Dattatreya and The Avadhuta Tradition

Background

The Tradition of Avadhutas, otherwise known simply as the Dattatreya Tradition, was founded by the first known being to be labelled as an ‘Avadhuta’ – Lord Dattatreya Himself. The Tradition was not founded because one day Lord Datta sat down by himself and decided to create something – rather it was automatically created through the very living, Perfectly Enlightened and multidimensionally conscious presence of Lord Datta, which still echoes to this day through the consistent presence of His Avatars and Emanations.

The Avadhuta Tradition is unique in that it has no outwardly discernible characteristics like specific beliefs, vows or even superficial signifiers like robes or hairstyles. The Heart of the Avadhuta Tradition is the formless yet totally all-pervasive essence of Reality Itself. Wherever that essence is realised, and wherever an embodied being has dissolved the totality of their limited karmic material lives – that is where the Avadhuta Tradition lives, breathes, gives and operates.

Just as the unfathomable nature of Reality conceals itself within the appearance of this apparently dual creation, so too does the Avadhuta conceal his realisation behind an apparently ordinary, unassuming, or even mad external persona. Only those who have the fortune of having a previous karmic connection or those who are already highly purified will recognise the Avadhuta and, by extension, the home of the Datta-Avadhuta Tradition within the Heart of that living Avadhuta.

The Ways of Avadhutas

There are some Avadhutas who become clearly outwardly associated with the name ‘Dattatreya’ and with the names or forms of other Avadhutas who are seen as being a part of the Avadhuta Tradition, and then there are others who will never be heard to utter the words ‘Dattatreya’, ‘Avadhuta’ or ‘Tradition’ – in fact, many Avadhutas will not even speak in a conceptually comprehensible way. Those that do speak and perhaps even give teachings are those who have a specific mission to maintain the external, visible aspect of the Tradition. However, it is very rare for an Avadhuta to engage in this kind of ‘teaching’ behaviour or even to build any kind of organisation during their lifetime. Great Avadhutas and Datta Avatars like Shirdi Sai Baba and Swami Samarth of Akkalkot only had organisations formed in their names after they had already left the body. This is the way for most Avadhutas – they are typically only recognised after their physical departures when they continue to benefit devotees through their now totally expanded, universal, space-like Consciousness. Thus, because Avadhutas always vary in form, style of communication and mode of external presentation, there is really no way to localise the Avadhuta Tradition in one place. Neither are Avadhutas usually such beings who ever affirm their own spiritual stature. Because the Avadhuta is A) actually more active in different dimensions of existence, and B) deeply established and rooted in the unfathomably blissful state of Reality in Its fully expanded condition, this earthly reality is ultimately meaningless and inconsequential for them. The Avadhuta knows full well that this world is simply a simulated, illusory appearance-projection of Reality that is formed through the various differing densities of karmic activity that emerge as spontaneous expressions of Reality’s innate creative freedom. Therefore, the Avadhuta neither wants nor needs anything from this world. They come here out of compassion to complete whatever work they have to do, and then they leave.

Brahmarishi Mohanji

Now, in the 21st century, the Avadhuta Tradition has taken a somewhat unique turn. With the advent of the Sublime Avadhuta, Brahmarishi Mohanji, a path, or actually many diverse paths, have been made available to sincere beings in order to gradually bring them to the door of real Avadhuta practice, which involves the complete dissolution of all karmic material related to this earthly existence. Such a dissolution is accomplished primarily through the deep refinement that occurs in the presence of an established Avadhuta-Guru and finally within the inferno of pure, thoughtless, non-dual absorption, which gradually burns away all seeds of karmic existence.

Mohanji has created countless platforms based on both selfless service activity and various dimensions of spiritual practice that allow people to connect directly to the Datta-Avadhuta Tradition through his own presence as a multidimensional guide and also to gradually refine themselves through the mode of benevolent or increasingly wise activity that most suits their individual temperament. There has been no Avadhuta present on this Earth in recent history who has offered so much in the way of methods, practices and platforms.

Usually, an Avadhuta is a Being who is ‘just there’ – they sit somewhere or wander from place to place, and beings go to them and the Avadhuta gives them what they need. Even when someone physically moves away from such a Being, if they remain connected, then the Avadhuta continues to provide them with whatever they need to further their spiritual evolution from beyond the limitations of space and time. However, such traditional methods of operating within the Datta Tradition leave little for the contemporary minds of human beings to chew on. Through Mohanji’s compassion, and through the endless compassion of the Higher Realms of existence, many routes have now been made available for beings to reach the goal of complete dissolution, where the Guru and disciple become One in the Supreme Sphere of Absolute Truth.

This is what Mohanji has offered. This is what the Sphere of Perfect Avadhutas has offered. This is the Avadhuta Tradition of Lord Dattatreya as it exists today.