Srila Prabhupada - Vedic Teachings

                               Prabhupāda: We are seeking eternity. I find myself as a soul; I am eternal; so I must seek an eternal world. This is not my place. I am eternal. The same example: just like fish taken from the water, he is not finding comfortable life. So when the fish is thrown in the water, then it is comfortable. Similarly, I am spirit soul. I am not feeling comfortable with this material body. Therefore the right conclusion is how to go to the spiritual world or attain a spiritual body. That information we are getting from Bhagavad-gītā, that one who understands Kṛṣṇa or develops his love for Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, then he gets a spiritual body to see Kṛṣṇa. Because if one is very much anxious, these thoughts will continue, and at the time of his death, ending this body, if he is filled up with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is immediately transferred. (Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant) ...

  „ Your coat is cut according to your body. Similarly, this materially body is cut according our spiritual body. So we have got our spiritual body. This material body is covering. Vāsāṁsi jirṇāni. Just like dress. Your shirt and coat is the covering of your real body. Similarly, this body, gross body and subtle body, made of material elements... The gross body is made of earth, water, air, fire. And the subtle body's made of mind, intelligence and ego. This is the shirt and coat. Within this shirt and coat, there is the soul. So the soul is now encaged in this material body. And our business in the human form of body. In animal form of body, we cannot do this. But the human form of body we can understand that "I am not this body." The body, this material body, is a outer encagement, and, because I have got this body, I am subjected to birth, death, old age and disease.” (Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973)

                               „If you want actual peace, ātmā, suprasīdati, then you have to accept paro dharma. Para means supreme or superior. There are two kinds of dharmas: parā and aparā. Aparā means this material world. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). There are two natures: one spiritual nature and one material nature. People do not understand what is spiritual nature. But Kṛṣṇa explains very nicely, and one can understand very easily what is spiritual nature and what is material nature. In the Bhagavad-gītā, the matter, five elements—earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, ego—these are material nature. Prakṛti me bhinnā aṣṭadhā. Apareyam. Then Kṛṣṇa says this is aparā. Aparā means inferior. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ. The modern scientist or philosophers, they are engaged in studying this inferior nature. They have no information of the superior nature. But Kṛṣṇa says...

                               Prabhupāda: What is the problem? Because we are part and parcel of God, we are qualitatively equal with Him. God is eternal, and we are eternal. God is blissful, and we are blissful. God is full of knowledge; we are also full of knowledge. Unfortunately we are hampered by this material body. Therefore our problem is how to get out of this material body and come to our spiritual body. The spiritual body is there, just as our real body is present underneath our shirt and coat. I, you, and every one of us is a spiritual spark, part and parcel of God, and we are placed within a gross and subtle body. When this particular body is finished, we are carried by a subtle body into another gross body. That is called transmigration of the soul. And when we finally get free from the subtle body also, we go back home, back to Godhead. It is that easy. Human beings therefore should endeavor t...

„So without a thing being existing in the Absolute Truth, how that can be manifested in this relative truth? This world is relative truth. So there is everything, but only one has to understand what is that everything. That everything is spiritual, and this is material. When it is said that He's sarvendriya-vivarjitam, that means He has no material senses. He has got senses. He has got eyes, He has got hands, legs, everything, but they are not material. But a man with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand that without material body, how there can be possible of possessing a body. Because we are accustomed to see the material things, we have no eyes to see spiritual, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Therefore Kṛṣṇa, to benefit us, to become merciful upon us, He appears in this form, arcā-vigraha, so that we can see Him. Because we have learned to see wood, stone, earth, some solid materials. We cannot see subtle things. Just like every...

  "In the human society, there is always some kinds of religious institution. That is called dharma, faith. Real dharma means—that I have already explained—occupational duty. Constitutional duty, that is called dharma: functional duty. So real dharma, real religion, is to become servant of God, or to render service to God. That is real religion. But we have manufactured so many religions: different societies, different circumstances, different country. Therefore it is advised herewith that you may execute any kind of religious faith or . . . (break) . . . principle, but the result should be . . . (break) . . . perfect. You can say: "I am very perfectly executing the ritualistic ceremonies and the tenets described in my scripture, Bible" or Veda or Koran. That's very good. But what is the result? The result is that you must develop or increase your tendency to hear about God. But if your ultimate truth is impersonal . . . mostly they consider God...

„ Philosopher George Santayana defines  fanaticism  as "redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim" The fanatic displays very strict standards and little tolerance for contrary ideas or opinions. Tõnu Lehtsaar has defined the term  fanaticism  as the pursuit or defence of something in an extreme and passionate way that goes beyond normality. Religious fanaticism is defined by blind faith, the persecution of dissidents and the absence of reality.”   (Wikipedia) „So although we cannot see the subtle body, it is there. So death means this gross body, this overcoat, is left, and I am carried away by the subtle body, and I enter into another overcoat, or gross body. So practically this is called death. Because we have no vision of the subtle body, how the soul is being transferred or transmigrating from one gross body to another gross body, keeping the subtle body intact... And the subtle body is given up when one is liberated. An...