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Species means

Lectures

Philosophy Discussions

The species, definition of species according to biology is different. We say species means jāti, human race.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: What did you just define by species? You mean different types of men, you say...

Prabhupāda: The species, definition of species according to biology is different. We say species means jāti, human race.

Śyāmasundara: So four hundred thousand species of humans.

Karandhara: Different levels of consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Different levels of consciousness.

Śyāmasundara: I see.

Karandhara: And within any species there can an infinite variety of variations of that one species. Just like...

Prabhupāda: Just like the scientists, their species is different. Just like we are making division that 400,000 different types of men. They will say this is one species.

Śyāmasundara: So would you say, for instance, someone who is less intelligent or more intelligent than I am is in a different species?

Prabhupāda: Less intelligent or more intelligent does not make any species, because suppose you have got five children, one is less intelligent, more intelligent.

Śyāmasundara: He was just saying levels of consciousness determine the species.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is levels of consciousness, that just like we divide the human society: some men are brāhmaṇas, some men are kṣatriyas, some men are vaiśyas, that can be found at any time.

Śyāmasundara: Those are species?

Prabhupāda: They are not species, according to their...

Śyāmasundara: They are types of men.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We said varieties.

Correspondence

1975 Correspondence

Your question whether woman in each one of these species is another separate species, no, the species means both man and woman of the same type.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 10 November, 1975:

Regarding your second question, whether a person who is a Negro, Chinese, Indian, etc. are they different species of life making up the 400,000 species. Yes, so far their body is concerned. Your question whether woman in each one of these species is another separate species, no, the species means both man and woman of the same type. Of course, strictly speaking the woman is taken differently, otherwise how would Krsna say striyo vaisyas tatha sudras.

Page Title:Species means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:08 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=1
No. of Quotes:2