Original Sin and Death

[ancient_paztriot]

Hayagriva dasa: Pascal ascribed to the doctrine of original sin, which holds that at one time man fell from grace by committing some sin or other, and this fall from grace accounts for his present position between the angels and the beasts. In other words, original sin accounts for man’s encagement in matter.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, this is also our philosophy.

Hayagriva dasa: What was this original sin?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Disobedience––refusing to serve Krsna. Sometimes a servant thinks, “Why am I serving this master? I myself must become a master.” The living entity is eternally part and parcel of God, and his duty is to serve God. When he thinks, “Why should I serve God? I shall enjoy myself instead,” he brings about his downfall. Original sin means refusing to serve God and attempting instead to become God. Mayavadis, for instance, are still attempting to become God, despite their knowledge and philosophy. If by meditation or some material effort, we can become God, what is the meaning of God? It is not possible for man to become God. The attempt to become God is the original sin, the beginning of sinful life.

 

Hayagriva dasa: Pascal believed that it is impossible for man to understand the universe or his position in it. We cannot look for certainty or stability in the material world because our reasoning powers are always being deceived. Therefore man must surrender to the dictates of his heart and to God.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that is our position. We are not depending on the heart, however, because the dictations of the heart are not appreciated by nondevotees. Distinct instructions are given in Bhagavad-gita and explained by the spiritual master. If we take the advice of God and His representative, we will not be misled.

 

Hayagriva dasa: Of all things in the world, Pascal considered this to be the strangest: “A man spends many days and nights in rage and despair over the loss of his job or for some imaginary insult to his honor, yet he does not consider with anxiety and emotion that he will lose everything by death. It is a monstrous thing to see in the same heart and at the same time this sensibility to trifles and this strange insensibility to the greatest object (death). It is an incomprehensible enchantment, and a supernatural slumber, which indicates as its cause an all-powerful force.”

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, according to Bhagavad-gita, when one does not believe in God, or when one disobeys God’s orders, God comes as death. Then all power, pride, imagination, and plans are broken. After this, one may attain the body of an animal because in his life he acted like an animal. This is the process of transmigration. This is suffering.

[Guest guest]

There is no such thing as sin. It is better to do one's own duty badly than another's correctly. It is better to do adharma if it is your duty to do so than another's dharma.

 

What is sin?

is it sin to be free? if so then you cannot achieve moksa (freedom).

Sin is a man made concept, it forms part of maya.

 

also how can you trust a god?

BU 1.4.10 of the Upanisads should warn you not to put your trust in an isvara. Occasionally they are beneficial and point the way, but more often they are mischievous and seek to create greater maya.

Krsna is not to be trusted, he spins the greatest maya of all, but within his words one can see the truth hidden away that all is one and one is all.

 

Tat tvam asi

[theist]

By not understanding that the story of original sin applies to all of us individually the Christians and Jews (Muslims?)

are doomed to mistaken philosophy.

 

They think because of Adam and Eves transgressions in the Garden all mankind has had to suffer for all these years.

 

The original sin is disobediance to God who said "don't eat the fruit of this one tree or you will surely die" And the Bible says the fruit was the knowledge of good and evil. Mundane duality. And as soon as we partook of that dual conception we entered the world of death, this material world.

 

Instead of accepting the responsibility for their own mistake they prefer to blame their great to the 100th power grandparents.

 

And thus the debate of nature over nuture was born.