Wages for Sages Praghosa dasa Wages for Sages

Wages for Sages Praghosa dasa

Wages for Sages ● Essential for the success of ISKCON in the 21 st Century? Or ● Essentially the thin end of the wedge towards ISKCON's demise?

Exploring the Pros and Cons ● ● Would Srila Prabhupada approve of paying salaries to devotees? Can our temples function without the stability that salaries/maintenance bring? If we do not pay our devotees will we lose their services due to them having to take paid employment outside? Do salaries automatically compromise the essence of devotional service?

Different types of Salaries ● ● Self-generated – Pros - Devotees earn their own income and there is no strain on the temple finances – Cons – Often means full time outside employment, no time for service, a brain drain from ISKCON Subsidised – Salaries that are paid directly from temple resources – Pros – No need for outside employment, available for service, no brain drain – Cons – Devotee unease with payment for devotional service

The Sastric View It is important to note the following: ● Srila Prabhupada's clear instructions regarding his desire to implement varnasrama The role of the different varnas and their relationship to salaries ● ●

SOME CHOICES ➲ ➲ Do we want salaries at all? If we do what system to use that will best satisfy the devotees as well as being in line with sastra?

SOME OPTIONS Salaries based on importance of service performed ➲ Salaries based on need ➲ Salaries based on Varna ➲ Salaries based on models used by other organisations ➲ Others options? ➲