There is no RationalWiki without you. We are a small non-profit with no staff—we are hundreds of volunteers who document pseudoscience and crankery around the world every day. We will never allow ads because we must remain independent. We cannot rely on big donors with corresponding big agendas. We are not the largest website around, but we believe we play an important role in defending truth and objectivity. |
Fighting pseudoscience isn't free. We are 100% user-supported! Help and donate $5, $10, $20 or whatever you can today with ![]() ![]() |
Adi Da
Dolphins and Money New Age |
![]() |
Cosmic concepts |
Spiritual selections |

Adi Da, born Franklin Albert Jones (November 3, 1939–November 27, 2008)[1][2] was a guru/mystic/writer/artist born in Queens, New York.[3]
He gained fame as part of the spiritual counterculture movement in the 1970s, writing 75 books, as well as lecturing, the new religious movement he established being called Adidam.[4] Some followers reported having profound metaphysical experiences in Adi Da's presence, attributing these phenomena to his spiritual power.[5] Other followers remained skeptical, witnessing nothing supernatural.[6][2] He was also known, for various shorter times, as Bubba Ho-Tep, Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Da Love-Ananda, Da Kalki, Da Avadhoota, Da Avabhasa, Adi Da Love-Ananda Samraj amongst other names.
A main teaching was that "'ego'—the presumption of a separate self—is an illusion," rendering futile efforts to connect with divine truths from the traditional theistic stance of separateness.[7]:197[8] Adi Da declared himself a unique spiritual avatar, and you can only achieve enlightenment by following him and his Generic Eastern-ish Religion.[9]:99 His teachings were almost exclusively "Divine Self-Revelation" with "no outside sources" — which some would take as code for PIDOOMA.
He was also criticized for perceived isolationism,[10][11] and controversial behavior.[12][6] Although he died in 2008 leaving an undetermined number of followers, you can still buy his DVDs for the neat and tidy sum of $26.95. Allegations of sexual misconduct in the mid-1980s were met with countersuits, resulting in dismissal or settlement of the claims.[13][14][15]
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Adi Da Art
- http://www.adidaupclose.org/ News and personal perspectives
References[edit]
- ↑ "Spiritual leader passes on". www.fijitimes.com. November 28, 2008. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 "Obituaries". Columbia College Today. June 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
- ↑ "An Introduction to Avatar Adi Da". www.adidam.org. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ↑ Georg Feuerstein, The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice, p. 25.
- ↑ Feuerstein, "Holy Madness", (1992), p. 84.
- ↑ Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 Lowe, Scott; Lane, David (1996). DA: The Strange Case of Franklin Jones. Mt. San Antonio College Philosophy Group. ISBN 1-56543-054-9.
- ↑ Forsthoefel, Thomas A.; Humes, Cynthia Ann (2005). Gurus in America. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-6573-X.
- ↑ Chryssides, George D. (2006). The A to Z of New Religious Movements. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. pp. 47–48, 200. ISBN 0-8108-5588-7.
- ↑ Gallagher, Eugene V.; Ashcraft, W. Michael (2006). Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America [Five Volumes]. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-275-98712-4.
- ↑ Wilber, Ken (October 11, 1996). "The Case of Adi Da". wilber.shambhala.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
- ↑ Gallagher, Eugene V.; Ashcraft, W. Michael (2006). Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America, Vol IV. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 93. ISBN 0-275-98712-4.
- ↑ Feuerstein, Georg (1996). "Holy Madness: The Dangerous and Disillusioning Example of Da Free John". What is Enlightenment?. Spring/Summer 1996 (9). ISSN 1080-3432.
- ↑ Duke, Lynne (June 12, 2005). "Deep Throat's Daughter, The Kindred Free Spirit". The Washington Post.
- ↑ "Sex Slave Sues Guru: Pacific Isle Orgies Charged". San Francisco Chronicle. April 4, 1985.
- ↑ Collin, Molly (April 17, 1985). "Da Free John Sect Sues 6 Ex-Members On Extortion Charge". Mill Valley Record.