ILS Presentation Sri dhama Mayapur 2016

ILS Presentation “How can we better nurture and embed Krishna Conscious Virtues within ISKCON?”

Aims “To help us appreciate the importance of giving more attention to morality, especially as leaders.” To encourage consideration of Vaishnava ethics and links to Western approaches (especially neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics). To explore ideas for application, as linked to: (a) looking inwards (b) looking outwards.

Quote “Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him [Suka], the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyäsadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience.”

Proposals 1. Values take prominence in the Krishna conscious educational process.

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Our values and attitudes are nurtured significantly by societal issues and interactions, especially as linked to leadership.

Quote “What he most dislikes…is that [the herd mentality] arose not through affirmation of their own way of life…but through the negation of someone else’s” Craig, E. (2002). ‘Philosophy: a very short introduction’. Oxford, OUP. (pages 96-97)

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Administrative leaders need to provide protection and support rather than just giving spiritual advice.

Quote “You are always the protector of the deserving living beings, such as brahmanas, children, cows, women and the diseased. Could you not give them protection when they approaches you for shelter?” SB 1.14.41 “It is the duty of the responsible king to protect the social and spiritual orders to human society .” SB 3.21.52-54 pur

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders are responsible for all values prevalent in their project/organisation

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders responsible for social climate 5. Standards should focus on values/virtues, more than ‘doctrine’ and ‘practice’.

Vaishnavism and Virtues 1. The SM is glorified for his virtues 2. The Gita is response to a moral dilemma 3. The notion of dharma (and VAD) 4. The need to come to sattva 5. Other references (read)

Quote “O King Yudhiñöhira, these thirty qualifications must be acquired in the human form of life. Simply by acquiring these qualifications, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” SB 7.11.12

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders responsible for social climate 5. Standards should focus on values/virtues. 6. Devotees should not consider themselves transcendental to morality.

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders responsible for social climate 5. Standards should focus on values/virtues. 6. Devotees should not transcend morality 7. Bhakti is the pinnacle of morality

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders responsible for social climate 5. Standards should focus on values/virtues. 6. Devotees should not transcend morality 7. Bhakti is the pinnacle of morality 8. The highest virtue is ‘love’ (differentiated from lust) directed to Krishna and devotees

Proposals 1. Values predominate in KC education 2. Values nurtured by social climate/ethos. 3. Admin. leaders must protection materially 4. Leaders responsible for social climate 5. Standards should focus on values/virtues. 6. Devotees should not transcend morality 7. Bhakti is the pinnacle of morality 8. The highest virtue is ‘love’ (prema).

Application 1 Think in terms of values and virtues Implement Strategic Planning Write a “Vision, Mission and Values Statement” (personal and organizational)

Application 1 Think in terms of values and virtues Implement Strategic Planning Write a “Vision, Mission and Values Statement” (personal and organizational) Assist with implementing varnashrama Consider the roles and virtues of the Kshatriya (e.g. nobility) – are these not better than financial expedience and the desire to maintain a taskforce (however transcendental)?

Application 2 Pay attention to (a) What you measure (and pay attention to) (b) To what you allocate resources (c) What you teach and role-model (d) The criteria by which you award rewards and status (and what you punish) (e) Criteria by which you recruit, select, promote, retire, and excommunicate members.

Final Questions By neglecting caring (as it begins with our mothers and their children) are we not knocking away the very foundations of our morality, and our spiritual life? What can we (on behalf of Srila Prabhupada) offer, authentically, to the outside world in terms of ethics and morality?