Duality of the material world

Notes from the compiler: from VedaBase query: "dualit* material world"@6

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

For the service of the Lord a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material world is felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness.

BG 4.22, Purport:

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows, but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. He is therefore independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone's service to hamper his own service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. However, for the service of the Lord he can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material world is felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. These signs are visible when one is fully in transcendental knowledge.

BG Chapters 7 - 12

One who is fully engaged in pious activities, being freed from the duality of this material world, becomes engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

BG 9.2, Purport:

As explained in the twenty-eighth verse of the Seventh Chapter, a person who has completely ended the reactions of all sinful activities and who is fully engaged in pious activities, being freed from the duality of this material world, becomes engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. In other words, those who are actually engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord are already freed from all reactions.

Lord is not situated in the dualities of this material world.

BG 9.9, Purport:

Although He has control over every minute detail of material activities, He is sitting as if neutral. The example can be given of a high-court judge sitting on his bench. By his order so many things are happening—someone is being hanged, someone is being put into jail, someone is awarded a huge amount of wealth—but still he is neutral. He has nothing to do with all that gain and loss. Similarly, the Lord is always neutral, although He has His hand in every sphere of activity. In the Vedānta-sūtra (2.1.34) it is stated, vaiṣamya-nairghṛṇye na: He is not situated in the dualities of this material world. He is transcendental to these dualities. Nor is He attached to the creation and annihilation of this material world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.18.50, Translation:

Generally the transcendentalists, even though engaged by others in the dualities of the material world, are not distressed. Nor do they take pleasure (in worldly things), for they are transcendentally engaged.

SB Canto 2

The variegatedness in the material world of duality (spirit and matter) cannot be compared to that of the spiritual world.

SB 2.5.39, Purport:

All variegatedness in the spiritual planets is also one with the Lord, and therefore the Vedic aphorism ekam evādvitīyam is fully realized in that sanātana atmosphere of spiritual variegatedness. This material world is only a shadow phantasmagoria of the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and because it is a shadow it is never eternal; the variegatedness in the material world of duality (spirit and matter) cannot be compared to that of the spiritual world. Because of a poor fund of knowledge, less intelligent persons sometimes mistake the conditions of the shadow world to be equivalent to those of the spiritual world, and thus they mistake the Lord and His pastimes in the material world to be one with the conditioned souls and their activities.

SB Canto 5

One has to understand that in the material world of duality, to think that this is good or that this is bad is simply a mental concoction.

SB 5.9.11, Purport:

In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying, 'This is good and this is bad,' is all a mistake." One has to understand that in the material world of duality, to think that this is good or that this is bad is simply a mental concoction. However, one should not imitate this consciousness; one should actually be situated on the spiritual platform of neutrality.

SB Canto 6

Kṛṣṇa is impartial, but because this is the material world of duality, such relative terms as happiness and distress, curses and favors, are created by the will of the Supreme.

SB 6.17.29, Purport:

Durgā—the goddess Pārvatī, the wife of Lord Śiva—is extremely powerful. She can create, maintain and annihilate any number of universes by her sweet will, but she acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, not independently. Kṛṣṇa is impartial, but because this is the material world of duality, such relative terms as happiness and distress, curses and favors, are created by the will of the Supreme.

Those who are not nārāyaṇa-para, pure devotees, must be disturbed by this duality of the material world, whereas devotees who are simply attached to the service of the Lord are not at all disturbed by it.

SB 6.17.29, Purport:

Those who are not nārāyaṇa-para, pure devotees, must be disturbed by this duality of the material world, whereas devotees who are simply attached to the service of the Lord are not at all disturbed by it. For example, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was beaten with cane in twenty-two bazaars, but he was never disturbed; instead, he smilingly tolerated the beating. Despite the disturbing dualities of the material world, devotees are not disturbed at all. Because they fix their minds on the lotus feet of the Lord and concentrate on the holy name of the Lord, they do not feel the so-called pains and pleasures caused by the dualities of this material world.

The happiness and distress of the material world of duality are both mistaken ideas.

SB 6.17.30, Purport:

The happiness and distress of the material world of duality are both mistaken ideas. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Antya 4.176) it is said:

"dvaite" bhadrābhadra-jñāna, saba—"manodharma"

"ei bhāla, ei manda",—ei saba "bhrama"

The distinctions between happiness and distress in the material world of duality are simply mental concoctions, for the so-called happiness and distress are actually one and the same. They are like the happiness and distress in dreams. A sleeping man creates his happiness and distress by dreaming, although actually they have no existence.

Because the same mind and body exist in the same material world of duality when we are awake, the so-called happiness and distress of this world are no better than the false, superficial happiness of dreams.

SB 6.17.30, Purport:

In dreams we sometimes enjoy eating sweet rice and sometimes suffer as if one of our beloved family members had died. Because the same mind and body exist in the same material world of duality when we are awake, the so-called happiness and distress of this world are no better than the false, superficial happiness of dreams. The mind is the via medium in both dreams and wakefulness, and everything created by the mind in terms of saṅkalpa and vikalpa, acceptance and rejection, is called manodharma, or mental concoction.

SB Canto 8

The dualities found within this material world, such as beginning and end, mine and theirs, are all absent from the personality of the Supreme Lord.

SB 8.1.12, Translation:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning, no end and no middle. Nor does He belong to a particular person or nation. He has no inside or outside. The dualities found within this material world, such as beginning and end, mine and theirs, are all absent from the personality of the Supreme Lord. The universe, which emanates from Him, is another feature of the Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the ultimate truth, and He is complete in greatness.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

Although the duality of the material world does not ultimately exist, the conditioned soul experiences it as real under the influence of his own conditioned intelligence.

SB 11.2.38, Translation:

Although the duality of the material world does not ultimately exist, the conditioned soul experiences it as real under the influence of his own conditioned intelligence. This imaginary experience of a world separate from Kṛṣṇa can be compared to the acts of dreaming and desiring. When the conditioned soul dreams at night of something desirable or horrible, or when he daydreams of what he would like to have or avoid, he creates a reality that has no existence beyond his own imagination. The tendency of the mind is to accept and reject various activities based on sense gratification. Therefore an intelligent person should control the mind, restricting it from the illusion of seeing things separate from Kṛṣṇa, and when the mind is thus controlled he will experience actual fearlessness.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

As long as one cannot understand the cosmic manifestation as a representation of the three modes of material nature, he must be considered to be in the darkness of inebriety and caught in the duality of this material world.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 18:

One who does not understand Him and is proud of a false understanding of Vedānta is actually a fool. Mundane attempts at academic knowledge are simply another type of foolishness. As long as one cannot understand the cosmic manifestation as a representation of the three modes of material nature, he must be considered to be in the darkness of inebriety and caught in the duality of this material world. A person who is in perfect knowledge of Vedānta becomes a servitor of the Supreme Lord, who is the maintainer and sustainer of the whole cosmic manifestation. As long as one is not transcendental to the service of the limited, he cannot have knowledge of Vedānta.

By understanding oṁkāra one can become free from the duality of the material world and attain absolute knowledge.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 20:

Although He (oṁkāra) has no material form, He is unlimitedly expanded, and He has unlimited form. By understanding oṁkāra one can become free from the duality of the material world and attain absolute knowledge. Therefore oṁkāra is the most auspicious representation of the Supreme Lord. Such is the description given by Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad. One should not foolishly interpret an Upaniṣadic description and say that because the Supreme Personality of Godhead "cannot" appear Himself in this material world in His own form, He sends His sound representation(oṁkāra) instead.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

In Badarikāśrama, Mucukuda engaged himself in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, tolerating all kinds of pains and pleasures and the other dualities of this material world.

Krsna Book 52:

He decided to remain in that Gandhamādana Mountain region to execute austerities and penances for the rest of his life. It appears that this place is situated in the northernmost part of the Himalayan Mountains, where the abode of Nara-Nārāyaṇa is situated. This place is still existing and is called Badarikāśrama. In Badarikāśrama he engaged himself in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, tolerating all kinds of pains and pleasures and the other dualities of this material world. Lord Kṛṣṇa returned to the vicinity of Mathurā, where He fought with the soldiers of Kālayavana and killed them one after another.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Duality is visible in this material world, but in the spiritual world there is no duality.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

Just like modern political atmosphere, sometimes there is conference of friendships, and sometimes there is fight with lethal weapons. So this duality is visible in this material world, but in the spiritual world there is no duality. There is absolute peace and... (break). ...So when He wants to fight, He comes here, because here there are many demons. So His fighting spirit is satisfied. Otherwise, for killing the demon, Kṛṣṇa does not require to descend. There are many agents of Kṛṣṇa.

Here in this material world there is duality, but in the spiritual world, there is no such duality.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-3 -- Los Angeles, May 22, 1972:

You can get the same benefit from the photograph picture of Kṛṣṇa as you get benefit by directly meeting Him. Therefore, meeting this photograph Deity of Kṛṣṇa is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Advaya-jñāna, nonduality. Here in this material world there is duality, but in the spiritual world, there is no such duality.

So this material world is duality. You cannot understand happiness without distress, and you cannot understand distress without happiness.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

Just like water; in summer season it is happiness, and in winter season it is distress. But the same water. Some water, at one time, it is happiness, and the same water, at one time, it is distress. The same son, when he is born, it is happiness, and the same son, when he's dead, it is distress. But son is the same. So this material world is duality. You cannot understand happiness without distress, and you cannot understand distress without happiness. Therefore it is called relative world.

Dharma and adharma, that is duality, duality understanding within this material world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing.

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

So these things have to be understood, that both dharma and adharma, they are coming from... He is the original, so... Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. Everything is coming from Him. So dharma and adharma, that is duality, duality understanding within this material world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing. The dharma and adharma is the same thing because the same source. This to be understood from right sources, right person. Then we can understand.

So long you are in this material world of duality, then you have to commit sinful activities.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

The material world means world of duality. And the absolute world means the world of one. Eka brahma dvitīya nāsti. That is absolute, spiritual world. There is one only, spirit. There is nothing, although there are varieties of spiritual manifestation. So, so long you are in this material world of duality, then you have to commit sinful activities. Therefore the whole Vedic literature is meant for taking you to the spiritual world. Tamasi mā jyotir gamā: "Don't remain in this material world of darkness. Come to the spiritual world."

Festival Lectures

If you go to kingdon of God, then you haven't got to come back in this material world, which is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:

So this human form of life is meant for spiritual realization. Please try to understand that this human form of life is a chance to get out of this material entanglement. In other than human life—animal life, trees life, beast life, birds life, aquatic life—there are so many, 8,400,000 species of life. Out of that, this human form of life is a boon wherein you can get out of this material entanglement and, being freed from this material entanglement, you can enter into the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. Yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). And if you go there, then you haven't got to come back in this material world, which is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is the place of miseries as well as temporary. Even if we accept this place, miserable place, you will not be allowed to live here for long. You will have to quit this stage. Therefore it is called aśāśvatam.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

In the material world, the world of duality, the name is not the substance.

Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So Lord and Lord's name, They're the same, identical. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa name and the Kṛṣṇa person, identical. Because the Lord is absolute. In the material world, the world of duality, the name is not the substance. If you require water, simply by chanting "Water, water," your thirst will not be quenched. You require the substance water. But in the spiritual world, the Lord and His name, the same thing. If you chant the Lord's name, Kṛṣṇa, or any name of Lord, that is identical with the Lord. Therefore by chanting the holy name of the Lord, you are associating with the Lord.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Because it is material world, the world of duality, there are good and evil, so you have to curb down the evil.

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa, when He is on the battlefield, that was a necessity. He has got two business. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Those who are demons, those who are disturbing elements, they should be killed. And those who are honest and peaceful, they should be maintained. But because it is material world, the world of duality, there are good and evil, so you have to curb down the evil. Sometimes force is required. So that killing is not bad.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

In the world of duality, material world, we have manufactured something—"This is good; this is bad. This is moral, this is immoral"

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Pāpa, everything... In the material world, whatever you do, that is pāpa. In the material world, "This is pāpa, this is puṇya"—this is mental concoction. Everything is pāpa. Dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. In the world of duality, material world, we have manufactured something—"This is good; this is bad. This is moral, this is immoral"—but Caitanya-caritāmṛta author said, "These are all mental concoction.

Correspondence

1971 Correspondence

You write to say that you have become frustrated with so many dualities of the material world and that sometimes you are engaged in sense gratification and sometimes renouncing. This is called bhoga-tyaga, or alternating between sense gratification and renunciation.

Letter to John H. Morgan -- Allahabad 16 January, 1971:

You write to say that you have become frustrated with so many dualities of the material world and that sometimes you are engaged in sense gratification and sometimes renouncing. This is called bhoga-tyaga, or alternating between sense gratification and renunciation. A living entity cannot remain steady in one or the other because changes are going on. That is the nature of the material world.

Page Title:	Duality of the material world
Compiler:	Labangalatika, ChandrasekharaAcarya, Visnu Murti
Created:	21 of Apr, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=3, SB=9, CC=0, OB=3, Lec=6, Con=3, Let=1
No. of Quotes:	25