MIND/THOUGHTS SPIRITUAL OR MATTER AND DESTINATION

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MIND/THOUGHTS SPIRITUAL OR MATTER AND DESTINATION

EJ 1 Antimaterial Worlds

If one wants to go to the higher material planets, he can keep his finer dress

of mind, intelligence and ego, BUT HAS TO LEAVE HIS GROSS DRESS (BODY) MADE OF

EARTH, WATER, FIRE, ETC. When one goes to a transcendental planet, however, it

is necessary to CHANGE BOTH THE FINER AND GROSS BODIES, FOR ONE HAS TO REACH

THE SPIRITUAL SKY COMPLETELY IN A SPIRITUAL FORM. This change of dress will

take place automatically at the time of death if one so desires. But this

desire is possible at death only if the desire is cultivated during life. Where

one's treasures are, there also is one's heart. When one practices devotional

service, one cultivates a desire for the kingdom of God. The following details

outline a general practice by which one can prepare himself for an easy journey

to the Vaikuntha (antimaterial) planets, where life is free from birth, old age,

disease and death.

730722BG.LON Lectures

THE SOUL IS ACTING THROUGH INTELLIGENCE, AND THE INTELLIGENCE IS ACTING THROUGH

MIND, AND THE MIND IS EXPRESSED THROUGH THE SENSES. THIS IS THE POSITION. SO AS

MY MIND IS ABSORBED IN SOMETHING, SOME SUBJECT MATTER, MY BODILY SYMPTOMS ALSO

WILL WORK, OR THE SENSES WILL WORK ACCORDING TO THAT MIND. THEREFORE FOR

SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT ALSO, YOU HAVE TO TRAIN YOUR MIND. SA VAI MANAH

KRSNA-PADARAVINDAYOR VACAMSI VAIKUNTHA-GUNANUVARNANE. If you use... First of

all fix up your mind. Yoga means indriya-samyama. Yoga practice means that

controlling the mind and the senses. That is yoga practice. Because our mind is

very flickering and changing, something accepting immediately, something

rejecting immediately, very flickering. Therefore we have to train up the mind,

and when the mind is trained up, then automatically your senses will be

controlled. If you are strong-minded,... is a network of nescience, or

ignorance. THIS BODY, WHY WE HAVE GOT THIS BODY, MATERIAL BODY? BECAUSE WE HAVE

FORGOTTEN KRSNA AND WE WANTED TO LORD IT OVER THE MATERIAL NATURE.

751031BG.NAI Lectures

Devotee (1): Srila Prabhupada? What happens to the mind, intelligence and false

ego when the soul is liberated?

Prabhupada: The soul has got its, his mind... What is this?

Prabhupada: The soul is original consciousness. Soul has got his body, his mind,

intelligence, everything. So this mind, material mind, is covered. AS THE SOUL

IS COVERED BY THE MATERIAL THINGS, SIMILARLY, THE MIND IS ALSO COVERED. So the

spiritual life means as we become liberated, the mind also becomes liberated.

The intelligence also becomes liberated. Any other question?

Indian man (3): When the soul leaves the body does it go with the intelligence and ego and...

Prabhupada: This material covering, that forces him to get another body

according to the mind desires. At the time of death the mind's desire--he gets

the similar body. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram. Therefore

we have to practice how to remember Krsna at the time of death. Then

immediately we are transferred to the spiritual world.

740225BG.BOM Lectures

So soon as you become Krsna conscious, you become spiritual. Just like as soon

as there is fire, immediately you become hot, warm. You touch the iron rod in

the fire; it becomes warm, warmer, warmer, then it becomes red-hot. And when it

is red-hot, it is no more iron rod; it is fire. YOU TOUCH EVERYWHERE, THE SAME

IRON ROD WILL BURN. SIMILARLY, IF YOU BECOME FULLY KRSNA CONSCIOUS, THERE IS

NOTHING MATERIAL. YOUR BODY'S SPIRITUAL, YOUR MIND IS SPIRITUAL, YOUR SOUL IS

ALREADY SPIRITUAL--EVERYTHING IS SPIRITUAL. SARVAM KHALV IDAM BRAHMA. THAT IS

KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS. SO SIMPLY WE HAVE TO BRING KRSNA IN EVERY ACTIVITIES

SPL 69-05-08 Upendra

Regarding your question about the difference between mind and soul, the mind is

one of the senses, and the soul is the owner of the senses, including the mind.

THE MIND IS MATERIAL, JUST LIKE THE MATERIAL BODY, BUT WHEN THE MATERIAL

COVERINGS ARE TAKEN AWAY, AS WE REVIVE OUR SPIRITUAL BODY, SIMILARLY WE REVIVE

OUR SPIRITUAL MIND ALSO. At the present moment, my material mind, intelligence

and ego is carrying me in different types of bodies, because mind has different

desires, and it carries the soul just like finer air carries the flavor of the

flower or some other smell. So the mind is an instrument, and the soul is the

worker of the instrument.

750623rc.la Conversations

Prabhupada: MIND IS THERE IN THE SOUL, BUT THE MIND IS NOW POLLUTED BY MATERIAL

CONTAMINATION. Just like a madman. He has got his mind, but his mind is

contaminated. Therefore he requires treatment by psychiatrist. You cannot say

the madman has no mind. He has got mind, but it is contaminated. You have to

make treatment. So mind is there. Everything is there in the soul. And now the

mind, contaminated by the matter, it is perverted. The same example: A madman

has got mind, but it is useless. He is simply acting in madness. The same

madman, when properly treated, he will act like a sane man. So mind is there

always, in the pure soul or in the material body. Everything is spiritual. The

soul is spiritual; the mind is spiritual; the intelligence is spiritual. But it

is now contaminated. So you have to make treatment. WHEN IT IS PURIFIED, KRSNA

CONSCIOUSNESS, THEN MIND IS CONTROLLED, INTELLIGENCE PROPERLY ACTING, AND SOUL

IS IN HIS PROPER POSITION. Therefore those who are under treatment, they must

be strict observation--he may not do something wrong so that treatment may be

hampered.

731217mw.la Conversations

Prajapati: Srila Prabhupada, are thoughts made of matter or spirit?

Prabhupada: Yes. THOUGHTS ACTUALLY MADE BY SPIRIT, BUT IT IS COVERED BY MATTER.

THEREFORE IN THE MATERIAL CONDITION YOU CAN THINK ONLY OF MATTER. JUST LIKE

THIS BODY IS COVERED BY SO MANY MATERIAL THINGS, BUT ACTUALLY, THE SPIRIT IS

COVERED. So the soul being spirit, so long it is covered by matter, it cannot

act spiritually. It is obstructed. Not obstructed. Covered. It cannot be

obstructed. If you like, you can get out of the covering of the matter. So

matter cannot obstruct. But it is the will of the soul. Therefore it is called

tatastha, marginal.

Prajapati: When we FEEL PAIN OR DISCOMFORT, THAT IS COVERING ALSO?

Prabhupada: THAT IS TO THE MATERIAL. SOUL HAS NO PAIN. It is the material

covering. Just like this chilliness. We are affected by the body, material

body, not the soul. Matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah. That is

stated in the Bhagavad-gita. This pleasure and pain is due to the material

covering. Otherwise soul is unaffected. Asango 'yam purusah: "This purusa, the

soul, is unaffected by any material condition." THE SAME EXAMPLE AS I GIVE,

THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD CAR. YOU ARE IDENTIFYING YOURSELF. BUT YOU ARE NOT THE

CAR. YOU ARE AFFECTED IF THE CAR IS SMASHED, BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT ABSORPTION IN

THE CAR THAT "THIS IS MY CAR." THE OTHER MAN IS NOT AFFECTED. Similarly, due to

our absorption, aham mameti, "It is my, it is mine," we are suffering.

Rupanuga: The False ego.

Prabhupada: FALSE EGO.

Rupanuga: Very subtle.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Rupanuga: This process of identification with the body. So we identify with the body...

Prabhupada: Aham mameti janasya moho 'yam. This is illusion. He is not that, but

he is thinking, "I am this." That is animalism. The animal is always thinking

that "I am this body."

Giriraja: So if somebody NO LONGER IDENTIFIES WITH THE BODY, WHAT IS HIS

PERCEPTION OF A PAINFUL CONDITION?

Prabhupada: HE TOLERATES. HE KNOWS. JUST LIKE THE SAME EXAMPLE. YOU ARE NOT THE

CAR . IF YOUR CAR IS SMASHED, ALTHOUGH YOU FEEL SORRY, BUT YOU KNOW THAT "I AM

NOT A CAR." THAT IS THE POSITION.

Rupanuga: So the pain is experienced by the consciousness that is spread all over the body?

Prabhupada: THAT IS FALSE. THAT IS CALLED ILLUSION. YOU ARE NOT PAINFUL, BUT YOU

ARE THINKING THAT "I AM PAINFUL." BUT THAT IS ILLUSION.

Svarupa Damodara: But we are conditioned.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Svarupa Damodara: That is why we experience from very, our childhood that I feel

pain when somebody hits me.

Prabhupada: No. Just like we all know that "I am not this body." But why you are

covering the body? So long you are in material condition, you have to do that.

The same example. ALTHOUGH YOU ARE NOT THE MOTORCAR, BUT IF THERE IS SOME

ACCIDENT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORK ON IT.

THEREFORE THIS BODY, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT THIS BODY, I HAVE TO WORK IN THIS

MATERIAL WORLD WITH THIS BODY. THAT IS THE VEHICLE. YOU CANNOT NEGLECT IT,

NEITHER YOU BECOME IDENTIFIED. This is knowledge. Yuktahara-viharas ca. That is

recommended, yuktahara, "as much as necessity." But these people, they are

taking the body as everything. They have no information of the soul.

Rupanuga: They cannot tolerate it. Like the prisoner cannot tolerate being in

the prison house without knowledge. They cannot get along.

Svarupa Damodara: So our consciousness is affected by our conditioning.

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore Krsna consciousness is the perfect consciousness.

Svarupa Damodara: JUST LIKE THE YOGIS. THEY LIVE IN THE HIMALAYAS WITHOUT ANY

CLOTH. THEY TAKE BATH IN ICE WATER. THEY DON'T FEEL ANYTHING.

Prabhupada: NO.

Prajapati: But is it true, Srila Prabhupada, that sometimes the spiritual master

has to suffer if his disciples act in sinful ways?

Prabhupada: The same way. BODILY SUFFERING. INFECTION. The spiritual master

accepts the all infection. So as the infection acts on the body, so there is

little suffering. KRSNA SAYS, AHAM TVAM SARVA-PAPEBHYO MOKSAYISYAMI. KRSNA

SAYS, "ALL THE SINFUL REACTION OF THE SURRENDERED SOUL..." SO SPIRITUAL MASTER

IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF KRSNA. SO HE HAS ALSO TO ACCEPT. (break) ...the

injunction is one should not accept many disciples. But for preaching work we

have to do that. (break)

 

 

CONTROLLING THE MIND

Madhya 11.10 The Beda-kirtana Pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Chanting the Hare Krsna mantra ENGAGES THE MIND AT THE LOTUS FEET OF KRSNA

CONSTANTLY; THUS THE MIND'S ENEMIES DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO STRIKE. Following

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's example in these verses, we should be very careful in

dealing with the mind, which should not be indulged in any circumstance. Once we

indulge the mind, it can create havoc in this life, even though we may be

spiritually advanced. THE MIND IS SPECIFICALLY AGITATED THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION

OF MATERIALISTIC MEN AND WOMEN. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, through His

personal behavior, warns everyone to avoid meeting a materialistic person or a

woman.

 

731219SB.LA Lectures

SO VACAMSI. IF YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR MIND, THEN YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR WORDS. There

are kaya, mana, vakya. Three things are... We have got this body, and we have

got our mind, and we have got to talk. Talking is very important. You can talk

nonsense all day and night, and you can talk about Krsna and chant Hare Krsna

mantra, and the same thing, vibration. So if you talk nonsense, then you can go

to hell. AND IF YOU TALK ABOUT KRSNA AND THE HARE KRSNA MANTRA, CHANT, THEN YOU

GO BACK TO HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. JUST SEE HOW MUCH THIS TALKING IS IMPORTANT.

Simply by talking. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. So it is a matter of

control. This is con... Yoga means indriya-samyama, controlling the senses.

That is called yoga, real purpose of yoga. Because our senses are just like

venomous serpents. So many people, they fall down on account of these senses.

They become victims of the senses.

Madhya 11.10

Even though a woman be made of wood or stone, she becomes attractive when

decorated. One becomes sexually agitated even by touching the form. Therefore

one should not trust his mind, which is so fickle that it can give way to

enemies at any moment. THE MIND IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY SIX ENEMIES--NAMELY,

KAMA, KRODHA, MADA, MOHA, MATSARYA AND BHAYA--THAT IS, LUST, ANGER,

INTOXICATION, ILLUSION, ENVY AND FEAR. ALTHOUGH THE MIND MAY BE MERGED IN

SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS, ONE SHOULD ALWAYS BE VERY CAREFUL IN DEALING WITH IT,

JUST AS ONE IS CAREFUL IN DEALING WITH A SNAKE. One should never think that his

mind is trained and that he can do whatever he likes. One interested in

spiritual life should always engage his mind in the service of the Lord so that

the enemies of the mind, who always accompany the mind, will be subdued. If the

mind is not engaged in Krsna consciousness at every moment, there is a chance

that it will give way to its enemies. In this way we become victims of the

mind.

CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MANTRA ENGAGES THE MIND AT THE LOTUS FEET OF KRSNA

CONSTANTLY; THUS THE MIND'S ENEMIES DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO STRIKE. Following

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's example in these verses, we should be very careful in

dealing with the mind, which should not be indulged in any circumstance. Once we

indulge the mind, it can create havoc in this life, even though we may be

spiritually advanced. The mind is specifically agitated through the association

of materialistic men and women. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, through His

personal behavior, warns everyone to avoid meeting a materialistic person or a

woman.