After the Vatican II, suddenly the [Roman Catholic] Christians in India got up from the slumber to realise that they could very well remain as Indian and be a Bhaktas of Christ. And after getting the green signal and Great Commision from the Pope, by adopting and adapting some Hindu modes of life they continued their proselyting efforts.
In this process they, though were behind the Protestants, found ‘Ashram’ as a convincing way were some other means failed. But the tragedy in it is that neither Protestant Christianity nor the R. C. Churchianity really understood the basic concept of Indian life before adapting some aspects of it. As usual they tried to fit every Indian concept squarely to their church philosophy and this book talks of their experiments in this line.
The main purpose of this books as stated in the introduction [pg 4] is to search out some questions related to the ‘Christian’ Ashram movement. And various authors contributed several papers which are beautifully edited and presented by Vandana Mataji.
It is beyond the scope of this small review to comment on all these papers–most coming out from personal experiences. Yet as the main purpose of those Sat-sangs is to interact as well as to invite criticism and comments we too would like to raise a few questions.
Just buying a piece of land [either by the church or by the Bishop Gratian–Matajai here basically you failed from the Hindu tradition as you have stated in p.7] and recruting a few Novices or Religious order people [nuns or Fathers] to come and live as a Community is not the Ashram according to the Indian tradition.
As the building is not the church, like wise a religious community living together won’t make any place as Ashram. But you can call it as an ‘Akada’ [where few Sadhus live together under one Mahant–bishop?]. An Ashram is born when a True Guru and the disciple meet–even under a tree without a building. The first thing the Christians have to learn is that Religion in India is not “ORGANIZED”. It is naturally born and lives.
The main Ashram Tradition in India is Guru-shishya relationship [pg 8]. But the tragedy in Christian Ashrams is that till this day their gurus remain the hierarchical Bishop–who can never play the role of a guru. So again Mataji has broken away from the Indian Tradition by founding a ‘Christian’ Ashram with its guru a bishop [p.8]
As Swami Nityananda Giri shared, until one is qualified to become a Guru [or till the Guru transforms him to become a guru] we all need our Guru. And no true bhakta of Christ can claim that he is totally transformed so that he can ‘let go even Jesus–the way’ [as suggest to be possible on pg 8]. It is true that Jesus came to reveal the Father. Yet we need Him till the end of our pilgrimage in this earth; as our Lord has said, “Who ever has seen me has seen the Father” and “Without me you can do nothing”.
If we started to comment point after point in this book then we would have to write a separate book. So I will limit myself to raising few more points.
Though an Ashramavasi cannot remain aloof from the society and its various needs, yet Ashram is not a mission. Though Mataji and others raise various burning social issues starting from Dalit to ecology, yet Ashram is neither a mission nor an institution with various projects and programmes [including sitting at Ayodya [p. ] for mediation which we can very well do while remaining in our Ashram] but primarily it is a way of life for few people called out for that purpose. So Swami Vivekananda based on his practical Vedanta rightly started ‘Ramakrishna Mission’ and not ‘Ramakrishna Ashram’. Likewise Swami Chinmayananda started Chinya Mission and ever since Hindu Renaissance great Hindu leaders only started Brahma Samaji, Arya Samaj, etc. and not Ashrams–as they rightly understood the concept of Ashram.
Regarding the role of Ashrams in Inter-Faith dialogue, It is Originally Vatican Programme with a “Secretariate to co-ordinate and of course to control” [pg 102] and “also with a “commission under CBCI” in India. And the so called “Christain Ashrams are mere instrument for that purpose’. Here a heart searching question is asked by Swami Isware Prasad, “Moreover, who takes the initiative? The Church…..such meeting [pg 105]. with his own answer as,”As for the spiritual inpact we…….values” [pg 105]
If you “are aware of the salvific role of other religion” [pg 17, 102] then why even call for such a dialogue? Those marginalised Hindu-intellectuals who attend such meetings are not going to take your life and contribution seriously except enjoying a holiday at the expense of ‘Mission’. Nor are you going to come out from the grip of the church [however you all condemn your hierarchical church [pg ]; but you may learn a few more Indian [or Sanskrit] words to use and write a few articles to publish, not to mention a book like this.
As long as the Christian Ashrams [of any brand] remain OF THE CHURCH FOR THE CHURCH AND BY THE CHURCH [pg ] they will neither ‘MOVE’ nor ‘MEAN’ [ment]’ for both to the Hindus and to the non-Hindus [not to the Christians and non-christians] in India. In the west–for the time being it may give some opportunity for few Asramvasis to go for a global tour at the expense of the mission. And if you want to have a real Ashram in Indian way come out of the church and remain as Hindu bhakta of Christ in India.
In over all this book brings out the shallowness of the Christian Ashrams; as all that glitters is not gold, so all saffron clad people are not sanyasis and not all religious communities are Ashrams.
At the same time the paper by Jyoti Sahi “The Ashram: a place for spiritual wholeness’ alone brings out the idea of what an Ashram should be. “Ashrams as stages in the story of an individual’s life pil grimage [p.129]. Though Ashram in India tried to remain attached to their past tradition, yet each stages in the history it also created various ‘counter-cultures’. The modern Ashrams by Gandhiji and Binobave are the best examples for this. In his paper Part II Jyoti Sahi brings out the truth more clearly by pointing out the Ashram as not merely a place but ‘The Ashrams were conceived of as part of life’s cycle, being stages along life journey” [p.137]. While Ashram looks forward–to the future with a profound sense of history, of the past [139] in reality’ it is also a living in the present” [139]. “The Ashram must never become as institution…..way” [138].
A Sanyasi–who is the real Ashram, stands away from the Society–but not apart from it, challenges the settled people in the society with their limited social securities to move further to attain wholeness. His saffron dress (which is the symbol of agni) reminds the people about the ‘maya’ [transitory rather than illusory nature] of their settled tradition and culture. He may motivate and influence and witness to the society to create the counter-culture, not becoming a part of any movement, for it to press forward in its journey to the wholeness. All the activities related to culture, tradition, social justice, ecology etc may be included in that movement. But finally ashram is a way of life in our pilgrimage rather than an institution with lots of programmes both inward and outward.
While challenging the ‘Brahminical Hinduism’ which the ‘Christian Ashrams seems to want to emulate, is extra ordinarily insensitive to social concerns and the source of grave social evils’ [154]. Fr. George Soares Prahbu SJ remarks that ‘The Christian experience of liberation and the healing values that Christianity has to offer’ are yet to be seen–to be welcomed by the Hindu India [155]. The same Christianity which cannot remove the racial and ethnic discrimination around the globe cannot solve the case oriented problem–which very well dominates most of the churches–in India. Though he was given an apt reply by the Ashram aikiya, yet it is Christ not the Church or even Christian Ashram is the answer for the problem in human life–wherever we may live.
Allow Christ to come and change every individual–may he be a Brahmin or a Dalit, then alone God’s New Society with a powerful Christ-centred Counter Culture can be seen on this earth. For this each country may need its own movement. But try to bring every movement under one frame with any particular religious stigma won’t solve the human problem–both phenomenal and transcendental. God may use Ashram as a way of life in India but definitly not Catholic or Christian Ashrams as an institution within the church.
The following points are to be added in proper place.
In the ‘three Illustrations” [p109-111]–particularly that of last one just comparing Purusa Sukta and the construction of the altar which was to be,’in the shape of a bird, which is the shape of a man’ [110] and seeing on calvary ‘the shape of a bird which is the shape of a man’ poses serious theological question. “There is no need to know his name…..phil.3:10,11—?
Regarding people’s opinion on Christian ashrams I would like to share my own personal experiences. I visited few R. C. and Protestant ashrams both in south and north. In one particular Protestant ashram they take all kind of non-vegetarian food and also sit on chairs at dining tables. When I raised the objection for such acts in the ashram, the present acharya [who most of the time use western dress] said, “This is a Christian Ashram and therefore it is not wrong for us to remain non-vegetarians’. Yet even their own constitution says that they must sit on the floor and take only strict vegetarian food. So I said, “either change your character of the ashram or change the name from ashram–which remains just for the postal address’ sake”. In an R. C. Ashram in south they accommodate all kinds of tourists, and numerous Europeans come and stay. Sometimes young people as boy and girl friend stay in one room and are sexually active while in the ashram. They even go to the bath room to take bath together which is witnessed and laughed at by some local servants and visiting Hindus.
After the Vatican II, suddenly the [Roman Catholic] Christians in India got up from the slumber to realise that they could very well remain as Indian and be a Bhaktas of Christ. And after getting the green signal and Great Commision from the Pope, by adopting and adapting some Hindu modes of life they continued their proselyting efforts.
In this process they, though were behind the Protestants, found ‘Ashram’ as a convincing way were some other means failed. But the tragedy in it is that neither Protestant Christianity nor the R. C. Churchianity really understood the basic concept of Indian life before adapting some aspects of it. As usual they tried to fit every Indian concept squarely to their church philosophy and this book talks of their experiments in this line.
The main purpose of this books as stated in the introduction [pg 4] is to search out some questions related to the ‘Christian’ Ashram movement. And various authors contributed several papers which are beautifully edited and presented by Vandana Mataji.
It is beyond the scope of this small review to comment on all these papers–most coming out from personal experiences. Yet as the main purpose of those Sat-sangs is to interact as well as to invite criticism and comments we too would like to raise a few questions.
Just buying a piece of land [either by the church or by the Bishop Gratian–Matajai here basically you failed from the Hindu tradition as you have stated in p.7] and recruting a few Novices or Religious order people [nuns or Fathers] to come and live as a Community is not the Ashram according to the Indian tradition.
As the building is not the church, like wise a religious community living together won’t make any place as Ashram. But you can call it as an ‘Akada’ [where few Sadhus live together under one Mahant–bishop?]. An Ashram is born when a True Guru and the disciple meet–even under a tree without a building. The first thing the Christians have to learn is that Religion in India is not “ORGANIZED”. It is naturally born and lives.
The main Ashram Tradition in India is Guru-shishya relationship [pg 8]. But the tragedy in Christian Ashrams is that till this day their gurus remain the hierarchical Bishop–who can never play the role of a guru. So again Mataji has broken away from the Indian Tradition by founding a ‘Christian’ Ashram with its guru a bishop [p.8]
As Swami Nityananda Giri shared, until one is qualified to become a Guru [or till the Guru transforms him to become a guru] we all need our Guru. And no true bhakta of Christ can claim that he is totally transformed so that he can ‘let go even Jesus–the way’ [as suggest to be possible on pg 8]. It is true that Jesus came to reveal the Father. Yet we need Him till the end of our pilgrimage in this earth; as our Lord has said, “Who ever has seen me has seen the Father” and “Without me you can do nothing”.
If we started to comment point after point in this book then we would have to write a separate book. So I will limit myself to raising few more points.
Though an Ashramavasi cannot remain aloof from the society and its various needs, yet Ashram is not a mission. Though Mataji and others raise various burning social issues starting from Dalit to ecology, yet Ashram is neither a mission nor an institution with various projects and programmes [including sitting at Ayodya [p. ] for mediation which we can very well do while remaining in our Ashram] but primarily it is a way of life for few people called out for that purpose. So Swami Vivekananda based on his practical Vedanta rightly started ‘Ramakrishna Mission’ and not ‘Ramakrishna Ashram’. Likewise Swami Chinmayananda started Chinya Mission and ever since Hindu Renaissance great Hindu leaders only started Brahma Samaji, Arya Samaj, etc. and not Ashrams–as they rightly understood the concept of Ashram.
Regarding the role of Ashrams in Inter-Faith dialogue, It is Originally Vatican Programme with a “Secretariate to co-ordinate and of course to control” [pg 102] and “also with a “commission under CBCI” in India. And the so called “Christain Ashrams are mere instrument for that purpose’. Here a heart searching question is asked by Swami Isware Prasad, “Moreover, who takes the initiative? The Church…..such meeting [pg 105]. with his own answer as,”As for the spiritual inpact we…….values” [pg 105]
If you “are aware of the salvific role of other religion” [pg 17, 102] then why even call for such a dialogue? Those marginalised Hindu-intellectuals who attend such meetings are not going to take your life and contribution seriously except enjoying a holiday at the expense of ‘Mission’. Nor are you going to come out from the grip of the church [however you all condemn your hierarchical church [pg ]; but you may learn a few more Indian [or Sanskrit] words to use and write a few articles to publish, not to mention a book like this.
As long as the Christian Ashrams [of any brand] remain OF THE CHURCH FOR THE CHURCH AND BY THE CHURCH [pg ] they will neither ‘MOVE’ nor ‘MEAN’ [ment]’ for both to the Hindus and to the non-Hindus [not to the Christians and non-christians] in India. In the west–for the time being it may give some opportunity for few Asramvasis to go for a global tour at the expense of the mission. And if you want to have a real Ashram in Indian way come out of the church and remain as Hindu bhakta of Christ in India.
In over all this book brings out the shallowness of the Christian Ashrams; as all that glitters is not gold, so all saffron clad people are not sanyasis and not all religious communities are Ashrams.
At the same time the paper by Jyoti Sahi “The Ashram: a place for spiritual wholeness’ alone brings out the idea of what an Ashram should be. “Ashrams as stages in the story of an individual’s life pil grimage [p.129]. Though Ashram in India tried to remain attached to their past tradition, yet each stages in the history it also created various ‘counter-cultures’. The modern Ashrams by Gandhiji and Binobave are the best examples for this. In his paper Part II Jyoti Sahi brings out the truth more clearly by pointing out the Ashram as not merely a place but ‘The Ashrams were conceived of as part of life’s cycle, being stages along life journey” [p.137]. While Ashram looks forward–to the future with a profound sense of history, of the past [139] in reality’ it is also a living in the present” [139]. “The Ashram must never become as institution…..way” [138].
A Sanyasi–who is the real Ashram, stands away from the Society–but not apart from it, challenges the settled people in the society with their limited social securities to move further to attain wholeness. His saffron dress (which is the symbol of agni) reminds the people about the ‘maya’ [transitory rather than illusory nature] of their settled tradition and culture. He may motivate and influence and witness to the society to create the counter-culture, not becoming a part of any movement, for it to press forward in its journey to the wholeness. All the activities related to culture, tradition, social justice, ecology etc may be included in that movement. But finally ashram is a way of life in our pilgrimage rather than an institution with lots of programmes both inward and outward.
While challenging the ‘Brahminical Hinduism’ which the ‘Christian Ashrams seems to want to emulate, is extra ordinarily insensitive to social concerns and the source of grave social evils’ [154]. Fr. George Soares Prahbu SJ remarks that ‘The Christian experience of liberation and the healing values that Christianity has to offer’ are yet to be seen–to be welcomed by the Hindu India [155]. The same Christianity which cannot remove the racial and ethnic discrimination around the globe cannot solve the case oriented problem–which very well dominates most of the churches–in India. Though he was given an apt reply by the Ashram aikiya, yet it is Christ not the Church or even Christian Ashram is the answer for the problem in human life–wherever we may live.
Allow Christ to come and change every individual–may he be a Brahmin or a Dalit, then alone God’s New Society with a powerful Christ-centred Counter Culture can be seen on this earth. For this each country may need its own movement. But try to bring every movement under one frame with any particular religious stigma won’t solve the human problem–both phenomenal and transcendental. God may use Ashram as a way of life in India but definitly not Catholic or Christian Ashrams as an institution within the church.
The following points are to be added in proper place.
In the ‘three Illustrations” [p109-111]–particularly that of last one just comparing Purusa Sukta and the construction of the altar which was to be,’in the shape of a bird, which is the shape of a man’ [110] and seeing on calvary ‘the shape of a bird which is the shape of a man’ poses serious theological question. “There is no need to know his name…..phil.3:10,11—?
Regarding people’s opinion on Christian ashrams I would like to share my own personal experiences. I visited few R. C. and Protestant ashrams both in south and north. In one particular Protestant ashram they take all kind of non-vegetarian food and also sit on chairs at dining tables. When I raised the objection for such acts in the ashram, the present acharya [who most of the time use western dress] said, “This is a Christian Ashram and therefore it is not wrong for us to remain non-vegetarians’. Yet even their own constitution says that they must sit on the floor and take only strict vegetarian food. So I said, “either change your character of the ashram or change the name from ashram–which remains just for the postal address’ sake”. In an R. C. Ashram in south they accommodate all kinds of tourists, and numerous Europeans come and stay. Sometimes young people as boy and girl friend stay in one room and are sexually active while in the ashram. They even go to the bath room to take bath together which is witnessed and laughed at by some local servants and visiting Hindus.
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