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Temporary or false you can take on the same category. But Sankaracarya said that brahma satyam: that spirit soul - Brahman, that is reality, and this external feature of the Brahman, or the body - that is false

Expressions researched:
"Temporary or false you can take on the same category. But Śaṅkarācārya said that brahma satyam: that spirit soul—Brahman, that is reality, and this external feature of the Brahman, or the body—that is false"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

False means . . . of course, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, they say temporary. Temporary or false you can take on the same category. But Śaṅkarācārya said that brahma satyam: that spirit soul—Brahman, that is reality, and this external feature of the Brahman, or the body—that is false.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a great list of incarnation, and Buddha, Lord Buddha, is accepted as one of the incarnation who will appear, who would appear. It is in future tense. Kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Buddho nāmnā añjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati (SB 1.3.24). Now bhaviṣyati means "he will appear in future." Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was compiled by Vyāsadeva 5,000 years ago, and Lord Buddha appeared about 2,600 years ago. Therefore before the appearance of Lord Buddha the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written. This is called śāstra. Because there is accurate date and accurate calculation. Everything is there. Buddho nāmnā añjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. The mother's name also given there, añjana-suta. And kīkaṭeṣu means Gayāpradesh. In India there is a province called Bihar. In that province there is a district Gayā. In that district Lord Buddha appeared. Lord appeared in Bihar province. He was kṣatriya, he was Hindu, and he propagated this religion of nonviolence, Buddhism. His specific propaganda was to stop animal killing.

So animal killing is recommended in the Vedic literature. Therefore people wanted to give him Vedic evidences that "In the Vedic literature animal sacrifice is recommended under certain condition. So how do you preach? You are Hindu, and you are followers of Vedas. Why you are preaching nonviolence?" Therefore he had to give up Hindu religion.

He said that, "I do not care for your Vedas. It is my propaganda to stop animal killing. So if you follow me, then you must stop animal killing." Ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. So later on, of course, Lord Buddha was patronized by a great emperor, Aśoka, and therefore practically all Indian population turned to be Buddhist, with few exceptions.

Then Śaṅkarācārya came, and he preached this almost Buddhism. The Buddha, Lord Buddha preached that there is no God, there is no soul; this body is combination of matter, and if we dissolve this material combination then there is no more perception of misery or happiness. That is nirvāṇa. That is his philosophy. But later on, Lord, I mean to say, Ācārya Śaṅkara, he appeared and he preached that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: This bodily combination is temporary, or mithyā. He said flatly that it is false. False means . . . of course, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, they say temporary. Temporary or false you can take on the same category. But Śaṅkarācārya said that brahma satyam: that spirit soul—Brahman, that is reality, and this external feature of the Brahman, or the body—that is false.

So anyway, here the point is that in any religion there is a conception of worshiping God or symbol of God. Even in Jain philosophy they also worship Mahāvīra. In Buddha philosophy they worship Lord Buddha. In India there is Jainism. That is almost like Buddhism. They have got also exactly the same process of worship. Temple they have got. Big, nice, costly temples they have got.

Page Title:Temporary or false you can take on the same category. But Sankaracarya said that brahma satyam: that spirit soul - Brahman, that is reality, and this external feature of the Brahman, or the body - that is false
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-09-17, 13:52:11
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1