Bill Faill: So in a sense, what a lot of people are saying today is that we must look inwards rather than outwards into the world of the senses.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Inward means that you are spirit soul; you are not this body. But if you keep your bodily concept of life, then where is inward? It is outward only.
Bill Faill: It's just another way of looking out.
Prabhupāda: No. That means it is simply talking. It has no realization. Unless you understand that you are not this body—you are spirit soul—there is no question of inward. That we have to study first of all, whether I am this body or I am something within this body. That is inward. But that they do not understand. There is no education in the school, college or university. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." You see? Just like in this country, everywhere: "We are South African. They are Indian. They are this. They are this. They are this." So whole bodily concept, the whole world . . . "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means it starts when one is above the bodily conception of life. Then the starting begins.
Bill Faill: So the recognition of the spark comes first.
Prabhupāda: Hah. Recognition of the spirit soul within this body, that is first education. Unless one understands this simple fact, there is no question of spiritual advancement.
Bill Faill: Is it a question of just understanding it?
Prabhupāda: Yes. For the time . . . in the beginning, first of all theoretical, theoretical.
Bill Faill: Intellectually accept it.
Prabhupāda: Theoretical. That is a fact. Unless there are two department of knowledge, theoretical and practical . . . so first of all, one has to learn theoretical. That much knowledge one must have. Then, by practicing, working on that spiritual platform, he comes to the practical life.