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Global Village TalkBy Nitaisundara dasa In the 1960s, literary and media critic Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase "global village" to describe the extension of people's frames of reference and sense of responsibility beyond their immediate surroundings, or "village." Global Village TalkGlobal Village TalkBy Nitaisundara dasa In the 1960s, literary and media critic Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “global village” to describe the extension of people’s frames of reference and sense of responsibility beyond their immediate surroundings, or “village.” This growing sense of connectedness, McLuhan proposed, is the natural result of a world in which electronics enable our senses (at least the senses of sight and hearing—for now) to immediately experience that which is taking place across the globe, just as we would in our village. McLuhan had high hopes for such a global community: “The aspiration of our time for wholeness, empathy, and depth of awareness is a natural adjunct of electric technology.” Apparently not natural enough. McLuhan passed away in 1980 as the precursors to the Internet were being formulated, implemented, and refined, but still nine years before the start-up of the first commercial Internet Service Provider. With the Internet now in full swing, it is apparent to all that the global village finds its most relevant discussion there. Indeed, in its most common usage, “global village” has come to refer to the Internet alone. Everybody has found their way to the Internet; practically every belief, interest, desire, and product has some representation on the Web. It is therefore not surprising that Gaudiya Vaishnavas have also made their way into the online village. After all, with a spiritual aspiration culminating in a bucolic life, one would expect us to gravitate towards village settings, and in this case—for better or for worse—we have. The prospect of Gaudiya Vedanta circulating throughout the global village and thereby reaching people of every background is wonderful. Such an opportunity would no doubt make Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati’s brhat-mrdunga reverberate with sounds of joy. But as with any medium one might employ in promoting spiritual life, the Internet is a double-edged sword, and unfortunately, many of those who have a hand on the hilt are swinging—and thinking—in the wrong direction. Fortunately, within the Gaudiya tradition one need not look hard for examples of how to properly conduct him or herself in a village (even a global one). Perhaps the most relevant example is that which took place as Caitanya Mahaprabhu was putting Raghunatha dasa Goswami under the care of Svarupa Damodara, first leaving Raghunatha with a few practical instructions: gramya-katha na sunibe, gramya-varta na kahibe Don’t indulge in village talk, don’t hear village talk. Try your best to avoid mundane matters. Don’t eat delicious dishes, but take whatever ordinary food may come of its own accord; and don’t dress luxuriously. Such seemingly unexceptional instructions are not to be overlooked, and their significance is magnified when we consider the person of Raghunatha dasa Goswami. Dasa Goswami is considered the prayojana-tattva acarya of the entire Gaudiya tradition. That is to say, he is the foremost teacher (acarya) of the truths (tattva) regarding the ultimate goal (prayojana) of the prema-bhakti marga (the path of pure devotion). Furthermore, these instructions came as Raghunatha dasa was being handed into the care of Svarupa Damodara, who is Lalita-sakhi herself, and is therefore privy to the most esoteric aspects of Mahaprabhu and Radha-Krishna. Thus Raghunatha dasa was fully qualified for a life in which such instructions are irrelevant. Nevertheless, the very first directive Mahaprabhu gave to Raghunatha dasa Goswami was that one should not partake in village talk (gramya-katha) nor (one can safely assume), by extension, global village talk—and village type. Obviously the Internet did not introduce gossip (nor is it reasonable to expect exclusively spiritual discussions), but what is alarming is that via the Internet, devotees seem far more likely to advance the malicious, spiritually detrimental variety of gossip. Just how spiritually dangerous such behavior is depends on a number of factors, one of which being the environment in which one makes the attack. For better or worse, the global village has a liberal publishing policy, and as such, every opinion, no matter how outlandish or downright tasteless, has the potential to reach everybody. The widespread dissemination of slanderous comments and malevolent attitudes, which are inevitably met with the support of some, is truly toxic, and the effects can be observed throughout the Internet community. A prime example is the overabundance of conjectured “siddhantas” appearing daily on the Web. A digital community is largely reflective of its physical counterpart, for people’s natures manifest through whatever medium they use. Unfortunately, the present nature of the international Gaudiya community is that many are unable to interact with each other in a healthy, respectful manner, and as such there are many fractured factions. Much of the negative attitudes underlying these divisions are the direct results of years of one group or another espousing their exclusive validity and the simultaneous inferiority of people and groups who may actually be worthy of their adoration. This infighting has been notably amplified by the Internet, which instantly provides each user with a more public voice than was previously available to actual public figures. The virtual nature of relationships on the Internet lends itself to an environment wherein criticism, rumors, personal attacks, and outright lies flourish. This is aided by the fact that the Internet provides the anonymity to both produce and digest these vitriolic discussions without being subject to any of the scrutiny which the participants themselves liberally employ in their assessment of everyone else. Such unaccountability and hypocrisy stands in the way of even basic morality, what to speak of the type of character by which one becomes attractive to those of spiritual substance. It would be naive to think that fanatics and those with envious hearts will ever fall silent (especially on the Internet), but that fact merely underscores the responsibility of the rest of us to engage each other in thoughtful, substantial, humble, and generous dialogue. It is the generosity and user-friendly nature of the bhakti-marga that not only acknowledges the positive contributions of worldly progress, but enables us to actually use such contributions in the context of spiritual progress. Perhaps we should respond in kind. Marshall McLuhan was able to see the potential of technology to function as a source of positive change in the world, while Bhaktisiddhanta and other acaryas take technology’s worth even further: acknowledging its potential to take one beyond the world. Just as McLuhan proposed, the internet can be a way to extend our frame of reference and sense of responsibility, both materially and spiritually. It is our duty to recognize the opportunity and responsibility sitting on our desks, and strive to act accordingly. Spiritual leaders meet for roundtable discussionBy Chris Wyman Rev. Solon said, "Jayadvaita quoted Krishna Scripture about what one's purpose in life is. And it struck me that although I as a Christian can answer that question as well — and similarly as Jay did — it occurred to me the answer isn't as clearly articulated in some ways in Christian thought.  Spiritual leaders meet for roundtable discussion Aim Vernon CORRESPONDENT  If the late, world-renowned American mythologist Joseph Campbell had been sitting with the group, he would surely have been smiling as discussions of comparative religion, mythology, and the human experience helped to warm an otherwise chilly day on Wawayanda Mountain. In addition, if his associate, journalist Bill Moyers had joined him, video cameras would surely have been taping the conversations for an overdue sequel to the highly acclaimed PBS series, The Power of Myth. Taking a break from his international lecturing series, Vaishnava swami and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) spiritual leader Jayadvaita Swami, or Jay Swami, came to Barry Lakes to visit an old friend and former classmate recently. Joining the small group for a simple lunch were Monsignor Robert Carroll, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Highland Lakes, and the Rev. Robert F. Solon, Jr. Vicar of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Vernon.
Let’s agree to disagreeEspecially in light of the holiday season that is fast approaching, a concept that may help all people to be more tolerant of others might well be "transcendental mediation" as common, yet diverse supernatural elements help to bring about peaceful settlements, compromises and mutual understanding. This describes the general mood during the roundtable lunch and discussions that the three spiritual leaders shared with their hosts. Although their beliefs are different and in some cases extremely different, there was much common ground, shared knowledge and mutual understanding. Conversations included the uniqueness of the Bible’s Old Testament book Ecclesiastes to discussions about "process theology." The tenants of the latter include the idea that God interacts with the ever-changing universe and therefore God is changeable based on the actions of the universe, however, the basic elements of God, such as goodness and wisdom, remain as they are. There was one subject on which there was disagreement: Are people in the world any better than they were 50 years ago? Monsignor Carroll referenced "original sin" and felt that people are not getting any better and that materialism is a contributing factor. Rev. Solon’s outlook on the other hand was more Jeffersonian, feeling that people are collectively headed in the right direction, especially as it concerns progress made with human rights and equality. He also feels that the Internet is a contributing factor in transforming human society, which was created as a good thing and that there is a spark of goodness in everyone. Jayadvaita Swami feels that mankind continues to turn away from divinity and that people have two choices: To accept that the purpose of life is to serve God’s will or to decide that the purpose of life is to satisfy one’s own needs and desires. He maintains that given a choice, the vast majority of people will choose to satisfy themselves and for that reason, over the centuries, man continues to take care of himself rather than to improve society as a whole.
About Jayadvaita SwamiHare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Using a necklace-rosary with 108 "beats" the 16-word Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to as the Maha Mantra or Great Mantra, devotees chant the mantra 108 times, 16 times each day for a total of 1,728 times per day. According to Jayadvaita Swami, "‘Krishna’ is a name of God (as ‘Rama’ is also), and ‘Hare’ addresses God’s divine energy. So, first, ‘Hare Krishna’ is an address to God, a prayer to God. But then, going further, ‘Hare Krishna’ can refer to the full ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra, or prayer. This is, in essence, a prayer to be engaged in God’s service." He continued saying, "By further extension, the movement of devotional service to Krishna becomes known as ‘the Hare Krishna movement.’ And by still further extension the adherents of the movement have become popularly known as ‘Hare Krishna people’ or simply ‘Hare Krishnas.’" During the late 1960s when young Wall Street "stock runners" traveled up and down the streets of lower Manhattan it was not uncommon to encounter John Birchers on one side of the street and "Hare Krishnas" on the other. It was in New York City that the swami, or religious teacher, was first introduced to Krishna Consciousness. In addition to his standard biography found under the "Biodata" tab on his Web site (www.jswami.info) or through the Wikipedia Web site, Jay Swami was born Jay Israel to a reformed Jewish family. He attended Englewood (Bergen County) schools from kindergarten at Cleveland School through his senior year at Dwight Morrow High School, basically making him a "Jersey boy" in the broadest sense. From here, his adventures became international. As he explains his journey from high school to being one of only 49 Modern Gaudiya Vaishnavas since 1875 and teaching and lecturing in over 50 countries, he was first introduced to ISKCON in New York City in 1968. Starting with the order by stapling booklets he went on to become the editor of dozens of books and magazines. Although he attended some college classes at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now known as Carnegie Mellon University), he is in the most general sense "self-educated" and taught himself everything he needed to know in order to become a literary editor. Until he begins to travel and lecture again in the spring, he is currently residing in Mayapur, West Bengal, India.
EpilogueAfter the meeting, Jay Swami shared that, "I was happy indeed that we all had the opportunity to meet together and exchange thoughts about God and spirituality." Rev. Solon said, "Jayadvaita quoted Krishna Scripture about what one’s purpose in life is. And it struck me that although I as a Christian can answer that question as well — and similarly as Jay did — it occurred to me the answer isn’t as clearly articulated in some ways in Christian thought. There is the Great Commandment, of course, but I’m not sure that’s the same as a purpose for life. Perhaps it is." Monsignor Carroll commented, "I am pleased I attended. The Swami is a spiritual person and I relate to someone who has a spiritual awareness. His question: ‘Are we as a society any better off today?’ was thought provoking." Referring to the swami he concluded, "One of his comments, ‘you fit into your place in this life’ — in other words, if you are and do what you are gifted to do, you are satisfied, fulfilled, joyful. To live like this is a blessing." If the late, world-renowned American mythologist Joseph Campbell had been sitting with the group, he would surely have been smiling as discussions of comparative religion, mythology, and the human experience helped to warm an otherwise chilly day on Wawayanda Mountain. In addition, if his associate, journalist Bill Moyers had joined him, video cameras would surely have been taping the conversations for an overdue sequel to the highly acclaimed PBS series, The Power of Myth.  PHOTOS/CHRIS WYMAN Meeting over lunch in Barry Lakes are (from left) International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) spiritual leader Jayadvaita Swami, Monsignor Robert Carroll, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Highland Lakes, and the Rev. Robert F. Solon, Jr. Vicar of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Vernon. Taking a break from his international lecturing series, Vaishnava swami and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) spiritual leader Jayadvaita Swami, or Jay Swami, came to Barry Lakes to visit an old friend and former classmate recently. Joining the small group for a simple lunch were Monsignor Robert Carroll, Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Highland Lakes, and the Rev. Robert F. Solon, Jr. Vicar of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Vernon. Let’s agree to disagreeEspecially in light of the holiday season that is fast approaching, a concept that may help all people to be more tolerant of others might well be "transcendental mediation" as common, yet diverse supernatural elements help to bring about peaceful settlements, compromises and mutual understanding. This describes the general mood during the roundtable lunch and discussions that the three spiritual leaders shared with their hosts. Although their beliefs are different and in some cases extremely different, there was much common ground, shared knowledge and mutual understanding. Conversations included the uniqueness of the Bible’s Old Testament book Ecclesiastes to discussions about "process theology." The tenants of the latter include the idea that God interacts with the ever-changing universe and therefore God is changeable based on the actions of the universe, however, the basic elements of God, such as goodness and wisdom, remain as they are.  There was one subject on which there was disagreement: Are people in the world any better than they were 50 years ago? Monsignor Carroll referenced "original sin" and felt that people are not getting any better and that materialism is a contributing factor. Rev. Solon’s outlook on the other hand was more Jeffersonian, feeling that people are collectively headed in the right direction, especially as it concerns progress made with human rights and equality. He also feels that the Internet is a contributing factor in transforming human society, which was created as a good thing and that there is a spark of goodness in everyone. Jayadvaita Swami feels that mankind continues to turn away from divinity and that people have two choices: To accept that the purpose of life is to serve God’s will or to decide that the purpose of life is to satisfy one’s own needs and desires. He maintains that given a choice, the vast majority of people will choose to satisfy themselves and for that reason, over the centuries, man continues to take care of himself rather than to improve society as a whole. About Jayadvaita SwamiHare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Using a necklace-rosary with 108 "beats" the 16-word Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to as the Maha Mantra or Great Mantra, devotees chant the mantra 108 times, 16 times each day for a total of 1,728 times per day. According to Jayadvaita Swami, "‘Krishna’ is a name of God (as ‘Rama’ is also), and ‘Hare’ addresses God’s divine energy. So, first, ‘Hare Krishna’ is an address to God, a prayer to God. But then, going further, ‘Hare Krishna’ can refer to the full ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra, or prayer. This is, in essence, a prayer to be engaged in God’s service." He continued saying, "By further extension, the movement of devotional service to Krishna becomes known as ‘the Hare Krishna movement.’ And by still further extension the adherents of the movement have become popularly known as ‘Hare Krishna people’ or simply ‘Hare Krishnas.’" During the late 1960s when young Wall Street "stock runners" traveled up and down the streets of lower Manhattan it was not uncommon to encounter John Birchers on one side of the street and "Hare Krishnas" on the other. It was in New York City that the swami, or religious teacher, was first introduced to Krishna Consciousness. In addition to his standard biography found under the "Biodata" tab on his Web site (www.jswami.info) or through the Wikipedia Web site, Jay Swami was born Jay Israel to a reformed Jewish family. He attended Englewood (Bergen County) schools from kindergarten at Cleveland School through his senior year at Dwight Morrow High School, basically making him a "Jersey boy" in the broadest sense. From here, his adventures became international. As he explains his journey from high school to being one of only 49 Modern Gaudiya Vaishnavas since 1875 and teaching and lecturing in over 50 countries, he was first introduced to ISKCON in New York City in 1968. Starting with the order by stapling booklets he went on to become the editor of dozens of books and magazines. Although he attended some college classes at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now known as Carnegie Mellon University), he is in the most general sense "self-educated" and taught himself everything he needed to know in order to become a literary editor. Until he begins to travel and lecture again in the spring, he is currently residing in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. EpilogueAfter the meeting, Jay Swami shared that, "I was happy indeed that we all had the opportunity to meet together and exchange thoughts about God and spirituality." Rev. Solon said, "Jayadvaita quoted Krishna Scripture about what one’s purpose in life is. And it struck me that although I as a Christian can answer that question as well — and similarly as Jay did — it occurred to me the answer isn’t as clearly articulated in some ways in Christian thought. There is the Great Commandment, of course, but I’m not sure that’s the same as a purpose for life. Perhaps it is." Monsignor Carroll commented, "I am pleased I attended. The Swami is a spiritual person and I relate to someone who has a spiritual awareness. His question: ‘Are we as a society any better off today?’ was thought provoking." Referring to the swami he concluded, "One of his comments, ‘you fit into your place in this life’ — in other words, if you are and do what you are gifted to do, you are satisfied, fulfilled, joyful. To live like this is a blessing." More Recent Articles |
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