How can bhakti philosophy unite world religions?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
ability to think.
How can different religions be united with Christian philosophy? The Bhakti wisdom helps us to understand that there is a progression in all the diversity. That this last week in Jaupati I gave a seminar on world religions and spiritual perspective. Appreciating the spiritual universality amidst the religious diversity.
So, basically Bhaktivinoda Thakur says in Chaitanya Jikshanamrita that whether it is Plato or it is Patanjali, the thinkers from the east, thinkers from the west, they have all perceived the same one absolute truth from different perspectives and they have got different understandings of it. So, the one absolute truth when it is perceived by different people from different cultures, different languages, different mindsets, they perceive differently but it is one absolute truth that we perceive. So, the Bhakti wisdom, it helps us to understand that different people are at different levels of consciousness.
I reveal myself based on how people approach me. So, therefore, even if some people have a slightly different conception of God, some different conception of the absolute truth, we understand that based on their present level, this is how they perceive God. Their conception may be somewhat aligned with reality, of what the absolute truth is, may be highly misaligned with reality or it may be completely off.
But they are conceiving that one absolute truth differently. So, what we need to do is whatever is people’s deepest experience, that is their experience of Krishna. Now, when say a cricket match is going on and people are passionate about cricket, Krishna says I am victory, I am adventure.
So, when cricket fans are excited, now the last ball, what is going to happen, they are going to hit a six and win the match or they are going to lose the match, all that excitement that people are feeling, what is that excitement? That excitement is actually the experience of Krishna. So, all our deepest experiences are actually the experiences of God. But, we just do not understand that they are experiencing God.
So, you get that experience and it is over after some time. So, whatever level of consciousness people are at, they are experiencing some reality, they are experiencing something and whatever their conception of reality is, that is actually their experience of God. That does not mean that experience is the full experience, it does not mean that conception of reality is the complete reality.
But, Prabhupada writes in 7th Canto, 7th Chapter, Bhagavad Gita, that the jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness extends everywhere. That means, no matter whatever whole world is experiencing, we can see that actually they are experiencing Krishna. So, at one level we say intoxication is bad.
But, Prabhupada is so inclusive that he says that your experience of the taste of wine, that is the experience of Krishna. I am not going to keep experiencing Krishna at that level. No, experience Krishna in his fullness, in his richness, in his sweetness, that is the process of experiencing that.
So, when we see in this way different people are on different levels in their spiritual evolution, and based on their level they have different paths, they have different conceptions, but ultimately they are experiencing Krishna in their own way. And when we understand this, then we can speak to them from their experience and help them to rise up towards Krishna in a way that I don’t understand. And he has manifested to attract people of a different mindset.
So, by seeing his magnanimity and how he is attracting people, my attraction to the lord in the form that I do, that is increasing. So, when I was in Iran, at that time, he was talking with the devotees in the background, the prayers of the namaz started. And Prabhupada folded his hands, closed his eyes, he heard the full prayer, and then when the prayers got over, Prabhupada opened his eyes, his eyes were bright, wasn’t that beautiful? So, the devotees were taken aback.
One of the devotees said, Prabhupada, wouldn’t it be better if they were chanting Hare Krishna? So, the devotees said, why are you making me sectarian? We are worshipping god in our way, we are worshipping god in our way. So, we appreciate god consciousness wherever he is present. And we help them to rise upwards.
Krishna Prabhupada said, by understanding the principle of Krishna consciousness, a Christian becomes a better Christian. That is also the success of Krishna consciousness. So, by seeing that people are experiencing Krishna in different ways, that god is revealing himself in different ways, we speak to them at their level of experience and help them rise upwards.
So, if their conceptions are off, then we may have to help them get the right conceptions. But by seeing that this Krishna who is all attractive, Krishna who is attracting different people in different ways, we can see that common thread of attraction that joins through people not just of different religions but of different orientations entirely. Even if people are atheistic, they are attracted to nature, they are attracted to something.
What is it that they are attracted to? That is the spark of Krishna that attracts. So, in that way, we can see the commonality amid the diversity of the beliefs in this world. Does it answer your question?