WHEN TECHNOLOGY BLINDS and FAILS

Greetings. As always, it’s a pleasure to speak here, at India’s peak of scientific learning and research. Tonight we will discuss a controversial subject: “Technology--Helpful or Hurtful?” The verdict? All depends on our consciousness. The ancient spiritual texts of India tell us that a person’s internal state translates into external action. How someone uses things, for better or worse, is the outer manifestation of a particular inner reality. For example, according to the type of consciousness, a surgeon’s knife in someone’s hand can either heal a man or murder him.

In this way, to understand humanity’s relationship with technology, we should ask: “What is the quality of consciousness with which we use technology?” Our criterion for judgment is the level of consciousness, rather than the technology in and of itself.

Let me invite you, however, to look at the question of good or bad technology in an even more subtle way. You see, by our observing the prevalence of a certain kind of technology, we can deduce the proliferation of a certain type of consciousness. My charge is that the consciousness that predominates throughout the world today is a perversion, a malignant strain that preoccupies itself with permutations and adaptations of matter rather than with pure consciousness itself.

I do realize that my introduction of tonight’s subject has led us straight into troubled waters. Why? Immediately I am discussing consciousness. What relation does consciousness have to science, as we know it today? We will deal with this soon. Meanwhile I would like you to bear in mind one verse from Bhagavad-Gita (2.17):

avinasi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idam tatam
vinasam avyayasyasya
na kascit kartum arhati

 “That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.”

Here Lord Krishna is speaking about consciousness as the energy of the soul. Krishna is explaining that this energy of consciousness, which pervades the body, cannot be destroyed. In other words Lord Krishna is letting you know that the symptom of the soul’s presence is consciousness. Of course, according to the limited constraints that current science has imposed, you may counter, “Well, the soul is strictly a religious entity. There is no empirical proof for it; no technological device has detected it. The idea of the soul sounds sweet, but the notion doesn’t make it in today’s high-tech world of hard data.”

Now we collide head-on with the main complaint of spiritual scientists. What most disturbs spiritually-based thinkers is not technology itself, but the severe limitations of current technology—in other words, the matter-bound  focus, a fanatical vision that recognizes only a narrow spectrum of reality. Such a crippled attempt at technology ignores the most basic essential of our existence: our own consciousness.

What I am getting at is that the future of humanity depends on the relationship between genuine spiritual science and technology. No doubt, many of you may say, “If you’re talking about religion, well, that is your own personal affair. Any truly educated person knows that spirituality relies upon uniquely personal testimonies of experience, which can never be tested; whereas scientific research is verifiable by everyone--therefore we call it universal.”

India is fast becoming known as a world power in scientific research, but the standard is still the USA. Please contemplate some well-known statistics that reveal a spiritual versus material conflict deep within science as practiced in the USA.

1)  Between 70-90% of Americans believe in a personal God.

2)  40% of the scientists in America say that they believe in a personal God.

Has any scientific evidence—as conventionally conceived—ever pointed to a personal God? But obviously many scientists identify with this conclusion, although their academic discipline provides no conventionally acceptable evidence for such a belief. From the above statistics we may understand that a wide gulf now exists between what educated people actually believe and the knowledge they have accumulated. This gap, unless bridged, will generate increasing tension, both individually and socially.

 
The Missing Link: Consciousness

According to the standard of Western science, the ancient information about consciousness found in Vedic texts such as Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam cannot be considered “real knowledge.” Why not? Because it is “religious.” Meanwhile, materialistic scientists base their own view of consciousness on hidden metaphysical principles, which always lurk beneath their scientific inquiry. This fact is very important to bear in mind. Most current scientific views on consciousness rest upon hidden metaphysical principles, which underlie almost all conventional scientific inquiry.

You may be surprised to know that in our morning classes at our Krishna temple in Chowpatty (a district of Mumbai), we discuss these points. As dedicated spiritual researchers, we wrestle with these vital issues.  Through Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, we can clearly see their resolution. There is no need to fear that if you practice Krishna consciousness, “you’ll lose your head in the clouds.” Indeed, the mature spiritual practitioner focuses upon the most crucial issues that deeply affect everyone.

I ask you, what can be more crucial and profound than your own consciousness? Only by your consciousness are you aware of studies in science, religion, politics, economics, psychology, and so forth. Now please tell me: what evidence does science give you for your own consciousness? Will you be brave enough to say it loud? “Nothing!”

There is absolutely no technological device that can directly detect either the presence or the absence of consciousness.  Even more embarrassing, scientists don’t know what to measure, what to speak of developing a machine to carry out the measuring. Put another way, there is absolutely no scientific evidence for the existence of consciousness. Does this monumental void expose a problem with consciousness? No, it reveals a huge problem with science as known today. Yes, our technology may be awesome in a certain way; however, it is pitifully insufficient in the most important way.

How do we know we have consciousness? The only one kind of direct evidence, although nonscientific according to today’s empirical standards, is an individual’s first-person account of his or her own consciousness. Each individual here at I.I.T. can say, “I feel I am conscious.” Moreover, each student here can talk with other students, and they can say, “Yes, I also feel I have the subjective experience of consciousness.” The fact that scientifically we can come up with no other evidence means that there is a huge hole in our knowledge about the most important substance.

Please meditate upon this quotation from the International Dictionary of Psychology: “Consciousness is a fascinating but illusive phenomenon. It is impossible to specify what it is, what it does or why it evolved. Nothing worth reading has ever been written about it.”

Just see! According to this pre-eminent compendium, nothing significant has ever been stated about the most vital and obvious thing about you—your consciousness. Thus, at our Chowpatty temple, should all our brahmacharis (monastic trainees) who have graduated from I.I.T. and other top scientific institutes in India now immediately discard their Bhagavad-Gitas? In other words, because persons exclusively subservient to Western material knowledge happen to know little about consciousness, therefore everyone should conclude that there is nothing to be said about it?

The problem worsens. The modern failure to understand consciousness has set off an unconscious rush to depersonalize the world--as if the world exists independent of anyone’s consciousness. Because moderns know little about consciousness, the world is treated as if it has no relation to anyone’s perceptual mechanism–-their consciousness. This built-in limitation to the present version of science and technology has restricted the growth of Western knowledge. The bottom line is that current science does not even have a proper theoretical framework by which to conduct experimental research into consciousness.

Techno-Pride and Passion

Technology has no doubt enthralled the world with well-publicized progress in explaining and manipulating the external and physical world. This fever to interact analytically with matter has overpowered any sympathy for ancient knowledge that explores the inner reality of consciousness. Owing to the modern lack of knowledge about consciousness, scientists mightily over-endeavor in their pursuit of the quantifiable world of matter. The apparent success produces a cocky hubris, which blinds their eyes to the value of ancient research into consciousness. In this way so many people think that the ancient Vedic knowledge is just “Hindu granny wisdom” from the old days. Actually, what Lord Krishna teaches in Bhagavad-Gita is universally relevant to all living entities: “That which pervades your body is indestructible. No one can destroy the spirit soul.” (B. gita 2:17)

Let’s go back to some basic facts:

·        Science does not know how or why consciousness originates.

·        Science cannot detect consciousness in the body at any stage.

Sometimes there are debates as to whether the human fetus is conscious. Such debates about consciousness in the womb are as unproductive as debates about consciousness in a full-grown adult. Can you detect consciousness in the adult? No. Conventional science lacks the means for doing that. So why scratch your head about whether there is consciousness is in the fetus? First, humbly admit you can’t even detect consciousness in the adult.

Should we want to know whether consciousness surpasses death? Many scientists will mock any acceptance of an afterlife. No evidence whatsoever, they say, shows that consciousness survives death. Thus they divert you from the fact that no ordinary evidence proves consciousness is present at any stage of a living body. So let’s be honest and face the truth: whether the body is alive or dead, fetus or full-grown, there are no material scientific means for detecting consciousness.

Certainly a society becomes problematic when its most erudite brains focus exclusively on manipulating the physical world. Meanwhile these very same scientific crusaders, these super-adepts of physicalism, are an unknown entity to themselves. Just see: the brightest persons, the leading lights, are life-long dedicated to altering the physical world; yet these people themselves are mysteries to themselves. An unknown is trying to understand the known. A bit illogical, isn’t it?

Okay, why did you all come here tonight? Please give me a precise scientific understanding, according to the current parameters of Western knowledge. Why are you here?

A student answers: “The topic appealed to me.”

Really? The prevailing scientific doctrine is that your so-called free choice to come here was the result of an ongoing subjective illusion. This mirage made you feel that you exercised “free will” to attend our discussion. While the neurochemistry in your brain interacted with the external physical environment in a particular way, concurrently these chemicals in your brain generated a lie that there is such a thing as free will and free choice. Therefore you are here tonight. Supposedly the brain is just interacting with stimulations from the physical environment, and somehow or other, amidst that purely material interaction, an illusion is generated that you are conscious and have free will.

As the French molecular biologist and Nobel laureate Jacques Monod said: “The ancient covenant is in pieces: Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he has emerged only by chance. Neither his destiny nor his duty has been written down.” Although this is the predominant scientific explanation, I am sure that ninety percent of you here feel very uncomfortable with it.

For icing on the cake, please cherish the words of the late and great Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA structure: “You, your joys and sorrows, your memories and ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are, in fact, no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve-cells. As Lewis Carroll’s Alice might have phrased it: ‘You’re nothing but a pack of neurons’.”     
              

Successful Failure

There is no doubt that technology has made great strides in understanding some things about this world. For example, certainly we know much about many biological processes of the body. According to biochemistry—as understood through reductionism--the body is a collection of atomic particles. (Quantum physics will take the material analysis to another dimension altogether.) Although we may understand something about the gross physical operation of our body, science has no way to explain how our consciousness operates.

Everyone knows that internal medicine focuses upon the organs inside the body, but why doesn’t anyone admit that if you really want to research the internal, you have to deal with consciousness? Where is the scientific explanation of consciousness? It is the greatest mystery—a vacuum so daunting, we decided to ignore it.

I’m sure it’s not too much for you to admit that the fundamental principles of scientific materialism have allowed us to grasp only a certain range of natural phenomena. In other words, these fundamental principles of scientific materialism are not universally valid. The proof is that scientific materialism cannot explain consciousness, the most important thing about us. The verifiable result of this inability? Now our brightest brains bless us with a technology for controlling the physical world, but no one can control his or her own mind.

“Let’s control nature. . . . Let’s manipulate matter.”

“But can you control your own mind; can you manage your own consciousness?”

“Oh, don’t be childish—live in the real world . . . .”

This is the problem. So, once again I say the fault rests not so much with the technology but with the consciousness that uses the technology. Since no one knows the basis of consciousness, therefore whatever technology humanity produces brilliantly misses the goal of life. Because we insist on such a narrow focus for science, we render as obscure a wide range of subjective experiences—namely, our own consciousness.  This dogmatic adherence to materialistic principles of science and technology has crippled scientific research and impoverished our understanding of nature as a living whole.

What we are suggesting tonight is not that we abandon technology; rather, that we expand technology so we can understand ourselves. To achieve this necessary development, enlargement, normalization, we should consider systems of scientific inquiry other than what Western culture has devised. Since consciousness has proven to be so inscrutable by Western scientific methods, perhaps we should be humble, admitting, “Western knowledge-systems would benefit by coupling with ancient Vedic systems of inquiry.”

The Western modes of scientific process certainly have been successful, in a limited way. But the mode of scientific investigation inBhagavad-gita, for example, is also successful, in its own way. Therefore, maybe we should at least try both of them, and then we can see which is more productive, in what area. Adopting an alternative approach becomes especially important when we admit that our current technology has done nothing to increase the internal happiness of human beings--despite success in raising the gross national product.

State-Specific Knowledge

The Vedic texts, such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-bhagavatam, present studies of consciousness in highly advanced souls. But the Western scientific mindset discards these investigations. Why? Because the ordinary scientist cannot walk into a laboratory and readily experience such elevated states of consciousness. True, only sensitized spiritual adepts, steeped in Vedic process, can enter within Vedic research.  But does that barrier to entry automatically mean Vedic investigations into consciousness cannot stand as verifiable “universal knowledge”?

Shall we forget that physicists say it takes eight to ten years just to train a recruit to comprehend fundamental reality according to the chimera of quantum mechanics? Not only does the initiate have to accept that the world buzzes with components that are intrinsically unobservable, but as you students here know, also the inductee has to hold to waves and particles that have no single objective reality until an attempt is made to measure for them.

The ancient Vedic system of knowledge takes firsthand experience of consciousness seriously. The contemporary bias, however, requires quantifiable data that any certified reductionist or empiricist can verify. We may find that just this very stricture, in of itself, traps our learned folk in a certain kind of cocoon that prevents them from accessing higher knowledge. You see, contrary to the viewpoint of Western empiricism, the Vedic point of view is that knowledge is state specific.

We discuss this point also, at our temple in Chowpatty. Allow me to explain that I am teaching you Bhagavata-dharma, the knowledge that Lord Krishna gives, but I am seeking to do so by using much of your vocabulary, your concepts. Actually, all the themes I’m presenting are coming straight from Bhagavad-Gita.

Krishna says, “I am not manifest to everyone—by My own arrangement. According to your state of consciousness, I reveal Myself.” This loud hint, given by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita (7:25), lets us know that perception depends on the person. The qualification of the observer determines what the observer can see--so much so that Lord Krishna says, “If I don’t like your consciousness, you are not going to be able to see Me.”

Knowledge is state specific. Please reflect on this point. According to your state of consciousness, you will be able to understand some things, while other things will remain unknown to you. Therefore, the Vedic system prescribes that if you want to increase the scope of your understanding, you must first refine and purify your own consciousness.

Obviously this principle has not much to do with Western knowledge-processes. “Why drag my personal life into the laboratory?” many contemporary scientists would protest. “I may smoke, drink, and indulge in random sexual connections--that is my own personal affair. But have no doubt--when I walk into the laboratory, I’m ready for work. Suddenly from me will emanate objective, dispassionate analysis.”

The Vedic scientists know that according to your lifestyle, your research is already moulded. Yes, “different strokes for different folks,” but kindly note that different lifestyles produce different levels of consciousness. The spiritual scientist knows that if you want to expand your parameters of knowledge and experience, then you must raise your consciousness. Those of you studying physics should immediately click on this Vedic fundamental because you know that quantum mechanics struggles with the inescapable role of the observer. Embarrassingly, what that observer is, no one can exactly say. But at least quantum physics does acknowledge that the observer plays a crucial role in what is observed.

Now you might concede, “Look, it could be true what you are saying. There could be a spiritual reality, the soul, the Supreme Soul, and so forth, but how many of us can access this reality? Must we all undergo a few years of training in spiritual yoga?” Krishna consciousness, bhakti-yoga, does require some preparation. The ingrained thinking processes need an overhaul, if the student wants to perceive spiritual phenomenon.

The ancient texts say that if you want to understand Brahman, the supreme spiritual reality, then you have to be Brahman, a brahmana. But what does it mean to be a brahmana? Is one considered a brahmana by birth? Absolutely not! Nowhere in Bhagavad-gita does Krishna say you become a brahmana by birth. No, you must have the qualities. Suppose, I informed you, “My father is a professor at your institution, I.I.T.; therefore you don’t have to worry about my own standard. Because he is my father, you can accept me as qualified also.” Should you expect that automatically, by heredity, the son is an expert in the father’s field of research?Bhagavad-gita says guna and karma: we must see your qualities and activities. Then we can judge whether you are a brahmana or not.

To understand the spiritual reality, we must have a spiritual lifestyle. Then we can adequately participate in scientific discussions of consciousness. As long as you remain trapped in materialistic paradigms, only a narrow band of reality will reveal itself to you. When you are a materialist, it is very easy to focus exclusively on matter, because your tunnel vision, of course, acknowledges only material objects, material bodies. When you become purified from material contamination and detached from matter, however, the spiritual reality awaits you. At the beginning of your spiritual studies, that’s all Krishna asks that you do: just detach yourself from matter, take up some spiritual processes of purification, and indeed your spiritual cognition will expand.

India and the American Dream

You may wonder, what role can Krishna consciousness, this ancient science of India, bhakti-yoga, play in relation to science? Sometimes it is said that religion should clarify the values of life and the personal goal of life whereas science will give genuine knowledge of reality. But this formula, this division of labor, proves itself deluding, because naturally what you accept as your reality will determine your goals and your values. If you see reality as just matter, naturally you will be inspired to presume only materialist values and materialistic goals. But if your version of reality sees matter and spirit (consciousness being the indicator of a spiritual energy) then your values and goals can become spiritual.

What path is India traversing right now? What I see here is that many university students are struggling to maintain the religious values of their forefathers, while their intelligence drowns in a materialistic view of reality. Many of you here know that this contradiction rattles your inner psyche. Gradually, your accepting a physicalist, matter-bound view of reality will overpower any traditional humanizing values. Then you will go on a rampage and just deem everything as material.

Have you talked intimately with persons who go abroad to the USA and raise their children. As technologists, the parents duly accept a materialistic view of reality while they habitually cling to simple religious values their forefathers taught them back in India. The children, however, raised abroad, want the American fast lane: “Full-on, head-on, let’s get in on.” Growing up there, saturated from the beginning by the materialistic view of reality plus a sensualist lifestyle, they reject even the rudimentary morality of their parents, and race to become first-class hedonists.

What about this escape route: “The sacred world is the domain of religion, while the natural world is the domain of science—especially of technology. Leave religion to sort out the sacred world--whatever that is; meanwhile, science will discover the reality.”

The standard spiritual text of India, the Bhagavad-gita, rejects this ploy. You see, Lord Krishna claims both the material and spiritual domains. Aham sarvasya prabhavo: “I am the origin of everything material and spiritual. Everything emanates from Me.” Iti mattva bhajante mam: “What will happen when you know this? You’ll become buddha, wise, and bhava samanvitah, you’ll radiate with transcendental ecstasy.” (B. gita 10:8) All that erudition and success is yours, just by your knowing that Krishna is the source of everything material and spiritual.

Therefore, the spiritual scientists, the practitioners of Krishna Consciousness, are not agreeable that you push Krishna out of this material world. True, this material world is very insignificant when compared to spiritual world; nevertheless, it emanates from Krishna. Let’s connect the material energy to its source. That is real, comprehensive science.

Materialistic science, seeking to control nature, depersonalizes so-called objective phenomena as if such phenomena exists in the mind’s eye independent of any significant subjective coloring. Thus, according to this standard belief, in effect the whole world becomes liberated from personhood and the scourge of subjectivity. Based on this illusion, matter-bound scientists feel secure to dismiss transcendentalists and their teachings. After all, unlike science, they believe, such spiritual knowledge bases itself on only subjective experience.

We have all heard reports, for example, that hundreds of people somewhere observed a statue of the Virgin Mary with tears in her eyes. Whether the reports were true or false, isn’t is true that hard-core physicalists would already have made up their mind in advance: “These sightings are just intense subjective visions conjured up by persons so fervently dedicated to their religion that they actually can see a tear in the statue’s eyes. Just witness the deluding power of devotional subjectivity!” Then the boast would quickly follow: “Pure science never does anything like that—it is dispassionate, free of both bias and subjectivity.” This is the stereotypical way conventional science approaches spiritual experiences and knowledge.

The tragedy is that the conventional scientific elite have rushed to depersonalize the world, because they know little about consciousness. Moreover, they take mighty pride in the now standard matter-bound systems for acquiring knowledge, when actually they lack complete knowledge about the very medium by which awareness comes to us. Isn’t it so that if you don’t understand the very thing that permits your awareness of the natural world, then also you really don’t understand whatever in the natural world you are experiencing.

Krishna-consciousness practitioners do not run from this dilemma. Daily we grapple with it, in our bhakti laboratory of personal transformation. At our next meeting, I will discuss with you the hidden metaphysical principles underlying the current scientific system of enquiry. I’ll introduce you to the monsters lurking at the bottom of the pond: items of faith such as monism, closure, reductionism, and physicalism. Tonight I’ll only briefly touch upon them.

Monism: There is only one substance in the universe. Say it loud and proud—it’s matter, pure and simple.

Reductionism: At its most basic level, that one exclusive substance comprises only particles of matter.

Closure: The cosmos is only a system of physical things, which interact with each other because of only physical causes. There is absolutely no room in reality for any non-physical causal influence.

Physicalism: Everything is matter as physically known. There has never been or will be anything more. Our conscious experience is purely a physical affair—one day in the future, the proof will surely appear.

Although these quasi-religious principles underlie scientific enquiry, rarely do universities exhume them and air them in public. Meanwhile, how quick we are to criticize spiritualists: “Ah, your beliefs are entertaining indeed, but of course, they rest on so many unproven principles, assumptions.” But so does our current science!

A Drop of Humility, Please

The honest researcher will at least make a comparison between the two metaphysical systems—ancient and contemporary. Wouldn’t you agree that even an attempt by the ancients to research consciousness is at least better than the modern approach of almost no attempt at all? The speakers in Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam experience different levels of consciousness and openly discuss them. Therefore, yes, we should compliment the Krishna-conscious persons, both past and present--at least they’re trying to cope with the foremost riddle, consciousness.

Otherwise, we can worship at the feet of persons like the late Nobel laureate Francis Crick, of DNA fame. Before his recent demise, he switched to the field of consciousness research, seeing it as the unexplored frontier. But before he began his research, he had already declared, a priori: “There is no doubt whatsoever that consciousness is an emergent principle from a physical brain.”

Now please note that because he was Francis Crick, his words become almost sacred. But what about, let’s say, Gauranga Das. Suppose this leading Krishna-conscious practitioner and teacher in Mumbai publicly announces, “There is no doubt that consciousness is the energy of the soul.” Surely many of his former comrades and professors at I.I.T. will respond, “The poor boy, formerly one of us, did have a future as a great scientist, but lamentably he has now become bewildered by unscientific subjective sentiments.”

You see the bias? Francis Crick can expound his religion and be worshipped. But if we say what Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita--that consciousness is the symptom of the soul and is indestructible, then: “Oh, spare us from this Hindu village folklore!”

I am sorry to say that this arrogance has been an unfortunate by-product of technological advancement. In our greed to proliferate technologically, we have obscured any help that the ancient knowledge of India might give us, for illuminating the greatest mystery of human existence. Again, we don’t propose that society throws out science and technology. We simply say that the current processes of research need help from other methods of scientific enquiry, which derive from a different world view.

Practitioners of Krishna consciousness study literature about individual transformation and then apply the principles in their own lives. One can observe how the consciousness changes through this process. We note how our transformation matches up with the classic ancient accounts of consciousness transformation.

What you see depends on your particular state of consciousness. In Bhagavad-gita (7:25), Lord Krishna boldly declares:

naham prakasah sarvasya
yoga-maya-samavritah
mudho 'yam nabhijanati
loko mam ajam avyayam

 “If I do not approve of your behavior, you cannot see Me. I am not manifest to everyone. You cannot depersonalize Me or deconstruct Me. If your internal state of subjectivity does not match My standards, I am not going to let you observe Me. I have a curtain of maya (illusion) that will blind you.”

The Career Path to Freedom

Tonight I would like to urge you all to seriously consider the ancient system of spiritual scientific enquiry known as bhakti-yoga.  Practitioners of Krishna consciousness daily tackle the deepest questions and illuminate the darkest mysteries. Such spirited investigation and analysis accompanies the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. “What is the ideal state of knowledge? How do I explain reality? How do I explain myself?” We think about these things. We experience them. With both our intellect and heart, we are dedicated to the maximum pursuit of spiritual experience. I must say it is indeed quite pleasurable dealing with the real world—the bhakti world.

According to the current scientific myth, there is nothing but matter; everything is physical. I know that some of you are completely lost in the dream that only matter exists, nothing else. To you, I ask, “If everything is matter, then why should anything matter to you?” Just let things happen; simply let the chemicals take their course. For example, no one here should protest if I take a student in this room and threw him out the window. After all, that student is just a conglomeration of matter, nothing more—right? The student matter will merge with the pavement matter down below—what’s the problem? Of course, you won’t accept this reasoning, because intuitively—although not scientifically--you know something else exists. Now, what is this “something else”? We must take the time to research, understand, and experience that “something else.”

A Krishna-conscious life is an exciting, fascinating career. Refining the consciousness so that we become free of material influence is a wonderful thing. To be able to control the mind and senses, to become immune to the demands of consumerism—this is the beginning of real freedom. Through bhakti-yoga, you become liberated from lust, anger and greed. Otherwise, as long as passions blind us, then we cannot perceive properly.

I am sure you’ve all had the experience of misplacing something while worries occupy your mind. Then, when you searched your room thoroughly, because you were still mentally preoccupied with anxiety, you could not see the missing thing—even though it was right before your eyes. Everyone has experienced this waste of valuable time. Similarly, when the passions of consumerism and sensuality invade our mind, we can’t see the indicators of spiritual reality--for example, consciousness--despite their standing under our nose.

The sublime state of Krishna consciousness is more than worthy of your effort. Here is a career goal that will take the best you have. As stated in Bhagavad-Gita (6:20-23):

yatroparamate cittam
niruddham yoga-sevaya
yatra caivatmanatmanam
pasyann atmani tushyati

sukham atyantikam yat tad
buddhi-grahyam atindriyam
vetti yatra na caivayam
sthitas calati tattvatah

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito na duhkhena
gurunapi vicalyate

tam vidyad duhkha-samyoga-
viyogam yoga-samjnitam

 “In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.”

Even at the beginning of your ascent to this purified state of existence, you can start to understand what is reality. I know that some of you won’t be able to rest until you delve into the mysteries of spiritual science--we are happy for that. Others of you will say, “Yes, yes, what Swami is saying is probably true; nevertheless, I have to live my life. We live in a practical world, and so my sails are already set on that course.” But I ask you, how practical is a world that does not understand itself, a world that cannot understand the very medium by which it perceives everything? That is very impractical!

How can I become qualified to research the spiritual reality? What is the lifestyle of an advanced transcendentalist? Who is qualified to see this world as consisting of matter, spirit ,and the controller of both? If you can master this kind of scientific inquiry, then indeed you will have something worthwhile to pass on to your children.

Questions and Answers

Q:   In the lecture you spoke of the materialistic paradigm that sees everything as a manipulation of matter and you also commented about our attempts to control nature although we can’t control our own mind. But how do we understand mind to be matter? We generally think matter to be what we can perceive. We can’t, however, perceive the existence of mind--as an object of perception. Is the mind the same as consciousness or is it different?

A: Krishna clearly explains the mind in Bhagavad-gita. It is subtle matter, and consciousness uses it as a device, or tool. Although the mind exists, you cannot perceive it through your gross senses. Aren’t there so many things you cannot perceive through the gross senses? No scientist has ever seen an electron, but because you have seen its tracks, you hypothesize, telling the world electrons exist.

You have not seen the mind, yet there is an academic  discipline called psychology. Similarly you have not seen the soul, yet there is a nonmaterial discipline called bhakti-yoga . In mundane scientific circles it is now popular to posit that because certain changes to the chemicals in your brain induce a change in your mental state, therefore there is nothing more to the mind and consciousness than neurochemistry. This speculation has jumped far from what little is known to the vast unknown. Obviously some relation exists between your neural chemical condition and your mental state, but then to say that mental states are completely understood in terms of neural chemistry is a huge leap of faith. Perhaps, along with the electrochemical activity in the brain, there are also non-physical influences operating. Please think about this.

Q:   A young man from India, especially a student at a prestigious institution, is sometimes caught in the crossfire between these two statements: “a non-believer will not accept any proof, and a believer does not need any proof.” This paradox especially arises in discussions about spirituality or God. Moreover, many students do not consider themselves a non-believer, but they are not yet ready to become a believer. So sometimes the question comes: "Do you Krishna-conscious teachers offer me something that can satisfy me, without my running the risk of being branded immediately as a believer?"

A: Yes indeed, our warehouse has just what you need. I can easily address this need because it reminds me of me in my university days. I did not want to accept anything because it was someone’s belief. I wanted spiritual experience. Bhagavad-gita (9:2) says:

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam

In this verse, Krishna, the Supreme Absolute Truth explains that the knowledge He gives is the king of all knowledge, the most confidential information, and the perfection of religion. Moreover, through purified senses, this knowledge gives direct perception of the spiritual reality, and the process for applying it is joyful.

Anyone can take up the process and principles of Krishna consciousness and soon see how their consciousness transforms. I wholeheartedly recommend you approach bhakti-yoga in this practical, tested way--not simply the way of traditional acceptance. Some can simply say, “Oh, this sounds like what my grandmother talked about, so I will accept it—officially.” I know that perhaps a few may want to do that, but countless more cannot. For the contemporary shrewd student, we happily provide the tools that allow you to access Krishna consciousness in an open-minded way? It’s exciting!

from devaswami.com/