Baba
Avidya’ tantra: story
Namaskar,
One person has expressed in his book that Baba would use avidya tantra on some sadhakas during those Jamalpur days.
D wrote that Baba "sometimes used avidya techniques." A longer version of this quote from the storywriter has been presented further down in this email.
Let us see what avidya and vidya are according to Ananda Marga philosophy. By this way we can examine how far this claim is legitimate or not.
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Avidya tantrikas harm & kill others
According to Ananda Marga teachings, avidya is the path of scaring, harming, torturing and killing innocent persons - all done due to one's own "wicked nature."
Ananda Marga philosophy states,"If people such as this happen to be wicked by nature, they can cause the disembodied entity to hurl pieces of bone, brick, etc., into someone else's house. Sometimes the cots on which people recline are also found to be tilting. All these actions are done by the ectoplasmic structure of a powerful person, not by that of the dead person. So to stop this nonsense you should find the real culprit and give the person a good shaking. You will find that the throwing of pieces of bone, brick, etc., will immediately stop. All this comes within the scope of Avidyá Tantra. It often turns out that the person who was responsible for the throwing of the bricks is found sitting quietly in a corner of the burial ground, and their ectoplasmic structure is getting that hapless disembodied soul to do all those wicked things. If you hit their arm with a good stick then their wicked deeds will immediately stop. And when you see a cot rising from the ground with the ectoplasmic strength of that person (though you cannot see the ectoplasmic arm that raises it, as ectoplasm cannot be seen), just brandish a stick at random. It will turn out that the arm of that wicked Tantric gets broken. Perhaps that person was seated three miles away from the actual site of occurrence. These are all interesting things – Avidyá Tantric things." (1)
(For more about avidya tantra, scroll down to the lower section of this letter.) Now let us see what is vidya tantra.
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Vidya tantra is for universal welfare
In stark contrast, the path of vidya is the path of benevolence and supreme realisation.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The six branches of Vidyá Tantra are: to awaken benevolent intellect, to awaken noble propensities, to arouse a sense of humility, to arouse a sense of dharma, to arouse a sense of self-surrender, and shántikarma [propitiatory rites for others' welfare]." (2)
So vidya tantra brings about universal welfare and spiritual attainment. As the Marga Guru, Baba is the pure embodiment of vidya and all noble qualities. As His disciples, every sincere sadhaka of Ananda Marga is on the path of vidya, not avidya.
Comparison of the two
Here below is a very clear, concise distinction between vidya and avidya.
Ananda Marga philosophy guides, "The śat́karma [six actions] of Vidyá Tantra are applied in order to elevate human beings in the world of spirituality by goading them towards auspicious thoughts; whereas the śat́karma of Avidyá Tantra are applied in order to exploit human beings and utilize them for one's own self interest." (3)
Baba has graciously blessed humanity with all the tools and teachings to advance along the path of pure spirituality. Those who can equate Baba with practicing avidya. Everything Baba has said and done is for the upliftment of humanity - to bring all along the path of Divine realisation and Supreme fulfillment. Below are many more teaching about the distinction and differences between avidya and vidya for study and awareness. All those guidelines furthermore demonstrate and prove that Baba was only vidya, and never avidya.
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Hurling bricks and bones at others
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Such negative practices are common in Avidyá Tantra. For example, suppose a wicked person may be sitting in a solitary place where bones are scattered around. Using his or her psychic power, the person can create ectoplasmic “hands”, and command them to throw the bones into the house of the person whom he or she wishes to harm. The inhabitants of the house, ordinary people no doubt, will certainly be terrified by such occult phenomena. They will think it is the work of a ghost and will probably decide to move out of the house. Instead of bones, bricks or stones could also be hurled. To do this, one does not require great power – rákśasii máyá is an occult power of inferior degree." (4)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "If I were to analyse the positive and negative paths you would be fascinated, but it would be of no use whatsoever in attaining Parama Puruśa." (5)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Human beings practise sádhaná in order to become one with Brahma, not to become ghosts or ghouls. To become one with Brahma, they must practise Vidyá Tantra, and not Avidyá Tantra. Of course through either kind of sádhaná, sádhakas gain freedom from the páshas and ripus. But the difference between the two sádhanás is that the practitioners of Vidyá Tantra channelize their spiritual powers towards the attainment of Paramátmá, whereas the practitioners of Avidyá Tantra utilize their acquired powers for mundane benefits. Through Vidyá Tantra one “binds” [wins] Paramátmá, while through Avidyá Tantra one binds [dominates] living beings. Vidyá Tantrics accept Paramátmá as their object of supreme adoration, and in order to become one with Him, they channelize all the powers they have acquired towards Him." (6)
Conclusion
As the Marga Guru, Baba is the embodiment of vidya - Supreme Benevolence. Everything He does is for the welfare of others.
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But the so-called storywriter D wrote in his book that, "While most of Baba's tests fell well within the range of the disciples' normal experience, he sometimes used avidya techniques to add to these challenges." (Jamalpur Years, p.155)
In fact, in order to prove Baba as avidya, he narrated not less than 5 stories in his book on pages 155-6. No true bhakta and disciple of Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji can think in that manner. All sincere sadhakas in Ananda Marga understand well in their heart that Baba is Love Personified and He has come to uplift humanity and bring all unto His Supreme Abode.
Namaskar,
At His lotus feet,
Giirija
(Geraldine Harris)
~ In-depth study ~
The person behind the book "The Jamalpur Years" (2010) Devashish--(Deva’shiis’a / Devashish / Devashiisa) a.k.a. Donald Acosta--is the one who did like this:
Devashish wrote in his book that, “In the Tantric tradition the guru often tests the disciples, using these tests to help them overcome their various mental weaknesses. While most of Baba’s tests fell well within the range of the disciples’ normal experience, he sometimes used avidya techniques to add to these challenges. Dilip Bose, who was twenty when he took initiation at the end of 1954, recalled some of the tests Baba had put him through when he was barely out of his teens.” (Jamalpur Years, p.155)
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Negative deeds & hellish ways of avidya tantra: 1
Here is more about the devious and destructive pathway of avidya where the aim is to kill, control / exploit, uproot, hypnotize, harm, cause danger.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Now let us analyse the six actions of Avidyá Tantra."
1. One part of Avidyá Tantra is to kill or cause the death of someone through mantra or through some related technique or in some artificial way. This is called márańa. [Mára literally means “annihilation”.]
2. Bringing somebody under one's control by means of a mantra or a dravyaguńa [some plant or other natural substance which projects psychic effects], or by wearing a squirrel's tail like a ring on the little finger of the left hand and chanting the mantra hriiḿ kriiḿ klu, or by feeding that tail to a person in a chánci pán [a betel preparation], is known as vashiikarańa. But remember that this action must be accompanied by purashcarańa [raising the kuńd́alinii, the dormant force] as per Avidyá Tantric style. When under the influence of vashiikarańa, a person becomes completely controlled and behaves like a servant.
3. Cat́ana or cát́ana means one's residence. When somebody is uprooted from his or her residence by means of a mantra or some mystic power or some dravyaguńa, the process is called uccát́ana. It is said that if a particular mantra is written on a brick in red ink and buried under the northeast corner of a house by a naked person on a rainy night, the owner of that house becomes uprooted within three days. This process may or may not fructify, but if it actually does the effect is disastrous. Keeping this fact in mind, I have deliberately refrained from giving the mantra in this book.
4. To get someone to do something by hypnotizing the person with light waves or by fixing one's gaze on him or by breaking or overpowering his personality is called sammohana. In English this process is called hypnotism. The [European] physician Dr. Mesmer did some research on this method to find out if this process could be utilized for the benefit of the public; hence this process is also known as “mesmerism”. (7)
Negative deeds & hellish ways of avidya tantra: 2
Here is more about the devious and destructive pathway of avidya where the aim is to kill, control / exploit, uproot, hypnotize, harm, cause danger.
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Ananda Marga philosophy states,
5. Stopping the flow or movement of something is called stambhana. Stambha means “pillar”. Since any moving thing will be stopped when it hits a pillar, stopping the movement of something by means of a mantra and some dravyaguńa is called stambhana. By using some mantra and holding under the tongue a kánt́ánat́e root fitted into a silver ring (like a hub circled by its wheel), one can stop another person's movement or action. Suppose someone is about to urinate. The flow of urine is stopped. In the science of áyurveda, the medical condition of constricted urination is known as mútrastambha [just as this Avidyá practice is known as mútrastambha]. Vákstambha [stopping the flow of another person's voice] is a similar Avidyá Tantric practice. But the Avidyá Tantric should be cautious about trying to maintain the stambhana for a long time, because it requires him or her to remain in an abnormal condition [sometimes physiologically abnormal], which will eventually harm the person.
6. The shántikarma of Avidyá Tantra means to save someone from a danger or a disease by means of certain rituals, and then redirect that danger or disease towards another person: that is, to help one person to survive by killing another."
"When the Kálacakrayána and Vajrayána Tantras of the Buddhist school of philosophy were popular in Bengal, these six actions of Avidyá Tantra were widely practised. But when the Kálacakrayána and Vajrayána vanished from Bengal, the six actions also fell out of use. And the six actions of Vidyá Tantra fell out of use simultaneously. It is good that the actions of both have been forgotten by people. What is desirable is that people move towards spiritual elevation along the paths of jiṋána, karma, and bhakti with a healthy and rational outlook."
"The secret processes of Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra are called guhya vidyá. The motivation behind the practice of Avidyá Tantra is Máraya máraya náshaya náshaya uccát́aya uccát́aya mama shatruńám [“Kill my enemy, kill. Destroy my enemy, destroy. Uproot my enemy, uproot.”] This sort of mentality should not be allowed to develop in a person. This sort of prayer should also be avoided." (8)
So those adhering to the path of avidya senselessly harm others, make use of occult powers, and indulge in all sorts of selfish and destructive acts.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Their goal is not noble, and will result in their ultimately being converted into inert matter." (9)
Such avidya tantrikas have a very bad effect on society and themselves.
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Further reading on avidya tantra
Ananda Marga philosophy teaches us, "The word guhya as commonly used means something mysterious, something concealed, something like a dreadful nightmare, some secret chant, some mystical occult power; or witchcraft. Or finally, it may indicate the five branches [exclusive to] Avidyá Tantra – márańa, vashiikarań, uccát́ana, sammohana and stambhana." (10)
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Endeavouring to exercise greater control over the mundane world. This is the path of Avidyá Tantra. In this endeavour the practitioners remain totally preoccupied with the attainment of name, fame, prosperity, and material enjoyments – these are their goals. The purpose of their spiritual practice is to make the mind increasingly subtle, in order to be able to exercise further control, not only over the physical world, but over the crude minds of other microcosms as well. Their goal is not noble, and will result in their ultimately being converted into inert matter. So the final result of Avidyá Tantra is extreme crudity. I have attempted to explain this in some of my ghost stories. Try to find time to read them." (11)
Ananda Marga philosophy teaches us,"Avidyá Tantrics make use of this sort of process. With the help of their sense organs and ectoplasms they create positive hallucinations. In Sanskrit this science is called rákśasii vidyá. (Rákśasa does not refer to any monstrous type of animal, but to a particular group of humans. With the help of your mental eyes and your psychic power you can create an image visible to the eyes of an ordinary person. You can actually suspend the power of vision of another person so that he sees the object you want him to see. This is called rákśasii máyá." (12)
References
1. Discourses on Tantra - 2, The Real Culprit
2. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
3. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
4. Discourses on Tantra Volume Two, Avidyá – Excerpt A
5. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6, Ekendriya – 8
6. Discourses on Tantra Volume Two, Tantra and Supernatural Power
7. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
8. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
9. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 6, Vashiikára – 2
10. Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra, 1 July 1990, Calcutta
11. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 6, Vashiikára – 2
12. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 6, Ekendriya – 7
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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.
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== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "Never attack the religious beliefs of anyone. Make the person understand gradually with logic. If you attack a person's religious beliefs, it means you have attacked Ananda Marga." (1)
Here is an example: In India people worship the mythological monkey god. Those followers think that one morning the so-called monkey god had nothing to eat so he ate the sun. Then all around it became completely dark. But this is a ludicrous idea. Yet, if anyone makes jokes about this and attacks the religious sentiment of those monkey god worshipers, those followers will become more rigid and adamant about their beliefs. They will not give up their dogma. And this applies to all the dogmatic religions.
In contrast, if one patiently and gently tries to convince them through logic and reasoning, then that dogmatic follower may get convinced and start doing sadhana. In sum, dogmatic beliefs should be corrected in a calm and polite manner using logic and reasoning. To ridicule and attack them through harsh and demeaning language, jokes, or mockery will only be counterproductive.
If you say, “Hanuman is just a wild monkey - why should sane human beings worship a monkey. Those who do so are lunatics.” If someone levies such a claim or accusation, that goes against the spirit of our Ananda Marga approach. One should not mock any religion in this way.
One of the main offshoots of attacking another’s religious beliefs is that those dogmatic religious followers, i.e. those believers, do not use their brain to determine right from wrong when it comes to their religion. Just they believe. Verily a large percentage (99% or so) were indoctrinated into that religion during their childhood. And if anyone mocks their illogical beliefs, those followers become very frustrated and angry; in turn, they will blindly cling to their religious beliefs even more fiercely. They will be more rigid in their dogmatic ways. In that case, the purpose in challenging that follower’s dogmatic religious beliefs will not bear any fruit. Rather it defeats the purpose.
2nd half of this vital teaching
Without understanding the below, one’s knowledge of religious issues will be half-baked.
Generally when Ananda Marga philosophy is compared with the theology of other religions, even in a respectful manner, then some uninformed people get overwhelmed. They forget that Baba encourages respectfully pointing out the defects of various religions. See Baba’s teaching below.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Read any so-called religious book: one will seldom find anything resembling tolerance of the religious beliefs of others...If necessary, different views can be compared and presented in philosophical books. The philosophical and psychological loopholes in an argument may be pointed out without being disrespectful.” (2)
Due to their unawareness they think, “Do not point out any harmful things practiced by other religions.” They believe Baba forbids this. To remove their confusion, the above yellow highlighted quote may help.
Without using logic during a respectful discussion of loopholes of the various religions, it is not possible to open the eyes of the common people. Then those followers will never realise that what they are doing is wrong and harmful. That is why religious loopholes should be brought to the fore in a respectful manner.
References
1. Caryacarya - 2, Society, Point #9
2. Human Society - 1, Moralism
== Section 3: Links ==
Other topics of interest
