Baba
Good way to do
Namaskar,
There was a very big university in Nalanda'. The name was Nalanda' Vishvavidya'lay, and it was situated in Bihar. As long as the area was ruled by Buddhists, that university ran smoothly. The university was completely dependent upon donations from outsiders and from the king. The local public was not involved. When the kingdom changed rulers, antisocial elements set the university on fire. Hundreds of thousands of books were burned in the library. But nobody intervened and those school buildings were burned one after another. It took several months to fully burn down the whole campus. Yet, all along, local people were apathetic and never interceded. They just let those vandals burn the university. This is the well known history.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In India there are hundreds of abandoned mosques and churches that have been ignored for ages. Those places of worship were running well when they were getting donations from the Moghul king, or from the Britishers etc. But when the kingdom changed and the donations stopped, then those places were abandoned. On the other side, those mosques and churches that were supported by the public are still running fine today. Similarly, the ashram system did not get rooted out during the Moghul period or British rule because all the while the public supported those ashrams.
The conclusive idea is that if any project is wholly dependent upon external support, their fate is bleak. On this point, Baba's policy is not to take support from outsiders. Local people should be inspired to contribute and help the local projects. Otherwise they will not feel oneness with the project. Rather, in most of the cases, they will feel apathetic or alienated by it, and they will try to sabotage and ruin those projects.
Human body & medicine analogy
In one discourse, Baba says that no structure can survive only relying upon external help. Baba gives the example that if someone is sick and medical professionals medicate the patient by the infusion of medicine, that is only helpful so long as the body responds to that treatment. In other words, to give strength to the internal system of the body, some external medicine is needed sometimes. But that medicine does not do anything on its own; it primarily helps the internal system to heal itself. The proof being the case of a dead body where the internal system is completely defunct, then external medicine cannot help. Administering medicines to a dead person is useless.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Importance of public support
Another important example is the government school project in Bihar, where there are thousands of schools situated in small villages. Initially the government was granting money for the construction of those school buildings. They were made solely due to government support. In result, the villagers did not feel closeness with those schools. They were thinking that, "This is an outsider project." Or they thought, "This is a government building. This is not my building."
With this view, they did not care about protecting those buildings. After some time it was found that the windows from those buildings had disappeared. Some villagers had stolen them and were using them in their own houses. Later on, the roof was also taken away and used somewhere. This is not the tale of one or two places, but hundreds of buildings. The overall theme being that when the local public thinks of something as a government building, they don't feel connected with it. They think, “It belongs to someone else. It is not mine.” In result, they misuse or destroy it.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So this problem was going on for a long time. Then under pressure of circumstances the local government changed the plan. They devised a strategy whereby the buildings would be constructed by the villagers. And teachers will be supplied by the government. Villagers were called upon to contribute 50% of the share. When villagers built those schools with their own contributions, they maintained and protected those buildings, and the program was successful.
Local donation is a pledge of the heart
On the point of external vs local help for our AMPS projects, once Baba was giving a particular guideline to all WTs. He told that: You must collect donations from the local public for the jagrti. Whatever money they are giving, that does not have only monetary value; something more they are giving. If some person gives you a donation of one paisa / penny, then with that one paisa that very poor person gives the sympathy of his heart to you / to your project or jagrti, children’s home etc. And if anti-social elements try to destroy that project or jagrti or school, those locals who donated to the project will vehemently protest and safeguard that project. Whereas, if the donations come exclusively from outside the region, if the jagriti is set on fire by antisocial elements, the villagers will not feel motivated to intercede.
Baba also explained how if the villagers' money is also involved as a donation in constructing that jagrti, then they will think in their heart that their property is getting destroyed. And they will immediately come forward and protect the property of the jagrti and protest against the negative people.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The overall point is that to erect some building or project, local support is highly essential. Otherwise, the fate of that project is bleak. Suppose money has come from the outside, and local people do not feel oneness with the project, the, in most of the cases, they will feel disconnected from it. They will not save the building. And in some cases, they will even destroy that building or project. Similarly, in the case of our jagrtis or any such construction, where local people did not contribute and money came only from outside, then that project could not flourish.
When to take outside help
The question can also be raised: Is there any occasion when we should get or accept help from outside, or from other countries? Baba's guideline is that in the case of a big disaster like an earthquake, cyclone, flood etc, when a huge population is highly affected, then external help is highly needed. But that is a special circumstance. In contrast, when making a local project, jagriti, building or a school, external help is not needed.
Next scenario: If local people are not there, or if they are all non-margiis, then what should we do? Baba says that first we should create margiis. And then immediately start the project. Side by side, both the works will go on. Without taking help from local people, if anyone does anything that will prove to be fruitless. You will not have any sentimental support from the local people. Rather they will think that this person is an outsider, or that he doesn't belong to them.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Because of all these reasons, Baba always emphasizes doing pracar among the local people. And one more related point is important to address. Doing pracar only among the outsider communities or migrant people is not going to serve the purpose of Ananda Marga. A key example is some African nations where Indian businessmen control the money and the political arena. Some WTs only focused on propagating Ananda Marga among Indian businessmen living in Africa. Baba was not happy with this, and He would emphasize local pracar and always take report about how many local margiis have been created.
One Dada was once telling how in Africa an orange farm was made with external help, and it was a serious problem. Local people used to always come and take away / steal all the materials. And, again, there are hundreds of cases like this.
So in all the worker reportings from 1978 to '90, Baba used to emphasize getting anything and everything done using the local help. Both margiis and non-margiis are needed on the local level. And then only, our Ananda Marga will flourish and so many schools and medical units etc will be established. Otherwise, feeding those projects from a far distance without local support is not going to help.
Conclusion
So there are two main points. First, each and every sector has their own problems, and, according to Baba's system, it is the duty of the margiis to take care of their local unit and their own sector. That is their foremost duty. Neglecting one's own unit and helping others for the sake of name and fame is not good. The second point is that taking external help is not going to solve the problem permanently. To create a thriving social service project, local people must have an integral role.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Namaskar,
In Him
Manidiip
~ In-depth study ~
Service projects are a fundamental part of AM life. Yet how they are to be built up and how they are to be maintained is not always easy to know:
(a) Should the money come from afar or locally?
(b) To what degree are financial donors responsible for ensuring their money reaches the mark?
(c) How far is external monetary support helpful in any project where local people are not involved?
(d) What happens when a project is fully dependent upon donations from outsiders?
These are but a few of the many important questions and considerations. We can gain insight into this by looking at the history of Ananda Marga and the general society also. These are some of Baba's important guidelines regarding how to build and maintain service projects.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
The special case
External help was needed to build up Ananda Nagar. Because Ananda Nagar is our global headquarters. To make Baba's Quarter or road or rotunda, the local public is not going to help. Because they do not have a direct interest in that. That's why Baba inspires one and all, all around the globe, to contribute for Ananda Nagar. That was the special case.
Ananda Marga itself is a proof, at present we have several hundred Ananda Marga schools in India, and 99.9% of them have been made by local contribution. And there are also many examples of Bengal where a school building has been made by external donation. And common people destroyed it and set it on fire. But many places in Bengal are also there, where local people were inspired to help and they are donating and protecting those things. Surely it is the duty of we margiis that we should think carefully, how far their money can be utilized in a better way.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "O human beings, frame the social structure considering the needs of humanity. Do not try to do anything for your petty personal and group interests..." (1)
What we should do - our responsibility
Another point is that if we are the ones donating to a far distant service project and if due to mishandling of funds our money does not reach there, then according to Baba's teaching about tapah we are also to blame-- not just the crooked thief who captured our money. We also will incur negative samskara. Of course this is just a hypothetical situation, yet the point remains that the responsibility also lies with the donor. That is why intelligent margiis give to local projects where they can ensure that everything is proper and the money is going in the right direction. Then of course by this way the common public will also get inspired to donate because everyone likes to be part of a winning project. At the same time we should demand that there be transparency of the financial books-- ie proper accounting. And like this there are numerous points regarding service projects and financial contributions etc.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Namaskar,
In Him
Manidiip
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 1, chapter 1
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Before creation
"Ga'ner parash da'o pra'n'er pare shya'mal cha'ye..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1405)
Purport:
Please touch my soul with Your songs, spreading Your divine love through the medium of Your music. It is like the soothing shade of the greenery in summertime; Your journey knows no bounds. You go on singing Your charming compositions non-stop.
The day before anything was created, You were also present. That very time Your sadhana was also existing. In that era, You were the sadhaka, the Goal, and the sadhana, as well as the tunes of eternity. You were everything all wrapped together - all in one.
Baba, the day when things will no longer exist, that very time also You will be present and remain ever-brilliant. Then also Your sadhana will exist. Your exquisite refulgence will also remain along with You, in that unknown abode. Your infinite melodies will also be with You.
Baba, with the subtle vibrations of Your mystical songs, You touch my heart, arose bhakti, and make my life successful…
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Watch out: one may become microvita
#1: As you may know, human beings have no ability to create anything in this universe.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "In this universe of ours, human beings cannot create the original stuff. They have not got the dexterity to create something original. They can create physical mixtures and chemical compounds, but not the original stuff." (1)
#2: So human beings have not an iota of ability to create microvita - neither positive nor negative.
#3: What human beings can do is generate a congenial atmosphere. For instance, if you live in a warm climate and leave out a bucket of water for days on end then naturally bugs and all sorts of organisms will be drawn to that water. But humans cannot say they created those bugs, rather that person made a congenial environment that attracted the bugs etc. And the same is the case for positive microvita. By your kiirtana, sadhana, and puja etc, already existing positive microvita may be drawn to that area, but that is all we can do. We cannot actually create microvita.
#4: Remember, again and again, it comes back to the original premise that humans have no scope to create the original stuff. We can only change or attract already existing things.
#5: Here is the origin of microvita: At the time of death, certain human beings turn into microvita when they are reborn with only three factors (i.e. luminous, aerial, and ethereal, but not solid or liquid). So human beings do not create microvita, but rather some humans become microvita through Brahmacakra (cycle of creation). Below Baba explains in detail how and why this occurs.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Suppose a person is practising spiritual sádhaná regularly, properly, and with proper inspiration and sincerity, but some other desires, some other longings, remain coverted in the person's mind. The person is a good person, he or she is sincerely doing sádhaná, but in his mind he thinks, “If Bábá gives me ten lakhs – or five lakhs – or only two lakhs – everything will be managed properly. Oh, no! I won't ask for these things. No, no, no, it is bad, it is bad.” That desire, that longing for money, remains in him, although he or she is a developed soul, not a bad person, not at all a bad person. So what happens? Because of his piety, after death he gives up the physical structure, the solid body, and gives up the aquatic structure, that is, apatattva, also; but the other three factors – tejas [luminous factor], marut [aerial factor], vyoma [ethereal factor] – remain with him, with his detached mind.These beings are called devayonis. They are of seven types – yakśa, rakśa, kinnara, gandharva, vidyádhara, siddha and Prakrtiliina. In the example I gave, the person had a longing for money, but was a developed soul. Unknowingly or unconsciously the desire came into his or her mind, and that desire was the cause of his or her downfall, degradation, depravation. This type of being is called yakśa." (2)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Pranama Mantra
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Ghosts and Evil Spirits
"Ga'ner parash da'o pra'n'er pare shya'mal cha'ye..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1405)
Purport:
Please touch my soul with Your songs, spreading Your divine love through the medium of Your music. It is like the soothing shade of the greenery in summertime; Your journey knows no bounds. You go on singing Your charming compositions non-stop.
The day before anything was created, You were also present. That very time Your sadhana was also existing. In that era, You were the sadhaka, the Goal, and the sadhana, as well as the tunes of eternity. You were everything all wrapped together - all in one.
Baba, the day when things will no longer exist, that very time also You will be present and remain ever-brilliant. Then also Your sadhana will exist. Your exquisite refulgence will also remain along with You, in that unknown abode. Your infinite melodies will also be with You.
Baba, with the subtle vibrations of Your mystical songs, You touch my heart, arose bhakti, and make my life successful…
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Watch out: one may become microvita
#1: As you may know, human beings have no ability to create anything in this universe.
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "In this universe of ours, human beings cannot create the original stuff. They have not got the dexterity to create something original. They can create physical mixtures and chemical compounds, but not the original stuff." (1)
#2: So human beings have not an iota of ability to create microvita - neither positive nor negative.
#3: What human beings can do is generate a congenial atmosphere. For instance, if you live in a warm climate and leave out a bucket of water for days on end then naturally bugs and all sorts of organisms will be drawn to that water. But humans cannot say they created those bugs, rather that person made a congenial environment that attracted the bugs etc. And the same is the case for positive microvita. By your kiirtana, sadhana, and puja etc, already existing positive microvita may be drawn to that area, but that is all we can do. We cannot actually create microvita.
#4: Remember, again and again, it comes back to the original premise that humans have no scope to create the original stuff. We can only change or attract already existing things.
#5: Here is the origin of microvita: At the time of death, certain human beings turn into microvita when they are reborn with only three factors (i.e. luminous, aerial, and ethereal, but not solid or liquid). So human beings do not create microvita, but rather some humans become microvita through Brahmacakra (cycle of creation). Below Baba explains in detail how and why this occurs.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Suppose a person is practising spiritual sádhaná regularly, properly, and with proper inspiration and sincerity, but some other desires, some other longings, remain coverted in the person's mind. The person is a good person, he or she is sincerely doing sádhaná, but in his mind he thinks, “If Bábá gives me ten lakhs – or five lakhs – or only two lakhs – everything will be managed properly. Oh, no! I won't ask for these things. No, no, no, it is bad, it is bad.” That desire, that longing for money, remains in him, although he or she is a developed soul, not a bad person, not at all a bad person. So what happens? Because of his piety, after death he gives up the physical structure, the solid body, and gives up the aquatic structure, that is, apatattva, also; but the other three factors – tejas [luminous factor], marut [aerial factor], vyoma [ethereal factor] – remain with him, with his detached mind.These beings are called devayonis. They are of seven types – yakśa, rakśa, kinnara, gandharva, vidyádhara, siddha and Prakrtiliina. In the example I gave, the person had a longing for money, but was a developed soul. Unknowingly or unconsciously the desire came into his or her mind, and that desire was the cause of his or her downfall, degradation, depravation. This type of being is called yakśa." (2)
References
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Pranama Mantra
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Ghosts and Evil Spirits
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Voting & procreation: not just for anyone
Prout philosophy states, “Good varieties of seed, fertile land, adequate nourishment, light, air and water are all essential for good reproduction in both the plant and animal kingdoms. In this respect human beings are no different from other creatures. In human society the selection of suitable males and females is desirable for reproduction of a high order. Until human beings are produced in scientific laboratories it will be detrimental to society if this matter is neglected. If people of sublime intelligence and brilliance reproduce more offspring, it will be very beneficial for society. The responsibility for nurturing and bringing up these children will have to be taken by society or the government. Similarly, it will be harmful for society if mentally deficient, naturally delinquent or insane persons produce many children. In fact, society will be benefited by the permanent destruction of their reproductive capacity, providing this does not cause any harmful reaction.” (1)
Note: All of Baba’s teachings on Prout will be implemented in due course. The society requires a certain degree of development in order to be able to implement these ideas properly, with the right spirit.
Take the example of the selecto-electoral system. As you know, Baba does not support the system of democracy. He explains that it is the best of the various systems of societal organization thus far experienced by humanity. But ultimately democracy is foolocracy. The general public does not have the viveka to understand what they need. Look, they elected Trump who is a demon in human form and only wants to implement programs to make the rich richer and exploit the common people. And yet, today is not the time during this communal phase of society's development to implement Baba's selecto electoral system. Now the principle would be abused. Until neohumanism is firmly established, then the selecto-electoral system cannot be implemented.
The same thing is the case with Baba's teachings about reproduction. The teaching is obvious. Tell a farmer he should not care about which seeds he uses for his crop, and he will think it is crazy. Whatever is to be developed in any sphere, can only develop properly if the seed is proper. In India there is a community Bishnoi in Rajasthan. It was long governed by this principle and may still be today. Their guru instructed them in this way, and due to this their society was very healthy. There were competitions for deciding who will be qualified to procreate. Also take the example of the In vitro system. Sperm solicitation functions in a highly selected manner. Not just anyone is requested to donate to the sperm bank.
Ultimately when the society grows and develops, it will embrace Baba's teachings on this point. Just as people have to be qualified to vote -- this is critically important to keep demons like Trump from getting leadership posts -- in the same way for the proper development of society, in the future people will have to qualify to be able to procreate. One should not think of Baba's teaching in terms of the narrow minded parameters used to propagate such ideas in the past. It requires a completely different outlook, a neo-humanistic outlook, to be able to understand what Baba is guiding on this point of reproduction. And it is quite natural as well, just like a farmer who selects seeds for planting the crop.
In Him,
Sarvavyapii
Reference
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 13, Population Growth and Control
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Without mysticism life is dry
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Mysticism is a never-ending endeavour to find a link between finite and infinite." (1)
Note: Here Baba is indirectly giving the guideline that in the realm of bhakti one should have a particular personal relation with Parama Purusa. And these relations are known as "bhava"-- whether they be sakhya bhava, dasya bhava, madhura bhava etc. So these various bhavas are that very "link between finite and infinite". Because with the help of these relations bhaktas gradually come in closer and closer proximity with Parama Purusa. Until finally by linking up in this way the sadhaka becomes one with Him. For more information about this kindly refer to the appendix of the book, Namami Krsnasundaram
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Mysticism and Yoga
== Section: Comments from March 2017 ==
Re: Why Baba gives demonstrations
Namaskar,
I enjoyed this submission.
Gandhi did great harm to India and the world trifurcating the country.
He was reborn as a monkey...for his weaknesses.
In BABA
govinda
Pittsburgh ..the steel city usa
- Here is the initial letter on this topic - Why Baba gives demonstrations
----
Namaskar,
I whole-heartedly appreciate the detailed analysis contained in this letter.
Brotherly,
P.D.Narayan
- Here is the initial letter on this topic - Why Baba gives demonstrations
== Section 4: Links ==
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