Wall Protocol
प्राकार शिष्ठाचारः
Chapter 22
280 ¶At this time in our yuga, the dark cloud in the distance is easily seen, and it is more and more difficult to quell the avaricious forces of the animal nerve system and cleave to our culture. The population surrounding the monasteries begins to give way to mating out of their season, thus producing no offspring but simply tantalizing and strengthening the animal nerve system. A new culture is developing, and some of our wisest and most refined of gurus are separated from us by the great condensation of our atmosphere into impenetrable masses covering the land and separating us from them. Still others have been separated by this change on the surface of the Earth of condensed atmospheric liquid, and these are groups in which there are no gurus or Śaivite monastics, and we are sure that they may forget the culture and the systems as the Kali Yuga persists. It will be difficult then for our gurus to reach them, even through incarnating into their midst. They may not be recognized. §
Monastic Dharma and Destiny§
281 ¶When one becomes a monastic, he has arrived at his destination for this life. His perspective, his place, his life’s work and the pattern for performing it are all set. The bones of his body become the chakram through which the darshan passes. And if he looks at the world but for short periods of time through the animal pulsations of his outer nerve system, his darshan turns to fire and heat within his body. This is closely watched by the senior minority group. And if this was found to be happening, stern tapas persisted. For each had to be a pure tube through which this darshan could flow. This was the only way, our Deity informed us, that the vibration could exist on the planet through the Kali Yuga and be picked up again by others as the Sat Śiva Yuga becomes the dawn again. §
Portending Through Dreams§
282 ¶A lot of dependence was placed upon dreams, remembered when awake, of a God or a guru, a deva or a genie, and these were sent to the senior minority group—by anyone in the monastery—to be reviewed. If the dream was valid in nature, someone within the senior minority group would have had the same or a similar dream. Occasionally, if this occurred, the monastic who had the dream would be invited to tell of it to the senior group. In this way some of the prophecies in future events of our changing times came about. If a dream was had and confirmed by the senior minority group, predicting a new innovation, the guru was told, and his nod of approval would allow it to become part of the monastic flow. As we get closer and closer into the vibration of the Kali Yuga, we will have to depend more and more on this method, it is predicted. §
While monastics seeking entrance into a new monastery sat by the gate or wall begging admittance from the devonic guards and other inner devas, they were given useful things to do.§
Activities of Those Sitting By the Wall§
283 ¶While monastics seeking entrance into a new monastery sat by the gate or wall begging admittance from the devonic guards and other inner devas, they were given useful things to do—such as working on the lands, gathering fruits, herbs—and various other kinds of preparatory studies to make their life more productive once they had entered the monastery. And, of course, after they had received a philosophical examination and review of their personal monastic life and conduct, they would be well prepared to assume the duties that they had been adjusted to before entering. §
The Varied Nature of Our Walls§
284 ¶Occasionally, under the guru’s direction, monastics would be kept by the wall for long, lengthy periods of time and then be sent to another monastery to seek entrance there. This denial of entrance in each monastery they pilgrimaged to after performing tapas by the wall discharged instinctive-intellectual patterns that had accrued through the centuries. The walls of the different monasteries became known for certain specific functions. The devas that guarded them and the others who worked behind them to adjust new monastics learned to perform well, and monastics having specific kinds of needs were, therefore, sent to sit before the wall of the monastery that would adjust them best as they endeavored to adjust to the monastery. §
Respect, Hospitality, Scrutiny§
285 ¶The senior group was delighted when a greater soul than themselves entered the monastery, one who was more philosophically astute, more precise in his monastic conduct in the fulfillment of the Śaivite śāstras. With him they rejoiced, as they felt that his presence was a reward of all of their efforts, as they knew through his example he would upgrade the entire monastery. Each day, a few of the monastics, other than those on the senior minority group, who always kept unattached and apart from the monastics sitting by the wall seeking entrance, would go and visit with them, feeling that one or another might be a great deva, a God or one of the Śaivite gurus. Those by the wall were treated extremely well, therefore, and told how their presence would enhance the monastery, what a lovely place it was to be in. They would tell the newcomer of the history of it and what it currently was doing. This function of hospitality and encouragement the two-thirds majority would perform while the one-third minority, the senior minority group, would assume the opposite point of view, holding themselves apart from guests and newcomers, with the exception of the Hanumān. And when the philosophical examination occurred, they would let the monastic begging entrance know how strict and precise this monastery was, and that a lot of effort and sādhana was expected from each monastic. §
Young Sādhakas by The Wall§
286 ¶Surrounding each of our monasteries there are, of course, sādhakas—sent by family men who had trained them for entrance—begging admittance for the first time into the monastery. They were kept by the wall for long periods of time before being admitted. Each moon they were given a philosophical examination and a close look at their deportment and conduct and fulfilling of the śāstras in their own life. Occasionally some were sent back to the family who had trained them, for additional acquisition of accomplishments in certain areas. During this time, they were always encouraged and shown great love and kindness, for it was important that the monasteries gain new sādhakas in order for our culture to persist. But this effort to increase our population and begin new monasteries did not in any way lower our standards. §
The Power of Philosophical Discussion§
287 ¶Each one of us is categorized in the minds of all by how well he knows the philosophy of the three worlds. This was our one great skill, for when we had the opportunity to speak with the elders of the community through the holes in our walls, it was this philosophy that sustained the population. Therefore, the philosophical points were hairsplitting in nature, intricate in concept, and we delved into areas such as “how much energy would it take to look at an animal or smell a flower.” Philosophical discussions would not end till they evoked a darshan so strong that we could not speak. §
Once accepted into the monastery he was not expected to leave it at night during sleep and go scouting out to the community at large, participating in activities and enjoyments that he had renounced to be in the monastery.§
Observing Deportment During Sleep §
288 ¶The senior minority group had another power bestowed to them by the Deity and devas when they performed this function. They were able to follow a monastic seeking entrance into the monastery on the inner planes of the Second World at night while he slept. The monastic would generally know this and watch closely during his sleep as to the nature of his destination, for once accepted into the monastery he was not expected to leave it at night during sleep and go scouting out to the community at large, participating in activities and enjoyments that he had renounced to be in the monastery. This would deteriorate the power of the entire monastery if allowed to occur. Rather, he was expected to pursue inner study in the spiritual areas of the Second World and the Third during sleep. So, therefore, prior to entrance, he was carefully watched by the senior minority group, and they shared among themselves, during their meeting, any dreams or visions they had of him. In exercising this power of following him during his sleep before they entered him into their midst, the unanimous nod of approval always persisted, indicating that even during sleep he would be an asset to the monastery. §
Stringent Criteria for Acceptance §
289 ¶It was on occasion—when a newcomer seeking entrance did not readily become accepted because of his failure to be able to adjust to the deep inner flow, participate in it in the monastery he was begging to enter—that, after many interviews and philosophical examinations and review of personal conduct, the Umāgaṇeśa had no choice but to suggest to the guru he be asked to seek entrance into another monastery that perhaps wasn’t quite as strict. This monastery was carefully chosen for him, and because of the training he had just received by the wall, he more than often was accepted within a short time and enhanced this new monastery by his presence. Our monasteries are located within a day’s journey, one from another, and each one has a facility for a pilgrim traveling to a far-off monastery to spend the night. It was the family educators of young monastics who were always appreciative of high and difficult standards arrived at by individual monasteries, and they would tell young potential sādhakas studying with them in their homes of the difficulties in entering one or another of them and the reasons why. This became a part of their training and is a part of our culture. These high standards which set certain monasteries apart from others strengthen Śaivism on this planet. §
The Tapas Of not Being Admitted§
290 ¶It was on occasion that a fine potential sādhaka was not admitted into any monastery for a number of years, but always left to keep trying. Part of his training occurred in this way. This persisted till his entire vibration was as a senior monastic and he was difficult then not to admit. The guru would tell each of the senior groups that this was occurring and, because of one reason or another, a particular disciple was to be kept outside the walls and not entered while in the vibration of a beginning soul, but only when he attained the vibration of a senior monastic. This particular tapas, given only to a few, each of our Śaivite gurus used. This kept the wall actively strong, a great psychic barrier to all kinds of intrusions. Also, in each Śaivite monastery there were always five or ten percent of the monastics who were in yellow, for our śāstras say yellow and white should always occur. White alone can persist alone until yellow is seen, and orange. Yellow, white and orange should occur, never orange and white alone, as this would form two groups too drastically different in their discipline. The senior minority group observed this closely, so some were always in the tapas of yellow. §
Visitors Not Seeking Admittance§
291 ¶Visitors occasionally come who are not seeking admittance. These are family men who teach, as well as monastics passing through. They occasionally are invited to sit with the senior minority group, or just the Umāgaṇeśa, Hanumān and Umādeva, to share their message. It was depending upon their particular mission that this would occur. After the interview, they were invited to stay a short time, and then they would go on. The senior minority group was not formal with visitors, nor did they hold themselves apart from them, for they were not seeking admittance by the wall. §
Hanumān’s Supervision Of the Wall §
292 ¶During my life as a Śaivite monastic, occasionally I have been the Hanumān and supervised the comings and goings outside the wall. If forty or fifty were meditating at our wall, they would be living there for long periods of time, just waiting to meet with someone from inside the monastery. This is part of our culture. Some of these monastics patiently waiting have possibly come from the senior minority group of another monastery. I would generally get to know the ones with the most light on their face and depth of humility first and recommend to the senior minority group that they be considered. To these few I would talk and suggest they begin in earnest acquainting themselves with monastic procedures that we adhere to. Secretly they would be separated from the others into small training groups, and assistance given them to enable them to blend into our community. As the senior minority group was chosen as the one-third most senior who had actually been admitted free access into the monastery—so to them there was no wall—the comings and goings outside the wall, the monastics seeking admittance and guests and passersby were left for me to observe. It was the Hanumān, therefore, and the young brāhmins who functioned together as a similar kind of senior group in the devasthānam, and we met to sit and hold the emotional and spiritual vibrations within the devasthānam and supervise the comings and goings of all who lived there.§