Review of Adi Da's
The Dawn Horse
Testament

by Ken Wilber
1985

Many readers of Adi Da Samraj's Teaching are familiar with the one-line excerpt from Ken Wilber's review:

"The Dawn Horse Testament is the most ecstatic, most profound, most complete, most radical, and most comprehensive single spiritual text ever to be penned and confessed by the Human Transcendental Spirit."

Even though it mentions the "Human Transcendental Spirit" — which can only be a reference to Adi Da Samraj as human Incarnation of that Transcendental Spirit — that one line focuses mainly on the book. In later years, under fire for being associated with a "controversial Guru" and knowing most people were only familiar with that one line, Wilber later tries to cover himself by suggesting he was only praising the teaching, not the teacher. But his full review (below) shows this was very much not so: "I am as certain of this Man as I am of anything I have written." — Not just the Teaching. . .the Man. And "Man" with a capital "M".

And he asks his friends to "confess the Realization that Master Da is." Is. In other words, Wilber is professing that the Realization and the Man are one and the same: there is no "schizophrenic" split of the kind he would later try to suggest. Adi Da doesn't merely teach the Realization of Divine Enlightenment — the Man doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. He is that Realization.

KEN WILBER: This is not merely my personal opinion; this is a perfectly obvious fact, available to anyone of intelligence, sensitivity, and integrity: The Dawn Horse Testament is the most ecstatic, most profound, most complete, most radical, and most comprehensive single spiritual text ever to be penned and confessed by the Human Transcendental Spirit. That seems an objective fact; here is my own personal and humbler opinion. I am honored (even awed) to be allowed in its Presence, to listen to and Hear the Potent Message of the Heart-Master Da. How can the soul not bow down to such a Message? What other is the appropriate response? How can I not say what I am saying? How, in the face of such a Testament, can we possible justify neglect?

At the very least, it is perfectly obvious that there is now no excuse whatsoever for any intelligent and spiritually-minded person, of whatever persuasion, not to be at least a student (or one who simply studies the Written Teachings) of Master Da Free John. The days of denial are over; this nonsense of neglect cannot continue, with any rational reason. I ask my friends, my students, my readers, even my casual acquaintances, to see and recognize and — above all — confess the Realization that Master Da is.

I do not understand why so many thousands of people — who have heartily expressed to me the opinion that my own written works express great clarity, judgment, and understanding — balk and look in disbelief when I speak ecstatically of the Heart Master Da. It is as if my friends believe everything I say except that Master Da is a genuine Adept, Free at the Heart, Confessed in Radiance, Transcendent to it all. How has my judgment suddenly lapsed in regard to this Man? I am as certain of this Man as I am of anything I have written — in fact, as certain as I am of my own hand (which apparently claps by itself in solitude when it comes to this Great Issue). So I make only one request: if you do only one thing to test my judgment in this matter, please read this Dawn Horse Testament cover to cover (and I mean cover to cover), and then I will be glad to argue with you if you still wish — but not before. And, I think, we will then see who the Master of the Heart really is. Is that not fair? Read this Man, Listen to this Man, Hear this Man, then See Him. And then, I think, you will stand Smiling. What else do you really want? What else can I say?

Wilber: The Strange Case of Adi Da

ADI DA AND THE CASE OF KEN WILBER
email us: info@adidawilber.com

Review of Adi Da's The Dawn Horse Testament

Review of Adi Da's
The Dawn Horse
Testament