Śikṣā outside ISKCON?

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PART FOUR - Summary and Conclusions
Last Words

Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted his followers to get their śīkṣā within ISKCON. I say that to those seeking guidance as well as to those who must provide satisfactory, heart-pleasing, ever-realised direction to others. That type of śīkṣā cannot be replaced by dogmatic regulation,(14) administrative resolutions,(15) or philosophical artifices.(16) It is a matter of spiritual advancement — the clarion call for ISKCON’s leaders regularly sounded by the Society.

The Vaiṣṇava world is in a sorry state. All over the planet, people are suffering for lack of transcendental knowledge, but those who possess the true panacea of enlightenment are distracted by conflict among themselves. Elevated Vaiṣṇavas are bent on instructing and re-instructing, initiating and re-initiating, those few fortunate souls, who, by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s grace, have already been touched by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu — while the rest of the world goes down the drain.

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s followers did not create this situation. They were, and still are, innocents, all too readyhear about spiritual topics, without sufficient discrimination. But Śrīla Prabhupāda, an “old Calcutta boy,” saw what was best for members of ISKCON; in regardVaiṣṇavas outside the Society, he instructed his disciples“not mix with them.”

ISKCON’s members should continue to follow this. Perhaps a day will come when all the anomalies will be resolved, and all Vaiṣṇavas will live in co-operative harmony. Until that day, they should plan to live in isolated harmony, a sight better than the spiritual cacophony that now disrupts their lives.


NOTAS

14Simply demanding that devotees not take outside śīkṣā, with no positive alternative.
15As are passed by the GBC.
16Such as attempts to place ISKCON’s śīkṣā solely on Śrīla Prabhupāda, and demeaning senior devotees to the rank of insignificant.
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