- atra codāharanti imam
- itihāsaṁ puratānam
- dūtānāṁ viṣṇu-yamayoḥ
- saṁvādaṁ taṁ nibodha me
Example is better than precept
Expressions researched:
"Example is better than precept"
|"Example is better than precepts"
|"Example is better than a precept"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Everyone who has got this material body, he is conditioned. But, so when one gets the body of a human being, he should not be so conditioned like the dogs, hogs, camels. This is the truth, that we are conditioned. We have got the body. We have got the bodily necessity. We have to eat, we have to sleep, gratify our senses, protect ourself from fear. The conditions are there, but still, we can make the conditions better. How? Tapo. We have to undergo austerities, penances. Just like we, we don't say, "No sex life," but "No illicit sex life." This is better life.
Devotee: Skinner also believes that we have to control activities, but he himself is not willing to undergo these austerities.
Prabhupāda: Therefore he is useless. Example is better than precept. By example he cannot prove. Therefore his precept has no value.Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Sudāmā: I've been asked a question by some devotees sometimes that they don't feel happy. So even if they are unhappy, mentally, should, they still should continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I tell them, even if one is unhappy...
Prabhupāda: But you should show example. If you show example different way, how they will follow you?
Sudāmā: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: Example is better than precept. Why you are living outside?
Sudāmā: Well, I...
Prabhupāda: [break] ...last time I was so much deteriorated in health, I had to leave this place. That does not mean I'll leave the Society. I went to India and recuperated. Or came to London. That's all right. So health may be sometimes... But that does not mean we shall give up the Society. If my health is unsuitable here, I go... I have a hundred centers. And you'll not go out of this universe for your health recouping. You have to remain within the universe. Then why do you go out of the Society? [break] ...Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. We have to live with devotees. Why I left my family? Because they were not devotees. Therefore I come... Otherwise, in old age, I would have been comfortable. No. We should not live with the nondevotees, may be family men or anyone. Just like Mahārāja Vibhīṣaṇa. Because his brother was not devotee, he left him, left him. He came to Rāmacandra. Vibhīṣaṇa.1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Everyone... India they are surprised that "How you have made these Europeans, Americans like this?" They are surprised. Because in India the brāhmaṇas and others, they were under impression that "These Western people, they are hopeless. They cannot be any advanced religionist or spiritual." So when they see we have got many temples in India, that they are worshiping Deity and managing everything, chanting, dancing, they are surprised. Many swamis came before me, but they could not transform. But it is not I who have transformed, but the method is so nice that they became transformed.
Director: But people will say a very small percentage of the population.
Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of high percentage. I said that even a small percentage, there must be some ideal men. At least people will see that here is the ideal man. Just like we are having. Because they are chanting and dancing, many outsiders are coming and they are also learning, they are also offering obeisances. And gradually they are offering their service: "Please accept me." The example is better than precept. If you have an ideal group of men, then people will automatically learn. That is wanted. But don't mind, I don't find any ideal group of men. Even in the priests they are going to hospital for their drinking habit. I saw in sometimes before in a hospital, five thousand patients, alcoholic patients, priest. Priest should be ideal character. And they are advocating homosex. So where is the ideal character men? If the priestly class they are going to hospital for drinking habit, and they are allowing man-to-man marriage and homosex, then where is ideal character?Prabhupāda: Where is Bahulāśva? I have read that your program. What is that? College of Vedic Science?
Bahulāśva: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So what is the actual program?
Bahulāśva: That was not completed, Prabhupāda. That's just a description of the courses. Yet we have to add a biography about Your Divine Grace, description of the disciplic succession, the activities of ISKCON, and how the college relates to ISKCON. That was simply an explanation of what courses would be given and how they would be structured.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. [break] How it will be conducted? The idea is very nice. Who has analyzed?
Bahulāśva: Who has...? Dharmādhyakṣa has done the analytical breakdown.
Prabhupāda: Oh, analysis is done nice, of the study.
Dharmādhyakṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we want your direction on how to actually do it.
Prabhupāda: Actually our, that you have already mentioned, that "Example is better than precept." Our whole process is following the example of predecessors, nothing independent. So that principle should be followed. We do not accept any precept who is free from the predecessors.Lilāvatī: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We were thinking that unless the African people can see an example of a devotee, they won't continuously chant. They will chant while we are there and then they will forget.
Prabhupāda: Why don't you become an example yourself?
Lilāvatī: So to live amongst them, we were thinking, is very important.
Prabhupāda: You become an example by your behavior. Example is better than precept.Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? You chant sixteen rounds and follow the regulative... Where is the difficulty?
Devotee (7): If they will not accept instruction, then...
Cyavana: Then what is your instruction? If they won't accept your instruction, then what is your instruction? Must be bogus. Huh? If your instruction is pure, then they'll accept. If your instruction is not pure, who will accept? I will not accept.
Prabhupāda: No, "Example is better than precept." If you actually follow strictly the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, why they'll not follow? They'll follow. If you are not attending class, if you are not attending maṅgala ārati, if you are not finishing sixteen rounds, then that is bad example.1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That's all right. But you have to follow the rules. That is a fact. Either your own rules or Christian rules or Muslim rules or Hindu rules, you have to follow rules. That's a fact. Now, that I have already told. Now make your own choice. Yathecchasi tathā kuru [Bg. 18.63]. If you think your rules will solve this problem... Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9]. If you think that following your rules will solve this problem, then you follow.
Young man (6): Many people are bound by rules.
Prabhupāda: It is not the question of "many people." We are talking of philosophy. [break] And we shall say, "Follow the rules laid down by Kṛṣṇa." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, if you like, you do. Or you live to your own rules. Take that. We shall advise to follow the rules of Kṛṣṇa. And practically you see. By following the rules of Kṛṣṇa we have created Vaiṣṇavas in whole world, hundreds and thousands. Ask their past history and now, how they have changed. Example is better than precept, which rule is better. Actually this is the fact. We are under the rules of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is acting under the rules of material nature. Just like you are young man. Now, you cannot say, "I'll not become old man." Can you? And you are forced by the rules of nature. Can you deny?Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
It is a common saying that example is better than precepts. The example of the leading men in the right direction will very soon be followed by the common men.
Mahatma Gandhi set the example at his fag-end of life and his daily prayer meetings in the midst of gravest political occupation must be taken note of. So also in the Bhagavad-gita. The Arjuna in the gravest moment of warfare learnt the teachings of Bhagavad-gita & he changed his personal opinion in the manner of the fighting.1972 Correspondence
1974 Correspondence
1975 Correspondence
1976 Correspondence
Page Title: | Example is better than precept |
Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Jayaram |
Created: | 20 of Dec, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=7, Let=10 |
No. of Quotes: | 20 |