Adi Da, Rudi, Muktananda, and Rang Avadhoot - Revisionism of History about Franklin Jones
Posted by ex-devotee in March 2003
Frank gives us marvelous accounts of his great sadhana and ordeal, though we know his teachers never shared his high opinion of himself. Rudi became a swami in January 66, so Frank clearly had to do something to show his experiences superior to Rudi's and his initiation was "special", thus his claim to be the first westerner so authorized to teach by Muktananda in August 69.
Frank tells us that after 3 days in April 68 visiting Muktananda he was tired, laid down to take a nap, and went into profound samadhi, until Nina came in and woke him up. Obviously, it is more likely he just fell asleep and was affected by the kundalini and the atmosphere of the ashram, then woke up in an disoriented state. Of course, Frank failed to discuss this great samadhi with Muktananda at that time! Frank would have heard Rudi describe his own experience back in 66 and, naturally, after thinking further later that day, Frank "realized" what a profound spiritual experience of the "Self" he had had, much greater than Rudi's below. Of course the experienced faded and he went to Scientology a month later :-).
What I still find amusing, in reading the below account of Rudi's initiation as swami from Spiritual Cannibalism, and the role of Rang "Abadhoud" at the time, is that it wasn't until long after KOL was published, and several years after this book (Spiritual Cannibalism) came out and the break with Muktananda that Frank thought it significant enough to "remember" the fact that Rang Avadhoot "glanced at him" in his April 68 visit. Rang Avadhoot did a lot more than just glance at Rudi, though, as we can see from the account Muktananda made a special effort to have him receive a special initiation from Rang Avadhoot (Abadhoud") himself, while Frank by his own account was visibly ignored by the two of them when they met in April 68. Obviously, not to be outdone, Frank then has to claim some sort of instantaneous secret transmission between Rang Avadhoot and himself that no one else, not even Muktananda, was aware of :}.
Frank was and is known for his creative exaggeration and fantasy, always trying to proving he is better than everyone else. Original KOL has no mention of Rang Avadhoot in visit to India first week of April 68, he credits Muktananda. Frank only publicizes the Rang Avadhoot story starting around 1977, and then claims Rang looked him and was the one responsible for his experience, and he now adds that Muktananda spontaneously proclaimed he would be a great Spiritual Master, useful considering he waits until they are dead to say it and by his own admission at the time they told him he was deluded. In Jan 66 when Rudi was recognized as a swami, Frank was only a mediocre student of Rudi, but he would have heard Rudi's story of what happened and of his experience of being initiated by Rang Avadhoot. Frank at the time he heard this was noted for drug problems and wanting to be a teacher. If you read the account Rudi's experience and see what a little creative imagination can do with it by substituting Frank, you see the seeds of Frank's current story are all there. Frank is a kundalini yogi student turned "guru" with an master's in english and a creative imagination...
"(excerpt from Spiritual Cannibalism by Rudi) ...On the last full day I was to be in the ashram I awoke determined to face my teacher [Muktananda] and ask for his help that evening in solidifying my position spiritually as a swami. After breakfast I sat in the hall awaiting his entrance. One of the women disciples sitting there told me that Babaji [meaning "father" in Hindu, an affectionate term often used in referring to one’s teacher] had awakened with a fever, which had been a trial to him many times. This left him in a very shaken and weakened condition.
Shortly thereafter he appeared, and when he sat in his chair facing us it was obvious that he was not well. He seemed out of sorts and tired. I felt it was not the appropriate time to discuss my situation. The day was most difficult, as I was under the apprehension of what I felt was an imminent realization. My teacher’s condition threatened the possibility of this realization. Nothing within me would yield regarding what I believed was to be.
At eight o’clock each evening when the temple doors closed, those of us who stayed within for the night were sometimes allowed to sit with the swami. My major spiritual breakthroughs were always attained during these special evenings. One evening, at seven o’clock, while sitting in the hall with Baba, I finally expressed my wish to be with him after the temple closed. He smiled and said that he was my father and knew I would not wish to disturb him in his condition. I said that I loved him as my father and would not in any way wish to add to his discomfort in his present state. But I felt my condition was urgent and asked him if he would, upon retiring, leave his door open so that when he was asleep I could come into his room and sit near him so that his shakti would enable me to finish my work.
The swami stood up, laughed, pointed to everybody in the room, and then pointed to me and said, "He is dumb like I am dumb. " Taking me by the shoulder he said, "Come. " I immediately felt within me a surge of great spiritual force which hurled me against the stone walls and allowed a great electric shock to send a spasm of contortions through my body. Movements similar to an epileptic fit controlled my body for about an hour. Many strange visions appeared and I felt things opening within me that had never been opened before. In the midst of this I heard a motion picture camera and saw flash bulbs, as if people were photographing my experience. For a split second something in me wanted to jump up and smack whoever was doing this, but this urge was surrendered instantaneously as I realized this was just my personality. I knew that I must do nothing to interrupt the flow of the experience.
Much later, quite exhausted, I was taken to my room and immediately fell into a deep sleep. I awoke at four thirty in the morning and two of the disciples of the temple brought some tea and fruit and excitedly spoke of my test. They told me to wash and to go to my teacher’s presence. A great saint named Rang Abdoud was visiting with him. As I entered the hall Baba motioned with his hand toward the saint. I thrust my head into Rang Abdoud’s feet and received a force through the top of my head. Baba then told him that I was a swami and declared my name to be Rudrananda, which, he said, is a very wild aspect of Shiva. He also said I would continually have extraordinary experiences and become more and more independent..."