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Imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness

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"imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness. Consciousness. And that's a clear fact.

The Buddha philosophy, they do not recognize the soul. They, according to them, that the combination of matter at a certain stage produces consciousness. But that philosophy, that argument, can be refuted that with matter you cannot produce consciousness. Because . . . take the example of a dead man. The dead man is there. All the elements, material elements, are all there present. But you cannot revive, you cannot revoke that man to consciousness. The elements are there, the ingredients are there. Now, if you think this ingredient has been decomposed or deteriorated, then replace that ingredient.

Just like in a machine. In a machine some part is wear and tear. It is not working: stopped. You can replace that part into new part, and the machine will work. But this is not like that. If you think that something has deteriorated in this body, therefore it has become dead, say, for example, that they say generally, due to heart failure, now, heart . . . medical practitioners, they know it that heart is always pumping like this. Pumping like this. Now, can you produce heart action by artificial pumping? No. It is not possible. They give respiratory oxygen gas and so many things, but it cannot be revived.

Therefore it is a fact that the soul, soul is different from this body. So long the soul is there, the body acts. And we, with our blunt senses, our gross senses, we cannot see the soul—therefore we deny it. Because our imperfect senses cannot see this. We cannot see so many things. So many things. Just like we are seeing this place is vacant, the outer space, but there are instruments. If you see with those instrument, you will find they are full of germs. Full of germs. Take a drop of water, as clear as possible. But if you see with microscope, you will see, "Oh, it is full of germs." So imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness. Consciousness. And that's a clear fact.

Now, we have discussed all these points. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that if our whole misery . . . the whole philosophy is that our whole misery is due to this bodily contact. Bodily contact. We feel miseries, distress or happiness, at the present stage. It is due to this body. We have already discussed that . . . just like take, for example, the water. Water, in summertime it is very pleasant, and wintertime, oh, it is very distressful. We are afraid. Even a drop of cold water we are afraid of. Without hot water, we cannot take our bath. Now, water as it is, it is water constitutionally, chemically or whatever it may be, but it is due to the bodily touch of the water we sometimes feel pleasure and sometimes feel distress.

Therefore all our feelings of distress and happiness is due to this body. Is due to the body. Body under certain condition, mind under certain condition feels happiness and feels distress. So therefore, if we . . . but happ . . . we are actually hankering after happiness, because the soul's constitution is happiness. Soul's constitution is happiness. Anyone who is brought up in a very nice family with all comfortable condition, as he feels distress in a different condition, similarly, the soul is the part and parcel of the Supreme Being. Supreme Being, His constitution is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs 5.1]]).

The Supreme Being is the embodiment of eternity, bliss and knowledge. Eternity, bliss and knowledge. That is the constitution of the supreme entity. He is eternal, He is blissful, and always full of pleasure. Always full of pleasure. Kṛṣṇa, this word, Kṛṣṇa . . . now, we have chanted, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. This Kṛṣṇa is . . . do not take it that we are presenting some sectarian conception of God or like that. This Kṛṣṇa, this is a Sanskrit word. You have to understand, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means . . . Kṛṣ means the greatest, and ṇa means pleasure. He is the symbol of greatest pleasure. Greatest pleasure.

So we are also part and parcel of that greatest pleasure. Just like the ocean and a drop of water of the ocean, if you chemically analyze, you will find the same ingredients. The volume of the ocean is certainly greater than the volume of the drop of the ocean water, but so far the constitution is concerned, either this drop of ocean water or the full ocean water, the same chemical composition you will find. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha—eternity, blissful and knowledge—therefore, although we are minute particles, minute particle . . . but the minute particle has got so much energy.

You can just see that that minute particle of the soul within this body, how wonderful things we are doing. Everything, whatever material manifestation, at least in this world . . . in New York City you see so many big, big buildings and so many machineries, factories and organization, but who has done it? That minute particle, embodied in the soul. Just see. If that minute particle can play so much wonderful things, just see, just imagine what wonderful things cannot be done by the supreme particle. Or not particle: He is the whole. He is the whole.

Page Title:Imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-09-11, 13:09:05
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1