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Revision as of 06:36, 2 November 2005

Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation, or " Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya " in India, previously known as " Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University ".

Teachers of a form of meditation, or spiritual channelling, called Raja Yoga [ not to be confused with classical Patanjali's Raja Yoga.

A New Religious Movement with core Millenarianist beliefs concerning the imminent destruction of the world by a World War and nuclear holocaust followed by the reward of a paradisiacal Golden Age in India for its faithful followers.

Origins

Formed in Sindh, now Pakistan during 1937 by businessman Lekhraj Kirpali.

Global Expansion

Claims to have more than 3,200 meditation centers in 70 countries with over 450,000 students.

Fundamental Beliefs

Although borrowing much symbolism from tradition Hinduism, Brahma Kumari Raja Yoga sees itself entirely as unique as the only true messengers of God and adopts a wholly critical view of other religions. Central to its faith are the beliefs that ;

  • the human being is an eternal soul living within a physical body
  • reincarnation happens from one human body to another only
  • existence is limited to an eternally repeating 5,000 year cycle of creation and destruction
  • each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one
  • humanity is currently at the end of the cycle of creation and is about to be destroyed
  • God incarnates personally onto the Earth and speaks only through their founder Lekhraj Kirpali
  • all other religious founders must come to them to receive knowledge prior to future incarnations

Practice

The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga practice involves;

  • complete celebacy
  • strict vegetarianism excluding onions, garlic and food cooked by non-B.K.s
  • avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and drugs
  • ritual cleanliness
  • regular daily meditation.

7 Day Course

Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 one hour long lessons called " The 7 Day Course ". Once indoctrined by these 7 lessons, students are them introduced to unpublished " scriptures " considered to be the direct teachings of God called "Murlis"

The seven lessons are:

  • The Soul
  • The Supreme Soul
  • The Law of Karma
  • The Cycle
  • The Tree of Religions
  • The Founder Brahma Baba
  • Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles


Controversy

  • questionable relationship with United Nations
  • name change from University to Organisation
  • problems faced by ex-followers

Sub-sect

Believing himself to be a reincarnation of Lekhraj Kirpali's business partner, Virendra Dev Dikşi splits away from main body of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation to form the Adhyatmik Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalay or " P.B.K. movement ".

External links

See Also

References

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