Swindle Teachings Abound

Self-Realization Fellowship, SRF in short, claims they stand for original Christian teachings. They do not. [Evidence].

In SRF they do not keep the Canaanite slave forever (Lev 25:46), although that seems like a valid part of the "original Christianity of Jesus" too, according to Matthew 5:17-19. Jesus "rattled off" that the Law was to be valid and not changed, and that he "came to fulfil the Law of Moses" and so on, and the command on keeping the Canaanite slave happens to be in that Law.

This is just one example of confused teachings. And by the way, think of the phrase that "Confused garbage into young minds result in confused followers too". As bizarre as it seems at first glance, there is also mounting arcaeological evidence that the Hebrews too were Canaanites, if it matters. The Jew - is there a better future for him? Is that the meaning here; can it be otherwise? Questions tend to pop up in an investigative mind. [More]

In SRF they proclaim with their lips to represent that Christianity, but see what these peaceful-looking fellows really do and are up to, and why not get an overview of what their priorities are too while you are at it. They don't teach you to pluck out your eye, contrary to harsh demands of Jesus for such vile self-maining, or do they?

We must face the facts to get worthy of those facts. Facade Christianity is common where no one meets the "acid test" of true followers of Jesus. Paramahansa Yogananda was instrumental in a plot which blindness veils, and the plot affects the future lives of those claimed Christians - do they meet the good faith certificate's moderate requirements or not? That is a good question. Another is who are taken in and made the guru's so-called serfs (read: disciples).

A danger with misleading teachings is that of being led astray. Another is of being made a fool, misused and badly handled. But cultivate proficient meditation anyhow.

A sage teaches,

"Reality . . . is that which is.
Everything . . . illusion or Divine . . . must be within the Self.
Illusion itself is illusory.
- Ramana Maharsi [Tb 16, 19, 17]

The Heart is the font of Reality, the seat of Consciousness and Consciousness itself. Focus on the heart-centre - that's where the soul is - helps it to shine forth. [Tb 34]

But Yogananda's teaching that the world is unreal, illusory, is it true? Not if his teaching is true!

Teachings of Illusion

There is no material universe; its warp and woof is . . . illusion. [Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi, ch. 30 [Link]

When man understands by his Parokshajnana (true comprehension) the nothingness of the external world, he appreciates the position of John the Baptist . . ." [Yukteswar, Hos p. 39]

Whatever Vikara, or outwardness, is seen, is Vrama, or illusion. [Lahiri Mahasaya, Gv 60]

The divine realm extends to the earthly, but the latter [is] illusory". [Babaji, as quoted in Autobiography of a Yogi, ch. 34. Cf. Pa 319].

There you have it! Four kriya gurus, two of them swamis, teach the outer world is not there. Then what about them, what about you, what about their teachings in the outer world? Stop hoping for the perfect mate, according to the real value of those statements . . .

You may have to ponder that for a while. On getting back to being normally conscious after deep meditation, the outer world is perceived once again, and we may assume it was there during the meditation too.

Focused attention fosters one's finest potential. But focused attention on the guru-given idea that the world is merely illusory, has unwelcome effects, and may stunt keener sense. Yogananda (1893-1952) teaches that the universe is a swindle. Suppose it is not; then his teachings would be untrue. Suppose the world is all unreal; in that case Yogananda's teachings - part of the world, found in the world, would be as unreal as the universe, and not truer. Then his teachings would be untrue - and unreal. To paint oneself into a corner is somewhat similar. Refrain from sawing off your legs to stand safer, too. [Far more]

Admittedly, the teaching that the universe is not real, is not a solid one, but the wise think only seemingly (Oops!) . . .

Here is more documentation:

When he [man] awakens in cosmic consciousness, he will effortlessly dematerialise the illusions of the cosmic dream. [Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi, ch. 34, LINK]

Babaji observed. "The divine realm extends to the earthly, but the latter [is] illusory". [Autobiography of a Yogi, ch. 34, LINK] [Cf. Pa 319].

But if the earthly realm is illusory, the divine realm would not extend into it. If you happen to meet Babaji, do tell him that ...

So the guru and founder of Self-Realization Fellowship at times tells us that the universe is lila (Skr: play, sport). He also uses words like "illusion" and "dream" in some of his books. And all this may remind us somehow of words by the fabled Chuang-tzu of ancient China when he spoke of the world:

This is all a great dream. Yet the stupid believe they . . . understand things . . . When I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too. Words like these will be labelled the Supreme Swindle. [Co 47-48]

Back to Yogananda and his Supreme Swindle teachings: To the degree that what Yogananda and some of his gurus maintain in the matter is correct, and hence false, a little "Gulp!" could fit in.

Improvement!

The Supreme Swindle teaching yogi set up Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). It is a hybrid society that preaches overarching Hindu teachings and keeps Jesus as one of its gurus, and German Shepherds. You decide how fit that may be. But get the facts first.

The yoga society that the Hindu emissary founded in or around Boston in 1920 has an international headquarters in Los Angeles, and there are perhaps the most members in southern California, and world-wide there may be from less than 10,000 to a million members. Estimates differ. [More].

Not everybody appreciates that a guru enterprise - a modern decoction-religious society - is likened to a farm with its pigs and cattle and other animals to be herded and made use of in time, but see how far that fits. We may bear in mind something Jesus said about sheep and shepherds. He also held that proper investigations are fit, and the investigations of the authorities finally sent him to the cross.

❖ If the world is not real, to be crucified like a squealing pig is no big terror.

Self-Realization Fellowship: Part of the Supreme Hoax

To the shallow, all tends to seem shallow. To the deep and mysterious, the Self-Realization Fellowship tends to seem deep and mysterious like a hybrid, perhaps.

Can some Hindu teachings and the teachings of Jesus be well aligned unless as part of Supreme Swindle teachings? In your "universe dreams" - The over-arching guru teaching is still that the universe is a swindle, an illusion, a dream, and those who form part of it - your brother and old folks, perhaps - are in dreamland - sort of.

Then, if the world is unreal, an illusion, you cannot say a lot if you mean something. Meanings rest on the universal fabric, a Large Container, they too. Does it matter to know that Yogananda went on and on as a lecturer, speaking about meanings? Thereby his teachings were found in the world.

To put it with Chuang-tzu, adjusting to Supreme Swindle teachings is done by swindles. Id (zest) is for that too, methinks. And what is more, there are obvious dangers in saying "(It is true that) there is no difference between truth and untruth". You may see that tenet in a postmodern book by a certain Ericson. Mere bleating could be better, far better.

A question is how far Supreme Swindle teachings can liberate in a Supreme Hoax (universe). Just don't be taken in by guru hoaxes and insider jokes.

"Double Tact" of Paramahansa Yogananda

"Never believe that you live" - Paramahansa Yogananda, - Aborted quote from Autobiography of a Yogi. [Ha 88]

In the first edition it is "Never admit that you live" - [Check]

"Never believe that you live" calls for the dumb fare, the next, "Never admit that you live", calls for goofy denials. That's how it most often is.

"Don't deny facts," functions.

The double quote could make sense in a wider context or setting . . . Paramahansa Yogananda was also fond of saying that life is just a dream, unreal, an illusion, you see. Thus you may come across:

The world is nothing more than a cosmic dream—This life is a dream.- Paramahansa Yogananda [Ak 237, 240] [More such sayings]

Some pregnant statements make practical applications feasible. A saying is that phenomena are real when experienced as the manifested Self. "Everything must be within the Self," teaches Ramana Maharsi [cf. Tb 12-16, 19, passim].

New, Indian Christs with Inconsistent Teachings

Your referrals have been very helpful. I appreciate your assistance. - CP

To be investigative of propositions or teachings handed over, is part of good yoga, and a formidable teaching of Buddha.

I became aware that Yogananda lore was at variance with Christian teachings. Today we find New Christs hailed in the United States and elsewhere. Some of them have been written about at length by Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), who was a kriya yoga guru and who set up Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). Some erroneously think he established SRF in Los Angeles in 1920. But at that time he came to Boston from India, and in Boston he stayed. There is ample evidence. SRF was started in or near Boston in 1920, then.

Yogananda who at first said selfishness was fine and to be cultivated, later seems to have toned down significant parts of his teachings from the 1920s, got troubles with many others of his Fellowship, and turned it into a church in Los Angeles, California, 1935. A church tends to become dogmatic in the course of time; it is to be expected. [Link]

This suggests that his society was formalised and not as free-flowing as in the early years, when he had but a few disciples in or around Boston. Some Yogananda students later became monks and nuns, and those who remained, took over the Fellowship after 1952, when the guru passed away.

Some appear to blame guru disciples who took over the management for what happened to SRF before and after the guru's passing, but "The Lord . . . does everything [SRM, Spring 1972, p. 20] and "God is the Sole Doer," is part of Yogananda's teaching, along with that all is illusory. I wonder if you can have it both ways. How can God be a Doer at all if everything happens to be illusory? [Ak 240; cf. Pa 344].

The Sole Doer teachings are taught by others in Yogananda's line too. Babaji is into it during a conversation with Yogananda's guru Yukteswar.

Whose work is all this, and Who's the Doer of all actions? Whatever the Lord has made me say is bound to materialise as truth. [In Yogananda's Autobiography, chap 36]

Shyama Lahiri writes, "No one does anything; all is done by God [Gle, ltr 12]." Ramakrishna teaches the same thing. If that teaching is as should be, God made one third of the SRF monastics leave the SRF premises.

There is at least one more spin to this: "The world is nothing more than a cosmic dream — this life is a dream," says Yogananda [Ak 237, 240]. To what extent was he dreaming it? And to what extent did he illusionate (again)?

❖ A cult deals in fishing people too. Manipulation and indoctrination could be part of the "game".

It may be hard to be a fished someone

Both shepherds and hunters eat sheep, and shepherds herd them in order to benefit from them in other ways too.

"Being turned into a herd animal has some dark sides." You may find ancients hints of such dark sides in the story of Circe in Ulysses by Homer, for example. The crew of Ulysses was changed into swine. Freedom for growth is not to be bah'ed by authoritarians. Instead many millions seem to imagine that being fished is good. And what normally happens to fished fish? It is killed. That is a basic.

❖ Wolves kill sheep to feast on blood and meat. There may be saner ways.

❖ The cosmic person has two bodies: the superior body is pure consciousness and the other is the world. [Yoga Vasistha, Yv 404]

Cheerful

The highest wisdom and the highest genius have been invariably accompanied with cheerfulness. [Thomas Love Peacock, a Romantic satirist - Link]

Good and forewarning fables, tales, and proverbs - do they meet the Peacock criterium? Try to let them by adjusting the stories and lessons to the audience, by going for a cosy and not fear-ridden atmosphere, and garner things a bit to get a welcome gyration (spin) too.