Call Me Brian

Maitreya

Growing up the first born son in a South Asian family, I got used to being quite the little prince. I wanted the privileges of primogeniture to carry on forever. When people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I responded with the full spectrum of acceptable answers: Doctor! Lawyer! Accountant! Dentist! Quantity Surveyor! Secretly, though, I wanted to be a prince. From what I saw of the British royal family, it seemed a job that involved a great deal of adulation, cash, and cars, and not terribly much work.

I mention this because recently a trickle, and then a flood, of email has come asking me whether I’m Maitreya – the leader of a movement that might be able to save the planet from itself. Some swift Googling and dipping into strange forums informs me that Maitreya is a leader foretold in a range of religions. Those who think that I might be the new prince of peace have been reading things from Share International.

So what, according to Share International, does Maitreya do? Through a doctrine of sharing, fraternity, social justice and cooperation, he (and it does seem to be a he, not a she) brings humanity back from economic and ecological collapse through new forms of spiritual community.

As it happens, I do think that sharing, fraternity, justice and cooperation are terrific things. I also think that prioritising the needs of the poor, hungry and oppressed is a non-negotiable part of a sustainable future. There are other similarities. The picture of Maitreya above shows the Buddhist avatar holding a water bottle, and I’m never far from mine. Apparently, stuttering is the mark of something esoteric, though I’m not entirely sure what that is. Finally, just as foretold, I did indeed fly from India to London in 1977, although the plane ride was a return trip from a holiday with my family.

Unfortunately, from I think that’s where the resemblances end. It frustrates me only a little less than it might disappoint those looking for Maitreya that, in fact, I’m just an ordinary bloke. I always wanted to be a Prince of Something. But when opportunity comes knocking, it turns out it’s to get me to sign for a package for some other dude.

It’s sad, too, that the thinking I advocate is pretty straightforward. One doesn’t need a messiah to show how capitalism has damaged our relationships, society, ecology, body politic and future. We have to reclaim it through grassroots organizing against capital, a commitment to human rights, gender equality, redistribution, and shared democratic control of the world’s resources. It’s like the end of The Meaning of Life (skip to 4:17) in which, finally, the meaning of life is revealed to be

try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.

But that’s not the Monty Python scene that most immediately comes to mind. Instead, it’s this rather good bit from The Life of Brian, one that Python (Monty) productions granted me leave to quote from in my last book, Stuffed and Starved, and which I still think contains all one needs to know about how we need to create social change together.

Sadly, I’m not the Messiah. I’m just a very naughty boy.

337 Replies to “Call Me Brian”

  1. But Raj, only the true Messiah denies His divinity…

    On a rainy, rainy London night in 2003 were you on a bus to Aldgate sitting beside writer/comedian Danny Wallace and, after he recounted his recent woes to you, you urged him to “say Yes more”, leading him on a series of haphazard adventures and ultimately towards a lucrative film deal? If not, you can probably rule yourself out of the whole Maitreya business.

    (see http://dannywallace.com/history/ or his rather funny book “Yes Man” for possibly the last documented sighting of Maitreya. Do not see the film. It is neither funny, nor does it contain Maitreya.)

  2. There are millions of people who agree with the things that you and Benjamin Creme are saying – about the need for sharing, justice, cooperation, & peace – and are anxious to rebuild the world. According to Mr. Creme, Maitreya has almost 2 billion people who He can count on to support the changes that will transform the dysfunctional human family into a vibrant, thriving functional family.
    In Solidarity,
    Toby

    One Love
    cause when the Man comes there will be no no doom…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xjPODksI08

  3. Ah, the real Messiah never declares his Messianic status, does he? That will have to be affirmed by humanity itself.

    Anyway, keep up the good work, Raj. The world’s a better place for it already.

  4. All kidding aside, whoever you are, if it had not been for Benjamin Creme I wouldn’t have discovered you so quickly. I think you are great, and your ideas are what we need now. Please continue!

  5. Ok, Lets see how this works…just want to leave a comment…
    Who knows about the Maitreya issue? We will find out soon enough…And why does it have to be ANOTHER man that is suppose to save us(for those looking to be saved)? It seems to be the Divine Female energy that is sorely lacking in these current times. Personally I think we need to look to ourselves for the answers and the solutions we seek. That is too much of a burden for only one pair of shoulders, man or woman..
    Point I wanted to share….When my X husband felt he had the right to open all of my mail because he was the “breadwinner in the household” and I was not working at the time, I was shocked by those words..I proceeded to calculate how much he would have to pay someone for hire for the “nothing work” I did while he was at the “real job”…the total sum did not include the intimacy,sex, thingy, because he was already in the RED before I could tally that one in! I then gave him a written bill for my monthly services and informed him that he could not afford me. I myself was surprised at the many things I did during the day , services that you would have to pay for to get others to do, and he was calling it nothing work. It was an eye opener for me. Imagine putting raising children in that equation…
    Needless to say he is my X!
    I thank you Raj for remembering the importance of the “real work” we “women” do in this world.

  6. Irregardless of whether you are Maitreya or just simply Raj ,the very naughty boy, I am very glad you have entered my path. Either way your an positive asset to humanity, so keep on keeping on.

  7. Hello Raj,
    Despite I am French Iā€™ll try to put some words together on the Maitreya / Raj Patel confusion. It would be difficult to you to say that you donā€™t have the exterior aspect of a spiritual leader. If I was a rich stager, I couldnā€™t resist the temptation of proposing you the role of the beloved future Buddha. And that could be a good way to have him, right now, if not in actuality, a least in a picture show! Yet I am afraid you would be inclined to see the film treated in a Monty Python-like way. Now if you are the real one, blast it! What you will think of me, poor surfer on the web, the day you finally declare to the whole planet that a last, you are the real thingā€¦ (Please, donā€™t reduce me to ashes!)
    There, “the tough job will start”, dear Raj. Youā€™ll be always finding a pal able to understand you. Donā€™t worry; now you have my e-mail address. Only I donā€™t speak good English, and I am afraid you will have to learn a bit of Frenchā€¦
    Know more to the point, if you were to tell us that you never read a book of Krishnamurti, for instance, or that you donā€™t know how a man enters meditation, and so on. I would not be the only one to be awfully disappointed!
    The way you react while interviewed, which is by the way not reaction but sheer good action, gives us the feeling that you are an expert in active meditation. In fact, that is the most difficult thing to do: not to appear to be in sahaja state, and yet being in it completely. I can ensure you it is the way you seem to be, while interviewed.
    Know allow me to finish my e-mail with this: one may know the way of active meditation, and even to live some instants of nectar like sahaja state, without being a Messiah, at all! That is only the normal way a human being should feel and behave. And this marvelous state does not cut you from relationship; on the contrary, in this state, your mind is clear as pure crystal. There are some nice fellows in the world gifted with that talent, from there beginning.
    Be that as it may, the angles and approaches you show us in your books to understand what is going underneath the world-wide market, and finally to know something of ā€œThe value of nothingā€ is thoroughly worthwhile.
    Let us say: congratulation!
    Jake.

  8. Raj Patel & Maitreya seems to be the same person. This guy is obviously the Antichrist with his deceiving New Age beliefs, which are nothing more than diguised Satanism. Raj are you the son of Lucifer???

  9. Hello Raj !

    “May Christ return to Earth”

    i read your website,
    i read your book,
    i listen your voice,
    i hear Benjamin,
    i practice the transmission med,
    i see you eyes,

    and my heart wants to believe.

    i have a wish :
    all your words are in english, i have the chance to understand you, but could you translate your site in french, and publish your books in french and in other languages wide spread in the world.

    Perhaps one day the humankind will share the same language, but i think in the present time, translation will improve the understanding of your message.

    Amilius

  10. Raj, you said that we don’t need a “Messiah” to have sharing, justice and peace. I beg to differ. Donating, we have. But donating is not the same as sharing. Someone pretty authentic and inspirational is needed to get people to actually share on the national and international levels. Donating billions for years on end has not ended starvation and death, the diseases caused by malnutrition, and the other pathologies wrought by the imbalance between the developed and the undeveloped world. Who do you know who can really change donating your extra money to sharing the world’s resources? I think that is what Maitreya comes to do. Cheers.

  11. Well put, Brian, my very good friend. Now the rest of you get off this and get to work! You have a destiny, wake and live it.
    You are what you wait for, sowait no more.

  12. It makes me shiver all this maitreya stuff, but i don’t fear it, GOD is everytime with all of us and within ourselves he lives, if there are perople who can stand up and start a better world,it is also my duty to do so. I hope there is a chance for me to do it right, wathever it happens and overcomes the future to mankind, i will never be far from GOD, i think that if someone is searching for maitreya, it has to be found in his very own being. Cheers friends!

  13. Come on Raj, don’t be shy. We won’t try to put you in our pockets, (well not all the time)!

    P.S. It’s the eyes that give you away (only joking!)

    Please keep up the good work, I’m sure deep down, and with a little encouragement, we’re all willing to solve the problems ourselves instead of having to believe in some Messiah figure.

  14. The Anti-Christ will appear before the Christ. Anyone that claims to be the Christ before the Anti-Christ appears is in fact a form of the Anti-Christo.

  15. Love can be found in the the cloud of the most evil eye, clouds must subside for the light to pass. (time) we have choice.

    Love
    Ryan Christopher

  16. im glad people that have posted here want good things ,
    Raj , you are not the messiah , sorry , your a great guy , im sure ! We are all gods children to varying degrees , wanting peace hope and charity is a great aspect to have , good on ya bro. Im not buying into the who fla , which ,no matter how much you tell people your just a naughty boy ,i dont think these people can let go of you , so people ,when a man tells you he is not the messiah , cop it sweet . If Raj is the messiah , then he has lied by saying he isnt , yet ,everyone thinks its devine lies from an ascended being , but its not okay to lie full stop , we all lie ,yes ,but not when mr creme has touted you the messiah , a huge responsibility ,one that would require trust , so Raj admitted hes not the messiah , good on ya bro , alright people ,time to move on, whos next? One Love !

  17. It does not take much to discern from Raj’s eyes and works that he is on a divine mission to transform our planet. Is he “The Messiah”? I thought so… until I received a very beautiful answer from another enlightened being Ashok Kumara (Sadahana School of Arts – Redmond, WA).

    Ashok Kumara said “Maitreya represents the essence of world teacher expressing through millions of awakened beings. Yes, Raj Patel is certainly an aspect of Maitreya”

    If God is Pure Love – it is natural that he expresses his essence through teachers, healers, mothers, thinkers, models etc. 2000 years ago, He had to pack all of this into one vessel – Jesus, Buddha etc.

    It is indeed a matter of celebration that today – He flows His love into earth through millions of vessels (“awakened beings”). It is possible that Raj – may be a better than anyone today at flowing out the love – but we are all equally loved… and we all can become “The Maitreya”.

    Benjamin Creme is being simply delusional in hoping that a teacher will need to be embodied in one person – as it was 2000 years ago. In school, you repeat a lesson only if you failed the grade. Otherwise, you move to the next grade, and experience the same lesson with more depth and richness. The second coming is going to be more magnificent than the “first wave”. Not sure why Mr. Creme is clamouring for a “encore”… Creativity abounds – the second time has to be better than the first…

  18. “You may remember the story of how the devil and a friend of his were walking down the street, when they saw ahead of them a man stoop down and pick up something from the ground, look at it, and put it away in his pocket. The friend said to the devil, ‘What did that man pick up?’ ‘He picked up a piece of the truth,’ said the devil. ‘That is a very bad business for you, then,’ said his friend. ‘Oh, not at all,’ the devil replied, ‘I am going to help him organize it.’ I maintain that truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. That is my point of view, and I adhere to that absolutely and unconditionally. Truth, being limitless, unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be organized; nor should any organization be formed to lead or coerce people along a particular path.” -JK
    > yo Raj, watched the promo for your book. looks good. I hope you become a big Rockstar Messiah, because the sheep need a shepherd, and the sooner we get off the gravy train the better. From my perspective the world is starting to wake up, what with the new understandings in Science, the 2012 enigma, the acceleration of knowledge, and the mass spread of Ancient & Harmonious belief systems, Avatar being a great example.
    Maybe a World teacher would be the catalyst we need to get our hearts above our heads.

  19. Ive been watching this maitreya story for about 20 years and its led us here. hmmmm.. the connections of the M story run further than benjamin creme alone. From what i can see the trail seems to surface with theosophy, helena patrova blavatsky, alice baily,besant and leadbetter and then the maverick J Krishnamurthi..
    Its very interesting to read all these comments and to see how others are thinking. the comments above seem spilt in mostly two directions, one group of thinkers propose we need to find the the answers within regardless of a leader or help. Others feel the need for an inspirational figurehead if not a saviour…
    “The answer is within thinking” raises a question in me, What makes us think that a “civilisation” on the brink of collapse, in almost any area you may care to look, is capable of suddenly changing tack and also having the vision to put it right in time? Surely we need all the help we can get? There are people out there with good working hearts and yet still we speed toward a cataclysmic events.
    no sane individual would try and learn the whole of our scientific knowledge without a teacher,if we have one why not make use of him…
    The thinking of the second approach also raises a question in my mind, conciousness is all i am aware of, then isnt everything else i am told simply yet another image or story that steps in the place of direct experience and removes us from the reality that we see. Do i have any responsibility in this life and death that i can see for myself?.. if we can see something for ourselves then we do not need to be led.
    why not have the best of both. how about an inspirer with more vision, like a teacher that helps but we maintain our own descrimination and only follow what makes the most sense.it doesnt have to be devotee or closed sceptic..
    but what about Raj? I take him on his word.
    I say step up and be the prince of the people whomever you are… you are doing what I cannot, but you have my vote, my support and more to capacity.
    Were on the same team.. end of

  20. If enough people believe that Raj Patel is indeed the World teacher then equally those who say the Maitreya is the anti-Christ will see Raj (a Hindu – and therefore NOT one of the People of the Book) as Satan (or equivalent)

    Then they will kill him.

  21. the teacher “Maitreya”is within all of us if we choose to use our intuition and listen with our hearts.peace

  22. We have a big problem when in in the garbage in the city in a large canadian city could feed a starving county, daily ,is it organization we need. or is it the fact we are scared of the third world having success and becoming able to live with decency, heaven forbid we may all be equal, the food is there 10x but no will.

  23. I agree that we all have to take responsibility for the world & to ‘be the changes that we wish to see’, but without an ‘agent of divine intervention’ to spur us to a major effort, it seems unlikely that anything significant will happen that goes against the status quo, and the ruling elite.

    Unlike the active citizenry in Europe and the Middle east, very few Americans could be bothered to protest the invasion/occupation of Iraq – because they apparently believed the lies that told them that it was part of a ‘war on terrorism’. There is no indication that they will work for justice in the world without some powerful encouragement (demands) from the people. Maitreya is expected to rally the people to stand up for their rights – for a better world. I don’t see any other way for us to get out of this mess.

    If we don’t get an agent of divine intervention or something to spur us to action, then considering all the nuclear weapons in the world, along with the extreme belligerence & cruelty of the US military & state department, it seems very likely that somebody somewhere will eventually detonate a nuclear weapon in the USA, causing the eggheads in the pentagon to strike back, and ultimately leading to the end of human life on earth.

    All of Benjamin Creme’s writings make perfect sense to me and I encourage others to read his material, much of which is on the web. I can hardly wait to see the World Teacher and the Masters work openly from the world stage. It’s the end of the world as we’ve come to know it, and for that i’m very glad.

  24. Just want to say that while I agree with Raj we don’t need a Messiah to show us how we’ve taken a wrong turn via our economic system, however we DO need a leader to take us out. Every great movement in history that has taken us one step higher has required a leader, a leader for like-minded people to unite under. Martin Luther King and Gandhi being the most recent examples.

    Also want to say that we must be the generation that is to turn this thing around. It’s impossible for us to continue to accept the status quo, and it’s too late now to go back to sleep, so we might as well go for it. Raj I believe in what you stand for.

  25. Discussion over who Maitreya may or may not be is all well and good, however where is all this speculation getting us -what’s it achieving. I would say that at first it’s probably better for us to change our buying habits and how we relate to others on the planet, then, just maybe Maitreya might pop up and say hello.

  26. Why even boughter replying to this. If there is a expected “saviour” comming this way i dont think he will be useing the interwebz.

    I can not really figure out why mankind always are looking for some devine intervention to realize thier own potentioal. We all choose to be here for a reason, we did not get here just so we clould be carried threw. You all need to figure out that you have 2 legs of your own and they do work.

    Nobody needs to get carried, if you get carried threw you problems what did you then learn? Nothing basicly, we are here as we use our body to go to school, even if the educationsystem of this planet is pretty backwards. But see this as your school for being in this 3rd density dimmension. When you are ready you will pass on for new adventures.

    Listen even if the worst scenario plays out dont fear it. We are here to learn, thats all there is. We all come and go like the waves of the ocean. Accept the fact that you all are immortal and we all are of one. Where is no me and you there is only one, barley a thought of the one.

    I love you all as i love myself and we have exiting things to see and experience.

    Best regards : Kristoffer

  27. “Sadly, Iā€™m not the Messiah. Iā€™m just a very naughty boy.”

    I think there’s a whole lot of Truth in that statement people. I means it obvious you’re not the messiah, more likely candidate for the other guy.

    Do not be fooled by wolves in sheeps clothing.

  28. i am amazed when i read the comments from people, both here and on youtube, regarding Share international, Maitreya and now Raj Patel. It seems that the real message is lost in the discussion. So many people spend so much energy on debating wether or not this Maitreya is the antichrist or the savior of the world…. They are so afraid to open their heads and their hearts to the real message: WE NEED TO MAKE THE CHANGES NOW! TOGETHER! LETS SHARE THE RESOURSES AND TREAT EACHOTHER WITH KINDNESS,RESPECT AND LOVE!
    PLEASE HEAR THE MESSAGE! Dont get lost in fear…. make the choice to follow your heart.

  29. Oh, wait!

    I AM my savior!

    Me, Myself and I!

    I AM Divine!

    Yeshua ben Joseph, a Master Teacher said:

    “Don’t you know you are Gods?”

    John 10:34

    We are therefore, our our Savior!

  30. Oh, wait!

    I AM my savior!

    Me, Myself and I!

    I AM Divine!

    Yeshua ben Joseph, a Master Teacher said:

    ā€œDonā€™t you know you are Gods?ā€

    John 10:34

    We are therefore, our own Savior!

    Do NOT look outside yourself. Do NOT look to others, look within!

  31. ā€œSadly, Iā€™m not the Messiah. Iā€™m just a very naughty boy.ā€

    The devil never lies, but he distorts the truth and creates a whole illusion.

    Yes you are not a Messiah, as Maitreya says he is not, because he just claims being the world teacher. And yes you are a VERY NAUGHTY boy, because that’s simply the truth, the Antichrist is a very naughty boy.

  32. I’m also very naughty boy. I like teasing girls, saying jokes and laughing with the people.
    But that doesn’t make me an antichrist.
    Come on people, don’t insult a man who is just working hard to help humanity with the problem of hunger like many others do.

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