|
|
|
|
|
It seems a common tendency among modern-day gurus, such as Da Free John (Adi Da), Meher
Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, Mataji, and many others, all claim to be avatars, or even in some cases the supreme avatar, of this age, and are each considered the avatar of this age by their respective devotees
(how many avatars of this age can there be???). See also Wikipedia for a 
List of people who have been considered avatars. And while not quite going that far, Swamiji Krishna, who I saw many years ago, claimed to be the sadguru or jagadguru (world-teacher) of this age. Most of these avatar and jagadguru claimants teach the way of Devotion centered on their personality to their followers.
Da is an interesting example of an avatar claimant who did not originally claim to be the one and only avatar of all times, but simply an enlightened being. In his earlier
books, like the The Knee of Listening, The Enlightenment of the
Whole Body, and even The Dawn Horse Testament, he presents himself,
quite reasonably and persuasively, as an adept - an adept enlightened even
from birth, but not as the sole representative of God(hood) on Earth in
this era. His claims then became increasingly grandiose; he started saying he was the Kalki avatar, the avatar prophesised in Hindu
mythology. I originally thought this was crap his stupid followers
were putting on him. As stupid humans have done to so many spiritual
teachers since time immemorable. But then it transpired that, no,
he himself genuinely believes he is the Avatar of this age, and more than that, more recently that he is the only avatar of any age, and teaches his followers to consider him as such. This progressive inflation in which there is genuine transcendent experience, and yet at the same time later statements of self-aggrandisement contradict earlier ones, seems more indicative of intermediate zone ensnarement. A similar progressive narcissism is evident in integral philosopher Ken Wilber's later pronouncements, in contrast to his earlier position (see 
Sorry, it's just over your head: Wilber's repsonse to recent criticism, by Jim Chamberlain. )
In the case of Meher Baba there is a similar claim of exclusiveness. Meher Baba says in former incarnations he was Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad, and so on. Likewise Sathya Sai Baba said he was Krishna who had come again (I think Meher Baba also says he was Krishna), as well as the one who sent Jesus, hence his statement, often cited by Sai Baba devotees that Jesus said "he who sent me will come again". Re this latter, when I first heard it I thought it was actually in the Bible but no it isn't, but it is quoted by SSB devotees as if it is.
There is the problem among of how to reconcile the claims of avatarhood of the guru or master with their human qualities, especially when they are young. The idea seems universally to be that these beings are born avataric but have a sort of veil that conceils the divine quality at first. Then there is usually some sort of touch or awakening.
According to his followers, Meher Baba was an avatar whose human characteristics wree a mere veil until his divinity was unveiled by being kissed on the forehead by Hazrat Babajan.
Similar claims of avataric awakening have been made by other gurus that, unlike Meher Baba, have been shown to be abusive. Sathya Sai Baba supposedly spontaneously realised his avatarhood when he was 12. Before then he was like a normal boy. Da Free John (Adidam) lived a normal life as Franklin Jones, and having attained realisation he never claimed to be an avatar. Afterwards he did (and does) and he and his followers claim he was "born enlightened" but had to go thru the state of normal ignorance before (re)attaining it. This may be based on the Mahayanist position regarding Gautama Buddha - as a bodhisattva he was already enlightened, but had to go through the play of searching for enlightenment etc as a way of teaching by example, a "Skillful Means" (Upaya).
|
(including fake avatars and fake satgurus, and adepts and masters with only partial realisation) |
(true adepts, masters, jivanmuktis, satgurus, and avatars) |
||||
|
(Charisma but no actual experiences; mundane consciousness) |
(Genuine experiences but not yet Enlightenment) |
(Enlightenment but with ego) |
(True Enlightenment) |
(Minor avatar) |
(Divine incarnation) |
|
Mildly Abusive Fully Abusive (Sense of ego is present, but attitude to devotees varies) |
(Completely egoless actions) |
||||
