With Intelligence - The Key to Spiritual Advancement
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the ultimate purpose of human life is to utilize our developed consciousness for self-realization. Rather than wasting this valuable gift on temporary material pursuits, a wise person acts with great intelligence to understand their spiritual identity and revive their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Purpose of Human Intelligence
According to the Vedic literature, the human being is granted a higher level of consciousness than the lower species. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this superior capacity must be used with intelligence to distinguish between the temporary material body and the eternal spiritual soul.
- The human being is the elder brother of all other living beings. He is endowed with intelligence more powerful than animals for realizing the course of nature and the indications of the Almighty Father.
- Living beings are proportionately endowed with intelligence in terms of their previous activities. All living beings are not equally endowed with the same quality of intelligence because behind such development of intelligence is the control of the Lord.
- One has to understand the differences with intelligence. Everyone knows that his material body has developed from a spiritual spark, and similarly the universal body has developed from the supreme spark, Supersoul.
- In modern so-called scientific society the idea is very prevalent that there is no life on other planets but that only on this earth do living entities with intelligence and scientific knowledge exist.
Controlling the Mind and Senses
The subtle body consists of mind, intelligence, and false ego, but the soul is completely transcendental to them all. Śrīla Prabhupāda outlines that by utilizing our higher intelligence, we can effectively control the restless mind and redirect the senses toward spiritual emancipation.
- Yoga system means to control the mind. By controlling mind, you can control the senses. Because mind is the master of the senses. Then above mind, still finer, is the intelligence. So you can train up your mind with intelligence.
- Some of the nonsense philosophers, they are identifying the soul with the mind, with intelligence, with ego, but they are all material. The soul is different. So this is daivi prakrti, spiritual nature.
- One should control the sitting posture, regulate the breathing process by the yogic pranayama and thus control the mind and senses and with intelligence apply the mind to the gross potencies of the Lord.
- With intelligence one has to seek out the constitutional position of the soul and then engage the mind always in Krsna consciousness. That solves the whole problem.
The Process of Buddhi-yoga
The perfection of intelligence is found in the practice of buddhi-yoga, or devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that when a living entity surrenders to the Lord with intelligence and devotion, they are immediately elevated above the entanglement of the material cosmic manifestation.
- Bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, executed with intelligence and full knowledge, is the only successful method for going back home, back to Godhead.
- The buddhi-yoga process of self-realization with intelligence transcendental to the mind (devotional service) can alone elevate one from the conditioned state of material entanglement in the cosmic construction.
- When a person properly utilizes his initiative, or active nature, with intelligence, understanding that everything is the Lord's potency, he can revive his original consciousness, which was lost due to association with maya, the external energy.
- To escape the entanglement, he (the living entity) has only to perform his duty and to surrender unto the Supreme Lord with intelligence and devotion and with sincere Krsna consciousness.
Sincere Endeavor in Devotion
Devotional service is active, dynamic, and requires thoughtful planning. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how an advanced devotee continuously uses their intellect to enthusiastically design ways to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and serve the Supreme Lord.
- Endeavor executed with intelligence in Krsna consciousness is called utsaha, or enthusiasm.
- A devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord.
- We have to work very hard and with intelligence and sincerity for this movement. It is a great movement undoubtedly but it takes a little time to convince the higher section of the society.
- Just like ass is the most hard-working animal, but it has no intelligence. So we don't want that. We want working with intelligence.
Conclusion
To accurately comprehend the absolute truth, one must recognize the distinct difference between mere hard labor and spiritual endeavor. Śrīla Prabhupāda continuously emphasizes that human intelligence is wasted if it is simply used to secure material comforts. By submissively hearing from a bona fide spiritual master and engaging the mind in buddhi-yoga, one elevates their consciousness above the modes of nature. Ultimately, those who enthusiastically dedicate their lives to serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead with intelligence and devotion cure their material disease and swiftly return back home, back to Godhead.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category With Intelligence. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.