State of spiritual enlightenment or illumination. Nirvana releases humans from the cycle of birth, suffering, death and all forms of worldly bondage.

this issue...

Edited and Published by Swami Muktirupananda, President, Ramakrishna Mission, 179 Bartley Road, Singapore 539784 Tel: 6288 9077 Fax: 6288 5798.Print Production: VED Print Singapore Pte Ltd

This issue focuses on Swami Vivekananda, whose birthday was celebrated on 6 January. Swami Muktirupananda explains how this spiritual dynamo bequeathed his last ounce of energy on spiritual aspirants all over the world.(page 3)

Coffee, Tea, or Japa? “Make mine Japa” says William Page, an American based in Bangkok deeply involved in the Vedanta movement. (page10) Religious Harmony, like the global economy or the Environment, has now become a major topic of attention and concern all over the world since it was highlighted at the first Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. Subsequent meetings held periodically have given

this topic increasing attention because of its importance in preserving world peace. The last Parliament of World Religions held in Melbourne, Australia, in December 2009 devoted a considerable share of attention to this topic. We have a report on this (page 14)

Nearer home, religious harmony is both a cherished and well-protected factor of life in this multi-racial society. In January this year a Christian pastor who made derogatory remarks on Buddhism and Taoism was quickly discipl ined by the government. Mr Jay Lakhani looks at multi-racialism in the United Kingdom and projects Pluralism as a possible solution to religious strife (page 24)

The serial on Ramayana has been held over. It will appear in the next issue.

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Uddhava GitaTranslated by Swami Madhavananda

Òri bhagavÀn uvÀca

Nrideham Àdyam sulabham sudurlabhamplavam sukalpam gurukarnadhÀrammÀyÀnukuleòa nabhasvateritampumÀnbhavÀbdhim na taretsa ÀtmahÀ

YadÀrambheÚu nirviòòo viraktaÆ samyatendriyaÆAbhyÀsenÀtmano yogÈ dhÀrayedachalam manaÆ

DhÀryamÀnaòam mano yarhi brÀhmyadÀswanavastitamAtandrito’nurodhena margaòÀtmavaÒam nayet

The Lord said:

Getting the first and foremost requisite, viz a human body which is like a strong boat - so difficult to secure, yet within easy reach - with the teacher as its helmsman, and propelled by Me as by a favourable wind, with such means as these, the man who does not strive to cross the ocean of Samsara, is verily a suicide.

When he has got disgusted with undertakings and is averse to their results, the Yogi, with his senses under control, should hold the mind steady by the practice of meditation on the Atman.

When the mind, in the act of being concentrated, begins immediately to wander and is unsteady, then being alert he should bring it within his control by following a conciliatory way.

(To be continued)Uddhava Gita, XV, 17-19

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Editorial

None thinks of everyday little acts and little things of life. Mostly they go unnoticed because they are considered uneventful and ordinary. One feels one should not attach importance to these trivial works and waste one’s

time and energy instead of concentrating on the big tasks. These big things have more bearing on life than these insignificant acts. This mistaken idea is the cause of our failures and disappointments. The simple logic shows unless we learn how to do small or trifle things perfectly then how are we going to complete bigger tasks perfectly? Works themselves are neither small or big, significant or insignificant but what matters is with what attitude we do them. Sudden heroic or spectacular acts do not tell much about our personality. But the little things and how we do them reflect the strength of our mind and greatness of personality. Therefore Swami Vivekananda said, “As I grow older I look more for greatness in little things. I want to know what a great man eats and wears, and how he speaks to his servants.”

With unstable and restless mind we cannot do any work properly. An inattentive mind indicates the absence of self-discipline and training. Let us take few examples of everyday life and see what we do. Do we dispose of pieces of paper, used cans, boxes and wrappers putting them in the rubbish bin or discard them carelessly on the roads and streets?; stand in a queue patiently waiting for our turn or push others to get ahead?; open and shut the doors gently or slam with a loud noise?; dial the right telephone number carefully or thoughtlessly disturb an unconcerned person?; drive with caution or recklessly cause permanent injuries to others?; use things wisely or foolishly waste them?

There are thousand and one little acts in daily life which need our care, thoughtfulness, dexterity and concern. How one does these ordinary acts show the quality of a person, the trait of his character.

Little Acts

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Those who have read the biography of Swami Vivekananda know about the Parliament of

Religions held in Chicago, more than a century ago. It was part of the World’s Columbian exposition. This was organized to celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Columbus discovered America in 1492 accidentally. The Parliament was an august assembly which attracted great scholars, religious leaders and thousands of people. The purpose of this Exposition was to show to the world the great achievements of the West in the fields of Science and Technology and its stupendous material progress. The Parliament of Religions was the result of humanity’s faith in a Divine Power and its great role in shaping man’s intellectual and moral development. So the known and unknown delegates from different religions from all over the world gathered there to represent their respective faith. Ordained by the higher power, an unknown young monk, Swami Vivekananda captured the hearts of Americans. One American author rightly remarked, “Columbus discovered the soil of America, Vivekananda discovered the soul of America.”

The first historical session began on Monday, 11 September, 1893. More than 4000 listeners were waiting with bated breath to listen to the outstanding speakers from different lands. In the morning session there were 16 speakers. It was in the afternoon session as the sixth speaker Swamiji spoke briefly. His opening greetings, “Sisters and brothers of America” electrified the audience and thousands stood up with thundering applause. For full two minutes this tide of enthusiasm did not stop and he could not speak another word. We read, the reason for this tremendous ovation was that before Swamiji other speakers addressed the assembly in most formal way, “Ladies and gentlemen”. It was Vivekananda who touched their hearts with affectionate words. This is the usual explanation, we find. But it is strange to note before him two other speakers also used the words brothers and sisters and nothing much happened.

In the morning session Reverend Augusta Chapin, chairperson of the woman’s committee on Religious Congress, in her welcome address, said, “ I welcome you brothers of every name and land; I welcome you sisters

Swamiji and his Spiritual PowerSwami Muktirupananda

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who have come with beating hearts and earnest purpose to this great feast.” In the afternoon session Prof Minas Tcheraz of Armenia in his speech said, “Salutations to every one of you, brothers and sisters….” So we notice Swamiji was not the only speaker to use the words, sisters and brothers but there were others. But what was the mystery behind this spontaneous cheering and even some people rushing to touch the hem of his robe? Words are only a medium of expression. They themselves contain nothing unless they are charged with power. Therefore Romain Rolland remarked, “It was like a tongue of flame… It fired the souls of the listening throng.” The simple reason is, Vivekananda was a repository of divine power and that power manifested through these simple words and electrified the thousands gathered there. Swamiji once said,” What is in the word unless it has the power behind? The question is whether or not you have anything to give…. If you have then give.” (Collected Works, Vol IV-123-124)

Can spi r i tua l power be transmitted from one person to another? Surely, it can. Not only through the words but through touch, wish and glance. The great souls have done it and people have received it and also have felt its transforming effect. Sri Ramakrishna just by touch or glance used to transmit this power to another. Swamiji affirming

it said, “First have something to give. He alone teaches who has something to give, for teaching is not talking, teaching is not imparting doctrines, it is communicating. Spirituality can be communicated just as really as I can give you a flower. This is true in the most literary sense.” (Vol IV -178). “My Master used to say, ‘Religion can be given and taken more tangibly, more really than anything else in the world’. (Vol IV – 179). “The power of teacher may come to us in many ways.” (Vol. VIII -114). The proof for this we find in the life of Sri Ramakrishna, on the first day of January 1886, a few months before his passing away. There were more than 30 devotees on that day and Sri Ramakrishna touched them one after another, in an ecstatic mood. As a result of his touch some entered into a blissful state, some lost themselves in deep meditation, others shed tears overcome by the flood of devotion. Besides this there were many instances where his touch transformed spiritually wavering individuals. Therefore Vivekananda said, “They (teachers of the world) are much higher; they can transmit spirituality with a touch, with a wish, which makes even the lowest and most degraded saints in one second.”(Vol. IV-29).

Swamiji by his own severe austerities and pure life and also the spiritual power transmitted by his Master, was a great storehouse of immense

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Swami Vivekananda, Chicago 1894

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power. One day Sri Ramakrishna summoned his disciple. There was no one else in the room. Looking directly at him the Master entered into Samadhi. Swamiji felt that a force like electric current was passing through his body and he lost consciousness. Coming out of Samadhi the Master said, “I have given you everything I have. These powers I have handed over to you will enable you to do much good to the world. When your work is over, you can go back where you came from.” The purpose of this power was not for self-gratification but to awaken dormant divinity in people. Swamiji’s words were not just ordinary words but were flames issued from the fire of spirituality. Therefore he declared,“The power behind me is not Vivekananda but He the Lord.”(Vol V-137).

Lilian Montgomery, who had attended Swamiji’s lectures in New York in June 1900, told her experience, “Swami entered the rostrum area by a side door. Immediately I knew that there was something extraordinary about him….. there was something about that presence…. Power seemed to emanate from him. And he looked like a living Buddha. As he spoke, veils just seemed to fall from your eyes. I remember as I looked at him it seemed to me there was an ocean of consciousness back of him and in some way there was no limit to his personality… Every word he spoke was revelation because he

brought with it the realization that he was living.” (Josephine Macleod, Linda Prugh – 420)

According to an eye witness, in 1900 in California, one evening he spoke on Jesus Christ. He seemed to radiate a white light from head to foot. After the close of his lecture a young man rushed forward and prostrated at Swamiji’s feet touching him. As though stung Swamiji jumped back. “Don’t ever do that again!” he rebuked him with vehemence. Swamiji was in an exalted state and the touch could transmit to the young man far more spiritual power than he would be able to bear. We find similar incidents that happened in India and America.

Tom Al lan l ived in San Francisco. In March 1900 Swamiji gave a series of lectures in that city. Tom one day went to hear his lecture. He was profoundly impressed by the stirring speech. He rushed home in an ecstatic mood and said to his wife, “I have met a man who is not a man; he is a god.” Later wife and husband both became ardent devotees of Vivekananda. Swamiji once said, “Do you think I only lecture? I know I give them something solid, and they know they receive something solid. “ (Spiritual talks – 193)

How his divine presence and a few words of advice transformed

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Madame Calve and John Rockefeller, the two famous persons is worth mentioning. Emma Calve was a celebrated opera singer and an actress in France and she was also famous in America. Madam Calve was performing in 1894 in Chicago. One evening while she was performing in the opera she felt very uneasy and restless. With great difficulty she finished her performance and staggered back to her dressing room. There she received shattering news that her only daughter had died, burnt to death. This news totally devastated her. Her only daughter was her centre of love, care and concern. With her loss Calve lost all interest in life. She did not find any purpose in living and continuing life. She resolved to commit suicide and bring an end to her misery. During this time of Calve’s personal crisis Vivekananda was lecturing in Chicago. She had heard about his presence from some of her friends who were helped by him. But she had not felt any urge to hear his lecture or to visit him.

Three times she went to drown herself in a lake and each time an unknown force brought her unconsciously to the road leading to Swamiji’s house. Each time she avoided to meet him. Finally, the fourth time drawn by the same force she entered the house and collapsed in a chair. She heard a gentle voice from the next room, “Come, my child. Don’t

be afraid.”

She went and sat in front of Swamiji. He was seated in a posture of mediation, his saffron robe falling on the ground and his eyes on the ground. After a pause he spoke without looking up. “My child, what a troubled atmosphere you have about you; Be calm; It is essential.” Swamiji did not know her name nor anything about her but went on telling her secret problems and anxieties. He spoke of things that were unknown even to her best friends. It seemed, miraculous, supernatural. Astounded she asked him how did he know all these things. He looked at her and with a smile told her that none had talked to him and that was not necessary. He could read her as in an open book. When it was time for her to leave, blessing her he said, “Become joyful and happy again. Build up your health. Do not dwell in silence upon your sorrows. Transmute your emotions into some form of eternal expression. Your spiritual health requires it. Your art demands it.” Emma Calve was very happy and felt she got a new life. It seemed to her Swamiji had emptied her brain of all negative ideas and placed there instead his pure and peaceful thoughts. Calve, expressing her profound feelings said, “It has been my good fortune and joy to know a man who truly walked with God; a noble being, a saint, a philosopher

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and true friend. His influence upon my spiritual life was profound. My soul will bear him eternal gratitude.” In her company Swamiji visited some East European and Middle Eastern countries. A few years later she came to India and visited Belur Math. She sang some songs there. In 1925, she retired from the stage to teach.

John D. Rockefeller was an industrialist and a philanthropist. He was the founder of Standard Oil Company which dominated the oil industry of the US. He started his career by establishing commission business in hay, grain, meats and other goods. Realizing the importance of oil production he built his oil refineries and went on expanding his business. He became fabulously rich. During the middle of 1890s he started to spend his wealth for charities, so say his biographers. Rockefeller University in New York, Rockefeller foundation and other philanthropic institutions are his creations. His change of heart came after he met Swamiji in Chicago. This wealthy man had heard about Vivekananda from his friends. They asked him to meet this extraordinary Hindu monk, but on one pretext or another, he refused. It was not easy to persuade a strong-willed person like Rockefeller. But one day, suddenly without any intimation he went to the house of a partner where Swamiji was staying. He entered directly into Swamiji’s room and found him seated

at his writing table not lifting his eyes to see who had entered.

After a while, as with Calve, Swamiji told much about Rockefeller’s past life that was not known to anyone but to himself. The billionaire was surprised to hear these past things of his life. Swamiji further impressed upon him that the wealth he had amassed was not his and that he was only a channel. It was his duty to do good to the world; the wealth God had given him was an opportunity to help people. Rockefeller was annoyed that anyone audacious to advise him what to do. He left the room in a huff. But about a week later, without being announced, he entered the Swamiji’s study and finding him same as before, threw on his desk a paper which told of his plan to donate an enormous sum of money toward financing of a public institution. “Well, there you are” he said, “You must be satisfied now, and you can thank me for it.” Swamiji quietly read the paper and said, “It is for you to thank me.” Later Rockefeller and his son used much of their fortune for the various welfare works. Rockefeller echoing the advice of Swamiji remarked, “There is much more to life than the accumulation of money. Money is only trust in one’s hands. To use it improperly is a great sin. The best way to prepare for the end of life is to live for others. That is what I am trying to do.”

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circumstances, she did not lose her mental peace and maintained her equipoise. This rare quality of the queen was attributed by her close relatives to the blessing of Vivekananda. The touch of a sage never fails to produce its effect.

He said about his words in California, “You have heard Jesus said, My words are spirit and life. So are my words spirit and life. They will burn their way into your brain and you will never get away from them”.

As a wandering monk Swamiji spent some days in May 1892 at Mahabaleswara – a hill station, near Pune. He stayed with one Moropant Joshi at his house. Mr. Joshi had a baby girl. This baby used to get irritable and agitated at night and go on crying throughout the night. The harassed mother could not get a wink of sleep. Swamiji watched this for two nights and felt pity for the distress of the mother. So he requested the parents to allow him to take care of the child. When the child was handed over to him he placed her in his lap and sat in meditation. The child slept peacefully. He sat in that posture for hours. This routine continued for some days. Later that lucky little girl became the queen of Sangli – a small kingdom in those days. This queen led a spiritual life. In the face of adverse

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In Praise of JapaWilliam Page

Japa is one of the main spiritual practices of the Ramakrishna movement. Combined with prayer

and meditation, it forms a triangle—a three-fold method of reaching out for God, establishing him within, and keeping him there.

Prayer is simply the act of talking to God. The words can be spoken aloud, whispered, or uttered mentally. They reach out to God and invite him to come down and take his seat upon the lotus of the heart.

Once he’s there, we begin to do japa and meditate. Japa is the continuous, silent repetition of a very short prayer or invocation called a mantra. It can be done on its own or in conjunction with meditation. Meditation is the act of visualizing God within us. Together, these two practices establish God within us and enable us to feel his presence.

In the intervals between meditation sessions, we usually get preoccupied with our daily work. If God gets restless at being neglected and seems inclined to leave his seat, we can bring him back by doing japa.

So prayer draws the Lord from the heavens to the heart, japa and meditation establish him on his throne within, and japa keeps him there. Of course, his grace is also necessary. Without it, nothing happens.

Do It Now

P raye r and med i ta t i on require our full attention, but one of the advantages of japa is that you can do other things at the same time. Holy Mother, who was famous for doing prodigious amounts of japa, undoubtedly did much of it while busy with her household chores—husking paddy, sweeping and scrubbing the floor, washing and cutting vegetables.

It’s also a good way to shut down the endless chatter of the mind. We often find our thoughts wandering. Japa pulls them back and gives them focus. It’s like a thread that ties the mind to the lotus feet of the Lord; it reminds us always to pay attention to him.

Sri Ramakrishna taught a variety of spiritual practices, but Swami Brahmananda and Holy Mother placed special emphasis on japa. If you study their teachings, you’ll find that they

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constantly emphasized the necessity of doing it, and especially at fixed times in the morning and evening. The fixed times establish the habit. Once you get used to doing it at certain times, you get restless to do it when those times come. If you don’t do it, you feel guilty. In fact, guilt feelings are common among devotees who skip doing their japa. If you don’t want to feel guilty, better not skip it!

A common complaint among beginners is that they don’t feel any results. Swami Brahmananda constantly had to reassure his disciples that if they didn’t feel any results in the beginning, they would feel them later on. Perseverance is the key. In fact, he told one disciple, “Follow some spiritual discipline for at least three years, and then, if you find you have made no tangible progress, you may come back and slap my face!” (Swami Prabhavananda, The Eternal Companion, Vedanta Press, Hollywood, 1947; p. 129.)

Vicarious Japa: A Gift from Holy Mother

Holy Mother said that some of her disciples were incapable of doing much japa, so she did it for them. In her old age, when her attendant noticed that she was doing japa even in bed, she asked, “What can I do, my

son? The boys come and entreat me eagerly. They take the mantra and go home. But nobody does any japa regularly. Some don’t do it even once. Yet as I have shouldered the burden, should I not look after them? That’s why I do japa and pray to the Master, ‘O Master, grant them enlightenment, grant them emancipation, and do take on yourself their care in every way here and hereafter!’” (Swami Gambhirananda, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, Fourth Edition, 1986; p. 397. See also Swami Nikhilananda, Sri Sarada Devi, The Holy Mother: Her Teachings and Conversations, Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, Vermont, 2004; pp. 25-26.)

I can imagine some people grumbling, “Holy Mother made it too easy for her disciples. She spoiled them. How could they develop any character if she did everything for them?”

I can also imagine her giving a sharp reply: “I am the Mother! Shall I not do everything for my children? As for their character, you don’t need to worry about it. I will take care of it.”

Lazy guys like me envy Holy Mother’s disciples. What a soft deal they had! We don’t have the luxury of knowing that she’s doing japa for us. Some of us have to do three

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rounds of the rosary just to get started. Sometimes it takes that long just to drag the mind away from worldly thoughts and get it settled down. That’s especially true in the evening, after a day of being beaten up by the world.

Coffee, Tea, or Japa?

Early-morning japa, which is recommended most highly, is supposed to take hold quickly, because the mind is fresh and doesn’t have to wean itself away from worldly thoughts. But you have to make sure that you’re fully awake, or you’re likely to fall asleep.

People like me, who need three cups of coffee just to wake up in the morning, are always relieved to read about a disciple of Holy Mother who told her that it was impossible for him to do japa before having his morning tea. Fortunately for us all, Holy Mother gave him permission to drink his tea first. (Gambhirananda, p. 410.)

I have been quick to interpret this as permission to drink my three cups of coffee in the morning before trying to do anything that requires the slightest bit of intelligence. I console myself for this weakness by invoking the example of an eminent Tibetan lama, the late Kalu Rimpoche, who used to drink Tibetan tea while meditating.

Don’t Mess with the Mantra

Japa is sometimes difficult for Westerners, because the mantra is in Sanskrit, a language we’re unfamiliar with. I know an American devotee who once rebelled against his mantra. “I’m tired of this Sanskrit gibberish,” he complained. “I want an English mantra.” So, although he had been initiated by a perfectly well-qualified teacher, he made up an English mantra and started doing japa with it.

At first it seemed new and fresh, and he was heartened by the results. The image of his Chosen Ideal glowed within him; it seemed to be cheering him on. Novelty is always exciting, and he expected to make rapid progress.

But surprise, surprise! Novelty wears off pretty quickly unless there’s some substance behind it. Pretty soon, about halfway through his rosary, he began to nod off, and his old mantra started welling up from the depths of his mind. He stopped it, reimposed his English mantra, and succeeded for awhile; but the old Sanskrit mantra was stubborn, and kept resurfacing when he least expected it. No matter how much he resisted, it kept coming back. Eventually the image of the Chosen Ideal seemed to be grinning at him, and then he got the message.

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Final ly he gave up and returned to his old mantra. “There’s more to this mantra stuff than meets the eye,” he admitted. “I guess you can’t keep a good mantra down.”

But It’s Boring!

The big complaint that most people make about japa is that it’s boring. Who wants to keep chanting the same old line? What a waste of time! What’s the point? The point, of course, is to recondition the mind. That’s what spiritual practice is all about: to recondition the mind so that it will become a fit place for the indwelling of the Lord. But our minds are restless, and scream for more exciting fare. This is especially true in our switched-on era, when cyberspace is crackling with high-tech entertainment. Who wants to pray when you can google? Who wants to chant when you can twitter?

If we’re serious about spiritual life, we have to shut down the computer and dig out the old rosary. Swami Brahmananda’s remark that his disciples could come back and slap his face if they didn’t feel any results within three years is something we ought always to keep in mind. He didn’t mean three years of just piddling around. He meant three years of persistent and intensive effort.

Experience shows that if we keep working on our japa, it gradually takes hold. It stops being boring and eventually becomes sweet. The mantra becomes an old friend, something solid in the foundation of our minds, an anchor for our wayward thoughts. It can be a healing balm in times of grief, a refuge in times of trouble. It takes on a life of its own, and rises from our subconscious to greet us whenever we turn to it.

It also becomes something very much like the default setting of the mind. When the mind wanders, the mantra often emerges spontaneously. We find it resounding within us without making any effort. All we have to do is listen.

In fact, this may be one answer to the famous Zen koan, “Who is it that recites the Buddha’s name?” When we become established in japa, the Buddha’s name recites itself.

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Parliament of World’s ReligionsSwami Atmeshananda

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the

world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the

destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: “Help and not Fight,”

“Assimilation and not Destruction,” “Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.

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Gyuto monks chanting

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Wi th the above words, Swami Vivekananda concluded his series of lectures at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago on 27th September, 1893. The Parliament was held in connection with the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago wherein science, philosophy, history, culture – in short, everything that is relevant for the development of human race - was discussed during the deliberations which went on for sixteen days.

In 1991, some monks from the Ramakrishna Order thought it fit to organize an all-faith meeting in 1993 to commemorate the centenary of this historic event. They formed a committee to organize this event including therein prominent religious leaders of Chicago. However, they all opined that it was best to revive the spirit of the Parliament of Religions and thus the second Parliament of World’s Religions was held in 1993 in Chicago. It was attended by thousands of delegates from all over the world and the response was overwhelming. It provided a common platform for the representatives of all faiths to interact with followers of other religions and understand the common basis of all religions. Delegates attending the Parliament felt that such august gatherings must be repeated to defeat the divisive forces in society. Accordingly, it was resolved that the Committee for the Parliament of World’s

Religions (CPWR) would select a City to host the Parliament once in five years and conduct the proceedings of the Parliament.

The tremendous response to participate in the Parliament of World’s Religions (PWR) evinced interest from some countries and, subsequently, Cape Town in South Africa hosted the PWR in 1999 followed by Barcelona, Spain in 2004. In 2007, members of the CPWR visited Melbourne to explore the possibility of Australia hosting the PWR. The committee also visited Singapore and Delhi, other contenders to the event. Ultimately, the committee chose Melbourne as the venue for hosting the PWR in 2009. A local committee with prominent members of various religions was formed and thus Melbourne prepared to welcome thousands of delegates from all over the world to host this important event from the 3 to 9 December 2009. Its theme was: ‘Make a world of difference: hearing each other, healing the earth.’ The venue chosen was most appropriate – the brand new Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre on the banks of the Yarra river.

Nearly 6000 delegates from 80 countries representing nearly 250 religious groups had registered to participate as delegates (of whom about 5500 attended) and there were around 1250 speakers and presenters.

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Auntie Joy Murphy Wandin, senior elder of the Wurundjeri people, traditional owners of the land on which Melbourne resides, welcomed the gathering. Prof David De Kretser, the Governor of Victoria, Hon Laurie Ferguson from the Australian Government, Cr Jennifer Kanis from the City of Melbourne, Hon.James Merlino, Assisting Premier of Victoria from the Government welcomed the gathering.

Among others, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living Foundation gave the keynote address and urged everyone to work for Peace. Dr.William Lesher, Chairman of the Board of Trustees,

Audience at the opening plenary

There were nearly 640 sessions during this week-long Convention, some of them unique in the subject matter and presentation. There were talks, group discussions, dialogues, Yoga, meditation and worship sessions, Art appreciation, dances, music and a variety of performances.

Inaugural Session

On 3 December 2009 , the inaugural ceremony began with Australian Indigenous Reception and a Shinto Blessing. Representatives of various faiths including Hinduism offered prayers and blessed the gathering.

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Parliament of Religions welcomed everyone warmly and urged the delegates to interact with each other and share their beliefs, traditions, thoughts and forge a bond. The session concluded with colorful dances and music. A very attractive part of the programme was the sand animation art by Stephanos Eleftheriadis. He deftly drew the themes of the music, different symbols etc on a glass plate which was projected onto a large screen. The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra and the Melbourne Choral Society provided wonderful music accompaniment as well as choir music to the whole programme.

Overview of daily activities and Schedules of Programme

Each day, from 8am till 9pm. the participants had access to conduct religious observances, discussions on a variety of topics and open space discussions followed by colourful and inspirational plenary session every night. To give a general idea:

8am. to 9am. was reserved for Religious observances from diverse religious and spiritual traditions which included Yoga, Meditation, Exercises, Worship, Prayer etc. For example, ‘How a Jain starts a day – the Rituals’ attracted some genuine interest.

9.30 am. to 11 am. was meant for Intrareligious sessions when speakers from a single religious tradition explained their identities, teachings and

Hindu Religious Leaders

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discussed challenges faced by them. Religious leaders such as Dadi Janki, Dada Vaswani inspired the audiences.

11.30 am. to 1pm. was the time when there were Inter-religious sessions and speakers from two or more traditions engaged in discussions.

Discussions like: ‘A Swami and a Rabbi’ attracted a lot of attention and interest. After lunch, from 2.30 pm. to 4.00pm. there were Engagement Sessions when panel discussions were held to consider the challenges facing each tradition and ways to deal with them.

4.30pm. to 6pm. was reserved for informal discussions about various topics.

7.30 pm. to 9 pm. saw the delegates gathering in the main Plenary Hall to participate in Keynote presentations, prayers and colorful performances.

Discussion on Special Issues

The Parliament of Religions brought forth much needed understanding about several topics of national and international importance in the current times. Focus was particularly made about the understanding of indigenous religions and cultures of the world. The Australian indigenous people, along with other indigenous elders gave their account of the struggles they undergo in practising their religious beliefs and narrated personal accounts of their experiences which indeed touched the hearts of many.

The Dalai Lama with young friends

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C l imate change took a prime place in discussions and as the PWR coincided with the Copenhagen conference for climate change, there were lots of responses to the issues arising out of the current crisis. When the Parliament concluded, all the delegates signed a petition to the world leaders urging them to respect Mother Nature and do their utmost in solving the global climate issues. The petition, along with an aerial photograph taken of all the delegates was sent to Copenhagen.

Poverty and its challenges in an affluent society was another interesting topic when Rev Tim Costello of World vision, among others, discussed the issues which challenge the faith of believers. There were, in all, 22 sessions to discuss various aspects of this topic. I was reminded of Swami Vivekananda famous words “It is all right for those who have plenty of money and position to let the world roll on such, but I call him a traitor who, having been educated, nursed in luxury by the heart’s blood of the downtrodden millions of toiling poor, never even takes a thought for them. Where, in what period of history your rich men, noblemen, your priests and potentates took any thought for the poor--the grinding of whose faces is the very life-blood of their power?”

On 5 December, in the Plenary

Session held in the evening, Queen Rania, Queen of Jordan, addressed the gathering by video link. She began by saying ‘As a Muslim I know all too well the pain of religious intolerance as our faith is abused by extremists from within and demonized from without….What we have in common is more powerful than our differences.’ She concluded by saying: ‘In your leadership I see hope for dignity and Peace.’ Similarly, former President Jimmy Carter from the USA spoke on ‘Religious Imperative for the Equality of Women and Girls’. Quoting from the Bible he said ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bound nor free, there is neither male nor female, we are all one in Jesus’ (Paul’s letter to the Galatians). He expressed concern that in Islam and Christianity women are not given equal rights for the practice and propagation of religion. He urged religious leaders to make efforts in their local communities to treat women as equal.

The PWR held symposia on a very important topic – Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-Religious world. Altogether there were five sessions to discuss this topic. This was supported by another topic – Enhancing Religious Leadership for the Future. The discussions focused upon the need for multi-religious education for all religious leaders. Questions pertaining to Pastoral, Theological, Civic and

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Political issues were discussed in these forums. In the contemporary world there is a need for religious leaders to be equipped with knowledge and understanding of the different forces that are at play while preaching their own doctrines or dogmas. Apparently, the PWR laid great stress on these sessions as it recognizes that the positive attitude of religious leaders in representing their own faith as well as understanding other faiths in a pluralistic world is very important. This event was supported by the Henry Luce Rabbi Michael Melchior, Swami Atmapriyananda, Dr.Antje Jackelen, Prof.Pal Ahluwalia and Ven.Eshin Nishimura Foundation. Some important persons who took part in these discussions were the North American Theological School Students, Prof. Don Swearer from the Harvard Divinity school, Dr.Hajah Maria Utfah from Indonesia, Rabbi Michael Melchior from Denmark, Dr.Antje Jackelen, Bishop of Lund in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, Prof.Pal Ahluwalia from S.Australia, Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice Chancellor of Vivekananda University, India and Ven Eshin Nishimura from Kyoto, Japan.

One of the new features of this Parliament was the inclusion of a Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders on 8 December. From morning 8 am up to 1 pm the PWR saw Swamis,

M a t a j i s a n d o t h e r v e n e r a t e d personalities providing a feast of insightful talks and guidance. Prominent among these were Dadi Janki of Brahma Kumaris, Dada J.P.Vaswani, Swami Parameshananda of Bharat Sevashram, Swami Amaranandaji of the Ramakrishna Mission, Amma Sr i Karunamayi f rom Penusi la, Andhra Pradesh, Swami Chidananda Saraswati of Paramarth Niketan, India, Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami from Hawaii, Paramhansa Prajnanananda Giri of Kriya Yoga, Swamini Mayatitananda Saraswati and others. The Chief Priest of the Indonesian Hindu Council offered the concluding Prayers on the occasion. Chanting by members of ISKCON, sacred dances from Bali, Indonesia, Indian classical dance etc were other programmes in these sessions.

It was fascinating to see monks and nuns of the Chinese Han Transmission Esotericism Academy at the foyer of the Convention Centre standing in rapt attention in front of a drum and meditating while standing for hours without any movement everyday! It was a lesson for everyone on self-control! This group also performed the Lion Dance and Sacred Drum Music.

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The PWR recognized the role of youth in the ongoing and future religious dialogues. A plenary session was exclusively dedicated to the youth on 7 December when the youth exhibited their talents in presenting music and arts programmes as well as thoughtful speeches on Religion and what it meant to the Youth. It was heartening to note that the Parliament was well represented by a number of youths and they actively participated in the proceedings. Some of the topics they discussed were ‘Talking about My Generation’, ‘Sports as a Tool for Peace’, ‘Youth, Spiritual Development and Activism’, ‘Sustaining spiritual practices in a Changing World’ etc. Apart from these sessions, there were evening sessions by the youth extending upto midnight when the youth engaged in Reggae and dub poetry – all on themes pertaining to peace and harmony.’

Multimedia Presentations

The Conference was, however, not all dry talk. Many a joyous moment was spent in appreciating the variety programmes in the form of dances, interactive dialogues, screening of films etc. Youngsters were in the forefront of these sessions. ‘Divided we fall’ by Valarie Kaur (a 20-year old college student) portrayed the reactions of various people after the

Role of Media

We are living in an information age. Hence the role of the media is very important in the propagation of spiritual values. Altogether, 10 sessions were devoted to this topic. The challenge of Islamophobia and the Media, Digital revolution, Religion and Global Media, the Hazards of writing about Religion etc. were some of the topics that were discussed. In a particular session, the audience questioned the reporter of a famous media channel: When we are all gathered in this Parliament to discuss matters of vital importance to society, why are you silent about it in the media? But, if at this moment there is a fire in this building, the media will come out with lots of coverage to report the mishap. What is the reason for such negative reporting?’. The reply to this question was: ‘The media does not view such programmes as ‘worth reporting’ as such events will not have much readership or viewership.’

The b iggest c i rcu la t ion Melbourne newspaper the ’Herald-Sun’ did not cover the event at all. However, in fairness to media, I must say that some youngsters were covering the whole Parliament for ABC channel. Melbourne’s ‘The Age’ newspaper also covered some aspects of the PWR.

Youth Participation

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Women’s Issues

The voice of women was heard loudly and clearly by the Parliament. It was heartening to note that a large number of delegates to the conference were women. Debates about the headscarf, religious dress, Women’s rights in Islam, role of Indigenous women in religion, Spirituality and Women’s leadership in different religious perspectives, the recognition of the Sacred Feminine in religious traditions etc were discussed and debated in many forums.

Exhibition and Visual Arts

As an integral part of the Parliament activities, there was an Exhibition of Books, Religious articles and Visual presentations. Many of the faith based groups had put up their stalls and the delegates could visit them and interact with them all. Apart from that the monks of Gyuto University drew up an exquisite Sacred Sand Mandala over five days on the first level foyer of the Convention centre. An exhibition curated by the Arts and Culture committee of the PWR showcased the best of Australian contemporary Spiritual Art. The Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust had sponsored colourful paintings of the Jain religious tradition which indeed caught the imagination of many.

September 11 attack in the USA; ‘Not in God’s Name’, a documentary by Paula Force portrayed the search for tolerance after Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India was assassinated by her own bodyguards. ‘Beyond Beliefs – Muslims and non-Muslims living in Australia’ brought about the portrayal of the peaceful coexistence of the different religions. ‘Compassion Rising’ had its World Premiere at the PWR. It dealt with the connection between spirituality and the arts. Swami Vivekananda was often remembered at the PWR. A documentary on Swami Vivekananda was screened on 6 December followed by a talk on the life and teachings of Swamiji by Swami Atmapriyananda. Swamiji’s relevance to the modern age and his idea of unity of all faiths was greatly acknowledged in the many presentations and talks by the religious leaders.

Swami Atmapriyananda

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Mandala art by Gyoto monks

Concluding Plenary

The Parliament concluded with a grand ceremony in which HH Dalai Lama, among others, spoke about Peace and Harmony. In his speech, the Dalai Lama spoke about Swami Vivekananda as the Swami responsible for bringing about this revival of Inter-religious discourse. He reminisced about his visit to Kanyakumari in the southernmost tip of India and the inspiration that he derived from there. He urged everyone to draw inspiration from the Swami’s Spirit and move forward to making the world a better place to live. One of the striking points in his speech was his exhortation to all religious leaders to engage even nonbelievers in their efforts to bring harmony. The session

concluded with the election of a new Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Abdul Malik Mujahid. Imam Mujahid is an Imam in Chicago and the creator of the multimedia Islamic Resources organisation ‘Sound Vision.’ The next Parliament of Religions will be held in 2014. The venue is yet to be decided. The Sikh religion was represented by a large number of people who presented various cultural programmes and added to the colourful variety of the Parliament. The Parliament has struck a right note in bringing about harmony and peace, at least to those who participated in the sessions. If those who were influenced by these interactions can carry home the message of peace and harmony there is no doubt that the world will be a safer place to live. But, ultimately the onus rests with individuals.

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Pluralism for a pluralist societyJay Lakhani

(Efforts are being made throughout the world to promote Interfaith harmony. In this article, Jay Lakhani of the Hindu Academy discusses the situation in the United Kingdom- Editor)

Interfaith dialogue in the United Kingdom commenced with an attitude of tolerating other religions.

This was clearly a derogatory attitude as it suggested ‘Giving other religions permission to exist.’ The dialogue has moved forward and now parades as ‘Respecting other religions.’ This appears as a mature attitude suited to the needs of a multi-faith society but it is way off target. This terminology is a camouflage shielding an exclusivist, non-negotiable agenda of the Abrahamic faiths. A sarcastic interpretation of respecting other religions is: I know that my faith alone is right and the others are in error but I will not make a fuss about it. ‘At best this can reduce chances of open confrontation between people of different faiths but hardly a prescription for community cohesion.’ One of the greatest challenges we face this century is: How to diffuse the issue of strife in the name of religions? Continuing to shield exclusivist agendas is hardly the

way forward. The resolution lies in an innocuous sounding word: pluralism.

Pluralism:

In a nutshell pluralism is an acceptance that there can be many pathways for making spiritual progress. Spiritual progress can be made in a theistic mode; in a non-theistic mode, and even in a non-religious mode. We are all different and this difference shows up in the way we relate to ideas of spirituality. Different prophets promoted different pathway for spiritual progress tailored to suit to the needs of the society they inhabited. Over time these teachings ossified as various religions. Every religion can be viewed as a particular pathway for promoting spiritual progress to suit the needs of the time. The destination they promise may be glorified as absolute but the pathways are certainly not absolute. They are always relative because they

have to relate to us. Every religion is entitled to make claims about its pathways and promote it to its adherents but when it attempts to impose its pathway on people of other faiths or no-faith, religions turn into explosive devices. One would have thought that mature theologians would recognise the seriousness of the situation and be happy to affirm that there can be many pathways for spiritual progress, their religion being just one of them. But my experience suggests otherwise. Let us analyse some of the objections raised by those theologians firmly committed to exclusivist claims.

Pluralism is relativism:

Relativism is a dirty word in religion because it suggests that there is no absolute hence anything goes! Pluralism never suggested that, it simply states that there will be diversity of prescriptions adopted by different groups because they reflect different starting points but crucially these prescriptions are binding in each case. This is not relativism; it is recognition of the scope and limitations of contextual elements that permeate religious injunctions.

If there are no absolutes in religious teachings then pluralism too cannot be an absolute injunction. But pluralism

never made such claims of holding an absolute thesis. It is simply a contextual tool invoked to address the contextual needs of our times: How can people of different religions co-exist without thumping each other?

Encapsulating God.

If any religion thinks that God has been well and truly encapsulated within its system of doctrines and dogmas, they are sadly mistaken. They need to rethink their theology. If any system, however esoteric, manages to capture God within its framework then by definition that system has superseded God. So a God easily confined by a religious system is hardly worth bothering with!

Need to end proselytising.

One casualty of pluralism will be the proselytising agendas of missionary religions. I suspect that this is the real reason why there is such resistance to this simple but potent concept of pluralism. Arguably the evangelising lobby is the most active and powerful force in most organised religions. Pluralism can blunt their fire power. I suspect that it is not spiritual but monetary considerations that are blocking the idea of pluralism from being pro-actively promoted in

the modern world. When the ancient prophets declared, “Spread the good news” that should be recognised as a contextual injunction and not an absolute command. They were hardly insisting on imposing one way for spiritual progress over others!

What pluralism is not:

Pluralism is not an acceptance that all religions are the same. Claiming that all religions are same would be ludicrous. Pluralism should not be viewed as an attempt to homogenise world religions. All religions are uniquely different; these differences reflect different needs, aspirations and approaches adopted by different religious communities. Each one of them is valuable and unique in its own way. Levelling them to become or look the same is not recommended.

Plural ism means toning down religions and adopting a secular agenda. One of the options being tried out by modern societies is to tone down religions in favour of a more secular approach. This would be a great pity because in effect we will be throwing out the baby with the dirty bath water. What is needed is not watering down religions but developing deeper insight into the scope of religions. They should be recognised as different pathways for

making spiritual progress. Even though they point to a destination which they claim to be absolute the pathways can certainly not be absolute. Such maturity that allows us to appreciate the scope of religious teachings while recognising their limitations is urgently needed. Until we see religions once again becoming the cohesive force in our society a further period of reformation is essential.

Conclusion

Pluralism is not a new form of religion it is simply recognition of the contextual nature of all religions. Religions may wish to promote the idea of the absolute but this absolute can never be captured within its framework of doctrines and dogmas. If the absolute can ever be captured by any set of doctrines and dogmas it loses all its potency. The Hindus recognise this. The Kathopanishad states: ‘This Atman cannot be captured by discourses or by a sharp intellect let alone the teachings of the scriptures.’