The most important question to ask

[Gauracandra]

In this lecture Srila Siddhaswarupananda discussions the most important question: “How can I get off this wheel of birth and death.”

 

We received a very sincere letter from Jim one of our viewers. He writes “I know this world is full of unhappiness and that it is not my real home. I want to get off this wheel of birth and death but no one can tell me how.”

 

This is relevant to everyone. This is the most important question you can ask. You are in this predicament. No one likes to remember their suffering. Its like the drunk lying on the bathroom floor throwing up swearing he’ll never do this again.

 

Memory is very short when it comes to pain. So this is a very important question. There can be no better question. Most people don’t know they are miserable. There is nothing wrong with being happy. But you can never be happy until you know your eternal position.

 

I’m not supposed to be run by the clock. I’m eternal, so why do I have a watch on? The time element is behind it all. At most you have 100 years to live. So you are trying to get as much done in this time. Its just not natural. This material dimension has a little happiness but mostly misery.

 

So I’ll give you the most authoritative answer from the most authoritative source on how to get out of this predicament. The Supreme Lord clearly states “Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” Bhagavad Gita 9:34

 

Whatever state of consciousness you quit your body in, that will be your destination. If you are thinking of God then you will go to Him. You conquer the wheel of birth and death by being completely immersed in the Supreme Lord. This is the solution. The reason you reincarnate is that you still are immersed in material desires.

 

Do you understand this?

 

Audience Member: What if a person is tired of this world and commits suicide. Will he have to reincarnate?

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: A lot of people may think they can solve the problem by dying. But you have to understand the science of reincarnation. You must know that you are not the body. But this doesn’t mean that if you kill your body you will be free. Because you are also not your subtle body. You have another layer of covering, a subtle body, with material frustrations.

 

The reason you want to commit suicide is due to frustration. The pain of a broken love affair or perhaps physical handicaps. The person still desires to enjoy the world but he is not happy. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have desires. The people committing suicide are not spiritually motivated. They still have this core in their heart. They usually are crying for help and are trying to let people know to help them find the solution to their problem.

 

So they are pulled between their frustrations and their desires to enjoy. They do but they don’t. They still want to enjoy this world.

 

Audience Member: If a person commits suicide what sort of body do they get?

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: If you destroy this body you have committed a sinful act. You leave but you don’t go to the spiritual dimension. Rather you have for the time your body was meant to live, you remain a ghost. A ghost is a person but without flesh and blood. He is covered by his mental body with hopes and angers. Ghosts still desire to taste but they don’t have a tongue and they can’t get one. Then after being a ghost through the agencies of material nature you then take on another material body.

 

Audience Member: Earlier you mentioned that to stop reincarnating we must think of God. How can this be done when my mind is all over the place?

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: Why does your mind go all over the place? I don’t want you to think you should be inactive. What I mean is you must be immersed in God. Be attached to Him. It is to be spontaneous. At the time of death naturally you will be thinking about what you are most attached to.

 

You have to develop a real attachment to God. First, understand that God is a person. You must love God not this world. Love for God means you go to God. Naturally the mind goes to what the mind is attached to. It is not something artificial. You have to develop an actual affection for God. Attachment for this world is so strong. Nothing can neutralize it except a higher taste of love for God.

 

There is an actual process that will enable you to develop love for God. This process is called Bhakti-yoga where you cultivate your natural love for God.

[ancient_paztriot]

Alot of this is great stuff! Don't be so scarce. This board needs a little sanity around here.

 

I feel better knowing you and Babhru are around… and Theist.

 

(Now if only you guys can make it to my death. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I'd feel safer in passing!)

[krsna]

[ancient_paztriot]

No one likes to remember their suffering.

 

Well, he's either hankering or lamenting. People wallow in their troubles; "Not my fault! I'm not responsible! What caring person would do this to me?"

 

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But you can never be happy until you know your eternal position.

 

Well, some people are happy to kill their enemies. Or make a buck or get laid. they dedicate their lives to such happiness. When you surmise alll that activity and ask how Krsna benefits… there's a sad response. But people are convinced they're happy.

 

The world now turns on it.

 

...................

But this doesn’t mean that if you kill your body you will be free.

 

Yeah, you'll suffer more 'cause you have no gross body to satisfy your desires.

 

...................

So they are pulled between their frustrations and their desires to enjoy. They do but they don’t. They still want to enjoy this world.

 

Duality.

 

…hopes and angers.

 

Angers? Haven't heard that. Makes sense.

 

...................

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: Why does your mind go all over the place?…

 

Rest of this is excellent.

 

(Ya can't cover everything in one presentation).

 

I'd like to witness this speaker. Who is he?