There is no distinction (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"is no distinction" |"are no distinctions " |"be no distinction" |"is no such distinction" |"are no such distinctions"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

They are all identifying, "We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is classless society. This is classless society. There is no distinction.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972: Now they are eager to wash off this social system. They want classless society. But in the material world there cannot be any classless society. It is not possible. Classless society can be established in the spiritual world. Just like we are propagating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is classless society. Here you will find Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, but they have forgotten that they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians or Americans or Indians. They are all identifying, "We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is classless society. This is classless society. There is no distinction.

Any kind of animal killing is sin, sinful. Father will be sorry even the intelligent boy is killed or the dull boy is killed. For father, there is no such distinction. Similarly, you cannot kill animals without being sanctioned.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Pradyumna: In college if they start to study biology or zoology, it involves killing animals, dissection. Is that a sin?

Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly. You cannot kill even an ant.

Indian lady: Then you could give up such study?

Prabhupāda: That is your business. What can I say? (laughter) But any kind of animal killing is sin, sinful. [break] Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ, tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4]. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the seed-giving father of all living entities in any form." Sarva-yoniṣu. Sarva means all, 8,400,000 species and forms. So Kṛṣṇa is the father, and all living entities are part and parcel of the Lord. They have different dresses according to different karma, but actually, every living entity is part and parcel of God, sons. So suppose a father has got ten sons and one of them or two of them are useless. So if the elder brother wants to make some experiment by killing the younger brother, would the father be pleased? No. Father will be sorry even the intelligent boy is killed or the dull boy is killed. For father, there is no such distinction. Similarly, you cannot kill animals without being sanctioned. That sanction is in the sacrifice. I have already explained, for testing. According to Vedic system, if you kill anybody, then you must be responsible for the sinful life.

That sacred thread is the sign that this person has his spiritual master, has a spiritual master. Just like... Here, of course, there is no such distinction. A married girl... And according to Hindu system, they have got some sign so that people can understand, "This girl is married."

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966: According to Vedic injunction, one, everyone, should have a spiritual master. Perhaps you have seen a sacred thread. We have got sacred thread. Mister Cohen, you have... This kind of... Sacred thread. That sacred thread is the sign that this person has his spiritual master, has a spiritual master. Just like... Here, of course, there is no such distinction. A married girl... And according to Hindu system, they have got some sign so that people can understand, "This girl is married."

So everyone has got his individuality. That is a fact. Not that there is no distinction.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966: So everyone has got his individuality. That is a fact. Not that the... Just like there is a class of philosophers who says that the soul is a homogeneous, one entity, and after the destruction, after the annihilation of this body, the soul, as a substance, will mix up. Just like water. You keep in different pots. In different pots you keep water. So the water takes the shape of the pot, the bowl, round bowl. You keep water. The water takes the shape of round. So similarly, there are thousands of, or millions of, waterpots, and suppose all the waters are mixed up. Then there is no distinction. Just like they were in the pots. So their theory is that when a soul is liberated then the, that it mixes up with the Supersoul. Just like a drop water taken from the sea water and again put it into the sea, it mixes up. It loses its identity. So that is one theory. But here Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "Myself, yourself, and all others who have come here..."

If we follow the footprints of the ācāryas, then we find there is no distinction between Vedānta and Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972: Even Śaṅkarācārya, he also accept Kṛṣṇa: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. So the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they have all accepted Kṛṣṇa: the ultimate knowledge of Vedic understanding. Many ācāryas, they have written notes on Vedānta, targeting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to follow the footprints of the great stalwart ācāryas. Ācāryopāsanam. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. If we follow the footprints of the ācāryas, then we find there is no distinction between Vedānta and Bhagavad-gītā. Vedānta, you might be referring to the Vedānta-sūtra of Śaṅkarācārya, but all the ācāryas, the have written notes on Vedānta. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the original comment on Vedānta. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. So Vedānta does not mean godlessness. Vedānta means to know God. That is real study of Vedānta.