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Adi Da

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 63.237.25.221 (talk) at 05:43, 9 August 2009 (→‎Adidam/Teachings: Some details of Adi Da's teachings were incorrect. These were corrected and the teaching elaborated into three parts: cosmology, self-"testimonial", and method of practice.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Adi Da Samraj
File:Adi Da Samraj 2000.jpg
Adi Da Samraj
Born(1939-11-03)3 November 1939
New York, New York, United States
Died27 November 2008(2008-11-27) (aged 69)
Naitauba, Lau Islands, Fiji

Adi Da Samraj (November 3, 1939 – November 27, 2008), [1][2] born Franklin Albert Jones in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, was a contemporary and often controversial guru, spiritual writer and artist. [3] He was the founder of a new religious movement currently known as Adidam.

Adi Da asserted that he had realized a higher state of consciousness or being, and that his followers could find similar realization through his guidance. He called his movement Adidam, or "The Way of the Heart". [4] Similar to South Asian religions, his movement emphasized a devotional, guru/disciple relationship.[5] Adi Da said and is seen by his devotees to be the most spiritually realized being ever to incarnate in human form. [6]

In the mid 1980s, allegations by former devotees of financial, sexual and emotional abuses within Adidam were widely reported in a number of newspapers and on local television news, [7][8], culminating in national coverage on NBC's The Today Show. These allegations resulted in a number of lawsuits on both sides. Adidam said that these allegations were part of a conspiracy to extort large sums of money from the movement. [9]

Biography

Born Franklin Albert Jones and raised in the New York City borough of Queens, Jones graduated from Columbia University in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, and from Stanford University in 1966 with a Master's of Arts in English literature. In 1965, Franklin Jones became a disciple of Albert Rudolph, also known as Rudi or Swami Rudrananda. In 1968, Jones formally left Rudi and became a disciple of Swami Muktananda.

When Jones visited Muktananda in India, he described having extraordinary spiritual experiences.[10] Shortly afterward (1968-'69), Jones became a member and employee of the Church of Scientology[11] for about one year. The description and analysis of his involvement with Scientology were expunged from later editions of his autobiography. [12].

Jones returned to India in 1969 to see Muktananda, who subsequently gave him a letter acknowledging his yogic realization and authorizing him to initiate others into the Siddha Yoga tradition of meditation.[13][14] Jones formally left Muktananda after a meeting in India in 1973, where Adi Da and Muktananda differed irrevocably on the nature of full enlightenment, which Adi Da claimed he had achieved while Muktananda had not.[15]

Franklin Jones began to gather with students in April 1972, teaching in a bookstore in Los Angeles, California, known as the "Melrose Avenue Ashram". Later known as the Dawn Horse Communion, the movement has been through several name changes: previous names have included The Free Primitive Church of Divine Communion, The Johannine Daist Communion, and Free Daism. It is now known as Adidam, or The Way of the Heart.[16] In 1973, Jones himself initiatated the first in a series of personal name changes, which he asserted reflected changes in his teaching.

As a student of Muktananda, he was given the name Dhyanananda. Shortly after declaring himself an independent teacher and sage, he adopted the name Bubba Free John. In 1979, he changed this to Da Free John. Subsequent names included Da Love-Ananda, Da Kalki, Da Avabhasa, and finally Adi Da Samraj.[17]

In 1974, Bubba Free John and his devotees established a residential community in Northern California (initially known as "Persimmon") called The Mountain Of Attention, which became the center of their activities. In 1983, the community purchased the island of Naitauba, Fiji, which became the center of Adidam's activities as well as Adi Da's residence, where he spent the final years of his life.[18]

Adi Da wrote over 70 books on religion and related matters. [19]

He had four daughters, one adopted and three biological, by three different women. [20]

Adi Da died from sudden heart failure at his home at the age of 69, on Naitauba Island, Fiji on Thursday, November 27, 2008. [21]

Adidam/Teachings

Adi Da's teachings are best understood in two essential but different aspects: his explanation of the ultimately "Divine" nature of reality--what one might term his cosmology, and then his calling for people to the practice of Adidam as the most effective method for individual spiritual realization. In spite of Adi Da's great volume of metaphysical writing, he persistently stressed that his essential life purpose was to inform and directly empower the process of human realization, and Adi Da criticized attempts to approach his teachings as merely interesting philosophy or a private personal spiritual "technique". On occasion, Adi Da commented that ultimately neither his words or even his ideas (nor any "ideas") were necessary for realization, but were created in response to those who insist on a verbal teaching; and that even animals could successfully "practice" Adidam.

Nevertheless, beginning in the early 1970's, Adi Da initially gained notoriety for his apparent synthesis and interpretations of primarily South Asian-inspired religious teachings, geared for a Western, counter-cultural audience. Even Adi Da critic David Lane has written "There are very few spiritual teachers in the 20th century who could be termed religious geniuses. Da Free John is one of them. Since the beginning of his formal ministry in 1972 in southern California, Da Free John has produced a body of work which is unparalleled amongst new religious thinkers for its radical insight, comparative depth, and force of expression. He has won wide critical acclaim for his writings, eliciting praises from sociologists, psychologists, and theologians."[22]

Adi Da's Cosmology and explication of other religions in the context of human spiritual/divine potential

In Adi Da's cosmology the entire manifest universe arises within and ultimately "as" a single "Bright" Consciousness, which may effectively be called "God". Even every apparently separate being, while feeling itself conscious as itself, is only the single Divine Consciousness, paradoxically identifying itself with and as an isolated local "being" with (and as) a "point-of-view". Though often asked, Adi Da claimed that this paradox of the arising of apparent separate existence within the one Divine is not explicable in human terms, beyond the declaration that humans are "doing" "unenlightenment" (presumably unconsciously).

Central to Adi Da's teachings regarding the unenlightened human state is a comprehensive outline of the potential process of human spiritual development as it may proceed through six stages but culminating in a transcendent "seventh-stage" realization. Although one may proceed through all six stages to the seventh, the process of realization is not evolutionary (hence the use of the word "stages" can be misleading), and need not proceed in this manner (for example, the fifth stage may not occur in some cases).

Adi Da's detailed explanation of the seven stages offers penetrating explanations of, and even explications of the apparent historical differences in the level of spiritual advancement of the great figures of other religious traditions. Thus Adi Da did not merely "disagree" with other traditions, but offered detailed explications of their mutual differences and their differences from Adidam. Much of Adi Da's writings on the fifth and sixth stages in particular venture deeply into complex and esoteric "high dharma" of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, but than also assert a more profound reality beyond that described in those traditions.

With respect to this metaphysical system of seven "stages", Adi Da claims that the historical Buddha and Ramana Maharshi were "sixth stage" realizers and that Jesus and (more recently) Swami "Baba" Muktananda were "fifth stage" realizers. On occasion he suggested by his terminology that those who had been traditionally referred to as "sages" corresponded to at least a sixth stage of realization while "saints" corresponded to the lesser fourth-to-fifth stages. In this context, Adi Da referred to Jesus as a great "Saint".

Adi Da's "Testimonial" about Himself

However, and most controversially, Adi Da also claims that no humans had ever attained full "seventh-stage" realization until his birth as an already fully "realized" being. This claim, and the above claims of relatively incomplete realization of the most famous traditional religious figures have triggered much of the controversial response to Adi Da.

It is occasionally presumed that Adi Da declared himself to have "achieved ... the highest level of universal consciousness" (to quote an earlier version of this article). However, Adi Da's claim is more subtle, paradoxical, and controversial than this. More accurately, Adi Da has claimed or "testified" that in his essential form, he is not an "incarnated human" having "achieved" a realized state, but rather the force and presence of the Divine Itself having moved, for the first time in history, into a human incarnation--or what is traditionally referred to as the highest form of "Avataric" birth.

Then, as what appeared as an outwardly human being, Adi Da claims to have intentionally "forgotten" his prior nature at the age of two, in order to trace a path of "human realization" that would serve as a would-be trail for others to follow. In this process, Adi Da's biography parallels those of many intent "spiritual seekers", including his personal foray into the Hindu guru tradition.

Adidam as a Guru-devotee method of spiritual practice with Adi Da as the Guru

Adi Da's proposed method of spiritual realization is perhaps best understood with respect to the traditions of "transmission gurus", which are most commonly recognized in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism but which increasingly appear to have thrived secretly in the "esoteric" sects of other middle-eastern and western religious traditions:

In these guru traditions, the guru or "spiritual master" is able to directly empower and accelerate the spiritual development of the devotee over time through the force of their spiritual radiance, literally en-light-ening the devotee. For this process to be effective, the devotee must however be powerfully attuned and attentive to the guru, a disposition which most naturally arises through a loving "devotional" response on the part of the devotee. Adi Da has referenced the process of the sympathetic vibration of one tuning fork in response to another identical vibrating tuning fork to describe the devotee-guru process.

Thus, practitioners of Adidam are literal devotees of Adi Da himself, as the "Divine Guru". However, Adidam is unique in so far as Adi Da claims to be the only human to have manifested complete realization and to have incarnated as already realized and "Divine". In this sense, Adi Da claims to be both the method of realization--as a "guru"--and end-point or realization itself--as the all-pervading Diving Conscious Light.


An introduction on the Adidam website states: "While there have been many saints and sages in human history, the ancient traditions of humankind foretell a final Revelation, a God-Man promised for the "late-time" who will perfectly fulfill the deepest longings of the human heart. Adidam is established on the recognition that this all-surpassing Event has occurred. Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj is the Divine Being of Grace and Truth Who authenticates the ancient intuitions." [23] The religious practice of Adidam is primarily devotional in nature, modeled on Indian bhakti yoga.

Adi Da himself wrote that "I (Alone) Am the Avatarically Self-Manifested Divine Self-Revelation of the seventh stage of life...I Am the First and the Last seventh stage Adept to Appear in the human domain (and in the Cosmic Domain of all and All). It is neither possible nor necessary for another seventh stage Adept To Appear anywhere." [24] According to Adidam, for the rest of humanity it is solely through faith and devotion in Adi Da and this attainment that the end of human craving, hence suffering, can be achieved. [25]

While based in Fiji, there are a number of Adidam communities and practice centers around the world[26] In a 1999 news article they claimed 1,800 members worldwide [27]

Art

In the last decade of his life, Adi Da produced visual art which he labeled "Transcendental Realism". These works were primarily photographic and digitally-based. In 2007, Adi Da's art appeared in an independently sponsored exhibition collateral to the 52nd Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy. [28] Adi Da's artwork was curated by Italian art critic and former Biennale director, Achille Bonito Oliva.

American art historian, Donald Kuspit, wrote the introduction to a book of Adi Da's art titled "The Spectra Suites" published by Welcome Books of New York City. [29]

Controversies

In 1985, Adi Da and his movement were sued by a former member for (among other things) fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, and assault and battery; the suit sought $5 million in damages.[8] Adidam then filed its own suit naming the former member and five others for abuse of process, extortion, breach of fiduciary duty and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit further charged that the six former members tried to deprive the movement of its "constitutionally protected rights to freedom of religion". Adidam sought $20 million in damages. [9]

Around the time of these lawsuits, Adi Da and Adidam (then known as Da Free John and The Johannine Daist Communion) were subjects of a report on The Today Show.[30] There, and in other media reports, ex-members were quoted as saying that Adi Da exhibited a pattern of psychologically, sexually and physically abusive behavior.

Adidam charged that these public allegations were part of a conspiracy to extort large sums of money from the movement. [9] Adidam said that the former members, (some of whom appeared on the Today show report)[30] "met several times to discuss, conspire and scheme to obtain extraordinary sums of money from Adidam under the threat of destroying the church".[9] Adidam stated that before the media campaign had occured they had received a letter from the former members demanding $5.2 million dollars. In the letter the former members said if their demands were not met, they might undertake to destroy the movement.[9]

Local media also reported that an Adidam spokesman disclosed that despite previous denials, controversial sexual practices involving the guru had continued after 1976 but had been hidden from some members and the general public. [31] An Adidam official said that no illegal acts took place and the movement had a right to continue experiments in lifestyles. [32]

In 2005, the Washington Post reported: '"The lawsuits and threatened suits that dogged the group in the mid-1980s were settled with payments and confidentiality agreements", says a California lawyer, Ford Greene, who handled three such cases.'[7]

In an endorsement for the Adi Da book "The Dawn Horse Testament," best-selling author and theorist Ken Wilber wrote "This is not merely my personal opinion; this is a perfectly obvious fact, available to anyone of intelligence, sensitivity, and integrity: [this book] is the most ecstatic, most profound, most complete, most radical, and most comprehensive single spiritual text ever to be penned and confessed by the Human Transcendental Spirit."[33] He went on to recommend Adi Da as a spiritual teacher to those interested in his own writings.

As controversy around Adi Da increased, Wilber qualified his endorsement of Adi Da in a statement on his publisher's website, stating "Da is capable of some truly exquisite insights, but in other areas, he has fared less well, and this has increasingly verged on the catastrophic."[34]

He then seemed to reverse this qualification in a private letter sent to the Adidam community in 1998, but later leaked online: "Many people have made their way to Master Da because of my own writings. I am completely happy about that...I do not regret those endorsements, nor do I retract them...I affirm my own love and devotion to [Adi Da], and I hope my work will continue to bring students to [Adidam]."[35]

Wilber then wrote a final statement, again on his publisher's website, where he attempted to explain his contradictory remarks: "I affirm all of the extremes of my statements about Da: he is one of the greatest spiritual Realizers of all time, in my opinion, and yet other aspects of his personality lag far behind those extraordinary heights. By all means look to him for utterly profound revelations, unequaled in many ways; yet step into his community at your own risk."[36]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Spiritual leader passes on", Fiji Times Online, Friday, November 28, 2008
  2. ^ Adidam home page
  3. ^ Samraj, Adi Da The Spectra Suites (2007) p. 17. New York: Welcome Books, ISBN 978-1-59962-031-2
  4. ^ Lewis, 2001, p. 215
  5. ^ Lewis, 2001, p.217
  6. ^ http://www.dabase.org/donwebley.htm
  7. ^ a b "Deep Throat's Daughter, The Kindred Free Spirit".
  8. ^ a b Butler, Katy. "Sex Slave Sues Guru: Pacific Isle Orgies Charged in San Francisco Chronicle, April 4, 1985. [1]
  9. ^ a b c d e Colin, Molly. "Da Free John Sect Sues 6 Ex-Members On Extortion Charge" in The Mill Valley Record, April 17, 1985. [2]
  10. ^ The Knee Of Listening, Dawn Horse Press, 2004
  11. ^ Jones, Franklin Albert, The Knee of Listening, (1972) Pg. 84 CSA Press, GA. ISBN 0-87707-093-8 [3]
  12. ^ The Knee of Listening: The Early-Life Ordeal and the Radical Spiritual Realization of the Divine World-Teacher, Adi Da (The Da Avatar). New Standard Edition, popular format: 9/95). ISBN 1-57097-023-8
  13. ^ http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/muktananda/muktananaletter.html
  14. ^ http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/muktananda/letter400.gif
  15. ^ Jones, Franklin Albert, The Knee of Listening, (1972)
  16. ^ Lewis, 2001, pg. 215
  17. ^ Feuerstein, Remembrance Of The Divine Names of Da, 1982
  18. ^ Lewis, 2001, pg. 217
  19. ^ see http://www.dawnhorsepress.com/books.aspx
  20. ^ Feuerstein, 2006, p. 169
  21. ^ Spiritual leader passes on, Fiji Times Online, Friday, November 28, 2008
  22. ^ http://www.geocities.com/eckcult/cultexpose/dafree.html
  23. ^ http://www.adidam.tv/promised-god-man.html
  24. ^ Adi Da Samraj, Aham Da Asmi (Beloved, I Am Da)
  25. ^ http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/adi_das_gurus.htm
  26. ^ The Adidam Global Community of Websites
  27. ^ Gourley, Scott and Edmiston, Rosemary Adidam Comes to the North Coast January 14th, 1999, North Coast Journal. Humboldt County, California
  28. ^ La Biennale di Venezia, Art, 52nd exhibition, [4]
  29. ^ Welcome Books, Publishers of Fine Illustrated Books [5]
  30. ^ a b Transcript of NBC Today Show report on Da Free John, Transcript by Steve Hassan, 2000; retrieved November 2, 2006.
  31. ^ Butler, Katy. "Sex Practices Did Not Cease, Marin Cult Officials Admit" in The San Francisco Chronicle, April 9, 1985. [6]
  32. ^ Seidman, Peter. "Sexual Experiments Continued after '76, JDC Officials Admit" in The Mill Valley Record, April 10, 1985. [7]
  33. ^ http://www.adidawilber.com/dawn_horse_testament_review/index.html
  34. ^ http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida.cfm/
  35. ^ http://www.adidawilber.com/letter_to_adidam_community/index.html
  36. ^ http://wilber.shambhala.com/html/misc/adida_update.cfm/

References

  • Georg Feuerstein, Holy Madness: The Shock Tactics and Radical Teachings of Crazy-Wise Adepts, Holy Fools, and Rascal Gurus, Paragon House, 1991, ISBN 1-55778-250-4; Hohm Press; Rev & Expand edition Holy Madness: Spirituality, Crazy-Wise Teachers, And Enlightenment, (June 15, 2006) ISBN 1-890772-54-2
  • James R. Lewis, Odd Gods: New Religions and the Cult Controversy Book, Premetheus Books, February 2001, 435 pgs. ISBN 1573928429

External links

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