Material Problems and Spiritual Solutions

““He who discards He who discards scriptural injunctions scriptural injunctions and acts according and acts according to his own whims to his own whims attains neither attains neither perfection, nor perfection, nor happiness, nor the happiness, nor the supreme supreme destination.” [BG destination.” [BG 16.23]16.23]

The Logic of Geeta 16.23The Logic of Geeta 16.23 If one doesn’t follow the authority (scripture) then If one doesn’t follow the authority (scripture) then

one does as one likes (accepting and rejecting).one does as one likes (accepting and rejecting). Who to say what we really like we are perception Who to say what we really like we are perception

of reality is vitiated by 4 defects: imperfect of reality is vitiated by 4 defects: imperfect senses, prone to illusion, commits mistakes, and senses, prone to illusion, commits mistakes, and cheating propensitycheating propensity

Because of defects we cannot reach perfection, Because of defects we cannot reach perfection, nor become happy, nor achieve the Supreme nor become happy, nor achieve the Supreme Destination.Destination.

We require descending mercy: God, Scripture, We require descending mercy: God, Scripture, Spiritual Mater, and Saintly personsSpiritual Mater, and Saintly persons

Understanding the Real Problems Understanding the Real Problems of Lifeof Life

Real problems are problems for every Real problems are problems for every specie.specie.

A real problem has the following criteria:A real problem has the following criteria: 1) It is common to all1) It is common to all 2) Nobody wants it2) Nobody wants it 3) Nobody can avoid it3) Nobody can avoid it

DeathDeath

““In that diseased condition the In that diseased condition the dying person’s eyes bulge due dying person’s eyes bulge due to the pressure of air from to the pressure of air from within, and his glands become within, and his glands become congested with mucus. He has congested with mucus. He has difficulty breathing, and there difficulty breathing, and there is a rattling sound within his is a rattling sound within his throat…thus he dies most throat…thus he dies most pathectically.” SB 3.30.16-18pathectically.” SB 3.30.16-18

Old AgeOld Age ““This frightful situation cannot be This frightful situation cannot be

remedied by any person in this remedied by any person in this material world. My lord, it is the material world. My lord, it is the Supreme Personality of Supreme Personality of Godhead as eternal time [kāla] Godhead as eternal time [kāla] that has approached us all… that has approached us all… Despite your unwillingness to die Despite your unwillingness to die and your desire to live even at and your desire to live even at the cost of honor and prestige, the cost of honor and prestige, your miserly body will certainly your miserly body will certainly dwindle and deteriorate like an dwindle and deteriorate like an old garment.” SB 1.13.19 & 25old garment.” SB 1.13.19 & 25

DiseaseDisease

We may cure one We may cure one disease for disease for sometime, but we sometime, but we can’t eradicate can’t eradicate disease.disease.

BirthBirth Birth is an extremely painful Birth is an extremely painful

experience for the living experience for the living entity. For 9 long months, entity. For 9 long months, human fetus lies crapped human fetus lies crapped within the darkness of the within the darkness of the womb, scorched by womb, scorched by mother’s gastric fire. mother’s gastric fire. Hungry worms in the Hungry worms in the abdominal cavity torment abdominal cavity torment the child. Child passes the child. Child passes urine and stool in the same urine and stool in the same pack. Such is the misery of pack. Such is the misery of birth.birth.

Perception of the Evil of the Four Perception of the Evil of the Four Problems of LifeProblems of Life

Lord Krishna says in the Gita that it is very Lord Krishna says in the Gita that it is very important for every sane mane human important for every sane mane human being to “[perceive] the evil of birth, death, being to “[perceive] the evil of birth, death, old age, and disease…”old age, and disease…”

Unless there is perception of these evils Unless there is perception of these evils we go on trying to enjoy the material world we go on trying to enjoy the material world unconsciousness of our precarious unconsciousness of our precarious situation.situation.

The Three-Fold MiseriesThe Three-Fold Miseries

Some argue: “The problems of birth, old Some argue: “The problems of birth, old age, disease, and death come only once age, disease, and death come only once in a while. We can just ignore them and in a while. We can just ignore them and enjoy life for the remaining time.”enjoy life for the remaining time.”

However, at every moment we are However, at every moment we are suffering due to a least one of the suffering due to a least one of the following three-fold miseries:following three-fold miseries:

Adhyatamika-KleshaAdhyatamika-Klesha Adhibhautika-KleshaAdhibhautika-Klesha Adhidaivika-KleshaAdhidaivika-Klesha

Adhyatmika-Klesha: Miseries Adhyatmika-Klesha: Miseries caused by one’s own mind and bodycaused by one’s own mind and body

Body and mind give rise Body and mind give rise to innumerable problemsto innumerable problems

In year 2000, in America, In year 2000, in America, 19 million youths were 19 million youths were suffering from mental suffering from mental illness; everyday 1200 illness; everyday 1200 youths were attempting youths were attempting to commit suicide and to commit suicide and 1/101/10thth of them were of them were sucessful.sucessful.

Adhibhautika-Klesha: Miseries Adhibhautika-Klesha: Miseries Caused by Other Living BeingsCaused by Other Living Beings

Even if one’s body Even if one’s body and mind are healthy, and mind are healthy, other living being, i.e. other living being, i.e. enemy, boss, enemy, boss, collegue, relative, collegue, relative, family member, family member, terrorist, bed bug, terrorist, bed bug, mosquito, etc., is sure mosquito, etc., is sure to bring some misery.to bring some misery.

Adhidaivika-Klesha: Miseries Adhidaivika-Klesha: Miseries Causes by NatureCauses by Nature

December 26, 2004 December 26, 2004 Tsunami: killed Tsunami: killed about 150,000 about 150,000 people in 1 day and people in 1 day and left millions left millions homeless in 9 homeless in 9 countriescountries

2008 Cyclone: 2008 Cyclone: 43,000 and still 43,000 and still counting…counting…

The Need to Approach GodThe Need to Approach God The need for spiritual knowledge, i.e. a spiritual The need for spiritual knowledge, i.e. a spiritual

solution to the real problems of life, is to first solution to the real problems of life, is to first understand that we are all searching after understand that we are all searching after happiness at every moment in our lives.happiness at every moment in our lives.

If there’s a creator to the creation, then what If there’s a creator to the creation, then what logically follows is that the creator knows for logically follows is that the creator knows for what purpose the material world exist and what purpose the material world exist and therefore, the best solution can be offering by therefore, the best solution can be offering by such a creator only.such a creator only.

Spiritual solution means that offered by God, Spiritual solution means that offered by God, Krishna.Krishna.

One thing is for sure: We’re Not God!One thing is for sure: We’re Not God!

Can we confidently say “I get what I want” and “I Can we confidently say “I get what I want” and “I don’t get what I don’t want”?don’t get what I don’t want”?

““Although the performer of fruitive activities Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always control of their destiny. When a person is always under the superior control of another, how can under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable results from his own he expect any valuable results from his own fruitive actions?” SB 11.10.17fruitive actions?” SB 11.10.17

We’re Definitely Not in ControlWe’re Definitely Not in Control If a person could really control his destiny, why If a person could really control his destiny, why

would he create problems for himself? would he create problems for himself? Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte Chris ReevesChris Reeves RockefellerRockefeller Mohammed AliMohammed Ali Even the greatest of the great personalities have Even the greatest of the great personalities have

to deal with the problems of life. Therefore, real to deal with the problems of life. Therefore, real human life is the inquire how to stop the human life is the inquire how to stop the problems of life.problems of life.

Cover Up is Not a SolutionCover Up is Not a Solution

All the advancement is science and All the advancement is science and technology are orientated for eliminating or technology are orientated for eliminating or reducing the problems of life and reducing the problems of life and increasing the comfort of life.increasing the comfort of life.

Despite all efforts, suffering appears to be Despite all efforts, suffering appears to be increasing and happiness ever receding increasing and happiness ever receding like a mirage in a dessert. like a mirage in a dessert.

““Scientific advancement” means “Newer Scientific advancement” means “Newer and more ingenious ways to cover up the and more ingenious ways to cover up the reality.”reality.”

The False Glare of Advance SocietyThe False Glare of Advance Society

Thanks to science, we have more Thanks to science, we have more sophisticated technological gadgets-sophisticated technological gadgets-iphone, ipod, lap-top, airplanes, etc.-give a iphone, ipod, lap-top, airplanes, etc.-give a superficial covering of comfort and superficial covering of comfort and advancement in life.advancement in life.

Beyond the razzle-dazzle, the problems of Beyond the razzle-dazzle, the problems of life still persist, i.e. birth, death, disease, life still persist, i.e. birth, death, disease, and old age and thus people are not any and old age and thus people are not any happier.happier.

Perplexities of Material LifePerplexities of Material Life ““A materialistic person, A materialistic person,

thinking himself very thinking himself very advanced in intelligence, advanced in intelligence, continually acts for economic continually acts for economic development. But again and development. But again and again, as enunciated in the again, as enunciated in the Vedas, he is frustrated by Vedas, he is frustrated by material activities, either in material activities, either in this life or in the next. Indeed, this life or in the next. Indeed, the results one obtains are the results one obtains are inevitably the opposite of inevitably the opposite of those one desires.” SB 7.7.41 those one desires.” SB 7.7.41

Solution Today-Problems TomorrowSolution Today-Problems Tomorrow

Many scientific inventions have apparently Many scientific inventions have apparently increased the comfort of man, but they increased the comfort of man, but they have given rise to secondary problems.have given rise to secondary problems.

What is solution today is the cause of the What is solution today is the cause of the problem tomorrow.problem tomorrow.

Examples:Examples: 1) Automobiles 1) Automobiles 2) Cell Phones2) Cell Phones

Real Solution Requires A Change Real Solution Requires A Change in Consciousnessin Consciousness

““[One] cannot [One] cannot solve a problem solve a problem with the same with the same consciousness that consciousness that created it.”-Albert created it.”-Albert Einstein Einstein

No Such Things as Material No Such Things as Material Solution to Material ProblemsSolution to Material Problems

Science gives only patch up solution to cover up Science gives only patch up solution to cover up problems, but does not help solve the problems.problems, but does not help solve the problems.

Despite technological growth, man has not Despite technological growth, man has not become happier because the problems created by become happier because the problems created by technology cause further complications nor has technology cause further complications nor has technology solve the real problems of life.technology solve the real problems of life.

Modern educated men are purchasing the Modern educated men are purchasing the attractive comforts of materialistic life at the attractive comforts of materialistic life at the expense of ignoring knowledge of the soul and expense of ignoring knowledge of the soul and God. Such a life with no proper direction will only God. Such a life with no proper direction will only make one more miserable now and in the future.make one more miserable now and in the future.

Spiritual Solution is the Spiritual Solution is the God Approach to Life God Approach to Life

““Although there are many remedies by which to get Although there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such remedies in the out of miserable life, any such remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves. Therefore I think that the only remedy is themselves. Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct me in such to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct me in such service.” SB 7.9.17service.” SB 7.9.17