Suffering in the Bodily Concept of Life

Why is the material world filled with anxiety? Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that suffering is not inherent to the soul; it is a symptom of a wrong identification. Just as a person in a nightmare suffers because they think the dream is real, the living entity suffers because they think the body is the self. As long as one remains in the "bodily concept of life," peace is impossible.

The Root of Anxiety

Śrīla Prabhupāda provides a simple litmus test for spiritual advancement: Are you happy? He explains that the bodily concept is synonymous with anxiety, while self-realization is synonymous with joy.

• As soon as you are self-realized, you become jubilant. In the bodily concept of life we are always full of anxiety and morose.
• So long we are materially engrossed, bodily concept of life, there will be always anxiety. This is the test.

The Threefold Miseries

The material body is a magnet for misery. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that as long as we identify with the body, we are subject to the three types of suffering (tri-tāpa-yātana): those caused by the body and mind, those caused by other living entities, and those caused by natural disturbances.

• Tri-tapa-yatana, three types of miserable condition: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. That is animal life, bodily concept of life.
• It is due to my this body and bodily concepts of life, we are suffering or enjoying, so-called enjoying, so-called suffering.

The Fear of Death

The ultimate suffering in the bodily concept is the fear of death. Since the soul is eternal, this fear is entirely artificial. It arises only because we falsely think, "I am this body, and now I am being destroyed."

• There is not a bird, beast, human being or living entity alive that is not afraid of something. This is because we are absorbed in the bodily conception, thinking, - I am this body.
• After the death of a person in the bodily concept of life, he is undoubtedly transferred to the hell known as Andhatama.

Conclusion

To stop the suffering, we do not need to change the world; we need to change our consciousness. When we step out of the bodily concept, anxiety vanishes immediately.

• So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful.

Dive Deeper into Srila Prabhupada's Vani

Srila Prabhupada lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Bodily Concept of Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Srila Prabhupada's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.