The Nithyananda Dog and Pony Show
The Nithyananda Dog and Pony Show
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Saturday, November 7, 2009
Nithyananda, Can You Repeat that 360 Vision?
Another Visionary Round Again, a 360 Repeat? Wow, That Makes Our Heads Spin!
Paramahamsa Nithyananda, do you remember your first big enlightenment experience where you could see 360 degrees when you were just the tender age of twelve? You said in your book, Glimpses of My Master Nithyananda, first 'first' edition, p. 138-9, that with your eyes closed, you could see 360 degrees in your 'vision field'? Of course you do.
Ever since that first experience, Sri Nithyananda, you claim that you can see in back of you as well as in front of you with your eyes closed (p. 140). Can you give us a presentation of this now? No, no, no, Sri Nithyananda, you don't need to do the whole satori (flash of sudden awareness) scene. We realize that you are a busy businessman with plans to build a big stadium. We know that you have no time for such matters. And, Sri Nithyananda, we definitely do not want you to spin your head 360 degrees like Linda Blair. That Linda Blair thing is way over the top, although there are some people who think this is the real you, we realize this is out of scope, and we will vouch that you, Sri Nithyananda, never claimed to be able to do that. No, Sri Nithyananda, we only want you to reenact this ‘divine’ vision of 360 degrees that you told us so much about? Can you, then, Sri Nithyananda, close your eyes and tell us what you see all around you? That's all, Sri Nithyananda.
You will say ‘No’. We accept your honesty. This is the Truth.
Follow your dharma. Use your common sense. Listen to your inner-conscience, and follow the Truth. Come out of this trap, and escape from this fraudulent cult.
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Enlightenment has nothing to do with 360 degree vision. Somehow looks like Nithyananda started thinking that he is enlightened after having that vision. How naive.
ReplyDeleteHi Blue Clown, this may be a story of make believe. He might never had this 360 degree vision ever.
ReplyDeleteNithy tells so many tall tales. Who knows if this isn't another one of those fantasy stories, aka lies.
I wonder why no article today? I am eagarly waiting to see new one. please......
ReplyDeleteI know that several who paid for their ashramite apartments (in 2005 & 2006 or earlier)for a place in Bidadi. Few apartments were build (as the very end of 2007) though funds were collected some years before.
ReplyDeleteAre these apartments ready or in the process of construction for the donors to live in if they decide to spend time in Bidadi.
The other thing I am very curious about is the "transformation" of the ashramites. How many enlightened disciples hold on to their enlightenment?
The entire satsang here was disbanded. The enlightened maha-acharya decided he was not enlightened after all. Am curious about those who stayed on with Nithy remain enlightened.
To the Anonymous who asked about enlightenment:
ReplyDeleteIt is my belief that Nithyananda deliberately obfuscates the understanding of "enlightenment". On one hand, he says he is aligned with the Vedantic tradition, but on the other hand, in every talk where he references enlightenment, he implies it has to do with experiences:
* Of different "powers" (like being able to get out of your body like you would from a car).
* Energy, or various super abilities of mind.
* And of course, the always popular "bliss". Who wouldn't want to experience ecstasy without the MDMA? Hey, they even call enlightenment 'E' in the ashram LOL!
Look at any of the classical Vedantic texts and nowhere is this the definition of enlightenment. Even Kashmir Shaivism (Shiva Sutras) focuses on Paramashiva, the stateless state, not on Shakti.
In my view, Nithyananda is selling something which people think will "fix" whatever is broken in their lives. Just like Tony Robbins, who said "People don't buy products, they buy states"
There is no such thing as "holding onto your enlightenment" as if it was something you own! Awakening is usually not like a light switch that is flicked on - BAM! You are now the Buddha!
It is pretty sad that if you asked a single acharya, maha or otherwise, or even his "swamis" about enlightenment as defined by the Upanishads, they will parrot the same nonsense about energy and bliss.
NOTE: I believe Nithyananda is likely enlightened and yes, also very gifted in the ability to spark a desire to awaken. I know the creator of this blog will argue about this, but I have reason to believe.
Yet I also believe that he is selling to the cheap seats by marketing this BS about bliss and enlightenment.
In an effort to keep things modern and interesting, Nithyananda has diluted his real message. True sadhakas will sooner or later be disappointed.
Hi Orange Clown, What are the indications that a person is enlightened? How does a seeker identify such a being? What make you believe that Nithy is enlightened?
ReplyDeleteI know Nithy has some unusual powers. The powers have their limitations. I also came to know that Nithy is full of deception and greed. He showed very little compassion for those he had fooled into servitude.
If this is enlightenment, it means some enlightened beings are extremely DANGEROUS.
I would run from such an enlightened one, who has powers but no compassion or regard for other beings,
hippie:
ReplyDeleteThere are no external indications of enlightenment. Most often it is recognition by other sages and gurus, and as Ramana Maharshi said, you feel peace (silence of mind) in the presence of such a person.
The problem is we have so many conflicting versions of "enlightenment", that almost nobody agrees. As per Vedanta it is atma jnana, one who knows without doubt, as experience, ones own reality as the eternal Atman. But according to other schools (and according to two Gurus I know), there are states even higher than just atma jnana. In Shakta traditions they even show chakras higher than sahasrara, at which stage you are functioning from higher beyond-human consciousness than ordinary jnana.
Why do I believe Nithyananda could be enlightened? Because enlightenment and morality (behaving according to social rules and laws) are separate things. Read some of the legends of Tibetan Masters, and you will see how volatile they were. Even Babaji apparently asked a disciple to jump to his death off a cliff in the Himalayas (Autobiography of a Yogi).
I recommend you read the book Daughter of Fire by Irena Tweedie for a modern account of a seeker's journey with a genuine Sufi master that most would call abusive.
To expect always "saintly" conduct from one established in Truth is silly.
The body expresses itself in natural ways. Ramakrishna would use foul language, as would U.G. Krishnamurti. Both were enlightened. U.G was so abusive verbally, he makes Nithyananda look like a saint!
The second reason is that a clairvoyant Guru I know has been to meet Nithyananda personally, and has said to me that this is Nithyananda's 4th or 5th conscious birth. Only enlightened ones take conscious births. This gentleman has no reason to support Nithyananda, because he is a master in his own right, but told me the facts.
Orange Clown,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your explanation on enlightenment. I read Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. I remember "the jumping off the cliff "story was rather different:
A spiritual aspirant was refused as disciple by a great yogi/babaji. The aspirant was despondent and jumped off the cliff (all on his own). The yogi/babaji brought him back to life and accepted him as the disciple. The disciple was never *ordered* to jumped of the cliff. In fact, the seeker was not yet a disciple when he took that jump on his own to show determination.
This story is often changed by exploitative tyrannical gurus into "the disciples was *ordered* to jump off the cliff", and the disciple obeyed to show his devotion (or stupidity!). This version of the story would justify drinking Kool-aid and die to show obedience and devotion.
I will search Autobigraphy of a Yogi when I have time for the original story.
Back to Nithy, I do feel that he does have some realization. I went into deep meditation in his presence and there was intense sensation around my ajna chakra (3rd eye region)in his presence - I even get it from his videos. Besides his great talks, this was the reason I aspired to be an ashramite at one time. I would not believe in his abusive wickedness if I didn't see some of it myself.
After the Nithy cult experience, I do not want any wicked deceptive guru, enlightened or otherwise. I will always use my God-given rational mind.
About Ramakrishna, he used foul language - that may be just village talk. Ramakrishna was not a fraudulent commercial guru exploiting disciples and defrauding donors for personal gain.
I now stay away from all commercial gurus who charge outrages fees for programs while exploiting slave volunteers. I will not volunteer for an organization that charges big fees for its programs - if it charges big fees, it can pay its staff!
hippie:
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the Babaji story, my mistake.
Assuming the fantastic sounding story is true, the value of it is in illustrating the unpredictable ways of a Guru.
Surely, the onlooking disciples were aghast at how things unfolded when the man jumped to his death and Babaji did not stop him. They might have thought, "how could he let the poor man jump?" And suppose you and I were given the opportunity to witness the man's death, but not the revival, we could arrive at mistaken conclusions, don't you think?
Anyway my point isn't to justify any sort of authoritarian misconduct or abuse by any Guru. Absolutely not. But in spiritual guru-shishya relationships, there are many, many instances in puranas of unpredictable actions on the Guru's part. Whether it was to create learning situations for the disciple or not is up for debate. Maybe it is ego and arrogance, maybe not. Who knows?
Also, if the disciple is really devoted and has dasa bhava, he does not interpret the actions of the Guru as abusive, even if they are questionable. Even if the disciple undergoes great hardships, s/he undergoes them gladly, with no complaint (e.g Ekalavya's story). So, who is right here?
But about the financial vested interests, I agree 100%. If money exchanges hands, especially such enormous amounts, there is always corruption somewhere, and I have witnessed it myself with Nithyananda's organization.
There should be no excuses for that. If Nithyananda uses the Buddha Sangha model, he better also follow the strict financial ethics Buddha laid down when he created his sangha.
If Buddha could ensure his Dharma survived and flourished millennia after his death, without needing money, I don't see why it is so necessary now. I doubt Nithyananda's watered down new religion will even survive a hundred years the way things are going.
Hi Orange Clown,
ReplyDeleteWho knows what really happened in the real story of Ekalavya. The version fo Mahabharata I saw showed Ekalavya was not an accepted disciple of Drona (though Ekalavya might had wanted to be considered as a disciple). He spoke too fast saying he be glad to offer Drona anything. He cut off his thumb to keep his word. Besides, Ekalavya might had done it to avoid more severe penalty for learning archery from Drona in stealth.
These "stories" all too often are used by exploitive "masters" for their abuse and exploitation. We don't know what really happened, those stories are often distorted to suit the purpose of the "master" telling the story.
the 360 degree vision thing Nityananda picked up from UG Krishnamurthi.
ReplyDeleteEven the 'be unclutched' thingy is a straight lift from UG krishnamurthi describing his state of enlightenment.