The "Marginal Plane" Philosophy

[Guest guest]

Recently I have come across some papers, speculating on The Origin Of The Soul And Other Important Topics, in which the author tries to convince the reader about the existence of an imaginary "third plane" (marginal plane) from which the living entities are supposed to fall down.

 

As far as I have understood from Srila Prabhupada's books, there are only TWO planes, namely the material and the spiritual. The third principal, which is choosing between the two planes, is called the living entity, also known as the marginal energy of the Lord.

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam says:

"The Supreme Lord has TWO energies, material and spiritual. The living entities are marginal energy. As marginal energy, a person may be under the control of the material energy (Maha-maya) or the spiritual energy (Yoga- maya). SB 3.23.10 pp.

 

"Because the living being can appear either in matter or in spirit, the jiva is called the marginal potency" CC Adi 5.41 pp.

 

"The living entity (jiva-atma) takes different positions - sometimes he merges into the dark material nature and identifies himself with matter, and sometimes he identifies himself with the superior spiritual nature. THEREFORE, he is called the Lords marginal energy. " BG 8.3 pp.

 

"The fact is that individual living entities are eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and both of them are very intimately related as friends. But the living entity has the tendency to reject the sanctions of the Supreme Lord and act independently in an attempt to dominate the supreme nature, and BECAUSE HE HAS THIS TENDENCY, he is called the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord. " BG 13.23 pp.

 

In the above verses, Srila Prabhupada explains that marginal energy means the TENDENCY of the living entity to reject the sanction of the Lord and act independently.

 

So, marginal energy, or tatastha-shakti, is NOT a particular place or area in outer space where souls drop from, but it denotes the NATURE of the jiva-soul. It refers to a living entity with the nature of independently choosing between the Lord's two energies. Therefore, the living entities DO NOT expand from the marginal energy, but their natures are called marginal. This marginal energy (jiva-soul) is an expansion of Lord Krishna, who is the origin of the living entities.

 

To summarize it:

There is no such thing as a marginal plane. Marginal energy refers to the particular nature of the jiva-soul, not to any location or place. As marginal energy, the living entity has an independent nature and free will to choose between the Lord's TWO energies. The two energies of the Lord are the external energy (material word) and the internal energy (spiritual world), and the via medium who chooses between these two, is the living entity, who is called marginal because of his aptitude to be in contact with both of the energies. In other words, the marginal energy, which is the living entity itself, can choose only between two energies, namely the external or internal. It CANNOT choose between three energies because the third, the marginal, which is doing the choosing, is the living entity itself. One should, therefore, not mistake the marginal energy, tatastha-shakti, for something like a concocted marginal plane.

 

If marginal energy (the living entity with its independent nature) chooses to be in contact with the external energy of the Lord, it still remains marginal. (See CC Adi 2.96)

 

If the marginal living entity chooses to go back to the internal energy (the spiritual world), it still keeps his marginal independence. It does not change his nature into internal energy and becomes Vishnu-tattva. Although the living entities are equal in quality to the internal potency of Krishna (which is spiritual), they nevertheless keep their marginal independence. Jiva-tattva (the marginal energy) does not turn into Vishnu-tattva (the internal energy), otherwise the living entity would turn into God Himself as in Mayavadi philosophy.

 

Marginal energy can be situated either in the external or internal energy of the Lord and according to the living beings free will and contact with either the material or spiritual energies, the living being is situated in proportionally higher or lower levels of existence. If marginal energy can freely choose to be situated in either external or internal energy, then marginal energy (because of his free will) can also choose to leave either external or internal energy.

 

In the Caitanya-caritamrita it is stated:

"The marginal energy is ORIGINALLY under the control of the SPIRITUAL energy, but, under the control of the material energy, the living entities have been wandering in forgetfulness within the material world since time immemorial. The conditioned state is caused BY MISUSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL INDEPENDENCE OF THE SPIRITUAL PLATFORM, for this separates the living entity from the association of the spiritual energy. In the conditioned state, the living entities of the marginal energy are a mixture of spiritual and material energies. The marginal jiva, or living entity, misuses his independence and becomes averse to the eternal service attitude when he independently thinks he is not energy but the energetic. This misconception of his own existence leads him to the attitude of lording it over material nature. But when the living entity is enlightened by the grace of the Supreme or His pure devotee and becomes inclined to revive his original state of loving service, he is on the most auspicious platform of eternal bliss and knowledge." CC Adi 5.66 pp.

 

The above verse not only says that falldown is due to misuse of independence but also clearly says WHERE that misusing is done, namely on the spiritual platform and not on a concocted marginal plane, i.e. "by misuse of the individual independence of the spiritual platform". In other words, when the living entity on the spiritual platform misuses his individual independence, it falls down to the material platform. The above verse does not mention a third plane from where the choosing is done.

 

Again in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated: "Originally pure Krishna consciousness exists, but because of misuse of marginal independence there is a chance of forgetting Krishna. From the state of pure consciousness, the false ego is born because of misuse of independence. We cannot argue about why false ego arises from pure consciousness. Factually, there is always the chance that this will happen, and therefore one has to be very careful." SB 3.26.23-24 pp.

 

Srila Prabhupada says in the above verse, that by misuse of independence in the state of pure consciousness, the material ego takes its birth and that ONE CANNOT ARGUE ABOUT why false ego arises from pure consciousness.

 

To be in pure consciousness means to be with Krishna. There is no such thing as to be in "pure Krishna consciousness" and not to be with Krishna. "Originally pure Krishna consciousness exists". So if one is with Krishna in pure Krishna consciousness and misuse his free will, the false ego arises, and then one will fall down. So the falldown, it seems, starts on the spiritual plane, as described in the above purport of Srila Prabhupada.

 

It is also absurd to write papers on "The Origin Of The Soul" when the soul as such is eternal - that means without a beginning - It is foolish to attribute ANOTHER ORIGIN than Krishna to the souls manifestation when Krishna says, that everything emanates from Him, that He is the cause of all causes and the origin of all.

 

Srila Prabhupada says that we cannot argue about it. Therefore, as Prabhupada's disciples, we have to accept his final words:

 

"Because he falls down from brahma-sayujya, he thinks that may be his origin; but he does not remember that before that even he was with Krishna. Formerly we were with Krishna in His lila or sport" (Lecture in Australia)