SPIRITUAL SOLUTION TO MONASTIC PROBLEMS
PROBLEMS OF THE SANGHA _Swami Bhajanananda
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Sri
Sarada Devi
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PROBLEMS OF THE SANGHA
Our
monastic problems fall into two groups.
One group consists of
problems concerning the Sangha as a whole.
The other group consists
of problems that individual monks have to face.
Let
we first think of the Sangha,
the monastic order is known as Ramakrishna
Math.
This is a unique monastic order which has no parallel or rival
in the world.
It embodies the highest spiritual ideals ever attained
by humanity.
It
combines in some
of the best features of monastic life in all religions.
It was
brought into existence by the Avatara of the present age.
Sri
Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda conceived this Sangha as the center
of a universal spiritual movement for the benefit of millions of
people for centuries.
While consecrating the newly acquired land for
Ramakrishna Math at Belur,
Swamiji made this prophetic utterance:
"The spiritual force emanating from here will permeate the whole world,turning the currents of men's activities and aspirations into new channels."
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BANERSHAR
SHIVA LINGA
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Leadership of Global Spirituality
The
time has now come for the fulfillment of Swamiji's prediction.
All
over the world,
there is great spiritual hunger.
Disillusioned by the
promises of politics and technology,
disillusioned by the emptiness
of wealth and pleasure-seeking,
millions of people are turning to
spiritual life.
A worldwide global spiritual movement is going on,
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Swami
Vivekananda
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even in China,
there is
an undercurrent of spiritual quest in the lives of people.
Swami
Vivekananda has stated that Sri Ramakrishna has through his fervent
prayers awakened the Brahma-kundalini,
the store of cit-shakti or
Consciousness-Power lying dormant in the collective mind of humanity.
As a result,
the spiritual awakening of people in the East and the West
will take place more quickly now than ever before.
If we study the
world thought-currents going on in the higher levels of the human
mind,
we can see that humanity is now at the threshold of a new stage
in the evolution of consciousness.
A new wave of the spiritual awakening
of humanity is gaining in strength in modern times.
The whole world is looking to Ramakrishna Order to rise to the occasion
and take up the leadership of global spirituality.
This is one of the
major challenges facing our Order.
There is a great demand for Indian
spiritual guides in foreign countries,
especially from the
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Swami
Shivananda
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Indian the community in those countries.
In response to this demand,
some of our
young monks go to the West or other countries and give lectures or
conduct classes.
These talks satisfy the intellectual needs of many
people no doubt,
but they will become more effective means of
spiritual transformation only if they are based on lived experience.
What people everywhere really need is not mere intellectual knowledge
but the spiritual transformation or orientation of their lives.
This
can be brought about only through the living communication of
spiritual knowledge gained through years of spiritual struggles.
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Sri
Sarada Devi
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Enlightened
Monks for Foreign Work
During
the early decades of the 20th century our Order produced many
spiritually illumined or awakened souls.
Apart from the all-embracing
love and protection of Holy Mother which enveloped the whole Sangha
like the golden rays of the rising sun,
there were
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Ma
Bhabatarini (Kali)
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They were followed by their disciples many of whom attained great
spiritual heights.
It was through these illustrious souls that the
Ramakrishna Order came to be known and to be accepted as a great
spiritual force in foreign countries.
Other than those monks who went
to other countries,
in India itself,
our Order produced many
enlightened or spiritually advanced Sadhus.
Some of them started new
centers and guided many people on the spiritual path.
Some others
just lived great lives as living examples of spiritual life.
Why
can't we produce such spiritual souls now?
Swami Vivekananda has
stated several times in his lectures and classes about the rise of
Rishis or prophets in modern times.
For instance,
in one lecture
Swamiji stated:
"There were times in olden days when prophets
were many in every society.
The time is to come when prophets will
walk through every street in every city in the world."
Continuing his talk,
Swamiji made a more surprising statement:
"Schools and Colleges must be training grounds for prophets,
the whole universe must become prophets...
the training of
prophets are the great work that lies before us."
This
prophet-making work should be started first in our centers.
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Sri
Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Shivananda
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By 'prophet' Swamiji meant a person who has realized the divinity of the soul.
This means a person who has realized that his true nature is neither the body nor the mind but the Atman or pratyagātman,
Inner Self.
Since the Atman is an inseparable part or reflection of the Paramatman or
- Supreme Self,
- known as God,
- man's true nature is Divine.
A person who has had this realization sees God in all people and worships Him by doing selfless service to all.
Such a person will be a blessing to all around him wherever he stays.
It is such a person that Swamiji called a 'prophet'.
Even if a person has not had a genuine spiritual awakening as a mystical experience,
he
can be regarded as an enlightened or saintly person if he has gained
a deep conviction or certitude about the Divinity of his soul and
loves and serves all.
This ideal of Swamiji,
although very high,
is a
practicable ideal;
all our Sadhus can realize it in their lives.
At
present we are training our monastics to become efficient workers.
- they are trained to become 'enlightened monks,
- they are likely to do more work more efficiently
- at the same time will create a better,
- more harmonious,
- spiritual atmosphere wherever they are.
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