Our philosophy is different

Expressions researched:
"our philosophy is different"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not know the secret; they want to become God, enjoy. Our philosophy is different. We do not wish to become enjoyer. We want to be enjoyed.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not know the secret; they wants to become God, enjoy. Our philosophy is different. We do not wish to become enjoyer. We want to be enjoyed. That is our real position. We want to serve Kṛṣṇa. We want to offer everything to Kṛṣṇa. We do not want to enjoy anything ourself. That is Vaiṣṇavism. So here there are in the material world, there are so many universities and economic development plans, but all these rascals, they do not who will enjoy. Who is enjoyer, and who is enjoyed, they do not know. They think that: "We are enjoyer." Every nation, every community, every man is struggling: "I am enjoyer." This is called māyā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Everyone is trying to become Kṛṣṇa. But our philosophy is different. We do not want to become Kṛṣṇa. We are trying to become Kṛṣṇa's servant. That is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Because we wanted to become one with Kṛṣṇa, to compete with Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are put into this material world. Māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare. And here, in this material world, it is going on. Everyone is trying to become Kṛṣṇa. That is māyā. Everyone. "First of all, let me become a big, big man; then let me become the minister, let me become the president." In this way, when everything fails, then "Let me merge into the existence of God." That means, "Let me become God." This is going on. This is material struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become Kṛṣṇa.

But our philosophy is different. We do not want to become Kṛṣṇa. We are trying to become Kṛṣṇa's servant. That is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us how to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). The one, a person who is the lowest of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, he's first-class Vaiṣṇava. He's first-class Vaiṣṇava.

But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To follow the regulative principle without any profit. So when it is used for Kṛṣṇa it is not material; it is spiritual.

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

We can utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like we have got so many cars... Not here. Here also we have got many, eight to ten buses and cars. In the foreign countries each temple has got more than dozen cars. So, but these cars are used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to make the best use of a bad bargain. So we never use car for sense gratification. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate, prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari... A sannyāsī is supposed to walk. But if somebody criticizes, "Sir, why you are flying on airplane?" no, that is our not principle. The Jain sannyāsīs, they never use cars. Now they have begun. Because I am traveling all over the world, now the Jains, they are also. (laughter) But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Suppose I have to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Europe or America. So because a sannyāsī has to walk, therefore I shall walk throughout the whole life to go to America? This is foolishness. If I can go to America within fifteen hours for preaching facility, why shall not I use the aeroplane? Why shall I stick... It is called niyamāgraha, "without any profit," to follow the regulative principle without any profit. No. If we get opportunity, preaching facilities for going on car, on airplane, using typewriter, dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Kṛṣṇa's property, it must be used for Kṛṣṇa. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Kṛṣṇa's. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So when it is used for Kṛṣṇa it is not material; it is spiritual.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Our philosophy is different. Our philosophy is that as there are varieties in this material world, there are varieties in the spiritual world.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

But our philosophy is different. Our philosophy is that as there are varieties in this material world, there are varieties in the spiritual world. That varieties. Just like the sky. In the sky, there are varieties. There are different kinds of planets, floating in the sky. Ordinarily seeing, in daytime, we see the sky is vacant. How it is vacant? It is not vacant. It is the defect of my eyes that I cannot see the varieties. The vari... At night we can see the varieties. There are so many planets, so many stars. And each of them full of varieties. Just like this planet. It is, we learn from the śāstra. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudādhi bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). There are innumerable universes. This universe is one only. And each and every universe, there are millions of planets. And each of them has got special significance. Just like this Moon planet, the Sun planet, this Earth planet, each one has got significance. Here, the bodies are earthly. In the Sun planet, the bodies are fire. Fiery. Similarly in the Moon planet, the bodies are different. Each and every planet.

Philosophy Discussions

Our philosophy is different—not to become a pig. The life simply for sense gratification is not the business of the human being. So our philosophy is different from Freud philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: That means Freud is a most imperfect person. He is taking sex as very important thing, which the dog enjoys. As a dog's life and a hog's life, the hog has got very good facility. The monkey has got very good facility for sex life, and he is thinking this is ultimate goal, and then sleep. So that is going on. So if sex life is so big thing, the hogs, they have got good facility. The pigeons, they have got very good facility. I think every hour they have four times sex life, these pigeons. So if that is, then you become a pigeon. You pray to God that "Make me a pigeon, make me a hog." Why you are becoming philosopher? Now our philosophy is different—not to become a pig. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The life simply for sense gratification, and for that purpose working so hard, but that is the business of the pig. That is not the business of the human being. Human being is tapasya. Tapasya means stop sex life. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). So our philosophy is different from his philosophy. And actually we are suffering. The pig has got good facilities for sex. Does it mean that is ideal life, eating stool and having sex without discrimination? They have no discrimination, whether mother or sister or daughter. That is hog life. So if sex life is final pleasure, then hog is in the greatest pleasure. He has no social obligation. He has no discrimination. But our philosophy says "Don't become a hog, become a sane man." There, there, there is a difference between his philosophy and our philosophy.

1968 Correspondence

Our philosophy is different. We do not hate maya because we know maya is also a faithful agent of Krishna, but her task is very thankless. Our mission is to dovetail everything in the service of Krishna because everything belongs to Krishna.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 22 November, 1968:

You should follow the example of Prahlada Maharaja. His father continually tortured him in so many ways, but he never protested against his father, but he never agreed with the opinion of his father. That should be your policy also, that you will never agree to your father's demoniac principles, but still you will try to serve him as faithfully as a nice obedient son. I am sure your father will be responsive and gradually our mission may be successful. I am always praying to Krishna to protect you because I know purposefully I have sent you in a fiery condition of maya. But our philosophy is different. We do not hate maya because we know maya is also a faithful agent of Krishna, but her task is very thankless. Our mission is to dovetail everything in the service of Krishna because everything belongs to Krishna. Your father or any other businessman may think it improperly that the business belongs to him, and he is entitled to enjoy the profit, but we think everything belongs to Krishna, and Krishna is entitled to enjoy the property. That is the version of Bhagavad-gita. When the Lord says, I am the Supreme Enjoyer of all the results of sacrifices, austerities, fruitive actions, etc. People try to be a renouncer of this material world, but we do not see the material world in that angle of vision. We see everything is the product of Krishna's energy and how everything can be dovetailed for serving the purpose of Krishna. Please try to follow this principle and always remember the vivid example of Arjuna, how he utilized his special talent in the matter of warfare to serve Krishna so lovingly.

1970 Correspondence

Though the Indian Hindus are very much inclined in my favor, I have experience it is very difficult to turn them into pure devotees on account of Ramakrishna Mission's preaching that any opinion about religion is alright. But our philosophy is different, we do not accept any opinion which is not advised by Krishna.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1970:

Regarding the Hindu centers in the foreign countries, none of them are bona fide. There is a similar hodge podge center in London. Actually Hindus and non-Hindus everyone is at the present moment out of touch of the real science of spiritual knowledge. Everyone is going under some religious badge only, so it is very difficult to deal with them unless they are very much serious to understand the science of God. Everyone of the Hindu community in the Western world has got some very good feeling for me because superficially they are seeing that I am spreading Hindu religion, but factually this Krishna Consciousness movement is neither Hindu religion nor any other religion. It is the function of the soul. So even though the Indian Hindus are very much inclined in my favor, so far I have experience it is very difficult to turn them into pure devotees. The difficulty has become more acute on account of Ramakrishna Mission's preaching that any opinion about religion is alright. But our philosophy is different, we do not accept any opinion which is not advised by Krishna. So unless one is very fortunate, never mind whether he is Hindu or non-Hindu, one cannot take to the Krishna Consciousness movement and accept its bona fide principles.