Posted By: Kevin -- 1/7/02 -- Leave or Stay

SRF Walrus

Mt. Washington, Ca

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SRF Walrus > Specific Stories -- EZOP Only Section > Posted By: Kevin -- 1/7/02 -- Leave or Stay
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srfwalrus
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(1/25/02 7:55 am)
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Posted By: Kevin -- 1/7/02 -- Leave or Stay

Kevin -- 1/7/02 -- Leave or Stay
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=24.topic
NOTE: The following is a response to a post by KS listing reasons the monastics stay in the ashram given the un-spiritual environment.

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Monastic Life - WHY THEY LEAVE OR STAY !!!

My Comments/testimonials to KS points:

1. "There are hours of devoted meditation every day" :

A monk who is not a good meditator but who can sit for a 2 ½ or 3 hours weekly and for the long Xmas med., who can smile and idiotically agree and cheers now and then to show his loyalty to the system can make it as a monk. Naturally will have to create a DOUBLE life where he can explore his or her own interests, be they sacred or profane.
What many devotees believe, that is, that an orange robe is a sign of some high realization is total B.S. For most of them is just a sign that they have been around a certain amount of years, it does not mean they are even ‘saintly’, much the less saints.

2. "They are given frequent classes by the senior monastics to help them learn"

True: Classes are mostly endless repetitions of the same points, over and over again. Most Sundays svcs. to the monks are also to train new ministers, often supervised by Bro. Anandamoy (no need really, if a monk/nun says anything wrong at all, slightly outside of the orthodoxy, it would be reported by a good bunch of them right away). When seniors monks like Anandamoy give talks is mostly for young monks (though every monk shows up), I came to believe that most older monks do not accept a lot of his points of view inwardly (they cannot afford to do it outwardly, he created for himself the authority of one who knew Master and who knows the Truth). At vows ceremony Anandamoy loves to rave against the disloyal monks who left and to depict their ‘miserable, miserable” life.
(I know several ex-monastic and none would ever want to return in “there”, NONE !)

3. "They live in a supportive helpful environment where they can freely discuss problems they are having".

Until two or three years ago no monk would dare asking any “real” question freely. Discussions are/were limited to more or less ‘dead’ philosophical points, touching
/inspiring stories that perpetuate the “kill the ego by all means” attitude most of them seem to love (or maybe it is the only one they are taught).

4. "They live a life of helping the community and needy people of the world (Mother Teressa – like)".

They help the devotees by overseeing the meditation centers around the world (ruled with an iron fist or so I perceived it ) and thru correspondence counseling (98 % done by the nuns). Any other help is limited to some schools and hospitals in India but are done mainly by lay disciples or employess, the Indian monks are very few and perhaps a bit more involved in direct helping than anyone in the West. SRF occasionally donates to charitable org. like the Red Cross, they do it in response to a calamity like the earthquake in Mexico years ago, when they donate money it is usually advertised on Newsletters or SRF magazines. The feeling is that monastics are too easily distracted by too much involvement with the world and should be more focused on spreading the teachings. [One postulant told me that the housebrother at the time was recommending not to help car accident victims because of the fear of lawsuits. (maybe it is understandable to some level)].

5. "They spend their time concerned about the SRF members and try to help them ". T

It seems to be more about ‘controlling’ members. It is a natural attitude considering monastic see themselves as guardians of the purity of the teachings. But I don't doubt that in many ways they have helped many with their counseling and inspiration by quoting Master 's writings. (nobody knows -or better still, very, very few even inside know the big mistakes or damaged done to devotees).

RE: To STAY IN THE ASHRAM.
Most monks are promised that their reward will come at the time of death (I assume it is because very, VERY, VERYfew have any outstanding results from their meditaions OR ANY MASTERY).

As a friend of mine put it: there are three types of monks:
the ones who missed the point of monastic life (I think they are 85%) and are in there just for a power-trip, for control trips, for codependence trips, for fear of the world, or a feeling of belonging to something larger, and enjoying some of the stardust falling on their robes, or … just for laziness, for been trapped or are just too ‘short’ of brains to know any better. For some lucky ones a life in a secondary ashram can be a bit more rewarding and free and probably more balanced and of direct service to others-also in a small ashram--with more daily contact with lay members their are kept more"real".

I think such a large number of monks living together creates a negative environment and a lot of extra, ridiculous rules, to the point that rules become the focus of the Spiritual life.

Second; the ones who managed some kind of inner life (though ravaged by bouts of guilt, desperation, probably caused by doing a lot of white-washing) but who get something out of it which I think are 7%, in this part there are also the karma-yogis, who love to serve the work thru managing,directing, buying, etc....;

the remaining 8 % are totally clueless about life inside or outside, OR are part of an embittered minority usually relegated to menial, marginal roles in places like Cherry Valley, Hidden Vly, or some temples.

Edited by: srfwalrus at: 1/25/02 7:56:51 am

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