Baba
“Special service”
Namaskar,
An outrageous event took place here in our Marga that causes us to stop and think about the way some in Ananda Marga are doing "service". Read about this below event, and see what you think.
Distributing mutton to beggars
During Ramadan, it was reported that one Dada organised a food distribution program during the Islamic holiday / “holy month” of Ramadan.
Note: During Ramadan, many Muslims sit down and eat mutton (i.e. goat meat or lamb) during the feasting through the nighttime hours. That is the dogmatic tradition. As Ananda Margiis we categorically reject this tradition of eating meat and slaughtering animals.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Anyway, in doing his food distribution, this Dadaji distributed many slaughtered goats to serve to beggars for the occasion of Ramadan. That means Dadaji collected hundreds of pounds of goat meat from the local butcher / market and donated that meat on the occasion of Ramadan.
So we should all think how appropriate this is. Should one serve tamasik slaughtered goats to those in need. Is this the way we do service?
Distributing machine guns to thugs and gang members
Collecting and distributing hundreds of pounds of goat meat by one Dada for food distribution is extreme. If we are passive then we will soon hear that in the name of service some Dada is doing the following as well:
- 1. Distributing violent video games on Ramadan to poor kids struggling in school.
- 2. Donating guns and ammunition to poor hunters;
- 3. Distributing cigarettes to poor & distressed tobacco addicts;
- 4. Distributing heroin to poor & distressed drug addicts;
- 5. Giving arms to poor & distressed criminals / terrorists;
- 6. Distributing poison to the elderly to kill oneself;
- 7. Serving alcohol to poor people on New Year's Eve & other festival days;
- 8. Distributing machine guns to thugs and gang members;
- 9. Giving high-fat sweets filled with hydrogenated oil to poor & distressed heart patients;
- 10. Giving foods loaded with sugar to poor diabetics;
- 11. Distributing sharp blades to needy & distressed pickpockets or robbers.
Glaring example of negative & detrimental so-called service
Here the point is that doing something with a good heart or with a good spirit is not enough. The overall effect of the action or service also counts. With full sincerity if you offer poison to someone then they will still be harmed.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Those who do not have any idea of bhagavad dharma may say that Dadaji donated all that goat meat out of kindness and we should not chase him. But one should know that doing sinful things with a good heart will not make that action virtuous. Prakrti does not overlook such wrongs but rather punishes those going against bhagavad dharma. So we should not only think by the angle of a greedy human; as neo-humanists we should think from the perspective of those goats as well. Then it will not take time to understand this entire issue.
Dada should have given things for the people's welfare. That is the effect of Ananda Marga service. He should have only given plant and grain-based foods, i.e. sentient foods. Because our approach is never to give away harmful or tamasik foods in the name of service. Not only that, goats have their own existential value, they are not to be slaughtered for human consumption.
But in Dadaji's case he gave something that is harmful - harmful both to them and the goat. So his dealing caused the death of so many goats, and he has to face the consequences. Such type of activity is sinful - not service. All around the world there are margiis surrounded by so many meat-eaters, but we do not therefore sacrifice animals and feed meat to them. No true Ananda Margii does like this.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Human beings are more cruel than vultures. Their hearts don’t melt even at the sight of tears of innocent birds and animals. Just to gratify their sense of greed, they mercilessly slit the throats of animals with sharp knives and swords and thus deprive them of the right to live, even while preaching the hollow dictates of religion.” (1)
In Him,
Asiim
(Ahamad Ali)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Suppose a physician says, “As a human, you require animal protein for your health;” but suppose dharma says, “No, a human should not take carnal food;” then in that case you will have to follow dharma and not the physician, because the order of dharma is above all other orders. Dharma is the highest Lord, the highest authority." (2)
References
1. Neohumanism in a Nutshell - 2, How Cruel Human Beings Are! – Excerpt A
2. Subhasita Samgraha - 21, Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Can we forgive Dada Sarvatmananda or Rudrananda
Namaskar,
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "What is forgiveness? It means to remain free from vindictive attitudes towards anyone. Suppose someone has done something inimical to you, you, in turn, need not be revengeful or vindictive towards him or her. It is of course quite natural for an ordinary person to take revenge against someone who has done an inimical action: there’s nothing wrong if an ordinary person does that. But one who is virtuous, that is, one who has risen slightly above the rest, cannot act in this way. He or she should behave otherwise. How should a virtuous person behave? If one is satisfied that the wrong-doer’s habit has been rectified, one may pardon him or her. If someone is perpetrating atrocities on thousands of Ananda Margiis, however, one has no individual right to excuse the wrongdoer because he or she has harmed thousands of innocent people. But if a person commits atrocities on me alone, and if I am satisfied that his or her nature has been transformed, it would be proper for me as a dhármika to show forgiveness. However, if his or her nature has not been rectified, my forgiveness may result in that person becoming even more of a reckless scoundrel and in such a case forgiveness would be considered as a sign of my weakness. This is the dhármik interpretation of kśamá." (1)
Never forgive social crime
Regarding forgiveness:
- We cannot forgive those who manipulated Ananda Marga scripture.
- We cannot forgive those who imposed the dogma that all discourses and books were translated from the original Bengali.
- We cannot forgive those who curtailed and eradicated margii rights.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Forgive these people if...
Forgiveness is only for individual life. If someone harmed you and you see they have rectified their ways then you can forgive them. In such circumstances, the more forgiveness the better. But if they did not change their ways, do not forgive them. Otherwise wrongdoers will gain greater incentive to do wrong. Those who forgive such unrepentant culprits are ignorant and committing sin.
However, if someone commits an act that goes against society and collective interest, then no one person can forgive them. Those who manipulated Ananda Marga scripture and tore down margii rights have done irreparable damage to society. If those who committed these heinous acts are now suffering from diseases and no longer are in powerful positions, still that is not cause to forgive them. Baba's teachings of forgiveness are very clear and these people are not worthy of forgiveness.
There are ten wonts of dharma - right use of forgiveness (ks'ama) is the second. It should always be applied in the right manner.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
In Him,
Shantatma
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, The Ten Characteristics of a Dhármika
== Section: Comment ==
Reverence to Sadguru on internet: critical point
Namaskar.
Wikipedia does not observe Ananda Marga boundaries. Articles regarding Baba and Ananda Marga have several issues. If Wikipedia is to keep this information up, I would suggest margiis take a stand. Explain, for example, Baba's pronoun should be capitalized. If I were a practicing Christian, I would demand the same of a page on Jesus. So it is with margiis. We have boundaries regarding our beloved Guru.
We also wish for the picture of Baba to be taken off the sites. Do we have copyright on the picture?
If this is not done, what can be done is to submit articles that disapprove of the behavior of Wikipedia and explain that margiis wish to have their information be honored and respected and clarified. As Baba was modest, it may be He did not care for everyone to know He was and is Taraka Brahma. But out of respect and because the information is very much part of our philosophy and ideology, this information should be part of His description.
Wikipedia downplays all of Baba's achievements, which are immense.It is rather amazing for me to read. A sane author would at some point have to say, this is incredible. How did He manage to do all these things? So, the achievements are there told in the voice of a monotone, as if these achievements were not incredible.
I believe we should give attention to the Wikipedia pages on Baba, Ananda Marga, and all facets of the Marga.
Taraka Brahma is on Wikipedia, in German, easily translated on the net. Why is there not a link to this page on Baba's page? Wikipedia is open for many to use and contribute to. We should look into this.
I must add here that we must hunt down all negative information regarding Ananda Marga on the Internet and rectify any mis-information with our own rebuttals. I believe Baba sitting in our heart would appreciate us to do that.
in Him,
Bhaskar
