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| '''Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation''', |
'''Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation''', or " Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya ". Teaches meditation, a version of Raja Yoga, not to be confused with classical Patanjali's ]. | ||
| A ] with core ] beliefs concerning the imminent transformation of the current impure ] world by means of natural disasters and nuclear holocaust followed by the ] or "Golden Age" which will take place in the ] subcontinent. | |||
| Teachers of a form of ], or ] ], called Raja Yoga ]'s ] ]. | |||
| A ] with core ] beliefs concerning the imminent destruction of the current impure ] world by a ] between ] and ], ] in ], widespread ] and ] followed by the reward of a paradisiacal ] or " ]" which will take place on the ] for its faithful ]. | |||
| Their followers are known as " B.K.s ", short for Brahma Kumaris or Kumars ] ]. | |||
| ==Origins== | ==Origins== | ||
| Formed in ], now ], during 1937 by businessman Lekhraj Kripalani when Kripalani experienced |
Formed in ], now ], during 1937 by businessman Lekhraj Kripalani when Kripalani experienced that God, the Supreme Soul, took his bodily organs to express a message to humanity. Followers, called Brahma Kumars or Kumaris believe that Lekhraj Kripalani / Brahma is God's chariot. God being a soul cannot express his message but through a human body. God himself needs to give his message when the world experiences utmost irreligiousness and suffering. | ||
| B.K.s believe that their ] " ] Baba " renamed Lekhraj Kripalani as " ] Baba " and that he was the ] of the ] ] ], the ] of ]. Baba meaning " ] " in ]. | |||
| Originally called " ] Mandali ", in the early days Lekhraj Kripalani attracted mostly ] belonging to the ] ] of ] and along with them created much ] until the ] and the ] denounced the ]. ] Lekhraj in turn denounced the ] as " ] " or ]. Under pressure of ] public opinion, the ] ] reluctantly banned the ] Mandali, which went to court and had the ban order quashed. | |||
| * The Indian version of the religion's ] is found here ; http://www.brahmakumaris.com/aboutus/history.htm | |||
| * The version made more vague and palatable to ] is found here ; http://www.bkwsu.org/whoweare/history.htm | |||
| ==Global Expansion== | ==Global Expansion== | ||
| More than 5,500 meditation centres in 90 countries with over 900,000 students and expanding. | |||
| ==Fundamental Beliefs== | ==Fundamental Beliefs== | ||
| Although borrowing much |
Although borrowing much symbolism and terminology from traditional ], '''Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga''' perceives the world as a family tree, every branch being a religion in search of the experience of God. | ||
| Followers believe that |
Followers believe that the Supreme Soul, God and Brahma continues to be ] on a regular basis by a senior sister at the headquarters in India and that Brahma's soul will reincarnate as Krishna in his next birth. | ||
| Central to its faith are the beliefs that: | Central to its faith are the beliefs that: | ||
| * The |
* The human being is an imperishable ] living within a physical body | ||
| * ] happens from one human body to another only |
* ] happens from one human body to another only | ||
| * |
* Experience of the physical world happens through an eternally repeating 5,000 year cycle. | ||
| * Time is not linear but rather cyclical |
* Time is not linear but rather cyclical | ||
| * Each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one |
* Each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one | ||
| * |
* Humanity is currently reaching the end of the current cycle and thus the world will be transformed. | ||
| * ] incarnates personally onto the |
* ] incarnates personally onto the Earth and speaks only through their founder Lekhraj Kripalani which was the soul known as "Adam" or the "first human" in his first birth also known as "Brahma". | ||
| * All other religious founders such as ], ] and ] |
* All other religious founders such as ], ] and ] had a part in the cycle by founding a religion. | ||
| * The |
* The Indian Subcontinent will be the site of the future Golden Age. Hindi is the original language. | ||
| Followers are taught that if they make spiritual efforts by getting rid of the 5 vices (lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego) they will become deities in the Golden age. | |||
| ==Practice== | ==Practice== | ||
| The '''Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga''' practice involves; | The '''Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga''' practice involves; | ||
| *]. | |||
| * Complete ] involving no ], ] between ] nor ]. | |||
| * |
*] excluding onions, garlic and food not cooked on God's remembrance. | ||
| * Complete avoidance of |
* Complete avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. | ||
| * Physical cleanliness in all aspects. | |||
| * ] after ]ing involving washing ] or entire ] and changing clothes. | |||
| * Regular daily |
* Regular daily meditation. | ||
| * The |
* The pursue of purity in all aspects of life. | ||
| * World service by means of good wishes and pure feelings to all. | |||
| * ] of their ] and beliefs, called " service ", as defined by their senior sisters. | |||
| * ] between ] and ] in housing and activities. | |||
| Serious students wake up for 45 minutes meditation before 4 am. They then attend a daily morning class at 6.00 am, work or keep their household during the day and then return to do service, teach or more meditation in the evening. No one is expected to make regular donations or contributions to the Raja Yoga centre. However, serious students feel it is their duty to support it in order to extend the benefits to others. It is suggested to visit the headquarters located in India once a year if possible. | |||
| In the main, " ] " means teaching their version of ] or evangelizing their " ] " and B.K.s were instructed not to do general ] nor perform what is generally understood as ]. | |||
| ==7 Day Course== | ==7 Day Course== | ||
| Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 |
Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 one and a half hour long lessons called "The 7 Day Course". Once these 7 lessons are understood, students are then introduced to unpublished scriptures considered to be the direct teachings of ] called "Murlis". The seven lessons are: | ||
| In many countries, especially in the ], the Brahma Kumaris have introduced ] versions of their ] courses designed to capitalize on the interest in ], ] or ] movements which introduce basic elements of their faith and practice but avoid detailed and controversial instruction. Often these courses focus on specific interest groups such as ], ] people, ] and so on. | |||
| These seven lessons are: | |||
| * The Soul | * The Soul | ||
| Line 67: | Line 49: | ||
| * The Tree of Religions | * The Tree of Religions | ||
| * The Founder Brahma Baba | * The Founder Brahma Baba | ||
| * Brahma Kumaris |
* Brahma Kumaris Lifestyle and Principles | ||
| ===The Soul=== | ===The Soul=== | ||
| We are an eternal soul. A point of light. We have 3 subtle organs: The Mind, the Intellect and the Impressions or Sanskars. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris teach ]. That is human beings are a ] or ] living inside the physical body which is not the individual but a " costume ". The ]'s form is a point of light and it is situated in the forehead of the body. The ] is described as having 3 functions: ], ] and ]. The sanskars, or record of experiences, are transmitted from birth to birth. Brahma Kumaris believe in human ] but unlike classical ] and ], they do not believe in ], or re-incarnation between different ]. | |||
| The sanskars are transmitted from birth to birth. Sanskars are innate in the soul. They emerge or submerge according to time. | |||
| Huamans can experience soul consciousness which gives them happiness, or they can experience body consciousness which bring duality to their experience. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris teach that there are only 5.5 Billion human souls. | |||
| ===The Supreme Soul=== | ===The Supreme Soul=== | ||
| God is a point of light. He is the purifier. He cannot take birth, otherwise; God would experience the duality of suffering and happiness, forgetting and remembering, etc. However, God remains eternally unchanged with purity, bliss and happiness. Human beings can purify their intellects by means of "remembrance." We have forgotten who we are, our original nature and consciousness. Because time is cyclical and this current cycle is about to end, God needs to tell us who we are, what is our history, what is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the world. Thus God purifies us through his knowledge. This is God's task. Humans need to emerge virtous sanskars in order to experience the Golden age. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris believe that their " ] " is a ] or ] identical to the ] ], also in the form if a point of light but that this ] cannot take birth in a ] form. | |||
| Their " God " remains disincarnate, eternally unchanged and so therfore is the only individual that can purify impure incarnated ] souls through its knowledge and by their mentally connecting to him through the practise of their Raja Yoga . This ] then is able to ] his ] through the ] practioners to other ] and into the ]. | |||
| The practice of this form of ] and allowing of their god ] to ] through them is said to be an intense ] buring away the practioner's previous ] and eradicating their ]. | |||
| ===The Law of Karma=== | ===The Law of Karma=== | ||
| It is the law of action and reaction. Every accion has a cause. We experience the effects of those actions either as happiness or suffering. Those effects are experienced one time or another in this or another life. Thoughts are the origin of actions. The origin of thouhgts are our own sanskars.Thus by emerging virtous sankars our thoughts become positive and our actions become elevated. Remembrance of God is the only way to remove the alloy of impurities in the soul. Those impurities are the 5 vices: Ego, Lust, Anger, Attachment and Greed. These vices are the true "devil" portrayed by other religions. | |||
| Similar to many ] religions, the Brahma Kumaris believe that ] is a law controlling actions and reactions ; that every action creates a reaction and that individuals experience the effects of those reactions either as happiness or suffering. These reactions can be experienced in the current or a following lifetime. Thoughts being the origin of actions. | |||
| ===The Cycle=== | ===The Cycle=== | ||
| Introduction: | |||
| Using the symbolism of classical ], Brahma Kumaris believe that time is cyclical and follows a patterns of a cycle which lasts for 5000 years. This is refered to as " The Cycle " of 4 or 5 Ages. Each cycle is identical to the one that came before it and to the one that will come after it. | |||
| “The problem of the origin of the universe is a bit like the old question: Which came first, the chicken, or the egg.” - Stephen Hawkin. | |||
| Philosophers and Scientists treat this question as a conundrum. The belief is that the “Time arrow” is a “straight line”; from a nebulous beginning to an uncertain future. This question is answered if we consider time as being curved, a circle. Then, around this circular time there is always a chicken before an egg and an egg before a chicken. Time then, becomes cyclical and repetitive. Past, present and future are relative to a point of reference (Einstein). The law of conservation of energy/matter states: “Matter is not created nor destroyed, it only changes”. Time is cyclical. Every cycle lasts 5000 years. | |||
| Accordingly there was a time of complete purity (low entropy) known as "Paradise" or the Golden Age. As time went by and population increased changes happened, entropy started to increase thus the Silver Age began. This was an age of happiness but in a lesser degree. More kingdoms were established from the original one in the Golden Age. The end of the silver age, marks the end of soul consciousness. Then in the Copper Age, Soul conscious humans turned into Body conscious ones, thus Humans were victims of the duality of matter. Suffering was experienced for the first time. A search for God began. As entropy increased in this dualistic world, worshipping of matter started, penance and austerities denying the body were considered elevated since there was a deep feeling that suffering was found in body consciousness. | |||
| Finally, the Iron Age started. Technological progress contrasts with utmost unhappiness, sorrow and desinterest in religious matters. This is our current age. It is at this point, when we experience "hell" (the opposite of Heaven or Golden Age)on Earth. The point of highest entropy is experienced, thus the world goes back to a point of low entropy again. There is a brief period of time when establishment takes place for the upcoming new age. That period of time is known as the Confluence age. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris believe this " ] " is our current age and that it is " Hell ". The opposite of their " ] " 5,000 years before - or a few years into the future. They teach that at the end of the Iron Age, the World must be completely destroyed by a nuclear war between Russia and America, natural disasters and a blood bath of civil war in India. | |||
| Between the lowest ] of the " ] " and the high spiritual state of their " ] ", there is a brief period of 100 years when the work to establish the ] must takes place. This period of time is known as the " ] Age " and was originally taught to be 50 years for ] of the ] through " the jaws of death, the wail of horror, the rivers of blood and pus, the panic and the desperation, and then, the final death ", and another 50 years for the creation of ] on ]. However " ] ", as it is known, did not happen according to their timetable, first in 1976 and then some time between 1985 and 1996, and has so become modified according to necessity in order to sustain their ]. At first it was taught 50 years for destruction and 50 for creation, then 60 / 40, now the Brahma Kumaris tend to try and avoid the issue. | |||
| ===The Tree of Religions=== | ===The Tree of Religions=== | ||
| The tree signals the human family of souls. The root of the tree is made up by those souls currently making spiritual efforts according to God's system. Those efforts are based on soul consciousness. According to the laws of Karma, elevated actions are needed in order to experience the Golden age. The first part of the tree is the Golden age which is an age of total purity, happiness and peace as years went by and according to the physical law of entropy, the silver age appeared. Population increased and the original pure system changed, however; human beings called Deities (virtuous) were still soul conscious. Then the tree splitted in different branches due to body consciousness, we forgot our original nature. This is the age when different religions were founded in the east and in the west, the aim was to search for peace, search for happiness and search for God. Body conscious beings started a system of worship of the elements of nature instead of realizing their true original nature, thus suffering appeared. As time went by, the Iron age appeared. Human divinity was completely lost, body consciousness was the rule.It is an age of cheating, killing and lying. Due to current human devilish impressions and vices, technology serves as a mean to destroy our own race. Thus the tree is transformed into a new tree. The seed for this new tree is God himself, thus God transforms humans with devilish traits into Golden age deities by means of his knowledge also known as receivig the "third eye." | |||
| The Brahma Kumaris use the ] of " The Tree " to represent the ], or rather decline, of the ] ] of souls. The ] of the ] is made up by Brahma Kumari followers currently practicing their ] only. These individuals alone are to become the residents of " ] on ] ", symbolised by the trunk of the tree, where humanity is one and experiences ] and ]. | |||
| The tree shows us clearly how unity appeared first and then as time went by division appeared. Few habitants of the golden age became many in the iron age, thus scarcity of resources and competition is the norm of the day. | |||
| " The Tree " is then illustration to split in 5 major ]. ], they teach, forgets its original nature and each branch represents one of the 5 major religious traditions or seeking for ] and ] ; ], ], ], ] and renunciate tradition of India called " ]sm " and manifestation of this newly impure world. | |||
| The outer branches of " The Tree " are said to symbolise the " ] " of a fractured ] where even major ]s are split into many small branches, representing ] beliefs, religious ]s and ]. ], ], ], ] and all other religious founders are said to ] at the beginning of their ] and then continue to ] through out the ] of their ] until coming to the " ] " at this time and seeking out the Brahma Kumaris for re-] in ]. | |||
| It is specifically taught that none of the religious founder have a direct connection with ] nor are they able to escape human ] many times over as is believed by ], ], ] or ]. | |||
| " The Tree " of ] must be destroyed each " Cycle " in order that a new " Tree " repeats the pattern exactly. The " ] " for this new tree is their " ] " ] alone and they are the only true source of this knowledge. | |||
| ===The Founder Brahma Baba=== | ===The Founder Brahma Baba=== | ||
| Lekraj Kripalani, known as Brahma Baba, has a very important role in the world. He is known as Brahma in his 84th birth. The maximum number of births per cycle is 84. Brahma took all of them and was the first pure being in the world. In many religions he is known as "Adam" or "Adi Dev." God needs a body to communicate with us. Since Brahma is the most experienced of all human beings; God takes his body and sanskars to communicate with body conscious, impure beings. Brahma Baba is the number one soul. All souls are numberwise in spiritual efforts. Brahma Baba was a caring man, loved by his community. He gave utmost respect to women in a time and location where women were considered second class citizens. Brahma Baba gave all his wealth in order to build a "Godly Spiritual University". He left the administration of this Univeristy to a trust of young females who were in charge of the institution. Brahma Kumaris is a unique spiritual institution since then - females hold the higher administrative positions. Members of the Brahma Kumaris aim to follow Brahma Baba's example of dedication, faith, egolesness, care and discipline. | |||
| Under the inspiration of their " God " businessman Lekraj Kripalani, became known as " ] Baba " and was said to have had 84 human births which is the maximum number of births for any human soul. The Brahma Kumaris believe that Lekraj Kripalani was the first pure being in the world known as " ] " or " ] ". | |||
| Since they believe that their " ] " needs a human body thorugh which to communicate and Lekraj Kripalani was considered to be the most experienced of all human beings, their " ] " took possession of his mental faculties and body in order to communicate with body conscious, impure humanity. Lekraj Kripalani is considered by the Brahma Kumaris to be number one soul, higher in divinity than ], ], ] and all other religious founders who must come to him, or his followers, for re-education in spirituality. | |||
| Lekraj Kripalani by his actions in a previous incarnation 2,500 years ago is also taught to be the individual that lead humanity to " ] ", that is out of ] and ] on ] and into ] suffering. | |||
| ===Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles=== | ===Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles=== | ||
| The whole teaching is based on the awareness that we are souls and not bodies. We are souls who have a body. Thus, all principles and practices are consistent with this belief. The main task is to become a self-sovereign, to be able to awaken our inner wisdom by means of Godly knowledge. Love to God is utmost important component in order to make quick spiritual efforts. | |||
| The final lesson traditionally taught by the Brahma Kumaris relates to the disciplines they follow as regards, religious practices, ], ] and ]. | |||
| B.K.s accept food cooked only by practitioners that maintain their strict regime, which they call ] food or " pure ". They believe that food cooked by those that do not follow their regime, even ] food, is ] or " impure ". | |||
| ==Controversy== | ==Controversy== | ||
| Some believe that destruction of the old world will not happen. Brahma Kumaris points out that transformation will happen and it is as clear as when night time becomes day time. The New World is known as Paradise by many religions. | |||
| * Documented incidents of ] within the organisation brushed aside by leaders as due to the ] of the children suffering ] and outside of their responsibility, the perpetrators avoid punishment or reporting to ]. | |||
| There are some individuals who are forecasting dates of "destruction" rather than transformation without further explanation. Brahma Kumaris emphasizes that there is not anhilation of the human race. It has been pointed out that God, The Supreme Soul; has never released a date for destruction. The first law of thermodynamics shows this fact: "Matter cannot be '''created nor destroyed''', it can only be transformed." | |||
| * ] and ] problems faced by ex-followers including multiple ] with families. | |||
| * ] and physical violence from families and partners of Brahma Kumaris. | |||
| * Questionable relationship with ] Organisation. | |||
| * Name changing from University to Organisation. | |||
| * Discreet ] and re-writing of their " ]'s " spoken word to avoid controversy, to accommodate increased ], to change speculation over the timing of destruction of the world and other matters. | |||
| * Self-proclaimed " ] " status not recognised by any external authority. | |||
| * From a ] point of view, B.K.s claim that the ] spiritual scripture ] is actually the teachings of ] and that it is misinterpreted by other ] and that the current version of the ] has been modified and enlargened by human beings. | |||
| * Beliefs that dinosaurs existed 2,500 years ago. | |||
| * Beliefs that they are the only true and direct representatives of God. | |||
| ===Destruction=== | |||
| Similar to the belief in ], core to the BKWSU teaching is that the current ] ] is going to be imminently destroyed. Within their ], this is referred to as " ] " the timing of which is the topic of much speculation. As above, it is taught that this ] will take place through ], ] and, ultimately, ] between ] and ]. | |||
| Although the ] ] will not be destroyed, all other ] except for Indian sub-continent, and life as it is known, will dissappear below the ]. Within a period of 30 years though, ] will be rebuilt as a ] and a ] for faithful followers begin. | |||
| Initially, it was taught that this ] of ] and re-creation would take 50 years and 50 years respectively. However, the organisation is now celebrating its 70 th year. Despite taking part in many ], and even ] campaigns, they believe that " ] " is unavoidable. | |||
| ==Sub-sects== | |||
| Believing himself to be a reincarnation of Lekhraj Kirpalani's business partner, Virendra Dev Dikşi split away from main body of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation to form the ] or " ] " after being barred from B.K. Raja Yoga centres. He continues to teach and is considered to the the true ] the guiding ] or " ] " they call ] Baba by his ] | |||
| ] ], and a previously high-profile Brahma Kumari, ] was charged in the ] with a plot of ]-] in which 31 ] followers, including five children, were to ingest ]. After the ]s they were told they would be picked up by a ] and taken to an unspecified destination. | |||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * http://www.brahmakumaris.com/ site based in India | |||
| * http://www.xbkchat.com - an open discussion forum mainly for ex-members of the Brahma Kumaris but also B.K.s, P.B.K.s and friends and family of B.K.s by invitation. | |||
| * http://www.shivbaba.org.pl/ P.B.K. website | |||
| * http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~eromain/childprotection.htm Report on Child abuse within BKWSU and response by Senior Administrators. | |||
| ==Bibliography== | |||
| * Dr Julia D. Howell, Asian and International Studies, Griffith University, Australia & Dr Peter L. Nelson, Nelson Center for Humanities and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia. " Surviving Transplantation: The Brahma Kumaris in the Western World ", http://www.rajayoga.org.pl/pl/files/BKTransplantation.pdf | |||
| * Ken O'Donnell. " Raja Yoga for beginners ", 1987. | |||
| * Jagdish Chander. " Adi Dev: The First Man ", 1981. | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 163: | Line 96: | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] and the ] | * ] and the ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| '''Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation''', '''Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University''' , or " ] ". | |||
| Teachers of a form of ], or ] ], called Raja Yoga ]'s ] ]. | |||
| A ] with core ] beliefs concerning the imminent destruction of the current impure ] world by a ] between ] and ], ] in ], widespread ] and ] followed by the reward of a paradisiacal ] or " ]" which will take place on the ] for its faithful ]. | |||
| Their followers are known as " B.K.s ", short for Brahma Kumaris or Kumars ] ]. | |||
| ==Origins== | |||
| Formed in ], now ], during 1937 by businessman Lekhraj Kripalani when Kripalani experienced ] by a ] he considered to be ], the Supreme Soul. This ] the B.K.s name as " ] ", took over control of his ] in order to express a message to ] and teach their form of ]. Followers, called Brahma Kumaris or Kumars believe that Lekhraj Kripalani is ]'s only direct ] or instrument. ] being a ] which cannot express its message other than through a ] ] and this being the only time in history that ] intervenes. | |||
| B.K.s believe that their ] " ] Baba " renamed Lekhraj Kripalani as " ] Baba " and that he was the ] of the ] ] ], the ] of ]. Baba meaning " ] " in ]. | |||
| Originally called " ] Mandali ", in the early days Lekhraj Kripalani attracted mostly ] belonging to the ] ] of ] and along with them created much ] until the ] and the ] denounced the ]. ] Lekhraj in turn denounced the ] as " ] " or ]. Under pressure of ] public opinion, the ] ] reluctantly banned the ] Mandali, which went to court and had the ban order quashed. | |||
| * The Indian version of the religion's ] is found here ; http://www.brahmakumaris.com/aboutus/history.htm | |||
| * The version made more vague and palatable to ] is found here ; http://www.bkwsu.org/whoweare/history.htm | |||
| ==Global Expansion== | |||
| The BKWSU is reported to have more than 5,500 ] centres in 90 ], said to have over 900,000 ] and be expanding. Although no details as to the level or of length of commitment are given. Multi-million dollar registered " ] " ] that does not distribute aid outside of its operations. | |||
| ==Fundamental Beliefs== | |||
| Although borrowing much ] and ] from traditional ], '''Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga''' sees themselves entirely as separate from ] and unique as the only true instruments of ], stating that they are only religious group to have direct instructions from ]. | |||
| Followers believe that this ] or ] and Lekhraj Kirpalani continue to be ] on a regular basis by a senior sister at the headquarters in ], and that Lekhraj Kirpalani's soul will reincarnate as ] god ] in his next birth. | |||
| Central to its faith are the beliefs that: | |||
| * The ] is an eternal ] living within a physical ] and is not the physical ]. | |||
| * ] happens from one human body to another only. | |||
| * The physical ] manifests as an eternally repeating and identical 5,000 year cycle at which the end of it is destroyed and then re-created every time. | |||
| * Time is not linear but rather cyclical. | |||
| * Each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one. | |||
| * ] is currently reaching the end of the current cycle and thus the world will be destroyed, a time their scriptures call " Destruction ". | |||
| * ] incarnates personally onto the ] and speaks only through their founder Lekhraj Kripalani which was the ] known as " ] ", ] " or " ] " in his first birth and is also known as "]". | |||
| * All other religious founders such as ], ] and ] must come to the Brahma Kumaris to receive B.K. " ] " prior to their future ]s in the next cycle. | |||
| * The ] will be the site of the future ]d ] and ] is the original ] of ]. All other ] will be submerged under the sea except for small ] where ] centres once were. | |||
| * Followers are taught that if they make spiritual efforts by getting rid of the 5 ] ], ]. ], ] and ] ] and only they, ] Kumars and Kumaris will live in the coming ]d ]. | |||
| ==Practice== | |||
| The '''Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga''' practice involves; | |||
| * Complete ] involving no ], ] between ] nor ]. | |||
| * ] ], i.e. ] excluding ], ], ] and food cooked by non-believers which are considered ]. | |||
| * Complete avoidance of ], ] and ]. | |||
| * ] after ]ing involving washing ] or entire ] and changing clothes. | |||
| * Regular daily ] at 4 a.m.. | |||
| * The pursuit of ] in all aspects of life. | |||
| * ] of their ] and beliefs, called " service ", as defined by their senior sisters. | |||
| * ] between ] and ] in housing and activities. | |||
| ]s wake up for 45 minutes ] at 4 am. They then attend a daily morning class at 6.00 am, work or keep their ] during the day and then return to ], teach or do more ] in the evening. B.K.s make regular ] or contributions to the Raja Yoga centre irrespective of means . Donations are generally not accepted from non-B.K.s as their ] is considered as " ] ". B.K.s are encouraged to visit the ] located in ], ], ] once a year if possible. | |||
| In the main, " ] " means teaching their version of ] or evangelizing their " ] " and B.K.s were instructed not to do general ] nor perform what is generally understood as ]. | |||
| ==7 Day Course== | |||
| Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 one, or one and a half hour, long lessons called " The 7 Day Course ". Once these 7 lessons are understood, students are then introduced to unpublished ] considered to be the direct teachings of ] called "Murlis", named after the ] that the ] ] ] is generally illustrated holding. These comprise of the core ] of their ] and are known as " Gyan " or "The ] ". The use of the word " ] " is specific to these beliefs and absolute faith in this knowledge is seen as central to the ]. | |||
| In many countries, especially in the ], the Brahma Kumaris have introduced ] versions of their ] courses designed to capitalize on the interest in ], ] or ] movements which introduce basic elements of their faith and practice but avoid detailed and controversial instruction. Often these courses focus on specific interest groups such as ], ] people, ] and so on. | |||
| These seven lessons are: | |||
| * The Soul | |||
| * The Supreme Soul | |||
| * The Law of Karma | |||
| * The Cycle | |||
| * The Tree of Religions | |||
| * The Founder Brahma Baba | |||
| * Brahma Kumaris' Lifestyle and Principles | |||
| ===The Soul=== | |||
| Brahma Kumaris teach ]. That is human beings are a ] or ] living inside the physical body which is not the individual but a " costume ". The ]'s form is a point of light and it is situated in the forehead of the body. The ] is described as having 3 functions: ], ] and ]. The sanskars, or record of experiences, are transmitted from birth to birth. Brahma Kumaris believe in human ] but unlike classical ] and ], they do not believe in ], or re-incarnation between different ]. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris teach that there are only 5.5 Billion human souls. | |||
| ===The Supreme Soul=== | |||
| Brahma Kumaris believe that their " ] " is a ] or ] identical to the ] ], also in the form if a point of light but that this ] cannot take birth in a ] form. | |||
| Their " God " remains disincarnate, eternally unchanged and so therfore is the only individual that can purify impure incarnated ] souls through its knowledge and by their mentally connecting to him through the practise of their Raja Yoga . This ] then is able to ] his ] through the ] practioners to other ] and into the ]. | |||
| The practice of this form of ] and allowing of their god ] to ] through them is said to be an intense ] buring away the practioner's previous ] and eradicating their ]. | |||
| ===The Law of Karma=== | |||
| Similar to many ] religions, the Brahma Kumaris believe that ] is a law controlling actions and reactions ; that every action creates a reaction and that individuals experience the effects of those reactions either as happiness or suffering. These reactions can be experienced in the current or a following lifetime. Thoughts being the origin of actions. | |||
| ===The Cycle=== | |||
| Using the symbolism of classical ], Brahma Kumaris believe that time is cyclical and follows a patterns of a cycle which lasts for 5000 years. This is refered to as " The Cycle " of 4 or 5 Ages. Each cycle is identical to the one that came before it and to the one that will come after it. | |||
| It starts with a ] or " Golden Age " of 900,000 human beings, all followers of their religion. This then declines to a slightly less paradiascal " Silver Age " in which humans are also naturally spiritual minded. Then after 2,500 years, the Earth declines further to enter into a " Copper Age " where humanity experience the ] of ] and ]. Suffering is experienced for the first time, the search for God and religions are created for the first time. 1,250 years later, an totally impure " ] " of suffering, injustice and irreligiousness begins. | |||
| Brahma Kumaris believe this " ] " is our current age and that it is " Hell ". The opposite of their " ] " 5,000 years before - or a few years into the future. They teach that at the end of the Iron Age, the World must be completely destroyed by a nuclear war between Russia and America, natural disasters and a blood bath of civil war in India. | |||
| Between the lowest ] of the " ] " and the high spiritual state of their " ] ", there is a brief period of 100 years when the work to establish the ] must takes place. This period of time is known as the " ] Age " and was originally taught to be 50 years for ] of the ] through " the jaws of death, the wail of horror, the rivers of blood and pus, the panic and the desperation, and then, the final death ", and another 50 years for the creation of ] on ]. However " ] ", as it is known, did not happen according to their timetable, first in 1976 and then some time between 1985 and 1996, and has so become modified according to necessity in order to sustain their ]. At first it was taught 50 years for destruction and 50 for creation, then 60 / 40, now the Brahma Kumaris tend to try and avoid the issue. | |||
| ===The Tree of Religions=== | |||
| The Brahma Kumaris use the ] of " The Tree " to represent the ], or rather decline, of the ] ] of souls. The ] of the ] is made up by Brahma Kumari followers currently practicing their ] only. These individuals alone are to become the residents of " ] on ] ", symbolised by the trunk of the tree, where humanity is one and experiences ] and ]. | |||
| " The Tree " is then illustration to split in 5 major ]. ], they teach, forgets its original nature and each branch represents one of the 5 major religious traditions or seeking for ] and ] ; ], ], ], ] and renunciate tradition of India called " ]sm " and manifestation of this newly impure world. | |||
| The outer branches of " The Tree " are said to symbolise the " ] " of a fractured ] where even major ]s are split into many small branches, representing ] beliefs, religious ]s and ]. ], ], ], ] and all other religious founders are said to ] at the beginning of their ] and then continue to ] through out the ] of their ] until coming to the " ] " at this time and seeking out the Brahma Kumaris for re-] in ]. | |||
| It is specifically taught that none of the religious founder have a direct connection with ] nor are they able to escape human ] many times over as is believed by ], ], ] or ]. | |||
| " The Tree " of ] must be destroyed each " Cycle " in order that a new " Tree " repeats the pattern exactly. The " ] " for this new tree is their " ] " ] alone and they are the only true source of this knowledge. | |||
| ===The Founder Brahma Baba=== | |||
| Under the inspiration of their " God " businessman Lekraj Kripalani, became known as " ] Baba " and was said to have had 84 human births, the maximum number of births for any human soul. The Brahma Kumaris believe that Lekraj Kripalani was the first pure being in the world known as " ] " or " ] ". | |||
| Since they believe that their " ] " needs a human body thorugh which to communicate and Lekraj Kripalani was considered to be the most experienced of all human beings, their " ] " took possession of his mental faculties and body in order to communicate with body conscious, impure humanity. Lekraj Kripalani is considered by the Brahma Kumaris to be number one soul, higher in divinity than ], ], ] and all other religious founders who must come to him, or his followers, for re-education in spirituality. | |||
| Lekraj Kripalani by his actions in a previous incarnation 2,500 years ago is also taught to be the individual that lead humanity to " ] ", that is out of ] and ] on ] and into ] suffering. | |||
| ===Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles=== | |||
| The final lesson traditionally taught by the Brahma Kumaris relates to the disciplines they follow as regards, religious practices, ], ] and ]. | |||
| B.K.s accept food cooked only by practitioners that maintain their strict regime, which they call ] food or " pure ". They believe that food cooked by those that do not follow their regime, even ] food, is ] or " impure ". | |||
| ==Controversy== | |||
| * Documented incidents of ] within the organisation brushed aside by leaders as due to the ] of the children suffering ] and outside of their responsibility, the perpetrators avoid punishment or reporting to ]. | |||
| * ] and ] problems faced by ex-followers including multiple ] with families. | |||
| * ] and physical violence from families and partners of Brahma Kumaris. | |||
| * Questionable relationship with ] Organisation. | |||
| * Name changing from University to Organisation. | |||
| * Discreet ] and re-writing of their " ]'s " spoken word to avoid controversy, to accommodate increased ], to change speculation over the timing of destruction of the world and other matters. | |||
| * Self-proclaimed " ] " status not recognised by any external authority. | |||
| * From a ] point of view, B.K.s claim that the ] spiritual scripture ] is actually the teachings of ] and that it is misinterpreted by other ] and that the current version of the ] has been modified and enlargened by human beings. | |||
| * Beliefs that dinosaurs existed 2,500 years ago. | |||
| * Beliefs that they are the only true and direct representatives of God. | |||
| ===Destruction=== | |||
| Similar to the belief in ], core to the BKWSU teaching is that the current ] ] is going to be imminently destroyed. Within their ], this is referred to as " ] " the timing of which is the topic of much speculation. As above, it is taught that this ] will take place through ], ] and, ultimately, ] between ] and ]. | |||
| Although the ] ] will not be destroyed, all other ] except for Indian sub-continent, and life as it is known, will dissappear below the ]. Within a period of 30 years though, ] will be rebuilt as a ] and a ] for faithful followers begin. | |||
| Initially, it was taught that this ] of ] and re-creation would take 50 years and 50 years respectively. However, the organisation is now celebrating its 70 th year. Despite taking part in many ], and even ] campaigns, they believe that " ] " is unavoidable. | |||
| ==Sub-sects== | |||
| Believing himself to be a reincarnation of Lekhraj Kirpalani's business partner, Virendra Dev Dikşi split away from main body of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation to form the ] or " ] " after being barred from B.K. Raja Yoga centres. He continues to teach and is considered to the the true ] the guiding ] or " ] " they call ] Baba by his ] | |||
| ] ], and a previously high-profile Brahma Kumari, ] was charged in the ] with a plot of ]-] in which 31 ] followers, including five children, were to ingest ]. After the ]s they were told they would be picked up by a ] and taken to an unspecified destination. | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * http://www.bkwsu.org/ Official website | |||
| * http://www.brahmakumaris.com/ site based in India | |||
| * http://www.peacevillage.com/ B.K. sponsored Peace Village Retreat Center-USA] | |||
| * http://www.xbkchat.com - an open discussion forum mainly for ex-members of the Brahma Kumaris but also B.K.s, P.B.K.s and friends and family of B.K.s by invitation. | |||
| * http://www.shivbaba.org.pl/ P.B.K. website | |||
| * http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~eromain/childprotection.htm Report on Child abuse within BKWSU and response by Senior Administrators. | |||
| ==Bibliography== | |||
| * Dr Julia D. Howell, Asian and International Studies, Griffith University, Australia & Dr Peter L. Nelson, Nelson Center for Humanities and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia. " Surviving Transplantation: The Brahma Kumaris in the Western World ", http://www.rajayoga.org.pl/pl/files/BKTransplantation.pdf | |||
| * Ken O'Donnell. " Raja Yoga for beginners ", 1987. | |||
| * Jagdish Chander. " Adi Dev: The First Man ", 1981. | |||
| * Dadi Janki, Companion Of God, 2003 ISBN 0 340 82915 X | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] and the ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 20:34, 2 April 2006
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation, or " Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya ". Teaches meditation, a version of Raja Yoga, not to be confused with classical Patanjali's Raja Yoga.
A New Religious Movement with core Millenarianist beliefs concerning the imminent transformation of the current impure Kali Yuga world by means of natural disasters and nuclear holocaust followed by the Sat Yuga or "Golden Age" which will take place in the Indian subcontinent.
Origins
Formed in Sindh, now Pakistan, during 1937 by businessman Lekhraj Kripalani when Kripalani experienced that God, the Supreme Soul, took his bodily organs to express a message to humanity. Followers, called Brahma Kumars or Kumaris believe that Lekhraj Kripalani / Brahma is God's chariot. God being a soul cannot express his message but through a human body. God himself needs to give his message when the world experiences utmost irreligiousness and suffering.
Global Expansion
More than 5,500 meditation centres in 90 countries with over 900,000 students and expanding.
Fundamental Beliefs
Although borrowing much symbolism and terminology from traditional Hinduism, Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga perceives the world as a family tree, every branch being a religion in search of the experience of God. Followers believe that the Supreme Soul, God and Brahma continues to be Channelled on a regular basis by a senior sister at the headquarters in India and that Brahma's soul will reincarnate as Krishna in his next birth.
Central to its faith are the beliefs that:
- The human being is an imperishable soul living within a physical body
- Reincarnation happens from one human body to another only
- Experience of the physical world happens through an eternally repeating 5,000 year cycle.
- Time is not linear but rather cyclical
- Each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one
- Humanity is currently reaching the end of the current cycle and thus the world will be transformed.
- God incarnates personally onto the Earth and speaks only through their founder Lekhraj Kripalani which was the soul known as "Adam" or the "first human" in his first birth also known as "Brahma".
- All other religious founders such as Christ, Buddha and Mohammed had a part in the cycle by founding a religion.
- The Indian Subcontinent will be the site of the future Golden Age. Hindi is the original language.
Followers are taught that if they make spiritual efforts by getting rid of the 5 vices (lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego) they will become deities in the Golden age.
Practice
The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga practice involves;
- Celibacy.
- Vegetarianism excluding onions, garlic and food not cooked on God's remembrance.
- Complete avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
- Physical cleanliness in all aspects.
- Regular daily meditation.
- The pursue of purity in all aspects of life.
- World service by means of good wishes and pure feelings to all.
Serious students wake up for 45 minutes meditation before 4 am. They then attend a daily morning class at 6.00 am, work or keep their household during the day and then return to do service, teach or more meditation in the evening. No one is expected to make regular donations or contributions to the Raja Yoga centre. However, serious students feel it is their duty to support it in order to extend the benefits to others. It is suggested to visit the headquarters located in India once a year if possible.
7 Day Course
Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 one and a half hour long lessons called "The 7 Day Course". Once these 7 lessons are understood, students are then 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 Kumaris Lifestyle and Principles
The Soul
We are an eternal soul. A point of light. We have 3 subtle organs: The Mind, the Intellect and the Impressions or Sanskars. The sanskars are transmitted from birth to birth. Sanskars are innate in the soul. They emerge or submerge according to time. Huamans can experience soul consciousness which gives them happiness, or they can experience body consciousness which bring duality to their experience.
The Supreme Soul
God is a point of light. He is the purifier. He cannot take birth, otherwise; God would experience the duality of suffering and happiness, forgetting and remembering, etc. However, God remains eternally unchanged with purity, bliss and happiness. Human beings can purify their intellects by means of "remembrance." We have forgotten who we are, our original nature and consciousness. Because time is cyclical and this current cycle is about to end, God needs to tell us who we are, what is our history, what is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the world. Thus God purifies us through his knowledge. This is God's task. Humans need to emerge virtous sanskars in order to experience the Golden age.
The Law of Karma
It is the law of action and reaction. Every accion has a cause. We experience the effects of those actions either as happiness or suffering. Those effects are experienced one time or another in this or another life. Thoughts are the origin of actions. The origin of thouhgts are our own sanskars.Thus by emerging virtous sankars our thoughts become positive and our actions become elevated. Remembrance of God is the only way to remove the alloy of impurities in the soul. Those impurities are the 5 vices: Ego, Lust, Anger, Attachment and Greed. These vices are the true "devil" portrayed by other religions.
The Cycle
Introduction: “The problem of the origin of the universe is a bit like the old question: Which came first, the chicken, or the egg.” - Stephen Hawkin. Philosophers and Scientists treat this question as a conundrum. The belief is that the “Time arrow” is a “straight line”; from a nebulous beginning to an uncertain future. This question is answered if we consider time as being curved, a circle. Then, around this circular time there is always a chicken before an egg and an egg before a chicken. Time then, becomes cyclical and repetitive. Past, present and future are relative to a point of reference (Einstein). The law of conservation of energy/matter states: “Matter is not created nor destroyed, it only changes”. Time is cyclical. Every cycle lasts 5000 years.
Accordingly there was a time of complete purity (low entropy) known as "Paradise" or the Golden Age. As time went by and population increased changes happened, entropy started to increase thus the Silver Age began. This was an age of happiness but in a lesser degree. More kingdoms were established from the original one in the Golden Age. The end of the silver age, marks the end of soul consciousness. Then in the Copper Age, Soul conscious humans turned into Body conscious ones, thus Humans were victims of the duality of matter. Suffering was experienced for the first time. A search for God began. As entropy increased in this dualistic world, worshipping of matter started, penance and austerities denying the body were considered elevated since there was a deep feeling that suffering was found in body consciousness. Finally, the Iron Age started. Technological progress contrasts with utmost unhappiness, sorrow and desinterest in religious matters. This is our current age. It is at this point, when we experience "hell" (the opposite of Heaven or Golden Age)on Earth. The point of highest entropy is experienced, thus the world goes back to a point of low entropy again. There is a brief period of time when establishment takes place for the upcoming new age. That period of time is known as the Confluence age.
The Tree of Religions
The tree signals the human family of souls. The root of the tree is made up by those souls currently making spiritual efforts according to God's system. Those efforts are based on soul consciousness. According to the laws of Karma, elevated actions are needed in order to experience the Golden age. The first part of the tree is the Golden age which is an age of total purity, happiness and peace as years went by and according to the physical law of entropy, the silver age appeared. Population increased and the original pure system changed, however; human beings called Deities (virtuous) were still soul conscious. Then the tree splitted in different branches due to body consciousness, we forgot our original nature. This is the age when different religions were founded in the east and in the west, the aim was to search for peace, search for happiness and search for God. Body conscious beings started a system of worship of the elements of nature instead of realizing their true original nature, thus suffering appeared. As time went by, the Iron age appeared. Human divinity was completely lost, body consciousness was the rule.It is an age of cheating, killing and lying. Due to current human devilish impressions and vices, technology serves as a mean to destroy our own race. Thus the tree is transformed into a new tree. The seed for this new tree is God himself, thus God transforms humans with devilish traits into Golden age deities by means of his knowledge also known as receivig the "third eye." The tree shows us clearly how unity appeared first and then as time went by division appeared. Few habitants of the golden age became many in the iron age, thus scarcity of resources and competition is the norm of the day.
The Founder Brahma Baba
Lekraj Kripalani, known as Brahma Baba, has a very important role in the world. He is known as Brahma in his 84th birth. The maximum number of births per cycle is 84. Brahma took all of them and was the first pure being in the world. In many religions he is known as "Adam" or "Adi Dev." God needs a body to communicate with us. Since Brahma is the most experienced of all human beings; God takes his body and sanskars to communicate with body conscious, impure beings. Brahma Baba is the number one soul. All souls are numberwise in spiritual efforts. Brahma Baba was a caring man, loved by his community. He gave utmost respect to women in a time and location where women were considered second class citizens. Brahma Baba gave all his wealth in order to build a "Godly Spiritual University". He left the administration of this Univeristy to a trust of young females who were in charge of the institution. Brahma Kumaris is a unique spiritual institution since then - females hold the higher administrative positions. Members of the Brahma Kumaris aim to follow Brahma Baba's example of dedication, faith, egolesness, care and discipline.
Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles
The whole teaching is based on the awareness that we are souls and not bodies. We are souls who have a body. Thus, all principles and practices are consistent with this belief. The main task is to become a self-sovereign, to be able to awaken our inner wisdom by means of Godly knowledge. Love to God is utmost important component in order to make quick spiritual efforts.
Controversy
Some believe that destruction of the old world will not happen. Brahma Kumaris points out that transformation will happen and it is as clear as when night time becomes day time. The New World is known as Paradise by many religions. There are some individuals who are forecasting dates of "destruction" rather than transformation without further explanation. Brahma Kumaris emphasizes that there is not anhilation of the human race. It has been pointed out that God, The Supreme Soul; has never released a date for destruction. The first law of thermodynamics shows this fact: "Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed."
External links
brahmakumaris.com Site based in India
peacevillage.com Peace Village Retreat Center-USA