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48
Monks 'Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
49
Acharya Vinay, "I have other urgent meetings and you have to disperse now. I have told you the procedure to be followed as every system has its limitations."
son Deepak is feeling guilty very strongly that he is responsible to force us in monkhood and he considers it as a sin committed by him for his own selfishness and to atone for it he wants us to revert back to the life of householders. He is prepared to pay back all the money with interest bartered for our monkhood."
Deepti interrupted and said, "My humble submission is that you may kindly also reflect on the circumstances under which you were yourself forced to become a monk and also about your own attitude and action in case you were in the same situation as Deepak is."
Deepti's question benumbed, stupefied, confounded and shocked Acharya Vinay. He closed his eyes, pondered over and after a long silence said, "It is a very intricate matter and needs deep consideration. I shall discuss it in joint council of all the monks of my order and may be with other Acharyas and monks of other orders also. It may take a year or more to sort out and take any final decision."
Deepak bowed and said, "I shall wait for a year but no more."
Deepti, "I may also bring to your kind notice that in case the decision is not in keeping with natural justice it can be challenged in a court of law because it is proven fact that initiations in monkhood are by and large forced as no one understands detachment or renunciation at a tender age of eleven or so. Elders are also forced by the conditions imposed by traditions and customs of communities postulated by the institutions of monks. Deepak may hesitate but I shall challenge any adverse decision in courts of law up to the highest level."
Acharya Vinay was restless and could not get sleep the whole night. The memories of his childhood flashed again and again on his mind. He recollected that his father, a petty trader in a small town Nagaur died when he was just only three years. His mother survived on meagre savings and doing miscellaneous works, preparing papad etc. She was then young and being harassed by rogue anti-social elements she forced herself into monkhood and leaving him in the care of her mother, his grandmother who also went into monkhood after the death of his grandfather. He too was initiated as monk along with her when he was only eleven years old and did not understood anything about renunciation or detachment. He reflected and in his heart agreed with Deepak and Deepti. Yet he was in a great predicament and could not decide as to how to proceed in the matter. After pondering for long he decided to call a broad-based conference of all the heads of different orders of monks along with intellectuals, educationists, sociologists, lawyers, presidents of all different sects of communities and also eminent politicians.
Deepak for most of the time was with his father and mother, arguing and persuading them to revert back as householders. Deepti for whole two days till their scheduled departure time was busy collecting antecedents of both male and female monks, persuading them to spell out the circumstances under which they were forced into monkhood. She was with Shree, elder sister of Deepak, now Shradha
