The Supreme Person's Form Is Full of Knowledge
Sun, 08/31/2008 - 18:46 — admin
TEACHER: Thirdly, the Supreme Person's form is full of "chit potency," or knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead knows everything past, present, and future. The bodily senses of the conditioned living entities are limited. The eyes are not all-seeing, the ears can't hear everything being spoken everywhere all at once, and the other senses are equally limited in scope. The form of the Supreme Person is fully cognizant, however. Each part of His transcendental body can perform the functions of all other parts. Since His transcendental senses are interchangeable, the Supreme Person can taste food simply by glancing at it, for example, or simply by hearing about it.14 He can eat not only with His mouth, but also with His eyes and His ears. Each and every part of the Supreme Person's transcendental body is full of unlimited knowledge.
Please don't think that the description of the Supreme Person I have just given is intended to be a complete one. Actually, it's simply a summary presentation of the vast treasure chest of information available in books such as Srimad Bhagavatam, Brahma-samhita, Chaitanya Charitamrita, etc. I've merely attempted to point out that the Supreme Person is unlimited in every respect and is transcendental to the material limitations of ordinary living beings. It wouldn't be possible to put forward a complete description of the Supreme Person even in hundreds and thousands of volumes of literature.
MICHAEL: From what you've said, I gather that God's form is very human-like, with two hands, legs, etc.?
TEACHER: The Supreme Person has innumerable transcendental forms and they are all eternal. Nevertheless, His original transcendental form is as you've described it, with hands, eyes, hair, etc.,15 only completely free of limitations and defects which afflict an ordinary human body composed of matter. The form of the Supreme Person, for example, is without veins or blood.
You may have seen the picture form of Murli-Manohar, or Krishna, on the wall of our kirtan room. This is how the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears to those who have the eyes to see. This form cannot be seen with material vision, however, because it is not organic in nature. It can only be seen with spiritual vision, with the eye of the soul.16
MICHAEL: The explanation you've given and the Vedic verses you've supported it with offer sound evidence for the existence of a personal Deity. Your arguments seem to outweigh the arguments I've heard against God's personal existence. Is the Mayavadi conclusion based on arguments or reason alone, though, or is there some experiential basis for it? What experiences do the impersonalists go through which convince them that God is formless, and that they are God?
The physical body is made up of countless numbers of tiny material particles called molecules and atoms. These material particles are constantly being replaced by material particles from the outside environment (in the form of food, water, air, and so on). Over a period of five to seven years, this process of metabolism brings about a complete change of the matter that makes up your body.The Supreme Person's Form Is Full of Knowledge
Science of Identity Foundation – Chris Butler Speaks
TEACHER: Thirdly, the Supreme Person's form is full of "chit potency," or knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead knows everything past, present, and future. The bodily senses of the conditioned living entities are limited. The eyes are not all-seeing, the ears can't hear everything being spoken everywhere all at once, and the other senses are equally limited in scope. The form of the Supreme Person is fully cognizant, however. Each part of His transcendental body can perform the functions of all other parts. Since His transcendental senses are interchangeable, the Supreme Person can taste food simply by glancing at it, for example, or simply by hearing about it.14 He can eat not only with His mouth, but also with His eyes and His ears. Each and every part of the Supreme Person's transcendental body is full of unlimited knowledge.
Please don't think that the description of the Supreme Person I have just given is intended to be a complete one. Actually, it's simply a summary presentation of the vast treasure chest of information available in books such as Srimad Bhagavatam, Brahma-samhita, Chaitanya Charitamrita, etc. I've merely attempted to point out that the Supreme Person is unlimited in every respect and is transcendental to the material limitations of ordinary living beings. It wouldn't be possible to put forward a complete description of the Supreme Person even in hundreds and thousands of volumes of literature.
MICHAEL: From what you've said, I gather that God's form is very human-like, with two hands, legs, etc.?
TEACHER: The Supreme Person has innumerable transcendental forms and they are all eternal. Nevertheless, His original transcendental form is as you've described it, with hands, eyes, hair, etc.,15 only completely free of limitations and defects which afflict an ordinary human body composed of matter. The form of the Supreme Person, for example, is without veins or blood.
You may have seen the picture form of Murli-Manohar, or Krishna, on the wall of our kirtan room. This is how the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears to those who have the eyes to see. This form cannot be seen with material vision, however, because it is not organic in nature. It can only be seen with spiritual vision, with the eye of the soul.16
MICHAEL: The explanation you've given and the Vedic verses you've supported it with offer sound evidence for the existence of a personal Deity. Your arguments seem to outweigh the arguments I've heard against God's personal existence. Is the Mayavadi conclusion based on arguments or reason alone, though, or is there some experiential basis for it? What experiences do the impersonalists go through which convince them that God is formless, and that they are God?