Simple living high thinking

Expressions researched:
"simple living, high thinking" |"simple living high thinking" |"simple living and high thinking" |"simple life high thinking" |"simple life and high thinking" |"simple life with Krsna conscious thinking"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Whatever is absolutely necessary, a brāhmaṇa will accept, not more than that. That is simplicity, simple living, high thinking.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974: The brāhmaṇa, their duty is how to practice to control the mind, to control the senses, śamo damas titikṣā, to be tolerant, to be very simple, simple living, not very gorgeous living. Whatever is absolutely necessary, a brāhmaṇa will accept, not more than that. That is simplicity, simple living, high thinking. So this is brāhmaṇa's... Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam. And then jñānam. Jñānam means to understand what is what. People are all in ignorance rascals. The brāhmaṇa should not be rascal. Therefore brāhmaṇa is given the title paṇḍita.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Make life very simple. And simple living, high thinking, and always conscious to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975: The devotee's life should be yāvad artha-prayojanam. We require material necessities as much as it is required, no artificial life. That is spiritual life. Simply increasing artificial life, even for shaving, a big machine is required. What is this? Simply wasting time. Devil's workshop. Make life very simple. And simple living, high thinking, and always conscious to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. That is life. Not this life, that simply machine, machine, machine, machine. So if you show practical example that how you are living simple life and how you are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then people will learn from you.

So if you want to be peaceful, happy, you have to again bring in the Vedic culture, simple life and high thinking. That is wanted. If you introduce more and more anarthas only, unwanted things, how you can be happy?

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976: So if you want to be peaceful, happy, you have to again bring in the Vedic culture, simple life and high thinking. That is wanted. If you introduce more and more anarthas only, unwanted things, how you can be happy? We have to minimize even whatever we absolutely require. Absolutely we require āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. It has to be curtailed. That is civilization, not that increasing. This is a misguiding civilization. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. This is a civilization where a blind man is guiding a few others or many other blind men.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

So work is required. But godly persons, they want to live a simple life and high thinking, save time for understanding of God.

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Pradyumna:

etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya

naṣṭātmāno 'lpa-buddhayaḥ

prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ

kṣayāya jagato 'hitāḥ

[Bg. 16.9]

"Following such conclusion, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world."

Prabhupāda: So work is required. But godly persons, they want to live a simple life and high thinking, save time for understanding of God. The demonic people, they are engaged in horrible activities. They have manufactured so many things. So in this way... There are so many descriptions. Actually, by the increase of demoniac people, people are not very happy, and they are missing the ultimate goal of life. That is the defect of the modern civilization. They do not believe that there is an ultimate goal of life, there is life after death, and what kind of body he's going to get next. These things are not, neither in the university education curriculum, neither people are interested. So at the present moment... This is called Kali-yuga. So people are being misled. Actually, the human being, the form of human life, is distinct from animal life. So if we live like animals, then we are missing the chance. At the present moment, this is the position.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

"Simple Living, High Thinking."

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban: They have not replied even. [break] "Simple Living, High Thinking." "Then and Now: the Right to Distribute the American Dream." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So instead of giving books to the members, they can read the books in the magazines. One magazine should be given free always to the members.

Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupäda: All right, you make very nice arrangement to live here, nature will not allow you to live. You must die. And after death you are going to get another body. So in this body, working for high grade electricity lamp, you work so hard, have got your own business, and next life by the laws of nature, if you get the body of a dog, then what is the benefit? That you cannot check. What is the answer? Hmm?

Kulādri: Simple living, high thinking.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Kulādri: Simple living.

Prabhupāda: No, here is the charge. Now what is your answer? In this life you are living very comfortably, next life if I'm going to be a dog, then this is the charge. Now how this class of men will answer it? Can he deny that he's not going to be a dog?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

If we live simple life with Kṛṣṇa conscious thinking, There will be no scarcity.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So if you can educate people, they will be united. This is actually united nations movement. Actually see how these Europeans, Americans, and Africans, and others, without any artificial allurement, how we are keeping together. Nobody is dissatisfied with humble eating, humble living, humbly, plain living. So it is possible. There is possibility. We live simple life, high thinking-United Nation. We can possibly... And there will be no scarcity. If we live simple life with Kṛṣṇa conscious thinking, There will be no scarcity.

Hari-śauri: Just like India has so many villages. Because they are living simply, then there's enough for everyone.

Prabhupāda: No scarcity. Population increasing? You increase your food. So much land everywhere vacant, all over the world. But that they will not do. They will keep the cattles and eat. Cattle also, they want vegetables. Otherwise where you'll get cattle? But therefore in Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg. 3.14]. Produce food grains. Just like this is. How nice it is, from paddy. So you take the paddies, rice, eat, and the grass you can utilize in so many ways. Anywhere you can till the ground, you get paddy and the grass. Make your cottage. So shelter is there. And the animals also like this grass. You can make home. Where is the scarcity? Plain living, high thinking, and prepare for next life. Go back home, back to Godhead. Finish this hellish life of repeated birth and death.

1968 Correspondence

Our motto is simple living, high thinking; we should think of Krishna without being hampered by material disturbances, as far as possible.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1968: Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated Feb. 15, 1968, and noted the contents. I have already instructed Jayananda not to occupy the storefront in Berkeley if it is too much risky. We should not accept anything very risky because that will hamper us in our program of Krishna Consciousness. Our motto is simple living, high thinking; we should think of Krishna without being hampered by material disturbances, as far as possible. So too much risky thing is not for us. If something comes very easily for our manipulation we welcome it.

1973 Correspondence

Simple living, high thinking, that is our policy, and as long as Krsna remains in the center of all these activities, then you are actually in Vrindaban.

Letter to Hladini -- Calcutta 28 January, 1973: As your devotional service becomes mature you shall see Krsna more and more, and more and more you shall realize the qualities of the holy land of Vraja. This modern civilization is always artificial. You are actually learning in New Vrindaban the self-sufficient mode of living, simple living, high thinking, that is our policy, and as long as Krsna remains in the center of all these activities, then you are actually in Vrindaban. And the more you please the Deities there with your service, the more they shall reciprocate by bestowing upon you love for Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

1975 Correspondence

Our philosophy is "simple living and high thinking"—not sense gratification. The temple presidents and leaders (elder students) must show this by example.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 12 January, 1975: Any householder devotee who is working full-time (with his wife) as a sankirtana book distributer, of temple managerial duties, artist, cook, etc. shall be provided food, shelter, and other bare minimum necessities by the temple itself. They should not cook their own meals separate from the temple meals. If they have children, then some minimal allowance may be given according to the number of children. If they want anything extra or over and above what the temple president sees as absolute necessity, then they should work outside—the temple cannot pay for anything beyond the bare necessities. And definitely, the BBT cannot pay any salary to anybody. Our philosophy is "simple living and high thinking"—not sense gratification. The temple presidents and leaders (elder students) must show this by example. Temple or asrama means for renunciation and renounced persons. If one is engaged in self-realization process, then his material necessities become almost nil. Persons who do not like this can work outside.

We are trying to set a perfect example according to the Bhagavad-gita as it is, how to execute simple living and high thinking. We are not interested in any material comforts of life which are limited and temporary. We are interested in solving the real problems of life, birth, death, old-age, and disease.

Letter to Radha Krishna Dhawan -- Honolulu 10 June, 1975: Yes, we are trying to set a perfect example according to the Bhagavad-gita as it is, how to execute simple living and high thinking. We are not interested in any material comforts of life which are limited and temporary. We are interested in solving the real problems of life, birth, death, old-age, and disease. These problems must be solved, and Krishna gives the formula in the Bhagavad-gita. So, we are preaching that simple formula given by Krishna, and people are trying it and finding real happiness in life, therefore the Hare Krishna movement is an undeniable success. Everyone is accepting. I am very glad that you are also accepting.

The total scheme is for simple life and high thinking and exalted character of the human society.

Letter to Giriraja -- Detroit 4 August, 1975: The idea is that local inhabitants will be satisfied with their bare necessities of life and their attention will be diverted towards spiritual development of life. That is the aim of human birth. We are trying this also in Africa, and it is partially successful. The whole scheme is that if a man becomes a devotee all good qualities inherent in him become manifest, whereas a person without being a devotee even though he has so-called academic qualifications, he will remain on the mental platform and will again be brought to the material field of activities which will always bring dissatisfaction. The total scheme is for simple life and high thinking and exalted character of the human society. As a matter of fact all of our members refrain from eating meat, gambling, intoxication, and illicit sex.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dharmadhyaksa -- Honolulu 29 May, 1976: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your "Simple Living and High Thinking" magazine. The article is very well-written and convincing. Thank you very much.

We are trying to construct a city where people from all over the world can come to visit and live according to the Vedic tenets of "simple living and high thinking."

Letter to Mr. Hunter -- Los Angeles 5 June, 1976: beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter with enclosed contribution towards the development of our Mayapur City in W. Bengal, and I thank you very much. We are trying to construct a city where people from all over the world can come to visit and live according to the Vedic tenets of "simple living and high thinking."