Real goodness
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Message of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He says when we ask, for example, "What is the meaning of the word good..." He says we must inquire as to how we learn the meaning of the word good, what its functions have been, and strive to clarify its use, not as a picture of reality but as a tool for describing, recording, and asserting facts or ideas.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) limited science, when you are in the limited material world, good means which satisfies my senses good. That is good. And bad means which does not satisfy my senses. But so far my senses are concerned, this is temporary (indistinct); therefore in this material world, the conceptions of good and bad, they are all the same. Real goodness is God. God is good. That is good.
Devotee: Jaya! Haribol! Haribol!
Śyāmasundara: So he is saying...
Prabhupāda: Everything which is not God, that is bad. That is real goodness.
Śyāmasundara: He says it's how we use the word good, not what the word good means.
Prabhupāda: Good means, I already explained, which satisfies my senses. That is good. But God is good. He satisfies my senses and all others' senses. The relative good is it may satisfy my senses but it may not satisfy your senses. Therefore it is not good. Therefore what is good to me is not good to you. One man's food is another man's poison. Therefore this is relative good.Conversations and Morning Walks
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That is another foolishness. When you are trying to be a lawyer or barrister, that does not mean you are barrister. When you are a student of law you cannot say that "I am barrister," or "advocate," that you cannot say. You are trying to be, that is another thing. But while they are trying to be, they are taking the position of leader. That is the misleading. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. "One blind man is trying to lead many other blind men." What is the use of such leading? If the leader is blind, how he will do well to other blind men?
Guest 3: Beethoven was deaf.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Guest 3: Beethoven was deaf.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Madhudviṣa: Beethoven, the great composer, he was deaf.
Guest 3: At least, for part of his life.
Guest 1: But can't you have people doing good for the sake of goodness?
Prabhupāda: But he does not know what is good.
Guest 1: But there are certain people...
Prabhupāda: Therefore I say blind. He does not know what is good. real goodness is to understand God. That is real goodness.
Guest 1: But there are certain things that you don't..., that are good, that you can accept as being good just by themselves. Now if you see an old lady who gets run over by a car, you go and help her. Now there are certain things that are good by themselves, I think, and that people will react and do the good thing even though they mightn't have any concept of God.
Prabhupāda: No. Unless you have got the real platform how you can do good? Just like our Madhudviṣa Mahārāja was obliged to you. You have done some good in legal affairs. But unless you are a lawyer, legal man, how can you do it? You have a mind to do good, but if you are not a lawyer, how could you do?Page Title: | Real goodness |
Compiler: | Rati, Visnu Murti |
Created: | 21 of Nov, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=5, Con=1, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 8 |