The Individual Soul: God Or Spark Of God? part6
Mon, 02/04/2008 - 19:51 — admin
TEACHER: Yes. In the material world, if a fragmental portion is taken from any object, that object becomes proportionately reduced. This I have explained using the example of the books. We should not think, however, that the Absolute Truth is subject to the laws of material nature. In the Sri Ishopanishad it is described that even though the Complete Whole is producing so many things, It remains unchanged.11
11”The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance” (Sri Ishopanishad, Invocation).
The point being made is that on the spiritual platform, one minus one equals one and not zero like in the material world. There is no change and no loss of power when the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands His various energies. On the basis of this understanding, the Vaishnavas accept the existence of the individual soul and simultaneously appreciate the changeless nature of the Absolute Truth.
MICHAEL: If I am the Supreme Brahman, as Shankara says, why don’t I feel like it? Not only myself, but others also-how does Shankara explain the fact that with very few exceptions most of us identify with our bodies, or at the very least, we consider ourselves to be different from others?
TEACHER: That we can discuss tomorrow. Tonight I will search for some appropriate quotes from Shankara’s teaching which explain his stand on this issue. Also, we can discuss how the Vaishnavas explain that the individual soul has forgotten his identity.
A person who tries to be a goswami is careful not to engage in those activities that are harmful to his spiritual development. For example, he refrains from taking intoxicants (including all sorts of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and so on); from having illicit sex; from gambling; and from eating meat, fish, and eggs.MICHAEL: You say that this concept that variety cannot exist without change is a material one. Could you elaborate on this?
Science of Identity Foundation – Chris Butler Speaks
TEACHER: Yes. In the material world, if a fragmental portion is taken from any object, that object becomes proportionately reduced. This I have explained using the example of the books. We should not think, however, that the Absolute Truth is subject to the laws of material nature. In the Sri Ishopanishad it is described that even though the Complete Whole is producing so many things, It remains unchanged.11
11”The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance” (Sri Ishopanishad, Invocation).
The point being made is that on the spiritual platform, one minus one equals one and not zero like in the material world. There is no change and no loss of power when the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands His various energies. On the basis of this understanding, the Vaishnavas accept the existence of the individual soul and simultaneously appreciate the changeless nature of the Absolute Truth.
MICHAEL: If I am the Supreme Brahman, as Shankara says, why don’t I feel like it? Not only myself, but others also-how does Shankara explain the fact that with very few exceptions most of us identify with our bodies, or at the very least, we consider ourselves to be different from others?
TEACHER: That we can discuss tomorrow. Tonight I will search for some appropriate quotes from Shankara’s teaching which explain his stand on this issue. Also, we can discuss how the Vaishnavas explain that the individual soul has forgotten his identity.