ECK master

In Eckankar doctrine, ECK masters, or the Order of Vairagi Adepts, are said to be religious figures who assume leadership of the Eckankar faith in endless succession.

Eckankar emphasizes spiritual liberation, and how this relates to ECK (forms of God). The Living ECK master is the one who aids followers in connecting their souls to ECK.

The ECK master "does what he pleases, has what he wants, comes and goes absolutely at his own will... He bows only to God.".^[1] It is the role of deceased ECK masters to aid the living ECK master in carrying out his duties. It is claimed that followers of Eckankar have had contact with deceased ECK masters. [2]

The spirits of these leaders are associated with guardian angels, dreams, and invisible friends, and always with positive life changes. Eckists believe the masters go back thousands of years, [3] although Eckankar itself is a new religious movement that can be traced back only to 1965. Its founder, Paul Twitchell, or Sri Paul Twitchell, or Peddar Zaskq, was considered an ECK master both in his lifetime and after his death in 1971. He was believed to be the 971st individual to hold the title. [4] The current leader of Eckankar is Sri Harold Klemp, or Wah Z, also considered to be an ECK master, who, by virtue of still being alive, also holds the title The Mahanta, or the Living ECK Master.

On their official website, Eckists draw attention to ten ECK masters, namely Harold Klemp, Paul Twitchell, and ECK masters from before 1965, Kata Daki, Gopal Das, Fubbi Quantz, Towart Managi, Rami Nuri, Yaubl Sacabi, Lai Tsi, and Rebazar Tarzs, who are described below. It should be noted, however, that outside Eckankar, the existence of ECK masters predating 1965 is often disputed. As Klemp himself once wrote, some people believe these ECK masters "must have been figments of Paul Twitchell's imagination." [5]

The former-Eckist author Ford Johnson, and present critic of Eckankar, observed their tremendous importance to that movement, writing that they constituted "the foundation of the doctrine."^[6]

Important ECK masters

Rami Nuri

Rami Nuri is one ECK master, from an unspecified time in the past. According to the religion's beliefs, he now lives in a city called Retz on the planet Venus. Rami Nuri is the guardian of a holy book called the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, which is kept in one of what is called a Temple of Golden Wisdom.[7]

Lai Tsi

Similarly, Lai Tsi is an ECK master from a time unspecified in either the website or in Twitchell's 1969 "Glossary of Eckankar Words and Terms". In the book Eckankar: The Key to Secret Worlds). It is said Lai Tsi was based in China, but now lives in ether, where he keeps watch over another Temple of Golden Wisdom.^[8] Johnson believes Twitchell created the character of Lai Tsi, but based him upon, and named him after, Taoist leader Lao Tse.

Gopal Das

Gopal Das is said to have been the Living ECK Master in 3000 BC, in this case based in Egypt, despite his long, straight, blonde hair. He is said to have established mystery cults for the Egyptian deities Osiris and Isis [9], aided the impoverished, and participated in discussions with the agents of the Pharaoh, who in one source is identified as Ramses II (although Ramses ruled from 1290 BC to 1224 BC, not in 3000). Despite all this, Eckankar remained a hidden art during Gopal Das' life, albeit one that he managed to teach others.^[10].

Eckists believe that Gopal Das now resides in the Astral Plane, a psychic realm, and the Eckankar website has collected and published essays by modern followers who claim to have been contacted by him. These include one follower who claimed that visits by Gopal Das inspired him to break free from a "black magician," [11], and another who claimed Gopal Das foretold his or her mother's death. [12]

According to Twitchell, chanting the name "Gopal" can actually transport one's soul to the Temple of Golden Wisdom, where one can hear Gopal Das give lectures.^[13]

Yaubl Sacabi

Yaubl Sacabi was a living ECK master of the Mycenaeans, apparently from some time in 2000 BC to 1700 BC. In his lifetime, he is said to have played a pivotal role within ancient Greek cults. [14]

As with others, there are modern-day followers who claim to have met Yaubl Sacabi, including one who asserted that when he was five and an automobile crushed his foot, Yaubl Sacabi appeared and healed it, allowing the five-year-old to walk home. Yaubl Sacabi appeared again to help heal the foot after a well-meaning family member dumped iodine on it, causing still more pain. [15]

Fubbi Quantz

Fubbi Quantz was an ECK master based in Persia, who is alternately claimed to have been a contemporary of Buddha in 500 BC [16] or a tenth century figure.^[17]. It is claimed he personally taught the poet Firdusi (who, incidentally, lived in the tenth century) and he is also credited as having had contact with Christopher Columbus. Fubbi Quantz is said to have believed the discovery of America would be beneficial for Europeans, who needed nutrients, and thus helped to inspire Columbus's voyage. [18]

According to Twitchell, Fubbi Quantz tried to adapt Yaubl Sacabi's legacy, but it was a "step downward." Nevertheless, despite the great powers of ECK masters, Fubbi Quantz also once taught that worshipping ECK masters as gods is a fatal error, and on this point Twitchell quotes him with evident approval.

Twitchell also tells a story that in modern times, Fubbi Quantz once appeared on a highway near the Mediterranean and single-handedly stopped a moving automobile, in order to save it from crashing into the waters.^[19]

Rebazar Tarzs

Rebazar Tarzs, typically described as wearing maroon robes, is credited as the first ECK master to transform Eckankar from a hidden art into an "open" religion, in the fifteenth century. Indeed, Paul Twitchell gave Rebazar Tarzs the additional credit of being the ECK master who introduced Eckankar to him. Afterwards, Twitchell claimed, Rebazar Tarz visited Twitchell's home many times to aid in the writing of religious texts.

Rebazar Tarzs is said to presently reside in the Hindu Kush mountains, and, given that he is "the emissary of Eckankar in the physical universe,"^[20] it is perhaps unsurprising that there are several essays available by Eckankar followers who claim to have met him, including one who describes Rebazar Tarzs guiding him to herbs that cured his heart condition [21], and one who reports receiving a gift from Rebazar Tarzs during the Korean War (the gift later being traded for desperately needed food). [22]

There is a story of one taxicab driver who picked up Rebazar Tarzs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in around 1952, and during the ride, Rebazar Tarzs was able, among other things, to read the driver's "secret prayers." In a second incident, Rebazar Tarzs miraculously repaired the driver's automobile. [23]

Rebazar Tarzs is said to to preach "love and humility" [24] and has taught that "It is better to give than to receive."^[25]

Others

Adi Mahanta

According to Twitchell, the first living ECK Master was a Tibetan. The word "Adi", in Eckankar doctrine, means "The beginning; the unknown Deity."^[26]

Shamus-i-Tabiz

Shamus-i-Tabiz is an ECK master in the Causal Plane (a level of existence), specifically residing in another Temple of Golden Wisdom.^[27]

Sato Kuraj

In his glossary, Twitchell merely refers to Sato Kuraj as "An ECK master."^[28]

Towart Managi

Towart Managi is an ECK master omitted in Twitchell's 1969 glossary, but who is noted in the website. He was a living ECK master in ancient Abyssinia, and is now a resident of another Temple of Golden Wisdom, this time in the "Mental Plane,". He is also called the Koji Chanda. [29]

Sudar Singh

Sudar Singh is said to have been a contemporary and trainer of Twitchell, and his predecessor as living ECK master.^[30] Sudar Singh taught the religion in at least two places, namely the cities of Paris and India. [31]

Darwin Gross

Darwin Gross is a historical figure, who succeeded Twitchell to become the living ECK master in 1971. He was particularly favoured by Twitchell's wife, but turned out to be severely disliked within Eckankar circles. From 1981 and 1983 he was eventually dethroned and replaced by Klemp. Gross then became entangled in various legal disputes, regarding the copyright status of various facets of Eckankar. [32]

Tellingly, the Eckankar website's overview of ECK masters neglects to mention him. [33]

Women as ECK masters

One essay written on Eckankar from the Warren Wilson College, citing sources as recent as 1998, states that women can never be Living ECK Masters. The reason given for this was that in life, women are "negatively charged, being receivers, not senders of light." In other words, they are physically incapable of holding the position. (It was, however, apparently considered possible by some that a woman could become the Living ECK master if she died and was reincarnated as a man) [34]

This essay, however, contradicts the current teachings. The website, for example, points out one female ECK master, Kata Daki. While she is omitted in Twitchell's 1969 glossary, the website claims she particularly aids people in repairing their lives after troubled times. She is ancient but does not appear as such, and the website does not specify when she served as an ECK master [35].

One Eckist reported seeing her in Arizona posing as a nurse from Kansas, who blessed the Eckist, at that time a patient. [36]

When asked if Kata Daki was the only woman ECK master, Klemp replied in the negative and gave a second name, that of Simha, the so-called "Lady of ECK." Klemp also speculated that since certain ECK masters have been unknown but are still having their names revealed, more women ECK masters might come to light later.^[37]

Historical figures as ECK masters

There are certain individuals identified by Twitchell as ECK masters who, while their existence is not disputed, may have their identities as ECK masters questioned by those outside of Eckankar.

These include:

Plato, the Greek philosopher and teacher of the fifth century BC.

Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) has also been called an ECK master.

The Taoist leader Chuang Tzu was also labelled an ECK master by Twitchell.

All of these cases have been disputed, and Johnson theorized that Twitchell rewrote the history of these figures "to lend credibility to his... line of Eck Masters," since these historical figures were "recognizable to the public."

All of those chosen by Twitchell were ancient or Medieval figures, so that since some of their personal histories are incomplete, Twitchell's claims are not easily refutable.^[38]

Origins of the ECK masters

To the Eckists, who believe Twitchell merely brought Eckankar to public knowledge, the ECK master is the embodiment of the spirit the Mahanta. The Mahanta may not have an origin; Klemp referred to it as being "eternal." He also wrote that it is based in the "Ocean of Love and Mercy."^[39]

Conversely, Johnson, who believes Twitchell invented the religion, writes that the true origin of the ECK master can be found in various other, older spiritual theories or religions. Johnson feels Twitchell adapted these in 1965, lifting the word "Mahanta" from the Hindi and Pali cultures, where it means "head of a monastic establishment" and "big" respectively.

The concept of the ECK master's Rod of Power, meanwhile, likely came from theosophy (Johnson also notes that a Rod of Power is an idea that exists also in Egyptian culture and Christianity).^[40]

In Twitchell's mind, some of the individual ECK masters may have predated the establishment of Eckankar as a movement. In January 1964, Orion Magazine published a piece by Twitchell that mentioned Sudar Singh, placing him in Allahabad, India and describing him as a teacher of Shabda Yoga. There actually was a spiritual leader named Sudarshan Singh, in Allahabad, and some believe Sudar Singh is a character based upon this figure. Similarly, Rebazar Tarzs' name was first published in 1964.^[41]

Other ECK masters may be based upon historically known persons. The man claimed as ECK master and ancient Roman senator Priscus Hevidius seems to have been based upon a historical senator, Hevidius Priscus, who lived at the same time.

An ECK master who runs another Temple of Golden Wisdom, Asanga Kaya, may have been named for Asanga, a fourth or fifth century Indian Buddhist leader.^[42]

The name Gopal Das, meanwhile, could be derived from Gopal, a synonym for Krishna, and Dasa, which means "disciple."^[43]