Richard: Reality is a series of moments or a moment perceived by the senses.
Prabhupāda: That I have already explained. The drunkard is feeling by drinking his senses are very satisfied, that is reality.
Richard: Sure, it's his reality.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then why should you canvass him, "Please come to the church and accept Christianity"?
Richard: Frankly, I don't know. I don't really know why he should be asked to go to church.
Prabhupāda: Therefore.... Then there is no need of church. Everyone can do whatever he thinks reality. That is no standard reality.
Richard: No, reality is not in itself a goal. It just is.
Prabhupāda: Then what is the goal?
Richard: I would say, you know, we discussed this earlier, it's a, it's trying to find what makes one's life worthwhile.
Prabhupāda: Trying to find, that means you do not know.
Richard: No, I think life is a pursuit, I don't think it...
Prabhupāda: What is that pursuit if you have no aim or objective? You are going to school, the object is you become a graduate. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal, what is this pursuit?
Richard: Why pursue something?
Prabhupāda: You are going to school, college, suppose you are going to be graduate, but if you do not know what is the ultimate end of pursuit, then what is this pursuit? Simply blind?
Richard: No, it's, it's just trying to make your life work.
Prabhupāda: There must be some goal, ultimate goal. That we must know. That is called pursuit. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, then there is no meaning of pursuit.
Richard: Um.
Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda is talking about an absolute reality, not a relative reality.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Richard: What is your definition of an absolute reality?
Prabhupāda: That is final.
Richard: A goal.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Richard: Okay, and what is the absolute reality?
Prabhupāda: Relative means it is understood in two ways. Absolute means there are no two ways, final. Final. So what is the final aim of our life? That we must know.
Richard: Do you know?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, we know, everyone, all of our students.
Richard: What is that absolute reality that is the absolute goal?
Rāmeśvara: The absolute goal is to understand that within this body there is a living force which is spiritual, and that spiritual force is a servant of God. It has a relationship with God. Apart from how you perceive the world through your senses, beyond that there is a soul which has a relationship with God. That is the absolute reality. You may perceive the world in so many ways through your senses, but beyond that, within your body there is a soul which is yearning for a relationship, a loving relationship with God. And if you neglect that relationship due to your senses...
Prabhupāda: Ignorance.
Rāmeśvara: ...or ignorance, then you're missing the reality of life and you're living in an illusion. Due to your senses you're living, you could live, be living in illusion. The senses are not perfect instruments for understanding reality. There is another process for understanding reality. The senses are not perfect. Therefore one should not depend upon the senses to understand reality. There is a greater process.
Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles
Write a comment