When one person thinks that this body is, "I am. I am this body . . ." Actually do so. If I ask you what are you, what you are, you'll give all description of your body; I'll give all description of my body. "I am Mr. Such-and-such, I am born of such-and-such father, my national country is such-and-such . . ." But these are all designation of this body. I do not know what I am, therefore I give only the designation. Therefore my intelligence is bodily concept of life: "I am this body."
So śāstra says that if one is in bodily concept of life, then he is no better than the animal. Because the dog, it does not know that beyond this body, the dog is there, he is a living entity, he is a soul, he is Brahma, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahma. These things dog does not know, or a cow does not know, or an ass does not know, or the animal does not know. Similarly, if we do not know beyond this body, then we are no better than animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
So if you analyze the whole population, you will find that we are simply a crowd or assembly of so many animals, that's all. This is fact. Because we not know beyond this body. So you cannot expect any peace and prosperity in the animal society. That is not possible. The animals, by nature they can not live in peace. They are always in fighting. Just like children: although they live together, but they will fight. They will fight. So the world is trying to have peace and prosperity, but they want to keep themself as animal. So therefore it is, conclusion is, that there cannot be any peace and prosperity in this status of social constitution.
You have to become real human being. That is wanted. And what is the human being? That is explained in the Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra, you have heard the name, if you have not studied, that is the greatest philosophical presentation of Indian culture, Vedānta. Vedānta means . . . Veda means knowledge; anta means end. Just like we have accumulating knowledge from university education, but everything remains imperfect. The scientists, they give some theory, but that is imperfect. Another scientist comes, he improves upon it, everything. That means this knowledge has no end—it is going on, going on. But the knowledge which is . . . which comes to the point that here is the extreme knowledge, that is called Vedānta.
So the Vedānta means, those who have read Vedānta, Vedānta-sūtra, the first sūtra, or code, is athāto brahma jijñāsā. Atha, "Now, the time is for inquiring about the Absolute Truth," athāto brahma jijñāsā. That means the human life. The human . . . Vedānta-sūtra, this philosophy, is meant for the human being, not for cats and dogs. They cannot understand. Therefore it is said, atha, "now."
It is the opportunity of our inquiring about the Absolute Truth, this human form of life. What is that Absolute Truth? Everyone is under the concept of this body. But that is not Absolute Truth, it is relative truth. But if you inquire about the Absolute Truth, then it is possible, because you are human being, you can understand what is that Absolute Truth. It is possible. Because this body is so advanced, our consciousness is so advanced, that there is possibility.