2. Temple & Congregation
• Us & them
• A sense of division
• A sense of dichotomy
• A sense of separation – almost two worlds
• “Full-time devotees” – “part-time
devotees”
• Less responsibility
• Higher & lower
• Clergy & spectators
3. Community
• A single unity
• A common destiny
• A common direction
• A Common growth
• We succeed or fail together
• One entity, different functions (Unity in Diversity)
• Leaders are responsible for the whole
• Temple- or home-based devotees can both be leaders
• A network of relations
• It’s an organism, a society from cradle to grave
5. A community of what?
• ISKCON devotees
• People who practice bhakti-yoga
• People who chant Hare Krishna
• People who cultivate brahminical culture
• People who spread Krishna consciousness
• Brahmacaris, grihasthas, vanaprasthas & sannyasis
• A community of Prabhupadanugas
6. Macro- & micro-cosmos
• The overall religious group exists through local
communities.
• What makes religious groups succeed or fail,
also make local communities succeed or fail.
8. “So far attending pujas at the houses of the
Hindus there we can go and hold our kirtana but
we should not take prasadam there.”
(Letter to Surasrestha, 14 June 1972)
12. “Leader means authority. His instruction is
followed, and actually it happens. That is leader.”
(Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 16 December 1973)
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. “So far as being leader is concerned, leader means
spiritually not materially. This you should
understand very clearly. If spiritual potency and
strength is there, then material intelligence will
automatically follow. We must have a solid
foundation of chanting and following the
regulative principles. Then one is fit to lead others.
I hope you will understand this point.”
(Letter to Jagajivana, 6 September 1974)
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. “Leaders means they should behave in such a way
so that by following them, others will be
benefitted. That is leader.”
(Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 9 July 1974)
29. Imitating Models
For the last 10 to 20 years, we have tried to imitate models
It seems easier to imitate a model
No one has successfully reproduced a model
It has created much frustration
It has created an unhealthy emphasis on super-churches
30. • We presume that models are supra-cultural
• By imitating models we lose our uniqueness
• It is really very hard to imitate a model
Problems With Imitating Models
32. The Principle Approach
• Principles rather than Models
• Life rather than Methods
• Goals rather than Materials
• Essence rather than Systems
33. Lesson’s Summary:
1. Think of the “community” as a unit – it
might help in including everyone in the plans and
prevent artificial division between temple-based
and home-based devotees .
2. Micro- and Macro-dynamics – The principles
for success for the whole religious group are the
same for the success of the local community.
3. Get the essence of the communities you
wish to emulate – then implement that essence,
those principles, in your place, according to your
local situation.