(B.M) – A lot of readers and friends of Adi Da felt there is a real schism between the early works & writing and audio’s of Adi Da especially starting in the 1990’s, it seems to me that when he started to use phrases like “Only-By-Me-Revealed-Way” and an apparent claim to exclusive Avatar-hood and the massive use of “Me” in text, he lost his audience to a large degree, at least many who followed him through the changes of his remarkable life would have struggled mightily with all this. I often read and play media from early years and feel this is the Master whom I can relate to, and will always relate to. His world view was one of him being an “Adept” or “Siddha” in an infinite lineage of other True Adepts and Siddhas appearing forever in the past and future. This was to me and many, a beautiful, cohesive cosmology and world view which made perfect sense in the light of the great tradition of religion and spirituality
(Response) Could write a lot about the demanding language, but from my point of view the constant “Me” ism and “Only-By-Me-Revealed-Way” style phrases is an ego prickling device, it is part of the necessary demand put on the serious reader to go passed “me” or “self”. This language also gives the reader a great opportunity for self understanding, in that here is the constant reflection of the action of self, or self-contraction, back to consciousness. As the egoic self in its ordinary enjoyment and reading capacity we just want to be entertained, gather information or whatever, but we are given the opportunity to do sadhana , just by reading these sacred texts. Yes its tough, demanding, hard work at times this is exactly how Adi Da Samraj wants it to be, then its as if we crack the code and briefly feel what he means by all of this.
Ultimately the ” Me” he champions so relentlessly, the “Reality” he pounds us with so harrowingly, when ego is fully dead, vanished, is our state, our Realization.In other words the ” Me” that is so offensive to “you” as that tiny ego being is the only “One” that is. In “The Boundless Self Confession” there is a chapter titled ” I am alone in My House” – you would understand the “My House” to be the “Divine Domain” used extensively in earlier works, therefore you could say there is only one being here called “Me” but it is not “me” now or ever, “me” is the one that prevents ” Reality” from currently being the case, thus you are forced to stand outside of “me” in order to enjoy “Reality” or “Me” ( our ultimate post egoic condition) That is why Adi Da also uses the phrase “Realize Me” you can’t Realize something (one) who is not already your ultimate condition.
So you start getting a lot more sympathy for this formerly troublesome “ Me” language, its coded, a seemingly endless “prickle” to the conventional self, yet for those that persist yielding a great and awesome Intuition.
Having said that, there is also the constant falling back into the conventional viewpoint and thus again a constant resistance emerging when ever the texts are read, recited or listened to, I don’t think there is any alternative to this engagement.
The other point you raise about Avatarhood and the only 7th stage Realizer, seems to me to be something arrived at spontaneously by Adi Da, I don’t think there is any doubt that He assumed there were other 7th stage Realizers and over the years spoke of certain individuals and sometimes a whole tradition of such Realizers (Great Siddhas) but upon great testing he appeared to come to the certain knowledge that this is not the case, so no matter how much we would like it to be so, how symmetrical it could be, and even painful this may be to accept, according to Adi Da these concepts and possibilities fell short of “Reality” or how things actually are, but of course it would be far better for Adidam as a believable missionary offering if it had turned out otherwise (in my opinion) or again pehaps this is just a “santa claus” type of illusion.
I can completely understand B.M.’s concerns.
I never really had a problem with the “Me” usage, once I truly understood that Adi Da is not a separate “me” in the slightest. Then, the One communicating through those words (in a living conversation with me) takes on a whole new force and meaning.
I did struggle more with the “Only-By-Me-Revealed-Way” when it started appearing, along with the claims of being the first seventh stage realizer. But even Adi Da said this confession was not offered to be believed (how can I really know anyway?), but to fully communicate the Truth (as a matter of integrity). Of course, some formal devotees may be moved to focus on this “exclusive” confession in their joyous zeal of the immensity of their Sat-Guru.
Yes, it can be a turn-off to the mass audiences perusing the “spiritual marketplace”, and even for the earnest individuals who thirst for a real link. That’s just the way it is.
Again, if I enquire just who is saying “Only-By-Me-Revealed”, the answer “Who else could it possibly be?” appears and I find myself laughing. Who has been all these other sages in the Great Tradition? Who is being every one of us, even right now? The bodily human form that is Adi Da sure created an unprecedented, unique Teaching in its breadth and fullness. Is He the first seventh-stage realizer? That is for devotees to discover. Personally, I honestly don’t know, and I’m not worrying about it. It’s beside the point.
There’s so much more to Adi Da than His written word. My first exposure to Him was seeing Enlightenment of the Whole Body in a bookstore in the early 80s. I loved His teaching arguments, and was offended by the devotional element. But I stuck with it, and eventually realized the primacy of devotion. If “Only-By-Me-Revealed” causes offense for new readers, how is that so different from my initial response years ago? His attraction won me over, in spite of my reactions.
Hi chris, thanks for the honest and informative comment, it’s always of interest to hear others thoughts on what may strike a chord in many.