UNITY IN DIVERSITY - what is it?

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the end notes (1-7) of the resolution posted in text 10108916:

 

End Notes:

 

1 "Expert management means to engage all of the devotees and not allow

them to split into different parties." — Srila Prabhupada Letter, July

29, 1975.

 

2 "Self-realization leads to the understanding that everything is

situated in the Supreme Lord. At that time there is no more illusion or

lamentation, and everything is wonderfully harmonized. One sees the

whole material universe as a manifestation of unity in diversity. On

this platform everything is full of happiness, knowledge, and eternity.

This is the platform of Brahman realization." — RTW 5.1

 

3 So Mayavadi philosophers, they take one side only; that it is one.

They do not understand what is the difference, what is the different

taste, varieties. They cannot understand the varieties, unity in

diversity. They cannot understand. Just like sugar and milk—you prepare

so many sweetmeats: "This is rasagulla, this is sandesa, this is burfi,

this is this, this is that." Hundreds of preparation you can... But what

is that? That sugar and milk. So similarly, variety is the mother of

enjoyment. — Srila Prabhupada Lecture, March 7, 1974.

 

4 Mr. O’Grady: I don’t think you can explain situations in one area with

metaphors from another. How can you argue political problems in terms of

vague spiritual concepts? Their nature is completely different.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Sometimes a variety of examples helps us to understand

or appreciate the problem better. In the vase there is a variety of

flowers, and that variety helps us better appreciate the idea of

flowers. From any point of view, Krsna can resolve all problems. Why

just the problems of Irishmen or Englishmen? All problems. That is

called unity in diversity. Our students come from different backgrounds,

but because they are all in Krsna consciousness, they are unified. —

Science of Self Realization 7

 

5 This is the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, which

is called acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. The example given in the

Brahma-samhita is that milk and yogurt are simultaneously one and

different; both are milk, but the yogurt has become changed. In order to

achieve real peace, one should see everything and every living entity,

including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, as nondifferent from the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. No one is independent. Every one of us is an

expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This accounts for unity

in diversity. There are diverse manifestations, but, at the same time,

they are one in Visnu. Everything is an expansion of Visnu’s energy. —

Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 4.7.54.

 

6 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam

on the strength of His philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. That

philosophy holds that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and

different from His creation. That is to say, there is unity in

diversity. — Purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 9.360.

 

7 Prabhupada: Yes. Just like by electric energy you have got heater, at

the same time, cooler also. The energy is one, but in one place it is

utilized for heating; in another place it is utilized as cooling.

Similarly, take the energy of sunlight. The sunlight is one, but by the

sunlight some flowers are becoming red, some flowers are becoming blue,

the leaves are becoming green. So everything is due to the same energy,

sunlight, but the variety is there. Variety is there. So energy may be

one. Just like in your country, by electric energy you are working in so

many ways. So do not, I mean to say, make minus all these varieties, the

energy in diverse varieties. Therefore the whole conception is, Brahman

conception is, that unity in diversity. Everything is working by the

energy of the Supreme Brahman, and in the energy we have got different

diversities. So we cannot neglect the diversities, although the energy

is one. — Srila Prabhupada Lecture, April 30, 1969.