Now, na, na abhinandati. Now, suppose one has done very marvelous work. So we should not be very much enthusiastic to praise for such work. What is that work? That work is material. It will vanish. Nābhinandati. Neither, when it is vanished, he is also sorry for that. These symptoms are for a person who is situated in the pure consciousness platform. Tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā. His prajñā, his intelligence... You mind that. Intelligence is above the mind. The first stage is... The general stage of our life is the activities of the senses. Those who are ordinary persons, without any knowledge, they are acting, whole day and night to satisfy the senses. That's all. This is ordinary life. Mostly people are working for that purpose, mostly. And above them, above them, if somebody is intelligent, he's working on the mind—philosophy, poetry, nice idea in novel, nice idea in drama, some psychological..., all these things. So they are little better than those who are working day and night hard for sense gratification. They are little... These philosophers, the poets and the thinkers, they're little more better. So indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). So manasas tu parā buddhiḥ. And above them, those who are acting very intelligent, intelligently, on the laws of the nature, say, for the scientist or like that... Manasas tu parā buddhiḥ. And that stage, that scientific stage, that scientific calculation, is the stage of this appreciation of consciousness. The perfection of scientific life... Science, science, scientists are making research "What is the truth beyond this? Beyond this? Beyond this?" When they come to the point of this pure consciousness, that is the highest grade of scientific knowledge. Highest grade of scientific knowledge is that, when we come to understand that "I am not this body; I am this consciousness."
Above the mind is intelligence
Expressions researched:
"Above mind there is intelligence"
|"Intelligence is above the mind"
|"Intelligence is above the mind"
|"above mind, still finer, is the intelligence"
|"above the mind is the determination of the intelligence"
|"above the mind is the intelligence"
|"above the mind there is intelligence"
|"intelligence above the mind"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
In Kṛṣṇa consciousness the soul makes direct connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the hierarchy of bodily functions, as described here, ultimately ends in the Supreme Soul. Bodily action means the functions of the senses, and stopping the senses means stopping all bodily actions. But since the mind is active, then even though the body may be silent and at rest, the mind will act—as it does during dreaming. But above the mind is the determination of the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul proper. If, therefore, the soul is directly engaged with the Supreme, naturally all other subordinates, namely, the intelligence, mind and senses, will be automatically engaged.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
Perfect civilization is the civilization of ātmā, or the soul proper. The civilized man of sense gratification is on an equal level with animals because animals cannot go beyond the activities of the senses. Above the senses is the mind. The civilization of mental speculation is also not the perfect stage of life because above the mind is the intelligence, and the Bhagavad-gītā gives us information of the intellectual civilization. The Vedic literatures give different directions for the human civilization, including the civilization of the senses, of the mind, of the intelligence, and of the soul proper. The Bhagavad-gītā primarily deals with the intelligence of man, leading one to the progressive path of civilization of the spirit soul. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the complete human civilization dealing with the subject matter of the soul proper. As soon as a man is raised to the status of the civilization of the soul, he is fit to be promoted to the kingdom of God, which is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as per the above verses.
SB Canto 3
The buddhi-yoga process of self-realization with intelligence transcendental to the mind (devotional service) can alone elevate one from the conditioned state of material entanglement in the cosmic construction. The conditioned state of the living entity is like that of a person who is within the depths of a huge mechanical arrangement. The mental speculators can reach the point of buddhi-yoga after many, many lifetimes of speculation, but the intelligent person who begins from the platform of intelligence above the mind makes rapid progress in self-realization. Because the buddhi-yoga process entails no fear of deterioration or retrogression at any time, it is the guaranteed path to self-realization, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.40).
Everyone wants to satisfy his senses, but above the senses is the mind, above the mind is the intelligence, above the intelligence is the individual self, and above the individual self is the Superself. Above even the Superself is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, viṣṇu-tattva. The primeval Lord and the cause of all causes is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The complete process of perfectional service is to render service for the satisfaction of the transcendental senses of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Janārdana.
SB Canto 7
Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet his intelligence is polluted. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.42):
- indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
- indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
- manasas tu parā buddhir
- yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
Above the senses is the mind, above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul. Ultimately, when one's intelligence becomes clear through devotional service, one is situated in buddhi-yoga. This also is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te). When devotional service develops and one's intelligence becomes clear, one can use his intelligence to return home, back to Godhead.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Sri Isopanisad
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.11.12), the advancement of education by a godless people is compared to decorations on a dead body. In India, as in many other countries, some people follow the custom of leading a procession with a decorated dead body for the pleasure of the lamenting relatives. In the same way, modern civilization is a patchwork of activities meant to cover the perpetual miseries of material existence. All such activities are aimed toward sense gratification. But above the senses is the mind, and above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul. Thus the aim of real education should be self-realization, realization of the spiritual values of the soul. Any education which does not lead to such realization must be considered avidyā, or nescience. And to culture such nescience means to go down to the darkest region of ignorance.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So senses are controlled by the mind. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). My body means senses, my activities means sensual activities, that's all. But above the senses is the mind. Above the mind is the intelligence. And above the intelligence is the spirit soul. If one is on the spiritual platform, on the soul platform, then his intelligence is spiritualized, his mind is spiritualized, his senses are spiritualized, he is spiritualized. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because actually the spirit soul is working but he has given his power of attorney to this nonsense mind. He is sleeping. But when he's awakened, the master is awakened, the servant cannot do anything nonsense. Similarly if you are awakened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your intelligence, your mind, or your senses cannot act nonsensically. They must according to that. That is spiritualization. That is called purification.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So yoga system means to control the mind. By controlling mind, you can control the senses. Because mind is the master of the senses. Then above mind, still finer, is the intelligence. So you can train up your mind with intelligence. That is the best intelligence, when one engages the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you will get instruction from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sitting anywhere. So these things can be understood gradually after purifying the mind. At the present moment, on account of our material contamination, our mind is contaminated with so many material things. If you purify your mind, then you come to the spiritual platform. That is intelligence, via media between the spirit and the mind. First of all body, finer than the body is mind. Then finer than the mind is the intelligence. And finer than the intelligence is the soul. So if you keep your mind always engaged at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then it becomes purified. So this is the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to fix up the mind always at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Prakṛti-sthāni, in this material nature, everyone is struggling, prakṛti-sthāni karṣati, with the mind and the senses, that's all. Compact, in the direction of the mind. Mano-dharma. Mano-dharma. So long we are directed by the flickering mind, then we are in danger. We have to go Above mind there is intelligence. The intelligence is where to consider, "Whether I am this body or I am something else?" So on this way, from the mental platform, you have to elevate yourself to the intellectual platform, and from the intellectual platform, you have to raise yourself to the spiritual platform. Then you will be able to give up so-called material possession, completely freed and surrender to Kṛṣṇa and become wise.
So the modern psychologists, they have divided the function of the mind: thinking, feeling, willing, and then other subdivisions. That is known as the science of psychology. But intelligence... Above mind there is intelligence. I don't think in the modern science there is any analytical study of the intelligence function. But in the Vedic literature there is analysis of the intelligence. They are described here: saṁśaya, doubtfulness. The saṁśaya, saṁśayātmā vinaśyati.
Festival Lectures
You can understand that our body, body means the senses, and above the senses there is the mind, which is very subtle, which is controlling the senses, and above the mind there is intelligence, and above the intelligence there is soul. We have no information, but if we practice this bhakti-yoga system, gradually we understand what I am. I am not this body. This, generally even big, big scholars, big, big philosophers, scientists, they are also in the concept of this body. Everyone is thinking, "I am the body," but that is mistake. We are not this body. Just I explain. Body means the senses, but the senses are controlled by the mind, and the mind is controlled by the intelligence, and the intelligence is controlled by the soul. That you do not know. There is no educational system throughout the whole world how to understand the existence of soul, which is the prime necessity of understanding for the human being. A human being is not meant for wasting his time like animals, simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is animal life. The extra intelligence of human beings should be utilized how to understand "I am... What I am? I am a spirit soul."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We think our activities above intelligence. Spiritual. Spiritual.
Dr. Weir: That's quite different.
Prabhupāda: Because above the mind, above the body there is mind; above the mind there is intelligence; and above the intelligence there is soul; and above the soul there is God. So we are talking of relationship between God and the soul. It is above body, mind and intelligence.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: First of all, gross understanding. This body means the senses. Indriyāṇi. Those who are animals, they are thinking this is all. But they do not understand that these indriyas are being controlled by the mind. If one's mind is, what is called, distorted, then the indriyas cannot work. That is madman. You try to cure the mental disease just to bring him in proper position to control the senses. Otherwise, he does not know how to control the senses. Therefore the controller of the senses is the mind. And above the mind there is intelligence. And above the intelligence there is soul. So we cannot see even the mind, intelligence and ego. And how we can see the soul? The soul has got his magnitude. And without understanding, without education about the soul, about the spirit soul, any other understanding, that is animal understanding.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Intelligence is above the mind. Intelligence controls the mind.
Devotee (3): And steady intelligence, that is acquired by hearing? We can keep our intelligence steady by hearing?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (3): But as soon as we stop hearing then the intelligence...
Prabhupāda: Mind is disturbed.
Devotee (3): Then the mind will take over.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If the mind is not controlled by intelligence, then it will disturb. Then the senses will be disturbed, agitated. Then you are bound up by karma.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee: It is explained that the intelligence is the next door neighbor of the soul, can you explain exactly what that means, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: So what is his question?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: His question is that the intelligence, sometimes you've gone like this, I've seen, you say that the soul and the intelligence are like that, that the intelligence is very close to the soul.
Guest: (indistinct) the relationship between the intelligence, working in the soul.
Prabhupāda: Soul is above intelligence. This is the relationship. Intelligence is above the mind, and soul is above the intelligence. Senses, then mind, then intelligence, then the soul.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Svarūpa Dāmodara: This subject matter is called "mind-body problem." The mind sometimes they compare as spirit or soul in some Western philosophical circles.
Prabhupāda: Because they are not yet advanced. Beyond the mind there is intelligence, and beyond the intelligence there is the soul.
- indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
- indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
- manasas tu parā buddhir
- yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
- (BG 3.42)
They have come up to the mind, but above the mind there is intelligence, and above intelligence there is soul. So we can understand this very easily because we accept Bhagavad-gītā. It is easy for us. And for others, they are going step by step. It is very difficult. But we can understand immediately.
| Page Title: | Above the mind is intelligence |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika |
| Created: | 07 of Mar, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=4, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=6, Con=5, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 17 |