© 1998 VNN


USA

10/28/1998 - 2423 (See Related VNN Stories) This document is also available in MS Word format - see end of page.

The Process of Vaishnava Initiation & ISKCON

USA (VNN) - By Mayesvara Dasa

The following paper was presented by me to 20 of the 24 voting members of the GBC for their consideration (Some addresses I could not determine). The paper already has been received very positively by many on both sides of the issue:

Observations, Concerns & Suggestions

It is also said, phalena paricéyate: one's success or defeat

in any activity is understood by its result.

(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8, Chapter 9.Text 28 Purport)

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary *

2 Introduction *

2.1 Respects and Obeisance's *

2.2 Personal Notation *

2.2.1 Why I Present This Paper Now *

2.3 Format and Scope of This Presentation *

2.3.1 This Is A Way To Move Forward *

3 Historical Review *

3.1 ISKCON Mission Statement *

3.1.1 Article Five Of ISKCON Incorporation Statement *

3.2 Current Situation Is A Functional Dilemma *

3.2.1 Difficulty Immediately After Srila Prabhupadas Departure *
3.2.2 Two Alternative Systems Have Surfaced *
3.2.3 The ISKCON/Rtvik Line in the Sand Has Been Drawn *

3.3 Everyone Looses When Collective Effort Erodes *

3.3.1 No Way of Really Knowing What Temple Devotees Believe. *
3.3.2 The Current Environment Is Offensive to Srila Prabhupada & Krishna! *
3.3.3 Who Among Us Claims to Be Free From All Illusion (Sin)? *
3.3.4 Effectiveness Suffers Because of Unrealistic Expectations. *

4 Acknowledging the Problems *

4.1 Relevant Statistical Studies Required *

4.1.1 Srila Prabhupadas' Disciples *
4.1.2 Post Prabhupada Disciples *
4.1.3 Guru Statistics *
4.1.4 GBC Statistics *
4.1.5 Congregation *

4.2 Membership Stagnation Due to Spiritual Stalemate! *

4.2.1 Intelligent People Will not Wager their Soul in the Game of Guru-Roulette *
4.2.2 Intelligent Guru's Will Not Volunteer To Suicide by Disciples *

4.3 How Can ISKCON Grow? *

4.3.1 The Current System Is Designed For Failure! *

5 Presenting Krishna Consciousness In North America *

5.1 Meeting the Public On Their Terms *

5.1.1 Ten years of Back Yard Programs *
5.1.2 Addressing the American Middle-class Target Market *
5.1.3 Public Opinion Should Not Be Ignored! *

6 Who Are We Trying to Fool? *

6.1 What Does Guru Mean Anyway? *

6.1.1 Two-Fold Meaning Of Guru *
6.1.2 The Traditional Guru *
6.1.3 The Transcendental Irony of Becoming a Guru *
6.1.4 Guru means Heavy *

6.2 Maya's Trap. The Gallant Guru Complex *

6.2.1 Macho Guru is Oxymoron *
6.2.2 But the Guru Must Train Disciples How To Worship & Serve Properly! *
6.2.3 Exclusive Guru Economics 101 *
6.2.4 A Global Guru Is Not Easily Accessible *
6.2.5 Completion in the Spiritual Marketplace *

6.3 Diversified Efforts *

6.3.1 Multi Guru System and Srila Prabhupada Focus is Mutually Exclusive! *
6.3.2 Large Temples are Smelting Pots of Diversification! *
6.3.3 The Multi Guru System Is Diversification Waiting To Happen *

7 Discovering a Solution. *

7.1 Consulting Srila Prabhupada *

7.1.1 What would Srila Prabhupada say today if We Could Ask Him? *
7.1.2 Evaluate Something By The Result. (Phalena paricéyate) *
7.1.3 Vedabase offers a way to Quantitatively Measure Important Subjects *

7.2 The Real Question We Should Be Asking *

7.2.1 The Initiation Debate has Been a Double Edged Sword. *
7.2.2 The Olive Branch Of Common Ground *
7.2.3 It's Not a matter of ISKCON vr. Rtvik Initiation Anymore. *

7.3 Why not Both Systems? *

7.3.1 Guru Shastra Sadu? *
7.3.2 Both Systems Is The Only Possible Way Forward *
7.3.3 The 65th quality of a devotee,.. Anarchy or Dictatorship? *

7.4 Possible Counter Arguments *

7.4.1 Arguing Is An Endless Trap That Will Destroy Everything *
7.4.2 ISKCON Gurus Claim Srila Prabhpada is In the Center! *
7.4.3 RtVik's Claim Not to Dwell on Gory Details of Individual Failures. *
7.4.4 It's NOT What Someone Says That Counts! *
7.4.5 Both Sides Will Have Their Reasons to Object! *
7.4.6 What Are We Really Trying To Do Anyway? *
7.4.7 Krishna Will Reveal what He Wants In Time *

8 Conclusion *

8.1 Legalism and Philosophy Has It's Limits *

8.1.1 Scripture, The Law & Statistics (My Logic Is Better than Yours Is!) *
8.1.2 Philosophy has it's Purpose but There IS Even A Higher Principal. *
8.1.3 Scholars Guide, but Real Pundits Lead. *
8.1.4 Srila Prabhupada's Wisdom Went Beyond Philosphy *

8.2 Negotiating a Settlement *

8.2.1 Acting Responsibly and Sensibly *
8.2.2 Making Concessions is Politically Prudent and Wise. *

8.3 Closing Statement *

8.3.1 This is the Outline Now Do What's Right. *
8.3.2 Don't Repeat Duryodhana's mistake! *

8.4 Background of the Author *

8.4.1 Disclaimer *
8.4.2 Initiation *
8.4.3 Participation With ISKCON *
8.4.4 Academic Background *
8.4.5 Current Employment *
8.4.6 Current Service *

8.5 Invitation To Comment Or Respond *

8.5.1 Invitation *
8.5.2 Arbitration Offer *
8.5.3 How To Contact The Author *

9 References *

9.1 The Success Of Something Is Determined By the Result *

9.2 Correct Misguided Disciples Who Unknowingly Went Off Track *

9.2.1 Discontinue Entertainment to Attract Listeners to A Lecture 1972 *
9.2.2 Discontinue Use of Just A Cow's Head Illustration 1974 *
9.2.3 Kirtananda should NOT present Krishna Conscious Philosophy 1967 *
9.2.4 Devotees Instructed to Stop Reading other Philosophy Books 1973 *
9.2.5 Instruction Not to Sell Records But to Distribute Books! 1975 *
9.2.6 Stop the Politics and Fighting! 1974 *
9.2.7 How will others be influenced if we fight among ourselves? 1974 *
9.2.8 Stop Activities That May Appear Suspicious to the Public 1976 *
9.2.9 Selling Records Causes Havoc. Stop it Immediately! 1970 *
9.2.10 Don't Go Outside For Other Lectures 1976 *
9.2.11 Stick to Krishna Don't Appear like New Age Propaganda. 1977 *

9.3 Withdrawal Of Original Instructions because Circumstances Changed *

9.3.1 Discontinue BTG articles by Professor Sannyal 1968 *
9.3.2 Women should stop teaching in Mayapur 1972 *
9.3.3 House Purchase Stopped because Instructions Not Followed! 1967 *
9.3.4 Prabhupada Stopped Publication of Sankirtana Newsletter 1975 *
9.3.5 Do Not Attempt to Cast Brass Deities Anymore. It's Not Practical 1969 *
9.3.6 Original Instruction Was One Painting a Day. Later It Was Changed. 1970 *

///

  1. Executive Summary

    Since the departure of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami his disciples have been debating the issue of how one should become an initiated member of ISKCON. This paper presents the reader a brief review of how this dispute has led to a stalemate crisis that jeopardizes the future of the entire society. Some specific problems are identified along with the possible events that led to those difficulties.

    The paper appeals to common sense and requests everyone to "judge things by results" which was the basis of nearly every decision made by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Observation of the facts leads to the suggestion that if there is any chance of preventing ISKCON from fracturing into several splinter groups everyone on both sides of the Guru/Rtvik debate must give up the attitude of "We are right-They are Wrong"

    The paper concludes with a proposal that the current Guru system continue as it is but that some form of the Rtvik system be adopted for new members who wish to join ISKCON but do not want to play Guru-Roulette. The recommendation is based on what would best serve the interest of all the initiated devotees, as well as the public wishing to join the Sankirtan movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaparbhu

  2. Introduction
    1. Respects and Obeisance's

      I offer my respectful obeisance's unto all the Vaishnava Devotees of the Lord and beg they accept this contribution in a thoughtful and introspective way.

      I offer my respectful obeisance's unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedants Swami Prabhupada who is the founder Acarya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness and the ever well-wisher of all the living entities.

      I offer my respectful obeisance's unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared in the year of 1486 to deliver the fallen conditioned souls with the sublime transcendental gift of Hari Nama Sankirtan.

      I offer my respectful obeisance's unto Lord Sri Krishna who is the eternal friend of everyone, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead

    2. Personal Notation
      1. Why I Present This Paper Now

      Although I had the good fortune of being accepted as a disciple of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swamii, I can not say I deserve that honor nor have I set a very good example of what he requested of me. I am also not experienced in dealing with issues on the magnitude of the Guru/Rtvik controversy in ISKCON and do not feel worthy to make this contribution but have agreed to present my thoughts only after having been encouraged to do so by the devotee community.

      I am hesitant to jump into the political controversy that the Guru/Rtvik issue has caused because I really do not wish to offend anyone on either side of the debate. However it is my observation that anyone willing to make an honest inquiry will conclude that the International Society For Krisha Consciousness is suffering from serious internal functional difficulties. It is also preposterous to suggest that resolving the Guru/Rtvik issue will correct all these difficulties but it does seem apparent that resolving this one issue could do a lot to improve the current state of affairs.

      It is for that reason, my love for the devotees and my concern for the future of ISKCON that I have taken the time to put together this presentation. I have no ambition for title, position, acknowledgement, blessing or curse because of this effort. If by some mystical arrangement something useful is derived from the suggestions that follow I will be quite content knowing that Krishna has allowed me to be part of the plan to unify the devotees for Srila Prabhupada's glorification.

      If due to spiritual immaturity, or just plain foolish ignorance, I offend anyone then I beg their forgiveness. The truth is I am a terribly conditioned soul and struggle with the harsh realities of material existence every day. Yet despite that serious handicap I offer what I can with the prayer that if Krishna so desires this effort will have some positive effect we can all benefit from.

    3. Format and Scope of This Presentation
      1. This Is A Way To Move Forward

    The contents of this paper consists mostly of my own thoughts and realizations regarding the process of how one gets initiated into the service of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Sankirtana Movement. However many of the ideas expressed herein I have discussed in depth with a variety of devotees and although I do not claim they will all agree with every detail of this presentation but it is accurate to say they support the underlying conclusions. I have tried to present things rationally and logically but this work is not intended to be a philosophically exhaustive study. It is simply a compilation of realizations shared by many that need to be put on paper.

    Although I have used several references from the VedaBase to support the conclusions of this paper, I have deliberately stayed away from trying to make it an iron clad scholarly study because of time constraints. If presenting it in that manner is what it would take for the conclusion to be accepted then I am sure it can be accomplished however such legal arguments tend to get bogged down and miss the obvious. Instead I am trying to simply look at the issues through the lenses of common sense and I appeal to the wisdom of the assembled devotees to receive it in that way.

    Personally I have become tired of reading what seems to be endless amounts of technical references, arguments, and counter arguments compiled on both sides of the Guru/Rtvik issue. I have written this paper for those devotees who share that sentiment and would like to consider a fresh new way to try and reach concurrence among the disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

  3. Historical Review
    1. ISKCON Mission Statement
      1. Article Five Of ISKCON Incorporation Statement

      When Srila Prabhupada Founded the International Sociaty for Krishna Consciousness he declared eight specific articles for Incorporation as the basic mission of the movement. No serious devotee would disagree that the vision Srila Prabhupada had for ISKCON is clearly outlined in these eight clauses. His Divine Grace wrote this mission statement for ISKCON in 1966 and he never considered changing or amending it during the next 11 years while the movement spread all over the world.

      Article 5 of the ISKCON mission statement is the subject matter of this study and it reads as follows:

      "We should learn the Vedic Knowledge from a genuine spiritual master, - one who has no selfish motives and whose mind is firmly fixed on Krishna."

      If we can conclude after reviewing the facts, that ISKCON management has fulfilled the objective of Article 5 in the ISKCON Mission Statement, we can surmise that Srila Prabhupad is pleased and nothing should change.

      If however this directive has not been honored, then the issue must be addressed and a strategic plan immediately designed to comply with the wishes of His Divine Grace. A failure to do so can only mean that those who are entrusted to guide ISKCON are either unable or unwilling to manage ISKCON according to the desires of Srila Prabhupada. If that is the situation then they are not qualified to carry out his interests and should either resign or be removed from their position. A failure to do so implicates everyone.

    2. Current Situation Is A Functional Dilemma
      1. Difficulty Immediately After Srila Prabhupadas Departure

        Immediately after Srila Prabhupada departed the inquiry about how ISKCON should function began. Because initiation is such an important part of our tradition that issue quickly became a major part of the inquiry. When devotees who had accepted the role of an initiating spiritual master began to fall down the issue of who was really qualified to initiate came under a lot of scrutiny.

      2. Two Alternative Systems Have Surfaced

        For the most part the question of how initiation should be handled in ISKCON has broken down to two different alternatives. There is the currently ISKCON system based on selected individuals who have been approved to give initiation and accept disciples, and the alternative system most commonly referred to as the "Rtvik" System. Although there are several variations of the Rtvik initiation theme they share a basic commonality. That is the current members of ISKCON would simply Initiate on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, just the way it was done when he was still alive, but not act in the role of a fully self realized devotee of the Lord.

      3. The ISKCON/Rtvik Line in the Sand Has Been Drawn

      For the last decade there has been an ongoing debate between mainstream ISKCON management and anyone who disagrees with the current initiation process. Anyone who falls into the second category has been conveniently tagged with the "Rtvik" label regardless of how radical or conservative they may be. Pundits on both sided of the fence have dug up a tremendous amount of convincing material to make the appropriate philosophical arguments necessary to support their respective positions. The devotee community is then asked to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves who is actually following Srila Prabhupada's order. The line has been drawn in the sand and everyone is being pressured to take a side just like the Kurus and Pandavas did at Kurusketra.

      The resulting environment is that one is forced to either be with ISKCON or against it. A neutral middle road position is virtually non-existent. Both camps are looking for allegiance and in some cases when it is not forthcoming years of fraternal friendship is quickly abandoned.

    3. Everyone Looses When Collective Effort Erodes
      1. No Way of Really Knowing What Temple Devotees Believe.

        It is currently necessary for management to have power, authority, influence and recognition in order to be effective. Unfortunately this presents a very big temptation that could tempt ISKCON leaders into making decisions based on personal gain instead of philosophical accuracy. We all know that true Brahmans would never agree to trade their convictions for a meal, a warm place to sleep, or even a position of authority, yet we have seen on more than one occasion how devotees who should know better have fallen into this trap

        This may be because any opinion contrary to the latest GBC decree could put one's reputation into question and perhaps a whole lot more.

        If one is tactful and speaks out they may simply be excused as being under the influence of Maya and politely ignored. But if they are too vocal they could be refused the opportunity to perform even a simple service to the society and will certainly not be entrusted with anything of significance. Those who believe strongly in the need for reform could be warned not to attend a public event sponsored by ISKCON and in extreme cases may even be threatened with personal injury if they insist on doing so.

        The result of keeping honesty in check by bribery, either intentional or circumstantial, is confusion, dishonesty, betrayal, paranoia, and general havoc which undermines the integrity of the whole society. It is therefore hard to know at this time who really supports the current system, and who is simply afraid of speaking out against it.

        So it is no wonder why we face a pathetic stalemate where instead of our collective energy being focused in harmony to glorify Srila Prabhupada we are divided among ourselves and both side suffer.

      2. The Current Environment Is Offensive to Srila Prabhupada & Krishna!

        Regardless of ones position, how they came to Krishna Consciousness, or which camp they are in if one is not disgusted with the current situation they are not looking close enough at what has happened. Any devotee with a basic understanding of what Srila Prabhupada taught should be embarrassed with how constipated we have become over the issue of initiation. Srila Prabhupada was very disturbed when his disciples quarreled among themselves. (References 9.2.5,6) The conflicts that upset him in the early 70's are insignificant compared to how vile and offensive we have become toward each other over the last several years.

        The situation is very inauspicious and a disgrace we will all be known for in the history books if we aren't mature enough to turn things around. Repeatedly Srila Prabhupada warned us about Vaishnava aparada yet the finger pointing goes on and the criticisms get more blasphemous. For those who may have forgotten Krishna makes it very clear:

        "All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls... but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal." - Bg. 7.18

        The Supreme Lord does not distinguish how one got initiated who their spiritual master was or if even if they are a member of ISKCON. The important point is that anyone who is fortunate enough to start on the path of restoring ones eternal relation with Krishna they are described as Magnanimous and we should be careful about what we say about them.

      3. Who Among Us Claims to Be Free From All Illusion (Sin)?

        Finding a solution to the current stalemate is not just a matter of who can politically out-maneuver or out-quote the opposing party. It is essential for everyone who wishes to progress in spiritual life to get unstuck and see the bigger picture that is at stake. How much longer can we expect Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna to tolerate this foolish fighting while things continue to deteriorate and offenses between Vaishnavas are on the increase while the public laughs at our hypocrisy and there is no apparent resolution in sight?

        We have been given the most powerful philosophy in the entire creation yet we are still bickering over the need to be right from our own limited viewpoint. Who among us is audacious enough to claim that they know anything with absolute certainty and is willing to stand up and say they are free from all possibility of error, misinterpretation, or illusion? What kind of servant of the vaishnava is it if one is hurling insults and offenses at the one they are claiming to serve?

        We have survived this far only by the grace of Srila Prabhupada but we should not take his mercy for granted. If we do not become vigilant about cleaning up the mess we are currently in by truly applying the instructions of Lord Caitanya then our own spiritual life will be destroyed and the mission of Lord Caitanya will be set back. Those consequences alone should be enough to make a compassionate person seriously re-examine what they would be willing to give up in order to prevent it.

      4. Effectiveness Suffers Because of Unrealistic Expectations.

    The rivets Srila Prabhupada put in place to hold the ISKCON superstructure together 20 years are starting to pop. Within the movement managers are getting burned out because of the almost impossible pressure of trying to keep everything operating nicely without adequate funds, time, qualified manpower or resources. Our temple presidents must be ideal diplomats in order to fulfill the expectations of the in-house temple devotees, the local congregation, the Indian Community, the News Media and of course the policies adopted by the GBC. Then, as if that were not enough, anyone who is officially acting as a representative of ISKCON must not show any personal weakness, shortcoming or foible because they are expected to have completely conquered the human condition with the weapon of knowledge never to slip again.

    If we are to find a long-range solution that will work it must relieve the stress from the few remaining rivets that have not popped yet and we need to start reinforcing the places where we have become weak. A failure to plan is a plan to fail.

    The plan must be based on a soul searching honest evaluation of where we are really at, not some idealistic concept that ignores, rationalizes, justifies or denies our own very real shortcomings and failures. That is not only un-brahminical but it guarantees the inevitable collapse of everything we wish to preserve and leave us all branded with the embarrassing failure of disappointing Srila Prabhupada just like he felt his God brothers disappointed Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.

  4. Acknowledging the Problems

    Any dullard can observe that the current system ISKCON has for initiating members into the movement is a failing system because both Guru's and disciples have deserted ISKCON. Scholarly arguments may be presented to defend the design of the Titantic, but the simple fact is that the ship sank because those who were entrusted to steer it were either ill equipped, over confident, or asleep at the wheel. Management can deny the reality of the situation and may even present all sorts of convincing arguments to euphemistically portray disturbing particulars in a more positive light, but that does not change the severity of the exodus and what is really at stake.

    1. Relevant Statistical Studies Required

      To separate opinions, impressions, interpretations and political posturing from reality it would be appropriate to study some simple statistical facts. If ISKCON is prospering then we should see the growth trends in with new members as a high retention of existing members. This could be determined if we knew some of the following things.

      1. Srila Prabhupadas' Disciples

        How many people did Srila Prabhupada's initiate? (SampleSpace/ Range)
        How many have passed away? (Corrected Range)
        How many left ISKCON but are NOT favorable to Krishna Consciousness Now? (Degree of Failure*)
        How many left ISKCON and ARE STILL favorable to Krishna Consciousness? (Potential Congregation)

      2. Post Prabhupada Disciples

        How many people got initiated since Srila Prabhupada's departure? (Sample Space/ Range)
        How many have passed away? (Corrected Range)
        How many left ISKCON but are NOT favorable to Krishna Consciousness Now? (Degree of Failure)
        How many left ISKCON and ARE STILL favorable to Krishna Consciousness? (Potential Congregation)

      3. Guru Statistics

        How many devotees have been authorized by ISKCON to give initiation? (Sample Space/Scope)
        How many are still practicing Krishna Consciousness? (No fall down) (Degree of Failure)
        How many are still accepting disciples? (Degree of Effectiveness)
        How many have standard set rules and policies for accepting disciples? (Degree of Consistency)
        How many have avoided serious internal controversy or investigation? (Degree of Credibility)

      4. GBC Statistics

        How many members make up the GBC Body? (Sample Space/Scope)
        How many are Initiating Guru's? (Potential Conflict Of Interest)
        How many are dependent on ISKCON for bodily maintenance? (Potential Conflict Of Interest)

      5. Congregation

      How many people attend our temples or regularly but are not initiated? (Potential Congregation)
      How many attend our temples and have been denied initiation? (Degree of Effectiveness)
      How many attend but are uncomfortable taking initiation under current system? (Degree of Failure)
      How many used to come but stopped attending because of lack of interest? (Degree of Failure)

      * This is not to imply Srila Prabhupad failed us in anyway. The mature Vaishnava sees this as our failure to property carry out Srila Prabhupadas instructions. IE: The movement went on and prospered by the potency of His Divine Grace in spite of our own shortcoming or incompetence.

      At this time I do not know if anyone has collected these types of statistics but it would help us know how effective things currently are. The consensus on the street seems to be that if we knew these facts they would probably not be very flattering. That impression may be less true in certain countries like the newly emerging Soviet states or India, and more relevant in North America where temples are struggling financially, have little or no growth plan, and have difficulty engaging intelligent guests or retaining temple devotees.

      Unless ISKCON management is prepared to say that things are about as good as can be expected and that better support from the pubic is not a realistic evaluation, we have found a point all can agree on. IE:

      Lord Caitanya's movement is suffering from our failures and some of the preaching programs, temples or division in ISKCON may succeed completely if significant changes do not occur.

    2. Membership Stagnation Due to Spiritual Stalemate!
      1. Intelligent People Will not Wager their Soul in the Game of Guru-Roulette

        As the teaching of His Divine Grace become more widely disseminated a greater number of well-educated people are showing interest in Krishna Consciousness. One of the four regulative principals that our whole philosophy is based on is that one shouldn't gamble. But it doesn't take too long for an intelligent person to realize that is exactly what they must do with their spiritual life if they wish to become a member of ISKCON the way initiations are handled now. How can we seriously ask an intelligent person not to gamble and then insist that he wager the most valuable thing he has, his devotional creeper, on the ever-changing table of Guru-Roulette?

      2. Intelligent Guru's Will Not Volunteer To Suicide by Disciples

      Although Srila Prabhupada had his own standard for accepting disciples we can see how he was extremely lenient when disciples had difficulties. History shows that new candidates were sometimes initiated very pre-maturely and in some cases without comprehending the severity of what they were agreeing to. Srila Prabhupada undoubtedly was aware of all this and yet he continued accepting disciples and in so doing demonstrating that he was indeed Patita Pavana and non other that the true Jagat Guru.

      The flip side of Guru-Roulette is Suicide by Disciples. Unless one somehow is foolishly deceived into believing that he is more qualified than Srila Prabhupada those who are currently initiating spiritual masters must also have a standard for accepting new disciples. The wisdom of anyone who initiates without some qualifying guidelines must be seriously questioned. This is actually a good thing and the way it ought to be.

      But the problem with this system is that many sincere people are severely discouraged in trying to become a member of the ISKCON family. Someone may be very spiritually serious yet psychologically immature. It is prudent for guru to hesitate initiating a candidate that appears immature, but from the point of view of the candidate who has become convinced and has given his heart to Krishna, they are anxious to become an active and participating member of our society. In all fairness, which one of us can claim, we were adequately mature enough to fully understand what we were doing when we presented ourselves to Srila Prabhupada for initiation? If maturity was one of Srila Prabhupada's requirements how many of the disciples that he accepted could he have initiated?

    3. How Can ISKCON Grow?
      1. The Current System Is Designed For Failure!

    So on the outside we have intelligent people refusing to play Guru-Rulette with their spiritual life, and on the inside we have gurus refusing to accept immature disciples. Meanwhile ISKCON is struggling to attract members simply to maintain and there is little or no practical plan for growth. Unless one is eccentric, knows somebody, has money, or is extremely fortunate, the average new congregational members we attract from the general public feels hopelessly incapable of working through the plexus of policies, principals, and politics required to become a bona-fide member of ISKCON. If people do not feel they are a part of something they will not stay around very long and soon find other organizations or societies to surrender to. To say the student is not sincere is a cheap cop-out that skirts our responsibility to give everyone a chance to serve Krishna and progress in their realizations just like we did. If they leave our society because of this catch 22 then how will that be possible? Srila Prabhupada would weep when someone would go away. If a college student stops visiting our temple because we had no program to engage him then we have all seriously failed to understand the full scope of our responsibility and the founder acarya of ISKCON.

  5. Presenting Krishna Consciousness In North America
    1. Meeting the Public On Their Terms
      1. Ten years of Back Yard Programs

        It is relevant to this presentation to point out to the reader that for the last 10 years my wife and I have maintained a small Nama Hutta outreach program from my home in Ojai. Many of the realizations that follow are a result of actually interacting with mainstream, upper and middle class Americans. More details about our preaching efforts are included at the end of this report for those interested in reading it.

        We have modeled our presentation of Krishna Consciousness from the traditional Sunday program that is practiced in our temples with just a few extra personal touches. Every guest is greeted, given a friendly nametag, offered a refreshing drink, and then invited to tour our garden which is set up with quotations from Srila Prabhupada's books illustrating his teachings. Then we have a kirtan, presentation of the verse, sanskrit recital, and a Bhagavad Gita lecture followed by questions and the vegetarian feast.

        We made the tactical decision to present ourselves to the public as the American Vedic Association (AVA) in 1988, simply to break down the stigma the public developed towards the Hare Krishna due to many years of poor public relations. What we have learned is that both visiting devotee's and the unsuspecting public are very comfortable with our presentation.

      2. Addressing the American Middle-class Target Market

        What is relevant here is that it sometimes it takes new guests a while to make the connection that AVA is in fact no different from the Hare Krishna Movement. Often when that occurs they will sheepishly approach us to confess that they had no idea we were Hare Krishna Devotees but if they did know that they would not have come. However having heard what we had to say and after participated in the program they were pleasantly surprised with what we offered them and they were glad to have attended.

        The reason why this is relevant to the Guru/Rtvik debate is because the issue of initiation has come up several times with the members of our congregation. It is also important to point out here that out of the hundreds of people who have attended the AVA programs, less then 1% of our attendees are from India. Many have never heard of the Bhagavad Gita and if they have, most don't know how to pronounce it correctly!

      3. Public Opinion Should Not Be Ignored!

    To suggest to the discerning American Public that any of us have perfected our own Krishna Consciousness to the degree where elaborate worship is not just proper etiquette but thoroughly appropriate, is expecting too much. What we have observed is that many intelligent people are put off when we assume that a newcomer is capable of making this stretch of faith. At the risk of being accused of contradicting my own advice consider the discomfort a devotee experiences when they pick up a copy of Siddhaswarupa self serving "Life Fore News" magazine. Inside the reader soon discovers a large advertisement with a photo proclaiming that "Siddhaswarupananda Parahahamsa" is "Jagad Guru". Yuck! We have our reasons for rejecting such an arrogant presentation and over the years a portion of the public we are trying to attract has developed a similar reaction towards our well advertised claims.

    Srila Prabhupada became very upset when he discovered that dishonest means were being used to sell his books. (Reference 9.2.8) He knew this would be very unfavorable and asked that it be stopped immediately because it gave a very bad impression about ISKCON. He was also concerned about public misunderstanding regarding the women teachers in Mayapur and told them to stop teaching if there was a chance it might become scandalous. (Reference 9.3.2)

    We can disregard these points and adamantly insist that the sincere will overcome our ostentatiously presentation, or we could practice some good PR work and make it easier for an educated person to pierce through the guru stereotype they have been conditioned to believe.

  6. Who Are We Trying to Fool?
    1. What Does Guru Mean Anyway?
      1. Two-Fold Meaning Of Guru

        The word guru loosely interpreted means "teacher". But depending on how it is specifically used in the English language it can carry either the idea of "Great Reverence", or "Know It All", When devotees use the term we assume the listener will receive it in the mood of the first definition.

        Unfortunately the American public has become so bombarded with cheap "Guru's" from the east that in educated circles the word conjures up almost humorous if not cynical connotations. The most obvious example is when someone says: "He's a computer guru". Regardless of what someone really means when they say that, it doesn't help our cause because it lowers the use of the word to just another mundane term like "toothbrush". The simple fact is the public has gotten tired of hearing about enlightened beings who are so spiritually mature they will solve all our problems because for the most part it isn't true and they have no way of knowing that we actually offer something that is genuine and significant.

      2. The Traditional Guru

        Although we do not recognize the legitimacy of them all, there have been a few examples of global guru's in the last 50 years. But from a historic perspective this is a relatively new phenomena. Traditionally the guru was the local priest who lived in the village, gave spiritual advice, and settled disputes based on his knowledge of the Vedas. In America the local priest at the town church does much the same thing for the members of his congregation.

        Under these conditions the relationship between the guru and the disciple is very personal and intimate. The guru understands the family, the local traditions, the current political issues, and in general the whole background of those who approach him for advice and direction. As soon as the guru finds himself having to travel all over the world they become inaccessible and disconnected to their students and this breaks down the personal interaction which is what the Guru-Disciple relationship is based on.

      3. The Transcendental Irony of Becoming a Guru

        A student of Krishna Consciousness knows that the reason we find ourselves stuck in this material world is because we became envious of Krishna. The Supreme Lord perceived that desire and created this corner of the universe to let us play out this fantasy where we fool ourselves everyday by acting as if we are the most wonderfully intelligent and try to control everything and everyone around us.

        Srila Prabhupada taught us that in the process of self realization the last snare maya uses to keep the living entity trapped here is to trick him into concluding that the ultimate destination is to merge with God, or even worse, to think one is God!

        In the material world everyone is struggling in some way, gross or subtle, for prophet, adoration or distinction. The culmination of this is contained within the single concept we refer to as "power". In the material world power is measured by how much you can control others or influence events. Judges, architects, doctors, lawyers, politicians, athletic superstars, popular musicians and executives of large corporations all command tremendous amounts of power by dint of positional or financial success. Yet none of these examples come close to the power one commands when they are literally worshipped as the only conduit one has to attain God!

        There is a sardonic irony to all this. As an organization we caution everyone to be very careful not to slip into this last snare and we emphasis how imperative it is to be humble if one it to be spiritual successful. But then the model we have created appears to be just the opposite! Although there are numerous traditional arguments that can be used to justify this type of thinking the bottom line is that the intelligent public can see right through the bs. (bovine stool). No Vaishnava brahmana in his right mind from our background would dare to claim they are a pure-devotee, yet that is exactly the message we project to the public by insisting on the "Best we can do" approach to finding devotees to perform initiations.

      4. Guru means Heavy

      Srila Prabupada was successful at what he did because he was actually so extremely empowered that who ever took the time to scrutinize him, which we all did at one time, found not a trace of hypocrisy or desire for personal gain. To put it in the vernacular: "He talked the talk and walked the walk!"

      Anyone who fully comprehends how extraordinary Srila Prabhupada was will simultaneously realize how serious his task was and how onerous his commitment is to us. To emphasis this point Srila Prabupada would often remind us by stating that; "Guru means Heavy!"

      If we observe a man attempting to lift a car we would consider him crazy because it's just too heavy for one man to do unless he happened to be a champion Olympic weightlifter. But even an Olympic weight lifer has limits and a real champion knows exactly what they are and is not ashamed to reveal them. They are very aware that if they are incapable of both lifting and sustaining the attempted weight, they risk injury to themselves and maybe even those who are nearby.

    2. Maya's Trap. The Gallant Guru Complex
      1. Macho Guru is Oxymoron

        Perhaps all the difficulties we now encounter is Krishna's way of telling us it's time to consider if any of us can actually sustain the weight and responsibility of guru without making a mockery of it. It's not a matter of performing a role like an actor on a stage where success is measured by how well one knows the correct lines, wears the proper costume, and makes the right gestures. We all know this, but we have no way of distinguishing between one who is simply acting and one who is genuine until it's too late.

        It's not even fair, or proper, to assume that one who has fallen from the status of an ISKCON spiritual master was even conscious of his own hidden material weeds prior to accepting the position. There is a very fine line between arrogant pride and genuine confidence and it's easy for any of us to collapse the two characteristics together at any moment because of our conditioning.

        One may see the duty of guru as a spiritual challenge, but the consequences of failure is not restricted to the individual. The credibility of our whole society suffers when one of our extremely visible senior devotees is crushed by the overwhelming weight that comes with the title and responsibility of guru.

        Anyone who approaches the role of Guru with a spiritually macho mentality is automatically disqualified by definition. Hopefully we have not become so removed from reality that we are incapable of identifying the Clint Eastwood approach to spiritual leadership when it is there because the educated public has demonstrated on numerous occasions that they have no difficulty seeing it.

      2. But the Guru Must Train Disciples How To Worship & Serve Properly!

        The argument that one needs a Living Guru because it gives the disciple an opportunity to learn how to worship and serve the personification of the guru is just not substantial.

        I myself am a disciple of Srila Prabhupada but never was fortunate enough to interact with him personally after my initiation ceremony. The fact that others have had much more association with Srila Prabhupada than myself does not invalidate my initiation or relationship with him. Nor has anybody ever suggested that I am less of a disciple because I did not speak with him personally. My personal example may be an extreme illustration but the fact remains that many devotees who were initiated by Srila Prabhupada had very little or no personal association with him. Yet despite this their spiritual life was not any less authentic than those who met with him daily.

        Most of Srila Prabhupada's disciples learned how to worship and serve him very nicely from their local temple president. The movement grew and prospered quickly with this system which was based on conventional hierarchy management that all focuses on the same spot at the top.

      3. Exclusive Guru Economics 101

        The other practical flaw in the living guru argument is a simple economics principal known as: "Supply an Demand." There is substantial evidence that even though we may not be seeing a lot of new members join our temple staff, the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is spreading like wildfire. We are starting to see the harvest of Srila Prabhupada's strategy for planting millions of seeds in the form of books. But where are all the pure devotee guru's going to come from to lead these aspiring souls?

        Srila prabhupada said he would be pleased if even one of us could properly understand what he gave us and become a pure devotee. We have either performed way beyond his humble expectation, or we are extremely out of touch with just how messed up we really are.

      4. A Global Guru Is Not Easily Accessible

        When there are not enough kosher certified guru's to go around the disciple has very limited, or perhaps no immediate access to the instructions of his spiritual master. When gurus are on the opposite side of the world and have several thousand disciples to reciprocate with daily how is it possible for them to respond to everyone properly? The simple fact is they can not.

      5. Completion in the Spiritual Marketplace

      On one hand we must be extremely careful to ensure that the spiritual master at least appears authentic, bona-fide, and reliable yet on the other hand the marketplace demands gurus faster then our society can purify them. In business economics this is called "Opportunity Lost". When a company fails to meet the demand the marketplace calls for the competition moves it to grab the sale regardless of the quality of their product. Unfortunately this is a very real threat to ISKCON and exactly what we are beginning to see happen.

    3. Diversified Efforts
      1. Multi Guru System and Srila Prabhupada Focus is Mutually Exclusive!

        One of the most controversial and obvious illustrations of this occurs when one agrees that Srila Prabhupada should be the focus of our movement yet continues to accept service that comes at the expense of Srila Prabhupada's glorification. To think that it is not observable to the whole world is not only insulting but it tries the patience of temple presidents, cooks, and sakirtan party leaders who struggle to keep the local organization functioning properly.

      2. Large Temples are Smelting Pots of Diversification!

        The best way to make this point is to simply illustrate how the focus drifts off Srila Prabhupada in large temples. In stead of all the devotees working harmoniously towards one given objective, devotees are now divided into groups based on who initiated them. If an initiating guru happens to attend a major event such as Gour Purnima, Rathayatra, or Janmastami the disciples focus immediately becomes; "How can I serve MY guru", instead of "How can I serve Srila Prabhupada".

        In all fairness to those who may be implicated by this statement I realize that ISKCON gurus will usually instruct their disciples to cooperate with the objectives of the local temple and not concern themselves with the formalities related to serving the guru. But despite this instruction what happens is disciples don't have the time to cook the feast, set up displays, receive guests, or serve the deities because the must wash the cloth of their guru, chauffeur him somewhere, purchase his air tickers, or cook his meal etc.

        The result is there are fewer devotees available to help put on the event that is meant to expand ISKCON, spread Krishna Consciousness, and glorify Srila Prabhupada.

      3. The Multi Guru System Is Diversification Waiting To Happen

    We have already seen several very capable and sincere devotees fall down or wander off into other organizations, temples, or personal ashrams. The reasons for this are numerous, but one prominent reason no doubt is because the focus was taken off of Srila Prabhupada.

    We all know of senior devotees who left ISKCON because they had the ambition to become a Guru. When they felt left out of the club they simply went somewhere else to offer their service. Often we are told the reason for this is just fine because they were just envious anyway and their behavior prooves they were never qualified to be a guru anyway. Their departure is therefor good and it is compared to the boiling of milk.

    But to a mature person this argument sounds arrogant, self-serving, and even childish. One who is really advanced would never think; "I'm just more advanced then you and that's why I got the job!" Instead they would cry and be willing to give up their own position if it would save someone else from drifting away from Srila Prabhupada's loving protection and guidance.

    The reality is that as long as there is a multi guru system, there will continue to be more divisions and reasons for others to just go off and do their own thing. Often devotees who have commited so much to the Hare Krishna Movement do not just passively wander off with a sigh and lament "Oh Well". We have seen that they often show up again to challenge or compete with ISKCON. In some cases they return with legal challenges designed to undermine the very foundations ISKCON is dependent on. No matter how a disgruntled devotee chooses to handle his dissatisfaction, it's not complementary that he left in the first place and certainly is not what Srila Prabhupada wanted.

  7. Discovering a Solution.
    1. Consulting Srila Prabhupada
      1. What would Srila Prabhupada say today if We Could Ask Him?

        By now every devotee has had the opportunity to weigh the evidence and consider which method of initiation they believe was the one Srila Prabhupada authorized. After two decades of debate we have not been able to agree on how Srila Prabhupada wanted initiations to be done so let us consider a different question at this time

        For the sake of analysis let us concede that Srila Prabhupada did instruct his disciples to become their own fully initiating spiritual masters with their own respective disciples exactly the way ISKCON has been operating since his departure.

        Now let us imagine that Srila Prabhupada is sitting before us right now and we could ask him to critique how well ISKCON is going. Would he be happy with our behavior? Would he be pleased with how we have managed his movement since his departure? Would he sit back with his angelic smile and approvingly say "Carry on· this is very nice"?

        Or if given the opportunity is it possible that Srila Prabhupada might withdraw his original instruction after considering carefully the current state of affairs? We can see by the quotes included in the References section of this document, (9.3) that Srila Prabhupada often reversed his instructions if he perceived the circumstances to have changed or that his disciples were unable to carry out his instructions properly.

      2. Evaluate Something By The Result. (Phalena paricéyate)

        One of the core things Srila Prabhupada emphasized is that utility should be the principal behind everything that we do. If any given situation, service, or endeavor was not useful to the mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness he would certainly question it's validity to determine if it should be pursued or discontinued.

        Another thing that Srila Prabhupada championed was the need for us to be practical with how we handle Krishna's finances, the resources he entrusts us with and the time we are given. One need only look at Srila Prabhupada diary and his personal accounting to see how frugal he was with everything Krishna gave him to grasp the validity of this point.

        Both of these concepts were so important to Srila Prabhupada that he would often quote the Sanskrit words: "Phalena paricéyate". Then he would go on to explain in his lecture how these words meant that we should judge things by the result. The references in at the end of this paper (9.1) provide plenty of examples of how he wanted us to apply this concept in our daily life.

      3. Vedabase offers a way to Quantitatively Measure Important Subjects

        When we query the VedaBase we get an idea of what subjects Srila Prabhupad spoke about the most and from that we can understand what he wanted to emphasize. The following table provides key words and how many times His Divine Grace uses them in his recorded books, lectures and conversations. Even this simple list is itself instructive because it reveals what Srila Prabhupada was trying to pound into our dull heads by how often he would repeat similar concepts.

         

        Frequency of Some Common Themes That Reappear In Srila Prabhupada's Teachings
        Low Frequency Usage
        High Frequency Usage
        Extremely High Usage
        Utility
        64
        Cheating
        1,094
        Krishna
        5,347
        Truthful
        225
        Practical
        2,205
        Service
        15,219
        Honest
        397
        Devotion
        2,361
        Caitanya
        17,686
        Clean
        626
        Radha
        2,406
        Devotees
        18,094
        Wise
        663
        Result*
        2,884
        		    
        Peaceful
        1,000
        Nonsense
        3,026
        		    
        Results*
        1,054
        Rascal
        3,299
        		    
           
        Intelligent
        3,886
        		    
        * Many words will appear with slight grammatical differences and are counted independently although they all share a common theme. This table is not a comprehensive analysis of similar words but it is significant enough to prove the point it was intended to make.

         

      4. The Real Question We Should Be Asking
        1. The Initiation Debate has Been a Double Edged Sword.

          Originally there was only; "The ISKCON Way" and the general policy was either take it or leave it. Many did one or the other. Some chose to do neither but challenge it. Over the last several years there have been numerous papers written which have raised everyone's understanding of what it means to be a Guru and how initiation should be done. Because of this diligent effort many devotees who once supported the original system have read the arguments and are now convinced that the alternative system is more appropriate.

          This has been both a victory and a defeat. It is a victory in the sense that there is now a choice and a lot of support to move towards that choice. It is a defeat in the sense that it has divided the movement to the point of an internal-revolution and everything has become unstable.

          Many of those who remain loyal to the current ISKCON system hold influential and powerful positions over resources, assets, and manpower. Human nature is such that if those key people feel significantly threatened they could succeed from the arena completely taking whatever they can legally grab or influence. If the premises is that they are not significantly advanced to be initiating spiritual masters then this type of thinking should not only be expected but it should be planned for.

        2. The Olive Branch Of Common Ground

          Devotees have made all types of mistakes for all sorts of reasons. There are many horror stories of how someone mistreated, took advantage of, exploited or perhaps even knowingly deceived someone else. Some have even clearly acted with selfish intent, but for the most part everyone has tried to do the best they knew how. If we insist on crucifying each other for mistakes we are all guilty of having made to some degree at one time or other then there is no possibility of moving forward as one.

          The sad fact is that both sides have too much invested in being right to be able to back up far enough and see what this type of thinking will lead to. If both sides can resist the temptation to nuke the opposition long enough to find a common ground then we have a chance of turning events around. That is the objective of this paper. So let us see if we can find a way out of the past and into the future that will free us from having to settle the dispute over which system is the orthodox system. Lets try to dismantle the warheads for now.

        3. It's Not a matter of ISKCON vr. Rtvik Initiation Anymore.

        The question that we should be examining at this time is not whether or not Srila Prabhupada wanted the Rtvik system or the ISKCON system. The question is what is the result of the current system that is in place? Would Srila Prabhupada want the things to continue exactly as it is now if he were here to tell us what to do?

        Even if Srila Prabhupada did originally request the ISKCON guru system to be put in place, there are strong reasons to believe that he would reverse that decision now because of all the havoc that "Now you see him now you don't" guru's have caused. The references at the end of this paper (9.2) provide numerous examples of how we often derailed, tainted, or just plain messed up in fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's desire. The fact is most of us are still very immature, ambitious, proud, or inflicted with any of maya's numerous other deceitful tricks to hardly do anything right.

        Although it's a sad reflection of our own incompetence, it is an honest and acceptable position for us to properly recognize that once again Srila Prabhupada is the only one capable of leading us out of the current predicament we find ourselves in. Srila Prabhupada always encouraged his disciples to "Shoot for the Rhinocerous". But at the same time he was always there standing behind us to pick us when we fell on our face.

        The question we must honestly ask now is: "How are things going at this time?" Is everything progressing nicely, or is there evidence to indicate that we are falling on our face again?" If the latter is true and we ignore or deny it we are doomed. If we can see how fallen we really are and beg Srila Prabhupada's forgiveness he will certainly agree to step back in an help us just like the loving father lifts the child who falls and cries out for help. Certainly Srila Prabhupada would prefer to accept all the new candidates anxious to join Krishna's Sankritan party than to see us mishandle their spiritual trust that leaves one discouraged, disappointed or heartbroken.

      5. Why not Both Systems?
        1. Guru Shastra Sadu?

          We are all familiar with this three-fold system used to determine if something is bona-fide or not. Up to now most of the Guru/RtVik battle has focused on the instructions given by Srila Prabhupada. Some references to the large body of Vedic literature has also inevitably found it's way into the arguments but what we are interested in here is the opinion of the Sadus.

          We have already pointed out that Krishna considers all the devotees magnanimous and we know Srila Prabhupada feels that way about each and every one of his disciples. Why then are we so quick to discredit those we do not agree with? Ultimately the collective realizations of all the sadus should be carefully considered and not so ruthlessly trashed. This is the attitude of brahmin who is not so proud to think. "I know what Srila Prabhupad wanted and you do not!"

          If we take into consideration the third branch of the checks & balances system, the sadus, we find that they are strongly divided among themselves on this important issue of initiation. We do not necessarily accept any foolish nonsense an individual might speak but when a large body of mature vaishnavas align themselves on two sides of an issue like we have here, we should take pause.

          Active humility means to honor that collective opinion not insult it. That is something we all should stop and think about lest we commit so many offenses we disgrace the thread we have been awarded. This paper is built on the foundation that there is wisdom in the realizations of both camps.

        2. Both Systems Is The Only Possible Way Forward

          After ten years of digging up all the scriptural references to argue the two sides of the issue it should be apparent to all that there are good arguments to support both systems. So why not allow both systems to function within ISKCON? If we are insisting that it must be either one way or the other only one of two things will happen. We will just keep fighting or the movement will split up. Considering how impatient everyone has become on this issue the latter is eminent.

          The nice thing about adopting both systems is that it solves many of the difficulties we have identified in this paper. Those who are already initiated by a certified authentic ISKCON spiritual master will have the opportunity to continue with that relationship. If a new member is attracted and comfortable with the guidance of a particular spiritual master they can join us under that system.

          The new approach will also allow each acting guru to individually decide based on their realizations if they wish to surrender their disciple's back to Srila Prabhupada or maintain things just the way they have been all along.

          In this way new members are given a free and independent choice on how they wish to get initiated. If they are attracted to the existing system and want a personal relationship with a living Spiritual master they can have it. If someone prefers to be initiated as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada then that is also available to them.

        3. The 65th quality of a devotee,.. Anarchy or Dictatorship?

        Neither anarchist or dictator are found on the list of the 64 qualities of a devotee. Both mentalities are equally distasteful and a disgrace for anyone claiming to be a Vaishnava. The initiation debate has been healthy in the sense that it has drawn attention to some serious internal problems. But many believe that an: "out with the old, in with the new" approach to management would not change very much. In fact many devotees believe it makes no different at all! The only thing Anarchy will accomplish is the names of the decision makes will change. To often anarchy is just the flip side of dictatorship.

        ISKCON management can adopt an iron fist dictatorial mood and drive out anyone that may be sympathetic to some of the issues exposed by the RtVik camp if they insist on doing so. They run the risk of choking what's left of the movement out of existence if they do.

        The RtVic camp can insist on a strategy of taking no prisoners but that too is dangerous. Despite the mistakes that ISKCON leadership has made they do have valuable experience that should not be so quickly dismissed. If the RtVics have such a superior understanding, and insist on total allegiance to that understanding only, then they are free to start their own organization and Krishna will reciprocate accordingly.

      6. Possible Counter Arguments
        1. Arguing Is An Endless Trap That Will Destroy Everything

          We must remember that both sides will have their respective arguments and reasons for rejecting the proposal that both systems should exist. The strongest reasons for rejecting it will undoubtedly be that by proposing both systems we appear like we aren't sure about what we are doing! But that is exactly what the situation is that we face. The fact is that both camps are 100% convinced that they REALLY understand what Srila Prabhupada wants yet collectively there is no consensus.

          ISKCON management accuses the proponents of the Rtvik system as being envious and simply trying to destroy ISKCON. The Rtvik camp claims that ISKCON management is corrupt and only interested in retaining power to maintain their comfortable positions. This will get us no where except more deeply entrenched in finger pointing and faultfinding. Neither of these things are appropriate behavior for Vaishnavas and neither are really 100% true so what value is there in arguing like this about something that will never be resolved?

        2. ISKCON Gurus Claim Srila Prabhpada is In the Center!

          Everyone in ISKCON is wise enough to state that Srila Prabhupada is in the center of the movement. Even the slightest hint of something contrary to that usually leads to rapid reprimand or dismissal. But we have already shown with practical example how Srila Prabhupada's position has become minimized despite how often this is frequently stated.

        3. RtVik's Claim Not to Dwell on Gory Details of Individual Failures.

          Similarly the RtViks are savvy enough to state that they do not wish to "·dredge up the gory details of unfortunate individual's spiritual difficulties." But not everyone who wants to see a change honors this principal and often very offensive things are said. The fact that the Final Order paper has been successful in cohering the fractured ISKCON splinter groups is not necessarily a blanket confirmation that everyone fully accepts it's conclusions or methods.

        4. It's NOT What Someone Says That Counts!

          Psychologist's estimate that up to 70% of what we communicate is not done with words. Politicians are expert at constructing sentences that are carefully crafted to be politically correct and legally intact, yet politicians have developed the reputation of being the most untrustworthy.

          So regardless of what anyone says, if the events that surround them are inconsistent with what they proclaim an intelligent person will not accept what amounts to cheap talk or political posturing. Prabhupada called those type of people "Word Jugglers."

        5. Both Sides Will Have Their Reasons to Object!

          ISKCON management might claim that introducing a second system will be confusing to new candidates and some might be concerned about how it will make the current Guru's appear. They will not be inclined to change the current system simply because change itself is disruptive and requires new policies to be adopted, new procedures to be put in place and most importantly a new attitude to be accepted. All of this will not be simple but that is what management is all about and if one isn't prepared to carry out the duties of the job then if they are a Brahmins the honorable thing for them to do is resign.

          The Rtvik people will complain that the existing system should be discontinued because it is dishonest and perpetuates fraud on new candidates that may wish to get initiated by an authorized ISKCON guru. They may use any of the many arguments presented in this paper to substantiate their reasons for completely dismantling the existing guru system, but that will just perpetuates the problem. The Rtviks must remember the old saying: "Possession is 9/10's of the law."

          Either side can fall back into the trap of: "We are RIGHT and we know we are Right! Why should we compromise with something that we believe is wrong!" That type of thinking is exactly the way the fanatical born-again Christians speak. We all have been offended and put off by it and now that is what we are doing to each other. Is that the best we can do with the beautiful message Srila Prabhupada originally taught?

        6. What Are We Really Trying To Do Anyway?

          If ISKCON management can see the wisdom of allowing the alternative system to exist then the movement can start growing again and no-matter how one wants to get initiated everyone will be given an opportunity to assist in the mission of Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada. After all that is the real practical objective which should always come before ritualistic formalities and dogma.

          Srila Prabhupada demonstrated this type of thinking when he established the practice of allowing women to serve the deities and he gave them Gaitri initiation. The other historic example of this type of radical change is how Srila Prabhupada adjusted the number of rounds from 64 down to 32 down to 16 because of our fallen condition. Traditionally these things were not acceptable in the Vaishnava tradition. Srila Prabhupada was wise enough to make those adjustments for the sake of giving the world the message of Krishna Consciousness that we all so badly needed.

        7. Krishna Will Reveal what He Wants In Time

      It is clear that we will never be able to collectively resolve the issue of determining which system Srila Prabhupada wanted us to follow for initiating after he left. But one of the nice things about allowing both systems to co-exist is that it allows Krishna to reveal to us how to move past this point into the future. We should not adopt both systems with the attitude that one will live on at the expense of the other, although that is a possibility we should be willing to accept if it becomes evident. But more likely systems will prosper nicely with each serving a different target market

      For example the Individual Guru would probably be more effective and relevant in areas where the Guru remains local, is easily approachable, well respected and has offered years of quality service. Those who live in remote sections, where the only contact with Krishna Consciousness one has is via the BBT books, might prefer to be initiated as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Different needs· different solutions. Krishna can respond to everyone according to his or her need and this is how we can set things up to facilitate everyone.

      This is what I believe most devotees would agree is the main purpose of ISKCON; To engage people in serving Srila Prabhupada so they can restore their lost relationship with Kishna. We should be careful not become like a bunch of smarta-brahmana politicians who bicker over esoteric issues most people don't understand or even care about. This has always been Srila Prabhupada's mood and if we wish to truly honor him it should be our mood as well.

    2. Conclusion
      1. Legalism and Philosophy Has It's Limits
      1. Scripture, The Law & Statistics (My Logic Is Better than Yours Is!)

        Anyone who has worked with layers or statisticians knows that they can take any position on any subject and find some way of "proving" that their understanding is the only reasonable position. This phenomena is very observable with the way Christians use the Bible to justify the slaughter of animals.

        The fact is a very good argument can be made to justify their viewpoints if the final arbitration is dependent on just the text of the Bible. To get a clearer understanding of the issue some common sense is required. Jesus, the prince of peace, would never condone the pathetic conclusion that a sentient, compassionate, friend of God would senselessly kill animals simply for the satisfaction of the pallet.

        Another example is how the neo-nazi hate groups all claim to base their beliefs on the instructions found in the Bible! To an outsider the reasoning is so absurd it belies credibility· yet those who believe it are very convinced it is the proper conclusion.

        We are currently entrenched in the same dead end thinking regarding the initiation issue. A good pundit can dig up the necessary scripture and interpret in such a way that they can prove whatever is required.

      2. Philosophy has its Purpose but There Is Even A Higher Principal.

        There is no doubt that we should strive to maintain philosophical consistency. It is also imperative that there be opportunity for healthy debate among the scholarly vaishnavas. But we should also recognize that even philosophical intellectualizing has it's own traps and could lead to smarta-brahmans snobbishness. Rational thinking must be there, but if that is all we use to function by we have reasoned away the higher Vaishnava principal of kindness, understanding and compassion. Only a very small percent of the population will understand the finer points of lofty philosophical arguments but everyone can comprehend the honorable behavior of a true Vaishnava when it is demonstrated.