Cooperation is Higher Than Integrity.
Mahatma das: Today I heard a wonderful story. A devotee wrote Srila Prabhupada because his disagreed with the tactics devotees were using to raise donations, tactics supported by the Temple President. He expressed his specific concerns in his letter to Srila Prabhupada.
In Srila Prabhupada’s reply, he did not address the issue. He did not say he favored one idea over the other. All he said was, “I just want you to work well together.”
Some argue that it is not right to cooperate when we believe that something wrong is being done. Yet Srila Prabhupada makes it clear that more important than who or what is right, is learning to work well together despite our differences. Some will say this is a compromise of one’s individual integrity because one is acting against one’s core beliefs.
It doesn’t mean we remain silent or pretend nothing is wrong. What it means is we mature to a level in which we can still work enthusiastically and cooperatively even when we disagree. I would call this a far higher form of integrity than non-cooperation. And what is the use of that “integrity” that ignores Srila Prabhupada’s desire.
Right on.
One of the most, if not the most all encompassing instruction of Srila Prabhupada to all ISKCON members before his leaving this world was to show our love for him by how much we will cooperate with each other. This is the daily test of our love for him and for the successful propagation of his mission. The person and the mission are of absolute importance. It may be sweet, it may be bitter, it does not matter if one takes it from the transcendental level. That is exactly the level from which Srila Prabhupada was operating. It is simply natural that he would expect no less from all of his disciples and followers in due course of time.
This particular instruction is a practical shortcut to pry us up to the transcendental platform if we care at all to get into it. Is there a price to pay for that? Don’t look anywhere else but for this particular instruction and just apply yourself to it. With a good chunk of tolerance and enthusiasm, it is actually sweet all the time depending if we are on target spiritually speaking.
It is all part of his service in separation. Any other consideration may be a bunch of secondary excuses and pretexts of complacent nature.
Right off.
Mahatma p. is cherry picking a quote without context of the other instructions and examples that Srila Prabhupada has given. Srila Prabhupada did not follow his godbrothers’ various “deviations” from his understanding of the desires of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. He did cooperate by staying out of the fray, but he did not join any of the factions. In fact, he started his own League of Devotees. In the past, Iskcon devotees have cooperated with Iskcon leaders in illegal and immoral activity. The results have been disastrous. The idea of “cooperation” does not mean that a devotee “co-ops” his/her integrity. In fact, blind cooperation is like blind following. “Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide.” Letter to Karandhara — Bombay 22 December, 1972 Cooperation does not mean agreement. Politicians cooperate in governance, but they often disagree. Even various Vaisnava commentators disagree on various philosophical points, but they “cooperate” in performing devotional service. Prabhupada was pleased that Siddha Swarupa p. was at least distributing his Bhagavad-gita. Prabhupada appreciate efforts even outside of the Iskcon institution. Let us not be so narrow-minded as to see Krishna consciousness limited only to the Iskcon paradigm. Devotional service does not belong to any institution. Surely, Prabhuapda is pleased to see his disciples and grand-disciples working nicely together to spread Krishna consciousness, but not at the expense of each individual’s integrity.
Sadhu! Sadhu! Finally a voice of reason. Nrsimhananda Prabhu I totally agree with you. The mantra “if you love me you will cooperate together” has often been used to manipulate devotees and emotionally blackmail them into doing things they should not. And “cooperate” is often only a one way street that serves the interest of the one giving the orders and who will benefit from it. In otherwords “cooperation” then means that you cooperate with me, not that I cooperate with you. If someone doesn’t agree to do something because they can percieve that there is something inherently wrong with it then the above mantra is invoked to make the coerced party feel guilty for apparently disobeying Srila Prabhupada. Again kudos to Narsimhananda Prabhu for so eloquently analysing the injudicious application of “cooperation.”
Mahatma Prabhu previously posted this article on Facebook and it met with some opposition and questioning. Both principles of integrity and cooperation are important, and while cooperation may be more important, when integrity is lacking a situation can’t endure without negative consequences forcing a change. Unfortunately, ISKCON has been guilty of regrettable activities which damaged our reputation and preaching efforts due to breaches of integrity backed by authorities. On that Facebook post a devotee shared this case in history:
HG Hari Sauri prabhu’s “A Transcendental Diary” IV, and letter of 8/19/76:
With two of the Indian zonal GBCs here there was a discussion about a disturbing report that some so-called devotees presently visiting India are dealing in drugs. They claim that because they give some of the proceeds for various ISKCON projects their behavior is justified. They reason that if something is used in Kṛṣṇa’s service it transcends ordinary morality and becomes purified. More disturbing still is the report that some of our Society’s leaders are tacitly approving such behavior by accepting donations from these men, knowing that the funds were earned by illicit means. Harikeśa Mahārāja brought it to Prabhupāda’s attention in Bombay and, needless to say, Śrīla Prabhupāda is very disturbed by this warping of our philosophy.
Today, with Prabhupāda’s approval, Harikeśa Swami drafted a letter, later countersigned by Gargamuni and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, to be sent to all GBCs warning them not to have any contact with these people. “It has come to His Divine Grace’s attention that many members of our society are engaged in the same business that (name and temple withheld here) were engaged in. … His Divine Grace is very, very unhappy about this. He said that under no circumstances can any GBC or Temple President accept any money from these devotees. This business has to be stopped at once immediately. His Divine Grace wants all of you to refer to the instruction of 3rd verse of Upadesamrta. First and foremost our profession must be very honest—above all suspicion. His Divine Grace said ‘I am trying to retire from management to translate but if these things come then how can I translate. I have set up the framework and everything should be done within the framework. Kindly see that this business is stopped at once.'”
Another thing to consider in Prabhupada’s replies to devotees is that he refrained from supporting one devotee over another. That didn’t mean Prabhupada didn’t have an opinion on a matter, but that he saw it was more important to encourage everyone. It should not be misinterpreted that Prabhupada overlooked poor integrity in the spirit of cooperation as the above excerpt demonstrates. He wanted his followers to be exemplary. Cooperation should override differences of opinion, but when behavior or activities produce negative results adjustments will be in order from within or from without.
I agree with Nrsimhananda, Atmavidya and Sankarshana Prabhus.
‘In Bhagavad-gita there is reference to bodhayantah parasparam, “discussing among themselves.” Generally pure devotees utilize their valuable time in chanting and discussing various activities of Lord Krsna or Lord Caitanya amongst themselves. There are innumerable books, such as the puranas, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and Upanisads, which contain countless subjects for discussion among two devotees or more. Friendship should be cemented between persons with mutual interests and understanding. Such persons are said to be sva jati, “of the same caste.” The devotee should avoid a person whose character is not fixed in the standard understanding; even though he may be a Vaisnava, or a devotee of Krsna, if his character is not correctly representative, then he should be avoided. One should steadily control the senses and the mind and strictly follow the rules and regulations, and he should make friendship with persons of the same standard.’
Ref. VedaBase => SB 3.29.17
In writing this piece I assumed it would be understood that cooperation in doing something illegal, hurtful, or damaging is not what Srila Prabhupada or I meant.
The reactions here and the ones I received on FB indicate that for many the word cooperation has a bad connotation and much was read into what I said. I understand why. Many bad things were done in the name of cooperation.
Be that as it may, Srila Prabhupada attributes his success to the cooperation of his disciples and was certainly unhappy that his God brothers couldn’t cooperate enough to take KC around the world. He said if we can’t cooperate his work will be stopped up. And certainly he didn’t mean we cooperate with someone who is disobeying his orders or mistreating devotees.