Kireet Joshi on Auroville self-governance (talk)

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Kireet Joshi on Auroville self-governance

by Kireet Joshi, 2003 (1:07:52)

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A talk given on July 19, 2003

Introduction

Dear sisters and brothers,

I want to devote this session to a study. It's a study because I have a few materials to present to you, but we have to search for conclusions that can be derived, and I myself do not know the conclusions. So it is a real exploration. And this is on a subject which is at present very vital in the minds of residents of Auroville: self-governance.

The word ‘self-governance’ is very dear to residents of Auroville – as it must be. There are in Auroville certain ideas in regard to self-governance which are quite correct; but there are some others which are not so correct. There is at present a mixture of what can be called a ‘true aspiration for self-governance’ with (and this is my view) an ‘egoistic conception of self-governance’. And I think we need to explore how we can arrive at the true conception of self-governance, and how we can go about implementing that correct idea.

The history of self-governance in Auroville

Let me first take you rapidly through the history of self-governance in Auroville. I think it is necessary because we have reached a critical stage in Auroville where a review of the past may help us to move forward to the future, so that we may not commit some of the mistakes that were committed in the past, and our path may be more smooth.

When the Mother declared the Charter of Auroville in 1968, she declared it very clearly: “Auroville does not belong to anybody.” This was the underlying idea for proclaiming true self-governance for Auroville.

Auroville Charter

PDF (1 page)

When she declared: “To live in Auroville, one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness”, she defined what is self-governance, true self-governance, in Auroville. It is soul-governance. It is governance by the Divine. To declare that this Auroville must be governed only by one authority: the authority of the Truth, the authority of the Divine. And that is the true meaning of self-governance.

Now this proposition is completely new in the history of the world. Never was any group, any country, created with this declaration that this land, this whole concept, this experience, is dedicated to the Divine and the Divine alone. So to my mind the real conception of self-governance is: Auroville governed by the Divine's will, in which the Divine is recognized as an authority. And therefore no other authority at all. This is the starting point.

Soon after the development of Auroville, there was a rapid development, right up to 1973. All decisions were taken by the Mother, by the Divine's will. But soon after Mother left her body, a certain phenomenon arose, on account of two important facts. One is the law of the land, that the land and the property of the land has to be owned by somebody. It's a technical fact. This was not germane to Auroville's existence; but practically, you cannot have any land without a proprietor. This is the legacy of the past, you might say, that property must have an owner.

The second fact was that this law (which is not the Divine's law) was complicated by the fact that you can either have a private property, or you can have a collective property, and the collective property can be owned only by a collective body. And this collective body must be in the form of either a public trust, or a registered society, or a corporation. There is no other way by which public property can be held.

As a result, this property which was being bought at that time for Auroville, as an offering to the Divine, so the Divine might take possession of it, and it might belong to the Divine... in 1973 it became clear by various kinds of phenomena which occurred that this land belonged to the Sri Aurobindo Society. The Sri Aurobindo Society was a registered society. And the further complicated fact was that every registered society must have a governing body (must have, by law). And therefore this society had an authority, a governing body. Now these are the important facts to start with.

It all depended upon how we looked at this governing body of society, how it looked upon the property, and how it looked upon the people of Auroville. And here the ambiguity arose. With all goodwill on the part of everybody – everybody did his best – there arose a conflict between a number of people in Auroville and this management of Sri Aurobindo Society. I am narrating this because it is very important to remember: when we speak of ‘self-governance’, what do we mean? How we should go about it, so that we don't again repeat the same mistakes of the past?

When this conflict arose, it became clear to some, or many, that there was some misunderstanding. And that everything was not so clear as was intended in the Charter of Auroville, and the conditions which were laid for existence in Auroville. This assumption became clearer in due course when in the court of law, later on, the Society declared that:

1. Auroville is a project of Sri Aurobindo Society,
2. Sri Aurobindo Society is a religious body, and
3. Auroville is a religious organization.

All the three propositions were, in truth, not valid. And then (it is not necessary to enunciate the whole conflict that went through), ultimately what happened was that the Supreme Court of India had to declare that Sri Aurobindo Society is not a religious body, that the teaching of Sri Aurobindo is not a religion, and that Auroville is not a religious body. And then, the power to govern Auroville in 1982 was given, by the Supreme Court's decision, to the Government of India. And since it came into the hands of the Government of India, the intention was that once goodwill prevails, and the misunderstandings are cleared, the management will go again back to Sri Aurobindo Society – because this takeover was only for a short time.

For seven years, the situation continued in that form. Ultimately it was found that this clarity, this understanding, was not dawning. And the Government of India decided that a method should be found by which the original intention of the Mother is honored by the Government of India, and arrangements should be made so that Auroville can move on the lines that were envisioned for it: the Charter of Auroville, and various directives which were given by the Mother.

What had to be done to effect this decision? The only way by which this could be effected was to create an Act. This was the decision taken by the Government of India. There was no other way to implement these noble ideas and noble intentions of the government except by the creation of a law. And this law was therefore formulated (and as you know, I was very much associated with the formulation of this law, on the side of the Government of India), and this law was enacted in 1988.

The Auroville Foundation Act, 1988

PDF (13 pages)

And there are three important aspects of this law that have to be understood when speaking about self-governance of Auroville, by thinking about it, by implementing it. First of all, this law of the Government of India has made the Charter of Auroville given by the Mother as a part of Indian law. It's a great achievement. Nobody can deny this Charter and can act against this Charter. Nobody.

Secondly – and this is a most important point to be noted – as I said, in India there is no way, or in the world there is no way, of holding a property except through a public Trust, or a Corporation, or a religious Society. So one could have created a ‘Society’, a new Society, but that Society would have its own law, which nobody can abrogate. And that law is that you can have a Society, but you must have a management body. And this management body is supreme. The question of self-governance of people would be out of the question, if Auroville was made again a Society. Therefore it was thought that you should create by law a Foundation. And all the land had to be transferred to that Foundation. This fact is very important to be noted. All the land that was purchased for Auroville, which was legally under the charge of the Sri Aurobindo Society until 1988, was transferred, was taken from that Society and given to this Foundation. So that this Foundation can be so created in a new form – that it would not be in the charge of any governing body, any management committee.

Now this was a bold act on the part of the government for the sake of Auroville. In the sense that to take property from somebody and to give it to another... normally you have to pay for it. But without any payment whatsoever, this entire land was just put into the Foundation. And Sri Aurobindo Society very generously and wisely did not challenge it.

And as a result, from 1988 all the land – it was declared very clearly – did not belong to anybody, except for under the Charter. Nobody can claim it. It can be used only for the purpose of the Charter of Auroville.

There's a third point of this Act which is also to be remembered. This Act, like any other Act, does require a management board, a Governing Board. The question was how to make this Governing Board act in such a way that what is envisaged for Auroville, what we call a ‘Divine governance’ (I don't even call it ‘self-governance’) of Auroville, can become possible. So that all the freedom that you need for making Auroville, – governed by the Divine – becomes possible. And if you read the Act, very clearly you find that this is perfectly possible.

It was so formulated because of a very important point – there's a whole line on this subject, which gives a policy decision to the Parliament of India – it should be ensured that the freedom of people of Auroville is not infringed, and that they are free to develop Auroville according to the Charter of Auroville.

“No regulation made by the Governing Board shall have effect until it has been approved by the Central Government and published in the Official Gazette, and the Central Government, in approving the regulation, may make changes therein which appear to it to be necessary.

33. Rules and regulations to be laid before Parliament.—Every rule or regulation made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each House of Parliament...”

So the only limitation on the freedom of the people of Auroville is that they cannot try to develop Auroville against the Charter of Auroville. Then only there is a limitation. As long as you develop Auroville according to the Charter of Auroville, this freedom has been given. And I must tell you that such a provision does not exist in any institution today. This kind of freedom. And as I have told you, we had taken great care to see that this freedom was not defined in the Act – deliberately. We had avoided putting down that ‘this particular freedom will be exercised by election’. Because the moment we would have put that kind of a clause, then the present democracy would have been clamped on Auroville. And this was completely avoided.

As a result, you have a complete freedom even to shape or determine the governance of Auroville.

You might say that it was a very difficult task for the government to adopt this kind of an act. But I know that by sheer Mother's Grace – I tell you this from my own experience – this was adopted and declared as an Act of India.

A lot of labour has gone into it. And therefore I regard it as a gift. I make this point because very often sometimes I hear, in Auroville and elsewhere, “we want to see that government is completely eliminated from Auroville”. This kind of statement I am hearing, quite often. And with all goodwill, because the idea of self-governance is interpreted egoistically, and not rightly. And for it to be understood rightly is what I would like to explain to you.

You have complete freedom to develop Auroville according to the Charter

Supposing you wanted to make government completely out of the picture. What would you do? Remember: the land would completely go back. You would have no land at all. You would have to buy new lands, if you make anything new, for yourself.

You would have to make a Society. And the Society would have a management committee. It's a law of India – you cannot avoid it! Every Society has a management committee; and it does not guarantee the freedom of the people who become members of the Society. I would like you to understand this aspect very well, before declaring “we would like to be completely out of the government”.

This particular Act has been so designed that even as it is, whatever it is, you have complete freedom to develop Auroville according to the Charter of Auroville. There is nobody who can prevent you. As long as you can say and show that you want nothing but the Charter of Auroville. You have complete freedom.

And how has this been designed? There are three provisions in the Act which say that there will be:

1. a Governing Board,
2. an International Advisory Council, and
3. a Residents' Assembly.
   

And all the three are equal authorities. And what will be the relationship between these three organizations, three bodies? The relationship is that of mutuality. And this word ‘mutuality’ is very important. And when I read some of the passages from Sri Aurobindo, it will become clearer that this word ‘mutuality’ is very important.

The true soul-experience is an experience of mutuality. Egoistic experience is an experience which wants to throw away everybody else, egoistically, as if we have nothing to do with anybody else. Even if you try to do it, it is impossible. In this world, as Sri Aurobindo says, there are always three terms of existence: (1) the individual; (2) the group in which he lives and larger groups; and (3) the largest group, which is humanity as a whole. And nobody can get rid of these three terms. The world cannot get rid of groups and individuals; the individual cannot give up groups or the largest group; and no group can exist without the membership of individuals and the larger groups around. The three are interrelated. There is a spiritual unity of the three: the individual, the group, and the largest group.

Therefore, if we are really spiritually governed, we will see mutuality of the three. It depends on the mutuality of the three and how you develop this mutuality. And Sri Aurobindo says: by no mechanical law can you attain to this mutuality. It is only when you develop true brotherhood, and you exercise true brotherhood, that this mutuality can be experienced and can be realized.

Now this Auroville act has been so enacted that, like it or not, you are bound to develop brotherhood. It's a kind of a gift. This act is of such a nature that you are bound – even if you want to throw away brotherhood – you are bound to have it. It's like a spiritual compulsion. It is laid down that Auroville will be organized by the people of Auroville. Secondly that the freedom of individuals in Auroville, as long as they develop according to the Charter, nobody can infringe it – not even the Governing Board.

The Governing Board of course has the power of control, supervision, to see that everything runs smoothly; and particularly it is bound to promote the ideals of Auroville. This is the primary duty assigned to it: to ensure that the aims of the Charter are fully promoted and implemented.

The Advisory Council – what is the most important function of the Advisory Council? It is to advise, and to make sure that the freedom of the members of Auroville is guaranteed. This is the function of the Advisory Council. If the Governing Board takes any arbitrary action by which the freedom of Auroville is infringed... if you can prove that this action infringes on the freedom of Auroville to promote the Charter of Auroville, it can be knocked down. So you can see the mutuality. The Governing Board has to salute the Residents' Assembly; it has to give assurance to the Advisory Council that its actions are not arbitrary. The Residents' Assembly has to salute to the Governing Board. (Nothing wrong in saluting anybody.) This is the core of mutuality. Saluting each other is the fundamental law of life.

Through egoism, this kind of a salute is very difficult to digest: “why should I salute anybody in the world?” So long as we live in that consciousness, we are not acting according to the Charter of Auroville. The Charter of Auroville says you are to be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness. And the Governing Board is a part of the Divine Consciousness; the Residents' Assembly is a part of the Divine Consciousness; the International Advisory Council is a part of the Divine Consciousness... and more than that. Wherever you turn, the Divine exists, and smiles.

This is the scheme of this Act. But there is a danger. I have told you right from the beginning when I came here, that although arbitrary action can be eliminated, it may mean a struggle. Arbitrary action can be taken – nobody can stop anybody's arbitrary action, in this world. Anybody can act any way he likes; consequences come later on. And therefore I have said right from the beginning: this Act has to be handled in a very delicate matter. I have said: you organize Auroville's internal organization in such a way, you establish harmony in such a way; you avoid quarrels in such a manner, that there is no occasion for the Governing Board to act, except to help you. And to be helped. And this is where we are today.

Decision making and the Divine's Will

Today, we need urgently to prepare a procedure so that people of Auroville can take decisions freely even without the need of a temporary and small intervention of the Governing Board in the future. That such a situation not arise. That the conflict in Auroville not be of such a nature, that quarrels not be of such a nature... because these quarrels are not part of the Auroville Charter. If quarrels exist, they exist in opposition to the Divine Spirit. Of this there is no doubt. And let us therefore create such procedures by which we can have arrival and fulfillment of the Divine Spirit.

Now many people say, “We are not ready for the Divine's Will. We are still very ordinary.” My answer is: this is a very superficial understanding of Auroville. I have seen hundreds of people in Auroville totally dedicated to the Divine Consciousness. I have seen, myself. And I can tell you truly – even this morning, I had a meeting with young people, and they all have given to me their personal statement, and I am very happy to say that all of them are very happy to be in Auroville. It's a very great thing. When the youth of a society is happy with the society, all is well. All of them have written to me that they are very happy to be in Auroville. It's a very good finding from my side. And this can come about only if the inner spirit is burning.

Therefore if some people say, “Oh, we are not ready for it.” I will say, “No, please! You are not right.” I will urge you, please: develop your procedures in such a way that you can discover the Divine's Will. In any case the Mother laid down as a starting point that unless you are a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness, you have no right to stay in Auroville. So it is understood, it is said, that Auroville is an institution of an advanced research, where already people who come here have decided to discover the Divine's Will and to be servant of the Divine's Will. It's a very high level of entry point.

I also feel that if you feel that we are not so ready, I like it also – because it's such a modesty among people, that they don't want to claim that they are in a such an exalted position. Which is also understandable – good! To be modest is extremely good, is divine. But for the sake of development of procedures in Auroville, I would urge you to consider that this should be your starting point.

Our search must be to create such a system, or lack of system – such a lack of machinery, because machinery always blunts the life-force –, such a procedure that is not a procedure, so that there is delicacy in the development of the relationship of people; there is tact, flexibility, plasticity, swiftness. And there is a possibility of variation of the system according to the situation. A machine cannot vary according to different circumstances. But a machinery created by human beings dedicated to the Divine's Will, can create a system by which it can vary according to the needs, according to circumstances, according to the people. And this task is given to us as a matter of experiment.

Sri Aurobindo wrote a very important essay in The Ideal of Human Unity. The title is, “The Inadequacy of the State Idea”.

The Ideal of Human Unity
“The Inadequacy of the State Idea”

PDF (8 pages)

(“Doubtless, this is the best that can be done under the circumstances, and Nature, as always, utilises it for the best. But things would be much worse if there were not a field left for a less trammelled individual effort doing what the State cannot do, deploying and using the sincerity, energy, idealism of the best individuals to attempt that which the State has not the wisdom or courage to attempt, getting that done which a collective conservatism and imbecility would either leave undone or actively suppress and oppose. It is this energy of the individual which is the really effective agent of collective progress.”)

Now remember, we are not to make a State when we make a Residents' Assembly and its functioning. The State is an inadequate idea. And we should not create a State. Auroville should be a living body. This is an experiment, and if this is not attempted, I would say we're doing nothing. If you are going to create the kind of machinery which every parliament is doing in the world, then we are not making any experiment, we are not going forward according to what we want to create.

I'll read out to you the sentence where Sri Aurobindo said how the State normally acts, and therefore by implication what we have to avoid:

“The State is bound to act crudely and in the mass; it is incapable of that free, harmonious and intelligently or instinctively varied action which is proper to organic growth. For the State is not an organism; it is a machinery, and it works like a machine, without tact, taste, delicacy or intuition. It tries to manufacture, but what humanity is here to do is to grow and create.”

Therefore, if we have to create in Auroville a new method of development, a new process of developing... a process is always a process of discipline. And discipline has always three aspects:

1. Outlining the method by which the process will flow;
2. Statement of the elements which will act and interact in this flow;
3. The right relationship between these elements.

So we have to be very careful as to how we make this process, and how the various elements in this process will be integrated, and what is the right relationship between them.

“My brotherly suggestion to you is...”

My brotherly suggestion to you is, Mother has given a number of suggestions as to how Auroville should be organized. I think we should study them all. Very deeply. I have one complaint against many people in Auroville: they do not study. I tell you very frankly as a brother. But Mother has said very clearly: Auroville is for studies, for research, for experiment. And if you want to escape study, then you cannot develop Auroville. We have to study quite in detail. And we have to study everything that Mother has said about this. And we have to strive to understand and put them together.

I personally think that if we do it, even as a good experiment – as I say, I don't have any conclusions – I can only say we need to study. Please make a study; this is a good time now.

I am happy to say that there is a very nice group today. I must tell you, Auroville Council today, I have met them, I am extremely happy that they are so dedicated to the task. I can tell you with my heart – they are really keen to make a deep study of the problem. And they are consulting people. Already two documents are in my own hands. And both of them have got their own value. I would like to say that all people in Auroville should think about it: study. Create such a procedure in Auroville that Divine's Will is manifested.

I would like to say very clearly, I do not like it when it is said that the Residents' Assembly is the authority. No. Authority is only one in Auroville: the Divine. And do not say, “the Divine is some abstract idea somewhere else” – not at all.

It was said in the Supreme Court by somebody that when Mother declared that “Auroville belongs to nobody in particular, but to humanity as a whole,” that this was only a platitude that was written by the Mother. It's not true – it's really meant.

Therefore to say, “How do we make our procedure in such a way that the Divine Will is manifested?”... But if you don't do it, then there is no working for Auroville at all. Mother has said that in the very first line: “There must be somewhere upon earth where nobody can claim authority except the Truth.” And this is where we are: we have to do it! And I am happy to say this because I know that in Auroville there are hundreds of people that are very, very keen that this ideal is realized. They feel that we are here for that purpose and nothing else – they don't want anything short of it. How many people have come to me and told me this? And I am very happy to tell you.

Therefore if anybody says “this is not possible”, I will categorically say: it is not true. If you really make an effort, you really do it... if you can't do it, we may say you have not made the effort. Mother has said, “Do not attempt – succeed!” And I think we have to do it. And I think we can do it.

For the consideration of everybody, I can only offer my own suggestions, and therefore I say this is a study I am making.

Evolution, not ‘decision-making’

I would suggest that your procedures should not end in a decision, or decision-making. Because it will be a decision made by the people who are seated, not by the Divine. I would suggest that decisions should be allowed to evolve, not ‘decision-making’. The procedure that you lay down should be such that that decision evolves and evolves, by every step of the guidance of the Divine. All the mechanical processes are the processes by which you can start and you can end, you can fabricate, you can manufacture. But you can't create. So this is my first suggestion.

My second suggestion is that you should involve everybody, and there should be a decision taken by everybody that we are a collective. So that if somebody afterwards boycotts it, it is not right. You are a collectivity, you are brothers of everybody – how can you boycott? We should all move together, swim together. We are all here as a collectivity; and this should be the first decision taken by the Residents' Assembly. The Residents' Assembly is an assembly of a collectivity, of living human beings who have decided, ‘we should all live together, swim together’.

If this decision is not taken at the very first meeting of the Residents' Assembly, then you stop. This is my advice to you. May the very first meeting after this let us all take a decision: we are a collectivity, and we should all work together. I don't want that we should quarrel, but even if we quarrel, we should quarrel so that we remain together. So this is the second step.

The third step I would suggest is that this Auroville Council which has been constituted, according to me very wisely – wisely because it was made by the will of the people of Auroville by suggesting one or two names who they trusted most. So let us say that according to Auroville, the present members of Auroville Council are there as ‘trustees’. Not as a public Trust admin committee – they are the true, the upholders of the trust of the people of Auroville. There's a sacredness.

And let us all give respect and due consideration to the Auroville Council. I would request you all; and it's a discipline. The discipline means that there is always, in the whole situation, an umpire. It can be one umpire, two umpires, three umpires. Without umpires, you cannot organize anything. I would regard Auroville Council as an umpire.

And I would like Auroville Council therefore – and I have already seen how much time they are devoting to the work, and I am really very happy – they can invite all the people to participate. To be a trustee means to be a trustee. A trustee is never an authority. A trustee is always upholding a trust, and acts for the welfare of everybody.

Next point I would like to make is, that whenever a proposal is to be made, let it be not only a proposal in which there is bound to be agreement or disagreement. The Residents' Assembly is not an instrument of agreement or disagreement. This whole concept is wrong. You invite arguments for and against. The very starting point is not correct. The Residents' Assembly should meet from time to time, basically, to generate harmony. Simply. I would even suggest, in quietude. There should be monthly, weekly, fortnightly, one meeting of the Residents' Assembly: invite everyone. I have never seen, even today, all the residents of Auroville together. Please make that miracle possible, where all the residents of Auroville come together in a huge assemblage of people, where they can be very quiet, and each one sincerely seeking the manifestation of divine spirit.

I tell you, the prayer is always answered – there is no question about it, this is the basis of yogic knowledge. As Mother said, “the true prayer is answered instantaneously”. Therefore if anybody says, “I did not get the divine guidance,” it means you have not asked the Divine sincerely. If you sincerely meet and talk to the Divine in your heart, and if this is done weekly, monthly, a real collectivity will be gathered, will be created, all dedicated to the Divine's Will. We have to be reminded every time: we are here for the Divine.

So I would like to suggest that the Residents' Assembly is basically a collectivity for the promotion of the knowledge of the Divine's Will. Nothing else. All else is secondary. Let it be declared, to everybody: this is the purpose, the main aim of the Residents' Assembly. We are all here, servitors of the Divine Consciousness. Let this sense grow, mature, become powerful. It's like an army of the Divine on the earth. And this is what I would like to say: this is the Residents' Assembly. Not an assembly which needs to meet and discuss, and debate, and argue. It can be; but it is temporary, it is subordinate. The basic is this.

I would suggest that the fundamental task of the Residents' Assembly should be defined very clearly. At one time it was said that that fundamental function of the Residents' Assembly is to arrive at an agreement. Even this statement is good, but it is not sufficient. It is to mature, constantly, the sense of all of us as a collectivity devoted to the Divine's will.

Then, there are four principles which Mother has given very clearly: harmony, goodwill, discipline, and truth. Particularly for Matrimandir, Mother has given particularly this message. And I would like that these four principles are nurtured constantly in Auroville. Constantly. And you must know what are the meanings of these four words. This is a matter of exploration.

I only suggest what I think is the meaning of these four words:

• Harmony is the delight of meeting together. Of remaining together. If somebody wants to run away, if somebody is not prepared to shake hands, it's not harmony. The delight of being together, meeting together, this experience of delight is (according to me) harmony.
• What is Goodwill? Goodwill is the intense wish that everybody in the world should attain his utmost fulfillment. And that constant striving that everyone really attains to his personal fulfillment, his highest fulfillment. This is how I define goodwill. It is not good-neighborliness. It is a different exercise, in which you should really will that everyone – every other one particularly – should attain to his highest fulfillment. And that you have will that you contribute so that others' highest fulfillment is achieved.
• Discipline always implies right constitutional knowledge of all the elements in a procedure. Discipline arises only out of the fact that there is always a hierarchy. People tell me that “in Auroville, Mother never wanted a hierarchy” – it is not true. It is not true. Mother herself has written at length on hierarchy. It is true that Mother is opposed to what is called the ‘human way’ of dealing with hierarchy or creating hierarchy. Whereas Mother has said very clearly, there is always a hierarchy. However it is not arbitrary. It is not imposition of one over the other. But there are leaders, who have no power excepting the power to guide. Not to rule, but to guide, to be helpful. And therefore in discipline you must understand that everywhere, in any situation, as Sri Aurobindo says: “There is equality not of hierarchy, but equality of usefulness”. It's a very profound statement of Sri Aurobindo. There is equality: even in hierarchy there is equality. But equality not of hierarchy, but equality of usefulness. Everyone is useful. And he must know his usefulness, and his right place of usefulness. To discover the right place of the usefulness of everyone – that is discipline.
• And fourthly Truth, which is the most difficult thing. And as the Mother has said, “Truth cannot be defined, but it can be lived.” This statement itself is difficult to understand. In my own humble way I can only say that if an individual constantly tells the Divine, “O Lord, make me truthful.” Then this will be lived. If you tell the Divine, if you pray to the Divine, “O Lord, make me truthful. Make me always do the right things,” it will happen, it will be lived, and truth will manifest.

This is my understanding, but as I said, I am only making a study. But I would say that the Residents' Assembly should make it very clear: its purpose is to promote Harmony, Goodwill, Discipline, and Truth.

Now as far as the procedures are concerned, as I said, do not call the Residents' Assembly only when a problem arises. Today one very nice student told me, “Why do we discuss all the time difficult problems? Why don't we discuss all the facts of the very good things happening in Auroville?” Why don't we say this? It's exactly like newspapers – newspapers always bring a central news of quarrels and conflicts. But they rarely speak of things that are happening which are marvelous in themselves. I think the Residents' Assembly should really be convened for this purpose. When there is a problem you can also discuss, but in a new atmosphere.

If the Residents' Assembly meets from time to time to see how harmonious activities are being done, and if these are highlighted, then those quarrels and problems also will get a proper place in the totality. They will not loom large in the meetings of the Residents' Assembly.

Now all the procedures which have been thought, are good. All the problems should be studied. I would only suggest that they be studied fast. In this world, swiftness is very important. You can organize your society in such a way that you can make decisions after a long, long time – by that time, the forces have increased, bitterness has increased, and the problem has become incapable of solution in due course. I would really make the suggestion, please find the way that Mother has said always: do everything as perfectly as possible, and as quickly as possible. Combine the two things together, and you get the optimum speed for solution of a problem. We must deliberately seek that the problem is solved as soon as possible.

And then I would suggest that you should always have, in due course, and when the problems are difficult – and I think you are going to have many difficult problems about economy of Auroville, organization of Auroville, education of Auroville, Entry system of Auroville... these are all difficult problems, and they have to be resolved. They have to be straightened. And therefore the necessity of sitting now together and seeing how we should go about it. What fix can arise? There will be a lot of bickering, again. And I want that it should not. Why should it be? You should really... for any problem, I would suggest, for the sake of experimentation, appoint 2 or 3 persons as umpires.

You know, Mother has spoken of “7 or 8 people of intuitive intelligence”. But I am told that such people do not obtain in Auroville. Which is not true. But anyway, when there is a difficulty I would simply say... there is, in Taittiriya Upanishad, a guidance. It's an old scripture in India, Taittiriya Upanishad. That when you are in doubt, find out a person who is learned and who is pure. Who is not severe and who is not cruel. And who is a worshiper of virtue; who practices generosity, altruism, beneficence, charity, cheerfulness, sincerity. Find out... I am sure that for every problem, even before the problem is beginning to be resolved, you appoint them right from the beginning so that everybody knows that these three persons are going to have a view which will have great weight. I don't say ‘decisive’ – do not give decisive weight to anybody. But there will be some people who can consult. So that there is no tyranny of majority or minority.

This is really a problem. All decisions taken today are either by majority or by consensus. If you do it by consensus, there is a tyranny of the veto of one individual. Otherwise you have a majority/minority problem. The majority tyrannizes the minority. That also is not right.

There must be reference to people of this kind, who have thought over the problems and who are really watching over the progress of the development of discussions and so on. So there should be not one Study Group: you can have one Study Group, plus this umpire (2 or 3 persons whom you have appointed). And Auroville Council. As I have told you, I regard Auroville Council to be very important. And you should insist that at least Auroville Council should have a consensus. If they are really ‘trustees’, if they are all together, they should at least be able to arrive at a consensus of the problem. It should be free from this pressure of partialities and preferences. They are trustees.

So:

• Consensus on the part of the members of Auroville Council (– this can be modified according to the circumstances).
• A body of 3 persons as umpires.
• A Study Group.
• Discussions of parties which are not happy.

And the task of Auroville Council should be to see that goodwill is spread, harmony is spread, discipline is obtained. If you find that somebody has a point of view which is in favor of indiscipline, you should be very clear: “My dear brother, this is indiscipline according to our view.” You must deter it, if you find it to be so. If you find that there is so much of egoistic affirmation, you should say: “This view of yours is highly egoistic.” Auroville Council should have constantly the charge of saying this. It may be wrong: “We may be wrong, but correct us.” It is by reciprocal kind of corrections.

So, a party is concerned: convene a Study Group, an umpire of 3 learned people, and the Auroville Council. According to me, if you put all these three together, these elements, and the parties together which are in conflict, and have real dialogue at different stages, I personally feel a real solution will emerge. And if everybody prays to the Divine, “We want only to follow the Divine's decision, not our decision.” And this is the task, according to me, of a Residents' Assembly.

These are thoughts which I had in my mind, which I thought I'd share with you, for what worth they may be.

It's an exploration. And if you have any questions, I would like to converse with you on any questions.

Thank you.

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See also

• Auroville Foundation Act, 1988
• Organisation of Auroville