par Ahmad Qisa’i (son site) mardi 25 mars 2008 - 1 comment

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Monks as Agents of Change

So far as the tradition in the Buddhism is concerned, worldly affairs are beyond the concern of the monks. Instead, achieving the purity of life and spiritual happiness become a life time dedication for these holy men. Once a Buddhist decides to choose a life as a monk, he/she has to relinquish his/her worldly desires and surrenders his/her life for the sake of spiritual happiness.

Recent phenomena, however, seem to have shown a departure from this tradition. Recent incidents of worldly affair involving these holy men described the better half of a monk’s life. In Myanmar, they marched down the streets of Myanmar’s major cities to demand the restoration of democracy and justice there. The endless suffering of the Myanmar people at the hands of the military junta has transported the monks beyond their spiritual lives.

Similarly, the latest incident in Tibet seemed to echo the previous monk-inspired social agitation in Myanmar. The Tibetan monks marched down the street of Lasha, the capital of Tibet, in a peaceful demonstration to demand freedom and abolition of injustices there. The Chinese iron rule in Tibet has made the Tibetans suffer. The Tibetans have been facing grave injustices from the decade long Chinese occupation.

But why did these monks rebel and go against the Buddhist tradition of non-interference on worldly affairs ?

The answer to the question might come from the fact that monks are also human, like the rest of the population. They are integral part of the society, the most respected one in a Buddhist society. Even though the life of a monk is dedicated solely to the non-worldly affairs and the attainment of spiritual happiness but being in the highest order in the society, the monks are responsible for keeping the balance of life in the society. Thus, the presence of any form of injustice which obstructs the balance of life in a society cannot be tolerated and should be banished. The decision by the monks to choose the path of agitation through peaceful demonstrations should not be construed as a departure from their tradition of non-interference on worldly affairs. Instead, it is their responsibility to fight against injustices as an implementation of Buddha’s teachings.

In Myanmar, the monks could no longer tolerate the injustices suffered by the Myanmar people. Their rights as the citizens of the State have been robbed and curtailed by the military junta that long has been controlling the small, natural resource rich nation in Southeast Asia. Thus, it was time for the monks to fight against this injustice and peacefully march down the street to assert moral pressure to the authority. They hoped that their peaceful march would turn into noise that could be heard by the authority and injustice in Myanmar can be abolished.

The latest incident involving the Buddhist monks in Tibet bore similarity to the one in Myanmar. The Tibetan monks could no longer tolerate the control of the Chinese government there. The Tibetan people have been robbed from their basic rights. Acceding to the data from London School of Economic, the double digit annual economic growth in Tibet fails to improve the socio-economic condition of the Tibetans. The minority Han community in Tibet are the one who benefits the most from it while the majority of the Tibetans are living in poverty. 40 percent of them are illiterate and only 15 percent Tibetans are educated, the lowest in China (60 percent). The Tibetan people must thus fight for their freedom and the monks led the way.

Not all the initiatives by these holy men, however, resulted in positive change. In Myanmar, the junta responded the demonstration with force and violent response. They arrested the monks and threatened these holy men not to repeat the act or face severe consequences. The demand for change went into deaf ears and injustice prevails.

Similarly, the demand for greater autonomy in Tibet that long has been advocated by Dalai Lama has so far not yielded any positive result. Tibet is still under the iron control of the Chinese government and the Tibetans are still suffering from injustice, both socially and economically.

It is important to note here, however, that in both Myanmar and Tibet the Buddhist monks have played important role in advocating change and fighting against injustices in their society. Even though their valiant efforts have not yet yield any visible change but they have played a role as agents of change. And better change is arriving, sooner rather than later.

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  (xxx.xxx.xxx.34) 30 mars 2008 05:00

  catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam People are.... Because the Vedic culture is lost, the system of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, is no longer existing, neither there is training. One politician, minister in Calcutta, he came to see me, I was talking. "Why there is chaotic condition ?" And the simple reason is there is no this catur-varnya system is lost. Practically without any brahminical culture, ksatriya culture, people remain sudras, the fourth-class man. Or fifth-class men.

  So unless there are first-class men, second-class men, at least third-class men, only fourth-class, fifth-class, sixth-class men, how they can conduct. That is not possible. Therefore it is enjoined that catur-varnyam maya srstam. This division of the society must be observed.

  Educational institution, there should be, but the education.... Just like in a university, they have different departments : medical department, engineering department, or biological and so many, psychological, chemical, physical.... They have so many departments. But there is no department, brahminical, kshatriya,vaisya, nothing. Because they do not know what is the aim of life. They are simply interested with the bodily comforts of life. That’s all. Never mind what is our next life, What kind of life we are going to. But that is, this is a fact.

  Therefore we have to study Bhagavad-gita very seriously. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita it is said by Krsna, tatha dehantara-praptir. There is dehantara. After leaving this body, I have to accept another body. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhirah means those who are sober, intelligent, they know that what is death. Death means giving up this body and accepting another, transmigration of the soul. That is death. So dhiras tatra na muhyati. A dhirah who is learned, he knows, but others, adhirah...

  There are two classes of men : dhira and adhira. Adhirah means not controlled, animals. Just like animal cannot control. So human being is gradually coming to the platform of the animals. Because they are being conducted on the bodily concept of life.

  yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij (janesv abhijnesu) sa eva go-kharah

  Anyone Who is thinking that "I am this body," yasyatma-buddhih kunape.... Kunape means this bag, tri-dhatuke, of kapha, pitta, vayu. Am I this body ? A first-class intelligent man is composed of this body. What is the composition ? The blood, bone, flesh, muscle, stool, urine. Does it mean a first-class man is composition of these ingredients ? But foolish people are taking the bodily conception of life. No.

  Tatha dehantara-praptih. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe. This is the first understanding of knowledge, but people do not understand that within the body there is soul. They are so fool. Therefore they have been described in the sastra, sa eva go-kharah : "This class of men, they are no better than the cows and the asses." So you cannot become happy in the assembly of some animals.

  Therefore people are so much disturbed at the present moment. There is no sober life, dhira. If you want peaceful life in the society, then you must accept this program. Catur-varnyam maya srstam. There must be brahminical class of men, ksatriya class of men, vaisya class of men.

  The vaisya... Generally, we understand, vaisya means the mercantile class of men. No. At the present moment the so-called vaisyas are sudras, less than sudras. Why ? Now the vaisya’s business is krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. The vaisyas must be engaged in producing foodgrains, but they are not interested,or they produce it and feed the thirsty motor cars ! They are interested for opening factories for bolts and nuts and tires, Goodwheel tires, Goodyear tires. Now you eat tires and bolt nuts. No, you cannot eat. You have to eat rice,not sugar. That’s all. Because no vaisya is producing enogh food grains. This is the defect.

  They don’t see the defect. They’re simply howling, bawling, "Oh, it has increased price". Why not, increased, price ? There are millions of people in Bombay city. Who is producing food grain ? But they are known as vaisya. What kind of vaisya ? There is no brahminical culture ; there is no brain. There is no ksatriya who can give you protection. There are so many defects.

  So if you want to remodel your life, the society, the human society, nationally or internationally—everything is spoken here, international—then you have to take to the advice of Krsna. This is the purpose of Krsna consciousness movement : wholesale, thorough, overhauling of the human society. We have not manufactured anything, concocted things. It is very scientific. If you actually want to fulfill the mission of your life, then you have to take to this advice of Bhagavad-gita, very scientific and spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without any defects.

  If I speak something, there may be so many defects, because I am imperfect. Every one of us, imperfect. We commit mistake. To err is human. There is no human being who can say boldly that "I never committed any mistake." That is not possible. You must commit mistake. And sometimes we are illusioned, pramada. That we are all, because we are accepting this body as "I am," which I am not. That is called pramada, bhrama pramada. Then vipralipsa. I have got bhrama, I commit mistake, I am bewildered, I am illusioned. Still, I am taking the position of teacher. That is cheating. If you are defective, if you have got so many defects in your life, how you can become teacher ? You are a cheater. Nobody’s teacher, because without being perfect, how you can become teacher ? So this is going on.

  And the last defect is that my senses are imperfect. I cannot see properly, I cannot smell properly, I cannot touch properly. So many defects. Just for example I am seeing the sun everyday but I am seeing just like a disk. But it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than the earth. So sastra-caksusa. You must see through the sastra,[sacred scriptures] not with these eyes. Just like they say sometimes, "Can you show me God ? Have you seen God ?" Well, can you see God ? You cannot see even the sun properly. How can you see God ? Why you are proud of your eyes so much ? If you cannot see even material object and you cannot see even the spirit soul...

  You are seeing daily your father, and when your father dies you cry, "Oh, my father is gone." Well, your father is lying here. How do you say your father is gone ? "No, father is gone." Then how it is gone ? "Now he is dead." How he is dead ? That means you are seeing your father so many years, but you did not see who is your father. Now he cries, "Now my father is gone." Where he is gone ? He is there, lying on the floor. So just see our fault, how much defective our eyes. I am seeing the body of the father and I am thinking, "He is my father." Sa eva go-kharah, ass and cow, the seeing of the ass and cow. So in this way we are defective.

  How we can guide the people ? How we can become teacher ? How we can become leader ? Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah, yasyatma-buddhih kunape. Andha. I am andha, blind, and I try to lead others. Therefore there must be chaos. This will not help us. We must see through the eyes of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We must study Bhagavad-gita perfectly well.

  How to read ? Evam parampara-praptam, through the disciplic succession. As Krsna said, you have to accept that teaching through the disciplic succession, not concocted meanings. "Oh, I am a very good scholar. I passed my DHC or MAC or MA. I can comment on Bhagavad-gita in my own way." That is rascaldom. That is not understanding of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita means you must understand what Krsna says. That is understanding. But generally, it is done, "Kill Krsna. There was no Krsna. There was no battlefield. There was no Mahabharata. I have my concoction about Krsna." This kind of commentary and understanding of Bhagavad-gita has spoiled the whole world.

  Therefore in the Western countries so many swamis and yogis went there and they misrepresented Bhagavad-gita. Of course, everyone knows in Eastern country Bhagavad-gita. Every institution, every gentleman, learned man, knows that there is a nice book, Bhagavad-gita, but they read these faulty commentaries. They cannot understand. Now we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, and they are now understanding what is real Bhagavad-gita. Therefore they are now devotees. For the last two hundred years, so many swamis and yogis went there and talked about Bhagavad-gita. Not a single person became a devotee of Krsna. Now you will find thousands. Why ? The Bhagavad-gita is being accepted as it is. This is the secret of this Krsna consciousness movement.

  So our only request is that if you want happiness, if you want to prosper, make your life successful, you must read Bhagavad-gita thoroughly, as it is, as Krsna says. Don’t try to misinterpret. "Krsna means this" and "pandava means this" and "This means this." Don’t make this foolish rascaldom. Take as it is, Bhagavad-gita.

  Krsna says that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya, aham adir hi devanam, catur-varnyam maya srstam. Here it is said. Krsna says, catur-varnyam maya srstam, you cannot cancel this system of varnasrama. Then you will suffer. You cannot cancel. You must accept, that there must be a class of men, real, brahmana. Not that "I am born in a brahmana family and I am doing the work of a cobbler. Still, I am a brahmana. No, not like that. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. Krsna never says that brahmana is born in a brahmana family. Here it is clearly said, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah. Guna means quality. As you purchase something, that it is good quality, nice quality, similarly, you should accept a brahmana, a ksatriya, a vaisya, a sudra, by the quality and by the work.

  Not only that. Just like you qualify yourself as a lawyer, but you do not practice. So who will call you lawyer ? Nobody will call. But if you are qualified and if you are practicing, everyone says, [Hindi] He will go. People will go to consult with you. But if you do not practice, simply you have passed legal examination, nobody will come to you. So two things are required : the brahminical qualities and work like a brahmana. These two things.... If you are born in a brahmana family and you are, "Oh, all blessing to you," oh, what power you have got to bless me ? You are not in quality, not in work. But people accept it, panditaji.

  What kind of panditaji ? Pandita. Pandita means one who knows. Then the Bhagavad-gita says, panditah sama-darsinah.

  vidya-vinaya-sampanne

  So this is the pandita, definition of pandita, not this rascal pandita, that rascal pandita. Pandita means one who has attained the spiritual platform. That is called pandita. Panditah sama-darsinah.

  That requires brahminical culture, not the dull brain of sudras and candalas. They cannot understand. Therefore there must be an institution to educate a brahmana, to educate ksatriya. That is required. Catur-varnyam maya srstam. If you don’t do it, if you simply produce sudras, bolt, nut manufacturers, technicians, then how you can be happy ? Sudras. This is the business of the sudras. This is not business of brahmana. You keep sudras, but there must be brahmanas also.

  Just like leg is also required, the brain is also required. You cut the leg, simply keep the brain, that is also defective and if you cut off the brain, then everything is finished. This is going on. There is no brahmana, there is no ksatriya, there is no vaisya, only sudras. So how you can be happy ?

  Therefore it is very essential to understand this verse. Catur-varnyam, train a class of men. Everyone required. There is intelligent class of men, but there brain is being misused, and intelligent man is being taught technology, how to manufacture machine. This is sudra’s business. This is sudra’s business. Misuse, brain misuse. There must be university where brain is properly utilized. Here is a child or here is a boy. He has good intelligence. Train him as brahmana. Less than that, train him as ksatriya, train him as vaisya.

  Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita. There is no difficulty. So if you actually want happiness, prosperity of the society, not only of this society, that, whole human society, they must accept this Krsna consciousness movement and then they will be happy.

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