Artificially Thinking - The Illusion of Māyāvāda and Sahajiyāism
In the material world, every conditioned soul is acting out a role that is completely foreign to its true spiritual nature. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently uses the phrase "artificially thinking" to describe this state of profound illusion. Whether a person claims to be the supreme master of their family, a liberated impersonalist, or a highly advanced devotee entering intimate pastimes, any identity disconnected from humble, practical service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is merely an artificial concoction of the mind.
The False Ego of Mastery
The fundamental disease of material existence is the desire to be independent. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that according to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, our original svarūpa is to be an eternal servant. However, out of false pride, the conditioned soul artificially thinks he does not need to bow down to anyone. This rebellion is the very definition of illusion, as no one can ever truly become the master of material nature.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu has defined our original svarupa, our original identity, as that of eternal servant. People are artificially thinking, - I am independent. I am no one's servant. I have become God. I have become Bhagavan. I am this, or I am that.
- If you artificially think that "I'm not going to bow down anyone. I am independent," then you suffer. Simply you have to seek out the proper place where you have to bow down. That's all.
- They (Krsna Conscious devotees) are not artificially thinking, "I am master." Otherwise, everyone is thinking, "I am master." That is illusion. You cannot be master in any state of your life; you must remain a servant. That is your position.
- When one thinks artificially that he is master, that is his conditioned life. And when one voluntarily surrenders to the supreme master, that is his liberation.
The Impersonalist Delusion
Frustrated by the suffering of material mastery, some philosophers swing to the opposite extreme: they attempt to become God or merge into a void. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly condemns the Māyāvāda philosophy, stating that it is foolish and artificial to think oneself equal to the Supreme Lord. Even if such ascetics artificially think they are liberated, their lack of devotion guarantees their eventual fall down.
- A living entity is eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and he has this knowledge with him, but, artificially, he thinks that he is God himself and that although he is God he has lost his knowledge due to maya.
- By meditation the impersonalist philosophers try to become dead stones: "Let me think of something void or impersonal." But how can one artificially make oneself void.
- This Advaitan idea is artificial - to think you're able to become God.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 10.2.32): Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet his intelligence is polluted.
The Trap of Premature Imitation
Within the realm of devotional service, another dangerous artificiality exists: the prākṛta-sahajiyā mentality. Śrīla Prabhupāda strictly warns against prematurely jumping into discussions of Kṛṣṇa's intimate pastimes, such as the rāsa-līlā. Those who do not strictly follow the regulative principles yet artificially think they are on the spontaneous platform of pure love are simply imitating spiritual life to satisfy their own diseased, lusty hearts.
- If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism.
- Prakrta-sahajiyas, who consider the transcendental pastimes of Krsna something like the behavior between a man and a woman, artificially think that hearing the rasa-lila will help them by diminishing the lusty desires of their diseased hearts.
- One cannot enter into Krsna’s rasa-lila dance simply by artificially imitating it or artificially thinking oneself a sakhi and dressing up like one. Krsna’s rasa-lila dance is completely spiritual; it has nothing to do with material contamination.
- Here in Los Angeles, we have found that there is a group of about 40 devotees who privately meet to discuss the intimate pastimes artificially thinking that they can enter into the understanding of the gopis prematurely.
Eradicating False Designations
To achieve actual peace and spiritual perfection, one must meticulously strip away all artificial mental constructs. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that even our perception of bodily suffering is filtered through artificial nationalistic designations. True Kṛṣṇa consciousness means abandoning these false labels and realizing that our only genuine identity is that of a humble, eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Artificially we are thinking it is American pain or it is Indian pain. That is artificial. This artificial covering has to be removed. Then we come to Krsna consciousness. Feelings, consciousness is not American, African or Indian.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the friend of all living entities, and all living entities are eternal servants of the Supreme Lord. Oneness is possible through this understanding, not through artificially thinking that every one of us is God.
- Until a person achieves this perfection (as achieving his constitutional position of immortality), he cannot be peaceful. He may artificially think he is one with the Supreme, but actually he is not; therefore, he has no peace.
- The word acyutamsam is specifically used here (in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.18), signifying that the Lord is always present with His plenary expansions and opulences. There is no need to think of the Lord artificially as yogis do.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the practice of pure devotional service is meant to cure the living entity of the disease of artificial thinking. Whether one suffers from the gross illusion of material mastery, the philosophical illusion of impersonalism, or the pseudo-spiritual illusion of premature imitation, the remedy remains the same. By humbly accepting our constitutional position as eternal servants and strictly following the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master, we can dismantle these artificial coverings and awaken our pure, original Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Artificially Thinking. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.