New World Order: On the
Basis of Spiritual Understanding
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Letter to Rayarama, October 17, 1968, Seattle
LewRockwell.com, February 10, 2006— By Dr. STEVEN LATULIPPE
—This
Century
This century will likely see Europe and America enter
periods of serious
distress that will imperil the future of Western Civilization.
Meanwhile, the
East, if it avoids open warfare, may see the rise of a uniquely
prosperous and
high-tech civilization.
If things progress according to this paradigm, this will be a century
of
stark winners and losers:
...Regarding
your point: program for a spiritual world civilization—it is very nice
suggestion. And practically our Krishna Consciousness movement is built
on this idea, that we want to make a world civilization on the basis of
spiritual understanding. So I am giving you some points which you may
expand or do it for understanding of the people in general. But the
point should be as follows:
1st point, that any civilization devoid of
God consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, is no civilization at all.
It is simply a polished type of animal society. This is the first
point. So at the present moment, the modern civilization on the basis
of so-called scientific knowledge and economic development is trying to
avoid God consciousness, or Krishna Consciousness—that is the defect of
the modern civilization. Therefore, in spite of all advancement it is
zero. So zero has no value. And millions of zeros put together does not
make any value. But one is put on the left side of the zero, it
increases the value. Then one zero becomes 10, two zero becomes 100,
three zero becomes 1000, so it is very nice. This point should be
clearly discussed, that without God conciousness, Krishna
Consciousness, any attempt of human civilization so-called
philosophical or political or economical or labor, they are all zeros.
The human society should be divided as a social order, as
the
intellectual men, the administrator class, and the mercantile class,
and the laborer class. And so far spiritual order, they should be
divided as the renounced order of life, retired order of life,
householder, and student life.
Third point, all these 8 divisions are
meant for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this
Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for teaching this necessities
of human civilization.
Fourth point, so far the administrator class of
men, or mercantile class of men, and laborer class of men, there are
many institutions but to train a first class intellectual man, there is
no institution all over the world. And there is no institution for
spiritual training also. So this Krishna Consciousness movement is
trying to help the human society on these two points, which they are
lacking. So we have therefore taken a large tract of land to begin
with, in W. Virginia, the place is called New Vrindaban. So we want to
train students for becoming the first class intellectual person, and
instruct the whole human society about the aim of life, and Krishna
Consciousness or God consciousness. So we are inviting the desiring or
intending students to join in our institution and we invite the public
and government to cooperate with our movement.
The fifth point is that
in whatever division one may be situated, this very aim of life should
be to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the duty of
everyone, it doesn't matter in what status of life he is situated, but
if he wants to have a successful life, then he must learn to see how by
his activities the Supreme Lord is satisfied. That should be the aim.
Then it does not matter what is the position and occupation of the man,
but he is in the right order of civilization because his very aim is to
satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Next point, And in order to
learn this art, how he is able to satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one has to take instruction or education in the art of Krishna
Consciousness, by reading Bhagavad-gita as it is, by
reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, which are calculated the
science of God, and
following the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, such practice
should be
performed 24 hours. It is not that one may meditate for 15 minutes, and
he becomes spiritually advanced, it is not possible. So the Krishna
Consciousness movement is training people how to be absorbed in the
thought of Krishna, 24 hours. Take for example, the Bhagavad-gita:
the
instruction of Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita are just
suitable for a
perfect human civilization. So one should learn this teachings of Bhagavad-gita
as it is.
Next point, in order to understand this
teachings of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam,
there should be
centers where people can assemble daily, morning and evening, and try
to understand this Krishna Consciousness or God consciousness movement.
So we are trying to open branches all over the world in every city, in
every town, in every village, and people should take advantage of it.
There is no question of monetary transaction to enter into these
centers and institutions, but because we have to maintain such
institutions, public should voluntarily contribute and that is very
gladly accepted.
Next point, when people are accustomed to associate
with these different centers, of Krishna Consciousness movement, they
will one day come out of the material concept of life. Just like one
becomes awakened from sleep. While sleeping, one sees so many nonsense
dreams, but as soon as one is awakened, he becomes conscious that oh, I
was seeing so many nonsense dreams, actually it has no existence.
Similarly, when a person becomes Krishna Conscious, he can understand
the falsity representation of this material civilization.
Next point,
and when he is awakened, he becomes completely detached from the
so-called affection for designations, namely, society, friendship and
love.
Next point, by such understanding, one is not so much
materially
active. One is satisfied with income which can simply maintain his body
and soul together and he is no more interested to increase the bank
balance unnecessarily for sense gratification. The defect of the modern
civilization that everyone is earning money undoubtedly in large
volumes, but he does not know how to spend. He is spending simply for
sense gratification and the last word of sense gratification is sex,
therefore all money is being spent up for intoxication and sexual life,
nudey dance, nudey theater, in so many ways. That means they are
spoiling their human source of energy.
Next point, one should be so
trained up that within the heart he will be freed from all material
attraction, but so long the body is there, to keep the body and soul
together, he has to work like ordinary man.
Next point, the society,
friendship and love of material existence may be accepted without any
attraction, and whatever the so-called society, friendship and love
wants to take service from us, one should simply say, yes, it is very
nice, but actually he should give more importance for spiritual
advancement of life.
Next point, one should know it certain that
material resources, either in this planet or in other planets, either
in the sky or within the earth, namely in the mines, all the properties
that is being utilized at the present moment as economic development,
one should understand definitely that all the ingredients supplied or
all the ingredients stocked, for example, the petroleum now stocked
within the earth, and people are utilizing it for so many power
machinery—one should know that this petroleum belongs to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. It is not man-made. Nor the scientists can
manufacture. Similarly everything, all commodities, all things, all
properties, they are made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This
understanding must be there.
Next point, one can enjoy such properties
but with this understanding, that they belong to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Just like one is situated in the public park in
a very nice garden, public park, but one should always remember that
the public park does not belong to him, personally. But it is the
property of the government or the state.
Next point, therefore, the
properties made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be utilized
by all living entities. Every living entities, not only the human
beings, but also the animals, they have got right to live on the
property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Next point, nobody can
encroach upon the right of other living entities. Everyone is supplied
by the Lord, the fooding, shelter, by natural arrangement, so nobody
should encroach upon the right of living of others. As such, the human
being considered to be the highest developed conscious animals, so if
they utilize this consciousness in relationship with Krishna, that is
called Krishna Consciousness.
Next point, a Krishna Conscious person
does not encroach upon the right of other living beings, as such they
do not approve organized slaughterhouses for killing animals.
Next
point, if you maintain slaughterhouses then you have to suffer the
consequence, because in the law of nature, there is no distinction
between one life to another. Every living entity is equally valuable.
Next point, every living entity is claimed as the son of
the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, they may be dressed differently, because the
body is dress, the body is not identification with the living entity,
therefore the living entity may be dressed in 8,400,000 of different
dresses, and the living entity as he is, there is no qualitative
difference between human being and animal. Therefore, their material
necessities are the same, namely, eating, sleeping, mating, and
defending.
Next point, the foolish idea that animals or plants or
other
living entities have no life, is the basic cause of human sinful
activities.
Next point, one should be satisfied only to fulfill the
belly, that is the eating process. If you can satisfy your belly by
such things as grains, vegetables, fruits and milk, you have no right
to kill another animal for satisfying the taste of your tongue. The
human society is meant for living on the natural production, namely,
grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk. They should not indulge
extravagantly for other things. And if actually they are Krishna
Conscious, they know the art of how to prepare thousands of palatable
dishes only from the varieties of vegetables, grains, fruits, and milk.
If anyone takes more than he requires then he is to be understood a
thief. Nobody should accumulate for future consumption of family,
society, or nation, more money or more grains or more vegetables or
more eatables, one should have only as much as he requires. If there is
greater production, that should be distributed to persons who need
them. Because food grains, especially, they are meant for all living
entities, they should not be spoiled.
Next point, therefore, one who
spoils food grains unnecessarily, he is criminal. And one who
accumulates more money than is actually required, he is also criminal.
And according to the law of nature, or according to the law of God,
such persons are surely to be punished.
This punishment may not be visible in this life, but because life is
eternal, it is continuity, one must be prepared to accept such
punishment in this life or next life, and because they are taking the
risk, therefore, the living entity is transmigrating from one body to
another, and that is his problem of life. The human life is meant for
solving this problem. All animals like deer, camel, ass, monkey, even
flies and snakes, none should be ill treated. Even they enter into the
house or in the fields and take their eatables, they should not be
stopped. Because they have also got the right to eat, eatables supplied
by the Lord. And they will not eat more, neither they will take at
home, They are better than human beings. If a human being is allowed to
enter into the field or into the garden, he will try to take away
something for selling or stocking, but the animals do not. So the
innocent animals should be accepted as children of the householder.
Nobody should take to very hardship labor. The modern
civilization has
discovered severe types of dangerous industries, and laborers are
attracted for high wages. But they should not accept such work. Then
naturally there will be less capitalistic idea. Because the laborer
cooperates, therefore demoniac persons they take advantage and make
unnecessarily increase of artificial demands of the body. Better one
should be satisfied with agricultural produce than go into large cities
to be engaged in industry. Peaceful life depending on agricultural
produce can bring him real happiness and prosperity, not otherwise. The
more persons will be satisfied at their home, with home economics, not
to go outside the home, that is peaceful life. In India, Mahatma Gandhi
tried to organize villages in that way so that not to drag the people
to the town. So peaceful atmosphere can be attained only when there is
large scale village organization, actually village life. Not to borrow
the ideas from the cities in the village life; poet Cooper said that
country is made by God, and the cities and towns are made by man. So
that is the distinction.
There are many such nice ideas, for peaceful living on this planet and
execute Krishna Consciousness, so that one may become completely freed
from contamination of material existence, and get eternal life, just
after quitting this body. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita,
Taktva Deham Punar Janma Na Eti Mam Eti Kaunteya. By
simple prosecution
of Krishna Consciousness, one goes back to home, back to Godhead, just
after quitting this present body.
If people cooperate with this Krishna consciousness movement, certainly
a better type of civilization can be introduced for permanent peace and
prosperity of the whole world.
