Ananda Marga News Bulletin: Book: “A Discussion” + 4 More

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Book: “A Discussion” + 4 More

Baba

Book: “A Discussion”

Namaskar,

People like to read stories - all are interested, children as well as the elderly and everyone in between. And generally, people take the stories they read to be true. Through the medium of stories, so many good teachings can be conveyed - as well as so many falsehoods. In that sense, it is just like how a big knife may be used to cut elephant root or jackfruit, or it may be used as a weapon to harm someone.
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Overview

Here is a brief summary
- In 1959, Baba held the inaugural Prout conference (17-22 Oct 1959).
- Ac Sujitji and others noted down Baba's discourses from that Prout conference.
- The discourse notes from the Prout conference were approved by Baba and printed in a book, "A Discussion."

Baba ordered that the book “A Discussion” be retitled as “Discourses on Prout” and it has become an integral component of the “Prout in a Nutshell” series. Thus, the book was never banned or burned, but given a greater stature in our Ananda Marga literature.

"A Discussion" was retitled as "Discourses on Prout"

The proof that Baba did not ban or burn "A Discussion" is that He ordered this book to be republished and retitled as "Discourses on Prout" and placed in the Prout Nutshell Series. Indeed if you open Prout in a Nutshell (Part IV), you will see that "Discourses on Prout" is the first chapter, with the exact dates and place as the book "A Discussion." Thus, per Baba's order, "A Discussion" was just republished and retitled as "Discourses on Prout." They are one and the same - save for 7 lines.

So Baba never gave the order to ban or burn "A Discussion." Rather, the only order He gave was to republish it so it may receive wider distribution as part of the Prout in a Nutshell series. Baba wants that the ideas presented in this book be shared with one and all as they are key to forming one human society. Verily, everyone should be encouraged to read this book.
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Here is the book: A Discussion

Here is a scanned copy of the book "A Discussion" so you can view it:

1st Edition (1959): https://archive.org/details/A-Discussion-English-1st-Edition

2nd Edition (1960): https://archive.org/details/adiscussionbook19602ndednscanfromxerox

Conclusion

Baba's unique book, "A Discussion" (1959) is an elaboration of His Prout philosophy and the book is based on the six discourses He delivered from 17 Oct 1959 to 22 Oct 1959 at the first-ever Prout conference in Jamalpur. A link to Ac Sujiit jii's first-hand account of this conference is appended below. Hence the historic book, "A Discussion", stands as Baba's expanded account of His Proutistic teachings. It is indeed a seminal work that will last for the ages.

In Him,
Mahamaya

~ In-depth study ~

Needless to say this scanned version is proof that Baba never ordered for the book to be banned or burned. That was just the menagerie / poor research of writer D.

So the way the JY Book has been written reflects poorly on both Guru and His bhaktas. Because, according to the JY book, Guru gave the order to ban and burn the book. Yet this was not done - the book is still available. That makes it look like Guru does not have control over His bhaktas and it makes it look like those early disciples did not care about following Guru's order. So the whole thing is a flop. Books are usually written to glorify the Guru, but in this case the opposite has been done. All due to the errors, hearsay, and inaccuracies that comprise the JY book.

The following is an example of one legend type of story.

False claim

Unfortunately, in the JY book, there are erroneous and harmful statements made about Baba and AMPS. And in one section the writer makes an absolutely outrageous claim about Sadguru Baba's book, "A Discussion." In part two, chapter XXI, on page 185 of the JY book, the writer makes the following assertion.
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JY Book states, “A separate booklet entitled, A Discussion, but Baba eventually banned the book and ordered existing copies to be burned.” (JY Book, p.185, para #6, lines 12 & 13)

Note: For those who do not have the JY book, let us know and we will scan that page for you.

Thus the writer clearly states that Baba ordered that His own book - "A Discussion" (1959) - should be banned and even burned. Such is the proclamation made in the JY book. But such a claim is the writer's own fabrication. There is not a shred of truth in that statement.

Baba never ever banned His own printed publication titled "A Discussion", and He certainly never ordered that it should be burned. These are just erroneous and imbalanced statements put forth by the writer. Not only that, it creates a bad impression in the mind of the reader that Baba published something wrong or bad and that is why He wanted it “banned” and “burned.” So the writer is both (a) making a fallacious claim and (b) tainting Guru’s image. It is a double wrong.

“A Discussion” book is part of Prout series

Let’s be clear: Sadguru Baba never banned the book "A Discussion", nor did He give the order to have all the existing copies burned. I personally have a copy of "A Discussion" directly in front of me. And I know of many senior and respected margiis who also have this book. Baba never told them, neither directly nor indirectly, to throw it away or burn it.

To the contrary, Baba ordered the book “A Discussion” to be retitled as “Discourses on Prout”, and it has become an integral component of the “Prout in a Nutshell” series. Thus, the book was never banned or burned, but given a greater stature in our Ananda Marga literature.
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So there is no logic or reasoning, nor a shred of truth, to the writer's claim on page 185 that Baba ordered His book, "A Discussion", to be banned and burned. In this attempt, the writer gets this topic entirely wrong and makes it look as though Baba banned and burned His own book, "A Discussion" - as if there was something wrong with it. The writer's claim leads the reader astray.

Filled with countless errors

Verily, the JY book is filled with errors, oversights, misleading statements, and other problems that only serve to misguide the reader about our Beloved Baba. After all, it is not everyday that someone publishes a 400+ page book about Baba that is littered with errors and so poorly reflects His true Self. Baba rightly warns us to be wary of such intellectuals.

Ananda Marga ideology states, "They [intellectuals] are very dangerous. Regarding such people Shiva has said, Lokavyamohaka´raka - they themselves are misguided people and they are always misguiding others. Vya´moha means psychic disease. Lokavya´mohaka´raka - they are very dangerous people...So, you boys and girls, be careful of the serpentine noose of those so-called intellectuals." (Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 5, Don't Be Misguided)

We have scanned the book "A Discussion" for those who do not have it or want further proof that this book exists and was not "banned" or "burned." And two links have been provided in the main part of this letter to view the first and second edition.

It is common human nature to trust what is in print to be correct. We assume the writer, editor and publisher have verified the accuracy of each and every word. Though, this type of feeling is often exploited as well - dogmas and wrong ideas are also put in print and taken as true. This misguides both readers and the general society. Unfortunately, the JY book falls in this latter category. It is very laced with countless errors and mistakes that lead the reader astray.
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Every concerned Ananda Margii then should be leery of this JY book (2010).

The writer D needs to be more careful before publishing such a book. The JY book is littered with errors, falsehoods, and misrepresentations about Sadguru Baba and AMPS. If someone does go to the extent of publishing and publicizing a book, the burden is on them to make sure it is accurate before it reaches the shelves. Too bad the writer D did not do this. The only answer left is to have the JY book removed from the shelves until it is properly edited and corrected by a team of senior margiis and publishers.

Ac. Sujit ji’s 1st hand account

The below letter presents Ac Sujit ji’s 1st hand account of taking notes of Baba’s series of discourses for the book that became, “A Discussion”, the first publication on Prout teachings.

http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/2011/11/story-conversion.html

The person who wrote the JY book

The name of the JY book with all these errors is “The Jamalpur Years” (2010), and the writer is Devashish (Deva'shiis'a / Devashish / Devashiisa) a.k.a. Donald Acosta.
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* * *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.

* * *

== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==

Remaining forgetful about You

Note: Only those who sincerely practice the higher lessons of sahaja yoga meditation can understand this song in the depths of their heart.

"Tomáre bhúle bhesechi akúle, karuńá karo he krpá nidhán..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2206)

Purport:

O' Parama Purusa, remaining forgetful about You, my whole existence is floating aimlessly without any spiritual goal. Sometimes I think I have to get this mundane object or that material gain. By this way, my whole life is getting wasted. O' Karuńá-Personified, please bestow Your compassion and mercy upon me. Kindly save me from avidya maya. My days pass in meaningless or negative pursuits. I remain oblivious of the krpa’ which You have showered upon me. You have granted me a human body and mind, but I could not use these precious gifts to do sadhana.

O' Parama Purusa, You have sent me here on this earth to do Your work: sadhana, seva, and sacrifice. I have come here to fulfill Your desire, follow Your command, execute Your task, serve everyone, and fill this world with colour and beauty. You have given me the duty to bring happiness in the lives of all living beings, after wiping away their tears, and filling everyone's heart with bliss.

Baba, there is still some time remaining before I die. If I get a wee-bit of Your grace then what cannot happen. Everything is possible. My only request is that You bless me with Your varabhaya mudra. With that strength I can go on completing all Your allotted tasks. I can continue singing Your song and spreading Your glory always, serving all with the ideation of Narayana...

== Section ==

Husband Is Also Female

Namaskar,

The true idea is that no matter what our sexual orientation (whether or not is accepted by society) should not be focused upon. The real path is to direct and divert all such type of thinking to Parama Purusa since He is the goal of life anyway. All other thinking is a distraction and that we should think more towards becoming spiritual beings and not otherwise.

In Him,

Vyasa

Note: For more about this issue please find link appended below:

http://anandamarganewsbulletin.blogspot.com/2014/07/husband-is-also-female-new-fashion-2.html

== Section ==

Example of Surrender

"Suppose you meet a great karmi and ask him if he is successful in everything he undertakes. He will certainly say, “No.” If you ask him if he ever gets tired of working, he will say that he definitely gets tired on different occasions. And when he gets tired does he not ask Parama Puruśa to give him more strength? No matter how great a karmii one might be, one will have to eventually take shelter in Parama Puruśa, one will have to eventually surrender to Him.

Similarly, a jiṋánii often becomes fatigued with the continuous cultivation of knowledge. Sometimes, after prolonged thinking, the brain simply refuses to function any more and it becomes increasingly difficult to implement one’s internal thoughts and ideas. What happens at that time? Knowledge concedes defeat and the ego has no choice but to surrender. Finally, one is compelled to plead, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please help me, please save my prestige.”

Some so-called bhaktas – those who do not have genuine devotion - pretend to be devotees just to cheat others. That is, they ring the bells as they should be rung and light the candles as they should be lit, but without any feeling, so that after some time they become like machines. A person lacking devotion becomes like a machine. There is no more joy; only the mechanical turning of the parts. A heart devoid of joy is as barren as a desert. When one becomes as dry as the desert sands, one is compelled to cry out, “Oh Lord, save me. Protect me from the scorching heat of the desert.”

When people get fatigued, be they jiṋánis, karmis or bhaktas, they say, “There is nothing more I can do.” In such a situation they can only take shelter in Parama Puruśa. This is called “sharańágati.” Here shelter means one hundred percent dependence on Parama Puruśa to the exclusion of all other objects. “A” means “coming” and “gati” means “mobility”. When all mobility terminates in Parama Puruśa, it is called “sharańágati”. When sharańágati occurs, one is said to have accomplished the final attainment. You should remember this supreme truth.

== Section ==

~ ए मेरे भाईयो, मेरे मित्रो! ‘कृपा कर मुझे सेवा करने का अवसर दो ~

प्रभात संगीत 4557 सबार सेवाय तारी करुणाय, सबकार तरे आमि एलुम..

बाबा! तुम्हारी कृपा से मेरा जीवन प्रत्येक की सेवा के लिये है, न केवल मनुष्यों के लिये बल्कि पेड़पौधों जानवरों और प्रत्येक वनस्पति और प्राणी के लिये। मैं इस धरती पर सबके लिये आया हॅूं सब की आशाअों को पूरा करने के लिये आया हॅूं। परम पुरुष की कृपा से मैं ने दूसरों का बोझ अपने कंधों पर ले लिया है।

मनुष्यों को कल्पना के संसार में सीमित होकर nahin रहना चाहिये। वे जो आदर्श मानव हैं उनके हृदय में सभी के सुख और दुख अनुनादित होते हैं। सही अर्थों में जो मानव हैं वे डरपोक या आत्मकेन्द्रित नहीं होते, वे तो सब के लिये होते हैं।

उन पुरुषोत्तम की कृपा से मैं उनके गीत गाऊंगा और नव्य मानवतावाद की कहानियाॅं सब को सुनाऊंगा। मैं तुम्हारे गीत सभी प्राणियों, पक्षियों पौधों सभी जीवधारियों को सुनाऊंगा। तुम्हारी कृपा से मैं ने सभी सुख और सुविधाओं को छोड़कर सबकी सेवा के लिये, अपने आपको समर्पित कर दिया है। संसार के ए मेरे भाईयो और बहिनो! मेरे मित्रो! मेरे अपनो! सब मेरी प्रतिज्ञा सुनो।

‘‘कृपा कर मुझे हर समय, हर क्षण, अपनी सेवा करने का अवसर दो। मैं इसके लिये अपने हृदय में गहरे प्रेम और अनुराग सहित प्रस्तुत हॅूं।”

Following is the phonetic spelling in Roman Script of the above purport:

Ē mērē bhā'īyō, mērē mitrō! ‘Kr̥pā kara mujhē sēvā karanē kā avasara dō

prabhāta saṅgīta 4557 sabāra sēvāya tārī karuṇāya, sabakāra tarē āmi ēluma...

Bābā! Tumhārī kr̥pā sē mērā jīvana pratyēka kī sēvā kē liyē hai, na kēvala manuṣyōṁ kē liyē balki pēṛapaudhōṁ jānavarōṁ aura pratyēka vanaspati aura prāṇī kē liyē. Maiṁ isa dharatī para sabakē liyē āyā hĕūṁ saba kī āśāa̔ōṁ kō pūrā karanē kē liyē āyā hĕūṁ. Parama puruṣa kī kr̥pā sē maiṁ nē dūsarōṁ kā bōjha apanē kandhōṁ para lē liyā hai.

Manuṣyōṁ kō kalpanā kē sansāra mēṁ sīmita hōkara nahin rahanā cāhiyē. Vē jō ādarśa mānava haiṁ unakē hr̥daya mēṁ sabhī kē sukha aura dukha anunādita hōtē haiṁ. Sahī arthōṁ mēṁ jō mānava haiṁ vē ḍarapōka yā ātmakēndrita nahīṁ hōtē, vē tō saba kē liyē hōtē haiṁ.

Una puruṣōttama kī kr̥pā sē maiṁ unakē gīta gā'ūṅgā aura navya mānavatāvāda kī kahāniyāĕṁ saba kō sunā'ūṅgā. Maiṁ tumhārē gīta sabhī prāṇiyōṁ, pakṣiyōṁ paudhōṁ sabhī jīvadhāriyōṁ kō sunā'ūṅgā. Tumhārī kr̥pā sē maiṁ nē sabhī sukha aura suvidhā'ōṁ kō chōṛakara sabakī sēvā kē liyē, apanē āpakō samarpita kara diyā hai. Sansāra kē ē mērē bhā'īyō aura bahinō! Mērē mitrō! Mērē apanō! Saba mērī pratijñā sunō.

‘‘Kr̥pā kara mujhē hara samaya, hara kṣaṇa, apanī sēvā karanē kā avasara dō. Maiṁ isakē liyē apanē hr̥daya mēṁ gaharē prēma aura anurāga sahita prastuta hĕūṁ.”

== Section 3: Links ==

Ananda Purnima: Mon 16 May 2022