Re: The Flat Earth? - Conclusion
Madhudvisah dasa Swami (shelter@peg.apc.org)
Thu, 06 Jul 1995 19:10:43 GMT
scott@informatik.hu-berlin.de (Matthew Scott) wrote:
>shelter@peg.apc.org (Madhudvisah dasa Swami) writes:
>>Yes. But they never actually get the truth... If you find a proper
>>spiritual authority you can get the absolute truth immediately...
>in particular spiritual matters perhaps. I don't believe that there
>are spiritual authorities that have all of physics in their understanding.
>That's not their purpose anyway.
Physics is about the material world. Spiritual knowledge is about getting
out of the material world, going back home, back to Godhead. They are two
different things altogether. But the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of
India don't only contain spiritual knowledge. All knowledge is there
material and spiritual. But generally if you wanted to find out about
astronomy you would go to one expert in the Joyti-shastra, he could tell
you about that. It is not the main thing for a spiritual master to be
talking about...
But the same process applies in physics. If you could find a perfect
authority who actually knows what is going on in the universe he could
give you the correct answers immediately. Everyone would agree this is the
best way of acquiring knowledge. If there were 100 students in a
lecture-theatre and there was a noise coming from the roof all 100
students could come up with a theory to explain the cause of the noise,
but they may all be wrong -- even if one of them was right how could you
decide who it was? However, if there was someone on the roof who saw what
happened clearly his version would be the most perfect...
>>"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
>>Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The
>>self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen
>>the truth." (Bhagavad-gita 4,34)
>>
>And how am I supposed to know that what they say really is true?
>How am I supposed to know if one really is a spiritual master and not
>a quack? or not just a theistically well educated?
This is a very good question. Nowadays there are so many "gurus" in the
business to make money, to get followers, to become famous, etc. It is
very difficult to find the real thing. Ultimately we get the chance to
meet a bona fide spiritual master by the mercy of Krishna. Krishna is
within our hearts and He knows what we want... So He can arrange for us to
meet a bona fide spiritual master.
brahmananda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout
the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper
planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary
systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is
very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual
master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the
spiritual master, one such person receives the seed of the creeper of
devotional service." (Lord Caitannya to Rupa Gosvami)
Thank you. Hare Krishna!
Madhudvisah dasa Swami
(shelter@peg.apc.org) http://www.peg.apc.org/~shelter/ctfote
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
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