that one cannot always quote from letters. Letters are written according to time, place and circumstance, and according to the qualification of the disciple to whom the letter was written. Gurumaharaja asked us, "Can you show me from Bhagavatam where it is stated that jivas fall down from Goloka Vrindavan? "Similarly, can you quote any siddhanta saying "don't go for Sadhu-sanga?" [...]" If at this point someone in ISKCON may have doubts about the status of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja within the ISKCON institution: The GBC statet about Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja: [...]GBC Resolution #2 Whereas his Holiness Gour Govinda Maharaja was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada,[...] and: [...]Therefore it is proposed that the disappearance day of His Holiness Gour Govinda Maharaja be observed on the ISKCON GBC and BBT Calendar every year.[...] I personally now at least one more guru in ISKCON who is teaching the same siddhanta in accordance with Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja and the above mentioned respected gaudiya acaryas at the present time to his disciples and followers. I would like to add as an information that it is a well known fact that the acaryas from the different bonafide vaishnava lines including the bonafide sampradyas of Sri Madhvacarya and Sri Ramanuja acarya and the many gaudiya-vaishnava acaryas as well inform us that there is no one to be found who is propagating the "fall-siddhanta" outside of ISKCON, and as we have seen even in ISKCON it is only partially followed since Srila Prabhupada's books give evidence (Srila Prabhupada named his books(!) as the lawbooks for the next 10.000 years): " [..]It is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuntha.[...]" (Bhag. 7.1.35, purp. by Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) Finally I want to encourage the respected reader to explore this issue in depth under guaidance of bonafide vaishnavas for yourself . This kind of guidance will not allow us to become confused by political motivated opinions, since politics and mental speculation are not at all helpful in the realization of the highest truth ( tattva-siddhanta). aspiring to become the servant of the vaishnavas ananda das Related VNN Stories Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
NEWS DESK | EDITORIALS | TOP |
