Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The contribution of Madeleine, a 20 year ex-abhyasis (since 3 years) of SRCM™
Translated by 4d-don using: Google Translate from Elodie's blog: http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com/2007/01/la-contribution-de-madeleine.html
During the years of our permanence in the SRCM, and still at the time of Babuji, some among us knew already about the existence, in the north of India, of 5 or 6 groups of disciples or descendants of disciples of Lalaji, who had gone on their own way, without having recognized Babuji as the successor of Lalaji.
We also knew, from Babuji’s autobiography that somebody had tried to put sticks in his wheels , even to the point of attempting to put an end to his days (on earth).
At that time, we were satisfied with the path which we followed and we were not curious to know more. Moreover, the environment which reigned within the mission, consisted of a significant "self-satisfaction": we were the only ones to benefit from the transmission (!), our Master was of such a level that no other being of that level would be reincarnated again for more than a few thousands of years (!), probably, He was the Special Personality (?), without mentionning the possibility of eventually becoming a preceptor (!).
And thus, these disciples of Lalaji who had not recognized Babuji, which, for us was the single legitimate successor, were seen at best, with commiseration and sufficiency. As Christian would say, we belonged to the "stupid arrogant"!
A few years later, especially after 99 and particularly after the centenary of the birth of Babuji, we started to not find anymore what we had always sought, i.e. that we feel that the access road to the Ultimate, towards the Divine One was not open any more, and considering the type of horizontal material expansion that the mission developed, we started to try to include/understand a little more the origins of Sahaj Marg, with an aim of finding another way which could be appropriate for us, hoping that there was still a movement with the same origin, in which spirituality would be still alive.
At the time of this research, one of the first elements which retained our attention was a film (or rather 2 films) of Arnaud Desjardin, filmed in 1973 in Afghanistan and titled: "Sufis of Afghanistan Master and Disciple" and "In the Middle of the Brothers" (Alize Prduction).
Upon seeing these 2 films, we could note that they also used a transmission and that they worked with the same points in the area of the heart as in Sahaj Marg, that they had sittings and the analogy was really obvious.
I wrote to Arnaud Desjardin so as to find out more on these Masters. He answered me that, unfortunately, the majority of them had disappeared, died or became fugitives, with the Soviet invasion.
After which, I went (literally) in search of a book of which I had had some indications and who would have proven what I thought on the Sufi origin of Sahaj Marg. This book is: "Lakshvedhi Genealogy", the genealogical chronology of the saints, before and after Mahatma Ram Chandraji Maharaj de Fatehgarh (Lalaji), in the order of Naqshbandia Mujaddidia, written by B.B Basuk (first edition in Hindi in 1973, third English edition in 1985).
I noted thereafter that Dahnhardt had inserted it in the bibliography of his book.
Here is some information drawn from this book, with the benefit of the doubt, of course, because Indian research and the "exposes" are often not very clear already, only by the simple fact that they often allot to a same person, several different names…:
first point: the Sufi origin the sahaj marg was confirmed there. Basuk declares that in 1984, he had been invited to Madras of April 29 to May 1 for the 85th birthday of Babuji and that he had contacts with abhyasis and preceptors of the mission. Therefore, in the SRCM, one knew him, and some undoubtedly knew of his research!
Another point: With the death of Lalaji, Babuji would have continued to attend very often the satsang of Shri Chaturbhuj Sahaj in Matura and that of Shri Krishna Lal in Sikanderabad, these two being apparently two of the legitimate representatives (successors) of Lalaji (heir). (Krishna Lal would have been named successor of Lalaji in 1921, therefore 10 years before his death) –
Last point: this information, for the first time, put to us in front of the fact, for us difficult to accept, that a Master can have more than one legitimate successor and that that is completely normal and natural. Indeed, with regard to this last point, in the past and still today in these times, it was completely normal that a Master send, before his death, his best disciples, to work each one in a different geographical area. And it is what Lalaji would have done.
Just as it was normal for a disciple to follow several Masters along one’s spiritual journey, Masters being at diffèrent levels, and it was sometimes the same Master who himself sent his disciple to another Master, to carry on his way.
All was very open!
And it is also what Lalaji would have done, beginning as a disciple, while starting with the Sufism and continuing with the practice of Sant Mat. And this without making anyone feel guilty or "to betray" whoever!
Today, all these ramifications can perhaps allow each one of us, to find what is appropriate and best for each one and, if one believes in it, one can think that each one of us is sent where one must go!
Let us recall that if the path that one follows is not the right one, one does not far, even if one often believes that one went far! The problem arises only when one successor declares himself as being the only legitimate successor! To this point, I would like to highlight some "inaccuracies" which were reported by Babuji on the origin of Sahaj Marg and which are still read and believed within the SRCM.
It should be held in mind that, from the death of Lalaji to the foundation of the SRCM and the arrival of the Babuji’s first disciples, more than 10 years passed… one knows that time erases all and makes all to forget…:
- Lalaji would have had a Master and perhaps more than one
– The partly Sufi origins, of the system is, today without any doubt
The writings of Lalaji have not disappeared, as in the story told by the SRCM, in which one tells us that a servant would have sold all the writings of Lalaji, thinking that they were papers to be thrown away. The writings of Lalaji apparently still exist, were written into Urdu, some were translated into English, but they were never made known to us in the SRCM, at least, not until 2001, with the book "The Complete works of RAM Chandra-Lalaji- volume II", but for a short period (considering how it practically disappeared from circulation), also for the fact that it dealt with a teaching quite different from that of Sahaj Marg and from which one can understand that the "so-called" simplification of this teaching is none other than the reduction and the amputation of the teaching of Lalaji.
- The spiritual practice taught by Babuji does not correspond to that taught by Lalaji.
- Lalaji would have named at least 2 successors (heirs)
- Lalaji would not have discovered the central area.
This point is most difficult and to speak about (as) it is not obvious! But, in fact, the concept of the central region was taken (up) again by Lalaji following his contact with Radhasoami (and by reading the radhasoami literature which precedes him, one can have the confirmation of it).
- To these "inaccuracies", one should not miss, to complete the picture, the change of his (Ram Chandra of Shahajanpur) own name to that of his Master.
I finish by giving you again the references in the books which, in my opinion, help to better understand all that, if one wants to go more in depth on certain points:
--- The supplemental works of RAM Chandra - Lalaji- volume II, subsequently published by SRCM with 7000 copies in July 2001 and it seems that this book disappeared from circulation, oddly, there is no trace of it anywhere! It became taboo! The only way of getting it is to get a loan by an abhyasi who is or was subscribed for life and who will have received it systematically at the time. In this book, Lalaji starts from his Sufi experience to lead to his Sant Mat experience, which he largely develops.
--- The book of the researcher Thomas Dahnhardt. : "Exchange and Continuity in Indian Sufism ". You will learn many things there about Lalaji. --"
--- L' Anurag Sagar. " "The ocean of Love "attributed to Kabir. One understands many things there on the why there are masters of various levels! And which are these levels.
--- Books of Kirpal Singh (one of the Masters beyond Sant Mat): "The Wheel of Life, the Mystery of Death "and many other books on the site: www.ruhanisatsangusa.org, which give an much clearer explanation and deepens that what we may have read in Sahaj Marg, on spirituality.
--- The books of Baba Sawan Singh (another Master of Sant Mat) (if you succeed in finding them): "Philosophy of the Masters". 6 or 7 volumes
---"Sar Bachan" of Soamiji Maharaj. They are difficult to digest, but their reading is worth the pain. They are in English. Of course, they are only books, and they are used to draw us some ideas all-done or prejudiced or the better us to inform, but there always remains the truth that nothing is worth the direct contact with the Masters and a valid practice with their assistance.
Here, I believe that with this letter, I conclude my intervention on the blogs, because frankly, I do not want to explore further any more! I spent many years with this research and it seemed to me right to communicate the fruit of it.
I greet all the brothers and sisters with all my heart.
Very fraternally
Madeleine
Thank you Madeleine for your information which brought us so much lately.
Do not leave us completely if it pleases you.
Elodie
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