 | Discipline of Devotees in General
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| In Section 8.4 of GBC law, we find two full pages of crimes and punishments aimed at those who participate in ISKCON, but are not necessarily leaders of any kind. This section lists seven kinds of misconduct and failure to follow authority, followed by five kinds of escalating punishment—censure; probation; suspension pending investigation; suspension; and excommunication (also called expulsion).
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| An appeal process is mentioned but with no clear instructions or information about how one actually files an appeal. There is no mention of due process. Thus an appellant has no stated right to know the charges against him or her; no stated right to a timely decision; no stated right to present evidence; no right to a fair and impartial fact-finding or hearing, no right to a fair decision, nor to freedom from retaliation, nor to privacy.
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| Discipline of Lesser ISKCON leaders
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| Section 5.5 of ISKCON law, titled Discipline and Conduct of ISKCON Leaders, gives over two pages of rules and procedures to discipline, censure, place on probation, suspend, and remove ISKCON leaders.
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| But the law adds a caveat: none of these rules apply to ISKCON’s top leaders:
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| “Sections concerning tenure and discipline of Regional Secretaries, Gurus and GBC members are to be included in different sections.”
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| Sections 5.5 aims at temple presidents, and also “Vice-President, Treasurer, Temple Management Council Member, Project Director, Congregational Preaching Director, etc.”
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| Discipline of Regional Secretaries, RGB
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| We find here a curious distinction: section 5 of GBC law lists many dozens of duties and standards for temple presidents, but almost none for Regional Secretaries, other than to assist the zonal GBC secretary, and help the temple presidents set up a zonal exhibition booth for the annual Mayapur-Vrindavan festival.
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| Further, there are no laws that explain when and how to discipline deviant Regional Secretaries, nor does GBC law provide any descriptions of the spiritual character and conduct that Regional Secretaries should manifest. In other words, GBC law gives page after page of rules on these very subjects for Temple Presidents, but nothing for Regional Secretaries, who stand above Temple Presidents.
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| Moreover, GBC law says virtually nothing about standards of character and conduct for members of Regional Governing Boards. There is no law telling us when and how RGB members are to be disciplined?
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| Discipline of GBCs, Compared to Temple Presidents
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| GBC law states that a GBC member cannot break the regulative principles, commit a crime, or criticize other GBC members. Apart from that, there is no explicit GBC law telling us why and how a deviant GBC member is to be disciplined.
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| GBC law 3.5.3.1 states, “a GBC member should be an ‘acarya’ by teaching by personal example the path of Krsna consciousness in its purity.”
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| This is a nice idea, but with little practical, detailed articulation in ISKCON law. To illustrate, let us compare the standards of conduct for Temple Presidents and GBC members. We cannot include Regional Secretaries and RGB members in this comparison because GBC law does not enjoin any explicit standards of conduct for them.
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| GBC law 5.6.2.2 lists five spiritual standards and three service standards for temple presidents. So let us compare the specific, detailed qualities expected of Temple Presidents to those expected of GBC members. “TP” here indicates Temple Presidents.
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| - · TP: “avoid intimate dealings with the opposite sex.”
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Must be…honest, and trustworthy. [Able to] manage, organize, and conduct meetings.
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Has a service attitude, respects all devotees and is able to work with others.
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Can communicate well and is able to motivate and inspire people.
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Cares for people.
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Must be expert in his or her area of service or possess a willingness to learn.
- · GBC: No such rule.
- · TP: Must follow an entire section 5.6.2.5.6.3, titled Care [of devotees]:
- · GBC: No section on Care of devotees.
- · TP: His mood is as servant of the community members.
- · GBC: No such requirement.
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| We have seen that GBC law prescribes many rules, and threatens many punishments, for temple presidents, and other junior leaders, but very few for members of the GBC, and none for the RGBs, and regional secretaries. What does GBC law say about gurus? Are there many rules and punishments for them, or very few, as for ISKCON’s top managers and lawmakers?
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| Conduct and Discipline of Dīkṣā Gurus
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| Having promised in law 5.5 that different sections of law will give standards and discipline of top leaders, the GBC does not disappoint us in the case of dīkṣā gurus. Indeed, the section covering the conduct and discipline of dīkṣā gurus, 7.4-7.5, is the largest section of its type in all of GBC law. Therein, we find dozens and dozens of GBC laws to restrict, regulate, discipline, and punish, dīkṣā gurus.
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| These laws include nine general standards; three more standards in relation to the GBC; three standards in relation to GBC zonal secretaries; eight standards in relation to “ISKCON Spiritual Authorities; and four standards in relation to temples, for a total of twenty-seven. There is a host of other laws regulating many aspects of a guru’s life. All of these myriad standards and laws trigger a barrage of punishments when not followed.
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| Here is just a sample of GBC laws regulating dīkṣā gurus:
- 7.2 Qualifications of Gurus in ISKCON
- 7.2.1 Twelve Mandatory Qualifications
- 7.2.2 Four Discretionary Qualifications
- 7.3 Eligibility of Devotee to be Guru in ISKCON
- 7.4.1 Procedure for Commencing the Service of Diksa-Guru
- 7.4.1.1 Endorsement of an Area Council
- 7.4.1.1.2 Principles of Evaluation
- 7.4.1.1.4 Communication of Objection
- 7.4.1.2 Provision for “No Objection” Letters
- 7.4.1.4 Requests for Further Review
- 7.4.1.4.4 Further Direction to Guru Candidate
- 7.4.3 Seven Vows of Guru (over half of these involve obedience to the GBC and its laws)
- 7.4.4.1 Nine General Standards of Guru Conduct
- 7.4.4.2 Three Standards in Relation to the GBC Body
- 7.4.4.3 Three Standards in Relation to GBC Zonal Secretaries
- 7.4.4.4 Eight Standards in Relation to ISKCON Spiritual Authorities
- 7.4.4.5 Four Standards in Relation to a Temple
- 7.4.5 Monitoring of Gurus by the GBC
- 7.4.5.2 Annual Reports from Gurus
- 7.4.5.2 Emergency Reports about a deviant Guru
- 7.4.6 Discipline of Diksa-gurus, including:
- • Nine kinds of Misconduct and Failure to Follow Religious Principles or Higher Spiritual Authority
- • Two kinds of Improper Discharge and Neglect of Duty o Four kinds of Spiritual Discrepancy
- • Five ways to censure a dīkṣā-guru
- • Two ways to place on probation, suspend, or rescind the power to initiate, of a dīkṣā-guru
- • A statement that none of the above limits the power of “any Regional Governing Body, Divisional Council, National Council, or other local authority to withhold permission for a…diksa-guru to [initiate] within their jurisdiction.
- • Definitions of Censure and Probation
- • Details of Suspension Pending Investigation o Details of Suspension
- • Details of Rescindment
- 7.4.8.1.4 Restriction of times for Vyasa-puja
- 7.4.8.5 Five ways to restrict a Guru under suspension
- 7.5.1 Five circumstances in which one rejects a fallen guru.
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| In the past many gurus had problems, and so have many GBC members. So just as the GBC provides many dozens of rules to control gurus, so that they cannot seriously harm ISKCON, one would expect a similar long list of rules for those who claim and wield ultimate power in ISKCON: GBC members, and their closest colleagues: Regional Secretary and Regional Governing Board members. But as we saw there are no GBC laws on the conduct and discipline of Regional Secretaries. Let us look more closely at the RGB members.
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| Regional Governing Board (RGB) Members
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| In 2002, the GBC passed an amendment, GBC law 3.4.1, to establish ISKCON RGBs. With a 2010 update, this section fills three pages of GBC law. Law 3.4.1.2 defines the power given to RGBs:
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| “If the GBC Body delegates a particular function to a Regional Governing Body, then any decision of the RGB within the scope of that function is binding within the Region as if the decision had been made by the full GBC Body, but it may be overruled by majority vote of the GBC Body.”
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| Note that in GBC law, a single GBC member may overturn the will of a temple president, or guru. But a majority of the entire GBC body is required to overturn the will of an RGB. Thus we may say that the RGBs are second only to the full GBC in their power and authority.
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| And yet GBC law says not a word about disciplining an RGB member, nor their standards of conduct.
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| 3.4.1.2.1 lists Minimum Delegated Functions for an RGB (Regional Governing Body).
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| There is no mention of justice for devotees, nor of expanding the preaching.
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| There is no list of standards of conduct for RGBs. Unlike temple presidents, RGBs are not told to care for the devotees, nor to inspire people, nor to act as servants of other devotees. ISKCON law says nothing about the discipline, conduct, or character of RGBs, though it says a great deal about these for temple presidents and gurus.
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| But what of ISKCON’s ultimate managing authority, the GBC? The GBC claims to be Prabhupada’s heir and successor, so it would seem most vital that the GBC monitor and verify the excellent character and conduct of its own members. What then does GBC law say about the character, conduct, and discipline of GBC members?
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| GBC Conduct
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| As with RGB members, there is no requirement, or even suggestion, in GBC law that a GBC member see himself or herself as a servant, feel deep concern for devotees in general, or guarantee them justice. Instead, here are the GBC laws regulating GBC members.
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| Law 3.1.4.2 states that “the GBC Body is responsible for establishing the proper standards of conduct for its members and others to whom it delegates authority. If an individual…fails to perform his mandated duties or acts in a manner contrary to ISKCON Law or principle, then the GBC Body is responsible to correct or remove the deviant.”
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| This law states that a GBC may be corrected or removed for two reasons:
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| - 1. Failure to perform a mandated duty.
- 2. Acting contrary to ISKCON Law or principle.
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| Since ensuring justice to all devotees is not a mandated duty in any GBC law or paper, neither of the two points above provides any recourse or protection to ordinary devotees from GBC injustice. Indeed, according to the strict terms of the GBC statement above, a GBC member could be removed for failing to impose upon a devotee an unjust arrangement mandated by the GBC. This is the reality of a society without sufficient laws or a fair constitution.
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| Let us look further for practical standards of GBC behavior.
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| GBC law 3.5.3.1 is titled, Standard for Sadhana and Spiritual Practices, This law states that a GBC should strictly practice bhakti-yoga: “A GBC Member must be an exemplary practicing devotee who follows daily sadhana and full morning program, demonstrably chants sixteen rounds, follows strictly the four regulative principles, regularly gives classes, and participates in temple festivals and harinama parties. A GBC Member must live in or near a Krsna conscious temple community so as to regularly, on a daily basis, participate in devotional activities and associate with devotees.”
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| Obviously, this law is not enforced. For various reasons—health, traveling, a human need to relax and get away, or spiritual laxity—many, if not most, GBCs do not attend a full temple program on a daily basis.
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| Also, even this unenforced rule says nothing about the character of a GBC, nor how the GBC treats other Vaiṣṇavas. Rūpa Gosvāmī warns us in Upadeśāmṛta 2, that external principles are necessary but insufficient.
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| Gurus and Temple Presidents have specific rules that regulate their exercise of power and their treatment of other devotees. ISKCON’s most powerful leaders need similar guidelines.
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| GBC law, 3.5.3.2 begins with this bold declaration: “A GBC member [must] be an “acarya” by teaching by personal example the path of Krsna consciousness in its purity.”
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| There is no clear explanation of what this means in practice. Clearly not all GBC members teach by personal example the path of Krishna consciousness in its purity. Again, we have a broad general rule with no specifics or detailed rules, like those for temple presidents and gurus.
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| We have only 3.5.3.2: “No GBC can…permit his men or himself to engage in illicit, illegal activities.”
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| It is encouraging to know that a GBC member may not perform or permit illicit or criminal activities.
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| Finally, “GBC members should not speak in a derogatory way of other GBC members in public.”
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| A GBC cannot defame another GBC in public, but there is no law against publicly defaming a non-GBC member, such as a guru.
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| Nothing has been added to the very short list of GBC behavior and character standards for twenty-four years. None of these rules specifically requires a GBC member, or the body, to treat other devotees fairly or kindly.
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| Compare Laws for GBCs and Gurus
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| Section 3 of ISKCON law is titled Governing Body Commission, and it is here we find most of the laws that define, describe, and regulate the GBC body and its members. To help us compare how the GBC deals with gurus and how it deals with GBC members, I will again list categories of law for regulating gurus, and compare them to analogous laws, or the lack of them, for GBC members.
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| Gurus:
- 7.2.1 Twelve Mandatory Qualifications
- 7.2.2 Four Discretionary Qualifications
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| GBC: No similar list for GBC members in ISKCON law. I will illustrate my point that rules for Gurus are far more specific than rules for GBC with examples from Law 7.2.1 and 7.2.2:
- 7.2.1.1 A dīkṣā guru must be twice-initiated for at least ten years. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.1.3 A dīkṣā guru must be in good standing in ISKCON. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.1.6 A dīkṣā guru must have substantial knowledge and realization of sastra, including a Bhakti-sastri degree. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.1.7 A dīkṣā guru must preach according to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.1.8. A dīkṣā guru must work cooperatively with local authorities. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.1.10. A dīkṣā guru must have no loyalties that compete with or compromise one’s loyalty to Srila Prabhupada, to his teachings, and to ISKCON. No such rule for GBCs.
- 7.2.2.1. Spiritual degrees—Bhakti Sastri, Bhakti Vaibhava, and Bhaktivedanta (when available)—shall be a strongly recommended qualification for being granted no objection status to serve as a guru in ISKCON. No such rule for GBCs.
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| Please note that there are no rules for GBCs that do not also apply to gurus. But there are many rules for Gurus that find no parallel in rules for GBC.
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| 3.5.3.3 gives one GBC disqualification: a devotee who divorces a devotee wife cannot be a GBC.
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| Here are more examples to show that the mandatory qualifications for gurus are far more specific than the general call for GBCs to set an ideal example.
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| Gurus: 7.4.1.1 Endorsement of the Guru by an Area Council. Note: no less than eight sections of GBC law (7.4.1.1; 7.4.1.1.1; 7.4.1.1.2; 7.4.1.1.3; 7.4.1.1.4; 7.4.1.2; 7.4.1.4.3, and 7.4.2) stress the need for local community support for a would-be guru.
GBCs: No local endorsement or support required for a GBC to take control of an area.
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| Gurus: 7.4.1.1.2 Principles of [Local] Evaluation of the Guru.
GBCs: No local evaluation of a zonal GBC.
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| Gurus: 7.4.1.2 Provision for “No Objection” Letters for Guru.
GBCs: Not required for a zonal GBC.
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| Gurus: 7.4.4.1 Nine General Standards of Guru Conduct—plus all of the following:
- 7.4.4.2 Three Standards in Relation to the GBC Body
- 7.4.4.3 Three Standards in Relation to GBC Zonal Secretaries
- 7.4.4.4 Eight Standards in Relation to ISKCON Spiritual Authorities
- 7.4.4.5 Four Standards in Relation to a Temple
Total: twenty-seven required standards for gurus
GBCs: 3.5.3 In comparison to the 27 standards for Gurus, GBCs must 1) practice Krishna consciousness; 2) not permit or perform illicit or illegal activity; and 3) not publicly criticize other GBC members.
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| Gurus: 7.4.5 Monitoring of Gurus by the GBC.
GBCs: No provision to monitor GBC members.
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| Gurus: 7.4.6 Discipline of Diksa-gurus, including:
- • Nine kinds of Misconduct and Failure to Follow Religious Principles or Higher Spiritual Authority
- • Two kinds of Improper Discharge and Neglect of Duty o Four kinds of Spiritual Discrepancy
- • Five ways to censure a diksa-guru
- • Two ways to place on probation, suspend, or rescind the power to initiate, of a diksa-guru
- • A statement that none of the above limits the power of “any Regional Governing Body, Divisional Council, National Council, or other local authority to withhold permission for a…diksa-guru to [initiate] within their jurisdiction.”
- • Definitions of Censure and Probation
- • Details of Suspension Pending Investigation o Details of Suspension
- • Details of Rescindment
- • 7.4.8.5 Five ways to restrict a Guru under suspension
- • 7.5.1 Five circumstances in which one rejects a fallen guru.
GBCs: No specific GBC laws to discipline GBCs. No circumstance given in which one may reject a GBC member’s order.
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| A few ISKCON laws describe discipline of leaders in general, but never mention the GBC.
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| Thus, all of the following are found in GBC law for gurus, but never for GBCs:
- • Improper discharge and neglect of duty.
- • Spiritual discrepancy (four kinds given for gurus)
- o Ways to censure (five ways given for gurus)
- o Ways to place a guru on probation, suspend, or rescind power (two ways given for gurus)
- o Details of censure and probation
- o Definitions of Censure and Probation (Large paragraph provided for gurus, nothing for GBC)
- o Details of Suspension Pending Investigation (Large paragraph on this for gurus, nothing for GBC)
- o Details of Suspension (only for gurus, not GBCs)
- • Details of Rescindment (only for gurus, not GBCs
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| To conclude this topic, I juxtapose here two GBC laws that show clearly how GBCs see themselves as standing far above other devotees.
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| Compare these two statements:
- 3.5.3.2.1 “A GBC member should be an ‘acarya’ by teaching by personal example the path of Krsna consciousness in its purity.”
- 7.4.7.1 “No guru should declare himself or allow himself to be declared an ‘acarya’...”
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| Based on the above, we would assume that GBC law would set a higher spiritual and moral standard for GBC members, the only members of ISKCON declared to be Ācāryas in ISKCON law. But we have seen that this is not the case. Indeed, higher standards are reserved for a) lower leaders; and b) Gurus.
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| It is often said that even stronger than sex desire is the lust for power. And we have all heard the adage that power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yet in ISKCON, precisely where there is greatest power, we find least legal restraint.
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| It is natural for us to assume and expect that those in higher positions, those who make decisions that affect all our lives, will set a higher standard. Yet this reasonable principle finds no practical, detailed articulation in GBC law.
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| One might argue that the flood of GBC laws that restrict gurus are the result of past guru excess. There is truth in this assertion, but real ISKCON history is also more complex. We ignore the complexities at the risk of repeating historical mistakes. Consider the following.
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| During the zonal acarya system, virtually all of the gurus who caused serious problems were also GBCs. I do not recall a single major problem with a zonal acarya who was not also a zonal GBC. Thus it was not just a zonal acarya system that disturbed ISKCON. It was the combined power of GBC and acarya invested in a single immature leader, fostering an autocratic regime.
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| Today, we still have many Guru-GBCs in ISKCON. And precisely because ISKCON has externally reformed the guru system, lingering Guru-GBC dictators no longer attract the attention they once did.
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| Even today, we see GBC zones where a GBC-Guru uses this combined power to monopolize control, impose the leader’s views, and virtually persecute those who dare to hold other bona fide views.
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| Just as some zonal-acaryas, even if immature, acted sincerely, and thus survived in Krishna consciousness, so some GBC-Gurus today are advanced devotees who lead happy zones. Indeed, many ISKCON leaders at all levels are advanced devotees, selflessly dedicating their lives to Prabhupada’s mission.
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| But we do have a lingering problem with autocracy in GBC zones and temples, that can be traced back to the early days of ISKCON.
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| As a liberated devotee, and the charismatic Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON, Prabhupada wielded absolute authority in ISKCON. Kṛṣṇa teaches in the Gītā 3.21, that people follow the example of the greatest person. And the young and immature follow immaturely, without discrimination.
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| Thus a dictatorial, often oppressive, management culture arose in ISKCON in GBC zones and temples, in crude imitation of Prabhupada. And even today, there are remaining pockets of tyranny. We must now cleanse ISKCON of the remnants of the old dictatorial management culture, a product and residue of our past immature imitation of Prabhupada. We need a constitutional leadership culture worthy of a spiritual society of Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas.
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| In the next section, I will conclude my discussion of GBC law.
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