(eNNews/entvutube) WARNING: Seductive message told through synthetically white teeth: "Don't judge me, and don't clutch."
Wisdom Quarterly's "Ask a Brahmin" resource scans the Indian media. He came upon scandalous Hindi-only reports of Nithyananda's gay sex abuse of a subordinate American employee.He has not been in jail from the last set of scandals to rock the headlines and disrupt his international empire. The question is, Is he a spiritual fraud, a fake?
No. He has certainly become a fake, but was he always one? There is a more likely explanation: he attained states of concentration (samadhi) and wielded residual psychic abilities for a time, just like Sathya Sai Baba (whom we are assured by at least one devoted Buddhist is still wielding them from beyond). See commentary below.
For anyone who may think this story is beating a dead
Guru's gay relations with American man
Translated from "In-glish" and expanded by Wisdom Quarterly
BENGALURU, India - The Daily Bhaskar reports that the CID (Crime Investigation Department) has filed formal charges against self-proclaimed "godman" Swami Nithyananda in a Ramnagaram court.
He is a young rising New Age star (shown at left in monastic orange) in the US. He sells bliss via his "Unclutching Technique," claims healing powers, and even offers "enlightenment" for sale.
The CID claims that in addition to two women, Nithyananda also had sexual relations with a male foreigner. He was famously videotaped violating his celibacy vows with a famous actress, which scandalized conservative/oppressive India while titillating US fans with his taste and prowess. The pseudo-swami has a large ashram and Hindu University in Montclair, California.
The American was in Karnataka's Bidadi Ashram. Nithyananda had "unnatural sexual intercourse" with the man across many cities in the US. It is unclear whether it was consensual, a harassing abuse of power, or a relationship.
The charges allege that there is evidence that Nithyananda was embroiled in unnatural sex acts [ssodomy]. Accordingly, the identity of the male foreigner has been kept a secret.
[Rumors suggest it is his first-in-charge in American enterprises, which suggests that it was not consensual and welcome. It is likely to have been, one might speculate, the swami using his charm, so effective with women, on a male employee.]
[Rumors suggest it is his first-in-charge in American enterprises, which suggests that it was not consensual and welcome. It is likely to have been, one might speculate, the swami using his charm, so effective with women, on a male employee.]
The CID interrogated the man and taped the conversations, which will be produced as evidence before the court. According to sources, this is the first time in the Nithyananda scandal that a male disciple has come forward to levy charges against the godman.
The complainant, who is in the US currently, alleges that Swami sodomized... More
- Deccan Herald: CID files additional charges against Nithyananda
- DNA Daily News & Analysis: CID gets proof to nail Swami Nithyananda
- ZEENEWS.com: Additional charges against Nithyananda filed
- Hindustan Times (Karnataka): Additional charges against Nithyananda filed in another case
COMMENTARY
Wisdom QuarterlyWisdom Quarterly's "Ask a Brahmin" resource scans the Indian media. He came upon scandalous Hindi-only reports of Nithyananda's gay sex abuse of a subordinate American employee. He is a personal acquaintance, and editors have also met Paramahansa Nithyananda numerous times.
He is an engaging speaker who must either have very good ghostwriters or a natural talent for weaving together words, but we have never sensed the magic he claims to possess. One could think he is a scam from the moment one looks at him, but it would be hard to explain the slavishness of his middle aged American female devotees.
While most would have thought the guru in jail or in hiding after his last sex scandal rocked the headlines and disrupted his international empire, money seems to have made those charges go away. Now comes this bombshell.
Not a spiritual fraud?
The question is, Is he a spiritual fraud? No, a more likely explanation is that he attained states of concentration (samadhi) and wielded residual abilities.They awaken our own "super" human abilities, our natural birthrights found in lore around the world, and was corrupted by it. The meditative absorptions suppress the defilements. They do not eradicate them.
Those taints soon surge up again in the absence of constant practice.
This is why the Buddha did not advocate use of psychic powers (abhinnas, siddhis) for gain, why he did not prompt his disciples to display them, and why he never recommended anyone to be content with them.
Beyond right concentration (samma samadhi) there is right mindfulness (samma sati). Mindfulness of what? Mindfulness in four parts as detailed in the Maha-sati-patthana Sutra (DN 22).
