Absolute knowledge (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"absolute knowledge"

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

When we hear from Kṛṣṇa then we get absolute knowledge.

Room Conversation with Russian Orthodox Church Representative -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: So according to Vedic way, Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is Absolute Truth, accepted by the ācāryas. Indian civilization is carried on the advice of the ācārya-sampradāya. So all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they all accept Kṛṣṇa as the Absolute Truth. So when we hear from Kṛṣṇa then we get absolute knowledge.

The Absolute Truth is known by the absolute method which is called śruti, hearing from the Absolute. Absolute cannot be imagined or speculated.

Room Conversation with Russian Orthodox Church Representative -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: No, somebody may be known as spiritually advanced according to the society, but he may not be. So another thing is that what is the way of understanding the Absolute Truth. Let him explain. What is the standard way of understanding Absolute Truth? (French)

Yogeśvara: He says he doesn't have an answer in that kind of a context.

Church Representative: No context, problematic.

Prabhupāda: It may be problematic to some, but Absolute Truth can be understood by śruti, authoritative hearing.

Karandhara: When the Absolute reveals Himself, then... Śruti means the absolute knowledge from the Absolute, from God.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the Absolute Truth is known by the absolute method which is called śruti, hearing from the Absolute. Absolute cannot be imagined or speculated. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that is a fundamental point.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So therefore we accept Absolute Truth from the Absolute.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

The beginning is words. So where is the absolute knowledge?

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Why you are holding meetings? Big, big meeting arrangements, why do you make?

Amogha: Well, they hold the meeting and they say, "You come to us and take knowledge," that's all.

Prabhupāda: That is word, that is word.

Paramahaṁsa: But they say it's something else.

Prabhupāda: You are using words, canvassing. Why do you say beyond words? The word is helping you.

Paramahaṁsa: Well, they say, "The actual knowledge is beyond words. You come and take knowledge from us and you will see that it's beyond words."

Prabhupāda: The beginning is words. So where is the absolute knowledge?

Paramahaṁsa: They say, "That you have to take from us." If you ask them to describe it, they say, "No, no, you have to..."

Prabhupāda: This is not... Better hate to talk with them.

There is absolute knowledge. But you rascal, you do not take it. That is your fault. There is, not "There might be."

Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Dharmādhyakṣa: Jaya. Another reason they feel very depressed is that they feel powerless, that they have no power to control their destiny, that all the big social forces, all the big social powers, they're controlling their lives, and...

Prabhupāda: Then why you are so much proud of having all the knowledge? Then you admit that you are a rascal. You have no... You are dependent, and you are trying to be independent. That is not being possible, therefore you are rascal. Your education has no meaning because you are dependent and you are trying to be independent.

Dharmādhyakṣa: Most professors nowadays, they will admit that they have no absolute knowledge, that everything they know is relative and that there might be something much better than what they are teaching.

Prabhupāda: There might... There is. But you rascal, you do not take it. That is your fault. There is, not "There might be." Here is Bhagavad-gītā. (break) ...Bhagavad-gītā it is said, etat jñānam: "This is knowledge, and all other things, they are not knowledge." Etat jñānam.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Knowledge means you have to receive it from a superior person. Otherwise, there is no knowledge.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Talk like sensible man. Don't cheat others, that you have no knowledge and still you say "I am professor." Why you are cheating people?

Kīrtanānanda: They say that real knowledge is to know that there is no such thing as absolute knowledge but simply this process of searching for knowledge.

Prabhupāda: No. That is ignorance. As knowledge you are receiving... Just like I've come to you, I'm a layman, I've come to you for knowledge. Unfortunately, you have not received knowledge from that source. Therefore you are useless. I cannot have knowledge from you. Knowledge means to take it from higher personality. That is knowledge. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Knowledge means you have to receive it from a superior person. Otherwise, there is no knowledge.

The same mountain, absolute knowledge, advaya-jñāna, tattva-jñāna.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So Brahman knowledge is partial Kṛṣṇa knowledge. Paramātmā knowledge, partial Kṛṣṇa knowledge. And Kṛṣṇa knowledge is perfect. So partial knowledge is also knowledge but Vedānta means full knowledge. So unless you come to that point it is not Vedānta. The another example is just like from a distant place you see one mountain. You'll see just like something cloud. It is not cloud. It is the mountain, but because you are seeing from a distant place you see it is something cloud. If you go little further, you'll see something green, and when you actually go to the mountain you'll find so many trees, so many living entities, so many everything full of varieties. The same mountain, absolute knowledge, advaya-jñāna, tattva-jñāna. If we accept tattva-jñāna from distant place it is Brahman. If you see that tattva-jñāna still nearer, then it is Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna (BG 18.61). And when you go directly to the person, just like we are talking face to... That is possibility. And that possibility Kṛṣṇa comes to show us.