Understanding the five functions of intelligence

[Youth meeting at ISKCON, Juhu, Mumbai]

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
I’ll summarize. I spoke about what is the intelligence.
Knowledge always has to be seen in the right of the purpose of knowledge. So, when we use a computer, we don’t get into the structural aspects of the computer. This is more functional aspects.
This file is in this folder. Now, exactly where it is stored in the memory doesn’t matter. So, like that, when we are studying the material world also, we can endlessly analyze even one small substance in this world.
But the scripture focuses on functional aspects. The purpose of the scripture is to help us fix the matter in Krishna. And for that purpose, we analyze matter in those terms.
So, when we talk about the subtle body, the subtle by its very nature is not so easy to understand. So, instead of getting into what exactly is the mind, what exactly is the intelligence, the Bhagavatam focuses on differentiating the mind and intelligence, not so much on structural terms, but on functional terms. How do they function? It’s like in a phone, which is, if you go into digital code, at the most fundamental level, whether it is an OS or it is a third-party app or it is a native app, it will just be a code of zeros, sequence of zeros and ones.
But from functional perspective, they all have different functions. So here, with respect to intelligence, five functions we are talking about. The first was doubt.
The skeptics consider doubt to be a function of sign of intellectual strength. And they say, you religious people who simply believe, you don’t have, you don’t doubt. You are sentimental, you are gullible.
Actually, real spiritual knowledge begins with doubting. So, to believe what we see is very easy. To doubt that which we see, it requires intelligence.
Just like to doubt whether that water over there is really water or it’s a mirage, it requires intelligence. Animals can’t have it, humans can have it. And when we process that which we see with our eyes, with our intelligence, then we truly see vision and comprehension.
So, intelligence enables us to doubt. But doubting alone is like putting brakes. It can save us from going off course but it cannot take us on course.
So, once the first step is doubting, then viparyas. Oh, this understanding is wrong. So worldly things, they promise so much pleasure.
This advertisement is selling, I can get a 25,000 product for just 100 rupees. How is it possible? Something must be wrong. This is a catch over here.
Conditions apply. This is a wrong understanding. So, then after wrong understanding comes right understanding.
So, we get the wrong understanding that I am the body. Am I the body? I have doubts. No, actually I am not the body.
Then what am I? So, that becomes nishchaya. The correct understanding comes through scriptural study. And in the postmodern age, people have faith neither in scripture nor in science and that’s why they are skeptical about everything.
But to say that there is no absolute truth is a self-contradictory statement because it is itself a claim to an absolute truth. So, when we harmonize our life with scripture, then we not only understand the truth, we live the truth, we realize the truth. Smriti refers to recollection.
It is not just factual recollection of this or that particular fact but it is more a redirection of the heart. That which we have learned through scripture, that which we have learned through experience, that which we have realized, we are able to use it to redirect our heart instead of going in our conditioned direction which simply means misery. We go in cultivated direction towards Krishna.
And then swapa is sleep or dream. That is, how is it a sign of, what is the function of intelligence? Because at that time our consciousness withdraws from the body and stays at the level of the mind. So, jagruti when it is coming to the body, when it is coming only to the mind, it is swapna.
When it stays at the level of soul, it is shukti. It goes towards the supreme, it is samadhi. So, by philosophically analyzing sleep, we can understand that I am more than the body.
And thereafter we can move forward and who am I exactly? For understanding that we have to practice spiritual life, raise our consciousness to spiritual level. And lastly I talk about intelligence in practical terms. Means to know what to do when we don’t know what to do.
Sometimes life may perplex us. Should I do this or should I do that? The devotees are perplexed but they are not discouraged because they are facing Krishna. Krishna, you are my lord, I am your servant.
Please give me the strength to serve you. Please guide me as to how I can serve you. So, when we are confused about various course of action, rather than just staying at a functional level, should I do this or should I do that? We go to the fundamental level.
I am a servant of Krishna. How can I best serve Krishna? And sometimes we serve Krishna by surrendering independence like Draupadi. And sometimes we surrender in readiness like Arjuna, more raised.
And sometimes somewhere in between. So, if we have the determination, if we by studying scripture keep the fundamental intelligence strong that Krishna, I am your servant, meant to serve you. Then the specific intelligence, the functional intelligence, how exactly to serve, that will come to us in new course.
By approaching, by cultivating intelligence thus, we all can become purified and fulfil the destiny for which Krishna has made us. All that Krishna wants us to achieve, all that Krishna wants us to fulfil, that we can achieve and fulfil by empowering ourselves with the intelligence that Krishna has given us. Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.