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acintya-bhedAbheda-tattva-vAda
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To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: acintya-bhedAbheda-tattva-vAda
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From: nparker@crl.com (Nathan Parker)
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Date: 31 Mar 1995 08:18:39 -0800
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From nparker@crl.com Fri Mar 31 11: 05:44 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [Login: guest]
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acintya-bhedAbheda-tattva
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Excerpts from "Teachings of Lord Caitanya",
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
Founder-AcArya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
P. 258
In other words, from Srimad-Bhagavatam we can know the substance
as well as the relativities in their true sense and perspective. The
substance is the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
the relativities are the different forms of e nergy which emanate from
Him. Since the living entities are also related to His energies, there is
nothing really different from the substance. In the material sense, this
conception is self-contradictory, but Srimad-Bhagavatam explicitly deals
with thi s aspect of simultaneous oneness and difference. This philosophy
is also found in the Vedanta-sutra beginning with the janmady asya sutra.
Knowledge of the simultaneous oneness and difference found in the Absolute
Truth is imparted for the well-being of everyone. Mental speculators
mislead people by establishing the energy of the Lord as absolute, but
when the truth of simultaneous oneness and difference is understood, the
imperfect concepts of monism and dualism cease to satisfy. By
understanding the Lord's simultaneous oneness with and difference from His
creation, one can immidiately attain freedom from the threefold miseries -
miseries inflicted by the body and mind, by other living entities and by
acts of nature.
Srimad-Bhagavatam begins with the surrender of the living entity
unto the Absolute Person. This surrender is made with clear consciousness
and awareness of the devotees oneness with the Absolute, and, at the same
time, of his eternal position of servit orship. In the material
conception, one thinks himself to be the Lord of all he surveys;
consequently he is always troubled by the threefold miseries of life. As
soon as one comes to know his real position in transcendental service, he
at once becomes f reed from all these miseries. The position of servitor
is wasted in the material conception of life. In an attempt to dominate
material nature, the living entity is forced to offer his service to
relative material energy. When this service is transferr ed to the Lord
in pure consciousness of spiritual identity, the living entity at once
becomes free from the encumbrances of material affection.
P. 55
This simultaneous oneness and difference always exists in the
relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Lord. From the
marginal position of the living entities, this conception of
"simultaneously one and different" can be understood. The living entity
is just like a molecular particle of sunshine, whereas Krsna may be
compared to the blazing, shining sun itself. Lord Caitanya compared the
living entities to blazing sparks from a fire and the Supreme Lord to the
blazing fire of the sun. In this connection, the Lord cites a verse from
Visnu Purana (V.P. 1.22.52):
eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat
"Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the
energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its
illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one
place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere.
Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations
of His energy."
The energy of the supreme Lord is transcendental and spiritual,
and the living entities are part and parcel of that energy. There is
another energy, however, called material energy, which is covered by the
cloud of ignorance. This energy, which is mate rial nature, is divided
into three modes, or gunas (goodness, passion and ignorance). Lord
Caitanya quoted from Visnu Purana (V.P. 1.3.2) to the effect that all
inconceivable energies reside in the Supreme Personaltiy of the Lord and
that the whole cosmi c manifestation acts due to the Lords inconceivable
energy.
The Lord also said that the living entities are known as
ksetrajna, or "knowers of the field of activities." In the Thirteenth
Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the body is described as the field of
activities, and the living entity as ksetrajna, the knower of that field.
Although the living entity is constitutionally conversant with spiritual
energy, or has the potency to understand spiritual energy, he is covered
by the material energy and consequently identifies the body with the self.
This false identific ation is called "false ego." Deluded by this false
ego, the bewildered living entity in material existence changes his
different bodies and suffers various kinds of miseries. Knowledge of the
living entitys true position is possessed to different exten ts by
different types of living entities.
In other words, it is to be understood that the living entity is
part and parcel of the spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord. Because the
mateial energy is inferior, man has the ability to get uncovered from this
material energy and utilize the spiritua l energy. It is stated in
Bhagavad-gita that the superior energy is covered by the inferior energy.
Due to this covering, the living entity is subjected to the miseries of
the material world, and, in proportion to the different degrees of passion
and ig norance, he suffers material miseries. Those who are a little
enlightened suffer less, but on the whole everyone is subjected to
material miseries due to being covered by the material energy.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu also quoted from the Seventh Chapter of
Bhagavad-gita in which it is stated that earth, water, fire, air, ether,
mind, intelligence and ego all combine together to form the inferior
energy of the Supreme Lord. The superior energy, ho wever, is the real
identity of the living being, and it is because of that energy that the
whole material world functions. The cosmic manifestation, which is made
of material elements, has no power to act unless it is moved by the
superior energy, the li ving entity. It can actually be said that the
conditioned life of the living entity is due to forgetfulness of his
relationship with the Supreme Lord in the superior energy. When that
relationship is forgotten, conditional life is the result. Only when man
revives his real identity, that of eternal servitor to the Lord, does he
become liberated.
Cc. Madhya, 6.162
mayadhisa maya-vasa -- isvare-jive bheda
nena-jive isvara-saha kaha ta abheda
TRANSLATION
"The Lord is the master of the potencies, and the living entity is
the servant of them. That is the difference between the Lord and the
living entity. However, you declare that the Lord and the living entities
are one and the same."
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature the master of all
potencies. By nature, the living entities, being infinitesimal, are
always under the influence of the Lords potencies. According to the
Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.1-2):
dva suparna sayuja sakhaya
samanam vrksam parisa-svajate
tayor anyah pippalam svadv atty
anasnann anyo bhicakasiti
samane vrkse puruso nimagno
nisaya socati muhyamanah
justam yada pasyaty anyam isam
asya mahimanam eti vita-sokah
The Mundaka Upanisad completely distinguishes the Lord from the
living entities. The living entity is subjected to the reaction of
fruitive activity, whereas the Lord simply witnessnes such activity and
bestows the results. According to the the living e ntitys desires, he is
wandering from one body to another and from one planet to another, under
the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma. However,
when the living entity comes to his senses by the mercy of the Lord, he is
awarded de votional service. Thus he is saved from the clutches of maya.
At such a time he can see his eternal friend, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and become free from all lamentation, and hankering. This is
confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.54), where the Lo rd says, brahma-bhutah
prasannatma na socati na kanksati: "One who is thus transcendentally
situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor
desires to have anything." Thus it is definitely proved that the Supreme
Personality of Godh ead is the master of all potencies and that the living
entities are always subjected to these potencies. That is the difference
between mayadhisa and maya-vasa.
Cc. Madhya, 6.163
gita-sastre jiva-rupa sakti kari mane
hena jive bheda kara isvarera sane
TRANSLATION
"In Bhagavad-gita the living entity is established as the marginal
potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet you say that the
living entity is completely different from the Lord.
PURPORT
The Brahma-sutra states that according to the principle of
sakti-saktimator abhedah, the living entity is simultaneously one with and
different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Qualitatively the
living entity and the Supreme Lord are one, but in quantity they are
different. according to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhus philosophy
(acintya-bhedabheda-tattva), the living entity and the Supreme Lord are
accepted as one and different at the same time.
Cc. Adi, 1.91
PURPORT
The real form of religion is spontaneous loving service to
Godhead. This relationship of the living being with the Absolute
Personality of Godhead in serice is eternal. The Personality of Godhead
is described as vastu, or the Substance, and the living entities are
described as vastavas, or innumberable samples of the Substance in
relative existence. The relationship of these substantive portions with
the Supreme Substance can never be annihilated, for it is an eternal
quality inherent in the living be ing.
By contact with material nature the living entities exhibit varied
symptoms of the disease of material consciousness. To cure this material
disease is the supreme object of human life. The process that treats this
disease is called bhagavata-dharma or sanatana-dharma - real religion.
This is described in the pages of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore anyone
who, because of his background of pious activites in previous lives, is
anxious to hear, immediately realizes the presence of the Supreme Lord
within his heart and fulfills the mission of his life.
Cc. Madhya, 9.42
tarkika-mimamsaka, yata mayavadi-gana
sankhya, patanjala, smrti, purana, agama
TRANSLATION
There are many kinds of philosophers. Some are logicians who
follow Gautama or Kanada. Some follow the mimamsa philosophy of Jaimini.
Some follow the Mayavada philosophy of Sankaracarya, and others follow
Kapilas sankhya philosophy or the mystic yoga system of Patanjali. Some
follow the smrti-sastra composed of twenty religious scriptures, and
others follow the Puranas and the tantra-sastra. In this way there are
many different types of philosophers.
Cc. Madhya, 9.43
nija-nija-sastrodgrahe sabai pracanda
sarva mata dusi prabhu kare khanda khanda
TRANSLATION
All of these adherents of various scriptures were ready to present
the conclusions of their respective scriptures, but Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu broke all their opinions to pieces and established His own cult
of bhakti based on the Vedas, Vedanta, the Brah ma-sutra and the
philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva.
Cc. Preface, x
Lord Caitanya instructed the mass of people in the sankhya
philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which maintains that the Supreme
Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation. Lord
Caitanya taught this philosophy through the chanti ng of the holy name of
the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound
incarnation of the Lord and that since he Lord is the absolute whole,
there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form.
Thus by chanting the h oly name of the Lord one can directly associate
with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices this sound
vibration, he passes through three stages of development: the offensive
stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive
stage one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second
stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is
situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position
- the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest
stage of perfection for human beings.
