Animal conception

Expressions researched:
"animal conception"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If I think that "I am this body, and the comfort of this body is my happiness"—sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). You are not better than animal. This is animal conception of life. You must know that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul.

Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:

You may solve your temporary problems, but you cannot, by your so-called materialistic activities, solve the problem of death. Nobody wants to die. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Death will come. But the people have become so much unintelligent, they do not take up seriously the real problems. Just like animals. The animal is being taken to the slaughterhouse. And one animal enters to the slaughterhouse store, livestock store, and all the animals enter. He does not know that "This, I have to stay here for being killed." He does not know. This is animal. Similarly, if you do not take these problems seriously, you are no better than animal. However you may be advanced for these bodily comforts, you are animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Kuṇape tri-dhātuke, this bag of three elements, kapha-pitta-vāyu. If I think that "I am this body, and the comfort of this body is my happiness"—sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). You are not better than animal. This is animal conception of life. You must know that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. Circumstantially, I have been put into this body, and again I'll be put into another body. So what is the solution of this problem?" That is Bhagavad-gītā. That is Bhagavad-gītā. If you understand fully what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then these questions, the answers are there. You'll find.

This is all bodily conception. This conception of life is animal conception.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Calcutta, September 23, 1974:

This is animal conception of life. "I am this body." "I am Indian." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am American." "I am Christian." "I am Hindu." Like that. This is all bodily conception. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). This conception of life is animal conception.

If a man thinks that he is this body, he is American or Indian or Frenchman or German or Hindu or Muslim, with this bodily concept of life, so, according to Vedic understanding, this conception is animal conception.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

We accept this body as self. This is called illusion. According to Vedic understanding, anyone who thinks of this body as the self, he's animal. Just like a dog, he thinks that he is the body, similarly, if a man thinks that he is this body, he is American or Indian or Frenchman or German or Hindu or Muslim, with this bodily concept of life, so, according to Vedic understanding, this conception is animal conception. So this is called illusion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The beginning is that "I am this body," this conception. This is animal conception.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

The beginning is that "I am this body," this conception. This is animal conception, "I am this body." So due to this misconception of our life, we have accumulated many dirty and dusty things within our heart. So if we hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, even if we do not understand it, the action will be there. The action will be there.

There are three stages: animal conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. So spiritual conception is perfect, all perfect.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

When one is ignorant, he is like animal. When he is farther advanced, he is a philosopher. And when he is farther advanced, he is a devotee. These are three different stages: like animal, like philosopher and like devotee. So when you think like devotee, that is perfection. And you think that "I am American," "I am Indian"—that is animal. So it is according to the advancement of one's life. There are three stages: animal conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. So spiritual conception is perfect, all perfect.

Deha-gehātma-buddheḥ is animal conception. One has to come to understand that "I am not this body.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

Everyone is thinking, "This is my country," nationalism. "This is my socialism." "I am brāhmaṇa, I belong to the brāhmaṇas," "I belong to the kṣatriyas." "I belong to America." "I belong to India." This is deha-gehātma-buddheḥ, and yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is thinking like that, deha-gehātmā, sa eva go-kharaḥ, he is no better than the cows and the asses, animal. Deha-gehātma-buddheḥ is animal conception. One has to come to understand that "I am not this body, I am not this mind or intelligence." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, Paraṁ Brahman. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7).

Competition among ourselves individually—capitalism, communism, and among ourselves collectively—national wars, international wars—such a person is in an animal conception, vimūḍha.

Lecture on SB 7.6.16 -- New Vrindaban, June 30, 1976:

That the vidvān, or the learned people in society, which today are the scientists, for the same conception, instead of realizing the glories of me who am controlling a part of it and you who are controlling a part of it and then making a division and a clash, competition, war, competition among ourselves individually—capitalism, communism, and among ourselves collectively—national wars, international wars—such a person is in an animal conception, vimūḍha. He's said to be bewildered.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

An animal does not know that there is soul and the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. This is animal conception.

Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No scientist, no politician, no philosophers, at the present moment, believe in this, that there is soul, and the soul is transmigrating from one body... Nobody believes it. So their whole background is foolish. So their so-called advancement must be all foolish. They're all fools, rascals, animals. An animal does not know that there is soul and the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. This is animal conception. You cannot teach these pigeons that "You are spirit soul. Your body's different from you." They will, they have no power to understand. So if a human being cannot understand, what is the difference between these pigeons and cats and dogs and him?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is animal conception, that a dog doesn't care. Similarly, if you don't care, then you are no better than the dog.

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Professor: I don't care who is the owner of my body. I know that it is not going to be eternally mine because this body is going to corrupt, is going to die, and we will have to bury it so that everybody will be happy. But I don't care about that because I...

Prabhupāda: That is animal. That is animal. That is animal conception. That is animal conception, that a dog doesn't care. Similarly, if you don't care, then you are no better than the dog.

Professor: I would not agree with that.

Prabhupāda: Why not? Because your conception, the dog conception, the same.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

It has nothing to do with spiritual advancement. It is body. So that is animal conception.

Conversation with Italian Woman with Translator -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Translator: Another thing is that she has a husband, but they don't live together in the same ideas, spiritual ideas. So she wants to know what to do now. Should she go apart from the husband?

Prabhupāda: It has nothing to do with spiritual advancement. It is body. So that is animal conception. Tell her.

Translator: She's still insisting, should she stay with her husband, should she stay alone so she can...?

Prabhupāda: The same thing. Because it is body, bodily connection, either you live alone or with somebody, it has nothing to do with spiritual life.