Chris Tong,
Ph.D.
Avatar Adi Da Samraj at work writing in Picture
Perfect Art Studio, 2006
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Abstract: To rightly understand Adi Da's Teaching Word (from
1970 through 2008), we must know exactly when He wrote or spoke
it, and the context in which He wrote or spoke it. And to pin down
that context, it is useful to evaluate the talk or essay or passage
along seven different dimensions, which are presented and described
in this article. Many of these dimensions identify specific long-term processes that occurred
between 1970 and 2008 (for example, Adi Da's unfolding seventh-stage process, which passed through the stages of Divine Transfiguration, Divine
Transformation, Divine Indifference, and Divine Translation). These processes largely account for the
changes in Adi Da's communications over time, and understanding these processes enables readers
to rightly interpret such changes.
Versions of Adi Da's Teaching from many different periods of His work
with devotees are easily accessible on the Web these days. Without an in-depth familiarity with the processes mentioned above, the newcomer
to Adi Da's Teaching-Word can all too easily be confused by differences in Adi Da's communication over time, and can
come up with "explanations" that bear no resemblance to the actual processes and factors that led to the differences. Hence, this article — which is largely a response to the many questions we receive
of the form, "Adi Da said X in the 1970's and then Y in the 1990's and the two communications seem inconsistent; can you reconcile them for me?".
This article is also a response to misunderstandings we receive
such as "I preferred 'Bubba Free John' of the 1970's to 'Adi Da' of the 1990's and later!" Someone with a fuller understanding of the entirety
of Adi Da's life, work, and purpose has a great appreciation (that only grows with time) of every phase of His life and work. Such a person knows exactly why and how "Bubba Free John" of the 1970's gave way
to "Adi Da" of the 1990's and later — and why that is to the great benefit of us all!
This article is aimed at serving that fuller understanding in all who read Adi Da's Teaching.
Sections in this article:
- Motivation for this article
- Exegesis: what it is and why
it is useful in Adidam
- Exegesis as means for right
interpretation of Adi Da's communications over time
- Seven dimensions for exegesis
of the texts of Adidam
- Dimension 1: Where Adi Da
was in His seventh-stage process
- Dimension 2: Adi Da's understanding
of His own life, work, and Agency
- Perfect Dis-Entanglement:
Adi Da's multi-decade process of understanding and embracing His
Avataric Divine Work and Its uniqueness
-
- How Adi
Da's understanding of the Vedanta Temple events changed over time
- Adi Da as Divine
Incarnation: not omniscient, but the most extraordinary learner
- How Adi Da's understanding
of Ramana Maharshi's Realization changed over time
- "Seventh
stage Adept" as a one-time occurrence in the history of the
universe
- Ramana Maharshi: One further consideration
- Dimension 3: The Force of
the Divine versus the force of egoity
- Dimension 4: The maturity
of the Adidam culture
- Dimension 5: Temporary (or
partial) viewpoint vs. conclusive "summary statement"
- Dimension
6: Which "voice" Adi Da was using when He spoke or wrote
- Dimension
7: Adi Da's use of special terminology
- The 80/20 rule as a goal
for a good framework
- Summary
This article appears in
Questions
about Adi Da and Adidam and
The
Books of Adidam
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