Ādhibhautika - Miseries from Other Living Entities
The material world is often mistaken for a place of enjoyment, but the scriptures describe it as duḥkhālayam—a place of misery. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that every conditioned soul is subjected to three kinds of suffering, known as tritāpa-yātana. One of these is ādhibhautika, which refers to the distress inflicted by other living entities. From the biting of a mosquito to the aggression of a political enemy, the living entity is constantly under attack in this material existence.
Definition and Examples
Ādhibhautika miseries are those caused by other living beings. Śrīla Prabhupāda gives vivid examples to illustrate this pervasive suffering. Even in the safety of one's home, bedbugs or mosquitoes can disturb one's sleep. In the jungle, tigers and other predators pose a threat. In human society, enemies, thieves, and even the state government can be sources of ādhibhautika misery through taxation and harassment.
- Miseries inflicted by other living entities are called adhibhautika. These living entities need not even be large, for there are many - such as bugs - that can make us miserable even while we are sleeping in bed.
- There are many insignificant living entities, like cockroaches, that sometimes give us pain, and there are also other living entities who are born on different kinds of planets and who give us (adhibhautika) miseries.
- There are other miseries created by other living entities. The state exacts taxes, and there are also many thieves, rogues and cheaters. Miseries brought about by other living entities are called adhibhautika.
Part of the Threefold Miseries
Ādhibhautika does not exist in isolation; it is part of a triad of suffering that includes ādhyātmika (miseries caused by one's own body and mind) and ādhidaivika (miseries caused by higher powers or natural disasters). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the conditioned soul is always being harassed by at least one of these miseries. There is no escape from this tritāpa-yātana as long as one identifies with the material body.
- As long as we have these temporary bodies, they give us many varieties of tribulation - adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. This is the root cause of all suffering, but this root cause of suffering can be removed by revival of our Krsna consciousness.
- The conditioned soul must be disturbed by at least one of these three miseries (adhidaivika, adhyatmika and adhibhautika). There is no escape.
- In the material world, so-called auspicity, to become very rich, to become very educated, to become very beautiful, high parentage, they are auspicity. But they are also adulterated with threefold miseries: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika.
The Purpose of Suffering
Why does the living entity suffer? Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that these miseries are not accidental but are the laws of nature acting as punishment. The material energy, māyā, inflicts these troubles to correct the rebellious soul. Just as a mother chastises a child to correct his behavior, nature punishes the living entity to remind him that he is not the enjoyer and to turn him toward the Supreme Lord.
- This maya's business is to give you always trouble, tri-tapa-yatana, adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, just to kick you, those who are nondevotees, just to correct you to become a devotee of the Lord.
- The laws of nature is to punish you. So long you are not Krsna conscious, the laws of nature will go on punishing you - three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is the law.
- Mother nature is described as Goddess Durga, and she has got a trident in her hand. That is punishment. Three kinds of miserable condition: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika.
The Solution: Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
The only way to transcend these miseries is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that the root cause of suffering is the bodily concept of life. When one realizes his spiritual identity and surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, the material miseries, including ādhibhautika, no longer affect him in the same way. A person who can tolerate these disturbances and remain fixed in spiritual life is called dhīra, or sober.
- In material life there are many disturbances (adhyatmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika). One who has learned to tolerate these disturbances under all circumstances is called dhira.
- Since Lord Visnu is the Supersoul of all living entities, if He likes He can save us from adhibhautika disturbances, disturbances from other living entities.
- The three kinds of miserable conditions-adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities and natural disturbances) - were all absent during the reign of Ramacandra or Yudhisthira.
Conclusion
Understanding the nature of ādhibhautika misery is essential for anyone seeking relief from the struggles of life. By recognizing that suffering is inherent in the material world and is enforced by other living entities under the laws of nature, one can stop trying to make a permanent settlement here. Instead, one should turn toward the eternal shelter of Kṛṣṇa, where the threefold miseries cannot reach.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Adhibhautika. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.