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kallisti@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu (Jamie Pemantell) wrote:
>Okay, I have a question that has nothing to do with sXe, so if you don't
>like it, get that kill file ready...
>I have a book called "The Laws of Nature" by Prabhupada. He clearly
>contradicts himself over and over, along with contradicting Hindu
>philosophy.
Firstly Srila Prabhupada is not presenting "Hindu" philosophy. The Hare
Krishna movement has nothing to do with Hinduism as it is generally
practiced today. Prahbhupada is presenting the philosophy of Vaisnavism.
That is Krishna consciousness. "Hinduism" is not a philosophy, it is a
generic term that groups many different philosophies. You could say the
Jains are Hindus, the devotees of Shiva are Hindus and the Vaisnavas are
Hindus. But the philosophies are completely different. So I suspect you do
not know what the situation is as far as "Hindu philosophy" is concerned.
Basically there are two broad schools of thought in "Hindu Philosophy".
The personalists and the impersonalists. We are personalists, we accept a
personal God, Krishna who is the source of everything. The impersonalists
also accept Krishna but they say above Krishna is Brahman, the impersonal
all-pervading formless energy. They say that is supreme. Many Hindus
follow that philosophy at present, of course many are Vaisnavas also. So
you can't really talk about "Hindu Philosophy".
> One clear example, where he tries to get down on Nietzsche
>(who the uneducated should not even touch), has Prabhupada criticizing
>people who say "You yourselves are God." Sorry, but that is what all
>religions teach, including Hinduism, including conservative Catholicism,
>including, including Judaism, and Sufism, and Taoism, the list just goes
>on and on. Then Prabhupada goes on to say that we in fact *are* God part
>and parcel. So, Prab, do you agree or disagree with Nietzsche?
This is exactly the contradiction Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented
His philosophy of acintyabeda beda tattva to solve. It means
"simultaneously one and different inconceivably." So there is an apparent
contradiction. We are not Krishna that is a fact. Krishna is
all-pervasive, we are localized, Krishna is all-knowing, we are very
limited in our sphere of knowledge, Krishna is all-cognizant we are
conscious of our bodies only. So there is no question we are equal to
Krishna IN QUANTITY. He is great and we are small. So the people who claim
we are all God are foolish, rascals Srila Prabhupada would say. But at the
same time we are QUALITATIVELY equal to Krishna. We are parts and parcels
of Krishna so we are equal to Krishna in quality. The example is to take a
drop of water from the ocean. We are like the drop and Krishna is like the
ocean. If you analyze the drop you will find in it all the qualities of
the ocean. For example if you study the salt content of the drop you can
understand the salt content of the ocean. So we are samples of Krishna.
But we are small and He is great. So we are simultaneously one with and
different from Krishna and this is inconceivable...
>I've read many of the books of this movement including Prabhupada's
>(mis?)interpretation of the Bhagavat Gita. The thing that really puts the
>nail in the Coffin of this "movement" in my view, is the mistrust shown
>to it by true spiritual masters...
Where is there a "true" spiritual master who mistrusts Srila Prabhupada's
translation of the Bhagavad-gita? How do you know who is a "true"
spiritual master? Is he the one who agrees with your opinion? Srila
Prabhupada's presentation of not only the Bhagavad-gita, but so many other
authorized translations of the Vedic literature including the Srimad
Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Isopanisad, Bhakti Rasamrta
Sindhu, Sri Upadesamrta, etc are all completely true to the original
scriptures and the commentaries of the authorized Acaryas in the Brahma
Madhva Gaudiya sampradiya, the line of disciplic succession in which the
Hare Krishna movement is coming. Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master was
Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja, his spiritual master was Srila
Gaurakisore dasa Babaji Maharaja, his spiritual master was Srila
Bhaktivinode Thakura and so on all the way back to Krishna. Srila
Prabhupada's presentation is completely in line with the disciplic
succession. No one could argue with that. And the Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya
sampradiya is completely valid. So there is no mistrust shown by anyone in
the writings of Srila Prabhupada. His presentation is a pure presentation
of the philosophy of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Of course there are other
lines of disciplic succession and completely different philosophies as
well in "Hinduism". It is not a religion as "Christianity" is. There are
so many different philosophies. So you can find "Hindus" who may hold a
different opinion to the one presented by Srila Prabhupada in his books,
particularly in regard to the personal nature of God. But no one can say
his books are not a bonafide presentation of the Krishna conscious
philosophy... No thoughtful person will do this. They may have a different
philosophy, that is a different thing.
"...It is a deeply felt, powerfully conceived and beautifully explained
work. I don't know whether to praise more this translation of the
Bhagavad-gita, its daring method of explanation, or the endless fertility
of its ideas. I have never seen any other work on the Gita with such an
important voice and style... It will occupy a significant place in the
intellectual and ethical life of modern man for a long time to come."
Dr Shaligram Shukla
Professor of Linguistics, Georgetown University.
>Let's hear it from the Krishnas out there...
"While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops
attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust
anger arises. From anger delusion arises and from delusion bewilderment of
memory. When the memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when
intelligence is lost, one falls down into the material pool
"One who can control his senses by practicing the regulated principles of
freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord and thus become free
from all attachment and aversion." (Bhagavad-gita 2 62-64)
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Thank you. Hare Krishna!
Madhudvisa dasa
(madhudvisa@krishna.org)
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
Sudarsana Home madhudvisa@krishna.org